While perfect for domestic short hops, I found Virgin Australia’s 737-800 Business Class product a bit constraining for a six hour journey to Bali. I understand that Bali is a leisure destination for Australians and most are far more...
Germany Unites Around New Taxes, Higher Airfares (But Protections For Lufthansa)
Germany is moving closer toward raising taxes on domestic flights in hopes of reducing demand and eventually greenhouse gas pollution. But Lufthansa stands to benefit from the new taxes. Like other nations, Germany finds itself falling short of the...
Review: Plaza Premium Lounge Brisbane (BNE)
Since waiting for the Virgin Australia Lounge in Brisbane is like Waiting for Godot, I occupied my long layover in BNE by relaxing in the Plaza Premium Lounge. The Virgin Australia Lounge in Brisbane has been delayed almost as...
An 18-Mile United Mainline Flight Is Flying Today
United Airlines is operating a special flight from Burbank to Los Angeles today, a flight of only 18 miles. With the ongoing runway work at San Francisco International Airport (SFO), United is ferrying one of its Airbus A319s from...
Review: Virgin Australia 777-300ER Business Class
I may not have slept well, but I liked everything else about my Virgin Australia 777-300ER flight in “The Business” from Los Angeles to Brisbane. In one of the rare sweet spots on the Delta award chart, I booked...
Why Fiji Airways Is Angry At “Aggressive” Qantas
Fiji Airways is angry at Qantas, the Australian airline that owns a 46% stake in it. Is the anger justified or just another example of protectionism? Earlier this year, Qantas started flying 4x/week between Sydney and Nadi, Fiji, the...
Air India’s New “Diet” Crew Meals: Fat Shaming Or Cost Cutting?
Air India is introducing new low-fat “diet” meals for crews. Is this another not-so-subtle attempt at fat-shaming or just another cost cutting cutting move for a cash-starved airline? Effective immediately, Air India cabin crews (flight attendants and pilots) will...
Premium Award Seats Better For Balance Sheets
Airlines are happy to award more miles to customers who spend more money. But they sometimes forget that releasing premium award seats (business and first class) is better for the balance sheet too. If you are considering booking travel or signing up...
Who’s Excited About IHG Promotions? Nobody, Apparently
The purpose of offering a promotion is to gain interaction, drive incremental sales, and engage a customer base. But when your promotion is so bad that customers don’t respond, why run one at all? If you are considering booking travel or signing...
It’s Time For New Luggage – Recommendations Please
Usually, I am the one recommending luggage options for readers, but I have found myself at a crossroads and need some recommendations from our readership, please. If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a new credit card please click here. Both...
My “Op-Up” Dinner In TAM Business Class
Each week, my Meal of the Week feature examines an airline meal from my travels over the years. This may be a meal from earlier in the week or it may be a meal served over a decade ago. Working for...
Prosecutors Say Man Scammed Delta Out Of 42 Million Miles
A travel agent “extraordinaire” has been indicted for allegedly committing fraud against Delta Air Lines. Prosecutors say the man scammed 42,000,000 miles from Delta. I see the case differently… Prosecutors have alleged Gennady Podolsky gamed Delta’s SkyBonus program to reap...
United Airlines Strategically Retools Winter Schedule
United Airlines is adjusting its winter longhaul schedule this weekend. The story is not just the upgauges and downgauges, but the strategy behind them and the versatility of the United fleet. First, let’s starts with the changes, which include...
Review: Austrian Airlines Lounge Vienna (VIE – G Gates)
The Austrian Airlines lounge in Vienna is a nice place to escape the crowds and enjoy a light meal and perhaps even a nap. Our flight to Yerevan was outside the Schengen area, therefore departed from the G Gates...
Review: Point The Way Café LAX (Priority Pass Restaurant)
Point The Way Café, the newest Priority Pass restaurant at Los Angeles International Airport, is worth a stop if you find yourself near Terminal 6. The restaurant accepts non-American Express issued Priority Pass cards between the hours of 1:00PM...
United Airlines Refreshes Mobile Boarding Pass
United Airlines has refreshed its mobile boarding pass, offering more info in a clearer format. With the latest (v4.7) version of the United app, when you look at your boarding pass on your mobile device screen, you will now...
Big Brother Airbus Is Monitoring You Very Closely…
From overhead bin space to toilet paper consumption, Airbus is watching you. Very closely. Airbus has equipped one of its A350-900 aircraft with sensors throughout the cabin. These sensors track the onboard habits of passengers, collecting and analyzing data....
Cockpit Coffee Spill Prompts Transatlantic Flight Diversion
Drinking hot coffee in the cockpit can be a very dangerous thing…and costly too. Just ask one Condor pilot. On February 06, a Condor flight traveling from Frankfurt to Cancun and operated by an Airbus A330-300 diverted to Shannon...
Airline Pilot Fails Sobriety Test Then Sues Police For Detaining Him
A SkyWest pilot is suing two police officers in Rapid City, South Dakota for false arrest, alleging defamation and slander. Police say they detained him on a tip that he reeked of alcohol and that he failed a sobriety...
United’s Flawed Analogy But Proper Answer On Self-Upgrades
United Airlines was right and is always right to deny those who want to take open EconomyPlus seats without paying for them. But yes, the car analogy was deeply flawed. A passenger noticed the seven rows in the front...
