Today is Memorial Day in the USA, a day to honor members of the armed forces who died in service to their country. Each year, I share the Memorial Day message that United CEO Oscar Munoz sends to his...
Marriott Launches Tone Deaf Airbnb Competitor

Marriott didn’t think of Airbnb and the Homeshare market as much competition but has since launched a Homeshare program. It only goes to prove that their leadership is tone deaf, out of touch and still just doesn’t get it. ...
Chase Gets Reward Programs, Why Don’t Others?

This week I had three interactions with three banks and it became clear that Chase knows how to motivate me because Chase knows how rewards programs work, why is it so hard for everyone else? If you are considering booking...
Hyatt Partnership with SLH Smart Solution

Hyatt has rolled out a partnership with SLH (Small Luxury Hotels of the World) to expand the footprint of their loyalty program. It was the smartest solution to their biggest problem, the number of properties. If you are considering booking...
A Fishy Meal On Lufthansa

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. Have you...
A Lufthansa First Class Tradition Becomes An Emirates First Class Tradition

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, but when it comes to the Lufthansa First Class Terminal in Frankfurt, I always opt for dinner for breakfast. Now I do the same on Emirates. I’ve written before about the...
Why The Hyatt Credit Card Free Night Always Pays Off

Each year I never know when or where I’ll use it, but I always end up extracting maximum value from it. I’m talking about the free anniversary night benefit on the World of Hyatt co-branded credit card from Chase....
Delta Throws IFE Shade At American Airlines

Delta took to Twitter to throw some “shade” at American Airlines this week over in-flight-entertainment. How important is IFE to your in-flight experience? While other airlines remove personal IFE onboard, Delta has added it. Over 600 mainline aircraft offer...
Will You Join United CEO Oscar Munoz On First Boeing 737 MAX Flight?

United CEO Oscar Munoz vowed to be a passenger on the first Boeing 737 MAX flight, when the airliner is cleared to fly again. Would you join him? Speaking to investors this week, Munoz used a bit of reverse...
United Airlines Seeks To Oust Avianca Chairman But Vows Independent Airline

United Airlines is extending an attractive loan offer to Avianca while vowing to keep the airline independent. At the same time, it is trying to oust the company’s chairman. Last week, I wrote about the possibility of United taking...
The Queen Visits British Airways

Queen Elizabeth II paid a visit to British Airways today to commemorate the carrier’s 100th birthday. Escorted by CEO Alex Cruz, the Queen was met by staff dressed in heritage uniforms from the 1930s to present day. The Queen also...
Meanwhile, Disaster Awaits American Airlines

American Airlines faces an imminent storm if it cannot reach an agreement with its mechanics. Why? The union has promised it. American Airlines and TWU-IAM, the union representing AA mechanics, are locked in a bitter battle. American has filed...
Hilarious: Man “Forgets” He Cannot Smoke On Spirit Flight

A man was ejected from a Spirt Airlines flight for lighting up a cigarette at his seat. His reaction, when a FA confronts him, is priceless. I normally would avoid a story like this, especially for the reason I...
Next Up: Emirates 777-300ER NEW First Class!

Another entry on my bucket list will soon be checked off…I’m finally flying Emirates’ lovely new first class product aboard the 777-300ER! After finishing up my business in the UAE, my original plan was to fly to Colombo and...
An Unfortunate Seating Snafu On United Airlines Provides Important Lesson

Monitor seat assignments. Monitor them often. A recent seating snafu involving a family of seven provides a perfect case study. A British family spent some time in the USA and had booked their return flight from Denver to London...
Delta CEO Fires Back At Senator Bernie Sanders

Delta CEO Ed Bastian swiftly and succinctly dismantled a poorly-researched tweet by U.S. Senator and Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders (D – VT). I routinely cover airline CEO correspondence on Live and Let’s Fly and I do not think I have...
Will Delta, Qatar and United Operate Domestically In Brazil?

Brazil moved one step closer to allowing foreign-controlled airlines to operate domestically in Brazil. The loosening of rules may be a boon to both airlines and consumers. Current law places a 20% limit on foreign ownership of a Brazilian...
The Best Fried Chicken In Southern California

Southern California is such a wonderful Mecca of food choices, including some amazing fried chicken. I recently returned to a childhood favorite, Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant. Knott’s Berry Farm started as a berry farm and roadside chicken dinner...
First Impressions: Emirates A380 Business Class

Greetings from Dubai. After a 16-hour flight on Emirates from Los Angeles to Dubai, it is good to be on the ground again. My expectations were guarded for this flight and I think they were just about perfect for...
How Uber And Lyft Drivers Game The System

Uber and Lyft drivers are creating artificial surge pricing in Washington, DC to drive up fares. They insist this is necessary to “flight back” against years of declining pay. Here’s how the trick goes down. The lot outside Reagan...