Must I be the one who is forced to assert the perks and benefits I am entitled to as an elite guest if I actually want them? I’m tired of being that guy. Earlier today I wrote about my...
First Impressions: Andaz Munich
I checked out the brand new Andaz Munich Schwabinger Tor this week and was very impressed. Hyatt’s eighth hotel in Germany is a beautiful stone edifice located in the heart of Munich. The lobby and other common areas are modern...
Next Up: Warsaw On Wizz Air
My sampling of low-cost-carriers in Europe continues with a flight on Wizz Air. I may regret it, but sometimes ultra low-cost-carriers are too good of a deal to pass up. When we are talking sub-tw0 hour flights, I really...
Why British Airways Turned Down More A380s
Rumors of a British Airways A380 acquisition never materialized. But it was not for lack of effort. Now we know why. In February, I wrote about British Airways’ willingness to purchase more A380s to save the program. At the...
Thai Airways A380 Clipped In Paris
A catering vehicle clipped the wing of a Thai Airways A380-800 in Paris, forcing an expensive flight cancellation. Perhaps the catering truck that rolled up to the Thai Airways superjumbo jet on Wednesday at Charles de Gaulle (CDG) was...
My Return To Paradise, Italian-Style
What a pleasure it was to return to the small town of Atina nestled in the mountains between Rome and Naples. In between meetings last week, I took a day off to visit my friend Bruno in Atina, a...
My Apple Wallet Illustrates Waning Value Of Airline Loyalty
While I still remain generally loyal to one carrier, the evolution of my Apple Wallet is a great indicator of how much I truly value airline loyalty. Being the packrat that I am, I save all my boarding passes...
JetBlue Defends Qatar Airways, Warns of Retaliation
Fearing retaliation, JetBlue is asking the U.S. government to lay off its scrutiny of Qatar Airways and Air Italy. JetBlue is worried that it will be caught in the crosshairs of an ongoing dispute between U.S. legacy carriers and...
Review: EasyJet A319 Rome To Basel
Despite a long delay that ruined by Saturday plans, there is just something about EasyJet I still very much appreciate. Let’s start with the delay. It was mechanical in nature and began as a 30-minute delay and slowly grew to...
Analysis: Etihad Suffers Another Embarrassing Loss With Jet Airways Collapse
Etihad’s investments in airlines around the world have gone horribly wrong. The collapse of Jet Airways is just the latest example. What did Etihad do wrong? It took a certain hubris to invest in troubled airlines in the belief...
United Airlines Extends New Delhi Service Cancellation
United is extending the suspension of service to New Delhi until July. A flight attendant just forwarded me the following update: As we previously reported, seasonal winds and the continued closure of Pakistani airspace have caused us to suspend...
Loss, But Optimism For Philippine Airlines
While it still lost money in 2018, Philippine Airlines (PAL) is optimistic that it has turned the corner of profitability. I’m not so sure. Citing higher fuel and aircraft leases costs, PAL reported a loss of P4.33 billion ($101...
United Airlines Counts Up Accomplishments
United Airlines presented its first quarter results today, which are quite healthy. But do the numbers and many accomplishments tell the whole picture? I’m not going to breakdown the numbers, but it was a strong quarter. Q1 is traditionally...
United’s Diametrically Different Hawaii Strategy Than Southwest
United Airlines and Southwest could not differ more when it comes to how each approaches service to Hawaii. Southwest’s entry into the Hawaiian market has caused ripples. This has concerned some legacy airline employees who fear cutbacks. But for...
A Reasonable Airline-Backed Proposal To Modify EU261/2004 (Delay Compensation)
It is no surprise that airlines don’t like EU261/2004, which establishes a common flight compensation regulation across the European Union. But at least one airline is proposing a constructive change rather than just an attack. I’ve written about EU261/2004...
British Airways Attacked By Newspaper…For Cutting Onboard Newspaper
It’s no surprise that in an era of dwindling circulation, newspapers appreciate when airlines buy their newspapers and offer them to their captive customers. But The Financial Times is livid about the recent decision of British Airways to cut...
Why Are Garuda And Singapore Airlines Deepening Relationship?
Garuda Indonesia and Singapore Airlines are deepening their relationship. My question is, why? It’s an unlikely relationship to begin with. Two different alliances. Overlapping routes. Competition for the same connecting passengers. So why? In 2010, Singapore and Garuda began...
EasyJet Offers Me 9EUR For Six-Hour Delay!
EasyJet may be my favorite budget carrier in Europe, but its provision for delayed passengers is…lacking. I ran into long and annoying EasyJet delay last Saturday from Rome to Basel. My flight was scheduled to depart at 8:20 AM...
A Millennial Anniversary Celebration in Switzerland
As Notre Dame burned in Paris last night, another historic cathedral was basking in its 1000th birthday. When I say millennial, I am talking about a thousand years, not a recent generation… I spent the weekend with my wife...
I Hope JetBlue Is Courting Etihad…
Etihad is shrinking while JetBlue is growing. That presents a strategic business opportunity at London Heathrow. Jet Airways is on the verge of collapse, but leaves behind some incredible assets…including three that may be particularly valuable to JetBlue. I’m...
