Olimpia Warsaw found herself all alone at Chicago O’Hare International Airport late at night. But she wasn’t waiting for a redeye. The wheelchair-bound 67-year-old who suffers from diabetes and Parkinson’s disease was left to fend for herself after...
The Great Oneworld Mystery

Wednesday will be a big day for the oneworld alliance, as it announces a new member in New York. But which carrier(s) will oneworld welcome into the club? Royal Air Maroc? The safest assumption is that Royal Air Maroc...
Kimpton Makes IHG a Better Brand

I heap loads of criticism on IHG for their poor treatment of elites respective to their peers, but IHG’s purchase of Kimpton and their subsequent investment in the brand is one of the best decisions the brand has made....
Can We Speak Honestly About Older Flight Attendants?

Long-haul flights at US airlines are typically serviced by the most senior flight attendants who tend to be older. Without devolving the conversation into ageism, can we just speak honestly and openly about older flight attendants? If you are...
US Carriers Could Spend $50 on Business Class, Become Terrific

After flying international carriers and US airlines the difference is three-fold: Catering, Service, Network. By fixing just catering any US airline could be unstoppable. If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a new credit card please click here. Both support LiveAndLetsFly.com....
My 1st First Class Meal On Alaska Airlines

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. This week’s...
United’s Position In Philadelphia: Strength Or Weakness?

United Airlines is cutting service between Philadelphia and Washington Dulles in January. The carrier has also abandoned service to Philadelphia from Cleveland, Los Angeles, and Newark. But United insists it is growing, not shrinking in Philadelphia. Some background first....
American Airlines Adds Premium Service Between Los Angeles & Boston, With A Catch

American Airlines is introducing premium transcontinental service between Los Angeles and Boston onboard its signature A321Ts. But there’s a catch… Starting on April 02, 2019 American Airlines will operate two flights daily between Los Angeles and Boston utilizing the...
When Will United’s LAX Polaris Lounge Open?

United’s Polaris Lounge at LAX has still not opened…but it won’t be long. United’s Polaris Lounge at LAX has been delayed by more than a year. Set to open late in 2017, it has yet to open. In fact,...
Of Course He Was Denied Water On His Flight…

I am shocked that a man being denied water onboard a flight is making national headlines. Of course he was denied a glass of water…it is part of the business model. Gene Goh was flying Scoot, the low cost...
United CEO Gives Up His Seat In First Class For Elderly Woman

United CEO Oscar Munoz recently gave up his first class seat for a senior citizen, a wonderful gesture of kindness. Rebecca Kuchar Krutz witnessed the encounter and shared it on Facebook: I’m a pretty loyal Delta Airlines customer. But tonight I...
United’s New Service From Denver To Frankfurt Puts Spotlight On LAX

United Airlines will begin year-round service between Denver and Frankfurt next year, giving all United hubs in the Continental U.S. a nonstop flight to Germany, except for one… Let’s not turn good news into a complaint. The new service...
TAP Will Fly A330neo To Chicago And Washington, DC

TAP Air Portugal will fly to Chicago and Washington, DC next year using its new Airbus A330neo. TAP just took delivery of its first beautiful new A330neo (A330-900), featuring reverse herringbone seating in business class and premium economy class....
Marriott, SPG Data Breach – 500 Million Guests Affected

Breaking from CNBC – some details may change as the story unfolds. Marriott has reported a data breach security event occurred on their SPG systems. If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a new credit card please click here. Both support...
A $365 Upgrade From Sydney To Los Angeles On United That Wasn’t Meant To Be…

At Award Expert, we do our best to be discerning. If a client tells us they want economy class but we see a great deal for business class, we are going to alert them. A long-term client asked me...
EU261 Delay Compensation: I Won, Lufthansa Lost

A final update to my Lufthansa EU261/2004 delay claim. If you missed out on the details of my issue with Lufthansa, I’ll briefly summarize: Itinerary: Milan – Frankfurt – Munich – Los Angeles Milan to Frankfurt flight delayed by...
An Annoying British Airways Avios Booking Restriction

There’s a fine line between fraud protection and annoyance. The pendulum for British Airways Executive Club awards bookings has swung into the annoying direction. Yesterday I tried to book a JAL business class award for a friend from Los...
How Qantas Is Cracking Down On Carry-On Bandits

I have a confession to make: my carry-on bag is usually very heavy. Very heavy. When I travel, I like to travel with only one bag. It’s not that I put rocks inside. But my electronic equipment is not...
Do You Pick Up Hitchhikers?

Would you invite a hitchhiker into your car? Sunday afternoon I drove down California’s Highway 1 from Carmel to San Luis Obispo. It’s a beautiful drive…I haven’t done it in about 10 years…and I appreciated the beauty of the...
Lufthansa Sees Itself In Global “Champions League”

More industry consolidation is on the way says Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr. He wants to ensure Lufthansa is in the so-called champions league. Speaking at a conference in Berlin, Spohr said: It is obvious that consolidation will act further and...