I was under the false impression that all of Israel shut down from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. Not so in Nazareth. We spent Friday at the Sea of Galilee, taking in three historic Christian sites during the day....
Success! I Now Have Two U.S. Passports
Well, that was smoother than I thought. I went from having one passport with no space left for stamps to two empty passports…in a number of hours. Los Angeles Passport Agency: Easy I was able to make an appointment...
Delta Should Think Twice Before Dancing On Air Italy’s Grave
You can bet that there was euphoria in the C-Suites of Delta Air Lines over the news of Air Italy’s collapse. But the untimely demise of Air Italy does not excuse Delta of hypocrisy nor validate its longstanding protest...
Air New Zealand Is Asking The Right Questions
Air New Zealand wants to deliver its a more “uniquely Kiwi” experience and is asking its most frequent flyers for feedback. To its credit, it is asking the right questions. Airpoints Gold and Elite members received an email from...
My Beloved Air Italy Bites The Dust
In an unexpected move, Air Italy decided to cut its loses and shut down…effective immediately. This is a very sad day for a very special carrier. Investors accelerated an emergency meeting, originally scheduled for February 18th, to today. There,...
My Passport Dilemma
“A lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.” My former commanding officer in the U.S. Air Force had that quote boldly emblazoned on a plaque on his desk. Today that is quite...
Southwest Airlines Swaps Humor For Solemnity
Southwest Airlines has updated its pre-flight announcements to urge passengers to report any unwelcome behavior observed onboard. Effective systemwide, you’ll now hearing the following as part of the pre-flight briefing before your next Southwest flight: “We are here for...
Pictures: Winter Storm Brings Chaos To Munich Airport
With Storm Sabine flooding streets and knocking down trees and power lines, all flights were suspended from Munich Airport. That created a de facto refugee camp in the terminal halls of Germany’s second largest airport. Storm Sabine (called Storm...
The Best Kanafeh In Israel
I’ve written about kanafeh before…my favorite dessert in the world. I had the great pleasure of introducing my wife and son to kanafeh during our recent trip to Israel. Here are two places I strongly recommend for really tasty kanafeh....
First Impressions: Turkish Airlines A321neo Business Class
It was so enjoyable to fly on Turkish Airlines again, reminding me of what intra-Europe service could be like on other carriers. I must admit, the A321neo was not planned. Rather, it was a fortunate last-minute aircraft swap from...
United Airlines Tries To Make Kosher Food Tasty
United Airlines is improving its kosher menus with new choices of food and drink on Tel Aviv flights. A Kosher Meal Problem I have many clients at Award Expert who keep Kosher, meaning I frequently order Kosher meals on...
Wow! British Airways 747 Sets Transatlantic Speed Record
British Airways has reclaimed the crown for fastest transatlantic subsonic flight, with a record-breaking journey from New York to London. In 2015, British Airways set a transatlantic speed record for subsonic travel by crossing the Pond (JFK-LHR) in 5 hours,...
DHS Was Right To Block New York Global Entry Applicants
The Department of Homeland Security began blocking New York residents from applying for their trusted traveller program, Global Entry, over the state’s “Sanctuary policies” but there’s more to the story and DHS was right to do it. If you...
United App Unnecessarily Forces Update, Frustration
The Coronavirus has caused a number of shifts in air travel, but United forced users to update their app. Flyers had issues at the airport, but other airlines didn’t require the same. If you are considering booking travel or signing up...
Pirates of the Caribbean: Grand Hyatt Baha Mar
We got in on an incredible hotel suite deal, but food and beverage of the $4.2bn Grand Hyatt Baha Mar resort are the true Pirates of the Caribbean. If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a new credit...
Why I Wasn’t Moved By Holy Sites In The Holy Land
For better or for worse, I was simply not moved by the holy sites in the Holy Land. And yet something happened that I will never forget. This post gets a little personal, but it was a central part...
World’s “Nicest” Airline? Here’s What It Looks Like
This week, airline pioneer David Neeleman introduced Breeze Airways, a new airline that will begin flying in the United States later this year. He dubbed it “world’s nicest airline” but offered few details how it would achieve that title....
The “Lufthansa Diet” Looks Promising
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 Meal...
New American Airlines Business Class Seats Are Only Half The Battle
News leaked yesterday of two new business class seats under consideration by American Airlines. While either seat looks promising, both must come with a corresponding investment in the soft product. We know that American Airlines is testing new business...
Negotiating For Lunch In Bethlehem
The most stressful part of my entire week in the Holy Land was negotiating for lunch in Bethlehem. Oh how I hate it when restaurants don’t have posted prices! We were right in tourist central, near the Church of...
