First impressions matter greatly in any context, including on a flight. My flight to London on United this week had a very disappointing start. I’ve resolved in 2019 to resist being offended. Thus, I’m not (or at least trying not to) directly complain. But I do want to point out what a missed opportunity poor service […]
United Employees Awarded Bonus Despite Poor Performance
United Airlines will award its employees a quarterly bonus even through performance goals were not met. I’ve written extensively about the employee bonus drama at United. Bonuses are now tied to performance results versus other carriers rather than simply meeting a checklist of objective metrics. Two flight attendants forwarded me a letter from United President […]
Has Southwest Airlines Lost Its LUV?
Southwest Airlines has taken a lot of heat for the way it has handled the unexpected grounding of its Boeing 737 MAX fleet. Many customers are angry and argue that Southwest has acted very much out of character. But are such charges really fair? With an unprecedented number of flight cancellations, many Southwest customers have found […]
Ethiopian Lodges Lethal Charge Against Boeing
Ethiopian Airlines has released a preliminary report on the deadly crash of ET 302, placing the blame squarely on Boeing. At a news conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s Minister of Transportation Dagmawit Moges leveled this damning assertion: The crew performed all the procedures repeatedly provided by the manufacturer but was not able to control the aircraft. […]
United Actually Is Reducing Meal Service In Polaris During April “Trial”
An update on the mandatory business class express dining on late-evening flights from Washington Dulles. As it turns out, some items have been cut from the menu. Last week I wrote about United’s trial of express meal service for each passenger during the month of April in order to maximize sleep onboard. Initially, I was told […]
Simple Words Will Make Or Break United’s New Express Meal Service
It’s not about the product, it’s about how you sell it. That’s my admonition to United Airlines today. Last week I wrote about United’s decision to trial mandatory “express” meal service on late-night flights to Europe from Washington Dulles. Rather than give customers the choice, United will force everyone, if they care to eat, to accept […]
Affordable Trans-Atlantic Fares Will Remain Despite WOW Air Failure
This week Icelandic discount carrier, WOW Air, folded. Passengers, aircraft, and employees were left stranded across destinations when the airline ceased operations. While WOW Air was part of the cheap Trans-Atlantic flight revolution, it won’t go away simply because they did. If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a new credit card please click here. Both support LiveAndLetsFly.com. If you […]
The Power of Points Is Freedom, Not Just Savings
The true power of miles and points is not in saving travelers money, but in offering them freedom. On a recent trip, we made a change in plans and decided on a whim to visit the Cayman Islands for practically nothing at all. If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a new credit card please click […]
United Will Trial New Express Dining Service Concept In Business Class
United will trial express dining service for all Polaris Business Class passengers on late-evening transatlantic departures from Washington Dulles next month. I’ve written about the problem of late-evening departures to Europe before. Eastbound transatlantic flights from the East Coast are short enough already, with flights to Dublin or London often clocking in at less than six hours in […]
Warren Buffett’s Delta “Mistake”
Berkshire Hathaway Inc., Warren Buffett’s company, now owns more than 10% of Delta Air Lines. Buffett calls that an unintended mistake. Last month, independent of one another, Delta bought back more of its own stock. Meanwhile, Berkshire Hathway increased its holdings in Delta. When the numbers were crunched, Berkshire Hathaway owned more than 10% of Delta. Berkshire […]
A History Of Aircraft Groundings (Part 2 – The Jet Age)
121pilot, a commercial airline pilot in the USA, has graciously written a three-part series on the history of aircraft groundings. Today, we explore part two, the jet age. Click here for part one. McDonnell Douglas DC-10 The fifth aircraft grounded was the McDonnell Douglas DC-10. The type had two early incidents (one fatal, one not) […]
A History Of Aircraft Groundings (The Early Years – Part 1)
121pilot, a commercial airline pilot in the USA, has graciously written a three-part series on the history of aircraft groundings. Today, we explore the propeller era. In evaluating the FAA’s decision to ground the 737MAX, it’s helpful to review the history of aircraft types grounded by regulators and operators and the underlying reasons for those […]
Captain Sully Has Choice Words For Boeing And FAA
Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger III has penned a scathing new op-ed for Baron’s assailing Boeing and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. First, he bemoans that the FAA is understaffed and underfunded. To compensate, he points out that the FAA routinely delegates critical safety tests to aircraft manufacturers like Boeing, which results in a conflict of interest. […]
Philippine Airlines Hints At SkyTeam Preference
Philippine Airlines (PAL) may join the SkyTeam alliance…but it is in no rush. PAL Vice President of Sales Ryan Uy was asked about alliances at a conference in Cebu this week. He proceeded to give a rather detailed answer: Star Alliance is big, but you see a lot of overlaps in the region. While oneworld […]
Boeing, Now It’s Your Turn To Calm The Public
Boeing does not owe the public, including its shareholders, an immediate explanation for what happened to an Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX 8 that crashed after takeoff yesterday, killing everyone onboard. But it would be wise to address the issue in a more tactful way. Thus far, Boeing has only released a general statement on the […]
Review: Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach
The Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach has been a family favorite for many years. The refreshed rooms and central location make this a location worth considering and my favorite Hyatt property in Honolulu. During my trip to Hawaii last month I had the chance to spend a few nights here. Today I’ll review a standard partial […]
Passenger Charges Obese Seatmate $150 To Sit Next To Him
Clever or cruel? That’s the debate over a man who charged his obese seatmate $150 to avoid being bumped off a flight. On Reddit, a man asked, “AITA for making an obese man pay me cash to take up part of my seat on a long flight?” AITA is an acronym for a popular section on […]
LOT Polish Plans To Create Hub In Budapest
Polish carrier LOT, a Star Alliance member, is creating a hub…outside of Poland. The flag carrier is slowly but steadily expanding operations in Budapest, Hungary. LOT already serves Chicago (ORD), Krakow (KRK), London (LCY), New York (JFK), and Warsaw (WAW) from Budapest (BUD). LOT plans to establish an Embraer E195 base in Budapest, where it […]
Vigilante Korean Air Lounge Agent Attempts to Downgrade Paid Business Ticket, Degrades Customer
Due to a schedule change by Korean Air, our flight path changed and so did our experience. Our great deal in business class was apparently too good and a one vigilante lounge agent personally tried to stop us from flying the ticket. I’ve never been so disrespected in my life. If you are considering booking travel or signing […]
Korean Air Loses Monopoly On Lucrative Route
After a nearly 30-year monopoly, Korean Air will no longer be the sole Korean carrier flying between Seoul Incheon and Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. In 1991 Korea and Mongolia signed an aeronautical agreement. The agreement allowed for only one carrier from each country to serve Ulaanbaatar from Seoul. While the move certainly protected MIAT, the state-owned Mongolian […]
