Kimpton Hotels are stylish and contemporary in the heart of major cities. The Kimpton Hotel Monaco Pittsburgh fits the mold, but some of their design choices weren’t for me. I’ve included the photos, you decide. If you are considering booking...
Dinner In Croatia Airlines Business Class

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. It may...
Clarification On My United Compensation Story

My story about proactive United compensation caused quite a stir yesterday. Some speculated whether I was on the United payroll while others wondered if I was the only passenger who received compensation due my oft-United-focused blog. Apparently a journalist...
United CEO: Increased Baggage Fees Make Flying BETTER

Oscar Munoz, United Airlines’ CEO, argues that confusion drives passengers to complain about baggage fees. While I tend to agree with his overall point, the optics of insinuating that higher baggage fees improve the flying experience for the average...
Woman Defiantly Refuses To Remove Bare Feet From Aircraft Tray Table

I love this story. Not only did a woman refuse to remove her bare feet from an aircraft tray table; she shamed passengers for asking her to! Picture this: two ladies sitting in an exit row on a China...
Airline Fined For Boarding “Unauthorized” Passenger

If you ever wondered why airlines seem so strict when it comes to checking passports and visas, it is because of the fines levied against them when an unauthorized passenger boards a flight. AirAsia X was just fined $6,000...
Surprise: United Sent Me Unrequested Compensation…

It’s always nice to receive compensation from an airline, especially when you have not requested it… I connect to wireless internet on almost every United flight I take. Unfortunately, the internet often does not work or works slowly and...
Delta Flight Attendants Dismiss Credentials Of Black Female Doctor

A black female doctor who teaches at Harvard was dismissed by two Delta flight attendants, who insinuated that her license was fake. While tending to an ill passenger onboard a Delta Connection flight from New York LaGuardia to Charlotte,...
Lufthansa Wants Friendship, Not Marriage With Alitalia

While Delta has submitted a lowball offer for Alitalia, Lufthansa just wants a partnership. “Investing is out of the question for us alongside a state-owned entity,” said Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr. That is music to the ears of Lufthansa...
Drunk American Airlines Baggage Handler Falls Asleep In Cargo Hold, Travels To Chicago

An American Airlines’ baggage handler fell asleep in the cargo hold of a Boeing 737-800 and traveled from Kansas City to Chicago. The unnamed 23-year-old worker is (was) an employee of Piedmont Airlines (an American regional subsidiary) at Kansas...
Aeroplan’s Annoying “Time Travel” Issue…

I needed a last-minute ticket on Aeroplan last night, but apparently Aeroplan lives in another dimension of time and space. It was 6:30 P.M. PT, therefore still 31 October in all parts of Canada. But when I tired to...
United Wants Employees To Be Vigilant Of One Another

United Airlines wants employees to keep an eye on one another, watching for situations that seems suspicious. Ollantay Corujo is the perfect example. He may have looked like a uniformed United employee and produced a convincing story and ID...
A New Connection From Los Angeles To Africa

Ethiopian Airlines will connect Los Angeles with Lomé, Togo, becoming the first nonstop flight between LAX and the African continent. Last month I wrote about Ethiopian abandoning its Addis Ababa – Dublin – Los Angeles flight. Days after cancelling it,...
Review: Hyatt Regency Amsterdam (Regency Executive Suite)

My review of the Hyatt Regency Amsterdam is long overdue. Business brings me to Holland often and I have stayed several times at this excellent property this year. As a Globalist member of the World of Hyatt program, I...
A Year Of Cancelled Trips

Since I first started international travel in 2006, every year has been like piecing together a jigsaw puzzle of the globe. Each year I get a little closer to completing the puzzle. But as October draws to a close,...
United Airlines Will Serve Tahiti Year Around

United Airlines marked the inaugural flight of its new San Francisco to Tahiti service with news that the flight will operate year-around. The flight was originally set to run from October 30, 2018 until March 28, 2019 but now will operate...
Thai Airways Disciplines Staff For First Class Poaching

Thai Airways will discipline two staff members over the first class seating controversy last week that deeply embarrassed the Thai flag carrier. In a statement quoted in the Bangkok Post, Thai Airways President Sumeth Damrongchaitham said: It was found...
Emirates Firmly Dismisses Rumor Of Etihad Merger

“We can make it very simple, very easy: There’s no truth to the rumour. No truth. And end of story.” That’s Hubert Frach, Emirates head of commercial operations for Europe and the Americas. He’s in England this week touting Emirates’...
Middle East Airlines Orders A330neo

Beirut-based Middle East Airlines has committed to four Airbus A330neo aircraft to modernize its midhaul fleet. There has been no official announcement, but MEA’s annual statement indicated “commitments” for 11 Airbus A321neo and four A330neo aircraft. The 11 A321s have...
Philippine Airlines Launches Nonstop Service To New York JFK

Philippine Airlines has launched nonstop service between Manila and New York City aboard its new Airbus A350-900 jetliner. The flag carrier of the Philippines, more commonly known as PAL, will serve New York JFK five times weekly. With the...