A Black cab tour of Belfast is a must for any student of history or person seeking a better understanding of “The Troubles”. Earlier today I wrote about the 20th Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, which marked the...
The Good Friday Agreement: 20 Years Later
Today marks the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, a 1998 peace treaty that sought to permanently end sectarian and political violence in Northern Ireland. “The Troubles” began in the 1960s, a mix of political, nationalistic, and religious...
Five Unconventional Places I Hope To Visit This Summer
Summer is the time of year I usually stay home: it’s when most people have time to travel and therefore the perfect opportunity for me to take a break from traveling and avoid the crowds. This year, due to...
HORRIBLE Service on My 16.5hr Singapore Airlines Flight
An object at rest remains at rest, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, and service on Singapore Airlines is always amazing. Weren’t these the three laws of Newton? But I’m here to personally attest that...
Review: Grand Hyatt Singapore (Suite)
I enjoyed a loverly two-night stay at the Grand Hyatt Singapore, an excellent property in the heart of Singapore. Upon arrival, I was informed that I had been upgraded, though the agent did not say to what kind of...
Must See: Singapore Botanic Gardens
No trip to Singapore is complete without a visit to the Singapore Botanic Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The garden first opened in 1859 and has been a staple of Singapore ever since. The 82-hectacre garden is open daily...
The Encouraging Tenure Of United’s CEO, Oscar Munoz
My friend Ben at One Mile at a Time wrote a thoughtful but critical piece on the tenure of United Airlines’ CEO Oscar Munoz. While normally spot-on in his analysis, I view the matter differently. I’m not going to...
AA’s Interesting New Route to Buenos Aires
American Airlines will add service from Los Angeles to Buenos Aires beginning in December on its Boeing 787-9 aircraft. As an Angeleno, I’m satisfecho by the news. The closest airport offering nonstop service to Buenos Aires is Dallas (1,235 miles) with...
Nice Upgrades at Lufthansa Welcome Lounge in Frankfurt
Small touches can make a big difference. Just a few small upgrades the the Lufthansa Welcome Lounge in Frankfurt really elevated the experience…for me at least. The upgrades: a new coffee machine with Lavazza coffee beans, new Staub cast...
Review: Singapore Airlines 777-300 Business Class Sydney to Singapore
This review recounts my daytime flight aboard Singapore’s fairly-dated regional 777-300 from Sydney to Singapore. As I metioned in my Rydges hotel review, we cut it far too close and arrived at the airport with mere moments to spare...
The Flight Attendant Bubble
The internet, social media, and technology in general has allowed us to more easily live within our own bubble, a world of confirmation bias and groupthink. My conversations lately with flight attendants have been quite revealing in that respect....
Large Dog On My United Flight Given Her Own Row…
The key to getting a row of your own? Apparently bringing your dog onboard… Yesterday afternoon I flew from Los Angeles to Washington Dulles on United. It was an afternoon flight and was pleasantly filled, but not packed. In...
Delta’s Definition Of “Neutral” Is Different Than Mine
Delta chartered three airplanes on a complimentary basis to transport students to Washington, DC for the “March for Our Lives” protest last Saturday. Oh great, he’s wading into politics again… I take Sundays off on the blog, not just...
Review: Rydges Sydney Airport Hotel
With an early flight to Singapore the following morning, we chose to spend our final night in Sydney at the on-site Rydges Sydney Airport Hotel. My stay took place after the hotel first opened in June 2013. But if...
The Most Incredible Uber Driver. Ever.
I’m finally on the road again…and had to get from my office to LAX earlier this morning. That’s typically a one hour drive in morning rush hour. Small problem: I cut things too close and found myself 40 minutes...
The Lufthansa A380 Shuffle at LAX
While you’ll still be able to catch a Lufthansa A380 at LAX, you’ll now need to travel to a different city. Effective yesterday, Lufthansa shifted its A380 from Frankfurt to Munich for its Los Angels routes. An A380 now...
United Polaris Cutbacks Coming Soon…
Under the guise of maximizing sleep for business class passengers, United Airlines is cutting back service in its Polaris Business Class product. In a memo to flight attendants, United outlines changes to United Polaris coming on May 01, 2018....
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: March 25, 2018
Spring began in Los Angeles this week with one more rainstorm, a fitting end to a rather meager winter. I’m still here, further extending my record of time in the last decade I have not stepped onto an airplane....
Lifemiles Award Chart Changes Good & Bad
Avianca sent out an email this week announcing upcoming award chart changes. While Avianca is a smaller airline, they frequently sell their points inexpensively and many readers hold Lifemiles as part of their point portfolio. The changes included many...
American’s Business Extra Awards Suddenly Worthwhile Again?
American Airlines Business Extra corporate booking incentive program became less valuable over the last few years as award availability has dried up on the world’s largest carrier. Has a shift in availability returned Business Extra to relevancy? If you...
