Room 1101 – The Presidential Suite at the Hyatt Regency Pittsburgh (Airport). Hyatt’s new Globalist benefit of suite upgrades at checkin subject to availability meant that we were able to score not just any suite, but the Presidential suite...
Airline Defends Strip Searches of its Flight Attendants
Indian carrier SpiceJet is facing harsh criticism for the way it strip-searched flight attendants suspected of stealing cash from onboard. SpiceJet collects cash for buy-on-board sales and suspected that FAs were pilfering this money. But it did more than...
Why Beverage Carts Are Replacing Serving Trays On JetBlue
JetBlue is replacing the trays that flight attendants currently use to serve drinks and snacks with carts. But why? It depends upon whom you ask. JetBlue claims the reason for the change is to provide faster service to economy...
Five Airlines Awarded New Flights to Havana
Earlier this month I wrote about the battle for Havana slots. Like a game of musical chairs, demand outstripped supply and it was up to the U.S. Department of Transportation to divvy out the slots. Yesterday, the U.S. Department...
“Cargo Class” Has Great Potential
Qantas CEO Alan Joyce made headlines this week for hinting about placing passengers in the cargo hold on longhaul routes. It’s actually not so far-fetched an idea. This was not a Michael O’Leary-type joke. We’re not talking about chaining...
Unforgettable: Black Cab Tour of Belfast
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...
