United Airlines is adjusting service to Mexico, eliminating three destinations entirely and reducing service to others. In a leaked internal memo, United announced several routing changes starting next month. Note that United has doubled capacity between the USA and Mexico...
Collapse Of Iran Deal Hurts Airbus Much More Than Boeing
With U.S. President Donald Trump signing an executive order re-instating sanctions on Iran, Iran Air finds itself in a difficult position. So does Airbus. Boeing? Not so much. The USA is withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal framework. With...
Airbus A350 Performs Near-Vertical Takeoff
An Airbus A350 performed an incredible near-vertical takeoff at a recent airshow in Berlin. This is a must-see video. of a A350 Vertical Takeoff The aircraft, a A350-900XWB with Rolls-Royce engines, was the second A350 ever produced. This plane is primarily...
American Airlines’ Agent Humiliates Breastfeeding Mom
An American Airlines’ gate agent humiliated a woman, loudly chiding her for trying to bring breastfeeding equipment and breastmilk onboard her flight. The incident happened at Los Angeles (LAX) while boarding a flight to Chicago (ORD). A gate agent...
A Boring But Brilliant Award Redemption
Sometimes the best use of your miles is not for a luxurious longhaul first class flight but a short domestic flight in economy class. An Award Expert client needed to travel from Chicago to Birmingham this weekend. Dates were...
Why is United Slashing Domestic First Class Meal Service?
Can someone explain to me why United Airlines continues to slash domestic first class meal service? Oh, I know. One word, right? Kirby. United Airlines’ President Scott Kirby is just doing what he attempted to do at American Airlines:...
A Tremendous Priority Pass Lounge in Venice
The Marco Polo Club at Venice Airport is an exceptional lounge with great amenities. We had allowed plenty of time to drive from the Dolomites down to Venice and arrived with some time to spare before our EasyJet flight...
Is Air France Fighting for Survival?
With the government refusing to intervene, share prices falling, losses mounting, and a strike persisting…is Air France fighting for survival? Bruno Le Maire, the French Finance Minster, told reporters that the ongoing labor dispute “threatens the survival of Air France.”...
China Threatens U.S. Airlines
As Marriott can already attest, tensions over China’s sovereignty can hurt business. Now U.S. airlines are under threat. In one corner: China, stating that any business operating within its borders must respect its sovereignty. In the the other corner:...
The Beguiling and Sometimes Accurate Freddie Awards
My wife and I recently attended the 2018 Freddies Awards for loyalty programs. The winners and losers were both predictable and confounding depending on the award. Some made perfect sense while others left the room gasping. Which ones made...
OneJet Continues Growth, Acquires Ultimate JetCharters
This week Pittsburgh-based carrier OneJet acquired Ultimate JetCharters and Ultimate Jet Shuttle to expand footprint and size up their fleet. What will the new airline look like? If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a new credit card...
Review: Hyatt Regency Cartagena – Suite
During a spontaneous last-minute getaway, we had a chance to stay three nights the Hyatt Regency Cartagena. We were switching hotels from the beautiful, but remote Conrad Cartagena as we were itching to be closer to the vibrant walled...
Review: Park Hyatt Milan (Prestige Suite)
Yesterday I wrote about my recent stay at the Park Hyatt Milan. This post focuses on my upgrade to a Prestige Suite. First, this is not a typical suite upgrade: this is a “luxury” suite and I was quite...
London to San Francisco on British Airways…in 4 Minutes
Flying from London to San Francisco takes 11 hours. But thanks to one innovative pilot, you can re-live the journey in less than four minutes. British Airways’ Captain David Wallsworth is a Twitter and YouTube sensation for his time-lapse videos from...
Passengers Terrified by “Drunk or Stoned” FA on United Express
You’re on a flight from Denver to Williston, North Dakota when all of the sudden a FA blurts out (over the PA): “If your seatbelt isn’t tight, you f***** up.” That’s not funny. That’s vulgar. Then the FA sits on...
Review: Park Hyatt Milan
I last stayed at the Park Hyatt Milan in 2011 and posted this review. Seven years later, very little has changed (further validating why I post old trip reports). The hotel remains an amazing property in the heart of...
Jail Time for Publishing a Mistake Fare?
A German court has ruled that websites can be fined and owners jailed for publishing so-called “mistake” fares. The ruling comes out of Bavaria, a more conservative and business-friendly region of the German Republic. Lufthansa sued a travel website...
Commentary: United Hires a White House Press Secretary
United Airlines has named former White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest as its Chief Communications Officer. In a press release, United describes his job description: At United, he will be responsible for developing the company’s global communications strategy, leading a...
A Horrible Stay at the Famed Plaza Hotel in New York City
What happens when a five-star hotel that runs over $1,000 night doesn’t have any food or beverages? That’s what happened at the famed Plaza Hotel in New York City (and still is…). One of my best Award Expert clients...
These Dogs And Cats Are Banned From United PetSafe
When United Airlines begins accepting new reservations for its PetSafe program this summer, many dog breeds and a handful of cat breeds will no longer be welcomed. United’s PetSafe program is currently under review. Working in collaboration with American...
