While the days of credit card churns every three months are long gone, I’ve still managed to gain hundreds of thousands of points via new credit card sign-ups over the last couple years. But it seems my latest churn...
Review: Hilton Stockholm Slussen (it was disappointing)
It’s rare I post a negative review and perhaps you’ll find my comments nitpicky, but I was left disappointed by my stay at the Hilton Stockholm Slussen. I realize that prices are high in Scandinavia, but perhaps not as high as you...
10 Ways Taxpayers Subsidize U.S. Airlines
With an offensively misleading campaign against Gulf Carriers by suspect interest groups, it is time for a counterattack. Not because I love Gulf Carriers and certainly not because I hate U.S. carriers — but because the truth must be...
Another Near-Miss: Emirates A380 and Air Seychelles A330
On the heels of a near-miss at San Francisco International Airport by an Air Canada A320 that could have been the “worst disaster in aviation history”, an Emirates A380 came dangerously close to an Air Seychelles A330 just north of Mauritius. The...
747-200 Hostel vs. Radisson Blu Stockholm Airport
It was a tough choice. Parked directly across the street from our hotel was a Boeing 747-200 with rooms available at a similar price. But I was happy I ultimately chose the Radisson Stockholm Airport. The Choice Both properties were...
Charming Concept: SAS Café Lounge
SAS offers a charming lounge concept at five smaller airports: lounge cafés. SAS bases operations out of three Scandinavian hubs: Copenhagen, Oslo, and Stockholm, but serves 40 Scandinavian destinations. Some of these cities are too small to support a full lounge but to small or competitive...
Caution: Bring Plenty of Cash to Thailand or Face Detention & Deportation
A rather alarming story for someone like me who enjoys going to Thailand but hates carrying cash: some western tourists are being refused entry or even detained for not bringing sufficient hard currency along. Thai Law requires tourists to arrive...
A Dishonest Smear in the Fight Over Gulf Subsidies
Earlier this month, Delta released a “documentary” attacking the Gulf Carriers. I didn’t even write about it because it represents unadulterated propaganda. But now a friend was attacked for criticizing it and I feel obligated to weigh in. Be warned: in the...
Longyearbyen to Stockholm via Tromsø on SAS
It was time to leave Longyearbyen and I was very sad to go. That said, the weather had turned decidedly chilly, with a cold pelting rain greeting us on our final morning. One other tidbit on Longyearbyen: no one...
Where to Eat in Longyearbyen
On a remote island in the Arctic Circle halfway between the northern tip of Norway and the North Pole, where do the ~2,000 residents go out to eat? Would it surprise you to know one restaurant has a wine cellar...
Hot Meal on Intra-Europe Finnair Flight in Business Class
Intra-Europe business class is usually not much to speak of. Typically, carriers will offer an economy class aisle or window seat with the middle blocked. A meal will be served, but it tends to be light and cold on shorter...
My Horrific Security Experience at Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport (TLV)
I alluded to it offhandedly in a recent post on United catering out of Tel Aviv, but based upon the comments it drew I want to revisit the topic directly. I recently had an incredibly invasive security experience in Tel...
Exploring Pyramiden with Two Armed Female Bodyguards
There was one thing I did not mention in my earlier piece on Pyramiden: there are polar bears roaming around. America is not the only home of gunslingers: in Svalbard and particularly on Pyramiden, you don’t go outside without a...
I Love the New British Airways’ Safety Video!
I suppose I’m just signing to the choir at this point, but I cannot help but to personally highlight British Airway’s hilarious new safety video. I find it utterly hilarious. It’s long, but I broke out laughing during several points. Nowhere...
I’m Suspicious of the Big AMEX Transfer Bonus to British Airways
In the last few days we’ve seen a huge change in balance between American Express Membership Reward points and British Airways Avios. First, transfers went from 1.25 AMEX to 1 BA Avios to 1:1. Now AMEX is offering a...
United FAs Now Empowered to Issue Onboard Compensation
One of the biggest problems of the failed Smisek era at United Airlines was that FAs and gate agents lost much of their flexibility. Rules were strictly enforced with consequences for bending them, but anti-customer policies were also implemented....
Why Pyramiden is a Must-See (Photo Tour)
Let’s play a game of imagination. Imagine a thriving village bustling with hard working men and women who have left the comforts of home to serve the motherland in a far corner of the world. Imagine a formal dining...
Should I Travel Home via Greenland or Ireland?
I’ve got a decision to make: how to get home from Europe. I am wavering between two choices, but there are actually at least four. Feel free to chime in with your thoughts, preferences, and suggestions. Option One – via Greenland...
Ethiopian Airlines Accepts My Compromise…Sort Of
For those who followed along my denied boarding saga on Ethiopian Airlines, you’ll recall that the issue has never been resolved. While Ethiopian Airlines did agree to honor the ticket, their initial offer — come back to BKK and fly...
Fascinating Soviet Hotel Experience on a Russian Island in Norway
While most people just spend a few hours touring around the mostly-abandoned Russian mining settlement of Pyramiden, you’re invited to stay the night. That’s what I did. After the mine closed in 1998, the island’s population sank from over 1,000...
