Greetings once again from SE Asia. I’m working late in Vientiane, Laos this evening. The Novotel at BKK was over $200 so I thought, what the heck, let’s turn lemons into lemonade. I’ve never been to Laos before and the...
The Last Battle with Ethiopian Airlines (+Videos)
I have to admit, deep down in my heart I thought I’d be able to convince Ethiopian to honor my ticket. After all, they honored the ticket of another persistent passenger and the path of least resistance would have...
Park Hyatt Bangkok: Suite and Bitter
I’m pleased to announce the first contributor to Live and Let’s Fly, Kyle Stewart. Kyle and I wrote together at UPGRD and we co-founded Pen and Passport. He’ll be adding commentary on hotels, airlines, and travel products. I’ll still be...
Denied Boarding by Ethiopian Airlines at BKK
Our story does not have a happy ending: Ethiopian refused to budge and I’m still in Bangkok. I’ll provide the play-by-play tomorrow, and have video as well, but I think this whole debacle can be summed up in one...
On My Way to BKK to Confront Ethiopian Airlines!
I’ve checked out of the Park Hyatt and am on my way to Suvarnabhumi Airport for a showdown with Ethiopian Airlines. I want to lay down some rules for what could turn into a feisty engagement. By recording them here...
Why I Have Become Jaded By So-Called “Mistake” Fares
Let me tell you a story. I’ll call it A Tale of Two “Mistake” Fares. Award Expert focuses on the effective utilization of frequent flyer miles and credit card points, but sometimes it just makes sense to purchase revenue...
Man Attempts to Break Into Cockpit on AA Flight
Here’s an interesting insight into the reality of airport security in the USA: a man who breached a security door at LAX that led onto an airfield ramp was released by airport police. He then boarded his AA flight and...
First Look: Park Hyatt Bangkok
I’m at the brand new Park Hyatt in Bangkok this weekend and all I can say is WOW. Hyatt really outdid itself with this property and it isn’t even finished yet. The attention to detail is simply amazing. I’m a...
Update: I’ve Made it to Bangkok
Hello from Bangkok. My showdown with Ethiopian Airlines is one step closer. I arrived in the middle of the night after a fairly unorthodox routing. I flew United from Burbank to San Francisco to Hangzhou, one of United’s newer...
Leak: “United Coast” to Replace p.s. Premium Service
No Mas Coach reports that United Airlines will rebrand its p.s. (premium service) transcon flights as “United Coast”, adding Boston to San Francisco to the premium market. United Coast will include the existing p.s. service between Newark and Los...
United Airlines Pays $70MN for Naming Rights to Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
More an LA-local story, but it piqued my interest nonetheless. United Airlines has purchased naming rights from USC for the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Memorial Coliseum is 94-year old LA landmark and home to USC football games. It was constructed...
Ethiopian Airlines Showdown: I’m Flying to Bangkok
I went back and forth in my mind all week about whether to take a planned trip to Bangkok this weekend. It is increasingly unlikely that Ethiopian will honor my business class ticket. But I’m going anyway! I have an...
Review: Qantas 747-400 Business Class from Hong Kong to Sydney
My first flight in Qantas business class was a great one: the overnight journey from Hong Kong to Sydney was comfortable. Although I still prefer Cathay Pacific, Qantas offers a solid product in business class. Just to note, this...
Final Denial from Ethiopian Airlines (RE: Cheap Business Class Fare)
Ethiopian Airlines’ latest reply to my appeal to honor a $763 r/t business class ticket from Bangkok to Toronto is another attempt to stonewall. This whole exercise is becoming more for sport rather than seriousness. I’m about to pull the...
Self-Righteous Soldier is at Fault, Not United
Today’s outrage: a solider back from a 21-month tour of duty in Afghanistan was forced to pay $200 to transport his kevlar armor on a 2hr United Airlines domestic flight. United was right to charge him $200 for exceeding his...
Why We Won’t See a European Laptop Ban
I haven’t addressed the rumors of a laptop ban on all flights out of the European Union, but now I will: I knew it would not happen. Sure, easy for me to say it now that EU and United...
The King of Holland is a KLM Pilot
As I mentioned in my KLM 787-9 World Business Class trip report from San Francisco to Amsterdam, KLM struck me as a very egalitarian airline. Now I know it is true. The King of Holland is also a KLM...
This is Why I Love Aeroflot
Aeroflot is one of the most underrated airlines in the world. From “real” business class seats on flights within Europe to warm service to a modern fleet, the carrier is nothing like its Soviet footprint. Oh, and the food is...
Review: Cathay Pacific “The Wing” First Class Lounge HKG
Cathay Pacific has a handful of great lounges in Hong Kong for first class passengers. While these lounges do not rival the world’s greatest airport lounges, they are still high-quality and worth a visit. I visited “The Wing” first class lounge...
Is Electronics Ban an Attempt by Israel to Undermine Gulf Carriers?
I’m just going to come out and say I put little very little stock in this Al-Jazeera news piece (for reasons I will defend), but the innuendo is too enticing not to explore. The New York Times reports that...
