Last week I asked you how I should get home from Ho Chi Minh City. Votes were fairly divided between JAL, Korean Air and Vietnam Airlines/Virgin Atlantic. After weighing the options, I decided to try Vietnam Airlines in business...
My Experience Booking a Complimentary Transit Hotel in Doha
Qatar Airways has extended its complimentary transit hotel program until at least April 2018. I had the opportunity to test it out on my trip through Doha this week. About a week before travel I visited the website. Economy...
Is Compensation Due When a FA Fails to Wake You Up to Eat?
Is compensation due when a FA fails to wake you up to eat, as requested? As my Qatar Airways flight was entering final descent yesterday, one passenger was giving a FA a piece of her mind. She was livid...
Qatar Airways Qsuite: My First Impressions
Hello from Doha. I just completed the 6,705 mile journey from New York to Doha aboard a 777-300ER featuring Qatar Airways’ new Qsuite. The new business class hard product is revolutionary in terms of its privacy and personal space....
United’s Surprising New Emphasis in Customer Service Training
I’m hearing from an inside source that United Airlines has embarked upon a major reeducation course (they call it “training”) for front-line employees, focusing on improving customer service. Trainings are routine and ordinarily not newsworthy. But in light of...
Man Wears 10 Layers of Clothing to Skirt Baggage Fees, Is Arrested
A man who tried to avoid baggage fees by donning 10 layers of clothing was denied boarding and dragged out of Keflavik International Airport in Iceland. Ryan Carney Williams, who prefers to be called Ryan Hawaii, thought he was clever....
Air France Writes Me, Issues Refund
Last week I noted that it had been more than 18 days since Air France cancelled my first class ticket and 1.) I still had not been notified and 2.) my money was still being held. Well, Air France...
My First Flight in 2018: American Airlines
I’m not jumping ship from United, but I am starting off 2018 flying a whole lot of oneworld. That trip began with a redeye on American Airlines’ last night from LAX to JFK. If you caught my AA medical...
Review: Park Hyatt Beijing (Suite)
Yesterday I published a comprehensive review of the Park Hyatt Beijing, my first review of the property. It wasn’t my first stay, though. My first stay included a complimentary upgrade to a beautiful suite. Rather than squeeze it into...
Review: Park Hyatt Beijing
The Park Hyatt Beijing is showing some signs of wear, but remains an excellent choice for a luxury hotel in the heart of China’s capital city. After arriving from Helsinki on Finnair, we proceeded to the hotel via taxi...
Medical Emergency on My AA Flight
Last night I flew from Los Angeles to New York on AA…and encountered a medical emergency onboard that led to a lengthy delay and removal of a passenger. We pushed back on time and FAs screened safety the video....
737 Skids Off Runway, Dangles on Cliff
A scary moment for passengers onboard a Pegasus Airlines 737-800 that skidded off the runway, down a muddy embankment, and nearly into the sea. Check out this startling video–it honestly makes my palms sweat just watching it: The Boeing...
United Airlines CEO Reflects on MLK Day
Today is Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) day in the United States. United Airlines’ CEO Oscar Munoz penned a fitting tribute to the late civil rights leader. Here’s his note to employees shared by a FA friend: In 1968,...
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: January 14, 2018
I’ve just begun my next trip…it will be a busy week and much of it is still unplanned. It has been a relatively quiet week in industry news, with Alaska and Virgin now operating under a single certificate. A...
Southwest Companion Pass Is On The Way
My husband has held the Southwest Airlines Companion Pass before and we missed it once it expired. When the opportunity came up to get it again early in the year, I jumped at the chance. Previous Experience A few...
Terrible Panama City Airport Taxi Touts
We recently spent the better part of a week in Panama City, Panama. We loved it and we can’t wait to go back! That being said the one black eye of our trip was upon our arrival, transportation leaving...
Iceland’s Route Expansion Is Good For Everyone
Over the last few years trans-Atlantic routes have gotten cheaper thanks to discount carriers and the legacy airlines that compete with them. Norwegian has helped from not only Scandinavia but also England, Ireland, Italy and Spain to lower flight...
Dear Lufthansa, Please Don’t Ruin Your Beautiful Livery
Rumors are swirling that Lufthansa will introduce a new livery next month. My message to Lufthansa: leave it alone. When I defended Lufthansa’s five-star ranking recently based upon my own travel experiences over the years, I was clearly in...
EL AL’s “Supernatural” Safety Video
EL AL is out with a clever new safety video that involves a bit of magic and a bit of slight of hand. I’ll give the airline credit for creating a gripping safety video. Watch the video first: I’m...
The Secret Life of Virgins: Virgin America Farewell Video
Virgin America is now a relic of history, at least officially. The airline ceased to be an independent airline on January 09, 2018, losing its unique call sign and now ushered into the fold of Alaska Airlines. The two...
