On my recent crazy little trip I had a 2.5hr connection in Beirut. It turned into a test of patience. Last time I flew out of Beirut was 2011. I visited the Middle East Airlines Cedar Lounge prior to the...
My Seatmate Had Foul Body Odor…on a 10hr Flight
Remember that post I wrote a couple months ago about my proselytizing seatmate? Turns out he had another issue as well: pungent body odor. Later today I will publish my flight report on Ukraine International Airlines’ flagship Kiev to New...
Calamari in Coach
This week’s edition of Matthew’s Meal of the Week recalls a surprisingly gourmet meal on Royal Brunei from late 2014. Some carriers still put a fair amount of thought and quality into economy class food and Royal Brunei is...
Istanbul to Kiev on Ukraine International Airlines 737 Business Class
Ukraine International Airlines uses new Boeing 737-800 for many of its shorthaul routes in Europe. Unfortunately, it looks west rather than east for guidance on how to configure its business class on short-haul flights. While Aeroflot and Turkish have...
When Will the Next United Polaris Lounge Open?
United opened its Polaris Lounge in Chicago O’Hare last December and it has received rave reviews. I’m going to deliberately route through Chicago on an upcoming trip just to try it out. But ORD is just one hub. When...
Transit in Cairo (CAI)
The difficult of transiting from flight to flight depends on the airport. Connecting from an international to an international flight in the USA requires going through passport control, customs, baggage re-check and security while in Amsterdam (for example) you...
Review: Raden A28 Checked Smart Luggage
Raden sent me one of their A28 Check luggage to see if it could hold up to my challenge. After the abuse it took, I won’t be sending it back. (I received no other compensation for writing this review.) Here’s...
Incredible $70 One-Way Fares to Europe
I don’t typically write about deals since we see them multiple times each week now, but I cannot pass this one up. WOW Air is offering $69.99 one-way flights from a number of U.S. cities. These include: San Francisco...
Is EgyptAir Safe?
I’ve written a lot about EgyptAir lately and my takeaway is that the 777-300 Business Class experience is surprisingly pleasant. But is EgyptAir safe? A Mixed Safety Record EgyptAir has been around since 1932 so not surpassingly, has suffered a...
United Mainline Returns to Burbank!
After an eight year hiatus, United mainline is returning to Burbank with upguaged service to Denver and San Francisco beginning this week. As a frequent Burbank customer, this great news hits very close to home. I vividly recall the last...
The Most Annoying Type of Passenger Is…
Expedia commissioned GfK, an independent market research company, to poll travelers on who annoyed them most when they traveled by air. Passengers were not limited to one answer. The results are in and the rear seat kicker “wins” with inattentive...
Review: EgyptAir 737-800 Business Class from Cairo to Beirut
The point of this review is to showcase what EgyptAir’s shorthaul service is like. In case you missed my earlier post, this was my Scary Flight on EgyptAir. The weather was very rough and I will not rehash that...
Air Canada Restarts Tel Aviv Service from Montreal
Air Canada’s international expansion in Montreal continues, with news of a new seasonal route between Montreal and Tel Aviv starting in June. The carrier also announced plans to make its daily Toronto – Tel Aviv service year-around. The new Montreal...
How I Will Take Advantage of the Air France 20K Offer from AMEX
I woke up this morning to a dozen articles on a new “Amex Offer” in which you can get 20,000 American Express Membership Rewards points for spending at least $1,000 on Air France. So in case you missed it...
Video Emerges of Erratic United Pilot
Leadoff question: how could a crew or any passenger agree to fly under the command of someone like this? Lucky makes this point and I cannot help but to also make it. Video finally emerged today of the frazzled United pilot who...
Woman Claims United Airlines Killed Her Dog
When it rains, it pours. As if the viral story of the disgruntled United pilot removed from her flight was not enough, now United has more bad press to contend with: a woman who claims United is responsible for the death...
Help Me Choose What Trip Report to Publish Next
It has been only two months since I made the move to Boarding Area but I already feel like I’ve been here for years. I love being part of this family. I’m still catching up on a backlog of...
Review: London to Cairo in EgyptAir 777-300 Business Class
My intro to this flight report still sums up my thoughts best, so I will stick with it. Let’s face it: mention EgyptAir and most instinctively grimace. The carrier does not serve alcohol, does not have cutting-edge seats, and boasts a poor safety...
United Pilot Removed for Odd Onboard Rant
A pilot was removed from a United Airlines flight from Austin to San Francisco on Saturday after using the plane’s PA system to vent about her recent divorce, Donald Trump, and Hillary Clinton. The A319 captain boarded United 455 late and...
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: February 11, 2017
Hello from beautiful Santa Barbara, California. Heidi and I love Santa Barbara (“Why didn’t we MOVE HERE instead of LA?!” is what I hear every time we come up for a weekend). But at least a great Hyatt is available...
