A Telegraph story details how consumers are using TripAdvisor as a threat to extract freebies in favor of withholding a bad review. Though I tend to think this particular problem is not as widespread as reported, I still see...
Booking My First Class US Airways Award with No Fuel Surcharges
Although the window is closing fast, it is still possible to book British Airways award flights using US Airways Dividend Miles without a fuel surcharge. It took me a couple tries, but I just booked a mega-award redemption with...
Top 10 Airline Award Redemptions for May 2014
We have been spared from any major award chart devaluation announcements the last couple months and I trust we are settling into a new era of status quo–there has been enough bloodshed over the last year. But whether the...
Oldest Active Flight Attendant Celebrates 90th Birthday, 63 Years in Sky
In the USA there is no regulation setting a maximum age for flight attendants. With this lack of regulation and strong FA unions, we seeing an aging FA base among the legacy carriers of American, Delta, and United. And then...
Using Lufthansa Miles for Travel to Hawaii in First Class
The Lufthansa Mile & More Mastercard from Barclays is offering a 50,000 mile sign-up bonus through June 30, 2014 and one of the best uses of these points for U.S. and Canadian residents is to book award travel on...
United Airlines Adds Service Between Denver and Panama City
United Airlines will add service between Denver and Panama City beginning on 03 December 2014 (subject to government approval). The route will run daily November through August and five times weekly during the rainy season in September and October. A...
US Airways Now Adding Fuel Surcharge to British Airways Award Tickets
An update on my story earlier this week on No Fuel Surcharges on British Airways Awards with US Airways Miles: as expected, a memo went out today to Dividend Miles agents today instructing them to include fuel surcharges on British...
Thoughts on 2014 Freddie Award Winners
A highlight of my year is the annual Freddie Awards ceremony, in which airlines and hotels are recognized by millions of consumer voters for their programs and promotions. The 2014 Freddie Awards took place on April 24, 2014 at...
Transparent Airfares Act of 2014 is Anything But Transparents
Less than two years after the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) mandated that airlines and online travel agencies display all-in pricing at all stages of the airfare search, the House of Representatives is considering a bill called the Transparent Airfares...
The Trust Deficit at United
With United Airlines posting heavy losses this quarter while its competitors reported healthy profits, the blame game has begun to escalate. “Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain” no longer seems to be working, as CEO Jeff...
This Commercial Made Me Laugh
I’ve been on some rather unsafe planes over the years, from a rickety old TU-134 in Russia, to a poorly-maintained 727 in Bolivia, and a battered ATR-42 in Cuba, but nothing all that bad, nothing out of a horror...
Book SriLankan Airlines Award Space Online with British Airways Avios
SriLankan Airlines is now a member of the oneworld alliance and that opens up more several new options for redeeming your miles–particularly using points from US Airways, American Airlines, and British Airways. Perhaps most attractive of all is British Airways...
Airfare Pricing Insurance through Level Skies
A new startup, Level Skies, promises to provides price protection for your next airline trip. You enter your trip details and how long you wish to lock in the best price guarantee (between 1 to 4 weeks). They then...
No Fuel Surcharges on British Airways Awards with US Airways Miles
Since US Airways joined oneworld, the carrier has not imposed fuel surcharges on British Airways award flights. Considering fuel surcharges run more than $800 r/t for Europe and much more if you continue on to Asia or Africa, this...
May New York City Frequent Flyer Meetup
Mike is organizing another Reach for the Miles meetup in New York City. This one will be held Tuesday, 06 May at Professor Thom’s in the Lower East Side. Come mingle and meet others from the travel industry, have...
Update on Air China Award Booking Cancellations
More are reporting that their Air China award reservations booked with United MileagePlus miles are being cancelled and United is finally waking up to the problem. Still, there is no solution in sight. You should be vigilant in monitoring...
See you in Seattle at Frequent Traveler University!
The opening fesitivities of Frequent Traveler University (FTU) Seattle are about to begin: a reception this evening and then a full day of seminars tomorrow and Sunday. I will be be delivering a presentation tomorrow afternoon called “Hacking United Airlines.”...
New, Stricter United MileagePlus Routing Rules for Travel Between USA and North Asia?
A report on FT suggests that United has imposed new, stricter routing rules on travel between the USA/Canada and North Asia. Thus far, my research points to a case of a mistaken agent. Still, the following new rules, apparently effective today,...
Mysterious Cancellations of Air China Award Travel Booked with United MileagePlus
Be warned if you currently are holding a confirmed award ticket issued by United Airlines that includes flights on Air China: reservations are mysteriously being cancelled. The number of reported cancellations is rising and there seems to be common...
What the Teen Jet Stowaway Tells Us About Airport Security
Boy wants to fly to Hawaii. Boy sees Hawaiian Airlines jet parked at San Jose Airport. Boy jumps fence and hides in the wheel well. Boy miraculously survives, making once again a mockery of our so-called airport security. I’ve...
