The whole Edward Snowden issue is a mess and I am not going to weigh in on my own feelings about him here. But his saga to seek asylum is inextricably linked to travel and after spending two weeks...
Singapore Airlines Blurs the Line Between Business and First Class
Singapore Airlines announced the new design of their first, business and economy class cabins yesterday on select 777-300ER and A350 aircraft. I just completed a trip in Singapore First, Suites, and Business Class and there is a tendency to...
Breaking: Rediske Air Crash in Alaska Kills 10
When I saw the headline just a moment ago, I thought it was a joke–surely there could not be another crash just one day later. But sadly the Wall Street Journal is reporting: LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) — The crash...
Breaking: Asiana 777 Crashes at SFO
The news is just breaking now, but an Asiana 777 from Seoul has crashed while landing at San Francisco International Airport. No injuries reported at this point, but one passenger tweeted: plane came in at a bad angle, flipped,...
A Gift in the Mail from United Airlines
I do not get much snail mail anymore, save for far too many credit card apps and various bar association items, so it is always just a little gratifying to see something out of the ordinary. Today, a large...
EVA Airways Space Temporarily Pulled from united.com
Yesterday I highlighted the ability to book EVA awards on united.com and urged you to act fast before others booked all the space. If you searched last night or this morning for EVA space, you would have noticed there...
Book EVA Airways Award Space on united.com
EVA (pronounced E – V – A) Airways has recently joined the Star Alliance network and the Taipei-based carrier has been very generous when it comes to releasing award space. In fact, many dates this summer have four or...
New United p.s. Premium Service Commercial with Matt Damon
United Airlines has a new television ad out for their Premium Service (p.s.) flights between New York JFK and Los Angeles/San Francisco. Narrated by Matt Damon and showcasing United’s new BusinessFirst® lie-flat seats on the route, the ad compares...
The Secret to Obtaining SWISS First Class Award Space
Booking first class award space on Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) has become much, much more difficult over the last 18 months. SWISS was once fairly generous–you could book months in advance and award space was generally decent: with...
Dubai to New York via Jeddah in Saudia Economy Class
The Saudia flight was from Dubai to Jeddah was so uneventful I will only spend a few sentences on it—I was tried and quickly fell asleep after the meal service, which included beef with noodles and mixed vegetables. A...
Kabul to Dubai on flydubai
فلاي دبي (flydubai) is a low-cost carrier based in Dubai offering budget flights throughout the Middle East and beyond. The ticket from Kabul to Dubai was $152 and flydubai was the only carrier with an afternoon flight. FAs were...
The Afghanistan Dilemma
It was a brisk winter day, but heat from a black wood-burning stove warmed the room. Sunlight streamed in from outside and the sound of the rushing Panjshir River outside was audible over the din of voices inside. Faded...
Video: Drunk Passenger Attacks United Pilot at Washington Dulles
I’m not the type that hangs around bars, but in my travels around the world I’ve run into a lot of drunk people and must admit that there are a few things I enjoy more than observing disorderly conduct...
Kabul International Airport and Departing Afghanistan
We love complaining about the obtrusive Transportation Security Administration at US airports, but our little TSA has nothing on the security measures in effect at Kabul International Airport. Of course I am making an apples to oranges comparison, but...
US Airways Barclays MasterCard Credit Card (40,000 Mile Offer)
I trust many of you are taking advantage of the special Chase INK promotion this week, offering up to a 60,000 point sign-up bonus after $5,000 in spending rather than the regular 50,000 point offer. That deal expires tomorrow...
"This aircraft tolerates emissions from electrical devices for all phases of flight"
Coming soon to an airliner near you: cell phones, tablets, laptops…all the time. No phone calls just yet, but I suspect that is just around the corner too. This isn’t a done deal just yet, but after years of passengers...
Room With a View: Park Hyatt Sydney
I trust you’ve been enjoying the Afghanistan trip report, which will resume shortly, but I had to interrupt my vacation (and the trip report) to cover the changes United Airlines has announced to elite qualification and award ticketing fees....
United Raises Award Change and Cancellation Fees for Non-Premiers
As if yesterday’s move of adding minimum-spend requirements to attain elite status was not bad enough, United today (with no advance notice) has updated its award fee chart and General Members will be hit hard. No more free routing...
United Airlines Undermines Star Alliance
United Airlines’ decision to count spending on partner flights only on tickets issued by United for purposes of earning elite status marks a fundamental blow to the concept of airline alliances, undermining its Star Alliance partners and begging the question, will...
Minimum Spend Requirements for Elite Status Coming to United in 2014
United Airlines has announced minimum spend requirements in order to achieve elite status starting in the 2014 program year. Similar to Delta, there will be a waiver from this requirement for those who place at least $25,000 on a MileagePlus...
