With no idea where we would sleep that night, my friend and I sat down to strategize. The airport had free wi-fi and I scoured the internet for hotels in Kish. I did find a listing of hotels, but...
TSA Forces 95-Year-Old to Remove Diaper
After probing this story further, some of my outrage has dissipated. Yet I am still fuming at all parties involved. A 95 year-old woman in Florida in the terminal stages of leukemia, weighing only 105lbs and bound to a...
British Airways Captain Throws Mobile Phone Out Cockpit Window
I am having trouble deciding whose side I am on in this story, which occurred on Friday evening. A British Airways flight from Edinburgh to London Gatwick was already delayed. On the taxi out, a mobile phone was found...
New Livery + Business Class for LOT Polish Airlines
LOT Polish Airlines, a Star Alliance member, will be the first European carrier to take delivery of Boeing’s 787 aircraft. The program is two years behind schedule, but the kinks finally appear to be ironed out and LOT is...
Trapped in Iran!
For those just joining the story, be sure to check out Parts One, Two, and Three. Outside immigration, we hailed a taxi who agreed to take our UAE dirhams. There are no banks on Kish Island that accept U.S....
Don’t Blame Delta for Saudi Foreign Policy
The Rabbi Jason Miller is not happy with Delta Air Lines. In a poorly-written article published in the Huffington Post, Miller bemoans that Saudi Arabian Airlines will soon be a member of the SkyTeam Alliance, the airline group that...
Earn and Burn American Airlines Miles on Etihad Airways
Award earning and redemption options just got a little better on American Airlines. As of 01 June, American Airlines AAdvantage miles can be earned on most Etihad flights. Three notable exclusions are flights between Abu Dhabi and New York,...
Dubai to Kish Island, Iran on Kish Air + Interrogation at Iranian Border
With a 12:30p departure to Kish and a late arrival from Muscat the previous night, it was nice to sleep in for a bit. We arrived at Terminal Two in Dubai at around 11:00a and had no trouble checking...
This Southwest Captain Hates "Gays and Grannies and Grandes"
I would feel sorry for the Captain, if he wasn’t such an idiot. Apparently a Southwest Airlines captain didn’t know his microphone was stuck on the “on” position and broadcast to the FAA and everyone else within earshot a...
The Kish Air Experience in Dubai
Last night, I left you on a cliffhanger–would I make it to Iran or not? Early the next morning I asked the Park Hyatt concierge to call Kish Air’s ticketing office to see about traveling to Iran later in...
A Spur of the Moment Trip to the Islamic Republic of Iran
It all started around the brunch table Saturday in Dubai. I casually mentioned that Kish Island, a small Iranian island just 30 minutes from Dubai by air, would be an interesting place to visit. Why Iran? For years I...
It Has Been One Heckuva Day
For those of you wondering why I was missing in action the last couple days, stay tuned for a fascinating report that will cover my time in Dubai and Oman, but primarily Iran–yes, Iran. And there was drama in...
Feeling at Home in Dubai
Hello from Dubai. The weather is over 100°F, but Dubai is one cool city–and it is making me feel like I am back in the States. It is my first time in the United Arab Emirates and I am...
Review: Park Hyatt Tokyo
Rated as one of the top hotels in Tokyo, I arrived at the Park Hyatt Tokyo with high expectations—and they were all exceeded. The Park Hyatt chain prides itself on personalized service that distinguishes it from its competitors. It...
Cheap Flights to Barcelona and Madrid on US Airways – from $340
Spanair codeshares with a number of their Star Alliance partners and once in a while, the codeshare flights can be very reasonable, or in this case, extremely reasonable. Fall fares to Barcelona and Madrid are currently available for as...
Naked Man Barricades Himself in Lavatory on Iberia Flight
Excessive alcohol and flying just do not mix–I’ve made that abundantly clear in previous posts. But sometimes passengers are just crazy (recall the deranged passenger that caused my United flight to divert to Omaha last year). Take the German...
Reminder: United Airlines Award Chart Changes Tomorrow
United Airlines’ updated mileage award chart comes into effect tomorrow and for the most part, the changes are good. There are a few award regions that will see an increased mileage requirement, however, so it might be wise to...
United to Close Denver Hub?
A piece ran in the Denver Post yesterday speculating on the future hub status of Denver, implying that United is ready to axe it. I see no cause for concern just yet. The rumors stem from internal UA documents...
Blame Me or Blame Lufthansa for Missed Dublin Flight?
This evening I arrived at Frankfurt at around 2015 from Munich after a long day of flying. I had a separate ticket from Frankfurt to Dublin booked months before, and I chose not to check my bags all the...
Two Calls to American Airlines, Two Very Different Outcomes
I fail to understand why airline reservations agents cannot do simple things like search for award availability. Today I called American Airlines about an award reservation on Cathay Pacific. I had already verified first class inventory on British Airway’s...
