Another week spent entirely on the ground…this is really something out of character. But I’ve cherished the time spent with my wife and son lately: the little one is growing up so fast. I hope to finish up my 2013 Australia trip report in the week ahead. Here’s a hint: I had a very bad […]
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: March 04, 2018
I’ve been grounded all week and am thankful for it. No plans to travel next week either. Plenty of time with family and friends instead. Lots of work too. There have been a handful of trips I’ve turned down, which is always hard to do. But I’m trying to clear the backlog of old trip […]
Delta Loses NRA Tax Battle, Will Likely Win War
What does a memo from the Delta CEO and newly enacted tax reform legislation tell us about the power dynamic between Delta and its home state? Yesterday, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal singed into a law a $5BN tax reform package. Delta’s fuel tax exemption did not make into the final bill. Keeping his promise, Lt. […]
Why Did Singapore Airlines Close Lounge in Seoul?
Next up in my Australia trip report is a review of the Singapore Airlines SilverKris lounge in Seoul Incheon. But that seems almost pointless considering Singapore unexpectedly shut down the lounge last month. Instead, let’s focus on the reason behind the closure. The KrisFlyer lounge was starting to show its age even when was I […]
Rude Exchange Over Carry-On Bag – But Who Was Rude?
I woke up this morning to a story entitled, “United passenger records heated exchange with ‘rude’ airline staff over carry-on bag” topping my airline travel news feed. It is a incident that occurred in the check-in lobby of Chicago O’Hare. Natalia Rutkowski and her mother Anna were traveling on Basic Economy tickets, which permits them only […]
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: February 25, 2018
Hello from the American Express Lounge at San Francisco International Airport. I’m on my way home from FTU after a great weekend in Seattle. It was an honor to meet many readers. Remember, there are four upcoming Frequent Traveler University events in the months ahead: London Brisbane New York City Washington, DC I enjoy these […]
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: February 18, 2018
Good evening from Carmel, CA…I’m spending the holiday weekend at my favorite California Hyatt and have been enjoying the fresh air and beautiful weather with my family. Earlier today we drove down Highway 1 to Big Sur…it is always beautiful: Last week, Alaska Airlines introduced a draconian new restriction on Cathay Pacific, Hainan, and JAL […]
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: February 11, 2018
A pleasant Sunday evening to you from Los Angeles. It was a quiet week on the blog, but a busy week in life. I’m looking forward to the week ahead, but especially looking forward to a special family trip coming up next weekend. Here’s a review of the week’s top stories and a summary of […]
First Class: Lufthansa vs. SWISS
I’ve recently flown both SWISS and Lufthansa First Class. Which product is better? Certainly there is subjectivity in what I value and how I compare the two products, but I’d like to think this is not an arbitrary comparison. I will compare SWISS and Lufthansa in ten different categories. 1. Ground Services In the interest […]
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: February 4, 2018
Hello from 35,000 feet. I’m on my way to New York for a quick business trip. I trust I’ll be back home, though, by the end of the day tomorrow. Who would have thought a little story on a peacock would have gained so much attention? It has been quite awhile since one of my […]
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: January 28, 2018
I’m back in California after a whirlwind trip around the world that included stops in Asia, the Middle East, and seven countries in Europe. I’ll be on the ground for awhile…at least that is the plan. This coming week I’ll have an update on my cancelled Aeroplan SWISS First Class ticket and will publish several […]
My Worst Business Class Meal Yet…
A late-night flight on Thai Airways out of Tokyo made for a lethal combination when it came to the in-flight meal in business class. That’s the subject of this week’s Meal of the Week. Here’s my question: how long or “international” must a flight be before food is offered to suit both western and eastern […]
Virgin Atlantic Shows How to Be Honest
I give airlines a lot of flak on Live and Let’s Fly for the duplicitous double standards many engage in. Most center around consumer-unfriendly polices like waiting to days or weeks to cancel so-called “mistake fares” while strictly penalizing consumers for honest mistakes. (I’m talking about you Ethiopian, Air France, Aeroplan, SWISS, and ANA…) But […]
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: January 21, 2018
Hello from Zurich. I’m in the midst of an extended business trip, anxious to get home, but trying to appreciate the time in one of my favorite countries. I’ve already been to Qatar, Vietnam, Germany, and Malta. Austria, Italy, the Netherlands, and England are still to come. Recounting the top stories of the week, United […]
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 that she had not been awakened to eat prior to landing in Doha. On Qatar Airways, […]
Traveling with an Infant in International First Class
Few travel issues evoke more controversy than the matter of children in premium cabins, especially in international first class. I’m not here to debate that, directly. Instead, I want to help guide parents who are considering whether to bring their children into first class. In short, I’ll just borrow the line of Tom Hanks in […]
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 emergency post yesterday, you’ll recall that my flight had to turn around just prior to takeoff […]
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 primary focus of my blog over the past week has been on my surprisingly excellent trip […]
How Shall I Get Back to LA from Ho Chi Minh City?
My Qatar Airways 777-3ooER Qsuite flight is right around the corner. But I have nothing booked home… This is a review trip and I’m not planning on spending any time in Ho Chi Minh City. It’s a lovely city that I have visited in the past, but this time my objective is to come straight […]
Introduction: A Trip to China on Finnair
For years I have wanted to try Finnair. A business trip to China allowed me to finally sample not just Finnair’s business class, but the Finnair A350. John and I were in Germany and had to get to Beijing. Although John’s first choice is always Lufthansa First Class, I talked him into trying Finnair Business […]