What is “popular” should help you understand why I tend to focus on the stories that I do. As we close out the year of 2022, I’m looking back at the 10 most popular posts of 2022 in terms of traffic on Live and Let’s Fly.
The trend is clear and has repeated itself again in 2022: people like reading bad news. I guess it is not a surprise in our clickbait culture, but the results are clear even beyond the top-10 list below. As you will see, not a single “positive” story made the cut for the third year in a row.
Although my incredibly time-consuming trip reports never make the top-10 list, I have to remind myself that I actually write to myself first and foremost and that it must always be that way. I’ve also been even more overtly political and religious this year than in 2021, which is not so much for clicks but rather finally feeling comfortable enough to risk offending some readers. But I don’t aggressively sell you credit cards you don’t need and even if you disagree with me, I hope you can at least appreciate how I come to my worldview on a number of topics we have discussed this year. I make mistakes and always try to own up to them when I do. Sometimes I say things that I wish I could take back. That, I hope, is what sets this blog apart from the pack.
But without further ado, here are the ten most popular posts from 2022:
8. Hilarious: Delta Air Lines Pilot Crawls Through Window Of Boeing 737
7. A Woman Defends Her Refusal To Switch Airline Seats To Help Families Or Couples Sit Together
5. Mother Tries To Ditch Her Kids In Economy Class, Gate Agent Downgrades Her
4. Passenger Gets A Bit Too Comfortable On American Airlines…
3. Flaunting Woman Struts Up and Down The Aisle On My Austrian Flight
2. Ouch: American Airlines Fires 50 Flight Attendants For Dereliction Of Duty
Many thanks to Kyle Stewart and 121pilot for their contributions and insight over the last year. Both are a pleasure to work with and I am deeply grateful for their helpful contributions.
Here at Live and Let’s Fly, we do not avoid clickbait, but still try to make it worth your while to click through any story we write. Plus, this year has featured more trip reports, particularly hotel and flight reviews, than in any past year, and also in a more timely manner (though I have traveled so much I always feel like I am way behind). We look forward to bringing you more content worth reading in 2023. We also welcome your suggestions for how we might offer you even more relevant content that is worth reading and sharing.
Matthew,
Another blog devoted to an entirely different industry realized that they could use their contacts in that industry to advocate for the customer who are also readers of the blog, like an ombudsman.
It really made a difference because when side problems occur that frontline customer is not equipped to handle, the blog writers were able to contact their company contacts and get the problems solved.
Just a thought.
I do this all the time – I just choose not to advertise this service. But if you ever have an issue, feel free to reach out.
I can testify that Matthew has been a huge help to me and took one of my issues to the source!
The blog is fantastic Matthew, by far the best airline/travel blog out there, and your reporting and storytelling is superior to any of the other airline blogs. Your reviews are also the most detailed and well written reviews I’ve seen online.
My only recommendation on what I’d like to see more of is more coverage on routes/network side of things. You covered this super throughly in 2020 when the network was constantly being adjusted from the pandemic, that’s what drew me to this blog, but I feel like it hasn’t been as common as of recent. There have been some route resumptions that have gone unmentioned. Would love to see more of that. Speaking of route resumptions, the SF Business Times is reporting that all the China flights are resuming in March. PVG from SFO, LAX, ORD, and EWR. PEK from SFO, EWR, ORD, and IAD. And then SFO to CTU. These are all in addition to HKG which was already previously announced. It seems very unlikely that these will all start, but would love to hear if you had any insight on these.
I wish I had time to read all of your blog entries, Matthew, even though, as you correctly point out, I don’t always agree with your views. So I have to pick and choose which entries I do read. That said, I think I only read one of these top 10 posts! In other words, there are those of us who find a lot of value in the other posts that you write. 🙂
Thanks for keeping us informed! And I hope that you and your family have a wonderful new year!
Not only are they all non positive, most of ‘em feature American Airlines LOL
Best travel blog out there. Keep it up in 2023.
And I put this blog as number one on my reading list too. Knocked over omaat in 2022. I just skip through the articles about weirdos.
Nice try Kyle.
Ha!
The one about two fatties was the best. I enjoyed all the pigs in comments section getting angry at people for calling out their moral failures of being able to put the fork down. Fat shaming is good, fat people should be shamed.
We also appreciate how mad you get when call you out for your nonsense too Chad!
There are also others who read and don’t post often that we just skim through the click bait articles.
Keep it in Matthew, awesome work you do!
Interesting that 40% of your top 10 concerns American Airlines.
I fly AA domestically almost exclusively. Although I’ve had many bad experiences, overall I’m a big fan of their loyalty program. But being EP certainly enhances the experience. The best part about the program for me is the routes I fly is the ease in getting upgraded to first. Also, they have great web specials for low point flying opportunities.
Enjoyed reading this year. Best to you in the coming year.
Also interesting that none of them are for any of his actual trip reports…clickbait gotta keep this site going, I guess, if he isn’t going to shill credit cards like TPG and OMAAT.
You are not behind! Now about that JAL F review… 😀