An internal letter from United Airlines Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Nocella, reviewed by Live And Let’s Fly, outlines a major leadership shakeup at MileagePlus and Kinective Media that signals a potential change in direction for United’s loyalty strategy. United Shakes Up MileagePlus Leadership With New Hire And High-Profile Departures United Airlines is making significant changes […]
Alaska Airlines Captain Praised As Hero Now Sues Boeing For $10 Million, Says He Was Scapegoated
Alaska Airlines Captain Brandon Fisher contends that he was praised publicly as a hero while quietly becoming a target in a legal defense strategy. He’s now suing Boeing for $10 million. Alaska Airlines Pilot Sues Boeing, Says Manufacturer Tried To Shift Blame After Door Plug Blowout Captain Fisher, who was at the controls of Alaska […]
Gayle King Slams United Airlines For Selling Her A “Window Seat” With No Window In Business Class
CBS Morning co-host Gayle King is unhappy with United Airlines, specifically with a business class seat that did not have a window on her 9.5-hour flight from Maui to New York City. Gayle King Complains About Windowless United Airlines Business Class Seat On Hawaii Flight King recently took to social media to vent about her […]
United Airlines Adds Dine & Doze Option, Expands Multi-Course Service In Polaris Business Class
United Airlines is standardizing its multi-course meal offerings in Polaris Business Class and also expanding it new Dine & Doze for passengers who wish to maximize rest onboard. United Standardizes Polaris Meal Service And Expands Dine & Doze Option United Airlines currently serves meals in courses on flights longer than 3,900 miles, which excludes many […]
Canadian Traveler Unleashes Racist Tirade And Violence At Cambodia Airport
Just when you think you’ve seen the full spectrum of bad airport behavior, we turn to Cambodia, where a Canadian traveler put her vile racism on full display. Racism And Entitlement Collide In Shocking Airport Incident In Cambodia An incident at Techo International Airport (KTI) in Cambodia, the new airport in Phnom Penh, has sparked […]
United 777-200 Fleet Faces An Uncertain Future After Dulles Engine Failure
A United Airlines 777-200 incident at Dulles and a quiet schedule shift raise a bigger question about a widebody that increasingly looks like it has no long-term home in United’s fleet. United’s Boeing 777-200 Is Quietly Being Phased Out, And Recent Events Show Why A United Airlines Boeing 777 departing Washington Dulles (IAD) for Tokyo […]
Spirit’s Demise Is Bad News for All Air Travelers
Is Spirit Airlines going out of business as soon as this weekend? It’s possible, but if it does it spells bad news for all flyers in the US, not just Spirit’s. Other Carriers Pouncing On Spirits Misfortune The media and other carriers seem to be all but certain that Spirit is moments away from shutting […]
Breaking: Terror Attack on Sydney’s Bondi Beach
Gunmen open fire on Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia at a Jewish event. Today Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach became the setting for an unspeakable tragedy. On the evening of December 14, 2025, a terror attack unfolded during a Hanukkah celebration called Chanukah By The Sea, an event that drew more than a thousand people to […]
American Airlines “Gift Guy” Hands Out iPads Again, But This Time The Marketing Twist Is Obvious
Last week, I wrote a story titled, “When ‘Holiday Cheer’ On An American Flight Looks More Like Content Than Kindness” about a man who presented flight attendants with Apple AirPods Max. He’s at it again, this time with iPads on another AA flight. But he really gives himself away here…it’s quite clear (and clever) what […]
Review: Haile Resort Hawassa (A Lovely Hotel In Ethiopia)
I spent five nights at the Haile Resort in Hawassa, Ethiopia and loved it…it was a great experience at a new hotel chain (for me), one that is, interestingly, owned by a famous athlete. Haile Resort Hawassa Review The price of my room was about 100 USD/night and included breakfast. That’s high for Ethiopia, but […]
What Visa’s Data Says About Luxury Travel’s Future
Visa’s credit card data from ILTM Cannes hints at who will be traveling in style, where they are going, and which destinations are quietly losing their shine. A Payments Company Walks Into ILTM… A senior economist from Visa, Dr. Simon Baptist, stepped onto the stage at ILTM Cannes with a novel approach to macro luxury […]
Book Review: Unreasonable Hospitality – Perfect For Travelers
Will Guidara’s rise through the restaurant elite offers excellent insights into the service industry and has applications throughout travel. A Rare Book Review It’s not often that Live And Let’s Fly features a book review nestled amongst our hard-hitting and breaking travel news, yet sometimes products simply compel us to act. Unreasonable Hospitality is as […]
Will An Airbus A350-2000 Take On The Boeing 777X?
Airbus is openly studying a stretched A350-2000 to match Boeing’s 777X. Here is why Emirates and other giants suddenly care about a few extra rows. Background: From Superjumbos To Stretched Twins Once upon a time, airlines that wanted serious capacity bought four engines and did not ask many questions. The Airbus A380 and Boeing 747 […]
A Thanksgiving Resolution
Once upon a time there was a boy who loved to fly around the world using his miles and points. Around the globe he flew, visiting the far corners of the world; meeting new people and surveying new lands. The boy grew into a man and his eyes were opened to the world around him, […]
United Airlines Quietly Devalues Miles…Again: Close-In Awards Now Cost 33% More
United Airlines has once again, at least temporarily, quietly raised the miles required for many of its saver awards booked within two weeks of departure, with no notice and immediate effect. Previously, these awards cost 15,000 miles one way for certain U.S. domestic flights booked at short notice, but we are now seeing prices of […]
United Airlines Post Fuels Buzz About Possible In-N-Out Burger Partnership
Over the weekend, United Airlines posted a picture on Instagram, leaving me and many others wondering (hoping, I suppose) that a partnership with In-N-Out could really transform the airline burger wars. A United Airlines Partnership With In-N-Out Burger Would Be Delicious…. United re-posted an image of an Airbus A320 flying over the iconic In-N-Out LAX […]
United And Southwest Bring Back Airline Debit Cards
United and Southwest quietly revived airline debit cards. Here is who they help, what they offer, and when you should skip them. A Throwback Idea Makes A Comeback For years, the story in airline loyalty has been simple. If you want to earn serious miles, you reach for a credit card. Debit cards used to […]
California Candidate Says Ground Billionaire Jets
Katie Porter says cut private jets, not commercial. With a 10% flight reduction looming from the shutdown, is she right about where to trim? FAA Reduction: Why Airlines Are Being Told To Fly Less Because of the ongoing government shutdown and mounting fatigue among unpaid controllers, the FAA and DOT have ordered a phased reduction […]
Review: United Airlines 787-10 Business Class Los Angeles – London
My journey from Los Angeles to London on United Airlines was pleasant and restful onboard the 787-10 in Polaris business class. United’s consistent seat and excellent bedding make overnight flights to Europe a reliable choice, even if other parts of the soft product fall short. United Airlines 787-10 Business Class Review (LAX-LHR) As I mentioned […]
Younger Pros Turn Work Trips Into Lifestyle Upgrades
Hotels.com finds Gen Z and Millennials use business travel to upgrade hotels, meals, and rewards, and they post it all while stretching trips for fun. Background Business travel is not just a commute with a carry-on anymore. According to the latest Hotels.com Business Trip Report, younger professionals see work trips as a chance to live […]
