My ongoing battle over cancelled first class tickets on SWISS is a two-front war: one with with SWISS and the U.S. Department of Transportation, the second with Aeroplan. In the case of SWISS, recall that I filed a DOT...
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...
Air France Writes Me, Issues Refund
Last week I noted that it had been more than 18 days since Air France cancelled my first class ticket and 1.) I still had not been notified and 2.) my money was still being held. Well, Air France...
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...
Was SWISS First Class Worth It?
It has been nearly two weeks since my trip from Zürich to Los Angeles in first class. Many have asked me, now that I’ve had time to reflect, was it worth it? Let’s put aside the lawsuit for a...
Air France Holding My Money, Hasn’t Reached Out…22 Days Later
It has been 22 days since I booked a suspiciously cheap Air France first class fare. While Air France cancelled the ticket four days after booking, it still has not refunded my money or even reached out to me...
Why You Should Always Compare Economy v. First Class Prices
I know this goes without saying for travel pros, but I was reminded again today that it always pays to check the price of a premium fare. One of the things we do at Award Expert is ensure that...
Amazing Flight in SWISS First Class!
I’m home and happy to report a smooth and most excellent flight in SWISS First Class! My family traveled from Zurich to Los Angeles and the superior service started service directly at check-in. We were traveling with a great...
I’m Booked in SWISS First Class, Zurich to Los Angeles…
Sometimes, you have to put your money where your mouth is. In what seems like so long ago, I promised: But mark my words: my family will fly in SWISS First together to end our holiday trip to Germany....
Still No Word from Air France or Travelocity Over First Class Cancellation
It has been 10 days since I booked a cheap Air France first class ticket on Travelocity and six days since Air France cancelled it. I still have not received notice from either party concerning the cancellation. Lack of...
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: December 24, 2017
It’s Christmas Eve and I hope, like me, you are spending it with family friends. I’m on “vacation” in Germany for awhile, but there is never really any true vacation in the world of blogging and Award Expert. Posts...
Air France Cancels My First Class Reservation…96 Hours Later
I’ll be honest…I thought I had squeaked by. But no, Air France has now cancelled my first class reservation…four days after ticketing it. While most people booked Los Angeles (LAX) or San Francisco (SFO) to Paris, I booked San...
Disingenuous, Dishonest Response from SWISS Over DOT Complaint
I had a nice day outside with my family and just returned home to find a response from SWISS to my DOT complaint. While not wholly unexpected, its arrogant tone and outright fabrication of facts is deplorable. Here’s the...
How I Booked My Air France First Class Ticket
As of 9am ET, my Air France first class ticket is still intact. I’m not expecting it to stick, but even if it is cancelled I sure had fun booking it. I had just awoken from eight hours of...
Dear Air France, If You Cancel My First Class Ticket, I WON’T Sue You
Unlike the SWISS First Class award redemption controversy, today’s Air France first class deal was a pricing mistake. I knew it, everyone knew it. I did manage to book a ticket…from 38,000 feet above the air over Turkey…I’ll detail...
Did Anyone Lose Their SWISS First Class Reservation with United?
As I prepare my legal case against Aeroplan, I have a question to anyone who recently booked SWISS First Class award space via United: is your reservation still intact? I’m trying to draw to sufficient data points to weigh...
Dinner for Breakfast in Lufthansa First Class Terminal
Last week I had the chance to visit the Lufthansa First Class Terminal (FCT) on our way home from Frankfurt and enjoyed a steak for breakfast. > Read More: Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt Review Though it was only 7am,...
Aeroplan Called Me…
The SWISS First Class award saga may now be in the trench warfare stage. Last week, I received an updated itinerary from Aeroplan without any other notice or explanation. Yesterday, I received a phone call from Aeroplan. > Read...
Aeroplan: We Won’t Honor SWISS First Class Award Tickets
Just 11 minutes after publishing a cautiously optimistic post on the Aeroplan/SWISS First Class award issue, the other shoe dropped…Aeroplan is throwing in the towel. Here’s the update from Aeroplan– A small number of first class bookings were made...
Let’s Help Aeroplan Take the Moral High Ground (RE: SWISS First Class Awards)
Yesterday, after learning that my SWISS First Class tickets from Zurich to Los Angeles had been cancelled, I quickly issued a legal threat. My point was not to be unnecessarily combative, but to underscore the seriousness of this matter and...