live and let's fly
Virgin America recently launched non-stop service between Los Angeles/San Francisco and Newark and is offering some very attractive promotional fares, with round-trip travel starting at $198. Travel from 3 September - 30 October on Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday at this low price level. United Airlines has matched (and N-class does earn 100% credit in the MileagePlus program).
This deal will be ...
Flying Blue, the loyalty program of Air France, KLM, and Kenya Airways, is an oft-overlooked American Express transfer partner, but one that I have been particularly critical of on this blog. Customer service is poor and booking awards can turn into an agonizing nightmare. Well, someone at Flying Blue may have been paying attention because two recent experiences suggest in-person ticketing is no longer necessary for African award redemptions.
Air France/KLM Flying Blue Lives in the ...
With a delay in opening the remodeled E-Concourse at SFO, United Airlines is stuck using several gates in Terminal 1 in addition to its main operation in Terminal 3 and the International Terminal. That means a free airport tour between terminals on an airside van each time I fly up from Burbank and also a funny story.
United Express intra-California flights primarily operate out of Terminal 1, so it seems like every Sunday night I am traveling back to Philadelphia I must make the ...
United Airlines has taken a beating lately, and rightfully so. From me being thrown off a flight for snapping a picture of my seat to a flight diverting after parents questioned the appropriateness of an in-flight movie for children, recent news has not reflected well on the airline. And even stories that do not make national headlines--like my loud crew a few nights ago and Damian's rude crew last month--point to an airline that is trapped in a downward spiral. And yet the solution is right ...
Air Samoa made headlines this week with its new policy of charging passengers based upon their weight (personal + baggage). Many are wondering if such a policy could ever hit airlines in the United States. The answer is not likely.
Samoa Air, which opened in 2012, asks passengers to declare their personal weight during booking, which is then charged per kg (2.2 lb) at a rate dependent on flight length.
The customers will also be weighed at the check-in ...
First, the good news. I've earned over 965,000 lifetime flight miles on United Airlines and what happened on my redeye flight last night has never happened before. For that, I consider myself fortunate. Now onto the story.
Last night I stepped aboard my 737-800 aircraft that would take me to Philadelphia and my eyes immediately brightened. The aircraft was new and had Boeing's Sky Interior, DirecTV installed (many new aircraft have no IFE yet), and featured first class seats similar ...
A family claims to have been thrown off a United Airlines flight for complaining about the in-flight movie. The Atlantic prints their letter here, but my executive summary is below--
Legacy United crew / A230 / DEN-BWI / 02 Feb 2013 Parents of 4- and 8-year old onboard object to Alex Cross movie being played on overhead drop-down monitors Movie is rated PG-13 and contains sex and violence, though it is not clear how much UA edited the onboard version Parents ...British Airways has announced the impending closure of its Jacksonville call center, displacing 280 jobs. Sadly, this is not an April Fools' joke.
The news broke last week, but a conversation I had today with a British Airways call center agent brought the issue to the forefront of my thoughts. I was booking an AerLingus ticket for a client (Boston to Dublin is still one heck of a good deal for 12.5K Avios each way in economy class with a tiny fuel surcharge and there is ample award ...
Earlier in the week I shared that showers are now available for all United Club guests in Chicago and São Paulo including united club pass holders. A couple of you wondered what the showers actually look like in United Clubs and I am pleased to provide some photos. I was traveling though Newark this week and I availed myself to the shower facilities at the club there.
One notable hole in the United Airlines lounge system is the dearth of showers in the United States. United had showers in Chicago, London, São Paulo, and San Francisco available only to arriving first and business class full-fare passengers (as well as departing first class passengers in SFO) and showers for all club guests in Hong Kong and Tokyo. The merger with Continental brought showers to Houston and Newark, but that still left a huge gap.
Recently, shower icons ...
My life wasn't always centered around travel. My undergraduate studies were in political science and U.S. history and my first post-graduation job was in the White House Press Office. That kept me busy enough M-F, but there was just something special about being around the White House--I was only 21 and not yet jaded in my political outlook--so I also volunteered on select Saturdays to assist with White House tours.
Watching the faces of young and old stepping into the White ...
When I took my island-hopper flight last week from Honolulu to Guam on United Airlines, the same intro and safety video was played six times--every time the aircraft took off. Ironically, it was the cargo intro (below) that that emphasizes United's special pet handling program for cats and dogs.
I've seen this video on several United flights lately and was actually quite impressed to learn that United has special climate-controlled vehicles to transport pets to the aircraft ...
When I forced in a 23-hour layover in Jeddah on my recent Saudia trip, I was taking a conscious risk. The consensus across the internet was that Saudi Arabian transit visas are routinely denied and nearly impossible to procure. If my visa request was denied, my trip would be over. Saudi Arabia allows transits of up to 18 hours without a visa (and you generally cannot leave the airport), but beyond that a visa is a must. Unlike many carriers, Saudia makes clear that there are no refunds ...
Star Alliance's marketing department is savvy and I don't just say that because I know the folks in it...
Take a look at the latest Star Alliance Gold advertisement--
What I love about this commercial is that it simply yet accurately and convincingly shows the alliance-wide benefits of having gold status. As upgrades dry up on United, at least I am closing in on MMer status and with that will come Star Gold status for life (for me an a companion).
I spent a ...
Lucky reports that one-way travel at half the round-trip price is now available online for Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan members. Rumors of this change in policy begin swirling last month but have not been confirmed up until this point by Alaska. American Airlines is the first (and only, for now) partner airline with one-way bookings offered online.
Alaska has a number of nifty airline partnerships and the problem to this point has been a rule disallowing the mixing of partner airlines ...
You haven't heard me talk much about the TSA lately and the nationwide fervor over the agency has seemingly died down. One reason is Pre✓, a "trusted traveler" program that allows passengers who submit to background checks to bypass the excessive and theatrical security screenings most casual travelers still endure at U.S. airports. Another reason is a change in technology that has made full body scanners less obtrusive from a privacy-rights perspective.
But the agency is ...
When Saudia Airlines (formerly Saudi Arabian Airlines) offered an amazing $557 r/t deal from New York to Dubai via Jeddah last December, I jumped on it—but it was not because I had any desire to go to Dubai. Saudia is a member of SkyTeam and the fare was eligible for Delta Skymiles as well—almost 15,000. But that wasn't the reason for my trip either. I also was not all that interested in actually flying Saudia—though it is always nice to try a new airline. No, the reason ...
I did not stray far from the Park Hyatt Jeddah during my recent transit through Saudi Arabia, though I did spend a couple hours in the evening walking around the Kingdom's second largest city.
I was not near the Al-Balad (old town) district, housing the souqs and older coral houses Jeddah is most known for, but there would not have been much to see at night anyway. Instead, I made my way through the Jeddah Corniche (waterfront) district that is currently in the midst of ...
As Rocky reports, American Airlines is commencing three new international routes this spring:
Dallas/Fort Worth to Seoul Chicago to Dusseldorf Dallas/Fort Worth to LimaTo promote these additions to its route network, AA is giving away "a chance to win a Business Class trip for two and take off to our newest destination of your choice."
Scroll down to the fine print, though, and AA actually states three grand prizes of ...
Transiting through Jeddah on my way to Afghanistan, I had about 23 hours in Saudi Arabia between Saudia flights. A transit visa had been granted by the Saudi Embassy in Washington, DC and without even looking at other properties, I reserved a room at the Park Hyatt Jeddah.
This isn't the proper venue to delve into Saudi Arabian culture and politics, but let me first say Saudi Arabia was not what I expected. Admittedly, Jeddah is by all accounts a ...
