News and notes from around the interweb:

• Well that took about as long as I’d expect: Southwest Airlines lawyers have strong-armed Southwest Monkey into shutting down. They go after anyone whose service interacts with their website.

  

• Luxury Travel Diary offers amazing value auctions largely because there don’t seem to be enough bidders to drive up prices. And they’ve reached out to sweeten their already amazing deals: £50 off any wins over £200 for auctions ending in 2017 with code VFTW1. Just respond with the code when you receive your invoice for the win and they’ll reduce the price.

  

• Department of Homeland Security’s Inspector General details the chaos as it tried to implement the administration’s travel ban in January

• IHG Rewards Club now offers top tier elites 10 a.m. check-in but it’s only subject to availability, not guaranteed (like 8 a.m. check-in for Royal Ambassadors at Intercontinental properties) and doesn’t compare to confirmed early check-in with a 24 hour clock for Starwood 100 night elites, at best it’s similar to Hyatt which offers early check-in to top tier members.

• The most luxurious hotel closets in the world

• Toronto passengers survived a delay by having a dance party at their gate (HT: Paul H.)