Some airlines around the world cover chauffeur service to and from the airport for business and first class passengers. One of the best used to be Etihad, which – in order to compete against Emirates based an hour away in Dubai – offered to take you anywhere in the U.A.E. when you arrived. They’d drive you to Dubai or Sharjah, and pick you back up there as well. And this even used to be available to passengers traveling on award tickets. Other airlines will offer tarmac transfers from the lounge to the plane and back. Air France does this for La Premiere at Paris Charles de Gaulle. Once clearing dedicated passport control, you drive from Lufthansa’s first class terminal to the plane. After all, you’re in a different terminal from everyone else that’s boarding the…
Monthly Archives
Monthly Archives for January 2025.
At $10 Billion A Year, TSA Still Fails 90% Of The Time—And Covers It Up
Ben Schlappig of One Mile at a Time argues that the TSA experience has gotten much better, and mocks civil liberties concerns. He uses my writings, and that of Live and Let’s Fly as a foil for his position.
Forced to Gate-Check? Why Airlines Are Making You Give Up Bags Even When Overhead Bins Are Empty [Roundup]
A roundup of the most important stories of the day. I keep you up to date on the most interesting writings I find on other sites – the latest news and tips.
Bonvoyed Again? Marriott Points Costs Jump With No Warning To Members
Marriott no longer publishes award charts or tells members when they alter their pricing models. They just increase the cost of award nights at their hotels whenever they choose, with no notice. This appears to be one of those times.
When $1 Ziploc Bags Become A National Tourism Problem: Lessons From St. Kitts
Tou don’t want the last thing they remember about the experience to be unpleasant bureaucrats and a cumbersome travel process.
Hotels Are Cutting Your Stay To Just 18 Hours—But AI Could End The Squeeze And Redefine Hospitality
Hotels have been squeezing how long you can stay in the room when paying for a stay. It might seem logical that each day you pay for gets you 24 hours, but that isn’t true at all. Flexible check-in times, though, are both an opportunity for great customer service and also increased revenue.
Unlock Hyatt’s 6,500 Point European Hidden Values: A Family Trip Report Of Lindner Hotels In Vienna, Prague, Bratislava
A couple of years ago Hyatt added the Lindner Hotels portfolio to its offerings, bringing more than 30 hotels and 15 new markets in Germany and Central and Eastern Europe. Most were added to the JdV brand, and they don’t get nearly as much attention as flagship hotels like Park Hyatt Vienna or Paris. But a reader brought his recent stay at three of these hotels to my attention, and they fit a really great use case for family travel. I’m pleased to share his trip report on these 3 Lindner hotels.
United Airlines Demands Flight Attendants Predict Illness 8 Hours In Advance—Or Risk Their Jobs
United Airlines is requiring flight attendants to give them at least 8 hours’ notice that they’re sick, or else risk discipline (including termination). Their union just lost a grievance against this policy, so it continues.
Delta SkyMiles ‘Stolen Valor’ Sparks Cringe Reactions [Roundup]
A roundup of the most important stories of the day. I keep you up to date on the most interesting writings I find on other sites – the latest news and tips.
Social Media Erupts After Passenger Calls United Flight Attendant’s Uniform ‘Terrorist Attire’
A passenger on a January 15th United Airlines flight from New York LaGuardia to Chicago O’Hare took to social media to decry a flight attendant “dressed as part of a terrorist group.” The attire is not that of a terrorist group as such, and the passenger is being called out as racist.