A low-cost carrier passenger got called out at the gate for a carry-on that was just a bit too big, and instead of paying to check it he ripped the wheels off on the spot. The bag technically makes it into the gate sizer — but then he struggles to pull it back out, turning a fee-avoidance “hack” into a perfect live demo of why these rules drive people insane.
News and notes from around the interweb: Hilary Swank freaks out on family at LAX doing Make-a-Wish trip, because she thought they were tasking her picture and maybe they were? My daughter had her first Etihad First Apartment trips at age 4. It had to wait until then because they’d grounded their Airbus A380s during the pandemic. But by that age she was fine in her own enclosed suite (and flying back-to-back long haul, Austin – London Heathrow – Abu Dhabi). At age 3 she would probably have been fine, but I was much more comfortable in more open settings like British Airways club suite and business class on United, Air Canada, Air France, KLM et al. It took me my whole life to sit in first class. She did it before kindergarten pic.twitter.com/hTARKa0wqM —…
Four premium cards, all with $600+ annual fees, might sound crazy — but they more than pay for themselves. Between stacked credits, lounge access, and reward strategies, here’s exactly how I turn those fees into profit every year.
A viral video shows airport security using a handheld wand and patting down a baby while the parent holds them during secondary screening. Once you accept blanket screening powers, officials argue they can’t exempt infants without creating an obvious hiding place — but a truly risk-based system would treat this as a vanishingly small aviation threat, not something worth normalizing.
United flight attendants haven’t had a raise in five years, and 71% voted down a union-backed contract many saw as inadequate. Now, as talks resume, United is putting a major flashpoint back on the table: algorithm-assigned work schedules that replace traditional trip picking with “preference bidding,” a system crews say is opaque and strips them of control.
A gay Catholic United Airlines flight attendant was fired for his tweets online. He argued he was singled out and treated separately due to his specific viewpoints. His union agreed, but refused to defend him – also, he says, because they disagreed with his views. Tiwtter funded the lawsuit, and he’s gotten a settlement.
Rove Miles is offering first-time hotel booking bonuses through December 19: earn 2,500 miles after $500 in spend or 5,000 miles after $1,000, using the promo codes. On top of that, both new and existing members can earn a 40% bonus on “Loyalty Eligible” hotel bookings—stacking Rove miles while still earning the hotel program’s points, elite credit, and on-property benefits.
Mesa closed my account, and that of many readers. The option to transfer points to airline miles and hotel points is gone. The only redemption option left in the app appears to be..
A night at one of my go-to JFK hotels turned surreal when I arrived and was told my Hyatt reservation had been changed behind my back. From there it spiraled into broken door locks, lounge and billing issues, and “bogus” charges I had to deal with on the way out.
Two major U.S. airlines are quietly drawing up contingency plans in case Spirit can’t secure its next $100 million lifeline and has to shut down operations. A crucial cash deadline hits as soon as Saturday, and with no sale or standalone reorganization plan yet on file, Spirit’s future now depends on what its lenders are willing to accept.
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
