Delta Passenger Sees Seatmate Text “Huge Woman Sat Next To Me” — Records Herself Crying Through The Flight

by Gary Leff

Dec 05 2025

A Delta passenger flying from Tampa to New York glanced over and caught her seatmate texting “HUGE woman sat next to me,” setting off a flood of tears she says lasted the entire flight. She’d recently lost more than 60 pounds and finally felt confident in a middle seat — until that moment. The man appeared to realize what he’d done, frantically sending blank texts to push the message off-screen, but by then she’d already recorded herself crying and posted about how painful “flying while fat” can be.

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American Airlines Passenger Spreads Holiday Cheer With AirPods Max For Entire Crew — And Goes From Row 37 To First Class

by Gary Leff

Dec 05 2025

An American Airlines passenger on a five hour Airbus A321neo flight showed up in row 37 with AirPods Max for every flight attendant and pilot, and wound up in first class after a passenger up front insisted on trading seats with him. Most people see it as heartwarming holiday gratitude for crew, but others question whether a filmed, high-dollar gift like this crosses the line into performative tipping and bribery-adjacent special treatment.

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CNBC Host Andrew Ross Sorkin Admits On TV To Skiplagging To Save $1,500 — Here Is Why Airlines Call It Fraud And I Do Not

by Gary Leff

Dec 04 2025

CNBC host Andrew Ross Sorkin casually admitted on Squawk Box that he just skiplagged a ticket and saved about $1,500, blaming the trick on a travel agent and openly wondering whether he was supposed to cancel the extra legs. Throwaway ticketing is a commercial dispute over pricing, not a moral failing by consumers, even if it is something most people probably should not do often.

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Man Uses Woman’s Boarding Pass At Las Vegas TSA Checkpoint — Then Flips An Officer And Tries To Stab Police With A Pen

by Gary Leff

Dec 04 2025

TSA caught a man at the Las Vegas airport trying to clear security with a woman boarding pass for a Southwest flight – and that is when everything went sideways. According to federal prosecutors he hit a TSA officer, flipped a responding cop over his back, then grabbed an officer pen and allegedly tried to stab police with it at the checkpoint. Now he is facing a five count federal indictment for interfering with security screening and entering the secure area on false pretenses.

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Hilton Confirms New Secret Elite Tier Above Diamond Reserve — Called “The Honors Society”

by Gary Leff

Dec 04 2025

Hilton has confirmed that a new invitation-only elite tier sits above its freshly launched Diamond Reserve level — an unpublished status called The Honors Society. The company isn’t sharing details yet, saying guidance will come in early Q1, but internal systems and prior leaks make clear this mirrors the secret super-elite tiers already offered by Hyatt, Marriott, and GHA. The Honors Society will be Hilton’s new top rung, available only by invitation.

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American Airlines Talks Up Its AI Strategy — Says This Won’t Reduce Headcount (Even Though They Need To)

by Gary Leff

Dec 04 2025

American’s COO told the Skift Aviation Forum that the airline’s artificial intelligence initiatives won’t be used to reduce headcount — even as Delta and United are already leaning on AI to automate whole categories of work. His primary example of AA’s “AI strategy” was the HEAT tool the airline has been promoting for more than three years, underscoring just how far behind American has fallen.

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Drunk Russian Passenger Demands Alcohol On Dubai–Moscow Flight — Flirts With Seatmate Then Turns On Crew Before Police Escort Her Off

by Gary Leff

Dec 04 2025

A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Moscow was delayed on the ground after a drunk Russian passenger boarded already agitated, demanded more alcohol, and then tried to turn the drama into flirtation with the man seated next to her. When crew refused to serve her and asked her to calm down, she turned on them instead, yelling in the aisle until airport police boarded, escorted her off the aircraft, and ground staff had to go digging through the hold to pull her bags.

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United MileagePlus Cards Now Earn 2 Miles Per Dollar On Rent Through Bilt — But At A Cost

by Gary Leff

Dec 04 2025

United MileagePlus cardmembers can now earn 2 miles per dollar on rent when paying through Bilt, with earnings split between the card issuer and a bonus mile from United. The catch: you’ll pay a 3% fee for the privilege, making the math far less compelling than Bilt’s earlier 3x Alaska offer unless you’re using it to generate elite qualifying miles as well.

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