Dec 26 2017

I’ve written a few times recently that American has seemed to offer better award availability lately. It’s not great, but better than the almost no availability that has reigned for some time. We were promised that in September and goodness knows I hope what we’re seeing now isn’t all there is.

However there’s something important to understand about much of what American has done. They’re offering award space that you can handle to your advantage if you know what you’re doing.

Continue Reading »

Dec 26 2017

This Starwood Platinum member asked for an upgrade and was surprised as check-out to find a $300 per night ‘upgrade fee’ on their bill.

When you’re given an upgrade, with no money discussed, do you assume it’s free? Should you proactively have to ask, or is it the hotel’s responsibility to mention a price if they do want to charge more for an upgrade?

Continue Reading »

Dec 26 2017

The band The Revivalists are best known for their song Wish I Knew You. The 7 piece band formed in 2007 and was named by Rolling Stone in March 2016 as one of “10 Bands You Need to Know.”

Continue Reading »

Dec 25 2017

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.

Continue Reading »

Dec 25 2017

When a TAP Air Portugal flight from Accra to Sao Tome (the second leg of a continuing flight from Lisbon) was overbooked by three, the airline didn’t seek volunteers but instead selected 3 passengers at the gate to bump.

Usually passengers without seat assignments are at greatest risk of a bump, but two of the women had had their seats assigned for three months. Often the last passengers to check in might be at risk of being bumped, but they checked in early for the flight.

Continue Reading »

Dec 25 2017

Apparently a passenger onboard a Russian domestic flight took off his shoes and then his socks and his feet smelled pretty bad.

A fellow passenger, offended by the smell, started an argument with the man on their flight from Moscow to Kaliningrad and that argument continued even as the plane landed and everyone disembarked.

Continue Reading »

Dec 25 2017

Customers used to sneak a look at their phones during taxi, takeoff and landing. They tried to be as surreptitious about it as possible, to avoid being scolded by flight attendants. Once the ban on small electronics was lifted, and even though those are supposed to be in airplane mode, customers continue to text, browse, and e-mail until they lose their signal in the sky — and re-commence when their aircraft enters final approach.

I don’t remember the last time I saw a flight attendant say something, or ask a customer whether their typing was to queue a message for later or if they were actually connected despite being told to use airplane mode.

Continue Reading »

Dec 25 2017

Border Field State Park is the southermost point in California, adjacent to Tijuana. The US-Mexican border survey which took place following the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo which ended the Mexican-American war in 1848, began at Border Field.

A US citizen convicted of smuggling “43 pounds of heroin, 47 pounds of methamphetamine and 43 pounds of cocaine” got married there to a woman from Mexico despite being cleared by a border patrol background check.

Continue Reading »

Dec 24 2017

Americans “skipped as many as 32 million air trips in the year 2016.” Factors cited by consumers about the hassle that makes travel not worth it including ‘unbundling’ (myriad fees) as well as airport hassles, long lines, and other inconveniences they attribute to the airlines.

When you make travel less comfortable you are leaving money on the table from those customers who choose to take fewer trips.

Continue Reading »

Dec 24 2017

The 282 mile flight is blocked at 1 hour and 25 minutes, but as much of that is on the ground in Newark as in the air. Harassing one woman for every 15 minutes in the air surely must compete for some kind of record of awfulness.

Continue Reading »