Category Archives for Airports.
Conventional wisdom is that you cannot fly in the U.S. with weed. Colorado Springs airport installed amnesty boxes so that passengers could leave their weed rather than break the law (free pot for airport employees).
Now though LAX has posted an official policy that you can bring pot through security at the airport.
Last week I flew to Chicago to have dinner at Kyoten, an omakase sushi restaurant in Logan Square which opened just before Labor Day. This is the new location for Chef Otto Phan whose Kyōten Sushiko has been my favorite restaurant in Austin for the past two years. He’s moved to the Windy City completely, and his new effort is even better than what he was doing in my home town.
I don’t make the decision to fly for a meal lightly, and I don’t make restaurant recommendations unless I’m sure. Everyone I ever recommended Elephant Jumps in Northern Virginia to as truly outstanding Thai food has thanked me for it. And I’ve heard from scores of readers about it over time.
Atlanta airport is the world’s busiest. When you look at the number of flights many of the other busiest airports drop down in the rankings, major international airports often have large widebodies dominating but fewer flights. Atlanta certainly sees its share of widebodies but is also a major domestic hub with narrowbodies and regional jets.
It turns out that Chicago O’Hare isn’t that far behind Atlanta when ranked by number of flights. And each airport’s construction plans tell us that the busiest title may be about the flip in the new few years.
Checked bag fees have gone up, at United to $30, but passengers aren’t getting more for their money. Instead the typical baggage experience is like this — just watching your bags get ignored. For $30 they should receive a private escort!
Now an everyday hero named Ephraim Sibeko is going viral for one man’s fight to keep suitcases straight and undamaged as they’re delivered to passengers.
I’ve gotten value from Thanks Again earning miles for years, just a few at a time. They started out with brick and mortar retailers and I’d earn points when I least expected it. Then they pivoted to focus largely on airports.
When you go through the airport you’re the airline’s customer, and the airport rarely knows who you are. But the airport makes money when you spend money at retailers there. So by rewarding that spend they learn about who their best customers are can provide even greater rewards.
American Airlines President Robert Isom spoke about his airline’s future at Washington National airport this week.
As part of ‘Project Journey’ the airport authority is building a new course that will replace the current hated gate 35X. Isom shared what that changes that will bring.
The TSA makes most travelers take off their shoes, many go barefoot on germ-laden floors. And most of us assumed, I think, that they weren’t doing much to wash or sanitize bins.
Your fellow sick passengers touch the bins, they even put their dirty tissue sand handkerchiefs in them before going through the nude-o-scope. TSA employees get gloves to wear, passengers don’t.
There are premium airport departure, connection and arrival services that you can buy all over the world. Some are offered by airlines, others by airports, and some by third party services. In fact it isn’t even always clear which is which.
I’m a fan of these offerings, but I like to see them affordable. I think that a meet and greet buggy service at under $50 for 2 people in Bangkok, including assistance from plane through immigration and with baggage claim (with handover to your transportation into the city) is a real value that more travelers would take advantage of if they were aware of the service.
At first world prices though it’s strategically useful to be aware of the option but not something most readers will take advantage of. Still it’s nice to see this option at a lower price than many vendors offer in Europe, and for less than the airlines are offering in the U.S. as well.
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority is the government agency which manages Washington National and Dulles airports and has a role in construction of the metro Silver line to the airport and the Dulles Toll Road.
The airport authority has resisted making the new contract for its CEO public, arguing that they’re not funded with public dollars but by fees earned from running the airport. Of course the government gave them the airport, board members are appointed by government, and they receive substantial government funding for capital projects, and much of their operating revenue comes from ticket taxes.
A TSA official gave a deposition stating they do “not perform intelligence collection on passengers at airports.” So add giving false testimony to the litany of behaviors we let slide at TSA.
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 »
