Category Archives for General.
A flight attendant turns tea service into a one-pour show at 35,000 feet, with a long, steady stream that somehow lands perfectly cup after cup. Also: an Icelandair pilot gets reported to police over a retirement low flyover, Lufthansa starts charging refund fees on flexible tickets, American serves another grim-looking meal, and Delta’s premium image takes another hit.
Ralph Nader says TSA confiscated a container of hummus, turning airport security into yet another absurd fight over what counts as a dangerous liquid. Also McDonald’s devalues rewards, Kamala Harris picks the wrong premium cabin, Pand American’s domestic first class caviar gets put to the test.
Beware a taxi-app scam where the Curb payment supposedly “fails,” only for the rider to get charged twice. Also American’s beef wellington gets a rave review, Amex loses Lufthansa lounge access, Air Canada opens new Cafés, and JetBlue starts adding surcharges to United Airlines international redemptions.
Southwest is reportedly studying a new restriction that would ban passengers on its cheapest tickets from bringing standard carry-on bags into the cabin, forcing them to check those bags instead. That would not just make Southwest basic economy more punitive than American or Delta, it would push the airline even further away from its old ‘transfarency’ promise that the fare you paid was the fare you traveled on.
The Westin Detroit Airport appears to have removed complimentary bottled water from guest rooms and replaced it with an empty glass carafe and a sign urging guests to refill it at hallway water stations. It’s the chef’s kiss on the hotel trend of taking away something cheap, making the guest do more work, and dressing the downgrade up as environmental virtue.
A monkey strolls right up to a hotel buffet in Playa del Carmen, grabs breakfast, and leaves like it owns the place. Also Air Canada and United’s reciprocal free wifi, American’s “temporary” Heathrow catering upgrade, and the FAA accusing American of letting flight attendants return after positive drug and alcohol tests.
A Frontier pilot taxiing out of LAX says two trucks suddenly cut in front of his Airbus A321neo so fast that the crew had to slam on the brakes to avoid hitting them. The FAA is now investigating the airside vehicle incursion, which the pilot described to controllers as the closest call he has ever seen.
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby says one of his most important work habits is closing the office door for a daily nap, because tired people should not be making big decisions. Also Hyatt’s May 7 award devaluation, Delta’s AI dreams for air traffic control, bag fee hikes spread again, and a the Seats.aero trial grinds forward.
Marriott allows hotels to impose cash co-pays on award stays, and the Westin LAX is now charging a $20 destination fee even when you redeem points for a free night. It is one of the ugliest differences between Bonvoy and rivals like Hyatt and Hilton, which do not let hotels tack resort or destination fees onto standard award stays.
Marriott is finally ending one of the most quietly annoying things about staying at its hotels: Pepsi. After 34 years, Coca-Cola is taking over across nearly 10,000 properties worldwide, a huge switch that says Marriott thinks guests notice the difference — and that superior economics justify replacing a decades-old global deal.
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 »
