General

Category Archives for General.

How (Not) to Make Airplanes Safer

Jan 14 2016

Here’s a video on Facebook that’s gotten more than 10 million views since yesterday. (HT: Rob R.) It mocks up a concept that’s supposed to enhance aircraft safety.

There’s a breakaway cabin that can be detached from the rest of the plane when the aircraft is going down. Presumably the pilot would emergency-eject the passengers (I guess the captain goes down with the ship), who ostensibly float to safety while the rest of the aircraft goes down in a ball of mess.

Continue Reading »

How Hyatt Status Matches Work Now

Jan 14 2016

Hyatt elite status matches and challenges were originally meant to be tools for Hyatt’s sales team to use in bringing business over. As they became public in social media Gold Passport publicly acknowledged and welcomed members into them.

A little over a year ago, Hyatt eliminated their fast track elite status methods. Then they brought them back as tools for Sales only. That’s because only a small percentage of people went on to maintain the status they were granted through these offers.

In June Hyatt began offering fast track to Diamond status again but without granting Diamond status during the challenge period.

Continue Reading »

Major US Airports That are Growing, Those that Aren’t, and Why

Jan 13 2016

Here are the stats on the major US airports that are growing the most — and those that aren’t growing at all.

Growth at Dallas Love Field and Seattle should both come as no surprise. The end of the Wright Amendment in Dallas means airlines can fly to many more destinations. Indeed, airlines have greater demand to fly from the airport than the legal limit on gates there can support. And Seattle is seeing a massive buildup in flights by Delta, growth that is fueling even more flights from Alaska Airlines. My home airport of Austin is building more gates…

Continue Reading »

Delta Business Class Award Availability Wide Open: Take the Whole Family to Europe this Summer

Jan 13 2016

Delta has had a well deserved reputation for offering members very little award availability, at least at any reasonable price (the ‘saver’ level). It’s hardly a new phenomenon.

Occasionally though award space at the low saver level on Delta’s flights open wide up. Right now you can use SkyMiles to take the family in business class to Europe for summer travel. You’ll find wide open availability most days for several seats on an assortment of routes this summer.

Continue Reading »

Pay Your Rent for Less than a 2% Fee and Earn Credit Card Rewards

Jan 12 2016

I first covered Radpad over a year ago. The site allows you to pay your rent with a credit or debit card (for a fee).

At the time the fee to use a credit card was 2.99%. Generally not worth it, although in a pinch it could make sense if you needed some quick credit card spend.

Now they’ve reduced the fee for using a MasterCard to 1.9%… and that can be useful for earning rewards.

Continue Reading »

Homeland Security Trains Hotel Workers to See Something, Say Something About Your In-Room Habits

Jan 12 2016

In the name of stopping sex trafficking, the Department of Homeland Security is “providing law enforcement with cover to convince citizens to spy on each other and report one another to police for perfectly normal activity.”

Here are some of the things that hotel workers may be on the lookout for. Check your own hotel habits.

Continue Reading »