News and notes from around the interweb:
- You can’t bring unlimited liquids through the checkpoint, or drink your own alcohol on board if not served to you by a flight attendant, but you can bring the accoutrements to make the most of what a flight attendant serves you.
- 20% bonus transferring Chase points to Air France KLM Flying Blue through January 15, 2025. This is in addition to the Air Canada transfer bonus through the same date. Flying Blue is useful but I would not make the transfer speculatively – just if you have a clear near-term use – because the flexibility of choosing where you transfer to later based on specific needs is too valuable.
- 70% bonus transferring Chase points to IHG Rewards through January 15. I would not do this except in the most limited of cases. IHG points aren’t very valuable on a per-point basis. It would take at least a 200% bonus before I even start to consider this. And since IHG frequently sells points for as little as half a cent apiece I’d rather buy the points I needed to top off an account than burn Chase points this way.
- People need to stop flying sick. I’d hoped the pandemic would at least teach us that. I do still have a couple of masks in my bag, and I’d have put one on not just offered one to the passenger beside me – and considered offloading myself and taking another flight.
[B]oarding this flight as I ask to slide into my window seat 65 OWM says with goopy eyes and red nose, “if there’s other seats on this flight I suggest you switch, you don’t want what we got”, as it points to his wife sitting in the middle seat.
…Luckily I remember I have face masks in my headphones. I don my N95 and offer them each a brand new surgical mask. “No thanks, I can’t breathe” says both.
- And airline seats shouldn’t be as crudded up as the monkey in Outbreak, either.
Dear @AmericanAir this is not ok. The tray table is gross and used tissues in seat pocket. As seen on flight AA2225 MSY – DFW on 12/03/24. Please DM me if you need more information but this is unacceptable. pic.twitter.com/4yJQhp6Oec
— Meh (@jpfrankl) December 4, 2024
- How to remember which one is where:
I can assure the people who are sick: If you can’t breathe with a mask, you absolutely cannot breathe with a respiratory sickness.
I barely understood flying sick back when you lost a big chunk of the value to change fees. There’s absolutely no excuse now. We don’t need to be trapped in a tube with their germs. Plus, they’re the ones who won’t put on a mask. Absolute jerks.
It would be nice is the FAs could pull them off the plane for being sick. Totally inconsiderate of othered.
@Gary: “People need to stop flying sick. I’d hoped the pandemic would at least teach us that.”
I agree, it’s pure selfishness. But then, as I look around ‘Merica, why am I not surprised?
“considered offloading myself and taking another flight.”
A few years ago I wouldn’t have agreed w/this, but as I get older I just don’t want or need a respiratory illness.
Following the horrendous response to global pandemic and the last decade of politics, the most in the United States are apathetic, if not antagonistic, to common decency. At this point, in 2024, it would be naive to expect anyone to ‘do the right thing’ anymore. Why? It’s because there is no accountability or enforcement, either by flight attendants, companies, etc., on public health, unless you are literally shitting/pissing in your seat, or punching your fellow passengers. This physical component seems to be determinative for there to be anything done about it. Coughing? Fever? Yeah, no one cares about the fine print. So, wear an N95 if you want to protect yourself from viruses, but just know that by doing so, you will be exposed to the vitriol of Bubba and Karen, who are inevitably going to harass you for being ‘woke’ throughout the terminal and onboard. I personally loath this new reality. Hoping for better days ahead. Good luck, everyone.
diSNetlAnd (SNA) or MagiC kingdOm (MCO)