News and notes from around the interweb:
- Extensive review of the just-opened Etihad first class lounge in Abu Dhabi. Tons of photos. And this bit:
The food and drink menu is a tremendous improvement from the previous lounge and is reason alone to schedule extra time before your first class flight to visit this lounge. I think 15-minute spa treatments are a bit stingy and would like to see longer complimentary treatments (a tad ironic that pricey cigars are free but full body massages are not)
- “[Uber] is smarting over guidelines that let government workers recoup transport costs such as “feeding and stabling horses” but do not appear to permit claims for taking an Uber.” Although I believe, in fact, that GAO has clarified that Uber is reimbursable (and most employees just classified the charges as taxi, anyway, and they sailed right through).
- As an elite frequent flyer I get free checked bags. I rarely check bags, though. Why do I let this benefit go to waste? Someone figured out how to solve this conundrum. (HT: Tocqueville)
- Last year Starwood announced a $100 million plan over 5 years to reinvigorate the Sheraton brand. IHG now intends to spend $200 million over 3 years to resuscitate Crowne Plaza. Arguably Crowne Plaza needs it even more than Sheraton does, though I’m not sure the brand is worth as much.
- THE ONION: New Uber Update Allows Users To File Lawsuit Against Company Directly In App
- NOT THE ONION: A Somali accused of war crimes — “ordering the torture and executions of civilians in what has been called a genocide” — is working airport security at Washington Dulles. “A few bad apples” and all that. Forget Uber, maybe the TSA ought to consider fingerprint-based background checks? (HT: Tocqueville)
- NOT AS FUNNY AS THE ONION: But still kind of bizarre. Shaquille O’Neal driving for Lyft in disguise.
Re; Uber and Gov’t travelers. I just got reimbursed for taking Uber to DCA a couple weeks ago to fly to our office in KC. The expense category was taxi, but the receipt was clearly a printout of the Uber receipt. Drive got 5 Stars (no tip) 🙂
Although you didn’t explicitly state it, you are implying that the TSA is somehow connected to the Somali war criminal. I dislike the TSA as much (or more) than you do, but this is misleading, since he is an airport security guard, not a TSA employee.
I don’t appreciate the click-bait “checked baggage” subject in your daily email. It is mildly humorous but not after two clicks and page loads — from email to summary to story — only to find it is a minor joke on reddit.
You can’t waste our time like this and expect us to value your emails.
I saw someone check a metal folding chair once
Stumbled across this photo review of lounge in AUH. A little bummed I won’t be able to visit next week even though we’re arriving in Apartments enroute to MLE.
https://jclasstravel.net/2016/06/04/review-etihad-airways-first-class-lounge/