British Airways European Business Class in Four Photos

by Gary Leff

back of airplane seat
Jan 19 2019

When you fly domestically in “first class” you get a bigger seat usually it’s two seats next to each other versus three in coach. You get something that passes for a meal, free drinks, and a checked baggage allowance. You get early boarding so you aren’t forced to get check your carry on bag when overhead bins fill up. But as a general matter there’s not a whole lot that’s special about the experience.

Many Americans are surprised – shocked even – at what passes for business class in Europe, though. And the remarkable thing is that over the past five or six years it’s generally gotten worse.

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California Will Make Illegal Unemployment Payments to TSA Screeners as Wait Times Worsen

by Gary Leff

Jan 19 2019

TSA is telling individual airports not to reveal the percentage of screeners calling in sick. Nationally though they’re releasing airport wait time statistics and those are bad – very bad.

The Governor of California is encouraging TSA workers to claim unemployment benefits in his state despite guidance from the US Department of Labor saying it’s not legal to offer such payments.

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United Temporarily Unable to Book Award Space on 3 Star Alliance Airlines

by Gary Leff

thai airlines
Jan 19 2019

Several blogs have reported that United Airlines is currently unable to book award space on Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways. In fact it goes beyond that to include TAP Air Portugal as well.

They are able to book the space sometimes — but when space gets cancelled out by a partner they’ve got a real problem on their hands. It makes sense to stop making these bookings until they can get the problem fixed, recognizing this is a huge inconvenience to members (especially those trying to change close-in travel plans).

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Why British Airways First Class is the World’s Second Best Business Class

by Gary Leff

airplane first class
Jan 19 2019

Six or seven years ago Lucky from One Mile at a Time and I debated whether British Airways first class was ‘the world’s best business class.’ At the time I still felt like BA’s first offered something approximating a first class product, even if it wasn’t one of the better or flashier ones.

Now that same product, which BA is still flying, doesn’t even qualify as the best business class out there.

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Successful Global Entry Interview During the Government Shutdown

by Gary Leff

passport getting stamped
Jan 18 2019

My daughter received conditional approval for Global Entry. Unlike precheck where small children can accompany parents, if the child – even a baby – doesn’t have Global Entry then parents cannot use it when they land back in the U.S.. My wife and I wanted her to get Global Entry right away!

Unfortunately her interview was scheduled for early January, and the morning it was scheduled we received a cancellation email because of the government shutdown.

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New Centurion Lounge Access Policy Goes Into Effect March 22

by Gary Leff

Jan 18 2019

American Express Centurion lounges seem to me to be so crowded no one goes there anymore. The lounges are nice, an improvement on their US airline lounge alternatives. They’re stylish spaces with decent food and beverage programs.

And whenever you have a nice lounge demand for the lounge is greater than you expect, even knowing that the lounges are going to face heavy demand because people are going to want to use them.

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