A roundup of the most important stories of the day. I keep you up to date on the most interesting writings I find on other sites – the latest news and tips.
Uber’s New Pricing Model May Charge You More, Make You Wish for a Return “Surge”
A year ago Uber started to replace ‘surge pricing’ with ‘total trip pricing’. Instead of telling you a ride would be 2x, 4x, or 10x ‘normal’ they just started telling you the price. It was still a surge but it was hidden. And much of the uproar disappeared.
And now that Uber presents a price, they’re no longer locked into charging for each trip based on time and distance.
American Has Its ‘United Breaks Guitars Moment’ Mishandling Musician’s Banjo
We all know what happened when musician Dave Carroll checked his guitar on a United flight. Perhaps that’s the reason why Michael Bont of Greensky Bluegrass flew American.
That didn’t work out well for him.
8 Special Resorts Where Starwood is Discounting Free Night Awards
Yesterday I wrote that Starwood’s 35% discount on several of their most expensive resorts is back.
And I now have confirmation of which hotels are bookable.
New Route With United Polaris Seats, Richard Branson Wants to Start New US Airline, and More
A roundup of the most important stories of the day. I keep you up to date on the most interesting writings I find on other sites – the latest news and tips.
Secret Trick to Booking Etihad First Class Awards Departing the U.S. That Don’t Appear to be Available
Two weeks ago I wrote that Etihad First Apartment award availability from Abu Dhabi to New York JFK was wide open. It still is.
When you search award space on Etihad’s website only Abu Dhabi – New York JFK appears to be available — not flights originating in New York. It turns out that’s an optical illusion.
United Sent Puppy on a 24 Hour Journey After Flying the Wrong Dog to Minneapolis
United Airlines hasn’t just come under criticism for how it treats its human passengers, it’s received recent attention for how it (mis)treats animals as well. The biggest story was that the airline reportedly locked the World’s Biggest Rabbit in a freezer for hours and them cremated it without permission.
And United just screwed up another pet transport.
Hurry: Book Your American AAdvantage Awards to Europe, Brief Availability Floodgates Opened
American Airlines usually offers terrible — meaning absolutely no — premium cabin saver award space on its own planes.
Their pattern though is to occasionally dump award space that remains open for a day or two. So you need to pounce when it’s there.
Aussie Woman Stripped Naked and Imprisoned While Trying to Visit Her U.S. Boyfriend
An Aussie woman says she was stripped naked and imprisoned while trying to visit her boyfriend in Hawaii. Molly Hill was entering as a tourist with an allowable 90 day stay, and she had tickets to return home after 88 days.
American Airlines Flight Threatened By Fighter Jets Because Man Brought Laptop Near the Lavatory
American Airlines flight AA31, an Airbus A321 from Los Angeles to Honolulu, was escorted by F22 fighter jets today.
A man standing by the forward lavatory had his laptop with him. The man was “waiting for the bathroom” and “a flight attendant asked him to sit down.” Reportedly he “appeared to try the cockpit door before he was subdued.”