Governor Cuomo wants to spend a lot — probably ultimately a lot more than this — without solving congested air traffic or the airport’s connectedness to Manhattan. They’re tackling the comparatively easy cosmetic stuff first, rather than what seems most important.
Congressman Used Campaign Funds to Pay Pet in Cabin Fees for His Rabbit
Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA) improperly billed his campaign fund for $600 pet in cabin fees for his family’s rabbit according to a report by the Office of Congressional Ethics (which will live to see another day).
Hunter, though, was doing it wrong. Had he simply claimed to be transporting an emotional support rabbit he wouldn’t have had to pay any fees at all and wouldn’t have gotten into this ethics mess.
Star Alliance Member EVA Air Has Introduced Passenger Service Robots
Star Alliance member EVA Air — the airline that flies Hello Kitty jets — has introduced a ‘peppy robot’ named Pepper to each of Taiwan’s two airports.
Passengers can go up to pepper, scan their boarding passes, and get information about their flight and weather at their destinations. But this isn’t just a kiosk meant to displace ground staff.
Outrageous: Man Whose Racist Rant Caused United Flight to Divert to Auckland Won’t Be Charged
The man who caused 252 United Airlines passengers to get stuck in Auckland for a day after his racist, homophobic rant on United’s New Year’s Day flight UA870 from Sydney to San Francisco led to a diversion will not face charges.
Here’s the man talking into his phone upon landing in Auckland, “Tell my dad to get his law firm ready because United Airlines just diverted the […] plane because I complained to some fat […] who got in my […] face.”
Holiday Inn Midtown New York Has $70 Room Rates and It Doesn’t Even Look Like a Mistake
The Holiday Inn Midtown on West 57th has rates as low as $70 during the third week in January. Rates are otherwise under $100 into February.
It’s not just the Holiday Inn Midtown where prices are low, here’s The Hudson on the same night for $102 and the Park Lane for $159. And that’s not even looking very hard or for opaque rates.
AIRFARE DEAL: West Coast to London for $117 (!)
Between the middle and end of the month Norwegian has flights from Oakland to London as low as £95.30 British pounds on their UK website. That’s $117 US dollars for the one way.
AWARD AVAILABILITY: Several Cities Wide Open Star Alliance Business Class to Europe for 4+ Passengers
Austrian is a Star Alliance airline, they have a good business class in fact arguably they have the very best food in business class.
You can use miles with United, Aeroplan, ANA, LifeMiles, and many other programs to book awards to and through Vienna to most places you’d want to go in Europe and even Asia.
$35 Base Fares Between Denver and Brussels, Paris (From $321 Roundtrip)
For travel through March 31 (with slightly higher prices in April) Star Alliance member and United partner Air Canada has fares from Denver to Paris and Brussels from $321 roundtrip.
28 day advance purchase is required, along with a 7 day minimum stay, and these fares come with a $300 change fee.
American’s Status Challenges Now Require Minimum Spending, Allow You to Buy Temporary Status
For a long time American AAdvantage has offered status ‘challenges’ that do not require you to already have status with another airline and that you pay for. These allow you to earn elite status more quickly with travel over a compressed period of time.
Now that American has introduced a revenue requirement for earning elite status in 2017, they’ve apparently revamped their elite status challenges.
Earn Triple British Airways Miles on Flights Regardless of Fare (Even Some American Transatlantic Flights)
British Airways is offering triple points on your first 8 flights taken by March 31. There are no fare restrictions. This is valid for new itineraries booked and flown starting January 5.
You’ll earn triple points on all British Airways flights and on British Airways codeshares for transatlantic travel on American Airlines, Finnair and Iberia (BA’s revenue-sharing joint venture partners).