I visit the Maldives each year, because I really value the seclusion. The distance to travel, and even the need for a domestic flight and boat ride to reach the Park Hyatt after arriving in the country, create a sense of separation from the world for me. I need that to relax.
There is, however, seclusion much closer to home (although a boat out to reach it will cost as much as domestic Maldivian transfers). But is it the world’s scariest?
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.
There’s something about airplane lavatories that causes passengers to go a little crazy.
Coach passengers get arrested for using the premium cabin lav. People unthinkingly go in without shoes on. And lavatories even lead to legislation. Celebrities use them for smoking pot.
An active duty marine flew Los Angeles to Taipei and was connecting on China Airlines flight CI120 to Okinawa when he was found with 40 rounds of ammunition while going through transit security. The marine explained that he had ‘forgotten to take them out’ of his bag, but he wasn’t carrying a gun to use them with in any case.
The bullets were immediately visible to screeners in Taipei using a standard x-ray machine. To screeners at LAX, not so much. They’re too busy manipulating advanced imaging machines so they could fondle attractive passengers.
oneworld member Malaysia Airlines had posted a notice that they weren’t going to accept checked bags on European flights due to unusual headwinds.
It’s hard to imagine taking a European flight with only carry ons, let alone with an economy allowance of ~ 15 pounds. And it’s unclear what it means for checked baggage to “only arrive later” (perhaps in a few days when the headwinds die down?).
The temporary change, though, is also related to how Malaysia Airlines is responding to the 2014 shooting down of one of their jets.
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.
The free movement of people and goods is a fundamental idea of the European Union, and one that’s driven tremendous economic benefit to the region (not to mention the individual benefit from unburdening travel). It’s embodied in the Schengen Agreement and in other agreements.
When you enter a European country you go through passport control. If you connect at an airport to elsewhere in Europe you’re generally taking what amounts to a domestic flight. Travel within Europe, for the 400 million people inside the Schengen Area, is like travel inside the U.S.
Sweden has now imposed border controls with Denmark and Denmark with Germany.
A couple of weeks ago I wrote How to Get – and Use – Airline Status Matches.
Back in September American closed their ‘status challenge’ offer where you could pay a fee to earn elite status on an expedited basis.
They’ve brought it back.
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.
United’s San Francisco – Sydney flight on New Year’s Eve encountered problems. And once it did, it just couldn’t catch a break.
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
