Southwest Airlines will require cabins to be prepared for landing earlier in order to protect cabin crew from injuries at the end of each flight. Starting December 4, flight attendants will have to be seated earlier – so they’ll require passengers to prepare for landing when a flight descends to 18,000 feet instead of waiting until 10,000 feet.
The Virgin Atlantic Redemption Trap: Why Roundtrip Awards Are a Huge Mistake [Roundup]
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.
From Luxury To Letdown: Why Most Airport Lounges Fall Short – And What Makes The Rare Few Exceptional
There’s nothing relaxing about a lounge where you can barely find a seat, and you’re dodging other passengers, how is this better than the terminal or more to the point better than spending $25 for a burger, camping out at a sit down restaurant that has power outlets?
The single most basic amenity of a lounge is peace and quiet. Beyond that, airline lounges range from opulent and decadent to basic. Here are the bare minimums for a decent airport lounge
Congress Created The $12 Billion Airline Fee Problem—And Could End It With A Simple Tax Fix
Delta, United, American, Spirit and Frontier together generated $12.4 billion between 2018 and 2023 in seat fees alone and that this can be more than checked bag fees – citing United earning $1.3 billion in seat fees vs. $1.2 billion in bag fees last year. The total number is artificially low – fees were down during the pandemic when travel was off.
New British Airways 2026 A380 First Class: Concorde Design, Enhanced Privacy, But Modest Luxury Goals
British Airways has unveiled its new first class seat for the Airbus A380, to debut in ‘early’ 2026. The seat is based off of the Collins Aerospace RTX.
Refund Victory: ‘Bed Bugs!’ Protest Backed By Undercover Cop Beats Non-Refundable Hotel Rate
One of my readers ran into trouble checking into a hotel, and the hotel wouldn’t give him a refund either, so he took a guerilla approach and won. He calls the tactic “Protester-style.”
TSA Agent’s Disturbing Behavior in Atlanta Raises Major Concerns Over Citizens Vs. The State [Roundup]
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.
Boeing 737 Crashes Into Residential Building: 1 Dead, 3 Hospitalized As DHL Cargo Plane Bursts Into Flames After Failed Emergency Landing Near Vilnius Airport
The plane crashed into a two-story residential building about 0.9 nautical miles from the runway. It skidded several hundred meters before impact, bursting into flames upon collision. The building was set on fire, along with nearby smaller structures and a car. Emergency services successfully evacuated all 12 residents from the building without injuries.
‘How Is This Allowed?’ Passengers Slam Influencer’s Viral Aisle Workout In Emirates Business Class Gym Stunt
If this happened on a flight I was on, I’d have flagged down a flight attendant and said something. Surely this is not appropriate. It’s fine when you’re the only passenger in the cabin, or when you’re traveling in a seat with enough enclosed space to do this privately (like the new Emirates first class, or Singapore Suites). It’s not fine in Emirates business, where it detracts from the overall experience. What would you have done?
Tapping The Plane: The Comforting, Illogical, and Surprisingly Gross Travel Ritual—Do You Do It?
Humans are strange creatures. We create elaborate rituals out of the most mundane actions, and impart those rituals with great significance. One I’m trying to make sense of is seasoned travelers and first-timers alike tapping planes as they board. Why do people do this?