Would You Dare? The ‘Wet Seat’ Gamble on Southwest Airlines

by Gary Leff

Nov 16 2023

The holy grail of airline seating is to have an open seat next to you to spread out. An empty row is the dream. Southwest Airlines lets you pick your own seat when you board. Would you pick this window seat, where the middle and aisle next to it are guaranteed to remain empty – because they’re out of service for being “wet”…?

The signs say “do not occupy” on the aisle and middle seats. You’re probably not going to spread your stuff out on those seats, but there won’t be any passengers spreading out into your space or fighting you for the armrest. But they are… Wet. With. Something.

Continue Reading »

British Airways Crew Fabricates Mugging to Cover Up Wild Night in Rio

by Gary Leff

Nov 16 2023

British Airways crew members claimed they were mugged in Brazil, perhaps leading to the cancellation of flight 248 from Rio to London. However, Brazilian authorities and surveillance footage revealed that the crew engaged in heavy drinking and drug use, with the mugging story being a cover-up for their inability to work. The incident raises questions about the crew’s behavior and their responsibility towards passenger safety.

Continue Reading »

Delta’s Sky Club Crackdown: The Salami Strategy to Offset Soaring Membership Costs

by Gary Leff

Nov 15 2023

Delta Airlines has increased the price of its Sky Club memberships and limited lounge access for American Express cardholders, leading to creative cost-offsetting tactics by members, including one who calculates breaking even by taking salami slices from the lounge. This behavior, reminiscent of past incidents where lounge amenities were exploited, raises questions about the impact of such strategies on airline policies and lounge experiences.

Continue Reading »

Airport Survival Tactics: When to Bend the Rules At Security to Catch Your Flight (Here’s How)

by Gary Leff

Nov 15 2023

The blog post explores unconventional strategies for navigating long lines at airport security, particularly when facing the risk of missing a flight, suggesting that in dire circumstances, cutting lines or using guerilla tactics can be justified. It delves into the ethical and practical aspects of these actions, using personal experiences and examples to illustrate situations where bending the usual airport norms might be necessary for catching a flight.

Continue Reading »

6 Reasons Why Pro Travelers Prefer Aisle Seats Over Window Seats Every Time

by Gary Leff

airplane seats
Nov 15 2023

The best flyers prefer aisle seats, and airlines even value the business more of those who do. Aisle seats are just better than window seats, and we don’t even need to talk about the dreaded middle.

If you’re in the aisle seat you don’t get those window seat views, but those are better in theory than practice outside of the first and final minutes of a flight. And you do have to get up to let other passengers into the aisle if they need to use the restroom. So there are tradeoffs, but they’re minor compared to the 6 reasons that aisle seats are best.

Continue Reading »

Wide Open Award Space To Book Free Tickets In The World’s Best Business Class

by Gary Leff

first class beds
Nov 15 2023

Qatar has one of the best business class product in the world in its ‘QSuites’ that offer doors and movable partitions that allow two and even four passengers to travel together in their own space. Their QSuite is a fantastic hard product, and service and food in the air are outstanding.

Right now there’s amazing award availability at the end of the booking window. Specifically you’ll find 2 business class award seats across late August and beyond. You can use this for travel from the U.S. to Doha and onward to the Mideast, India, the Maldives and even to Africa.

Continue Reading »

Alaska Airlines Introduces New Distance-Based Award Chart, With Great Sweet Spots

by Gary Leff

first class
Nov 15 2023

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan has announced new award charts to go live in March that are based on distance and now cover all of their partners. Some awards get more expensive, others less expensive, but overall the changes aren’t nearly as significant as I would expect for such a revamp – while moving to clear, consistent pricing across all of their partner airlines which has been a problem in the past. They’re giving us far more notice than usual. And many of their best non-stop awards become cheaper with this change.

Continue Reading »

300 Jews Stranded On Washington Dulles Tarmac After Bus Drivers Refuse Service

by Gary Leff

Nov 15 2023

Around 900 Jews from Detroit flew to D.C. to join a protest march against Hamas, seeking return of hostages taken on October 7th. However bus drivers who had been contracted to pick up the group from Washington Dulles airport learned of the purpose of the trip, and reportedly engaged in a sick out, refusing to pick up the group. After scrambling for transportation around 600 people made it, while 300 – stuck on the tarmac for hours – eventually returned home

Continue Reading »