There’s one food that should never be served at an airport, before passengers get inside a metal tube where their stomachs will be subject to the vagaries of air pressure. It seems so obvious, yet a decade ago Washington’s National airport opened a Ben’s Chili Bowl. Now the idea is spreading.
I’ve been known to take a trip just for a meal, like when I flew to Barcelona just to have dinner at El Bulli when that was the toughest reservation in the world. It also involved a two hour train ride. Ferran Adria more than lived up to the hype!
But I’m not sure I’d fly to Singapore for the chili crab – though I’d go for the food – and not sure a hop across The Pond makes sense for an authentic British afternoon tea. Corn masa tacos aren’t my number one go-to in Mexico. So here’s what I suggest.
Beware Googling airline phone numbers because scam travel agencies have corrupted the results. You call thinking you’re reaching your airline, but the person on the other end charges you for changes you are entitled to for free – like a new flight when yours is cancelled, or seat assignments.
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.
Passengers on board Alaska Airlines flight 3492, operated by regional partner SkyWest, experienced an unexpected diversion that left many scratching their heads. The flight departed from San Francisco bound for Jackson Hole, Wyoming, but was rerouted to Salt Lake City when the pilot revealed he wasn’t qualified to land at the destination airport.
Southwest Airlines used to sue everyone who would show their schedules and fares to passengers. They wanted their website as the only source for this information.
Now they opened up to allow Google Flights to show their schedules and prices. And they’re now letting Kayak do this too. What’s behind the change?
Whenever you’re at an airport that has both new Analogic machines and older x-ray machines at the security checkpoint, get in the line with the older machines. It doesn’t matter if that line is longer, it will move faster.
It’s interesting to look at what American Airlines flight attendants didn’t get in their negotiations. They’re going to get boarding pay – they’ll be paid for the time spent boarding an aircraft – but that doesn’t start until six months after the contract is ratified. They’re going to get higher 401(k) contributions, but that doesn’t start until 2025. They aren’t going to get higher staffing levels. They won’t even get pre-pandemic staffing levels restored.
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.
A Voepass ATR 72-500, registered as PS-VPB, tragically crashed near São Paulo, Brazil today, while operating flight 2Z-2283 from Cascavel to São Paulo Guarulhos Airport. The aircraft was carrying 62 people on board, including 58 passengers and 4 crew members.
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 »
