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.
Air India has sold a 43-year-old Boeing 737-200 that sat abandoned at Kolkata airport for more than a decade because the airline had literally forgotten it owned the aircraft. The jet only resurfaced after the airport asked Air India to remove it, revealing how badly the former state-run carrier’s records and oversight had deteriorated prior to privatization.
Scott Kirby argues that Newark needs slot controls to manage congestion, but slots are the wrong solution everywhere they’ve been imposed. They lock in incumbents, block competition, and do nothing to encourage airlines to spread demand or upgauge. Congestion pricing would solve the problem without giving away scarce access as a subsidy.
A passenger stunned fellow travelers by calmly cracking eggs, rolling dough, and making fresh pasta right on her airline tray table mid-flight—raising questions about etiquette, hygiene, and just how far inflight dining should go.
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 administration is handing out $10,000 bonuses to air traffic controllers who showed up every day during the government shutdown, but many in the workforce say the move is tearing units apart and creating real safety risks. Controllers argue the policy rewards presenteeism, pressures sick staff to work, and undermines a system already stretched thin.
A viral proposal argues that planes should wait at the gate in a “virtual queue” instead of taxi-queuing for departure. But gate scarcity, runway-throughput requirements, and the need for a minimal physical queue mean the idea doesn’t match how airports actually operate.
TSA is rolling out a new “alternative identity verification” system for travelers who show up without acceptable ID — and it comes with an $18 non-refundable biometric fee. The agency says it can impose the charge without congressional approval by invoking authority meant for registered-traveler programs, a stretch far beyond what Congress intended.
A guest approved for a 1 p.m. Diamond checkout says housekeeping repeatedly entered his room before noon and the front desk refused to verify the extension. The hotel then called police, who removed him and issued a 30-day ban.
A woman in the window seat on an American Airlines A319 spent nearly half an hour grinding dead skin off her bare feet, sending “foot dust” into the air and onto the floor. Her seatmate says he alerted the crew, but the flight attendant wouldn’t intervene, leaving him to stand for the rest of the flight rather than sit beside her.
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 »
