New 14 Gate Concourse Replaces The Worst Gate In America On April 20th

by Gary Leff

airport escalators going down
Mar 18 2021

The worst airport gate in America is 35X at Washington National across the rover from D.C. You descend an escalator into a crowded pit with insufficient seating, where you wait to be dispatched into crowded buses that take you across the airport. And your reward for this has been a cramped American Eagle 50 seat regional jet.

On April 20th though 35X will be replaced by an entirely new concourse that supports larger aircraft, features an Admirals Club, as well as upscale dining options.

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What American Airlines Is Doing To Protect Crew After Gunpoint Robbery Enroute To Costa Rica Airport

by Gary Leff

Mar 18 2021

American Airlines crew headed to the airport for Tuesday’s 5:20 a.m. flight American Airlines 1204 from San Jose, Costa Rica to Miami were robbed when their hotel van stopped after hitting an object in the road.

Crew left their hotel in early darkness. The van stopped in the road and the driver got out to clear debris from under the vehicle. One man got into the drivers seat with a knife, another opened the van’s sliding door and brandished a gun. He threatened crew with the firearm and demanded their electronics.

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John Kerry Flew American Airlines First Class – And Wouldn’t Wear A Mask

by Gary Leff

Mar 17 2021

John Kerry is a former U.S. Senator, former Secretary of State and former Democratic Presidential candidate. He is currently serving as United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate.

And he was photographed in American Airlines first class on a Boston – D.C. shuttle flight not wearing a mask in apparent violation of the President’s – and the CDC’s – mask mandate. He wasn’t eating or drinking. He was reading a book.

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Iceland Opens To Vaccinated Americans Tomorrow, But CDC Vaccine Cards Won’t Be Accepted

by Gary Leff

Mar 17 2021

Iceland is opening its borders to vaccinated Americans tomorrow, but they won’t accept a CDC vaccination card as proof rendering the change problematic.

There’s clearly still a lot to work out in terms of the role that vaccination plays in re-opening international borders, and what proof will be accepted, however that Iceland is doing this – and doing it tomorrow – gives me hope that Greece’s plan to open to Americans this summer will hold, and that other countries will join as well.

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How Long Will A Vaccine Make It Safe For You To Travel?

by Gary Leff

Mar 17 2021

Vaccines approved so far in the United States have been highly effective not just against preventing symptomatic infection but more importantly against severe Covid leading to hospitalization and death, and also – we are learning – against asymptomatic infection which means vaccination cuts down on spread of the disease. We just do not know how long this protection lasts because not enough time has passed yet to make this determination.

That’s a problem for policymakers as they consider whether to open up travel without testing or quarantine to those who have been vaccinated., so we don’t know how long ‘vaccine passports’ should be valid.

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