Metropark Hotel Has Been Converted to China’s State Security Headquarters In Hong Kong

by Gary Leff

Jul 09 2020

The Metropark Causeway Bay hotel, with its rooftop pool overlooking Victoria Harbor, has been one of Booking.com’s “top picks in Hong Kong.” Now in the words of one pro-democratic member of Hong Kong’s legislature, it’s “a visual and physical reminder that big brother is watching.”

Not since the conversion of the Ritz-Carlton Riyadh into a Saudi torture site has a hotel’s transformation from home away from home to instrument of the state so quickly. The Causeway Bay Metropark is now the Office for Safeguarding National Security – transformed in a day.

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New York Governor Wants Customs-Like Check-in For Domestic Flights

by Gary Leff

Jul 08 2020

Airlines will be handing out quarantine forms for passengers to fill out when entering New York. Governor Cuomo also wants “a customs-like check-in at the airport” for domestic flights.

The forms will be used to enforce New York’s quarantine of arriving domestic passengers from states with “a positive test rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents over a 7-day rolling average or a state with a 10 percent or higher positivity rate over a 7-day rolling average.”

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Up To 25% Off Hyatt Award Stays Plus Free Parking Through October 8

by Gary Leff

Jul 08 2020

Hyatt is making a number of aggressive offers to bring business into their hotels, from rate discounts to added benefits on stays to bonus points. In addition to the promotion, discount and breakfast offers they’re currently running they’ve announced three new offers that run through October 8: up to a 25% rebate on award stays, free parking on award stays, and triple points on hotel dining when you’re not saying at the hotel.

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United Will Fly Los Angeles – Sydney With Just 50 Passengers Every Flight

by Gary Leff

united plane
Jul 08 2020

United Airlines is bringing back Los Angeles – Sydney service starting September 10, three days a week – Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. It’s part of larger growth in their schedule that includes a return of Chicago – Hong Kong and starting up Chicago – Tel Aviv.

But there’s something really interesting about the Los Angeles – Sydney service.

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American Now Calls Front Cabin “Premium Economy” When Using Domestic Plane For Transatlantc

by Gary Leff

a321 aisle
Jul 07 2020

American’s new domestic first class seat is literally the same seat that they use in premium economy, except that it lacks a foot bar or foot rest. The seat is, therefore, premium economy-lite. It’s disingenuous in the extreme to call it ‘business class’.

However on some routes, up until now, that’s what they’ve done when flying Boeing 737s to Latin America. For their Iceland flight though they’re changing this practice.

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Mexico’s President Is Currently Flying Delta Coach, Connecting In Atlanta, To Meet President Trump

by Gary Leff

Jul 07 2020

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador says that private jets are for the “neoliberal elite” so the populist chooses to fly commercial. Today he’s heading to the U.S. for a visit with President Trump. There aren’t currently non-stop flights between Mexico City and Washington DC. So he’s taking Delta, flying coach, and connecting in Atlanta.

Here’s the Mexican President ensconced in an exit row aisle seat on board Delta flight DL366 from Mexico City.

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