News and notes from around the interweb:
- United is adding flights to Croatia, Greece and Iceland with those countries opening to vaccinated Americans. France says they’re working on opening for the summer this way as well.
- Apocalypse Now. (HT: @MattSoleyn)
The Rental Car Apocalypse is upon us: Companies taking reservations and pre-payment, then announcing “no cars available “ to angry crowds. Plus staffing counters with one, unfortunate person. The definition of clusterfuck – #2021. @ThriftyRentaCar pic.twitter.com/nDZAFHDG7m
— John Curtas (@eatinglasvegas) April 17, 2021
- Singapore Airlines has extended mileage validity again, in their own complicated way. All miles are valid at least through April 30, 2022 but some miles are extended through September 30, 2022.
- Inside herringbones: a decade and a half of Cirrus US Airways doesn’t get enough credit for being the first carrier to roll out this seat, which is still flying as business class on quality carriers like Cathay Pacific.
- Masks keep us from seeing facial expressions and understanding each other. So some companies have created clear face masks. One passenger was denied travel on American Airlines due to a clear face mask.
- The airline safety revolution (WSJ) no U.S. commercial airline has had a fatal crash since 2009.
- Seems like Virgin Australia would offer better value.
Hey @Qantas all I wanted was extra leg room on my flight to Perth, very happy to pay for it but this seems a bit expensive…. pic.twitter.com/rB1GyXACUe
— Dave O'Neil (@itsdaveoneil) April 18, 2021
IMO the Cirrus seats are still the champ – other configs give you 1/4 of the seats as superior (true window), with the rest inferior
By the way… Seems like our “dear” new administration is about to politicize the State Department travel advisory area by designating 80% of foreign countries as Level-4 (dangerous destinations) for apparent virtue signaling purposes.
https://nypost.com/2021/04/19/us-to-up-do-not-travel-advisories-to-80-of-countries-due-to-covid/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2021/04/19/state-department-do-not-travel/
For perspective, Level-4 used to be a category designated for extremely dangerous and hostile places; think North Korea or South Sudan. It was always helpful and objective in my opinion. No more, it would appear.
And AA had them, but then spent probably double pulling in/pulling out/fixing/refixing their substitutes. It’s why AAs 77W J seat is the best AA has.
Anyone have tips for cheaper rental car options these days? Going to PDX in a month and looking for a 1 week rental. Car is more expensive than I paid for flights for all 4 of my family members…
Europe is opening to vaccinated tourists, but what are we to make of the Auckland, New Zealand case where a COVID-19: Fully Vaccinated Aircraft Cleaner (was) Infected After Coming into Contact With (the COVID-19) Virus on (a) Plane? Breakthrough infections happen with all vaccines,” as New Zealand’s Ministry of Health warns us. Out of 100 fully vaccinated tourists on a plane, it seems 5 (or 5%) are still primed to take one for the virus. If your travel insurance doesn’t address that risk, your trip European Vacation could devolve into a nightmare.
The car situation is nuts out there everywhere!!!
Looked at renting a car two weeks from now to drive round trip from SF to Santa Barbara, over four days. $600-800, unless I wanted a delivery van (only $500). Total waste checking several companies, all high. Just using my own car, instead. Insane.
Car Renters Beware –if you are lucky enough to get a car, be sure to check the tabs/registration/license plates, as the AVIS rental agency @ BNA tried to rent us 2, yes, 2 different cars with expired tabs, one expired the day we were renting it{had temp tags} (on a 7 day rental), and the other had plates from the state of Washington that expired on 1/1/21, and we were renting on 4/1/21!!
@Steve try autoslash.com