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Power Brick Catches Fire in Overhead Bin, Passengers Evacuated

power brick on fire in bin
Feb 25 2018

There’s incredible video of a fire in the overhead bin of today’s China Southern flight CZ3539 from Guangzhou to Shanghai. A power bank in someone’s carry on caught fire prior to departure and passengers had to be evacuated from the plane.

A flight attendant and passenger tried to put out the fire with bottles of water and also juice, and then fire and security departments assisted in extinguishing it.

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The U.S. is the Biggest Air Market in the World – And No One is Catching Up Soon

flight seat chart
Feb 19 2018

The biggest aviation market in the world – by far – is the U.S., based on the number of departing seats. So this isn’t just domestic flights, it’s domestic flights plus outbound international flights as well. Here are the top 10.

The EU as a whole is roughly comparable to the Chinese market. The UK as a whole is the biggest aviation market in Europe, though their former colony India is a bigger market still.

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Indonesia May Ban Gay Sex (and Extramarital Sex)

indonesia
Feb 16 2018

Indonesia is a seen as one of the more socially tolerant Islamic nations, however they’re now considering legislation that would ban gay and extramarital sex.

While the party in power is generally seen as more socially liberal (and secular) than those calling for a ban they also see ‘compromise’ legislation as the best avenue to averting even a stronger crackdown.

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Alaska Airlines Quickly Rolls Back Limits on Last Minute Partner Award Booking

first class
Feb 15 2018

Loyalty fraud is a costly issue for programs. A lot of it originates in China.

The challenge though is limiting the cost of fraud without undercutting the value proposition of the program to legitimate members. That’s what I highlighted earlier in the week with Alaska’s new policy of prohibiting booking awards within 72 hours of travel on Cathay Pacific, JAL, or Hainan Airlines.

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Alaska Airlines Eliminates Close-in Redemptions on Cathay Pacific and JAL

first class
Feb 13 2018

Alaska Airlines has a fantastic award chart compared to many other airlines for premium class travel to Asia. And they have great partners, though they don’t always seem to have as much access to Cathay Pacific award space as other airlines do.

Now Cathay Pacific — and JAL — booking is about to get worse because Alaska will no longer allow reservations within 3 days of travel.

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Woman Puts Herself Through X-Ray Machine to Make Her Sure Bags Aren’t Stolen

scanning machine
Feb 13 2018

One of the strangest things about the screening process to me is that at most airports when a passenger alarms or is flagged for random additional testing the whole line stops. It would be far more efficient to divert the passenger and continue moving the line through.

Sometimes going through the checkpoint I’m stuck waiting to get screened while my bags have already gone through. I never want to be separated from my bags where I cannot see my bags.

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Starwood is Reducing Their Booking Window, Changes Award Prices at 17% of Hotels

hotel lobby
Feb 08 2018

Starwood is reducing the booking window — how far out you can make reservations — on February 11.
You’ll only be able to make reservations 350 days in advance instead of 550 (not all hotels loaded inventory 550 days out previously).

In addition Starwood has announced award category changes for 2018 which will go into effect March 6th.

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Crisis Deepening in the Maldives

road going to houses over water
Feb 05 2018

Maldives President Abdulla Yameen was elected in 2013, and is a member of the Maldivian Democratic Party. His half brother Maumoon Gayoom ruled the country prior to the nation’s first democratic elections in 2008.

The country’s first elected President Mohamed Nasheed was forced to resign in what amounted to a coup in 2012. The new government, representing interests fro the old regime, had him tried and convicted on terrorism charges.
The nation’s Supreme Court threw out those charges last week. The court also ordered the release of other opposition lawmakers who were being held.

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