Yesterday I wrote about the best meal I’ve ever eaten on a plane. It was Laksa – a spicy Malaysian noodle soup with seafood – and I had “pre-ordered” it in business class on Singapore Airlines for a two hour hop to Bali. I would have been utterly thrilled to receive that in a restaurant, in fact I desperately wish I could find a restaurant anywhere in the area I live that could re-create it. Asiana serves outstanding food in its long haul first class. If you like Japanese food especially, but even if you don’t, All Nippon’s first class meal service is truly outstanding. Beyond that, though, no matter what the hype — it’s food in the sky, served under very difficult conditions. And you’re at an altitude where you simply don’t taste things…
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Sorry, Op-Ed Writers, Air Travel That You Don’t Understand Just Isn’t an Analogy for Your Pet Political Issue
Last month the New York Times ran an op-ed trying to argue that airline seating contains lessons about income inequality and class struggle. It didn’t do a very good job of it. It’s one thing when you try to stretch an analogy farther than the facts will take it… It’s another still when you get those facts wrong. In the Times piece it seemed like some were literally made up. The snacks in the piece suggest a JetBlue flight. Yet the author talked of cramped legroom (JetBlue is generous) and a forward cabin (JetBlue doesn’t yet have one). Supposedly first class offered “white linen tablecloths, with actual bone china.” And amenities kits. On New York – Miami. Which is a route JetBlue does not fly. Jayson Blair, much? Now it’s the Washington Post‘s Harold Meyerson…
The Best Meal I’ve Ever Eaten on a Plane Was a on a 2 Hour Flight in Singapore Airlines Business Class
Singapore Airlines offers a ‘Book the Cook’ service. You can pick the meal you want from an extensive menu that varies based on cabin class (business class or first class) and varies from city to city. Different airports have different choices. It’s only offered on flights departing from 14 cities, and 16 total airports: Amsterdam Munich Dubai New York (John F. Kennedy, Newark) Frankfurt San Francisco Hong Kong Singapore London Sydney Los Angeles Taipei Melbourne Tokyo (Haneda, Narita) Singapore isn’t the only airline with such an offering. For instance, Thai Airways makes this available, so does EVA Airways. And if you want a Royal Korean meal on Asiana flights departing Seoul you need to order it in advance. Choices and quality varies, and sometimes you may be happier with what’s offered onboard than what you’d…
Worst Case Scenario: Use Your Miles to Escape Terrorists, Avoid Natural Disasters, and Evade the Mob
Miles from Blighty posted earlier about seeing award space into Sana’a, Yemen using United miles. And I wondered, how useful would those miles be to leave Yemen right now? Granted, if you’re in Sana’a right now you’re probably there working for a government, a private employer that’s getting you out, or a non-governmental organization that’s hopefully working to do the same. In Yemen and across the region there are people fleeing because the U.S. has declared that really scary things are about to happen. (And presumably this is in comparison to the scary things that already do happen!) Star Alliance member Turkish Airlines flies six times a week from Sana’a to Istanbul with a 45 minute stop in Aden. And over the next few days availability is good — in coach only on the flight…
And this is Why You Don’t Book Tickets for Other People Using Airline Websites
Jeanne passes along this complaint about Delta that’s in the early stages of gaining traction online. Bottom-line: passenger is denied boarding by Delta because they couldn’t produce the credit card used to purchase the ticket (her boss bought the ticket). The passenger was enroute to Uganda. Her boss got involved in the call, trying to convince Delta the ticket wasn’t fraudulent. And while we have only the boss’ word for it, she contends Delta’s agent suggested… The talented and adept Delta Red Coat team answered all of my questions and explained to me that my employee was asked to present her credit card because the “country of Africa is full of frauds.” How embarrassing! All this time, I was under the impression that African was a continent full all kinds of different people. Thanks to…
Bits ‘n Pieces for July 30, 2013
News and notes from around the interweb: I’ve been aware of refund.me but not EU Claims which reader Will M. reported got him 400 euros per person for a delay he claimed was due to crew availability and KLM claimed was due to weather. You pay a commission on successful claims but don’t have to hassle with the paperwork and back-and-forth. If your high heels are shaped like, or made from guns the TSA will consider you a threat. A United baggage worked has been charged with stealing luggage from passengers diverted from San Francisco after the Asiana crash. The US Airways mobile app is finally out. As expected, reported are: unimpressive. You can join the 30,000+ people who see these deals and analysis every day — sign up to receive posts by email (just…
Korean TV Skewers Southwest LaGuardia Landing Gear Incident: Capt. Kent Parker Wright
Reacting to a San Francisco television station identifying the pilot of the Asiana flight which crash landed earlier this month as Sum Ting Wong, a Korean TV station has ‘confirmed’ the names of crew on the Southwest flight that went down hard at LaGuardia. After the landing gear failure of the Southwest flight at LGA they showed this graphic with American pilot names “Captain Kent Parker Wright”, “Co-Captain Wyatt Wooden Workman”. They even went as far as making up fake names for people to interview. Flight instructor “Heywood U. Flye-Moore” and skeptical passenger “Macy Lawyers”. (HT: Ozaer N. on Facebook) You can join the 30,000+ people who see these deals and analysis every day — sign up to receive posts by email (just one e-mail per day) or subscribe to the RSS feed. It’s free.…
If Fuel Prices Fall Will I Still Have to Pay Fuel Surcharges on Award Tickets? And How Can I Reduce Those Now?
Reader RKToledo asks, With airlines purchasing more fuel effecient long range planes, could you write on whether these purchases will ever lead to decreased or eliminated fuel surcharges on awards. I’m specifically wondering if BA will reduce YQ after implementation of A380 and 787 planes. The simple answer is no. Understanding this requires a bit of a longer answer. What are fuel surcharges? First of all, understand what “fuel surcharges” are. They’re generally a fixed amount of money added to a fare. The amount will usually be the same across all fares for a given city pair. In other words, all “New York – London” fares that an airline publishes will add the same amount for fuel surcharge. There are some exceptions to this. An airline may file a different fuel surcharge amount for premium…
The Toughest Travel Question I’ve Ever Been Asked to Answer
At first I thought the toughest questions came from Erich in my request for requests post. 1. Write a post in praise of Tyler Cowen (or another non-points inspiration who made you see things differently) 2. Give a Hansonian take on why Travel is not about vacation 3. How has your hobby modified your job or vice versa? 4. Write a post about how you think a smart but not involved person sees the points game (status chasing all the way down? Coupon clipping dressed in beach vacation dreams?) 5. Write a post on what the credit card game looks like 3 years from now. Don’t post it, but send it to a third party for a scheduled release 3 years hence 6. What are your best travel tips for introverts? 7. Invent a cynical…
United and Marriott Offer New Reciprocal Benefits – RewardsPlus Gives United Gold Elites Marriott Gold!
United and Marriott today launched a partnership called RewardsPlus. In some ways similar to Starwood and Delta’s Crossover Rewards announced in February, the program adds status recognition and some stepped up points benefits for elites in both programs. But unlike Starwood-Delta, points-earning has not been boosted under this new offering. United’s Gold elites and higher get Gold status in the Marriott Rewards program. That’s actually a pretty strong benefit (albeit one you can get by signin up for the Ritz-Carlton Rewards Visa) in that it usually takes 50 nights with Marriott to qualify. All Marriott Platinum and Platinum Premier members get United silver status. United elites will be able to convert miles into Marriott points at a 1:1 ratio, although this represents a poor transfer value (since a United mile is generally worth more than…
