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USA Today Upgrade Tip: Take Any Open Seat Because Flight Attendants Can’t Police It

by Gary Leff

airplane seats
Feb 02 2019

Christopher Elliott takes on his role as the world’s worst travel advisor and tells his audience in USA Today that they have his permission to take any empty seat in coach since flight attendants “can’t police every seat.”

By the way that’s one of his “tips for getting an upgrade.” So presumably we’re not even talking about moving between regular coach seats. Just sit in the premium seat and if questioned tell your cabin crew (and anyone they call in for reinforcements that you had Christopher Elliott’s permission.

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Be careful whom you trust

by Gary Leff

usatoday
Jul 22 2005

USA Today reports on bloggers on the payroll of government tourist bureaus. Blogs tend to criticize other blogs, and many blogs permit comments (my current technical difficulties notwithstanding) so the blog’s culture of critique should limit the harm from this. Blog content should stand on its own, regardless of funding. But be aware of potential shading, influenced by financing of blogs. This isn’t new, surprising, or all that different from traditional travel writers whose perspectives may be colored by the advertisers at their publications or the free trips and upgrades handed out by travel providers. It’s always worthwhile using a skeptical eye towards travel writers. I want to know, though, how to get my hands on some of this money — then you could hermaneut my own writing all you want!

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Airline Contortions

by Gary Leff

airplane
Nov 12 2004

Via USA Today‘s Today in the Sky are two stories that show airline executives making statements that just aren’t credible. Scratch that. The executives are doing verbal backflips and come off looking silly. USAirways is closing four airport lounges. Why? Because it’s “a key element of our Transformation Plan to offer our customers the full service associated with the Club network” … Since clubs are important, we’re closing them! Huh? The truthful answer is “clubs are important, they’re part of our plan to make money, but we can’t spend too much money on them or we’ll lose money.” But that would be too straightforward. Meanwhile, Delta is verbally contorting itself over service to Beijing. Since a new route to China is something to be doled out by the government, and the justification for a decision…

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