I blogged recently about my decision to stick with Radisson properties for the time being as my hotel loyalty program of choice, and I’ve been on the hunt for bonus point opportunities. Last month, I came across a rate at a fairly local Radisson Suites in Buena Park, California that included 10,000 bonus points, so…
Monthly Archives
Monthly Archives for December 2010.
The future of passenger screening and airport security
The airport security model used in the United States today is basically “you’re guilty until proven innocentâ€. Appropriately dubbed “security theatre†by many, it is a completely reactionary system with new technology and procedures introduced after each terrorist event or incident. Last Christmas we had the underwear bomber, and now have the incredibly controversial body…
Amenity Kit Review: United Airlines First Class (Fall 2010)
I’ve selected the current international first class kit from United Airlines for my first amenity kit review. For a better description of each category, and the 7-point scale for scoring, please review my introduction post here. Bag/Container: The nylon/canvas bags come in varied colors, include leather accents attached to the zipper, and a gold fabric…
Video: Lufthansa First Class trip report from Bangkok to Los Angeles via Frankfurt
I posted part one of my Lufthansa First Class experience last week, so here’s part two of my video trip report. While Lufthansa isn’t ranked quite as high as many of the Asian carriers in terms of inflight service, I had incredible crews on all of my flights and couldn’t have asked for more. Enjoy!
Southwest Airlines expands its routes and wings
This week brought a few noteworthy items from Southwest Airlines. First, they announced their frequency and city selections for all 18-slots they leased out of Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). In August this year, Continental and United satisfied antitrust regulator concerns about their merger by granting 18 of their coveted EWR slots to fare-war-favorite Southwest.…
Star Alliance encouraging Virgin Blue to join
Virgin Blue’s CEO John Borghetti was in attendance at the Star Alliance CEOs meeting this week in Queenstown, New Zealand. This is actually encouraging news, and something I thought wasn’t in the cards since they ended their limited codeshare agreement with United Airlines back in 2009, and have since partnered up with Delta. This newer…
Vintage Airline Seat Map: Continental Airlines 727-100
As I mentioned in last week’s post, I’ll be posting vintage airline seat maps from time to time for any enthusiasts out there like myself. This week is United’s newlywed Continental Airlines, and their long-retired 727-100. I flew on a handful of United’s dash-100s, but they didn’t block that seat across from the mid-cabin galley.…
Continental Airlines offers 3- or 7-day reservation holds that lock in the airfare
Yesterday, Continental Airlines announced a new FareLock service that allows you to hold a reservation for three or seven days and lock in the ticket price. Starting at $5 for a 3-day hold, and $9 for a 7-day hold, this seems to be a smart and easy-to-implement ancillary revenue stream. I did a couple of…
United Airlines replaces Delta as the official airline of the PGA Tour
Last week, the PGA Tour signed a deal with United Continental Holdings making United its official carrier from 2011 through 2015. Delta previously had that honor for the past 25 years, and no reason was given for the change (not surprisingly). Players and other members of the PGA, Nationwide and Champions Tours will be granted…
Amenity Kit Review: Introduction
From time to time, I plan on offering up my review of airline amenity kits. For anyone who doesn’t know, these lovely little satchels are usually given to First and Business Class passengers embarking on a lengthy international journey. Some airlines still give them out in economy, but for most, they are an exclusive item…