The 23rd annual Airline Quality Rankings were released showing passenger complaints have jumped by 20 percent over last year and denied boardings are also on the rise. Also noteworthy are Virgin America taking the “winning” spot for quality and United Airlines coming in last. United Airlines will cut its daily nonstop flight from Washington Dulles…
Airlines (General)
Category Archives for Airlines (General).
Love It or Hate It, Airlines and Travel Writers Do April Fools Right
There’s just no escaping April Fools’ Day, especially if you’re engaged in monitoring social media all day. And while I’m not an enormous fan of it, there are some good ones today in the airline and travel world. Here are my favorites: Exclusive: Memo Details New United Airlines ‘Super Elite’ Level by Christopher Elliott: Did…
How an Airline Cleverly Spreads a Little Easter Cheer
I think this was a very clever and festive idea for an airline last Easter. Check out how Scandinavian Airlines surprised some travelers waiting for their luggage on the baggage carousel. Happy Easter weekend everyone!
The Cost and Allure of Airline Amenity Kits
If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you know I’m an avid collector of amenity kits and have an ongoing series reviewing them. They’re a fun item to collect and I love seeing each new generation an airline debuts, wondering if they’ve spruced it up or cheapened it down. Earlier this month, The Business…
Help a Reader: Where Should I Spend My 100-150K Miles Annually?
I received the following question from Peter and he (and I) would love additional feedback beyond what I provided. First, his question: I fly 200K – 250K for business (mostly China) and try to divide it between UA and AA to keep my top tier status with both. I will turn 40 soon and don’t want…
Are Airline Change Fees and Cancellation Penalties Fair?
I absolutely hate cancelling a non-refundable airline reservation. It feels like a kick in the gut, especially on “cheap” domestic airfares where the fee to reuse the ticket – $150 on most airlines – ends up eating away a significant portion of the overall ticket value. Last week, I was unable to travel and had…
My United Airlines Mileage Tracking Spreadsheet, Round Two
A couple of years ago I made a similar post revealing my mileage tracking spreadsheet for United (or any airline for that matter). And while I love technology and my favorite app that still tracks my United balance (and so much more: PageOnce), I get a certain satisfaction out of my old school method. I…
Buh-Bye Upgrade Phobia: Rediscovering the Joy of Coach Travel
I believe it was Matthew over at Live and Let’s Fly who first coined the term “upgrade phobia†– a condition of nervously worrying about whether your upgrade will come through, constantly checking your position on the list, etc. And I have admittedly been deeply phobic most of the time, which results serious disappointment when…
Notable Airline, Hotel and Travel Industry News: February 21, 2013
United Airlines is pulling all Boeing 787 Dreamliners out of service until at least May 12, at which time they intend to launch Denver-Tokyo nonstop flights. A company spokesperson said other 787 flights will be held until June 5, pending successful resolution of Dreamliner issues. Southwest Airlines has expanded its live television programming to all…
Notable Airline, Hotel and Travel Industry News: February 19, 2013
Hilton has upset a lot of loyal HHonors members today (self included) with their announcement of 2013 Hilton HHonors Program Changes. They’re increasing hotel categories from eight to ten, adding seasonal pricing (read: higher redemption rates) and trying to soften the blow by adding a 5th Night Free for elites staying 5-nights or more. I’m…