It’s time for another Vintage Airline Seat Map and I’ve selected a Continental Airlines MD-80 (Super 80) seen flying the skies in 1987. According to PlaneSpotters.net, Continental had about 42 in its fleet and the version appearing below offered 16 seats in first class and 130 in coach. Sitting up front is always fun on…
Poll: Amenity Kit Review Scale – Should I Change It?
I just published my latest amenity kit review and I got to thinking… is my scale totally ridiculous? Who the hell ranks things on a 7-point scale? Here was my original reasoning for a 7-point scale: The 7-point scale should be self-explanatory and provides a bit more wiggle room than a 5-pointer. I hate the…
Amenity Kit Review: American Airlines First Class – Eames Tablet Case
American Airlines last December rolled out new amenity kits and the kind folks at American’s social media team sent me the first class offering earlier this month. I’m thrilled to have it in my collection and offer a review below for this installment of Amenity Kit Reviews. For a better description of each category and…
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…
Cruel, Yet Hilarious, Airport Prank
Check out this rather hilarious and cruel airport prank by skin care provider Nivea. I don’t think I would have reacted quite as calmly as many of those pranked. (Hat tip: Tnooz)
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…
Onboard Photos: Are They Really THAT Big of a Deal?
If you haven’t already read about fellow blogger Matthew getting kicked off a United Airlines flight, I encourage you to do so. The short version of his story is that he took a picture of his BusinessFirst seating area (the IFE monitor), a flight attendant advised he couldn’t take any pictures of the cabin and…
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…
A Look at Cheapest vs. Upgradable United Airlines International Airfares
My travel goals on United have changed this year due to several factors, including a move to a more expensive cost per mile (CPM) originating airport and the increasing likelihood that all U.S. airlines will add some type of elite status revenue requirement to their frequent flier programs. My goal on United this year is…
Notable Airline, Hotel and Travel Industry News: February 18, 2013
Probably the most reported airline news story today is about a man who allegedly smacked a crying child on a Delta Air Lines flight adding a racial slur as he did so. Abhorrent behavior on the “adult’s” part, and his employer reportedly took swift action in firing him. “Buh-bye.” United Airlines modified some checked baggage…