2PAXfly
QANTAS: A380 caught in global wing-crack inspection order
One Qantas Airbus A380 is among 16 superjumbos worldwide caught up in an urgent inspection program. Inspections were called for after cracks were found in a critical internal wing structure, as reported by the SMH. Europe’s aviation safety regulator, EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency), issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Adds Economy Plus to Project Sunrise, but other seats will be Economy Minus
Qantas has previously promised to provide Economy passengers with greater legroom befitting these ultra-long Project Sunrise flights. Like the politicians it seeks to influence through its invitation, Chairman’s Lounge makes promises it doesn’t keep. A standard 33-inch pitch in Economy is one of those. Forthcoming non-stop flights from Sydney to...
2PAXfly
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: New Canberra direct to Bali flights
These flights began on 22 July, so Canberrans can choose not to drive to Sydney Airport to make the domestic connection. Instead, they can fly direct from Canberra Airport to Denpasar in Bali. The new service is a meaningful win for travellers across the ACT, including residents of Batemans Bay,...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Routes for Project Sunrise A350 before it heads to London
Qantas’ first Project Sunrise Airbus A350-1000ULR is due to arrive in April 2027, but the airline will be flying it around on domestic and short-haul international routes before that. Might be a chance to get a partial experience without the 20% premium on the Sydney to London route. ET is...
Also on BoardingArea
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
Small Plane Crashes Into Side of Beijing’s Tallest Skyscraper
A small plane has crashed into the side of Beijing’s tallest skyscraper, known as the China Zun building, which towers over China’s capital city at a height of 522 meters. Details of casualties have not yet been confirmed by local authorities, although the building has been evacuated and surrounding roads...
One Mile at a Time
Wyndham Credit Card Offers: Worthwhile Perks, Big Bonuses
Barclays issues a portfolio of Wyndham Rewards credit cards, and they recently got a massive refresh, with the introduction of a new, premium card. I don’t write about these cards much, simply because Wyndham isn’t the most aspirational program when it comes to redemption opportunities. However, that’s not to say...
Miles To Memories
Up To 200% Transfer Bonus: Bilt Rent Day Details Are Here
We have the Bilt Rent Day details here for the upcoming month's promotion. This time around there is an up to 100% transfer bonus.
View from the Wing
American Airlines Finally Gives Qantas Top Elites Free Extra Legroom Seats — Fixing A Strange Partner Snub
American Airlines has finally added Qantas top elites to the list of partner frequent flyers who receive free Main Cabin Extra seats. The change fixes a strange gap for Qantas Platinum and Platinum One members, especially since American and Qantas share revenue through a transpacific joint venture where the customer...
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Miles and Points On Sale — June 26 2026
Sometimes you need an infusion of miles or points to your membership account for whatever reason — perhaps to have enough to redeem for a limited time award as one example — and the best time to purchase or gift miles or points is when they are on sale, as...
Frequent Miler
Targeted: 75% off first CLEAR Concierge booking
CLEAR Concierge service is available at a couple dozen airports in the United States. My wife received a targeted email offering 75% off her first Clear Concierge arrival service. That can make it a great deal as it looks like it’ll cost just $25 after discount for Clear Concierge arrival...
Live and Let’s Fly
Cat Prances Through Turkish Airlines Business Class Like He Owns The Place
A Siberian cat named Reinhardt recently flew Turkish Airlines business class on a Boeing 787-9, prancing down the aisle and then calmly settling into his human’s lap like Don Vito Corleone stroking a cat in The Godfather. Cute? Absolutely. But as with all pets in premium cabins, there is a...
Frequent Flyer Bonuses
Marriott Bonvoy: Earn 5,000 bonus points per night at The Osaka Marriott Miyako Hotel (June 26 Bonus Offer Highlight)
Today’s bonus offer highlight is another really good nightly bonus points offer from Marriott Bonvoy - this time for stays at the Osaka Marriott Miyako Hotel. Check out all of the new bonuses added today:
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
Alaska Airlines Invited Staff to Debate the Equality Act. Two Flight Attendants Were Fired After Commenting: Now an Appeals Court Has Revived Their Lawsuit
Alaska Airlines will have to explain to a jury why it terminated two flight attendants for making alleged discriminatory statements on an internal employee forum that was created by the Seattle-based carrier to discuss a subject that it fully expected to be controversial. The two former flight attendants were fired...
Miles To Memories
Last Chance For Fee Free Mastercard Gift Cards & Bonus Earning At Staples This Week
The Staples Mastercard gift card deal is ending today. It is your last chance to rack up some bonus points fee free.
Traveling For Miles
Why I’m considering a second Ritz-Carlton™ credit card
I already hold the Ritz-Carlton™ credit card from Chase, and I've written before about how it's a card you can't apply for directly but can still get if you know how. Lately, though, I've found myself doing the maths on whether a second one makes sense. A few days ago,...
One Mile at a Time
Delta Flight Attendant Trainer Accused Of Harassment, Airline Accused Of Turning Blind Eye
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has a pretty damning story about the culture inside Delta Air Lines’ flight attendant training center in Atlanta. One senior flight attendant trainer has been accused of harassing trainees, and when reported, the airline didn’t take much action, instead claiming the reports were unsubstantiated. Then when the...
View from the Wing
United Passenger Had An Entire Jet To Herself — Then Crew Added Sandbags To Balance The Plane
A United passenger flying from Huntsville to Houston had the entire regional jet to herself, complete with personalized announcements and a cockpit visit after landing. The oddest detail: the crew reportedly added sandbags, not because the plane was too light overall, but to keep the aircraft within proper weight-and-balance limits.
The Bulkhead Seat
Air France Elevates Paris Lounge Dining With New Menus by Chef Yves Camdeborde
Air France is raising the bar on its premium ground experience by introducing new…
Eye of the Flyer
Atlanta Is Finally Getting a Delta One Lounge and a 13-Year-Old Climbed Out of a Moving Disneyland Ride and Fell 50 Feet Down a Waterfall — Plus More Travel News!
Here are this week’s travel news headlines from around the web and interweb I found the most interesting. Take a look: A Brawl Between Two Families at PortMiami Just Got 16 Carnival Passengers Permanently Banned On the morning of June 22, passengers disembarking the Carnival Conquest after a 3-night Bahamas...
View from the Wing
American Airlines Expands Use Of Cash ‘Instant Upgrades’ To More Destinations [Roundup]
American Airlines has expanded the selling of upgrades for cash to more international destinations. Also, a Boeing 777 makes a frightening low pass, Alaska Airlines tracks its Starlink wifi installs, and a hotel guest pays a $45,000 hotel bill with bricks of cash.
Traveling For Miles
Did you know that the Accor ALL program sells subscriptions? (discounts, elite night credits, & more)
Here’s something I suspect a lot of readers will not know. ALL Accor, the loyalty program for brands such as Sofitel, Raffles, Fairmont, Novotel and quite a few others, sells three subscription cards which give members a variety of benefits that, used correctly, can be nice money savers.
Frequent Miler
Getting the elite experience without elite status via credit card; preferred partner hotel booking programs
Things like free breakfast, room upgrades, and late checkout can be among the luxuries enjoyed by those with elite access. However, many of those perks can be bestowed upon you even without elite status when you book through the right partner programs. In fact, you can sometimes score these perks...
Live and Let’s Fly
Alaska And Hawaiian Near 150 Starlink Aircraft As Free Wi-Fi Push Accelerates
Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines now have Starlink Wi-Fi installed on nearly 150 aircraft across their combined fleet, putting the carriers ahead of schedule in their push toward free, fast connectivity onboard. Alaska And Hawaiian Hit 150 Starlink Aircraft Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines are moving quickly on Starlink. The...
One Mile at a Time
Airplane Trolley Infested With Baby Rats: Airline & Catering Company Point Fingers
A catering cart loaded onto the flight of Israeli airline Arkia turned out to be full of baby rats. That’s of course an unpleasant discovery, but what’s perhaps even more interesting is the controversy this is causing, with both the airline and the catering company pointing fingers at one another,...
One Mile at a Time
Buy JetBlue TrueBlue Points With Up To 125% Bonus (1.43 Cents Each): Worth It?
JetBlue TrueBlue has rolled out its newest promotion on purchased points, as the program has gotten much more aggressive with these sales in recent times. With this, members can purchase points with up to a 125% bonus, which is an opportunity to acquire points for as little as 1.43 cents...
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
British Aviation Regulators Say Incidents of Power Banks Overheating On Planes Have Nearly Doubled in Just One Year
British aviation regulators have issued an urgent warning after official statistics revealed that the number of incidents involving power banks and other lithium battery-powered devices overheating and catching fire on airplanes has nearly doubled in just one year. Lithium battery fires are now one of the biggest concerns facing airlines,...
The Bulkhead Seat
EU Entry/Exit System Might Be Paused as Airports Warn of Summer Travel Disruptions
The European Union’s Entry/Exit System (EES) is facing renewed criticism after the head of…
One Mile at a Time
Ryanair Passive Aggressively Changes Family Seating Policy, Blasts Regulators
A couple of weeks ago, authorities in the United Kingdom opened an investigation into Ryanair’s seating policy for families, suggesting it wasn’t complying with regulations. While the airline insists that it has been following rules all along, the company has just updated its policies.
2PAXfly
QANTAS: A380 retirement to be brought forward?
Qantas may be preparing to bring forward the retirement of its Airbus A380 fleet, despite only completing the expensive restoration of all ten surviving superjumbos late last year. That is the central claim in a Rampart report by Joe Aston (paywall article), written after last week’s Qantas investor and media...
2PAXfly
WEEKLY REVIEW: Sunday 22 June, 2026
Greetings from Sydney! I’m back after three weeks in Canada. I’ve crossed the country from Vancouver on the west coast to St John’s in Newfoundland, I think the most easterly point. Unfortunately, it was a bit of a city visit rather than time spent in nature. Cities visited in no...
2PAXfly
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: Extends COVID credits usage, but redemption date stays 30 June 2026
Virgin Australia has made a late concession on its COVID-era travel credits, extending the travel period for eligible credits issued between 21 April 2020 and 31 July 2022. Passengers still need to book by 30 June 2026, but they can now travel up to 27 May 2027. That is a...
2PAXfly
MIDDLE EAST: Australia eases travel warnings for key Gulf transit hubs
Australian travellers heading to Europe, the UK or Africa via the Middle East have been handed some qualified good news. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and the Smartraveller advice website have lowered advice for Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates from Level 4, “Do...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Project Sunrise announces first route, Sydney to London non-stop. Surprise, surprise!
CEO Vanessa Hudson just travelled to Airbus’ Toulouse headquarters to announce that London, from Sydney, would be the first Project Sunrise route, followed by New York. Is that really news? We knew it had to be an east coast departure, so that’s Sydney or Melbourne (Brisbane doesn’t have a First...
2PAXfly
TURKISH AIRLINES: Non-stop Australia flights delayed until 2027
Turkish Airlines’ promised non-stop flights between Istanbul and Australia have slipped again, with Sydney now expected by the end of 2027 and Melbourne pushed into 2028. That is the bad news. Turkish Airlines plans to fly a specially configured Airbus A350-1000, heavy on premium seats, fitted with the airline’s new...
2PAXfly
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: biggest Boeing 737 is coming — eventually
Virgin Australia has put a date, of sorts, on the next stage of its fleet renewal. It expects to receive its first Boeing 737-10 in late 2027. That’s like more than 12 months away. The PR department must have been light on for stories to report for this to be...
2PAXfly
BOEING: Bird strikes, smoke and the cabin air problem that won’t go away
There are bird strikes. There are fume events. And then there are bird strikes that lead to smoke or oil mist entering the cockpit and/or cabin. That is the issue now ruffling feathers around Boeing’s 737 MAX, its LEAP-1B engines, and the regulators charged with deciding whether this is a...