2PAXfly
WEEKLY REVIEW: SundAY 19 April, 2026
Greetings from London! I’m here in Spring, soaking up culture with visits to multiple galleries and exhibitions, I’m also enjoying a lot of theatre performances, and catch-ups with friends. New Museums and Galleries is my guideline, and to that end, I visited Leighton House, with its mad Arabic rooms, seen...
2PAXfly
AIR NEW ZEALAND: Skynest to cost AU$400. Soon bookable
Finally, Air New Zealand is about to offer a solution to the problem of sleeping in Economy. After years of delays, it’s finally becoming a reality, with bookings open from 18 May 2026. Years in the making Air New Zealand first revealed the concept in 2020, pitching it as a...
2PAXfly
CHINESE AIRLINES: Cut Australian flights, increasing flights to Europe
Chinese airlines are quietly pulling capacity out of Australia and redeploying those aircraft to Europe. They are chasing stronger demand and higher yields as global travel patterns shift. Due to the current Middle East conflict between the US/Israel, and Iran. There are some real consequences for Australian travellers. Fewer flights...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Cuts thousands of flight across network
It’s only been a week since I reported that Qantas was boosting its flights to Europe by swapping to larger aircraft and tinkering with schedules. Now, in reaction to further uncertainty about the Straits of Hormuz due to the US/Israeli conflict with Iran, Qantas has quietly cut thousands of flights...
Also on BoardingArea
Frequent Miler
Last Chance Deals: Diminished Citi transfer ratios, 42K transatlantic business class awards, AA portal promo, & more
Welcome to our weekly list of what’s ending this week as well as a collection of some other deals that are due to end soon. Ten deals are ending this week which includes the last opportunity to transfer Citi ThankYou points to Choice and/or Preferred Hotels before the ratios drop. Other...
Points With a Crew
Marriott Bonvoy Business Review (New Higher Offer – Up to 5 Free Nights)
The Marriott Bonvoy Business card has a new welcome offer that is potentially worth hundreds of dollars (or more). This one credit card offer could make your next vacation ...
The Gate with Brian Cohen
What Is Wrong With This Photograph? Part 349
During some research for lodging options in Tunisia, I came across the official Internet web site of the Radisson Blu Hotel & Convention Center, Tunis hotel property. For this edition of this popular game, can you guess what...
Economy Class & Beyond
Last Week at Economy Class and Beyond (18th April)
It’s the Saturday after the week before, and your author has their feet up after a week on the press beat. But Saturday has come, so it’s time for Last Week at Economy Class and Beyond.  Ferris Wheel at the Hamburg Dom (Frühlingsdom) – Image, Economy Class and Beyond Aircraft...
Frequent Miler
Use points for Epcot’s fireworks, JetBlue could go bankrupt, Spirit on the verge of liquidation, and the new Alaska SFO lounge requires a co-pay (Saturday Selection)
Throughout the week, our team shares articles they’ve stumbled upon that may interest our readers, even if they might not otherwise merit a full post. Here are some of the posts we found interesting this week: Use points for Epcot’s fireworks, JetBlue could go bankrupt, Spirit on the verge of...
The Bulkhead Seat
2026 Weekly Review: April 18th
Greetings from St. Augustine, Florida! We’re checking out one of the oldest cities in…
View from the Wing
Passenger Crawls Into Overhead Bin On Ryanair Flight To Avoid Paying Fees
A passenger on a Ryanair flight from Malta to Naples crawled into the overhead bin and shouted “Napoli,” apparently joking that it was a way to avoid paying for the return trip. Ryanair has trained passengers to think of overhead bin space as so tightly monetized that even climbing into...
2PAXfly
WEEKLY REVIEW: SundAY 19 April, 2026
Greetings from London! I’m here in Spring, soaking up culture with visits to multiple galleries and exhibitions, I’m also enjoying a lot of theatre performances, and catch-ups with friends. New Museums and Galleries is my guideline, and to that end, I visited Leighton House, with its mad Arabic rooms, seen...
One Mile at a Time
Weekly Review: April 18, 2026
I hope everyone is having a nice weekend so far! I just embarked on a trip to Asia, which I’ll be sharing the details of shortly. The planning ended up being so last minute (between changes to my itinerary due to the Lufthansa strike, plus the Middle East situation), but...
Miles To Memories
Maui Poop Cruise? A Surreal Welcome to the Grand Wailea
Grand Wailea Water issues were not part of our spring break plans. But we prepared for the worst once they arrived. So how'd it turn out?
Points With a Crew
Is it better to rent a car vs. Turo?
If you're trying to decide between renting a car vs. Turo, here are some pros and cons that will help you decide if Turo vs. renting a car makes sense for ...
The Bulkhead Seat
United Flight Diverts to Pittsburgh After Midair Bomb Scare
A United Airlines flight from Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) to New York LaGuardia…
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Video: So I Tried a Century Egg in Vietnam…
So I tried what is known as a century egg in Vietnam when I saw it on display at the breakfast buffet in Manja Manja restaurant at the Holiday Inn & Suites Saigon Airport hotel property — and the experience was recorded on video. I had no idea...
Live and Let’s Fly
Delta Passenger’s Self-Flagellation Meltdown Turns Bizarre…She Hits Herself While Gate Agent Pretends She Isn’t There
When passengers behave badly, it is generally it is toward others…not towards themselves. But a Delta passenger seemed to engage in a round of self-flagellation as she waited for her flight. Delta Passenger Meltdown Raises An Awkward Question For Gate Agents A video shows a Delta Air Lines passenger at...
View from the Wing
‘I Saved Miles For First Class Once’ — Then A Kid Asked Why It Wasn’t As Good As Emirates
A traveler says they spent a pile of miles for a one-time first class trip — only to hear a child casually compare it unfavorably to Emirates. The joke lands because it is not really about aviation at all, but about the moment your hard-won luxury is revealed to be...
Miles To Memories
inKind Doubles Referral Bonus, Earn $50 For Every Invite
inKind is one of my favorite apps for savings at bars, restaurants and cafés. New York City has plenty of options, as do many other major cities.
One Mile at a Time
When Traveling Alone, What’s Your Approach To Solo Dining?
I travel solo quite a bit, and I always struggle to decide what to do when it comes to dining in these situations, assuming I’m not meeting anyone for meals. So that brings me to a topic where I’m curious to get the thoughts of OMAAT readers…
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
Beeping Noise Causes Pilots of United Airlines Flight From Chicago to Declare Bomb Alert And Evacuate Plane Via Emergency Slides
A constant beeping noise coming from an object on a United Airlines flight from Chicago O’Hare to New York LaGuardia concerned the pilots of the Boeing 737MAX plane so much that they declared a potential bomb threat and made an emergency diversion to Pittsburgh International Airport. Once on the ground...
View from the Wing
Passengers Told To “Run” After United Flight Diverts Due To Possible Bomb On Board
Passengers on a United flight from Chicago to New York were told to brace for an emergency landing, then ordered to leave everything behind and run after the plane diverted to Pittsburgh over a possible bomb on board. The episode triggered a 7700 emergency squawk, a runway evacuation, and a...
Monkey Miles
Capital One Venture Business Debuts with a 2 tier 150k offer
Capital One is winning the game of making things simple. Case in point is the Capital One Venture Business. Earn unlimited 2x Capital One Miles, a low $95 annual fee, and some easy to trigger credits. While other issuers are creating coupon books, Capital One is building a very straight...
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
Spirit Flight Attendants Say Reports of Imminent Liquidation Are Media Outlets ‘Jumping On the Clickbait Bandwagon’
The union that represents flight attendants at the embattled low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines has moved to reassure worried crew members after a week of speculation that the Florida-based company was on the verge of liquidation, which culminated in reports that bosses were begging the Trump administration for a multi-million-dollar bailout....
woman shares flight booking issue (l) woman at airport (r)
BoardingArea
Woman Checks In For Flight Home To Nashville. Then She Realizes She Booked The Wrong Date
“Friend, I think you gotta stop flying Spirit..."
Points With a Crew
19 Tech and Travel Deals at Amazon This Weekend
Some decent Amazon weekend deals on travel and tech gear going on this weekend, including headphones, luggage, locks, packing cubes and supplies, travel books and ...
Live and Let’s Fly
I Tried American Airlines’ Centennial Beef Wellington In First Class
This month American Airlines is celebrating its 100th anniversary. To commemorate this centennial, AA is offering special dishes in premium cabins that evoke classic dishes of the 1920s. I recently had the chance to try beef Wellington on a first class and against all odds, it turned out very well....
Wild About Travel
Surviving Sakura Cherry Blossom – 12 survival tips
I always said I’d never visit Japan in peak sakura season.Too busy, too expensive, too intense.And then I did. I described my 12 marvellous days yesterday. It was beautiful.It was also crowded, overloaded, and at times exhausting.Here are a few things I did that helped, and that I’d do again....
2PAXfly
QANTAS: First Project Sunrise A350-100ULR jet rolls out
After years of hype, delays and plenty of scepticism, Qantas, or more accurately, Airbus, has rolled out its first ultra-long-haul Airbus A350-1000ULR from the factory in Toulouse, marking a major milestone for Project Sunrise. It’s a timely occurrence, with the current Middle East trauma, that this aircraft could fundamentally change...
Wild About Travel
Marvellous 12 days in Japan
It is a bit of a grim world right now, so I thought I would share a positive, beautiful, and delicious 1000-mile journey through one of my favourite countries in Sakura (Cherry blossom). Despite it being insanely busy, I enjoyed the landscapes, food, museums, shopping, temples, parks, and, of course,...
Wild About Travel
Gulf Aviation After the Ceasefire: What Travellers Need to Know Now
A two-week ceasefire for Iran was announced on 7th April. On 9th April, several Gulf governments reported a full day without any new missiles or drones. The UAE’s defence ministry said the country was “free of any air threats” that day, after weeks of intercepting ballistic and cruise missiles and...
2PAXfly
TURKISH AIRLINES: Leadership shake-up. Why?
A recent leadership overhaul at Turkish Airlines has sparked industry attention. Here’s a clear breakdown of what we know as fact and what is informed speculation. The interest in this story stems from Turkish Airlines’ recent commencement of non-stop flights to Istanbul from Australia. A flight I recently took, and...
2PAXfly
THAILAND: Travel insurance for tourists may become compulsory
Thai authorities are moving toward making travel insurance mandatory for all foreign visitors, as hospitals struggle with rising unpaid medical bills from tourists. It’s not law yet, but according to the Bangkok Post, the direction for travellers is clear, so Australians should take note. Why Thailand is cracking down The...
2PAXfly
NEW ZEALAND: Top of the South Island, what we did and ate in Picton, Havelock and Blenheim
We had three nights/four days at the Picton Waterfront Apartments, and were mainly interested in rest and relaxation. We also did a little sightseeing, and winery wining and dining. This post is a short summary of some of those activities. Hope it gives you an idea of what you can...
Wild About Travel
Sendai: The City of Trees
A 90-minute hop from Tokyo on Japan’s fastest train, the Hayabusa Shinkansen, brings you to Sendai, the city of trees! My critique of many Japanese cities is that they have a lot of concrete and asphalt, and not much green space. In the 19th century, Sendai’s local ruler encouraged tree...