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...
Also on BoardingArea
man shares scam issue (l) Thailand sacred temples (r)
BoardingArea
‘This Thai Jordan Belfort Appears’: Honeymooning Couple Goes To The ‘Oldest Temple In Thailand.’ Then They Check Their Receipt—And Learn Someone Added An Extra 0
“We felt like we were in The White Lotus."
Points With a Crew
TSA Warns About New Important Security Risk That Most People Do Without Knowing
Traveling through airport security can be a stressful time, so don't make it even more stressful by failing to account for this one thing that TSA agents are trained to look for
Live and Let’s Fly
Alaska Lounge SFO Joins Priority Pass…But Adds A Co-Pay
The Alaska Airlines Lounge in San Francisco (SFO) is now part of the Priority Pass network, but there’s some fine print that will require you to open your wallet every visit. Alaska Airlines Adds Priority Pass Access At SFO Lounge…With Strings Attached Alaska Airlines has added Priority Pass access to...
Point Me to the Plane
These Ireland Fun Facts Are NO Blarney!
If you're a fan of this Emerald Isle, you'll enjoy what I'm sharing. It's a country with a complicated history and a city, Dublin, that's too much fun to pass up.
Point Me to the Plane
Don’t Lose These Benefits By Using the Wrong Credit Card
Different credit cards come with different benefits. Make sure you use the right credit cards when planning your travel adventures!
Your Mileage May Vary
Why The Citi Custom Cash Card Is Worth A Spot In Your Wallet
If you told me there was a no-annual-fee card that earns 5% cash back on your biggest spending category each month, I’d assume there was a catch—but the Citi Custom…
One Mile at a Time
Is The Amex Business Platinum Worth The Annual Fee? How To Decide…
Link: Learn more about The Business Platinum Card from American Express
Miles To Memories
On Packing – Reflecting on My Evolving Strategy
When it comes to my travel habits, perhaps nothing has changed more than when to pack. I figured out my right balance a few years ago.
View from the Wing
Hyatt Hotel Puts Bathroom Soap And Lotion On The Counter Like They’re Free — Then Charges Guests For Using Them
Thomspon San Antonio Riverwalk is staging bathroom soap and lotion where guests expect complimentary amenities, even though using them can trigger extra charges. That's a textbook hotel dark pattern: make something look free, hide the price list, and count on guests not noticing until it's too late and they're stuck.
TravelUpdate
Who wants a tour of the Qantas Sydney Domestic T3 Business Lounge?
The Qantas Sydney Domestic business lounge is the premium domestic lounge at that city. Below that is the…
Travel Codex
Nearly ALL Airlines Increase Checked Bag Fees
American Airlines announced on Thursday that it would be increasing checked baggage fees, bringing it in line with pretty much every other major U.S. airline that has already made the same move over the past few weeks. The airline says the decision was made “in light of the current operating...
empty airport gate (l) woman shares scary airport experience (c) late night flight (r)
BoardingArea
‘The Man Lights A Cigar’: Woman Takes Frontier Airlines Flight From Denver In The Middle Of The Night. Then 3 Strangers Approach Her At The Gate
"You had me at Denver International Airport."
The Bulkhead Seat
Major Upgrade: Copa Airlines to Introduce Starlink Wi-Fi Across Its Fleet
Copa Airlines is set to become the first airline in Latin America to roll…
One Mile at a Time
Starlux Airlines’ A350 First Class: What’s The Strategy, And Will It Ever Change?
Starlux Airlines is Taiwan’s newest global airline. While it launched operations in early 2020, the airline has really ramped up its network in the past few years, including increasingly flying across the Pacific.
Miles To Memories
Last Chance For Fee Free Visa Gift Cards & Bonus Earning At Staples This Week
A reminder that the Staples Visa gift card deal is ending tonight. Grab those fee free bonus points while you can.
The Bulkhead Seat
United Airlines Faces Lawsuit After Firing 76-Year-Old Technician Over Water Bottle Incident
United Airlines is facing legal action after terminating a 76-year-old aircraft technician who says…
View from the Wing
Westin Detroit Airport Took Away Free Bottled Water, Left An Empty Carafe — Cost Cutting Is Now Called ‘Sustainability’
The Westin Detroit Airport appears to have removed complimentary bottled water from guest rooms and replaced it with an empty glass carafe and a sign urging guests to refill it at hallway water stations. It's the chef's kiss on the hotel trend of taking away something cheap, making the guest...
The Gate with Brian Cohen
30 Kilometers Per Hour is No Longer Equal to 20 Miles Per Hour: Fun With Road Signs
A road sign that was erected by the government of Canada just north of the border it shares with the United States announces that 30 kilometers per hour was — yes, the past tense was used — 20 miles per hour, which to me means that that was once to...
Live and Let’s Fly
Ralph Nader Is Upset After TSA Confiscates His Hummus…Because It’s A “Liquid”
Ralph Nader had his hummus confiscated at the airport and is not happy with the TSA. TSA Confiscates Ralph Nader’s Hummus And Proves The Liquid Ban Still Makes No Sense Former presidential candidate and longtime consumer advocate Ralph Nader took to social media yesterday to share a rather absurd airport...
One Mile at a Time
Review: Lufthansa Lounge Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP)
On the return portion of myexotic journey to Bangkok via Paris,I had an extended layover at the Lufthansa Lounge Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP). I was booked to fly to Zurich (ZRH) on SWISS, but my flight ended up being canceled, so my initially planned roughly three hour layover ended up...
Live and Let’s Fly
Air Canada Expands Its Brilliant Grab-And-Go Lounge Café Concept
Air Canada is expanding on what I consider one of the smartest lounge innovations in recent years: its grab-and-go “Café” concept. Air Canada Expands “Café” Lounge Concept The airline has just opened new Café locations in both Montréal (YUL) and Vancouver (YVR), expanding a concept that debuted in Toronto Pearson...
Eye of the Flyer
Air France Aborts Takeoff LAX, EU Airports Running Out of Gas, 1st Lady 70M Dollar Jet, TSA Helps ICE Arrests, Dubai’s Tourism is Dead and More Travel News
Here are this week’s travel and cruise headlines and news from around the web and interweb: Air France Jet aborts takeoff at LAX after another aircraft enters runway The First Lady is getting a $70,000,000 Boeing that could be the most lavish jet in government history EU airports warn of...
View from the Wing
Lawsuit Says American Airlines Carry-On Dispute Turned Into A Violent Arrest And Lifetime Ban
A dispute over carry-on bags at an American Airlines gate in Dallas escalated into a police takedown, visible injuries, dropped charges, and a lifetime ban from the airline, according to a new lawsuit filed by the passengers. The bodycam video suggests a messy, poorly explained confrontation, but it's not clear...
Frequent Miler
Bag fees fly high, Bilt points from bank bonuses, turning cash to miles and more [Week in Review]
I’ve been on vacation this week, visiting family in the San Francisco Bay area. Over the course of a week, we visited the children’s museum in San Jose, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Pinnacles National Park, Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, the Exploratorium in San Francisco, and we even squeezed in...
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...
2PAXfly
EUROPE: New EES entry system for Australians
From April 10, a major overhaul of border control across much of Europe comes into full effect, replacing the familiar passport stamp with biometric data, digital records. I experienced this when entering the Czech Republic at Prague Airport in March, and it was surprisingly efficient. It’s called the Entry/Exit System...
2PAXfly
LOYALTY: Airline programs now worth billions. Qantas in top 10
If you’ve ever wondered why airlines seem more interested in selling points than seats, a new global report puts some serious numbers behind that suspicion. According to the latest On Point Loyalty Top 100 report, airline loyalty programs have evolved into multi-billion-dollar businesses, and for Australian travellers, that shift is...
2PAXfly
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: Launch of new reward seats search tool
Earning points is easy. Finding a decent reward seat, especially in business class, is where things usually fall apart. Virgin Australia is promising to fix that, with a new calendar-based Reward Seat search tool rolling out across its website and app. The airline is calling a ‘step change’ in how...
2PAXfly
AIR NEW ZEALAND: Cuts 1,100 flights, affecting 44,000 passengers due to Middle East conflict
If your upcoming trip involves Air New Zealand, it’s worth double-checking your booking. The Kiwi carrier is cancelling around 1,100 flights through to early May, impacting roughly 44,000 passengers, as surging fuel prices ripple through the aviation industry. Most travellers are expected to be rebooked onto the same-day flights, as...
2PAXfly
TRIP REPORT: First impressions of Turkish Airlines Sydney to London
I have just flown Turkish Airlines for the first time, as has my husband, but on different flights. My trip was Sydney–Kuala Lumpur–Istanbul–London. His was Bangkok–Istanbul–Prague, and return. Before I do a considered full report on the flights and the trip, I thought it was worth posting about my first...
2PAXfly
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: Joint flights with Qatar Airways to Doha shelved
If you’ve booked a Virgin Australia flight to Doha, there’s some bad news. Flights operated by Qatar Airways on behalf of Virgin Australia have now been cancelled until at least mid-June, as the ongoing Middle East conflict continues to disrupt travel through the region. And for travellers, this isn’t just...
Wild About Travel
rewute and redrfat Discovering the World’s Highest and Lowest Airports
Reflecting on my travels last year, I realised I flew through quite high and low-altitude airports. I have long realised that altitude affects the travel experience, airport operations, and the differing challenges for pilots. This got me thinking: of the 289 airports I’ve visited in my life, how many would...