2PAXfly
ALTURA AIRLINES: Majority Indigenous-owned carrier launches from Perth
Australia has another airline name in its skies. You won’t find Altura Airlines appearing beside Qantas or Virgin Australia when searching for your next Perth flight. The new majority Indigenous-owned carrier commenced operations from Perth on Tuesday, 21 July 2026. Its initial focus is charter flying for mining, energy, infrastructure...
2PAXfly
TRIP REVIEW: Qantas B787-9 Dreamliner, QF75 Sydney to Vancouver in Business Class. Oh Canada!
This is the next post in my Oh Canada! Trip Report. I’ve covered the reason for this trip in the introductory post, as well as my check-in experience and the Qantas First Lounge pre-boarding experience. Now its time for the actual flight. This is my first time (I think) on...
2PAXfly
EMIRATES: A better headrest may be as good as Economy seat innovation gets
Emirates has unveiled a new Economy Class headrest designed to stop passengers’ heads rolling sideways while they attempt the unlikely feat of sleeping upright. Called the U-Dream, the adjustable headrest folds around the passenger’s head and neck, rather like a built-in travel pillow. It may prove genuinely useful. It also...
2PAXfly
WESTERN SYDNEY AIRPORT: First international passenger flights 100 days away
Western Sydney International Airport (WSI) will welcome its first overseas passenger flight on Monday, 26 October 2026, when an Air New Zealand Airbus arrives from Auckland. The same aircraft will then operate the first scheduled international passenger departure from the new airport, returning across the Tasman later that morning. Western...
Also on BoardingArea
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
Passenger Calls Out United Airlines Flight Attendant For Being Rude Then Says “If You’re Going To Be Fat And Ugly, You’re in the Wrong Profession”
A passenger on a transatlantic United Airlines flight from Brussels to Chicago O’Hare became so frustrated with a flight attendant whom she believed was being rude for the whole flight, but then allegedly took things up a notch when she started cussing out the crew member before threatening violence. The...
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
Pilots Involved in ‘Crazy’ Low Altitude Fly Pass Over Icelandic Village Have Licenses Revoked
Two pilots of a packed Boeing 757 with as many as 181 passengers on board, who were involved in a ‘crazy’ low altitude fly pass of a built-up area close to Reykjavik, Iceland, in April, have been temporarily stripped of their pilot licenses following an investigation by local authorities. The...
One Mile at a Time
Hawaiian Airlines Will Fly Boeing 737s As Of 2028, Replacing Boeing 717s
Alaska Air Group has just made a major announcement when it comes to the future of Hawaiian Airlines’ inter-island service. Specifically, starting in 2028, Hawaiian will be taking over some Alaska Boeing 737-800s, and using them to replace Boeing 717s. This isn’t a surprising outcome, though it could’ve (in theory)...
Points Miles and Bling
Amex Canada Adds Accor ALL Transfer Partner with 2:1 ratio, and Accor Gold Status
Starting tomorrow, July 22, 2026, American Express Canada will add ALL Accor Live Limitless (ALL) as a new transfer partner.…
2PAXfly
ALTURA AIRLINES: Majority Indigenous-owned carrier launches from Perth
Australia has another airline name in its skies. You won’t find Altura Airlines appearing beside Qantas or Virgin Australia when searching for your next Perth flight. The new majority Indigenous-owned carrier commenced operations from Perth on Tuesday, 21 July 2026. Its initial focus is charter flying for mining, energy, infrastructure...
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
JetBlue in Meltdown as Beleagured Carrier Grounds All Flights to New York JFK Due to Widespread Thunderstorms Across the Northeast
Beleagured airline JetBlue is grounding all flights due to arrive at New York JFK for the remainder of Tuesday as widespread thunderstorms cause havoc across the Northeast, leading to FAA-mandated ground stops in Baltimore, Boston, Newark, New York, and Washington Dulles and Washington National airports. According to flight tracking service...
View from the Wing
Trump Says U.S. Airlines Can Fly To Lebanon Again — Now Find One Willing To Do It
Trump says U.S. airlines can fly nonstop to Lebanon again, but lifting the old ban is only the first step. Safety warnings, weak demand, insurance, pilots, and airline economics all make Beirut a very unlikely U.S. carrier route.
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Visiting the Location Where World War I Started
Visiting the location where World War I started was something that I never thought about doing — but I found that one incident triggered a series of incidents in a complicated conflict to be fascinating. The incident that ultimately led to World War I occurred...
Frequent Miler
Get a room for 8 people in Moab, UT for less than $150 at this Hilton property
Late last year, Hilton launched what was—at the time—their 25th brand: Outset Collection. Hilton markets this brand as being “designed for guests looking for soulful, independent hotel experiences.” To be honest, I’d forgotten about the brand until I noticed it among the logos of Hilton’s various brands the other week....
Frequent Miler
Greg’s choice: saving points from a Wells Fargo shutdown | Coffee Break Ep115 | 7-21-26
Greg’s been thinking through how to handle the recent shutdown of his Wells Fargo checking account. Worried the shutdown would eventually impact his credit cards, he had to make a decision about where to transfer his points… Greg’s choice: saving points from a Wells Fargo shutdown Watch the full episode...
Your Mileage May Vary
Their Upgraded Seat Was Missing A Back Cushion. Then United Stepped In.
Scoring a last-minute upgrade is usually a great way to start a flight—especially when you’re headed on a long-haul route. So imagine the surprise of one United passenger whose upgraded…
Frequent Miler
Get $100 back on $1K+ spend with Air Canada Chase Offer (should work with Aeroplan award taxes & fees)
There’s a seemingly widely targeted Air Canada Chase Offer that’s giving a $100 statement credit when spending $1,000 or more. In addition to being useful for cash flights, this should work when booking Aeroplan awards too if there are extremely high taxes and fees. The Deal Spend $1,000+ in a...
View from the Wing
United Flight Attendants Built A Black Market Selling The Best Trips — Now They’re Getting Fired
United is reportedly firing more flight attendants accused of trip brokering: senior crew grabbing desirable international pairings and transferring them to junior employees for cash, gifts, or other off-the-books benefits.
BoardingArea
Review: American Airlines Admirals Club – Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Terminal D
Nice breakfast buffet – and a bagel bar station! The summary American Airline’s traditional Admirals Club at Terminal D of American’s DFW mega-hub is located near gate D 23 and shares an entry with the more elevated American Flagship Lounge.  The entry desk on the gate concourse level is rather...
Miles To Memories
Delta’s Basic BS First Class, a Headrest That Saves Economy & New Partnerships Galore!
United's new seat, Emirates revolutionizes economy and new travel partnerships galore!
View from the Wing
Virgin Atlantic Canceled A Reader’s Business Class Award Over A Missing Middle Name — Then Paid To Fix It
Virgin Atlantic canceled a confirmed LATAM business class award over a missing middle name, then couldn’t restore the partner award space. After review, the airline agreed to reimburse the passenger for a replacement ticket.
Points With a Crew
Kickstarter: Vytasync Smart Air Pillow (Back By Thursday)
The Vytasync smart air pillow provides adaptive air support that eases neck and shoulder tension. It's on Kickstarter, but only for a few more ...
Your Mileage May Vary
United Didn’t Provide The Seat We Paid For—So Why Wasn’t It Refunded?
When United rebooked us after our flight to Frankfurt went mechanical, it automatically refunded the Economy Plus seat we lost. But another seat charge quietly remained. Before our original flight…
Frequent Miler
Many Delta promos: 2X miles on flights, 4X on hotels, up to 5X on Gift cards, 2K for Airbnb, & up to 16X on Hertz rentals,
Delta is running several new promotions at the moment that can earn you bonus SkyMiles for flights, hotels, Airbnb Experiences or Services, Hertz rentals, and gift card purchases. The Deals Earn 2X miles on Delta Main Classic or Extra flights Direct link to registration Direct link to Beyond The Summer...
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
United Airlines Terminating Flight Attendants For Selling Coveted International Trips to Junior Crew Members
United Airlines is once again targeting flight attendants who it thinks are using their seniority to bid for trips to coveted international destinations without any intention of working the flights, and selling them to junior coworkers who would otherwise be stuck on reserve or working domestic trips. In the last...
Miles To Memories
Up To 50% Select Groceries With Amazon Offer (Targeted)
There is a new 50% Off Groceries Amazon Offer that could save you some money on your next grocery delivery or pick up order.
Points Miles and Bling
Air Canada Introduces New Bedding and Amenity Kits on International Flights
Air Canada is rolling out a new collection of bedding and in-flight amenities across its international network, with updated products…
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Earn Up to 2,000 Bonus SkyMiles by Shopping for Back to School
Effective through Monday, August 10, 2026 at 11:59:59 in the evening Eastern Daylight Time, you can earn up to 2,000 bonus Delta Air Lines SkyMiles — in addition to the standard SkyMiles earned — during the Back to School Bonus campaign at the SkyMiles Shopping portal by spending the following...
View from the Wing
United Passenger Races From The Back To Be First Off The Plane — ‘World’s Best Deplaner’
A United passenger made it from well back in coach to the forward door in about 29 seconds, weaving past travelers and calling it a “flawless deboard.”
Wild About Travel
Why Working From Cafés Around the World Reveals So Much About Culture
I just spent two hours in a café in Đà Nẵng, Vietnam, and ended up observing how differently cafés work here compared to other places. People were happily shouting to each other across the room, kids running and dancing and playing games or videos on their phones. One group took...
2PAXfly
WEEKLY REVIEW: Sunday 19 July, 2026
Hello travellers, Greetings from Adelaide! I’m here visiting family and friends. It’s the second of two short domestic trips this week. The previous one was to Canberra to view the Arthur Boyd tapestries at the National Gallery of Australia, where I also sampled the Virgin Australia Lounge. What happened last...
2PAXfly
CATHAY PACIFIC: Adelaide to Hong Kong flights return for summer
Cathay Pacific will return to Adelaide for another Southern Hemisphere summer season, this time offering up to five weekly non-stop flights to Hong Kong during the busiest holiday months. The service will operate from 10 November 2026 until 27 March 2027. There will be three flights each week during November...
2PAXfly
LOUNGE REVIEW: Canberra Virgin Australia Lounge
I just had my first experience of the Canberra Virgin Australia Lounge. Yesterday, I spent time in Canberra seeing the Arthur Boyd tapestries at the National Gallery of Australia and the John Brack and Noel McKenna exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery. I had one of those lingering credits with...
2PAXfly
UNITED AIRLINES: WTF! Adds European Business class rows to 321XLRs
Oddly, that is not how United Airlines is promoting this ‘innovation’. They are adding the curse of European Business Class blocked-off centre seats. British Airways call this arrangement ‘Club Europe’. United is promoting it as ‘Economy Plus Seats with Extra Elbow Room. They should hang their heads in shame! A321XLR...
2PAXfly
AIR NEW ZEALAND: B777s are getting new business class suites, better than on new Dreamliners
Air New Zealand has revealed the replacement for the ageing Business Premier seats on its Boeing 777-300ERs. These older aircraft may end up with an off-the-shelf business class seat that many travellers will prefer to the bespoke product installed on its newer Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. From 2027, Air New Zealand’s...
2PAXfly
SYDNEY AIRPORT: Pay AU$20 to skip the international security queue
Passengers departing from the T1 International Terminal can now pay AU$20 per person for access to a priority queue at the main security checkpoint, regardless of airline, travel class, or Frequent Flyer status. The new SYD Fast Track service effectively opens Sydney Airport’s existing Priority Entry pathway to any international...
2PAXfly
LOUNGE REVIEW: Qantas First check-in and Lounge, Sydney
This is the second instalment of my Oh Canada! Trip Report. I’m lucky that many of my international trips start at Sydney Airport at the Qantas First Check-in facility. And that is closely followed by a visit to the Qantas First Lounge. That was the case this day, with my...