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...
2PAXfly
WEEKLY REVIEW: Sunday 14 June, 2026
Greetings from Canada (I’m still here)! I’ve actually spanned the continent and just spent some delightful days enduring the cold of Newfoundland. I’ve also seen puffins at Gull Island and whales out of Bay Bulls Harbour. Both of which were wonderful experiences. Arrival at Montreal, not so much, but they...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: introduces confirmed upgrades with cash
Qantas has added a new way to upgrade your seat that takes the element of chance out. Confirmed Upgrades is a fixed-price cash upgrade offer for selected passengers on selected Qantas flights, with confirmation (or not) within half a day. This becomes the third form of upgrade you can use...
2PAXfly
WESTERN SYDNEY AIRPORT: Finally an opening date, and Jetstar gets first dibs
Western Sydney International Airport will welcome its first paying passengers on Sunday, 25 October 2026, with Jetstar being the first commercial passenger carrier off the tarmac. The inaugural flight from Western Sydney International, officially the Nancy-Bird Walton Airport and known by the code WSI, will be a Jetstar flight, JQ362,...
Also on BoardingArea
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
Flight Attendant Made to Wear Surgical Face Mask and Gloves Because Manager Didn’t Like the Color of Her Makeup
A flight attendant has revealed how she was made to wear a surgical face mask and latex gloves for the duration of her long working day aboard the aircraft because her manager didn’t like the color of the lipstick and nail varnish she was wearing. Taking to the popular social...
View from the Wing
Why U.S. Airlines Stopped Selling Flight Attendant Sex Appeal, While Asian Carriers Still Police Age, Weight, And Looks
U.S. airlines once sold sex appeal through young, thin, unmarried flight attendants, but deregulation, civil-rights law, and union seniority ended that model. Yet this hasn't taken hold everywhere, as some Asian carriers still use age, weight, grooming, and appearance rules as part of cabin crew branding.
Frequent Miler
Office Depot/OfficeMax: Buy $300+ Visa Gift Cards, Save $15
Office Depot and OfficeMax stores have returned with their profitable gift card deal on Visa gift cards through June 20, 2026. The Deal Buy $300+ Visa gift cards at Office Depot/OfficeMax & get $15 off instantly. Key Terms Valid June 14, 2026 – June 20, 2026. Limit 10 per household/business...
One Mile at a Time
Review: Royal Jordanian Crown Lounge Amman Airport (AMM)
During my two-part birthday trip to the Golden Triangle, I had an extended layover at Amman Queen Alia International Airport (AMM), between two Royal Jordanian flights. I was arriving from Bangkok (BKK) in Royal Jordanian’s Boeing 787-8 business class, and departing to Frankfurt nearly six hours later, in Royal Jordanian’s...
The Bulkhead Seat
Star Alliance Updates Lounge Access Rules, Officially Excludes United Polaris® Lounges
Star Alliance has quietly updated its alliance-wide lounge access policy, clarifying access rules for…
Frequent Flyer Bonuses
The best hotel bonus points promotions – June 2026
Here is your monthly update of all the major hotel bonus points promotions that are available. One of the easiest ways to rack up lots of hotel points is to take advantage of these global/systemwide/regional bonuses that come from many of the big chain programs and also from the lesser...
Travel Codex
American Airlines “Elevates” Lounge Dining By Playing Catch Up
American Airlines is back with another round of lounge “enhancements,” this time promising to take dining “to new heights” across its Flagship Lounges and Admirals Clubs. If you read the press release, you’d think AA just reinvented the pre-flight meal. Yet lets me be real, they are just playing catch...
The Bulkhead Seat
Rodent at 30,000 Feet: The Only JetBlue Passenger Who Didn’t Need a Boarding Pass
Most JetBlue passengers expect a comfortable space and complimentary snacks in Mint. What they…
Live and Let’s Fly
Hilton Raised Award Prices And Said Nothing
Hilton raised award rates at mid-tier hotels overnight with no announcement, the latest in a run of quiet devaluations. Your points now buy less.
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
European Pop Icon INNA Has Released a Wizz Air-themed song… It’s Actually Quite Catchy
European pop icon INNA, best known for her 2008 smash hit ‘Hot’, has released a Wizz Air-themed song as part of a collab with the Hungary-based low-cost airline. The 39-year-old singer, born Elena Alexandra Apostoleanu, released the “feel-good summer anthem” Wizz Away on June 12, with the accompanying music video,...
One Mile at a Time
Transfer Citi ThankYou Points To Accor Live Limitless (ALL) With 50% Bonus: Worth It?
We’ve just seen a transfer bonus introduced from Citi ThankYou to Accor Live Limitless, and it has the potential to be a very good deal. We saw a similar promotion last summer, so it’s nice to see this return.
Miles To Memories
Stay at One of 33 New Hyatt Hotels, Get 500 Bonus Points per Night
Did you know you can earn 500 Bonus Points at New Hyatt Hotels. We share the complete list of eligible hotels, which is always changing.
View from the Wing
United Flight Attendant Stops Boarding Twice To Make Coach Passengers Move Bags From First Class Bins
A United Flight Attendant stopped boarding twice after coach passengers put their bags in first class overhead bins despite empty space above their own seats. It's the first time I've ever seen the etiquette of scarce bin space and premium cabin signs actually enforced.
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Two Chairs in Oshawa in Canada. Sunday Morning Photograph.
In the large lobby area that contained many places to sit at the Spark by Hilton Montreal Midtown hotel property was an isolated area by the window where two lone rocking chairs rested on a green rug with a small round table between them. For some reason, this otherwise ordinary photograph...
Points With a Crew
Kickstarter: EnergyLink Gen 2 Titanium Apple Watch Charger (Back By Monday)
The EnergyLink Gen2 is a drastic improvement over the previous version, giving you a magnetic wireless watch band that keeps your watch powered at all time. It's on Kickstarter, but only for a few more ...
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
What Were They Thinking? TSA Discovers Replica Pipe Bomb in Passenger’s Carry-On Luggage
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) stopped a passenger from taking a replica pipe bomb on an airplane earlier this week after the person packed the “realistic” looking replica in their carry-on bag at the Rickenbacker International Airport in Columbus on June 8. As the carry-on bag went through the X-ray...
One Mile at a Time
Clueless American Vlogger Vows To Boycott “Third World” Spain Over Volotea Boarding Pass Fee
It’s really sad when I’m siding with an ultra low cost carrier that has a bunch of punitive fees over a traveler, but that’s exactly how I feel here. I don’t get why people can’t understand that laws and social norms differ around the globe… especially from an experienced traveler...
View from the Wing
Airlines Aren’t Ignoring A Faster Way To Board Planes. They’ve Tested It, And It Fails
Airlines have tested the internet’s favorite “faster” airplane boarding methods, but they break down in the real world. Families, late arrivals, overhead bin battles, credit card economics, and passengers getting back into the aisle all ruin the math.
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
JetBlue Passenger Captures Video of Rodent Stowaway Scurrying Inside Light Bar in Overhead Bin
A JetBlue passenger was in for a nasty surprise during a recent flight when she looked up to see the shadow of a rat scurrying inside the light fixture running along the bottom of the overhead bin. “You can’t make this s**t up! Our first class [flight] with JetBlue had a rat....
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...
Live and Let’s Fly
Saudi Arabia Blinked On Its Giga-Tourism Projects
Saudi Arabia is pulling back government money from NEOM and its Red Sea resorts, redirecting Vision 2030 toward AI. The tourism moonshot is being scaled down.
One Mile at a Time
Eek: Rat Hitches Ride In JetBlue Mint, Puts On Show In Overhead Lighting
While this is no doubt an unpleasant discovery, stuff like this does happen…
One Mile at a Time
Kudos: United MileagePlus’ Miles Pooling Feature Gets Even Better
In 2024, the United MileagePlus program introduced a great feature, letting members pool their miles. This initially came with some major restrictions, and we’ve just seen the most limiting of those lifted. That’s something to be excited about.
One Mile at a Time
Uh Oh: Amex Resy Credit Changes Coming To Gold & Platinum Card?
This could be a major devaluation, or it could have limited implications… we’ll find out soon.
Wild About Travel
draft Kalogorlei ourback tnwn
I almost came to Kalgoorlie decades ago but never made it. I have travelled across Western Australia’s 2,527,013 square kilometres (975,685 sq mi), from Esperance in the south to Wyndham in the north, and through many towns, beaches, deserts, and mountain ranges in between. I love the state. Kalgoorlie remained...
2PAXfly
RIYADH AIR: New aviation deal with Saudi Arabia puts passennger flight on Australia’s horizon
Saudi Arabia has signed a new aviation agreement with Australia, opening the way for direct flights into Avalon in Victoria and Toowoomba Wellcamp in Queensland. The first flights are likely to be freight, chilled meat, seafood and dairy and not business class suites. But this raises the possiblity that Riyadh...
2PAXfly
RIYADH AIR: Initial destinations and flight schedule
We finally have the launch schedules and first five destinations for the long-awaited launch of Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Air. Launch pricing is intriguing rather than sensational, but at least any travellers on these flights will get the full Riyadh experience in Riyadh Air’s fully kitted-out cabins. But don’t expect an...
2PAXfly
INDONESIA: Bali giveth to Australians, and taketh away from influencers
Bali is preparing to make holidays cheaper for Australians by restoring visa-free entry. At the same time, Indonesian immigration authorities are making life more complicated for influencers, content creators and assorted digital nomads by requiring them to obtain work visas. No longer will they be able to treat a tourist...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Taj hotel discounts for frequent flyers, with future status match
OneWorld executives have been busy. Qantas frequent flyers can now receive discounts at more than 630 Taj and Indian Hotels Company properties, under a new partnership linking the Oneworld airline alliance with the Taj InnerCircle–NeuPass loyalty program. The agreement stretches beyond Taj’s grand palaces and luxury hotels to include everything...
2PAXfly
ONEWORLD: Philippine Airlines is joining, and that’s good news for Australian travellers
Philippine Airlines (PAL) is preparing to join the oneworld alliance, bringing a Southeast Asian carrier into the same airline family as Qantas. The Philippine flag carrier has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to become oneworld’s 16th member, following an invitation from the alliance’s governing board. The announcement was made at...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Looking at Superjumbo A380 replacement
Qantas is reportedly considering an order for about 20 additional widebody aircraft, potentially setting up another contest between Airbus and Boeing for a large slice of the airline’s international fleet. According to Reuters aviation correspondent Tim Hepher, Qantas is discussing either additional Boeing 787 Dreamliners or the Airbus A350-900 with...
2PAXfly
WEEKLY REVIEW: Sunday 7 June, 2027
Greetings again from Canada! I’ve spent just shy of a week in the Canadian capital, Ottawa. I’ve also had my first experience of Air Canada, and its Express and Rouge brands. I’m impressed on the whole with their Business Class. Less so by their lounges. What happened last week? Don’t...