Weekly Wanderlust: A Curated Collection of Must-Read Posts – May 2nd

by BoardingArea | May 2, 2024 | 0 Comments

1. Union Threatens Termination Of American Airlines Flight Attendants Who Refuse To Pitch Credit Cards

Last week the American Airlines flight attendants union reminded cabin crew at the airline that they aren’t allowed to strike or take other actions that hurt the company, unless first permitted by the government to do so. They even have to make the optional credit card announcements. At a minimum, they’re warned, that if they write on social media that they aren’t going to pitch the credit card they may be fired.

a woman holding a book and a box

2. Flight Attendant Banished Black Woman to Economy Class Lavatory for “Slamming” First Class Lavatory Door

A black woman and retired judge has claimed she was targeted for harassment by an American Airlines flight attendant for “slamming” the first class lavatory door.

a toilet in a bathroom

3. Cheat Code: Use Cargo Schedules to Find Widebody International Planes Flying Domestically in the USA

Did you know that you can fly in lie flat business class (or better premium economy, economy) seats when flying domestically in the US? These planes are often on the transcontinental (LA/SFO to New York, DC, Boston, or Miami) routes, but you’ll regularly see them repositioning for long haul flights between hubs.

a seats with monitors on the back

4. DFW Passenger Shoplifts a Wallet Before Attempting to Board Turkish Airlines Flight

In January, a Turkish Airlines passenger at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) was arrested while waiting to board his flight to Istanbul Airport (IST). He was caught on camera shoplifting a COACH wallet and his excuses once confronted by police are comical.

a man in a black hat with his hand on his chest

5. 2024 Travel Grievances – Are You With Me or Not?

Exploring ain’t all pretty, and my 2024 travel grievances are here to prove it. Have you experienced any of these people?

a woman with her arms raised in front of a car on fire

6. Dubai Unveil Plans to Transform Al Maktoum Int’l (DWC) to World’s Largest Airport

Dubai has unveiled a groundbreaking plan to transform Al Maktoum International Airport into the world’s largest airport with 260 million passengers yearly capacity, five parallel runways and 400 gates.

an aerial view of a large airport

7. Devaluation of Latitude Fares on Air Canada – Impact on Upgrades

Learn how the devaluation of Latitude fares negatively impacts upgrades to Signature Class for Air Canada frequent flyers!

a person sleeping in a plane

8. With One Simple Change, Southwest Airlines Will Deal Blow to Wheelchair Scammers, Unruly Passengers and Seat Savers

FBI agents complain that Southwest Airlines is frustrating to deal with in unruly passenger situations on aircraft because passengers can’t easily be identified by their seat assignment. Of course, there are two other huge advantages seat assignments will bring.

a group of people in wheelchairs

9. They’re Back: Credit Cards Made from Real 747 Planes! Here’s How You Can Get Yours!

A popular credit card promotion from a few years ago is back — with a brand new look!

a large airplane flying in the sky

10. Review: KLM Boeing 787-9 Business Class

Embark on a luxurious journey with the KLM Boeing 787-9 Business Class. Discover the comforts of lie-flat seats and attentive service in this comprehensive review.

a blue and white airplane on a tarmac

11. News We’ve Been Waiting For: Peloton and Hyatt Collaboration!

Get ready for the ultimate fitness experience on your next hotel stay with the exciting collaboration between Peloton and Hyatt. Stay fit while you travel with access to Peloton’s renowned workouts at select Hyatt properties.

a room with exercise bikes and a couch

12. A Disappointing Park Hyatt Stay

Not every Park Hyatt property is a winner. For surprising reasons, this one falls short.

a bridge over water with a city in the background
Weekly Top Posts
Also on BoardingArea
Live and Let’s Fly
Emirates Quietly Killed Its 615-Seat Cattle Car A380
Emirates' 615-seat A380 was the densest jet in commercial service. They just ripped out 46 seats. The premium economy math finally beat the yield math.
One Mile at a Time
How To Earn Bilt Points With Rakuten For Online Shopping, And Is It Worth It?
Rakuten is my favorite online shopping portal, and it lets you earn bonus rewards for purchases you make online. Historically, Rakuten has offered the ability to earn cash back or Amex Membership Rewards points for online shopping, with the latter being a more compelling option (at least for those good...
View from the Wing
VIDEO: Qantas Flight To Dallas Diverts To Tahiti After Passenger Bites Flight Attendant
A Qantas Boeing 787 flying from Melbourne to Dallas diverted to Tahiti after a disruptive passenger allegedly bit a flight attendant and had to be restrained with help from other passengers.
Frequent Miler
Last Chance Deals: Hyatt award chart changes, SAS & Turkish award sales, & 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. More than a dozen deals are ending this week, with one of the most notable things to be aware of is that Hyatt’s big devaluation will...
Points With a Crew
Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card – 3 Reasons It’s One Of The Best!
The Chase Ink Business Preferred is an incredible card with a sign up bonus easily worth over $1,000. And now it is even easier to get, because Chase has ...
2PAXfly
WEEKLY REVIEW: Sunday 17 May, 2026
Greetings from Adelaide. I’m here for one of my regular catch-ups with family. You will be pleased to know that after more than 10 days, the jet-lag-induced brain fog I have been suffering from seems to have abated. My cold also seems to be receding. So, I hope to return...
The Gate with Brian Cohen
What Is Wrong With This Photograph? Part 353
While I was waiting for the departure of my connecting flight to Siem Reap in Cambodia, I relaxed in a lounge at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Vietnam. I was thirsty; so I decided to get a drink. For this edition of this popular game, can you guess what...
The Bulkhead Seat
2026 Weekly Review: May 16th
Greetings from Tampa! I was in Chicago and Washington DC this week, but am…
Frequent Miler
Watch out for easy-to-forget debts! (A Carrie commentary)
I have been very gradually re-entering the miles and points game after a long stretch of years out of the loop. Today, I have an embarrassing story to share that I’d much rather keep to myself. But on this journey to re-enter the miles and points game (and even graduate...
Your Mileage May Vary
5 Tricks That Might Get Your Bags Out First At Baggage Claim
There are few airport experiences more frustrating than standing at baggage claim watching everyone else’s luggage arrive first. Especially when all you want to do is leave the airport already.…
Travel Codex
15% off Virgin Voyages for Western USA Residents
If you live in the Western United States and have been thinking of traveling with Virgin Voyages to Alaska, Mexico or even Europe you can now save up to 15% by living out west. Virgin Voyages is extending their reach to new clients and trying to attract more people to...
View from the Wing
ChatGPT, Grok And Other AI Travel Agents Picked $1,500 Sponsored Flights Over $500 Fares
Soon your AI may book your flights. The question is whether it will find the best fare for you — or the one that pays its creator, after researchers found models could be prompted to push $1,500 sponsored flights over $500 alternatives.
One Mile at a Time
Weekly Review: May 16, 2026
I hope everyone is having a nice weekend so far! I’m at home with family, and am working on finalizing our summer trip to Europe, which is both exciting and intimidating, with two kids in tow (*gulp*). It also looks like I’ll finally have the pleasure of flying with Ryanair,...
Your Mileage May Vary
Best Credit Cards For Grocery Store Purchases In 2026
Groceries are one of the biggest recurring expenses for most households, which makes supermarket spending one of the easiest places to earn meaningful rewards from your credit cards. While there…
Miles To Memories
Taking Inventory – All of Our Hotel Free Night Certs and Related Plans
We're bursting with hotel free night certs, which we generally consider a good problem. Here's how we're addressing it this year.
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
British Airways Flight Attendant On His Second Day at Work Activates Emergency Slide, Delays Flight by Six Hours
A brand new British Airways flight attendant on his second only flight accidentally activated an emergency evacuation slide on a Boeing 777-200, preparing for a transatlantic flight from London Heathrow to Washington Dulles on Saturday afternoon. The mistake would, perhaps, be forgivable if it weren’t for the fact that British...
Frequent Flyer Bonuses
Top 5 Flight Bonus Miles and Points Offers for May 2026
Here are our Top 5 Flight Bonus Mile/Point Offers for this month. This post is of course for bonuses for flying this month however many of these offers go beyond so don’t count them out for flights you need to book past this month. If none of the offers listed...
Frequent Flyer Bonuses
Top 5 Hotel Bonus Points offers for May 2026
Here are our Top Hotel Stay Bonuses for this month! These are for stays that you credit to a hotel frequent guest program. Many of these offers go beyond this month so don’t count them out for stays you’re booking past this month. If none of the offers listed below...
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Svörtuloft Lighthouse in Western Iceland
A bright orange concrete structure stood out amidst the mist of the angry Atlantic Ocean on a grey and cold morning on the westernmost point of the Snæfellnes Peninsula. It is the Svörtuloft lighthouse in western Iceland, atop the dark black lava cliff that is approximately...
Live and Let’s Fly
Review: Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge Taipei, Where The Garlic Bread Steals The Show
I really enjoyed my visit to the Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge in Taipei Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) and the reason can be summed up in two words: garlic bread. Actually, this lounge has a lot of excellent food and is worth a stop, especially if you are hungry. Here’s my...
One Mile at a Time
Croatia Airlines Airbus A220 Veers Off Runway At High Speed, Smashes Signs
I must say, this is some pretty dramatic footage, and kudos to the crew… I think?
View from the Wing
Flight Attendant Union Pushes Federal Mandate To Add Crew On Widebody Jets — FAA Says Staffing Isn’t The Safety Problem
AFA-CWA wants the government to force airlines to add flight attendants on widebody jets in the name of evacuation safety. But the FAA’s own data says evacuations are already safe, and risks involve passenger bags, communication, blocked exits, smoke, fire, and training — not too few flight attendants.
Frequent Flyer Bonuses
Top 5 Hotel Stay Bonuses for Airline Programs for May 2026
Here are our Top 5 Hotel Stay Bonus Airline Mile/Point offers for this month! This post is for bonuses that you credit to an airline frequent flyer program. Many of these offers go beyond this month so don’t count them out for stays you’re book past this month. If none...
Your Mileage May Vary
United 1K Member’s Airport “Petty Revenge” Story Has People Divided
Airports are stressful enough without passengers turning boarding into some sort of bizarre status competition. But according to one Reddit post, that’s exactly what happened before a recent United flight.…

Categories

Our Bloggers