I fly to Nashville every month, sometimes more. There has typically been a direct Southwest flight every morning for years. Sometimes it leaves at 7am, sometimes 630, for a brief heavenly time it left at 830. I always thought it was the perfect time to get you there for the majority of the work day,…
Planes
Airlines to start offering wifi on overseas flights
According to NBC News (by way of AP) the big three US airlines-Delta, American, and United- are going to start offering wifi on international flights. They already offer it on many domestic flights, but starting in early 2013 will also have it on overseas flights. One of my coworkers is not excited—she says these are…
Answering Readers’ Questions: Carry-on Baggage on Lufthansa
From Reader M: On Lufthansa economy out of London Heathrow, I can take one checked suitcase and one carry-on. The rules shown on Lufthansa’s web site mention only the carry-on–nothing about additional item such as a purse or lap top bag. They must, surely, allow such things, but the website doesn’t say, and I can’t get…
Let’s discuss: Airline status and maternity leave
For the last six years, I have been Platinum on American. The first year at my job I did the challenge (free back then—those were the days!) and achieved Platinum in six weeks. I’ve maintained it since, some years due to segments and others due to points. This year I had to stop flying in…
What happened in September 2011 and 2010?
Hard to believe it’s already been a year! Talk about time flying. This time last year I was planning a trip to Manila and getting ready for Blog World. Fun times! One year ago: I shared my Top Five Travel Necessities for Airplanes, Hotels, and Grooming. A friend reminded people how important it is to…
Answering Readers’ Questions: Where does the personal item go?
Here is a recent email from a reader: I have my first day trip coming up in a few weeks. Since I’m not spending the night anywhere, I’ll only be bringing my laptop bag. Where should I put it while I’m on the plane? It’s technically a personal item, so does that mean it should…
Are Elites Losing Perks?
There’s a recent article from the New York Times titled “Have Elite Fliers Been Downgraded?” Even before reading the article, just seeing the title had me nodding my head. Yes, absolutely yes, in my experience, the elite experience is being diluted regularly. The article states because there are more Elites, perks previously available only to…
Airlines Consider Charging for Oversized Carry-on Bags
According to a recent article on MSNBC, major airlines are considering charging for oversized carry-on bags. The idea would be to discourage passengers from bringing bags onto the plane that won’t fit in the overhead bin, with the fee around $25. Alaska Airlines is already doing this. (Pictured: Overpacking, courtesy of the Home Warrior.) The…
The Bulkhead Experience
If you fly with any regularity, you know that when you sit at the front of the cabin in the bulkhead, there is no place to put your bags. You can have your stuff during the flight, but it needs to go up in the overhead bins for takeoff and landing. In my experience, there…
Sell me your airline
I have been flying American for years. The flights are convenient, the points program has been decent, and my company prefers them. In years past, I would get upgraded more often than not, have direct flights, could easily fly standby, and redeem points for vacations on a regular basis. But for the past six to…
