2PAXfly
LATAM: 50 injured when flight ‘drops’ between Sydney and Auckland
The pilot of a LATAM flight between Sydney and Auckland told passengers that the plane “dropped out of the sky”. About two hours into the flight, all the cockpit gauges went blank. Fifty unsecured passengers and crew collided with the ceiling, damaging panels. Others dropped heavily, sustaining many minor injuries....
2PAXfly
LOUNGE REVIEW: Revisiting the Sydney Qantas First Lounge
The focus of this trip report will be my stay at The George and the return flight in First Class on the Emirates A380 from Christchurch, New Zealand. But I thought it would be worthwhile recounting some of the experience with Qantas of getting to New Zealand. Introduction My flight...
2PAXfly
FIJI AIRWAYS: to become a full member of OneWorld
If you have never travelled on Fiji Airways, you should. That Pacific Islander hospitality is hard to beat. In 2018, Fiji Airways was the first and only OneWorld Connect partner. The concept didn’t really seem to catch on. Now, thanks to ET, we know that OneWorld will effectively abandon the...
2PAXfly
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: Starts airline pet sky wars
Oh dear, it looks like Virgin Australi has started the small-animals-in-cabins pet wars for Australian Airlines by announcing that it intends to be the first airline to offer pets onboard transport. I think today must be a slow news day, or Virgin Australia wants to capitalise on the current bad...
Also on BoardingArea
Frequent Miler
Which award search tool is best?
This post has been largely re-written since last publication. I’ve added new tools, separated free tools from paid tools, and changed how I summarize each tool’s loyalty program coverage. For the latter, rather than simply listing the total number of covered programs, I now spell out which US programs and...
The Gate with Brian Cohen
5 Reasons Why All Toll Agencies Should Accept Credit Cards
The proceeds from the collection of money from tolls are used to supplement the costs of maintaining highways, bridges, and tunnels. Fewer toll agencies are accepting cash as they abandon that form of payment in favor of electronic tolls. 5 reasons why all toll agencies should accept credit cards are...
The Bulkhead Seat
Boeing Whistleblower Found Dead in Apparent Suicide
A 62-year-old, former Boeing employee who raised concerns around production standards was found dead… The post Boeing Whistleblower Found Dead in Apparent Suicide appeared first on The Bulkhead Seat.
2PAXfly
LATAM: 50 injured when flight ‘drops’ between Sydney and Auckland
The pilot of a LATAM flight between Sydney and Auckland told passengers that the plane “dropped out of the sky”. About two hours into the flight, all the cockpit gauges went blank. Fifty unsecured passengers and crew collided with the ceiling, damaging panels. Others dropped heavily, sustaining many minor injuries....
Frequent Miler
Direct link to 200K Business Platinum offer without lifetime language [YMMV]
Update 3/11/24: We’ve received several recemt DP’s of folks being able to successfully apply for this 200K offer that weren’t able to previously. It still does appear to be targeted, and you have to log-in order to apply, but it seems like it might be open to a new round...
Frequent Flyer Bonuses
IHG Flash Offer: 3x points + 25% off stays in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific
IHG has a new flash sale offering triple points and up to 25% off stays at their hotels in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. This offer is available for bookings made by 11am AEDT on March 14 for stays until July 31, 2024. Click here for more details...
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
Witnesses Describe Horrific Scene With ‘Blood Everywhere’ as Man Repeatedly Stabs Seatmate With Homemade Shank On Alaska Airlines Flight to Las Vegas
A passenger on an Alaska Airlines flight from Seattle to Las Vegas repeatedly stabbed his seatmate in the face with a homemade shank in a horrific attempt to kill him, according to recently released court documents. Julio Alvarez Lopez has been indicted with assault with a dangerous weapon following a...
Your Mileage May Vary
There’s Value In Qantas’ Frequent Flyer Program Once You Know Where To Look
We’ve only been on two Qantas flights during our trip to Australia with Adventures by Disney in 2014. I didn’t have a Qantas account at the time. However, I did…
Frequent Miler
New Alaska Award Charts Are Going Live…Slowly
Update 3/11/24: Alaska’s new award charts are starting to go live today and will be completely implemented by 3/31/24. This week, new award pricing between the United States and Africa/Europe will begin, with the remaining regions coming onboard during the last half of March.  (h/t: OMAAT) ~~~ Alaska Mileage Plan...
{Tech} for Travel
British Airways App and Website Finally Get Some Love
It feels like we've waited forever for this news, but a new British Airways App and website are on the way as part of BA's £7bn modernisation plan. The post British Airways App and Website Finally Get Some Love appeared first on {Tech} for Travel.
View from the Wing
Man Buys $65 Million Skyscraper With A Credit Card, Earns $1.3 Million
At 2 transferrable points per dollar, $65 million would translate to 130,000,000 points. Continue reading Man Buys $65 Million Skyscraper With A Credit Card, Earns $1.3 Million...
Frequent Miler
Office Depot/OfficeMax: Buy $300+ Mastercard Gift Cards, Save $15
Office Depot and OfficeMax stores have returned with its profitable gift card deal on Mastercard gift cards through 3/16/24. The Deal Buy $300+ Mastercard gift cards at Office Depot/OfficeMax & get $15 off instantly. Key Terms Valid March 10-16, 2024. Limit 10 per household/business (different stores may try to impose...
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
Scandinavian Airlines SAS Pens Deal With Norwegian Armed Forces to Turn Passenger Planes into ‘Flying Hospitals’ in the Event of War
Scandinavian airline SAS has reached a new deal with the Norwegian Armed Forces for ‘strategic air evacuation’, which would see the carrier quickly convert one of its Airbus A320neo aircraft from a normal passenger plane into a flying hospital in the event of a major catastrophe or the outbreak of...
Points With a Crew
Should you buy Hilton points with (up to) a 100% bonus? (Buy before Tuesday)
Buying points can be a great way to boost your balance, but only if makes sense financially! Does the new Hilton promotion fit that criteria?
Your Mileage May Vary
Things Locals Wish Tourists Knew When They Visit
Wherever you go, you’re going to encounter social norms that are specific to that particular place. Sometimes they’re big things, like how blowing your nose in public in Japan is…
The Bulkhead Seat
Another United Flight Forced to Divert Over Mechanical Issue in Sydney
United Airlines has been making lots of news lately and most of it has… The post Another United Flight Forced to Divert Over Mechanical Issue in Sydney appeared first on The Bulkhead Seat.
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
Lufthansa Flight From Frankfurt Forced to Make Emergency Diversion After Smoking Coffee Machine Fills Cabin With Fumes
A Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt to Gothenburg, Sweden, was forced to make an emergency diversion on Saturday afternoon when the cabin started to fill with smoke from a coffee machine at the front of the plane that had overheated. Lufthansa flight LH818 was being operated by a 27-year-old Airbus A319,...
Frequent Miler
Point.me and Amex partner to allow access to cardholders
Point.me and American Express have launched a new partnership whereby Amex cardholders can now go to point.me/amex and log in with their existing American Express login to access a version of Point.me that is tailored to Amex’s transfer partners. Unfortunately, at the moment, they appear to be experiencing a technical...
Fly & Dine
Hyatt Regency Long Beach Wins for Families
As a parent, you’ll do anything to make your kid’s birthday special. I was shocked, however, to see just how far the Hyatt Regency Long Beach went to make my son’s birthday stay at their property a massive success. For my son’s 4th birthday this year, we gave him a...
Miles To Memories
American Express Partners with Point.me for Award Flight Searches
Today, point.me, a popular travel award search platform, has announced a new partnership with American Express. The post American Express Partners with Point.me for Award Flight Searches appeared first on Miles to Memories.
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Choice Hotels Abandons Hostile Takeover of Wyndham
Choice Hotels abandons its attempted hostile takeover of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Incorporated, as the exchange offer to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of Wyndham expired on Friday, March 8, 2024. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Incorporated rejected an unsolicited takeover bid by Choice Hotels International, Incorporated on... The post...
Live and Let’s Fly
Wow: Another United Airlines Mechanical Incident, This Time A Boeing 777-300ER Diversion In Australia
Last week was simply horrible for United Airlines, with multiple mechanical issues that raised questions about the carrier and its maintenance and also raised safety concerns about Boeing. Today, another incident occurred, this time involving a diversion of a Boeing 777-300ER in Sydney, Australia. United Airlines 777-3ooER Diversion To Sydney...
The Bulkhead Seat
Choice Hotels is Abandoning Its Wyndham Takeover Attempt
In October, I wrote about Choice Hotels initiating a hostile takeover. Choice Hotels International… The post Choice Hotels is Abandoning Its Wyndham Takeover Attempt appeared first on The Bulkhead Seat.
View from the Wing
Navigating Rental Car Scams: Strip Mall Guy’s Battle with Avis Over Unfair Charges
When he rented the car he "noticed a huge dent." So he did what many advise and took a photo, and also pointed it out to the rental company staffer. "[H]e noted it." Also what you're supposed to do! Yet a few weeks after the rental, he received...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: More short-haul international flights for Brisbane
Brisbane will now host direct flights with Qantas on short-haul internationl flights to the capital of New Zealand, Wellington, and to Apia, the capital of pacific independent state, Samoa. Flights will commence late in October this year, operating larger aircraft more frequently to these destinations. Wellington, New Zealand The Wellington/Brisbane...
2PAXfly
MARRIOTT: New Adelaide hotel scheduled to open mid 2024
As regular readers will know, I frequent Adelaide, the capital city of the state of South Australia, to visit friends and family. Because of that, I try to keep up to date on hotel openings in the city. Over the last few years, IHG has opened an Indigo, a Crown...
2PAXfly
TURKISH AIRLINES: Touches down in Melbourne for first time tonight (Saturday 2 March 2024)
Turkish Airlines light TK168, which departed Istanbul on Friday, is scheduled to land at Tullamarine Airport tonight at 8:40 pm. You can read about the route in more detail in a previous post. This will be the airline’s first flight to Australia. Unfortunately, this will be conducted using a less...
2PAXfly
JETSTAR: New uniforms after 20 years of operation.
Jetstar chose designer Genevieve Smart of Ginger and Smart, to work with its staff on designing the new uniform range. The new clobber will be worn by some 5,000 of the airline’s customer-facing staff in Australia, and offshoots in New Zealand, Japan and Singapore. Expect to see the uniforms from...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Singapore First Lounge – WOW! First impressions
Returning from my recent trip to Singapore and Malaysia, I had the fantastic pleasure of spending a few hours in the Qantas Singapore First Lounge at Changi Terminal 1. OK, this is only my third Qantas First Lounge, a title reserved for the airline’s top international lounges. (I’m ignoring the...
Wild About Travel
Maximising Qantas Double Status Credit deal to my Benefit
Being an Aussie based flyer, almost one-third of my 1585 flights have been with the Australian carrier, Qantas. In addition I have flown every current and past One World carrier! This volume of flights means that I have achieved Qantas Gold for Life status (equivalent to One World Sapphire) in...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: More delays to Project Sunrise non-stop flights to the USA and Europe
This project has been talked about for a very loooong time. Since 2017 at least. Back in 2019, Qantas ran nearly empty flights to New York and London as a proof of concept. They even ran a health and wellness research project linked to the ultra-long-haul flights back in October...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Changes to frequent flyer scheme from April 2024
Qantas is set to make ‘improvements’ to the frequent flyer scheme. This includes a new ‘flight reward product’ to meet the need for more reward seat availability at popular times of travel. This product will be available to book closer to the departure date. ET is reporting on a briefing...