I hear what you are saying. I don't expect people to be able to do what they want. I am also not supporting intentionally making a mess just because you don't have to clean it up. I am just looking at the picture. If I am a passenger on that plane on that plane, and those two kids specifically the two year old are maintain that behavior and the only issue is the popcorn I see on the ground? I am positive that there were one hundred things more bothersome that happened on that flight than the popcorn I see on the ground. Let's put it this way, I don't remember seeing flight attendants had adult passengers rags and some spray bottles when they have accidents after having one too many drinks in the Sky Club before the flight. Combine that with the other guy's antics and I really don't understand what we keep insisting on bringing more kids into the world to bother the collective us so much.

I feel guilty when I leave trash in the seat pockets.

I would love to do a mini-version like this (couldn't handle 3 years).

Why I signed up to live on a cruise ship for three years | CNN
If it's $30K a year for the cheapest room, then guessing maybe $45K a year for a room with a window & balcony. Can't handle a "virtual inside" room, would need a window.

I think her assessment of covid measures is wishful thinking. Probably significantly increases her risk.

PSA to potheads. Don't try it in Singapore, go to Thailand instead.

Last time I flew into Singapore, they made an announcement before landing about drugs and the death penalty. I could just hear the toilets flushing.

This guy was a Singaporean national. I suspect US and European smugglers will get off easier.

While I personally think a zero-tolerance-for-drugs policy is stupid and counterproductive, and the penalties there are over-the-top, it's not as if the Singaporeans are wishy-washy or unclear about enforcement.

Hanging. I guess better than beheading.

I wonder how come they don't try more "humane" methods.

probably a further deterrent.

Can we put people to death who rush to the front to deplane for no other reason than to be a dick?

Happened with a group on our last flight. We got in around midnight, you literally have nowhere to be. Then I saw them waiting at baggage... you literally gained no benefit other than to be annoying.

I always jump out of my seat and block those people. Fuck em

I'm calling BS on this. I cannot imagine a scenario where vast majority would be comfortable flying in a 1 pilot Airbus, augmented by AI.

I can envision where FedEx, UPS etc. freight planes are eventually flown by 1 pilot for manageable distances (e.g. Memphis to Atlanta in 2 hours), but not passenger planes.

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/02/one-...dent-says.html
Definitely harness AI but don't think this guy knows much about inevitable bugs, hacking etc.

There is literally zero chance I am ever getting on a plane with one pilot.

Need to know the details on the proposal but probably a good step in the right direction. Whenever I've had a flight cancelled or delayed, I have gotten hotel rooms or a food voucher, my flights have been rescheduled etc.

I can see where airlines can do more. Assistance when missing a connecting flight on a different airline, driving home and mileage if a flight has been cancelled till the next day, provide better snack besides fruit bars & water bottles, charged a night at destination because of the delay etc.

Biden wants airlines to give you miles, vouchers or even cash if they strand you

Given the choice between hanging and a beheading, I'd take option 2. It's quicker.

Uh no. If I had to pick between the 2, probably hanging. Check out below, all of it is good but relevant section is about 5:40+.

About 30 secs while your head is rolling around while still "conscious".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Hm9jjAJnsE

Interesting metrics. In addition to %, they need to have # of delays/cancellations by year.

Airlines, FAA, weather? Data shows fault for delayed, canceled flights.

So in other words, nothing has really changed except a couple of highly publicized, poorly timed airline issues. Not saying as a customer I don't want more protections, but these numbers are strikingly static over the past 5 years aside from Covid-related cancellations (I assume) and winter 2023 weather (which I assume will smooth out for all of 2023 over time).

Another way to read that is that the system has reached maximum efficiency and without some real investment in the infrastructure from the government, it's not likely to change more. The last major airport was built in the US 30 years ago. We're only now implementing things that could have been available to us 20 years ago. There's been so little investment on the public side that there's a limit to how things can actually operate.

The other metric would be to take these numbers as a function of passenger flow. And do you see substantial changes in various delays based on traffic.

There's a guy who looks suspiciously like Dennis Rader boarding my plane. Is this one of those "see something say something" situations?

Also I think his backpack is engraved BTK but I can't be 100% sure. Does that help?

Welp, this would have made me crap in my pants. I'll be paying more attention now as we are landing (and take off). I'd like to think that I'll rush towards the incident and help out.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-65705276

Been reading some tiktok post about wearing a fly fishing vest allowing them to pack more. Creative but a little tacky.

I personally don't have an issue with weight limits in the US, Spirit airlines is 40lbs. But I've flown budget Asian airlines that have 7kg or 15.5lb limits before they start to charge extra. The rollerboard itself is probably 4-6 pounds already.

Please don't let him be from the US.

Tourist filmed carving his girlfriend's name into Rome's Colosseum | CNN
I vote for a bigger fine and a 2 week prison stint. Fiancé also.

Pretty.

Icon of the Seas: The world's biggest cruise ship is almost ready | CNN


Another article said approx $2B to build.

I saw something about another tarmac worker sucked into a jet engine. I think it was Texas. Except... PLOT TWIST... apparently it was suicide. Seriously.

Yeah I read that.

My first thought was I would hate to have seen that live (e.g. I like window seats around the middle section). My second was wondering how much of a mess that would has been. My third was there are easier ways.

I’ve heard a lot about icon. Crazy. We leave in 10 days for quantum of the seas which is a huge ship in its own right. Can’t wait to explore it.

Really? I imagine there are few that are as near instantaneous.

It’s getting to that final step before being sucked in ….

I’d go with an OD of opiates or like.

Well, given the coverage that the one in AL got a few months ago, I'm wondering if airport people discussed it and were told it was a quick death and that gave someone with suicidal thoughts the idea of going quickly in the same manner. That's the first thing I thought of when I saw it was a suicide.

EDIT - I just saw a report that the worker gave his boss a suicide note wrapped in a $1 bill.

Those damn "ugly Brits"!

(Not US, thank you God)

Rome’s Colosseum: Tourist filmed allegedly carving ‘Ivan+Hayley’ has been identified, police say | CNN

I got stuck in Madrid on Wed after a cancelled connection. Lots of talk about the EU law that provides for compensation of up to 600 euros. It appears that the law gives an exemption for weather-related delays/cancellations. I'm not sure of the cause of this cancellation but there were many flights from Madrid to the US cancelled on Wed. Seems like it was likely weather on the US east coast. Anyone have any experience filing a claim?

They should have him fight a lion in the Colosseum as an undercard to the Musk-Zuckerberg fight.

Wife and I had talked about visiting Paris next summer. We want to spend a couple weeks there and really explore Paris. And spend days in the Louvre.

Good thing we aren't there this past & next week.

Even without this mess you might want to reconsider. I think they host the Olympics next summer

We're doing 4 days in London and 4 days in Paris next May, coming home the day after Memorial Day.

I was on the Wyndham website checking out hotels. Not sure when it started happening but Wyndham offers financing for your hotel stay (in my case it was for 2 days at approx $210).

Is this a thing now?

There is a company that is specializing in financing vacations. I noticed that when dream shopping cruises. I'm sure the rates are worse than your credit cards.

From 6% to 36% depending on the lender and your credit score (per NerdWallet)

Same article notes that Some lenders, like Uplift and Affirm, partner with major airlines, hotel companies and travel websites to include BNPL financing for travelers when they book their tickets.

It was financing through "uplift".

Honestly, if you have to finance a 2 day stay for $210, you probably should not be staying there (unless it was a major, unforeseen emergency). I guess there's a market for this though ...

I definitely recall seeing one of these companies on the Carnival website when we booked last year. I think it was Affirm?

Quoting Butter from the Biden thread:


I believe the last time I bought airline tickets this was an option as well.

Family leaves for an Alaskan cruise Friday. Fly from Jersey to PDX, rent a car and drive to Seattle.

Wife booked her ticket separate from me and 2 kids because of the way the miles worked out. She travels a lot for work and gets upgraded frequently. Currently she is in the aisle seat across from me and 2 kids. There are 2 seats available in first class and she is 2nd on the upgrade list. She has said if she gets upgraded she will give it to me. Is this a trap?

There are dozens of articles written on that exact subject.

It's definitely a trap.

It is probably just automatically there, whether it were one night at $89 or a week at $5,000.
Edit: Just like paypal trying to get me to break down even minor purchases into 4 payments.

I happen to be looking at MLB tickets and the same deal - Affirm is offering 4 installment payments for everything, including two $28 tickets (4 payments of $14!).

One of my daughter's best friends was flying back from Miami after a cruise today and their plane caught fire in the air (I don't know the details) and they were diverted to Charlotte (flight was going to Chicago). It was an American flight. They took the exact same cruise - same ship and itinerary - we did back in February. She was scared enough to start texting everyone that she loved them if she didn't make it.

As I've gotten deep into credit card and other travel company rewards, I've learned the importance of checking and re-checking (and re-checking over and over) prices and rebooking rewards reservations where I can. My email folders for each trip we take are a mess of reservations and cancellations, but it saves money/points/miles.

Hotels are the best use of this, because most hotels have pretty generous cancellation policies (sometimes up to the day of check-in), unless you book a "saver"/non-refundable rate. I'm headed to Atlanta on Sunday to hang out with an old friend - go to a Braves game in the afternoon, followed by a King's X concert that night - so I booked the Intercontinental (I've got Ambassador status and Premium Elite IHG status) a few months ago for 55K points. I checked last week and it was down to 48K, so I rebooked. This morning, I checked again, and it's 41K. I'm going to keep checking all week because a few thousand saved points here and there can add up.

On the flip side, I already booked our hotels for London and Paris for next May (same deal - I went with Intercontinental due to the perks and IHG's book 3 rewards nights, get a 4th night free), and in checking the rates, the London hotel price for the stay went up 75K in the 3 weeks since I booked it. The Paris Intercontinental no longer has any rewards nights available to book. I'll keep checking over the coming months, but I think I lucked into a decent deal on those hotels.

I find that Facebook groups specific to reward programs can help a lot. IHG has some big ones - they're great for getting info to compare IHG properties in a particular city, what your chances of an upgrade are, whether redemption amounts for a hotel are trending up or down, etc.

Groups for specific airline programs can let you know where certain low-mileage travel sweet spots are.

I don't do FB anymore, but I check and re-check pricing often for all of our stays and flights.

I certainly hope the federal legislation that would destroy rewards programs doesn't get legs. The reality is, consumers don't really get anything out of it, as the cost savings are not passed along (shocker!), but credit card companies would lose revenue and devalue their rewards programs.

What is the Credit Card Competition Act? - The Points Guy

On another note, it just dawned on me while watching Wimbledon that I accidentally booked our 4 nights in Paris to coincide with the start of the French Open, so you better bet I'll be getting tickets to Day 1. We head back to London on Memorial day and fly back home the following day. The unintended benefits of being unaware/stupid!