Spheres
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  • Russh: 10 hotels in Seoul we’re adding to our travel list

    Cassandra Dimitroff, writing for Russh:

    There aren’t many cities in the world with the kind of energy embodied by Seoul. It’s the bustling metropolitan capital city of South Korea, home to nearly 10 million people, but simultaneously the site of centuries of heritage and culture with roots dating back to 18 BC.

    10 great hotels – almost none of which look like they came out of a cookie-cutter design factory.

  • American may buy Spirit’s slots at LaGuardia

    Cranky Flier, today:

    As Spirit continues to liquidate on its way out the door, the shuttered carrier plans to put its 22 slots at LGA — with their street value of almost $87 million — up for bid in July.

    …American, Frontier, JetBlue, and Southwest seem to be the early favorites with a dark horse candidate looming in Porter Airlines.

    The article notes that the FAA prefers the slots go to another low-cost carrier, and bear in mind that these slots are at Terminal A (the ‘A’ stands for ancient). Still, it’s American’s best short-term opportunity to make up some ground in NYC.

  • AA is installing Starlink on 500 narrowbody aircraft

    AA, today:

    American Airlines today announced a sweeping modernization of its narrowbody inflight customer experience with the installation of Starlink, the fastest Wi-Fi in the sky, on more than 500 narrowbody aircraft beginning in Q1 2027.

    …“As a premium global airline, we are continuously seeking out world-class partners like Starlink to deliver what our customers need and want,” said American Airlines Chief Customer Officer Heather Garboden. “The addition of Starlink solidifies American as a leading airline in keeping passengers connected in flight.”

    We’ve talked before about American’s reputation for playing catch up with the other two big airlines. In this case, they’re behind United, who plan to be at 800 aircraft by the end of 2026, but they’re going to end up ahead of Delta, who won’t switch to fast satellite Wi-Fi (delivered by Amazon) until 2028, when they’re planning to deploy it on 500 aircraft.

    In any case, this is exciting for AA travelers, and a sign that they’re serious about premium travel. This announcement came fast after transitioning to free Wi-Fi. I could believe that before last year’s customer experience mandate, they’d just renew with Viasat/Intelsat.

  • The IATA is trialing contactless international travel; BA and JAL participating

    Under the radar story from the IATA’s Airlines magazine last month:

    IATA published the results of several digital identity Proofs of Concept (PoCs) completed with the support of airlines, airports, technology providers, and governments across Europe and Asia Pacific.

    …The PoCs proved that

    • wallet-based digital identity solutions work in live airline environments;
    • digital identity data can be securely shared ahead of travel, on a need-to-know basis, enabling pre-travel checks and reducing repeated document handling;
    • biometric verification can replace manual paper document checks at airport touchpoints, allowing passengers to move through checkpoints securely and seamlessly;
    • a single digital identity can be reused across the journey, enabling a seamless, contactless tap-and-go experience; and
    • interoperability can be achieved across borders, enabling systems operated by airlines, airports and governments to work seamlessly together.

    In other words, show up without a passport and you’re on your way.

    The trials took place with these airlines and airports:

    • Airlines: British Airways, Japan Airlines, Air New Zealand, IndiGo
    • Airports: LHR, HKG, HND, AKL, BLR

    I’ve been using Digital ID for American passport holders inside Apple Wallet for the last few months now. Domestic flights only, and the implementation isn’t quite right: you need to look down at your phone for Face ID, but you’re asked to do that while the TSA screen is trying to take a photo of you.

    It certainly beats taking your passport out of a bag.

  • Fiji Airways is suspending its Dallas flights

    Jordan Parker, writing for the Dallas Morning News:

    Fiji Airways is suspending its direct route between Nadi and DFW International Airport later this year, as the carrier makes tweaks to its network amid rising fuel costs and “evolving market conditions,” it said Tuesday.

    The suspension is effective Sept. 7. The route, which was added in 2024, was Fiji Airways’ only nonstop route at DFW Airport, according to data from Diio by Cirium. Airlines have been grappling with soaring fuel costs since the beginning of the Iran War. Fiji Airways joins a growing list of global carriers adjusting networks during the current operating environment.

    No doubt Iran was the tipping point, but from what I saw, these flights weren’t busy.

    The geography is tough. DFW to NAN is a 13 hour flight; add an extra three hours and you’ve made it to Sydney. Those are similar enough destinations to the everyday American traveler.

    Compare that to their West Coast flights, which run about 10 hours (though, frustratingly, only operate on a red eye schedule).

  • Do you tell drivers which entrance to use for your airline?

    In the middle of a review for a Turkish Airlines flight, Chris Chamberlin at The Sydney Morning Herald offered up this tip for airport-bound travelers:

    After a week of taxi ripoffs in Istanbul, I dare not tell my driver my destination is Turkish Airlines’ business class priority entrance. Fortunately, it’s a quick stroll from the economy zone to the fast lane to zip through. 

    This generally doesn’t affect me: both Uber and Lyft have only ever asked for an airline when booking an airport trip, and cabs in New York (and soon Sydney) have a flat rate. Even when traveling beyond those confines, I’ve never thought to specify the entrance. In any case, think before you speak.

  • More status chaos at BA: technical glitch forces downgrade for thousands

    Peter Campbell, reporting for the Financial Times:

    British Airways has been forced to downgrade thousands more members of its loyalty scheme, after its parent company’s rewards team incorrectly told some passengers they would keep their coveted Gold or Silver tier status.

    The embarrassing error, which IAG Loyalty blamed on a “technical issue”, comes at a time when a shake-up of the scheme is proving contentious for the hundreds of thousands of BA passengers affected by the changes. 

    …This week IAG Loyalty, the unit of BA parent IAG that manages the rewards programme, contacted several thousand members of the programme telling them they would retain their previous status, despite not accruing the right number of points. 

  • Inside Louis Vuitton’s London hotel pop-up

    Sofia de la Cruz, writing for Wallpaper:

    In Mayfair, a Georgian townhouse has been reimagined through a distinctly Parisian lens. Louis Vuitton’s temporary hotel pop-up has taken over the former home of Morton’s private members’ club, to mark 130 years of its legendary Monogram with an immersive, three-storey environment that blurs retail, hospitality and exhibition.

    First conceived in 1896 by Georges Vuitton in tribute to his father, the motif endures as one of fashion’s most recognisable codes, and here, it is deployed as an exquisite narrative thread. Each floor is anchored by the house’s seminal bags – Speedy, Keepall, Noé, Alma and Neverfull – unfolding into a broader meditation on travel and the rituals of luxury hospitality.

    “Hotel” here means “store,” but if you’re in London before June 22 and looking for somewhere to dine, check out the upstairs café or underground champagne bar.

  • Updated AA lounge tracker

    While I was away, American announced a new Admirals Club in Nashville:

    FORT WORTH, Texas — American Airlines continues to invest in elevating the customer experience with plans for a new, expanded Admirals Club® lounge at Nashville International Airport®’s (BNA®) new Concourse A.

    When complete, the approximately 17,400-square-foot lounge will be the largest airline lounge at BNA and nearly three times the size of the current lounge space, offering customers a more spacious and premium place to relax, work or recharge before their flight. The new location will feature sweeping views of the airfield and a design inspired by Nashville’s vibrant culture and the natural landscapes of Tennessee.

    It’s been added to the AA lounge tracker. Aging clubs in New York (JFK), Dallas, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Atlanta are next on the list.

  • Alaska’s new international safety video features three destinations the airline is already flying to… and Sydney

    Alaska, today:

    Never in its 94-year history has Alaska Airlines created an onboard safety video. Until now.

    The new safety video will be shown prior to departure on the seatback entertainment systems of Alaska’s widebody, long-haul Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, connecting the airline’s growing global gateway in Seattle to an expanding number of international destinations.

    Decent video. Strikes a nice balance between the cinematic and just-the-facts approaches that airlines have been wrestling with in recent years.

    If you watch all the way through, you’ll notice that the video was shot in five places: Seattle, London, Rome, Mount Fuji (Japan), and Sydney.

    Alaska has announced flights to three of those destinations with the 787 already (London, Rome, and Tokyo; the airline is also flying to Seoul). That leaves Sydney, a city that Executive Traveller has been speculating is next on Alaska’s list since last year.

    There has never been a direct flight between Seattle and Sydney on any commercial airline.

  • And then there were 16: Hawaiian joins oneworld

    Yesterday came and went without an announcement, but now it’s official:

    oneworld® has welcomed Hawaiian Airlines as its newest member airline, becoming the third US-based carrier alongside Alaska Airlines and American Airlines and adding Honolulu as a global hub.

    oneworld refers to Hawaiian both as a member airline and an affiliate on its website (the difference doesn’t matter as far as travelers are concerned), but the logo gets top billing in alliance branding:

  • Spheres is on holiday until April 20

    Keep up with new posts when I’m back by subscribing to the free weekly newsletter. Cheers!

  • CNBC: AA in talks for faster in-flight internet, considering bringing back seatback screens

    Leslie Josephs, reporting for CNBC:

    American Airlines is “seriously considering” bringing back seat-back screens to its narrow-body planes and a decision could be made as early as next month, according to a person familiar with the matter.

    It would be part of a major revamp of American’s in-flight entertainment and Wi-Fi for narrow-body aircraft, said the person, who asked not to be named because they were not authorized to talk about the plans publicly. 

    Part of those plans include discussions with SpaceX’s Starlink and Amazon Leo to potentially provide in-flight Wi-Fi, according to the person.

  • The Week on the JW Marriott, Tokyo

    One of the newest entries in Tokyo’s lively luxury hotel scene. The pool is the centerpiece, with, as The Week’s Stephen Kelly writes, floor-to-ceiling windows that reveal a glittering panorama.

  • Business Traveler on the Four Seasons, Houston

    BT has a nice write-up of the facelift, which I missed when the hotel completed it in 2022. Highlights include the outdoor swimming pool, and the lobby bar, which offers over 250 whiskeys.

  • If JetBlue is up for sale, Alaska has the strongest pro-competition argument

    Rohan Goswami and Liz Hoffman, in a blockbuster report for Semafor:

    JetBlue has tapped advisers to assess the viability of selling itself to a rival airline, and has specifically scenario-planned how a deal with United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, or Southwest Airlines might fare in Washington, according to people familiar with the matter.

    Assuming the folks in Seattle have the appetite, they would have a strongest pro-competition argument. JP Morgan’s math on the domestic market share of the combined entities:

    • Southwest + JetBlue = 22%
    • United + JetBlue = ~16%
    • Alaska + JetBlue = 7%

    Importantly, and unlike United, they barely compete on either domestic or international routes, which Alaska made the centerpiece of its sales pitch to acquire Hawaiian.

    And together, Alaska and JetBlue would be a strong fourth competitor in the northeast, as opposed to the current situation, where JetBlue is losing ground to two giants in United and Delta.

    Meanwhile, for oneworld flyers, an Alaska acquisition of JetBlue would reopen the airline’s path to the alliance.

    American previously planned to sponsor JetBlue into oneworld when both airlines started the short-lived Northeast Alliance in 2020. By July that year, they were telling the DOJ they wouldn’t.

  • What are the security lines like at JFK T8 right now?

    Field notes from journalist Rosie Gray, who passed through this morning:

    • general security line very long, wrapped all the way around the entry hall
    • TSA pre check line took ~10 mins to get through
    • 3 ICE agents strolling (past security), holding Starbucks

    For politically minded readers, Gray recently wrote an excellent essay on the American right and the power of aesthetics.

  • American’s new amenity kits and pajamas are a job well done

    American, today:

    As American Airlines marks its 100th anniversary, the airline is introducing a collection of limited‑edition onboard products designed to honor a century of innovation while elevating the travel experience for today’s customers. The new centennial amenity kits, premium pajamas and refreshed closed‑toe slippers will debut across premium cabins at the beginning of April.

    Let’s start with the amenity kits, which nod to some of the most iconic imagery in AA’s history: the orange lightning bolt, the tricolor stripe, and the eagle emblem, embossed on the front of each kit.

    Each kit also – finally – features upgraded items. First and Business passengers get Colgate toothpaste and an AA-branded bamboo toothbrush, for example; a huge step up from the dollar-store packets found in recent collections.

    The centennial pajamas look great. Bold colors, branded with two classic AA logos, or the elegant 100th symbol. They pair nicely with the new grey closed-toe slippers.

    Good stuff.

  • Kuala Lumpur’s MH ‘Golden Lounge,’ which BA travelers will soon be using on the way from London to Melbourne

    Speaking of that new London to Melbourne BA flight, check out the Malaysia Airlines ‘Golden Lounge,’ which Sapphire and Emerald passengers will use when connecting through Kuala Lumpur.

    Highlights of the satellite lounge:

    • Noodle station
    • Shower suites
    • Nap rooms
    • Family playroom
    • Luggage storage
    • Sports bar

    There’s also a dedicated section for Emerald passengers that MH calls an “intimate space offers quiet luxury, personalised service, and thoughtful touches” with “an elevated dining experience with a bespoke menu.”

  • Flying London to Sydney? It costs 40% more to fly through Singapore

    Matthew Lynn, writing for The Telegraph:

    Browsing Expedia on Friday morning, the cheapest return flights from London to Sydney for May were on Etihad, Emirates and Qatar.

    If I wanted to stop in Singapore instead of one of the Gulf airports, it would cost me about 40pc more to fly with Qantas. There is no great surprise about that. The Gulf carriers all have great service and modern fleets with the latest planes, but even so, all things considered, if I were planning to make that trip, I don’t think I would want to risk getting stuck at Doha or Dubai airport for a week or two watching the drones fly overhead.

    Sure, it may not be as risky as some of the more alarming reports suggest. Even so, I would not want to take the chance, and neither, I suspect, would many other people.

    Lynn’s piece argues that this is an opportunity for BA, who just announced a new route from London to Melbourne, stopping in Kuala Lumpur. Rather than gouging customers, he says the British flag carrier should keep prices steady and use the war to regain lost market share. Good read.