While everyone may be freaking out about Delta’s new 80’s-themed safety video (it was all over my Facebook feed last week), Air New Zealand has been making viral safety videos for a while now. You may have caught their incredible Lord of the Rings safety video back in 2012 or their more recent one where…
Delayed Flight Games: Airport Top Chef
We’re right in the middle of Winter Travel Hell™ (trademarked by pure evil itself), which means that flights around the country are getting delayed left and right due to terrible weather conditions. Those delays equate to far more time in the airport than you expected and for anyone who didn’t anticipate those delays, there’s a…
How Much Does it Really Cost an Airline to Fly Your Bag?
TWO DOLLARS. That’s what it costs to fly your bag in terms of jet fuel. Or at least that’s what a new study by the Detroit Free Press says. US carriers pocketed $3.5 billion in baggage fees in 2012, so it’s obviously a major revenue source to them, but come on. That’s a 1250% markup.…
Which Airline Had the Best Wines in 2013?
Which wine pairs best with tiny bags of peanuts? That’s a question to ask any of the 28 airlines that recently participated in Business Traveller’s 2013 Cellars in the Sky Awards. The competition, run annually since 1985, is based on blind tastings conducted in London in December 2013. Four judges independently score the wine, although…
How to Eat for Free in Airport Lounges
Ah, the First Class Lounge; that shangri-la of tiny sandwiches, premium liquor, and showers that I’m not even that afraid to use. If I had access, I’d go every day. It would be my country club, my sanctuary, my really upscale Starbucks. The problem is, lounge access costs major dollars in the form of memberships…
Fly&Dine Review: Cafe Zoot! at ORD’s Terminal 1
You’ve got thirty minutes before your connecting flight boards. You’re starving, but there’s no time for a sit down meal and you don’t want to wait for anything to be cooked. What do you do? WHAT DO YOU DO? First of all, calm down. You’re going to grab a sandwich. At least that’s what…
25 New Restaurants Coming to FLL
If you’re flying through South Florida in the next few years, you can look forward to brand new dining options thanks to airport restaurant mavens HMSHost. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) is getting a major culinary upgrade in two phases over the next four years and that means you can finally snag some Starbucks as…
Can DFW Become the World’s Healthiest Airport?
One of the biggest complaints I hear about food in airports is that it’s just not healthy. DFW has apparently heard those complaints, too, and they’re trying to fix the problem with their new “Eat Healthy at DFW” campaign. That means that every single one of its dining outlets is going to be offering at…
New Economy “Bistro on Board” Menu Choices for United
If you’ve gotten bored with the same-old, same-old in United Economy, check out the new “Bistro on Board” options that just became available January 1st on flights over three and a half hours. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner all get new options including a ham and cheddar baguette, Asian-style noodle salad, a chicken wrap, and more.…
The Wall Street Journal Gets into Airport Food
The Wall St. Journal just published a big story online about the current state of airport food and the business behind it. Definitely worth a read. Check it out here: http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303465004579322690270418718 My favorite quote comes from Rick Blatstein, CEO of OTG Management, which operates restaurants at airports in the U.S. and Canada: “We operate restaurants…
Chefs in the Air: Hamasaku’s Wonny Lee Goes to Japan
In our new feature “Chefs in the Air,” we’ll check in with chefs around the world who just returned from a trip to find out what their traveling experience was like. Our first “Chef in the Air,” is Wonny Lee, Executive Chef of West LA’s entertainment industry hot spot Hamasaku. Lee recently returned from a…
Marijuana Amnesty at COS
Uh-oh, did you forget to take your one hitter out of your pocket at home? Not a problem when you’re flying out of Colorado Springs [(COS) (home of BoardingArea HQ!)]. With the state’s new marijuana legalization taking effect as of January 1, a whole new host of unforeseen problems are popping up in regards to…
Delta’s Getting Closer to Blue Smoke BBQ
Coming down taste-testing homestretch for @BlueSmoke in-flight meals on @delta. Passing muster! pic.twitter.com/cmZiQ3W9FR — Danny Meyer (@dhmeyer) January 10, 2014 Hey BBQ fans, looks like 2014 is going to be the Year of You on Delta flights. Big time restaurant honcho Danny Meyer (@dhmeyer) tweeted out this mouth-watering pic at the end of last week…
LAX Loses Iconic Encounter Restaurant
Have you ever tried that weird alien-themed restaurant at LAX? If not, you never will. Encounter closed to little fanfare in December and the many kids who had their bar and bat mitzvahs there are weeping openly. I don’t know what kind of food they served and I don’t know if it was good or…