News and notes from around the interweb:
- Emirates will no longer transport donkey skins and donkey advocate calls for other airlines to follow. This is a thing? And people have been doing this? Add to the list of things I did not know: today is World Donkey Day.
Joint research by The Donkey Sanctuary and the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School and Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU) has uncovered significant evidence linking the movement of donkey skins with other illegal wildlife trafficking and organised crime.
In February African heads of state agreed to ban the slaughter of donkeys for their skins, in recognition of animal welfare concerns and the vital role donkeys play in supporting African communities and economies.
British Airways crew on the other hand occasionally have antics with donkeys during their layovers.
- Hilton lifetime diamond welcome kit. Including Bose noise cancelling ear buds makes this nicer than the Marriott lifetime package.
- Passengers fought over a vacant seat on EVA Air flight 8 from Taipei to San Francisco.
BR08 07MAY Airport Station received a report from Acars that passengers were arguing and fighting on the plane and needed to call the police and seek medical treatment. It was initially understood that there was a dispute over a vacant seat. Passenger 70J wanted to sit in the last vacant seat 70D, but was stopped by passenger 70EG. Due to dissatisfaction, 70E was beaten, and eventually a fight broke out, which was stopped by the crew and passengers on board (a passenger on board videotaped it). The captain then sent Acars to request that the police and medical treatment be needed upon arrival. Passenger 70E expressed his intention to have his injuries examined and sue the other party.
After the flight arrived, 4 medical/SFPD officers and 7 CBP officers were present. The two groups of passengers were taken away separately.
Post by @imkiraaaaaView on Threads - An actual upgrade from Hilton in North America would be a surprise, wouldn’t it? After all, Hilton Honors does not require hotels to upgrade elite members into available suites. A basic rule of thumb is that when a hotel needs to tell you that you’ve received an upgrade, it’s because the upgrade is so unnoticeable you wouldn’t have figured it out yourself.
- Interview with the CEO of Riyadh Air.
- Taking the wrong bag from baggage claim by mistake is theft, the specific charge may depend on state of mind but you should absolutely prioritize returning it expeditiously.
I said I would return it as soon as I could. I explained I was in a restaurant & would have to Uber back to the hotel then to the airport. She said if I didn't return it in one hour she would call the police. Is that a company policy? I got there in an hour and 45 minutes. 2/7
— Theresa Brundage (@ailishsmom) May 7, 2024
How did they determine who had taken the bag? Cameras + face identification)?
I’m being cynical but I feel like if you spend almost 3 years of your life in a Hilton and/or pay $200,000 the LT Diamond welcome package is a little underwhelming? I still want it though, maybe one day
I’ve been upgraded a couple times as a Diamond this year in the US, although only once to a suite — in Dallas which was really nice! So long as you don’t expect anything there are only pleasant surprises and no disappointments
Happy World Donkey Day! (Cue the ass jokes)
I like EVA flight attendants. They are pleasant and efficient. They help passengers stow luggage.
Good job by the EVA FAs.
Does EVA still have 3-3-3 seating on their 777?
I had someone take my bag by mistake once; it was easy to figure out who it was because there was a bag that looked an awful lot like mine left on the carousel at the end. I called him as soon as I realized what was going on – not more than 10 minutes after he took it – but he missed the call and didn’t notice until he was home, an hour away.
He was angry when the airline refused to bring him his bag, but made him drive back to the airport to return mine instead.
@Aric … what was the similar characteristic of both bags ? When I was in the service , there were many duffel bags of the same color and shape . We became used to reading out name and service number on the sides of the duffel bags .
Hilton upgrades in the US are basically a room with a couch bed instead of a chair, or worse an offer on the app to upgrade for a FEE.
Outside the US is a totally different situation: Last week the Hilton Garden Inn in Delhi upgraded me one room category as a Hilton Diamond. As a Lifetime Bonvoy Gold, the Westin Hyderabad Mindspace upgraded me to what was really a one room apartment. And the Hilton Chennai put me in a corner Junior Suite on the top floor. At no time did I ask.. They thanked me for my status and just did it.