Lobby Bar – August 16: The Machines Attack, Bedding Kleptomaniacs, and What Consumers Really Want
The Lobby Bar – A Weekly Summary of Frequent Business Traveler News and Views
A slap on the wrist. Jonathan Spira flew in BusinessElite on Delta’s transcon flight from New York to Los Angeles. The Westin Heavenly In Flight bedding alone made the flight a wonder, although things turned sour when a flight attendant caught Spira trying to nonchalantly stuff the bedding into his briefcase.
Dangerous business. Jeremy Del Nero discusses the results of our safety poll. Unfortunately, while conducting the survey, Jeremy sustained minor injuries on an escalator in the airport. Didn’t you know? Escalators are statistically more savage beasts than airplanes.
The greater good. The planned merger between US Airways and American Airlines is starting to face opposition from the U.S. Department of Justice. Supposedly the government is trying to look out for the consumers, but we’d all just be happy with free mid-flight booze.
American’s Eleven. Following the opposition, US Airways and American Airlines top lawyers met in a dimly lit tavern to discuss their course of action. The defense plan uses a targeted strategy involving a specialized team of spies with varying skills, a monkey, a pregnant woman, and an uncanny replica of the USS Enterprise.
It isn’t over until… Jonathan Spira discusses American’s strategy to exit bankruptcy as a single entity. It’s always harder to go it alone, although American may have the company of a certain rotund, tuneful lady.
Keep it legal. Volkswagen and Google unveiled an achievement-driven social driving app called SmileDrive. Achievements range from “night owl” for driving late at night to “being a jerk” for cutting somebody off at an intersection. Extra points are awarded for head-on collisions.
Guilty pleasures. Samsung unveiled a new 55-inch curved OLED TV. Now you can be surrounded by HD from all angles when you watch Jersey Shore. Don’t worry, we won’t tell anyone.
(Photo: Accura Media Group)
