Lobby Bar – February 1: Carol Burnett, British Apologists, and ‘I’ll Take Crazy Rich Norwegians for $100,000, Alex!’

By Anna Breuer on 1 February 2019
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Lobby Bar: An Irreverent Summary of Frequent Business Traveler News and Views

We’re mad as dogs and not going to take it anymoreAmerican Airlines’ fleet is undergoing some major revisions in the next three years. The MD-80, known as the Mad Dog and once the mainstay of the airline’s fleet, is being retired.  The retirement came after the Society for the Prevention of Character Assassination of Canines asked the airline to

Flying the friendly skiesUnited Airlines’ fleet is undergoing some changes as well.  To reinforce the slogan, the airline is painting a huge smiley on each plane’s tail and frowning passengers will not be allowed to board.

Split personality. Jesse Sokolow explores significant moments in travel history throughout Februarys past. It has been over a year since Jesse first started using his time machine and, for the first time, Jesse runs into another version of himself in Los Angeles in 1934. The two fought extensively about being the only Jesse before figuring out that they could split up the task of writing travel news and our editorial director would be none the wiser. That is until now. Oops.

Once upon a mattress. Deputy Managing Editor and Prince Basilio Alferow found himself seeking his true princess.  When a woman seeks shelter at his palace one stormy night, he places a pea underneath a Saatva Luxury Firm mattress he was reviewing and rejoices when she tells her host she endured a sleepless night, having been kept awake by something hard in the bed.

Rescue at sea. Norwegian Airlines – which set itself adrift after spending like mad on high-tech Boeing 787 Dreamliners and is now paying the price  – is being thrown a lifeline.  A Norwegian-born shipping magnate, John Fridreksen, is rescuing the airline.  We say “Norwegian-born” because Fridreksen renounced his Norwegian citizenship over a decade ago due to the high income taxes in that nation.

You’ve been warned. The U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office is telling British subjects about all of the new post-Brexit rules they will have to follow when visiting EU nations. Brits will still be eligible for visa-free visits but they will have to promise not to say “bullocks” during their visits and ordering a pint will be grounds for being asked ever so politely to leave, even if the offending party does say “sorry.”

Jeremy Del Nero contributed to this Lobby Bar.

(Photo: Accura Media Group)

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