Fairmont Olympic, Seattle Washington – Hotel Review
Despite numerous trips to Seattle, Washington in the past ten years, I somehow missed staying at what some have called the “grande dame” of Seattle hotels, the Fairmont Olympic. The Italian renaissance building has one of the grandest lobbies in the Pacific Northwest, complete with gilt metal and crystal chandeliers, oaken walls, and balconies that wouldn’t look out of place in an opera house. It’s not surprising that the …
Diversions: Test Your Knowledge of Geography With Lufthansa Virtual Pilot
Most people think they know their geography pretty well but a report last year by the National Assessment of Educational Progress found only about one-fourth of American students are proficient in geography. Indeed, a contestant for Miss Teen USA gave a somewhat baffling answer to the question of why one-fifth of Americans are unable to locate the U.S. on a map (she said it was because “some people out there …
Lobby Bar – March 15: South Carolina Exports, German Dialects, and Island Life
The Lobby Bar – A Weekly Summary of Frequent Business Traveler News and Views
Vote now – or forever hold your peace. Today is THE very last day of voting for the 2013 GlobeRunner Awards. Over 110,00 votes have been cast – is yours one of them?
Happy Place. What is it about a hotel stay that makes you cringe? Take our Hotel Pet Peeves survey and let us know.
Need to get …
Hoshinoya Okinawa, Taketomi Island, Japan – Hotel Review
Part of the adventure of a trip is the adventure of getting there. This is especially true if you are going to the new Hoshinoya Okinawa resort on Taketomi Island. To get there is simple. First fly to Japan and connect to a domestic flight to Ishigaki Remote Island Airport on Ishigaki Island in Okinawa Prefecture (and the airport’s name is an accurate description since it is indeed very remote). …
What’s Doing on Taketomi Island, Japan
Taketomi Island is one of the Yaeyama Islands in the Okinawa Prefecture. It is 200 kilometers (125 miles) from Taiwan, 500 kilometers (310 miles) from Mainland China, and 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) from Kyushu, the southern tip of the Japanese main island. Tokyo, incidentally, is more than 2,000 kilometers (1,243 miles) away. Taketomi Island is part of Iriomote National Park, which spans multiple islands.
The island itself is formed from coral …
Last Chance to Vote for Your Favorite Airlines, Hotels, and Airports in the 2013 Frequent Business Traveler GlobeRunner Awards
Vote today for your favorite airline, hotel, airport, or credit card loyalty program. Balloting for the 2013 Frequent Business Traveler GlobeRunner Awards is almost over but you still have an opportunity to support your favorites. You will also earn a chance to win historic airline memorabilia at the end of the balloting.
This year’s stellar field of nominees includes well over 100 airlines, hotels, car rental agencies, and travel Web sites. …
Dreamliner Two Months Later: No End in Sight to Battery Nightmare
NTSB Releases Interim Report, Plans to Hold Hearings in April
Almost two months ago, Jonathan Spira, FBT’s editorial director, was sitting at Chicago-O’Hare airport waiting to board LOT Polish Airlines’ inaugural Dreamliner flight to Warsaw. The inaugural flight from Warsaw to Chicago had just arrived. But only a few hours earlier, another Boeing 787, this one belonging to ANA, had to make an emergency landing at Takamatsu Airport in Japan after …
Checking In »
Coronavirus Daily News Brief – March 7: Biden’s SOTU, Last Day to Order Free At-Home Tests, Masks Are Off at China’s National People’s Congress
Good afternoon. This is Jonathan Spira, director of research at the Center for Long Covid Research, reporting. Here now the news of the pandemic from across the globe on its 1,457th day.
THE LEDE
Public Service Announcement: Tomorrow is the Last Day to Order Free At-Home Covid Test Kits in the U.S.
The federal government’s offer for free at-home Covid test kits will soon be discontinued. The on-again/off-again offer was most recently made …
In Flight »
Operational Woes Continue to Plague United Airlines as Three Additional Flights Encounter Issues After Departure
United Airlines’ operations are under great scrutiny these days and not for naught. Indeed, anytime a United Airlines aircraft sneezes, it tends to make the news.
This past week, a United flight from San Francisco International Airport to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport was diverted to Denver on Thursday after the flight crew observed an issue with one of the Boeing 777’s engines.
The following day, several people were hospitalized after a …
Checking In »
Coronavirus Daily News Brief – March 7: Biden’s SOTU, Last Day to Order Free At-Home Tests, Masks Are Off at China’s National People’s Congress
Good afternoon. This is Jonathan Spira, director of research at the Center for Long Covid Research, reporting. Here now the news of the pandemic from across the globe on its 1,457th day.
THE LEDE
Public Service Announcement: Tomorrow is the Last Day to Order Free At-Home Covid Test Kits in the U.S.
The federal government’s offer for free at-home Covid test kits will soon be discontinued. The on-again/off-again offer was most recently made …
In Flight »
Operational Woes Continue to Plague United Airlines as Three Additional Flights Encounter Issues After Departure
United Airlines’ operations are under great scrutiny these days and not for naught. Indeed, anytime a United Airlines aircraft sneezes, it tends to make the news.
This past week, a United flight from San Francisco International Airport to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport was diverted to Denver on Thursday after the flight crew observed an issue with one of the Boeing 777’s engines.
The following day, several people were hospitalized after a …
