News and notes from around the interweb:
- American Airlines thinks they’ll be offering scheduled Cuba service in the first half of 2016. I’m skeptical that Cuba is as good an opportunity as the airlines think it is. Here’s what you really need to know when planning a trip to Cuba
- Sound makes your food taste different. At The Fat Duck restaurant I was given an iPod to listen to during one of the courses, and I was scolded when I took it out midway through.
- British Airways premium services worker suspended, suspected of taking bribes for upgrades and other special treatment
- SLS Las Vegas moves from Hilton to Starwood’s Tribute Portfolio and the SLS’s Lux Tower will receive renovation and become a W Hotel in 2016.
- Hilton’s HHonors member discount test is being extended from hotels in New York, Miami, Houston and San Diego to add Chicago and Orlando.
- Million Mile Secrets came across an 80,000 point signup bonus offer for the Marriott co-brand credit card, $85 annual fee.
- seacarl shares photos of the Alaska Airlines Board Room under construction in Seattle’s North Satellite Terminal.
A data point on consumer demand for travel to Cuba: A couple of weeks ago our local REI store offered a free seminar on travel to Cuba. It (evidently quickly) was fully booked with a substantial waiting list, so they scheduled a duplicate session the evening before…and it is now fully booked with a waiting list.
The Alaska lounge opened around 1:30 today. Here’s some pics I took from inside on my way back through tonight: http://imgur.com/a/avRXA.
Surprisingly, and despite what the sneak peek pics revealed just a few days ago, the new Alaska Airlines Board Room at Seattle-Tacoma opened yesterday.
Here’s the first review (pending your next trip to Seattle!): https://loungereview.com/lounges/alaska-airlines-board-room-sea-satellite-n/