There are multiple options when it comes to flying from one coast to the other so, when I had the opportunity to check out United’s p.s. service on a recent flight from Los Angeles to New York, I jumped at the chance. I’ve flown United’s business class before, so I wanted to see what was different about the p.s. service.
BOARDING
United offers first and business class passengers priority boarding in a separate lane – with red carpet to boot. Once on board the Boeing 757 aircraft, I was offered …

In good weather, the flight from New York (JFK) to Munich via London can take as little as 12 hours. In bad weather, the trip can stretch to perhaps 15 or 20 hours. But the storm that last week buried much of the East Coast of the United States in a blanket of snow shut down major airports, closed thousands of businesses, and left tens of thousands of people stranded at places other where they wanted to be.
In my particular case, the storm, which set new records in …

Many business travelers today are finding that the higher cost of using private business jets are balanced by gains in both time and efficiency.  The ability to travel on one’s own schedule, to fly directly without the need to stop at a hub and transfer, and to bring one’s colleagues (or customers) into a quiet and private work environment can translate into higher profits, greater efficiencies, and even a partial restoration of a lost work-life balance.  My experience indicates that all of this is true.
With the help of my car’s …

The American Airlines terminal at John F. Kennedy Airport never seems crowded, even when it’s running at full tilt, thanks to its airy and open design that keeps passengers moving without long waits.  American offers a quiet, dedicated first class check-in and I only waited two minutes before I was in front of an agent who cheerily greeted me and handed me my boarding pass, wishing me a pleasant flight.  A dedicated priority line for first- and business-class passengers meant that the wait for security was also about two minutes …

Even though it’s been open for several years now, it never ceases to amaze me how walking into the American Airlines terminal at JFK places the business traveler in an oasis of calm.
The design of the terminal, with its towering 65-foot roofline, reduces the stress of air travel and makes each departure seem exciting.  The new terminal replaces American’s two terminals (8 and 9) at JFK.  Terminal 8, which served international traffic, had been built in the early 1960s and sported what was once the world’s longest stained glass installation, …

Arriving at London Heathrow’s Terminal 2, I found myself on the business class line with only one passenger ahead of me.  After waiting all of two minutes, I was quickly checked in by the agent, who offered to switch me to a window seat and block the aisle seat so I would have an entire row to myself.  He also invited me to wait in the Senator Lounge near my gate.
BOARDING
Approximately 20 minutes before departure, I arrived at the gate as boarding was just starting.  I was told that business-class …

A coffeehouse at 35,000 feet
Terminal 1 is the busy home to 16 airlines. I found Austrian’s check-in area quite easily and checked in without any waiting.  The agent invited me to visit Alitalia’s lounge, where I watched a Euro 2008 match with a glass of wine and a salad.
BOARDING
Austrian allowed early boarding for business class passengers and within minutes I was comfortably ensconced in my business class seat.  The crew was very welcoming and I was offered newspapers and a beverage as well as an amenity kit that contained a …

There were only two people in line for Business Class when I arrived at the Lufthansa counter at JFK’s Terminal 1 so my wait time was less than five minutes.  I was greeted warmly by the agent and, when she found out that I was not a member of the Miles and More mileage program, she immediately enrolled me.  She also issued my boarding pass and itinerary and directed me to the Senator Lounge, which, while comfortable, could use some updating as it hasn’t changed since the last time I …

I was unable to print my boarding pass from my home computer because the printer had run out of ink, so I had to check in at American’s new Terminal 8.  There was only one passenger ahead of me in the first class line so I waited all of two minutes.  The agent greeted me by name, directed me to the Admiral’s Club, and wished me a pleasant flight.
BOARDING
Our departure was scheduled for 6:10 p.m. and approximately half an hour before, we began boarding.  The gate areas in the new …

Check-in at JFK Terminal 8 was a breeze since American Airlines now allows international travelers to use self-service kiosks. The machine scans your passport and issues a boarding pass after a roving agent verifies your credentials.. This was probably my last Terminal 8 departure as that terminal will soon close. And I will certainly be sad to see it go in some respects, Terminal 8, built in the early 1960s, sports what was once the world’s longest stained glass installation, designed by the artist Robert Sower.
It was close to departure …