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Canadian Soccer Star Alistair Johnston Faces Major Travel Issues with Frontier Airlines
After competing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Canadian defender Alistair Johnston experienced a frustrating journey with Frontier Airlines, involving misdirected travel and lost luggage.
The gist
Alistair Johnston warns against flying Frontier Airlines after a delayed trip and lost bags post-World Cup.
Continuing coverage
All Frontier Airlines →Canadian right back Alistair Johnston wrapped up a strong showing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, starting all five matches for Canada and contributing to two clean sheets before their elimination in the tournament’s round of 16. However, his post-tournament travel took a distressing turn involving Frontier Airlines. Johnston publicly shared that his experience with the US-based ultra-low-cost carrier was so troublesome that he cautioned his followers to avoid flying with them, even if it means choosing less convenient itineraries.
Johnston posted on X, formerly Twitter, that he was left stranded in the wrong city and did not know the whereabouts of his luggage after his flight with Frontier Airlines. He urged his 57,000-plus followers to consider multi-leg night flights instead of flying Frontier directly, indicating significant dissatisfaction and frustration. His social media messages combined humor and exasperation, suggesting that the situation was so problematic it was almost laughable.
A fellow passenger on the same flight added clarity to the situation, reporting that a planned 2.5-hour direct flight transformed into an eight to nine-hour ordeal due to a severe delay nearing 14 hours. This passenger, Danny Pham, explained that travelers were rebooked onto connecting flights rather than the originally scheduled nonstop service. Additionally, Pham confirmed seeing Johnston's lost baggage, identifiable by a Canada Soccer logo, left behind at the baggage claim area of Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) in North Carolina.
Frontier Airlines’ official guidance for mishandled luggage advises passengers to report lost bags directly at the airport to start the tracking process or use their online claims form when airport access is not possible. Johnston’s case highlights potential risks associated with checked baggage, especially when travel disruptions extend and rerouting occurs, complicating luggage transfers between airports.
Despite such incidents, lost bags remain relatively uncommon in the US air travel system. Data indicates that about 0.7% of checked bags are mishandled or lost, equating to seven out of every thousand bags. Frontier Airlines has maintained a reasonably good track record in this area and was not among the worst performers in mishandled luggage statistics reported for 2025. Airlines have increasingly adopted technology like Apple AirTag trackers to reduce lost luggage, achieving roughly a 90% decline in unrecoverable bags.
This episode underscores how even established professional athletes can face travel difficulties that disrupt schedules and cause personal inconvenience. While Frontier Airlines has yet to publicly respond to Johnston’s claims, the incident will likely prompt operational reviews to prevent similar occurrences. Passengers may take heed of Johnston’s advice in evaluating airline choices, especially when direct flights are key to timely travel arrangements.
Johnston’s travel troubles contrast sharply with his reliable performances on the pitch, illustrating the unpredictable nature of air travel impacting passenger experience. As airlines strive to improve service and luggage handling, incidents like these remain a reminder of the logistical challenges low-cost carriers can face amid operational constraints.
In summary, a World Cup journey concluded with unexpected travel mishaps involving lost baggage and rerouted flights has placed Frontier Airlines under a spotlight from a high-profile customer. The airline’s response and subsequent improvements will be critical in restoring consumer confidence among travelers looking for reliable, cost-effective air travel options.
Frequently asked questions
- What travel issues did Alistair Johnston experience with Frontier Airlines?
- Alistair Johnston was flown to the wrong city, experienced a 14-hour delay, and lost his luggage after his flight with Frontier Airlines following the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
- Where was Alistair Johnston's luggage found after being lost?
- His luggage, marked with a Canada Soccer logo, was seen on the baggage claim at Raleigh-Durham International Airport in North Carolina.
- How common is lost luggage on US airlines like Frontier?
- Approximately 0.7% of checked bags are lost or mishandled in the US, and Frontier Airlines has generally performed well with luggage handling compared to other major carriers.
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American AAdvantage Offers Up to 50 Percent Off Purchased Miles in July Promotion
Buying miles & points strategically can be a good value , especially for first and business class travel. Going back several years, American AAdvantage used to consistently have different promotions on purchased miles each month. However, in 2022, American increased the cost to purchase miles , and seemingly gave up on selling miles , as the program has pretty consistently had the same 35-40% off promotion on buying miles since then, with limited exceptions. With that in mind, American has just launched its best promotion of the year on buying miles. While I wouldn't speculatively buy miles at this cost, there's potentially value to be had. Note that buying AAdvantage miles doesn't count toward your Loyalty Points total (other than any amount you may spend on an eligible credit card). Promotion on purchased American AAdvantage miles Between July 15 and July 22, 2026, American AAdvantage is offering up to a 50% discount (or 100% bonus, if you prefer) on purchased miles . The offer is tiered, and you get a bigger discount the more miles you buy, as follows: Buy 3,000-9,000 miles, receive 500 bonus miles Buy 10,000-29,000 miles, receive 2,500 bonus miles Buy 30,000-89,000 miles, receive 10,000 bonus miles Buy 90,000-150,000 miles, receive 45,000 bonus miles Buy 151,000-299,000 miles, receive 100,000 bonus miles Buy 300,000-499,000 miles, receive 100,000 bonus miles Buy 500,000 miles, receive 500,000 bonus miles As you can see, you need to buy a lot of miles to get the best price! Buy American AAdvantage miles for 50% off How much does it cost to purchase American AAdvantage miles? Ordinarily American sells AAdvantage miles for 3.5 cents each (pre-tax) before factoring in any discounts or bonuses. If you maxed out this promotion and purchased one million AAdvantage miles at a cost of $18,812.50, you'd end up paying a rate of 1.88 cents per AAdvantage mile. Buy American AAdvantage miles for 1.88 cents each As mentioned above, this is the best promotion we've seen from the program so far all year. However, you do need to buy a lot of miles to unlock the best price, and cash is king. How many American AAdvantage miles can you purchase? The American AAdvantage program ordinarily allows members to purchase at most 300,000 miles per account per calendar year, before factoring in any bonuses. However, during this promotion, that cap has been increased to 500,000 miles (before the up to 100% bonus). Note that AAdvantage accounts less than 30 days old aren't eligible to purchase miles. Redeem AAdvantage miles for Cathay Pacific business class Which credit card should you buy American AAdvantage miles with? American AAdvantage processes mileage purchases directly, which means the purchase of miles does qualify as airfare spending . Therefore you'll want to consider using one of the below cards for your purchase, since you'd earn bonus points for airfare purchases . Please add a credit card to compare. Redeem AAdvantage miles for Japan Airlines business class For example, I value Membership Rewards points at 1.7 cents each, so by my math American Express Platinum Card® ( review ) offers an 8.5% return on this spending, given the 5x points category . Is buying American AAdvantage miles worth it? Unlike Delta SkyMiles and United MileagePlus, American AAdvantage continues to publish award charts for travel on partner airlines, and redemption rates are largely quite good, especially for travel in premium cabins on partner airlines. Among the "big three" carriers in the US, I tend to think AAdvantage has the best redemption opportunities. I find the cost of business class redemptions to be excellent in many cases. There are instances where it could make sense to pick up miles during a promotion with a short term use in mind. Just to give a few examples of some of my favorite uses of AAdvantage miles (all redemption rates are one-way): For 57,500 miles you can fly from the United States to Morocco in Royal Air Maroc business class For 60,000 miles you could fly from the United States to Japan in Japan Airlines business class For 70,000 miles you could fly from the United States to most of Asia in Cathay Pacific business class For 70,000 miles you can fly from the United States to India in Etihad business class For 75,000 miles you can fly from the United States to South Africa in Qatar Airways business class Now, unfortunately the catch is that partner award availability is in many instances quite limited. For airlines like Cathay Pacific, Etihad, and Qatar Airways, the airlines now largely restrict premium awards to members of their own frequent flyer programs. So definitely do your research before buying any miles. Redeem AAdvantage miles for Qatar Airways business class On what airlines can you redeem American AAdvantage miles? American Airlines belongs to the oneworld alliance, so you can redeem AAdvantage miles on all oneworld airlines. On top of that, you can redeem miles on some of American's other partner airlines, including Air Tahiti Nui, China Southern, Etihad Airways, and GOL Airlines, among others. Redeem AAdvantage miles for Air Tahiti Nui business class How much are American AAdvantage miles worth? Everyone will value mileage currencies differently, but personally I value American AAdvantage miles at ~1.5 cents each. However, I tend to value points pretty conservatively, and there are many ways to get way more value from AAdvantage miles than that. Do American AAdvantage miles expire? American AAdvantage miles don't expire as long as you have at least some account activity once every 24 months . Eligible activity includes earning or redeeming AAdvantage miles in any quantity. What other ways can you earn American AAdvantage miles? There are lots of great ways to earn American miles aside from outright buying them: There are excellent welcome bonuses on co-branded American AAdvantage credit cards You can convert Citi ThankYou points into American AAdvantage miles You can earn AAdvantage miles with a Bask Savings Account You can earn AAdvantage miles for everyday purchases with programs like AAdvantage Dining and SimplyMiles Redeem AAdvantage miles for Royal Air Maroc business class Bottom line American AAdvantage has just launched its best promotion on purchased miles in quite some time. The program is offering up to a 50% discount on purchased miles, which is an opportunity to buy miles for 1.88 cents each. While I wouldn't speculatively buy miles at this cost, with a specific use in mind, there could be value with this offer. Do you plan on buying American miles with this promotion?
BA Cityflyer posts 79% jump in 2025 operating profit after key system upgrades
London City-based regional carrier says it has benefited from system updates by parent company British Airways. British Airways' Cityflyer operation has reported a 79% increase in its full-year operating profit for 2025, pointing to the ongoing implementation of its transformation plan. The regional carrier, which operates a fleet of Embraer 190 jets from London City and other UK airports, saw its operating profit grow to £22.5 million ($30.1 million) in the 12 months to 31 December 2025. Pre-tax profit rose to £28.4 million from £20.3 million the previous year. BA Cityflyer's revenues during the period were up 7.8% at £297 million. The carrier increased its capacity by 6.1% last year, which it says was largely driven by a cabin refurbishment programme in 2024 that added seats. Passenger numbers grew 5.6% and load factor declined fractionally. "In 2025, BA Cityflyer delivered improved operating profit and continued to strengthen its balance sheet, continuing to executive its transformation plan to create a better BA Cityflyer for customers, investors and colleagues," says the carrier, pointing to an update and simplification by its parent company of "several of its most critical systems". This has resulted in a "step change in business continuity, including check-in, flight-planning and management, as well as time-critical load-control systems", says BA Cityflyer. During 2025, the airline agreed to extend the leases on three of its E190s and awarded an engine lease contract covering its E190 fleet.
American Airlines Eyes Boeing 787 to Replace Aging 777-200ER Fleet
In June 2026, American Airlines CEO Robert Isom confirmed that his airline has issued formal Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to Boeing and Airbus for a new widebody order. This was unexpected, as American Airlines has increasingly been focused on its domestic network while keeping the long-haul routes to a minimum. What's more, the order is reported to serve as a replacement for the carrier's Boeing 777-200ER fleet, which was previously believed to be slated for full cabin refurbishments. Meanwhile, the contest hardly appears to be competitive.
United Airlines Debuts Extra-Spacious Economy Plus Seats on Airbus A321XLR
United Airlines has introduced an exciting new feature in its Economy Plus cabin on the upcoming Airbus A321XLR aircraft. The airline will offer a special row with extra elbow room and a large shared table spanning an open middle seat, giving passengers more space and comfort on longer flights. ezstandalone.cmd.push(function () { ezstandalone.showAds(119); }); This innovative Economy Plus option will go on sale later this year. United plans to include it across its full order of 50 A321XLR jets. The airline is also exploring similar configurations for other aircraft types in the future. A Unique Offering Among U.S. Carriers United Airlines expects to be the only major U.S. airline providing this type of seating arrangement. It builds on the recent announcement of United Relax Row — multiple rows on Boeing 787 and 777 widebody aircraft that convert into comfortable couch-style seating, set to debut in early 2027. ezstandalone.cmd.push(function () { ezstandalone.showAds(127); }); “We’re investing nose-to-tail across our fleet and giving customers choice and value in every cabin,” said Andrew Nocella, United’s Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer . “The XLR is our newest aircraft and not only offers all-aisle access lie-flat seats in United Polaris but now also includes seats in Economy Plus with extra leg and elbow room. Our customers are going to love all these new options.” ezstandalone.cmd.push(function () { ezstandalone.showAds(128); }); How the New Seats Work On each A321XLR, one dedicated row will feature large, custom-designed tables that stretch from armrest to armrest across the open middle seat. Window and aisle passengers can spread out more easily during international flights. The tables are permanently fixed and covered in a soft, leather-like material. They include two cup holders for convenience. ezstandalone.cmd.push(function () { ezstandalone.showAds(129); }); This extra space comes on top of the three additional inches of legroom already standard in Economy Plus on the XLR. The design aims to deliver better comfort without sacrificing the efficiency of a narrowbody aircraft. A Premium Narrowbody Designed for Comfort The Airbus A321XLR was built from the ground up to serve as United’s most premium narrowbody plane. It replaces older Boeing 757s on short- to medium-haul international routes and raises the bar for passenger experience. The aircraft offers 32 premium seats — 16 more than the 757s it replaces. This includes new United Polaris Studio suites with all-aisle access and privacy doors. ezstandalone.cmd.push(function () { ezstandalone.showAds(130); }); Every seat on the plane features a large 4K OLED screen with Bluetooth connectivity: 19 inches in Polaris, 16 inches in Premium Plus, and 13 inches in Economy. Passengers will also enjoy spacious overhead bins that easily fit rollaboard suitcases and a convenient snack bar at the back of the economy cabin. Service and Timeline United Airlines will operate the A321XLR with five flight attendants on most transatlantic flights, matching its current Boeing 757 staffing. The airline expects to launch the first domestic flights with the new aircraft later this fall. International service is scheduled to begin by early 2027. United will share full details, including pricing, closer to the on-sale date. ezstandalone.cmd.push(function () { ezstandalone.showAds(131); }); This latest announcement highlights United’s continued focus on improving the onboard experience across all cabins. By adding thoughtful touches like the new Economy Plus row with shared tables, the airline is delivering more choice and greater comfort for travelers on both domestic and international routes.
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