Fees and Fares
Cowabunga! This month, United Airlines rolled back the fees it charges customers traveling with surfboards, but only on direct flights to and from California. Instead of paying $100 to $200 per surfboard each way, customers traveling to and from the Golden State will now only need to pay United’s standard checked bag fees, which begin at $30 for the first checked bag. Details here.

JetBlue plans to follow the lead of Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and United Airlines and introduce a basic economy fare in 2019. The new fare category (which may be named Blue Save) will likely allow passengers to board with a carry-on and a personal item, but will not include seat selection.

Speaking of basic economy fares, United Airlines will continue to prohibit passengers flying on this fare from boarding with a full-sized carry-on bag (although exemptions are still available for certain mileage program members and credit card holders.) American Airlines also initially prohibited basic economy travelers from bringing a carry-on bag aboard, but backed off that rule in September 2018.

KLM’s 99^th Delftware Miniature
KLM has a much-loved tradition of gifting World Business Class passengers with a Delft Blue miniature traditional Dutch house filled with the Dutch gin known as genever.

The carrier reveals a new collectible house each year on or around Oct. 7 — the airline’s birthday — and this year’s house (No. 99) depicts the house in which grocer Egbert Douwe began the Douwe Egberts brand well-known today. Learn more about the history of this house here.

Lovely New Lounge for British Airways at JFK
British Airways’ first-class customers departing from New York (JFK) Terminal 7 can hang out in a swanky, refurbished lounge 60 percent larger than the previous one, with a wine room, First bar and quiet work area. Details (and photos) here.