Joe Brancatelli is a publication consultant, which means that he helps media companies start, fix and reposition newspapers, magazines and Web sites. He is also the former executive editor of Frequent Flyer magazine and has been a consultant to or columnist for more business-travel and leisure-travel publishing operations than he can remember. He began his career as a business reporter and created JoeSentMe.com in the dark days after 9/11 while stranded in a hotel room in San Francisco. He lives on the Hudson River in Cold Spring, New York.

OCTOBER 4: DO-IT-YOURSELF TRAVEL
Want to make your life on the road better? Simple: Do it yourself and pay your own way. The airlines, it has been proven over and over again, will not take care of us. Hotels, it is now clear, do not care enough anymore. Airports stink, car rental firms are deteriorating. So stop waiting for someone or something else to come to our rescue. We are on our own and we need to start acting that way and fending for ourselves. Here are some ways to do it.

OCTOBER 1: TRAVEL GETS SPOOKY IN OCTOBER
The weather seems out of control around the planet and it's playing havoc with travel schedules. There are also an unusually high number of odd mechanical and airport incidents, too. And, of course, there are strikes in Europe's prime striking season. And the first Atlantic hurricane of a very strange summer. Here are the details as they happened.

SEPTEMBER 30: WHAT HAPPENED TODAY ON FLYDUBAI FLIGHT 1073?
We're still not sure what happened on FlyDubai Flight 1073 despite all manner of international political spin, speculative facts, millions of words written around the world and thousands of hours of video and radio "evidence." Tell you what I'll do: just the facts and logical extrapolation of fact. I urge you to ignore everything else.

SEPTEMBER 27: IT WAS 25 YEARS AGO TODAY
Today marks the 25th year, to the day, that JoeSentMe launched under its own feeble power. I'll dispense with the usual self-congratulatory patter and come back full circle to the first words that appeared at the site. It may be the only thing I've written that I have never doubted. I believed the words then. I believe them now. And I will believe what I wrote on September 27, 2001, until the day I take that last flight out.

SEPTEMBER 20: MEANWHILE, IN OTHER NEWS ...
The chaos of travel in 2026--wars and weather and wackiness, oh my!--has naturally dominated the headlines. But there are other things going on, structural changes to travel that demand our attention. Like Delta's drive to dominate LAX. JetBlue's mediocre new first class cabin. And La Compagnie's decision to launch all-business-class flights to Dusseldorf.

SEPTEMBER 11: TODAY? LET'S REFLECT. TOMORROW? LET'S FLY.
As an optimist, in my head I always hear the words of the 17-year-old Laura Nyro: And when I die, and when I'm gone, there'll be one child born in this world to carry on. And born, they have been. An entire generation of adults already have been born since September 11, 2001. It is their world now. For them, 9/11 is history. We need to move on from 9/11 to help the the new adults manage the future.

SEPTEMBER 6: NOBODY ASKED ME, BUT ...
The world is an odd place right now. After all, the FAA is boasting about recruiting video gamers into air traffic control, Amex is making us re-enroll in stuff just because they want you to see the new enrollment procedures and old war ordnance is exploding as Europe's forests burn. And, of course, airlines and the DOT are making things worse because that's just what they do. Lots of news and lots of snark ahead.

SEPTEMBER 1: SEPTEMBER'S SAD, SAD TRAVEL SONG
The extraordinarily weird travel year of 2026 continues apace in September. There have been major hurricanes and volcanoes and truly awful weather. Plus disruptive passengers, cargo-plane disasters, more sky-high energy prices and, of course, a President who denies the Russians have been waging a proxy war against NATO.

AUGUST 30: TRAINS. YES, TRAINS.
The airlines are sclerotic, but passenger rail is changing for the better. Just this week, a direct rail link called the O'Hare Flyer has been unveiled to connect the airport and downtown Chicago. Meanwhile, competition is finally on the horizon for passenger rail service through the Channel Tunnel. A new rail link opens in the UAE that will eventually offer passenger service in all seven emirates. And in Japan, Supreme Class on bullet trains launches in October and will offer private suites for one- or two riders.

AUGUST 23: WORST. COLUMN. EVER.
Want to hear the Worst. Travel Joke. Ever? I have it. (In fact, I made it up). But this week's developments in travel got me thinking about the Worst. Airline Executive. Ever. Also thoughts about the Worst. DOT Secretary Ever. And, yes, news this week about the Worst. Travel Regulation. Ever. Which makes this, as Comic Book Guy would say, Worst. Column. Ever.

AUGUST 16: THE AMEX PLATINUM BELL TOLLS FOR ME
The value of the $895 Amex Platinum Card--or Chase's $795 Sapphire Reserve--depends on how you use it. Or, more precisely, how many of the perks you use and how you value them. My bill came this week and I had to do serious math on what I'm paying and what I'm getting. This is how I justify my $895 fee.

AUGUST 9: WINTER TRAVEL? DARK, DULL AND COSTLY
With Labor Day soon upon us, your attention might already be turning to fall and winter holidays with family and friends in some great place across the nearest ocean. Unfortunately, the news isn't good. The alternate carriers that keep international fares down have retreated. Finding fair fares for a premium ride will be tougher than ever. Here's a look at your best options.

AUGUST 1: AUGUST IS AWFUL ON THE ROAD
Hoping that August would be better than the first seven months of the year on the road? No such luck. Strikes, schedule changes, continued disruptions from the Middle East conflicts and plain old summer weather have all conspired against us. Here is how we are covering it.

JULY 19: AIRLINES, MAYBE TAKE A SEAT
United Airlines would like you to know about its latest and greatest innovation in customer comfort: the tray table. That's dumb on its face, of course, but there's an ulterior notice. Bolting tray tables over a few coach seats on its newest aircraft allows United to fly with fewer flight attendants. Plus seating news from Delta, Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines, too.

JULY 1: TRAVEL GOES AWRY IN JULY
One could have hoped the start of the second half of 2026 and the Canada Day/Fourth of July holidays might have broken the endless stretch of crazy travel news. No such luck. The apparent collapse of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire continues to play havoc with energy prices. The malfunctions of Europe's EES system continue to play havoc with flyers. And much, much more. Here's how we're covering it.

JUNE 1: THE LOONS OF JUNE
The first half of 2026 is rushing to a close and it has been a year of hell on the road. High oil prices are scrambling the global aviation markets. Travel patterns are disrupted. And there are all sorts of other oddities. Meanwhile, the EU is still trying to get its Entry/Exit System up and running. And, of course, June is a popular month for transport strikes on the continent. Here's how we're covering it.

MAY 31: THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE AIRPORTS
Airlines are bad and hotels are slashing services. But airports? At least four key global hubs are making things a little better. Paris/CDG gets a nonstop train to the city. Overburdened Frankfurt gets a huge new terminal. Denver Airport finally adds walkways between concourses. And Boston tests a concept where you don't have to clear security at the airport. I've got the details--and, of course, snarky thoughts where appropriate.

MAY 24: SEE THE USA WITH THE DOT
Chevy has revived its classic theme, See The USA in Your Chevrolet. The DOT Secretary has gone on a cross-country road trip. And yet somehow the twain have not met. Why is the DOT Secretary traipsing around the country, underwritten by many of the companies that have business before the agency? And why isn't he seeing the USA in a Chevrolet? So many questions and moral dilemmas. So few answers. And do you know how much it costs to drive any car across the USA? Deep questions for Memorial Day, the traditional start of road-tripping season.

MAY 3: THE STENCH OF SPIRIT
Trump's oil upheaval didn't kill Spirit. Biden's anti-merger stance didn't kill Spirit. The bad routes, bad engines and bad luck didn't kill Spirit. Who killed Spirit? A shameless, soulless executive who hated customers and forever branded Spirit as the nasty, sneering carrier of last resort for anyone who didn't have any other choice or any more money. Spirit could never outrun the awful image he crafted for the airline two decades ago.

MAY 1: MAY'S TRAVEL MAYHEM
As a travel year so far, 2026 has sucked. We've been in constant crisis mode since mid-January. May is starting no better. Spirit Airlines folded. Delta is melting down again. Gasoline prices are insane and jet fuel is getting scarce. Infectious diseases are back. Plus the EU is still trying to get its Entry/Exit System up and running. Here's how we covered it.

APRIL 26: BUSINESS CLASS GHETTOS
The airlines are coming after international business class, our sweet spot. The attack is subversive, sub rosa and aimed squarely at our wallets. It's what airlines do and we've been expecting it, but the decision to ghettoize their most popular cabin is, honestly, disgusting and disingenuous.

APRIL 19: SERVICE, GOOD AND BAD, ON THE ROAD
A funny thing happened to me last week before my flight home from Honolulu: My Global Entry and PreCheck credentials unexpectedly expired. And therein hangs this week's tales of service, good and bad, on the road.

APRIL 12: OILY TRAVEL REALITIES
There are other things going on in travel just now, but we'd be foolish to think the Iran conflict and the resulting rise in oil prices aren't dominating the global conversation. And you won't be surprised that the news is not good. Plus a route-specific look at how high fuel prices are warping airfares.

APRIL 1: APRIL'S FOOLS
TSA funding ran out on February 14 and TSA agents already have missed two full paychecks and part of a third. Congress has adjourned for its spring break and that means the TSA probably won't be funded before mid-April. President Trump has ordered TSA agents paid via an executive maneuver. It raises hope that the agents--who've been calling out in record numbers--will return to checkpoints soon and relieve the horrific security lines at major U.S. airports. Here's how we've covered it.

MARCH 22: NOBODY ASKED ME, BUT ... DON'T MENTION THE WAR EDITION
We're 23 days into this thing in Iran. But I promise: Throughout this entire column, I don't mention the war. Well, I mention it once, but I think I'll get away with it alright. I do talk about luxury hotel services, new hotel amenities and hotel buffets. Discuss how Doug Parker, the airline killer, is trying to rewrite his legacy. Consider this week's wacky ideas for "fixing" problems at TSA checkpoints. And lots more with, I hope, plenty of snark and comedy.

MARCH 15: OBVIOUS QUESTIONS, DIFFICULT ANSWERS
How this Iran thing will play out is far above my pay grade, so let's concentrate on what we can assess. What follows are mostly answers to travel questions you've put to me in recent days. The questions are all terrific. The value of my answers? Your call.

MARCH 14: NOBODY'S RIGHT WHEN EVERYBODY'S WRONG
I hate this. You hate this. TSA agents who aren't getting paid hate this. The airlines hate this--although they are careful not to squawk too much lest we recall that we are shouldering the burden of security work that the carriers themselves should be doing. And one month into the TSA shutdown, things will get worse before they get better.

MARCH 7: ASYMMETRY AND SAFETY
We now live and travel in this asymmetrical world. No place is safe. No one is immune. If you want to keep traveling, especially internationally, you'll have to adjust to the new realities. And understand that it's not the act of travel that puts you at risk. It's lack of planning, bad decision-making and erroneous assumptions that make you a target.

MARCH 1: MARCH OF WAR
Before we could even clear the frenzy of February, the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran turned the travel world upside down. Two of the world's busiest long-haul connecting airports (Dubai and Doha) shut down for the duration. Israel closed its airspace, again isolating the nation. And when Iran responded asymmetrically by attacking civilian and travel targets around the Gulf region, the entire Middle East became a no-go zone. Here's how we covered it.

FEBRUARY 27: ROMEO AND JULIET (AND ARMANI) IN VERONA
All of the Italys--the fabulously ornate past, the effortlessly sleek present, the hopelessly romantic dream and the tourist-besotted reality--come together in Verona, the small city that dazzled us during Sunday's Olympics Closing Ceremonies. The city is that pretty and it handles the tourist hordes effortlessly.

FEBRUARY 22: TRAVEL'S HOUSE OF CARDS
United Airlines has issued a stunning decree: Loyalty to United is no longer enough. If you want the best that mess of an airline offers, you must also be loyal to Chase Bank. Fine by me. I'm not loyal to any airline or hotel now. If anything, I'm loyal to banks because they get me things like free luxury vacations in Hawaii without flying or lodging.

FEBRUARY 15: THE ROADS NOT TAKEN
My wife and I haven't had a holiday in forever. And we've just cancelled five in a row. Which has got me thinking about Robert Frost (you know, the road not taken) and George Harrison (you know, any road will get you there). What's it all mean? It's all good, but all these road metaphors are confusing me.

FEBRUARY 11: FEBRUARY FRENZY
Unless it's bad weather snarling flight schedules, nothing much happens in travel in February. But not this year. There have been strikes, partial government shutdowns and a mysterious 10-day air space closure in Texas that somehow ended after fewer than ten hours. It's a lot of frenzy and inconvenience for otherwise sleepy February. Here's how we covered it.

FEBRUARY 1: TWO FOR THE ROAD
I hate to write about travel and politics, but they're simply inseparable. So here's the lowdown on what happens to travel if the "short" government shutdown turns out not to be short. Some simple truths about ICE and hotels. The new government fee plan if you don't have the "proper" airport ID. President Trump is happy the dollar is slumping against key currencies, but it raises our travel costs. And (sadly) more travel and politics.

JANUARY 21: SNOW AND ICE AND ICE, OH MY!
The National Weather Service predicted a monstrous, destructive storm that would blanket the nation from Texas to the Atlantic Coast and from Maine to the Deep South. And that's exactly what happened. Areas in 19 states received at least 15 inches of snow. Where there wasn't much snow, there was ice. Air travel was paralyzed for days and American Airlines melted down. And in the background? A potential government shutdown and a shocking ICE killing in Minnesota. Here's how we covered it.

JANUARY 18: ACROSS THE PACIFIC IN (CHEAP) BUSINESS BEDS
Zipair, a Japan Airlines subsidiary, is going where no carrier has gone across the Pacific. It offers cheap, lie-flat business class beds. It's an a la carte operation, so you'll pay for bags, meals and seat assignments, but fares can be less than half of the major transpacific players.

JANUARY 14: HOW BA WENT FROM FIRST TO WORST IN BUSINESS CLASS
There are two seminal moments in the history of international business class: Continental Airlines' 1992 decision to merge its first and business cabins into a single "super business class" product. And, in 2000, British Airways' deployment of lie-flat beds in its business class. Both carriers squandered their leads and BA, especially, has gone from first to worst in business class.

JANUARY 11: SNOW AND STOTINKI IN EUROPE
Here's what's new on the road in Europe: Snow storms and hurricane-force winds stranded hundreds of thousands of flyers, especially in Amsterdam and Paris. Want to go to the Olympics? The winter-averse Italians generally don't, so there are plenty of event tickets to be had at reasonable prices. Aer Lingus ends transatlantic nonstops to Manchester. The EES airport saga drags on. And Bulgaria joins the euro zone, which means the end of the lev--and the stotinka.

JANUARY 4: HOME (AND AWAY) FOR THE HOLIDAYS
So how were your holidays? If you were traveling, I fear not well. But before I start the year with bad news about flights and trains, a happy tale of a few nights at a hotel that was actually fun.