DIPLOMACY

 
The White House’s Secret Diplomatic Weapon

Deputy secretary of state wins accolades, but the Foreign Service struggles to find the next Bill Burns

William J. Burns has been the secret weapon of U.S. secretaries of state for more than two decades, serving consecutively under three Republicans and three Democrats. So it came as no surprise that John Kerry wanted to be the seventh chief diplomat to lean daily on Burns, currently the country’s highest-ranking career diplomat, by keeping him on as deputy secretary of state, a position to which Burns was appointed by Hillary Clinton…

 
Sink or Swim

Why doesn’t America train its diplomats?

Why did the State Department send a diplomat without the necessary skills — and more importantly, without any training — to a critical posting in the most volatile region in the world on the eve of the Arab uprisings? Could the U.S. response to those uprisings have been more effective had American diplomats there been better trained?…
 
MORE DIPLOMACY

Being good at raising money doesn’t make you a good diplomat
America’s other army
What makes a good secretary of state?

Airlines abuse check-in deadlines

Have you ever been told by an airline agent that you had missed the check-in deadline, even though you arrived at the airport well before the published cutoff time? That happened to dozens of Spirit Airlines passengers this week, but it’s nothing new. Agents have been abusing customers for years and have even made them pay penalties…

 
United raises ticket change fees by $50, others follow

United Airlines has quietly increased the fees it charges for voluntary changes on tickets for travel within North America, and between North and Central America by $50 to $200. The change took effect on April 18, according to an internal company advisory sent to employees. The decision makes United the airline with the highest change fees in the affected markets…
 
MORE TRAVEL

American isn’t changing fare-publishing
Swiss Air overplays ‘mistake fare’ excuse
‘Gardening’ your airline reservation

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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