We all think we know that for a flight to depart and arrive on time, dozens of people have to do their jobs perfectly. It seems, however, that the only time we truly appreciate that is when something goes wrong and we feel the consequences long after landing.

In an attempt to encourage more people to travel — particularly overseas — I’ve been trying to dissuade them from believing the common perception that travel is a hassle. With online check-in and the ease of achieving elite airline status, thanks to unprecedented promotions this year, you can avoid long lines at the airport and almost breeze onto the plane.

That’s how I feel most of the time. United Airlines pioneered priority boarding through a separate red-carpet line for its premium passengers a few years ago, and all its agents strictly observe the policy…

Continue reading about Lufthansa agent’s ‘mistake’ stacks up