Another day, another tray table.

This time, I'm on my way back from Portland (the one that takes a transcon to visit).

I'd never been before, but wow, I was impressed by the airport and its stunning new lounge.

Before I get into today’s updates, you don’t have much time left for the best-ever public welcome offer on the Chase Sapphire Reserve®.

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Lots more below, including my can’t-miss story of trying to get home from Europe.

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It's no secret that Europe's new immigration process is causing chaos at airports across the EU.

Most of the horror stories (think: two- to three-hour waits) center on the arrival process.

But what many people forget is that leaving Europe involves a similar process, including registration (at some airports) and using an eGate.

It's gotten so bad that American Airlines has been warning passengers leaving Lisbon, Rome, and Venice to arrive at least 3.5 hours before departure.

The good news: I just went through the exit process in Paris and updated my free EES guide with the latest intel.

I've been to basically every new airport lounge opening in the past decade, but this one stands out.

For starters, it's Alaska's nicest yet. From the design to the food to the fireplace, the carrier's new 14,000-square-foot outpost in Portland feels right on-brand for the hub.

(Yes, there are pancakes as well.)

Better yet, it opens in what might be the nicest new domestic airport terminal I've visited.

Airport authorities around the country should take note of what the Port of Portland did with PDX.

My plan to get home from Europe was simple: fly British Airways from Milan to London, spend the night at an airport hotel, and connect to New York the next morning.

London gets you the earliest transatlantic departure from Europe, and I had a full day of meetings waiting for me in New York.

It fell apart fast.

As I landed in Milan (after my first ITA Airways flight as a Star Alliance member), BA notified me of a 90-minute delay. No problem — until I checked the inbound aircraft (using this app) and saw it was still sitting in London.

The ticket counter said there was nothing they could do. (I even suggested rebooking on an interline partner, but they refused.)

The app and website also didn’t have any self-serve options. I cleared security, went to the BA lounge, and asked again. I got the same answer.

I asked for updated flight status, and the agent said: “It's up to the folks in London."

An hour later, with the plane still grounded in London for no stated reason, the delay ballooned to four hours.

So I called BA. The desk handling Avios bookings was closed, which meant no one was available to help. (I later learned that the U.S. 1-800 number was open, but the email told me to call the UK line, which was closed for the night.)

I needed another way home.

The last Air France flight of the night left in an hour and, to my surprise, had one business-class seat left for 60,000 points from Milan to Paris to New York.

I'd have to stay overnight in Paris and pay €500 for the Sheraton at CDG, but the inbound flight was already in Milan, and I'd land in New York around the same time. I transferred points and booked before someone else grabbed the seat.

Now, I’m still waiting for the refund of my BA flight.

Four takeaways:

The ultra-long-range Airbus A350-1000 that'll operate the world's longest flights just completed its first test flight from the Airbus factory in Toulouse.

Qantas ordered 12 of these jets for what it calls Project Sunrise, 22-hour nonstop flights from Sydney and Melbourne to London and New York.

Commercial service is expected to commence next year. You can bet I’m going to be on that inaugural.

Lately, I've seen several travel "experts" insist you should avoid basic fares at all costs.

I disagree.

In fact, I recently booked basic economy for myself and my dad. (Does this make me a bad son who's also no longer qualified to write this newsletter?)

In many markets, the buy-up to a regular fare has gotten so steep that for last-minute trips, I find myself booking basic. (Because I don’t need to worry about the no-change policies.)

Elite status helps, too. It can waive some of the most onerous basic restrictions on certain carriers.

So today's tip: don’t always avoid basic.

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