The Legacy of Travel Journalist Joe Sharkey, Frequent Flier Who Cheated Death

By Mighty Travels Premium November 25, 2023 8:03 PM UTC

The Legacy of Travel Journalist Joe Sharkey, Frequent Flier Who Cheated Death - The Close Calls of an Aviation Writer

man in red crew neck t-shirt standing beside woman in blue and white plaid shirt, African Streets

a group of people standing on top of a boat under a cloudy sky,

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As a veteran travel journalist who logged over seven million miles in the air, Joe Sharkey had his fair share of close calls and near-death experiences. For Sharkey, hurtling through the skies in a metal tube 30,000 feet above the ground was just another day at the office. But given the high-stakes nature of aviation, danger was never far away.

One of the most harrowing incidents Sharkey endured happened in September 2006 while on assignment for The New York Times. He was traveling aboard Gol Transportes Aéreos Flight 1907 over the Amazon jungle in Brazil when the Boeing 737 collided at 37,000 feet with a private jet carrying American pilots. The smaller aircraft crashed into the 737's left wing, shearing it off and sending the plane into an uncontrolled descent. Plunging over the endless rainforest, Sharkey assumed he was about to die.

Miraculously, the experienced pilots were able to regain control and guide the crippled airliner to an emergency landing at a small jungle airstrip. Although several passengers were severely injured and the two American pilots in the Legacy jet were killed, there were no fatalities aboard Sharkey's flight. As the dazed passengers disembarked and looked around at the wreckage in disbelief, they realized how astonishingly close they had come to perishing over the world's largest rainforest.

While undoubtedly rattled, Sharkey refused to develop a fear of flying after living through the mid-air disaster. As a travel writer who spent much of his career in transit from one exotic locale to another, he had no choice but to get back on the (winged) horse. Sharkey saw first-hand how incredibly rare such catastrophic mechanical failures were, given the millions of routine flights every year. He leaned on statistics, pragmatism and gallows humor to cope with any anxieties.

The Legacy of Travel Journalist Joe Sharkey, Frequent Flier Who Cheated Death - Surviving a Mid-Air Collision over the Amazon

The Legacy of Travel Journalist Joe Sharkey, Frequent Flier Who Cheated Death - Recovering from Tragedy and Getting Back in the Air

The Legacy of Travel Journalist Joe Sharkey, Frequent Flier Who Cheated Death - Witnessing History While on Assignment

The Legacy of Travel Journalist Joe Sharkey, Frequent Flier Who Cheated Death - Flying Millions of Miles Across Decades of Change

The Legacy of Travel Journalist Joe Sharkey, Frequent Flier Who Cheated Death - Sharing Tales from a Life Spent Globe-Trotting

The Legacy of Travel Journalist Joe Sharkey, Frequent Flier Who Cheated Death - Passing on Hard-Earned Wisdom to Fellow Frequent Fliers

low-angle photography of two men playing beside two women, This shot was taken during a roadtrip with a couple of friends in the Dolomites. This pretty much sums up the lovely adventures we had over there – just us (and some beers) in the mountains for one week. Although it is just a snapshot, it captures a true, precious moment of togetherness and friendship.

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As a veteran of millions of miles in the air over several decades, Joe Sharkey accumulated a wealth of hard-won knowledge about how to navigate the oftentimes turbulent world of frequent flying. Having survived his fair share of close calls, delays, cancellations, lost luggage, and other air travel headaches, he felt compelled to share his wisdom with fellow road warriors just starting out on their journey to frequent flier status.

Sharkey often dispensed tips on maximizing loyalty miles, scoring upgrades, and getting compensated during irregular operations in his travel columns. He advocated that newbies sign up for every frequent flier program out there when just getting started. Once you've racked up tens of thousands of miles on an airline, then consider consolidating balances to a preferred program. Sharkey was also a big proponent of mileage runs during promo offers to obtain elite status faster. He would practically plan his calendar around cheap mileage run fares to maintain his top-tier status on multiple airlines.

The grizzled travel journalist also shared creative techniques for getting booked on alternate flights during same-day flight cancellations. He told readers to sweet talk gate agents and highlight flexible travel plans, while avoiding confrontation. Sharkey learned from experience that gate agents have the power to work miracles when charmingly entreated. He also touted the benefits of premium credit cards that provide luxury lounge access when things go wrong.

Sharkey warned newbie frequent fliers that the glory days of free upgrades on every flight were long gone. He coached readers on the RAT ("request at ticketing") technique and strategies for snagging occasional space-available upgrades as an elite member. Sharkey recommended having backup plans and packing essentials in carry-on bags to avoid delays from misconnected luggage.

The Legacy of Travel Journalist Joe Sharkey, Frequent Flier Who Cheated Death - Leaving a Legacy as the Ultimate Road Warrior

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flat lay photography of camera, book, and bag, Planning for the weekend

man taking photo of hot air balloons, My life is going on in cappadocia.

When Joe Sharkey passed away in early 2023 at the age of 79, the world lost one of history’s most seasoned frequent fliers. Having logged over seven million miles crisscrossing the globe for his travel journalism career, Sharkey earned his title as the quintessential road warrior. His globetrotting adventures spanned decades of evolution in the aviation industry, from the glamorous Golden Age to today’s crowded cattle cars in the sky. Sharkey bore witness to historic events and landmarks around the world throughout his illustrious tenure in the skies.

While racking up more miles than the average flier could dream of, Sharkey also faced his fair share of close calls. He cheated death in multiple emergency landings, including the terrifying mid-air collision over the Amazon rainforest in 2006. But not even a near-fatal plane crash could ground this frequent flying fanatic for long. Sharkey embodied the resilient spirit shared by many veteran road warriors unwilling to let discomfort or danger stand in the way of pursuing their passion.

Sharkey leaves behind an extensive body of work documenting his jet-setting lifestyle in numerous travel columns and books. His final book “Cockpit Confidential” shares wild tales of danger and adventure from a lifetime of aviation. Sharkey’s writings reveal not just the glamorous side of life as a frequent flier, but also the gritty realities of spending days on end in cramped plane cabins subsisting on bad food. His humorous, honest perspectives provide valuable insights for both newbies and seasoned travelers.

Beyond his published work, Sharkey’s legacy lives on in the legions of frequent fliers he mentored over the years. On FlyerTalk and other aviation forums, Sharkey was known for generously sharing hard-earned wisdom on maximizing frequent flier mile programs and surviving the turbulent world of airport travel. His tireless commitment to empowering fellow road warriors cements Sharkey’s status as a frequent flying icon.