We have no idea why anyone would think a pilot was saying “happy birthday” to a “bomb on board” a plane, but that’s exactly what some passengers on a Southwest Airlines flight from Baltimore to Long Island thought they heard on Friday. [More]
Airline Using Facebook To Turn Jet Cabin Into High School Cafeteria
By February 24, 2012
As adults, most of us are perfectly okay with the notion that it doesn’t really matter who you sit next to on the plane. You take your seat, eat your free peanuts and sleep through Two & a Half Men reruns. But Dutch airline KLM is testing a new service that allows Facebook and LinkedIn users to try to find the cool kids’ section of the plane. [More]
35 Pets Died On Airplanes Last Year, Over Half On Delta
By February 17, 2012
Animal lovers were justifiably critical of Delta Airlines after sixteen pets died in 2010 during or after flights in the cargo hold. But even after banning frequently-overheating short-muzzled breeds like bulldogs from the skies, nineteen pets passed away during or shortly after Delta flights in 2011. That’s out of a total of 35 pets that died on U.S. carriers last year. In addition, nine pets sustained major or minor injuries, and two were lost. [More]
Ryanair CEO Needs Police Escort After Gloating In Front Of Laid-Off Workers
By February 8, 2012
Michael O’Leary, CEO of bargain-basement European airline Ryanair, is no stranger to stirring up controversy. But this is probably the first time one of his antics has resulted in him requiring police protection. [More]
Dirty Diaper Grounds Qantas Flight
By February 3, 2012
A few years back, I had the unpleasant experience of sitting behind a baby that had vomited all over his row only an hour into a flight from San Francisco to New York. I remember wishing at the time that there would be some non-disastrous reason for the plane to have to make an early landing so I could get away from the smell. Little did I know it would only have taken a single dirty diaper. [More]
Thieving TSA Agent Serves As Reminder To Not Carry $5K In Your Coat
By February 2, 2012
See, this is why smugglers duct tape their contraband to their chest and groin — so that a rogue TSA agent doesn’t simply swipe it from their coat as it goes through the security checkpoint. [More]
Spirit Adds $2 "Dept. Of Transportation Unintended Consequences Fee"
By February 1, 2012
Fresh off fighting laws that require truth in advertising, Spirit Airlines, which hilariously dubbed itself the “most consumer-friendly airline,” is now taking a stand against another government regulation — one that requires airlines to allow passengers to change flights within 24 hours of booking without paying a penalty — by adding two dollars to everyone’s ticket. [More]
Do Your Homework Before Comparing Flight Prices
By January 30, 2012
New regulations require airlines to post the full price of airfare, taxes included. The changes are meant to give consumers a more accurate idea of what the full costs of their flights will be, but they don’t always tell the whole story. [More]
TSA Can't Tell The Difference Between A Gun & An Insulin Pump
By January 27, 2012
Travelers at Los Angeles International Airport this morning were held back from boarding this morning after the brain trust at the TSA security checkpoint not only managed to mistake a passenger’s insulin pump for a gun, but also waited until after she’d passed through the checkpoint to think it might be a good idea to check out the mysterious item. [More]
Senator Calls Out Spirit Airlines For Trying To Mislead Public About Airfares
By January 26, 2012
You may recall that earlier this week, bottom-dollar carrier Spirit Airlines launched an e-mail campaign to convince customers that the new FAA regulations requiring truth in airfare advertising was really just a ruse by the federal government to hide taxes and tax hikes in airfares. Well, that didn’t go over well with Senator Barbara Boxer of California, who threw off the gloves and sent a bare-knuckles letter to Spirit in response. [More]
U.S. Airways Confirms It's Out To Woo American Airlines
By January 25, 2012
Late last week, it was revealed that U.S. Airways was checking out American Airlines’ OKcupid profile in the hope the two could go on a nice coffee date and maybe get married and have a bunch of kids and a huge house in the suburbs. At the time U.S. Airways, who got burned a couple years back after getting hot-and-heavy with United, played coy about its intentions. But today the carrier is being more open about its amorous intentions. [More]
San Francisco Airport Opens Free Yoga Room For Tense Travelers
By January 25, 2012
For many travelers, the idea of just going to the airport — and finding a place to park, checking your bags, picking up your ticket, waiting at security, hoping you don’t get the extra-special touchy-feely pat-down, putting all your stuff back together after going through the checkpoint, finding your gate, paying $5 for a bottle of water — is a bit of a stressful situation. So the folks at San Francisco International are opening a yoga room for you to work out all that tension while waiting for your connecting flight. [More]
Spirit Airlines Says Posting Full Airfares Is Government's Way Of Hiding Taxes
By January 24, 2012
In recent years, the Dept. of Transportation has been cracking down on airlines, especially discount carriers, for advertising airfares that don’t actually represent what consumers will end up paying. With the latest round of rule changes having just kicked in, low-budget airline Spirit is fighting back, telling its customers that this is all about the government trying to hide higher taxes in airfares. [More]
Ron Paul Says Senator Son Detained By TSA For Refusing Pat-Down
By January 23, 2012
Presidential candidate Ron Paul and his son, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, have been very vocal critics of the Transportation Security Administration. And it doesn’t look like the two will be thinking any more highly of the TSA as, according to the elder Paul pol, Rand was detained by the TSA this morning after refusing to submit to a pat-down. [More]
Report: U.S. Airways Once Again Considering A Merger Marriage, This Time With American
By January 23, 2012
It hasn’t even been two years since U.S. Airways called off its pre-nuptial pillow talk with United Airlines, opting instead to remain single. And while it hasn’t rebounded as quickly as its spurned beau, who ran off with that Continental cad only a few shot months later, a new report says that U.S. Airlines is considering the possibility of a happily ever after ending with American Airlines. [More]
Arrested Traveler Says She Shouldn't Be Held Responsible Because TSA Didn't Spot Her Handgun
By January 20, 2012
Over the years, a number of people have been stopped at airport security checkpoints for carrying weapons — guns, knives, box cutters, the occasional M-622 Avalanche — that the passenger claimed they had accidentally stowed in their carry-on bag. But who is responsible once that traveler gets through the checkpoint? [More]
A Trio Of Tips To Make Your Frequent Flyer Miles Take Flight
By January 13, 2012
If you gaze in admiration upon George Clooney’s character in Up in the Air, hoping that you too can reap enough frequent flyer miles like a pro, you may need to start over from scratch, ditching ineffective habits and replacing them with more efficient practices. [More]
This Year Was A Statistically Fantastic One In Terms Of Staying Alive On Airplanes
By December 30, 2011
The bodily terror some might feel upon having to embark on a journey through the air might be eased a bit by knowing that 2011 was a very good year so far as personal safety. Experts say the number of passengers killed in air accidents this year is down an encouraging amount from last year. [More]
