There’s nothing better for a timid flyer than to land safety at their destination after a bumpy, turbulence-filled flight. But before you press those hands together in an exuberant clap, you might want to reconsider. Turns out, some pilots don’t like to receive rousing applause. [More]
flying
American Airlines To Notify Customers If Bags Are Delayed
By 7.27.17
For the better part of a year, airlines have experimented with different programs aimed at easing travelers’ frustrations when it comes to their checked luggage; from Alaska’s electronic baggage tags to Delta’s checked bag map. Now, its American Airlines turn, as the carrier launched an app update allowing passengers to receive notification when their bags are delayed. [More]
Do You Have To Be 21 To Drink On International Flights?
By 5.31.17
Just about every college kid who’s flown to Europe knows that when they land they’ll be able to get a beer without the fake ID they paid too much to acquire from their neighbor’s creepy older brother. But can those under-21 travelers drink during that flight? Depends on the airline. [More]
National Guardsman Says United Wrongly Charged Him $200 For Checked Bag
By 5.18.17
A National Guardsman returning home to Texas following nearly two years in Afghanistan says United Airlines broke its own policy by charging him $200 to check a bag full of gear. [More]
Family Claims United Airlines Left 12-Year-Old Girl Alone After Flight To Houston
By 12.28.16
Each year, parents fork over hundreds of dollars to airlines’ unaccompanied minors programs to ensure their children traveling alone by plane make it to their destination safely. While most of these trips go swimmingly, a few don’t. Case in point: an Iowa couple says their 12-year-old daughter was left alone at a Houston airport despite paying extra to ensure she was accompanied at all times. [More]
American Airlines Flight Catches Fire After Aborting Takeoff In Chicago
By 10.28.16
An American Airlines flight preparing to takeoff from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport blew a tire and caught fire Friday afternoon following a reported engine malfunction. [More]
One Airline Now Offers Kid-Free “Quiet Zones” On Flights
By 10.24.16 — Updated: 10.31.16
For years airlines have toyed with the idea of separating sometimes fussy, loud children from adults on flights, either through flying nanny services or the ever-popular, but seldom instituted “kid-free zones.” Now, one airline is taking the plunge, offering separate “quiet zones” where passengers under the age of 12 aren’t allowed to sit. [More]
Feds Announce Airplane Ban For All Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Phones
By 10.14.16
The Department of Transportation, along with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), have officially issued an emergency order to ban all Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphones from air transportation in the U.S., deeming the devices “forbidden hazardous material.” [More]
Woman’s Lawyer Explains Why Dead Husband’s Entrails Were In Her Checked Baggage
By 9.28.16
Of all the things one might expect customs officials to find in a traveler’s luggage, preserved intestines might not be your everyday occurrence. That’s why airport workers in Graz, Austria wanted to check in with the police when they found the entrails of a woman’s dead husband in her checked baggage. [More]
Here’s A Big (Updated) List Of The Foods You Can Bring Through Airport Security
By 6.27.16 — Updated: 3.9.17
Inching your way through airport security is already a stressful and time-consuming process. The last thing you want to worry about is having that snack you packed to enjoy mid-flight thrown in the trash because of seemingly arbitrary rules on what can and can’t be carried through the checkpoint.
[More]
Alaska Airlines Testing Flights With Fuel Made From Fermented Corn
By 6.7.16
Fuel prices may have dropped for airlines in the past year, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t looking for alternative means to power their aircraft. To that end, Alaska Airlines today flew two flights using a biofuel mixture derived from fermented corn. [More]
JetBlue Gives Plane Full Of Passengers A Free Flight After Four Babies Cry
By 5.3.16
A crying child on a flight can be a difficult endeavor for passengers and parents alike. In an attempt to create goodwill between fussy babies and exasperated passengers, JetBlue provided travelers with an unusual incentive on a recent flight: endure the cries and get a free flight. [More]
Bill Would Require Airlines Ensure Families With Young Children Sit Together
By 4.12.16
It’s no secret that traveling with children can be a test of patience for families and other passengers. That’s especially true when the airline of choice can’t ensure that small children are seated with their parents. That could soon be changing, however, as Congress recently voted to add an amendment to the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill that aims to take some of the hassle out of traveling with children. [More]
FBI: American Airlines Flight Attendant Deliberately Set, Put Out Fire In Plane’s Bathroom
By 3.3.16
Federal law enforcement officers have arrested an American Airlines flight attendant accusing him of deliberately starting a fire in the plane’s lavatory, and then extinguishing it himself in a supposedly heroic action. [More]
It’s Official: No More Smoking E-Cigarettes On Planes
By 3.2.16
Four months ago, the Department of Transportation banned e-cigs from being checked in baggage after a couple dozen fires and explosions. Now, the agency is taking another step toward safety by actually banning the devices from being used during flights. [More]
United Airlines Creates “Essentials,” “Enhanced” Bundles For Extra Legroom, Checked Bags
By 1.4.16
In a day and age when it seems as if you can bundle just about anything from cable, Internet, and phone service to those little extras you’re charged during a hotel stay. So it makes sense that airlines would also offer the same options for customers looking for extra legroom or an additional checked bag. [More]
Delta No Longer Allowing Large Animals To Be Flown As Checked Baggage
By 11.17.15
Flying your favorite furry friend on Delta Air Lines is about to get a little less convenient, and more expensive, starting next year, as the carrier announced that it will no longer allow travelers to ferry their pets from one place to another as checked baggage. [More]
Dynamic Airways Plane Catches Fire On Florida Runway
By 10.29.15
Seven people were injured and three taken to the hospital after an airplane caught fire on a Florida runway Thursday afternoon. The incident marks the third time in two months that an aircraft has caught fire before takeoff. [More]
