[caption id="attachment_1704" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Leather seats with Headrests"][/caption] Virgin America is testing the idea of letting passengers who are traveling without carry-on luggage board the plane first. Now, we aren’t sure of the exact details. We assume personal items wouldn’t count, and this would be limited to actual luggage. Few people travel with only the…
And that is the question. Do TSA Agents even know the rules their department has enacted? Or do they make them up as they go along? Or perhaps local supervisors impose rules on top of department-wide policy?
Image via Wikipedia Yesterday, feeling a bit whimsical, our editor wrote a somewhat silly poem based on the balloon boy saga. Pushed by our roving correspondent, Dr. Lane(now on Twitter at @infrequentflier), we have posted the complete poem, which we categorize as influenced by Longfellow, Chaucer, and Dr. Seuss. And thus we announce the Balloon…
The TSA is truly amazing in its involvement with social media. A lot of things they post on their blog are ones we find a bit hard to swallow, but when they respond to the latest internet anti-TSA story, they go at it full force.
In response to accusations made by a blogging mother that the TSA had separated her and her young child, the TSA released edited CCTV video, showing that the child was not in fact, separated from his mother. She issued a response on her own blog.
The idea of a customer loyalty program is a good one. We want to be rewarded for our patronage of any given company, be it an airline, or be it the local supermarket. But there is a serious problem with these programs for their patrons. People forget one word. FREQUENT.
Image by Drewski2112 via Flickr We wanted to link in this video, but unfortunately, we couldn’t figure out how to, so here is a link. BBC Panorama was doing a documentary on Ryanair. There was nothing new or exciting about the documentary, from what we hear. But they did corner Michael O’Leary, who despite his…
Image by mag3737 via Flickr ANA(All Nippon Airways) has started asking passengers to go the bathroom before they fly, claiming lighter bowels and bladders mean light passengers and thus a lighter plane, which means less fuel. Now, we always go to the bathroom before boarding for other reasons than green concerns. For one, asking people…
Image by Getty Images via Daylife The Premier Baggage program unveiled by United Air Lines yesterday is something of a mixed bag. For $249 a year, you (plus up to eight people traveling with you on the same reservation) get to check up to two bags per person, per flight for free all year. United…
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Earlier today, the Cranky Flier announced he was starting a new business, The Cranky Concierge, a personal travel assistance company. We saw it as a good opportunity to break out the podcasting equipment and interview Brett Snyder, the Cranky Flier. Our Editor, the Flight Wisdom Guru reports:
Yesterday, we were reading Chris Elliott’s Travel Troubleshooter blog. He posted excerpts from letters sent and received by a regular flier and US Airways. And we started contemplating the issue of how airlines might handle things when the airline and the passenger cannot see eye to eye.
Trans World Airlines was one of the great U.S. legacy airlines. In fact, until the 1970s, it and Pan Am(also now defunct), were the only U.S. airlines to serve Europe. For their flight attendants, however, the airline still lives, which prompted our reminiscence.
Ebags, the online luggage retailer, is offering a 20% off sale this weekend. To browse their selection, click the link below. Save 20% through Monday 9/14 at eBags.com
Saying something about 9/11 is almost obligatory, especially for a commercial aviation blogger. The scope of the tragedy was nearly unimaginable at the time…that such a thing could happen. Our hearts continue to go out to those who lost loved ones that day and we will never forget the sacrifice of those who rushed to assist. The two biggest security developments that came in a post-9/11 world were…
We reported on this last week. But the “Travel Promotion Act” was approved by the Senate yesterday. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid(NV) praised the job-creation of increased tourism to the U.S., calling it a “win-win-win.”
Image by nsub1 via Flickr The Boston Globe reports that a state representative has suggested renaming Logan Airport after the late Senator Ted Kennedy. It would be called Logan-Kennedy Airport. This is a bad idea. For one, there is already a Kennedy Airport in New York. Admittedly named after the late President, John F. Kennedy,…
Image by drewgstephens via Flickr This morning, Southwest Airlines announced it would offer an early check-in option for a $10 fee. For years, the Southwest Cattle Call offered a first-come/first-served option. Plastic cards were offered at the counter in order of check-in, and people lined up and boarded in check-in order. Then, when online check-in…
Image by dyobmit via Flickr The FAA admitted last week that airlines whose flight attendants had been telling passengers to keep their items out of the seatback pocket were ‘following their guidance’. However, several carriers have never heard of this regulation and have no plans to enforce it. Even the FAA spokesman did not initially.…
Image via Wikipedia More than 30,000 fewer flights were canceled in the first half of 2009 than in the same period last year. Fewer planes were delayed more than fifteen minutes as well. But, instead of applauding the air traffic controllers, or the airline operations people for their coup, the real reason is that there…
Anil Polat, who runs foXnoMad, which is a travel blog for “people who love the journey as much as they enjoy the destination. foXnoMad is a resting point to gather information on the best ways and gadgets vagabonds can use to stay in touch, save money, and make the most out of any vacation,” has…
With all of the love we gave Virgin America on our flight back to Flight Wisdom HQ, we were afraid the two airlines that hold a special place in our hearts, Southwest Airlnes and JetBlue Airways, would be jealous. With that in mind, we offer video of Southwest’s triumphant arrival into Boston, in the event…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-UoERHaSQg Dave Carroll is back with his promised second United Song, included the promised tuba. It is a much slower tempo than United Song #1, but the video goes a bit farther, and incorporates many more volunteers. The song incorporates some of the same amusing elements. In lieu of three guys in sombreros, this time…
Image by mtsofan via Flickr So, now Continental has gotten AirTran out of Newark in exchange for slots at LaGuardia and National, where they are hardly a powerhouse. Delta is taking over US Airways extensive regional slots at LaGuardia, and US Airways is getting international route permissions and greater dominance at Washington National. It allows…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqZKpCJEqNE Northwest Airlines insists it has exclusive trademark rights to the word Northwest. The airline is going after GoNorthwest.com, which provides tourist information on the Pacific Northwest. Originally, they insisted owner Jack High shut down, then they moderated their response to merely giving up trademark rights and not expanding. High registered his trademark, which looks…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RI08CwiLjw We love Southwest and are happy to finally see them in our hometown of New York City. We are hoping they expand beyond Baltimore and Chicago to new offerings, which would require additional slots at LaGuardia Airport. One of the most wonderful things about Southwest is their philosophy of People-first. They want to offer…