We usually agree with Bruce Schneier. The man coined the term security theater and he takes an approach to the TSA that mirrors ours. Writing in response to the TSA Blog’s Top Ten Catches of 2011, he pointed out that there is not a single terrorist on the list…or in fact anyone with actual malicious…
Earlier today, we opened up a blog entry by noted travel writer Christopher Elliott, titled “Airline tells hospitalized passenger people pretend to be sick all the time” [caption id="" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Image by Getty Images via @daylife"][/caption] This is a horrible thing for any business to suggest to its customers, airline or not. But people…
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="245" caption="Image via CrunchBase"][/caption] We finally, not long ago, set up a Facebook page. Leave it to us to jump on the Facebook bandwagon after only five years of blogging. Since many people live in Facebook, we figured it was time to distribute our content this way as well as encourage commenting…
When they’re not busy spuriously telling you to turn off your electronics during takeoff and landing, airlines are busy trying to get you to turn them back on- and open your wallet- to buy their pricey in-flight wifi. Apparently, wifi is safe [caption id="" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Image via Wikipedia"][/caption] enough in flight if the airlines…
Last week, Southwest Airlines apologized to the family of a terminally ill boy after they would not allow him use of a specially made car seat that allows him to sit comfortably. They have advised they are working with the family and hope to learn from the experience to improve their practices. The concern appeared…
Paying a fee to check your bag doesn’t guarantee that your bag arrives on time. So why should paying an unaccompanied minor fee guarantee that your child is treated properly? 10 year old Adrian Opsahl was returning from visiting his father in Denver to San Diego on Frontier Airlines when his plane made an unscheduled…
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Image by Getty Images via @daylife"][/caption] About a week ago, the TSA confiscated a cupcake, due to its gel-like frosting. Now, we’re not sure what the reasoning was behind this at the time. Perhaps it was being overzealous, perhaps the Security Officer had low blood sugar…maybe it was the name. We…
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="250" caption="Image via CrunchBase"][/caption] Several generations ago, a heretofore unimportant Senator arose brandishing a list which he claimed contained the names of 207 known Communists who had infiltrated the State Department. Never mind that Senator McCarthy had no such list, that the number changed from day to day. He knew that State…
Trey Scott Atwater of Hope Mills, NC was arrested Saturday morning attempting to bring explosives through security at Midland International Airport in Midland,TX. Specifics of the incident were not released. CNN reports that: Neither the FBI nor the TSA identified the explosives, though a Midland spokeswoman said the items were “wrapped in military grade wrapping”…
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Image via Wikipedia"][/caption] As we mentioned previously, Theophilius Maranga a lawyer from Fishkill, NY, is suing Delta Airlines and Air France-KLM for ten million dollars in damages for not properly compensating him after they let a man onboard who intended on blowing up the aircraft. Maranga tried to get compensation through…
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Image via Wikipedia"][/caption] Yesterday, we read in USA Today’s Travel section that airports are starting to add loyalty programs to encourage travelers to patronize them. This is particularly useful for smaller airports, where people might otherwise drive to larger airports in the region. Even at larger airports, awarding frequent patrons points in…
The next time we fly, we’re going to be shaving. [caption id="" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Image via Wikipedia"][/caption] Recently, Nick Bilton of the New York Times continued his reporting on the issue of in flight electronics, and how, while there may be reasons for the existing rules, they do not make any sense. If the electromagnetic…
A woman is seeking answers after she claims US Airways lost track of her special needs brother, who was physically and mentally disabled. [caption id="" align="alignright" width="240" caption="Image by Caleb's Photography via Flickr"][/caption] He missed his connecting flight in Charlotte, and when she called, they would not give out any information. Now, this is actually…
We can’t think of anything more fitting to wish greetings of the Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, Festivus, New Year’s season than a chorus of TSA Agents at LAX singing What a Wonderful World. We’d have embedded this one, but the only version we found on Youtube appeared to have been doctored. Click Here Happy holidays from your…
Why is this a story? [caption id="" align="alignright" width="240" caption="Image by soupboy via Flickr"][/caption] A family flying from Charlotte to Chicago was removed from an aircraft by US Airways. The family consisted of two adults, and four children: a 3-year old, two 20-month old twins, and an eight month old. Â The family purchased three tickets.…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXY27Rwg6UQ Cebu Pacific, a low cost carrier out of the Phillipines, has modified its safety dance for the holiday season. The dance, which started last year, has been received as overwhelmingly popular. Heather Poole, author of Cruising Attitude, an upcoming book about her life and work as a flight attendant, tweeted the following: “Seriously why must…
We just can’t believe this… [caption id="" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Image via Wikipedia"][/caption] A New York man has named Delta Air Lines and Air France-KLM in a suit that also names Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the Underwear Bomber, as a co-defendant. The man, Theophilius Maranga of Wappinger Falls, is asking for ten million dollars in damages for…
The New York Times reported today on Minute Suites, a company which began providing small rooms for rent at Philadelphia International Airport in March, and has bee [caption id="" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Image via Wikipedia"][/caption] n serving Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport since 2009. The company has already served 18,000 customers, 24 percent of them repeat business. The…
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Image via Wikipedia"][/caption] In August of 2009, US Airways announced it would be selling LaGuardia out to Delta Air Lines in exchange for greater power at Washington-National Airport. Two years later, after selling off some of the slots, it is finally time for Delta to announce its expansion out of LaGuardia.…
There’s nothing worse that a long flight sitting next to a stranger who won’t stop talking about things that are utterly uninteresting to you. We previously wrote about Planely, a site to help you discover people on your flight with similar interests to you. Now KLM has announced plans to introduce a service that will…
A seventy-six year old man apparently’forgot’ that he had a loaded .38 caliber handgun strapped to his ankle when he went through security at Detroit’s Metro Airport. [caption id="" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Image via Wikipedia"][/caption] The man, not identified, claimed he wears the firearm for personal protection and it merely ‘slipped his mind’. The TSA claims…
When the TSA came into existence, their screeners worewhite. Then, they became Transportation Security Officers(TSOs), and got new blue uniforms. Their embroidered [caption id="" align="alignright" width="250" caption="Image via Wikipedia"][/caption] badges got replaced with metal ones to “represent the continuing evolution of the officers’ role and responsibilities.” At the time when this happened in 2008, we were…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=p24WCHJgMTs Unless you’ve been out of touch, you probably heard about Alec Baldwin’s behavior onboard an American Airlines flight. We’ve been thinking about this for a few days now. By most accounts, Alec Baldwin was onboard an American Airlines flight. The Flight Attendants had instructed passengers to discontinue the use of portable electronics. Mr. Baldwin…
Is there an 18 foot hole in your air travel collection? If so, you won’t want to miss an auction currently underway. For only 1.25 million Pounds, you can own an 18 foot long 3.5 ton engine, together with operating manual and certificatw of authenticity. The engine was used on one of British Airway’s Concordes,…
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Image via Wikipedia"][/caption] Giving up the Ship just recently wrote on a new morale program at British Airways. The program, nicknamed Hug a Pilot, urged pilots to socialize with crew. Apparently, socialization led to something more. A teenage stewardess ended up pregnant, courtesy of a married pilot. It reads like an episode…