The Star-Ledger reports that Sen. Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey called on Congress on Wednesday to approve the hiring of additional security screeners at Newark Liberty Airport specifically. In 2003, Congress imposed a limit on the number of airport screeners, limiting it to 45,000 nationwide. Before that they had about 55,000. This year, they reduced…
Fear is a great motivator. As Threatwatch.org comments, ever since the thwarted liquid plot in London, checked baggage has increased by 20%. While this is having the positive effect of speeding some through security checkpoints and speeding up aircraft boarding, the gains made there are losses elsewhere, as the time it takes to load the…
We came across this column from the Orlando Sentinel by Steven Cole Smith. We have to agree with him. Flying isn’t as fun as it used to be. You have to wait on a line for a disinterested government employee to rifle through your possessions. If you try to bring a bottle of water, then…
In light of last week’s Comair tragedy in Lexington, Delta has agreed to extend the deadline for Comair to bid on regional jet service. The fact that Delta had requested proposals from other regional carriers was a slap in the face to Comair, which happens to be a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta and many…
Yesterday, a USAirways flight arriving at Miami International Airport from their hub in Charlotte, NC blew two tires and caught fire, necessitating an evacuation using the emergency slides(Picture courtesy of USA Today and the AP). No one was hurt in the incident, and so far there is no call for USAirways or other carriers to…
Yesterday, Northwest Airlines reported a net income of 101 million dollars for July. The Minneapolis-St.Paul Business Journal notes that the carrier stated it “can and will” negotiate a labor agreement with its flight attendants, despite the fact that the concessions imposed on the flight attendants results in millions in savings management insisted are essential for…
Airlines are scaling back service at smaller airports, driving up fares and driving customers to drive to airports with more service. Several years ago, carriers ordered a large number of 50-70 seat regional jets to replace its aging turboprop fleet on many routes. However, many of these planes turned out to be fuel inefficient and…
Jetblue began service from New York’s JFK Airport to Nashville Airport today. This service kicks off six weeks of inaugurations, with a new Jetblue destination every week. On September 7, they will begin service to Houston’s Hobby Airport. On September 15, service to Aruba. On September 21, Sarasota-Bradenton Airport. On the 28th, Tucson Airport…and finally…
Westjet, the second largest airline in Canada, is holding talks to join the Oneworld Alliance. The Oneworld Alliance consists of American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Qantas, Lan, Finnair and Iberian. Aer Lingus is scheduled to leave the alliance later this season, but new members, Malev Hungarian Airlines, Royal Jordanian, and Japan Airlines will be…
The Star-Tribune reported that the Northwest Flight Attendants union has told the federal judge who postponed their planned strike that Northwest has little incentive to negotiate. No negotations are planned, and there is no reason to believe there will be any before the judge issues his final ruling on the matter. Mollie Reiley, the president…
We recently reviewed CNN Money’s ‘5 dirty secrets of airfares’. We have added our own commentary. 1. Low cost carriers don’t always have the lowest fares – Remember, the legacy carriers are competing with them. If their fares were not comparable to their competiition, they’d lose all business. Revenue or yield management, which determines how…
The Travel Security Blog reports on the training given to air marshals. Given reports of what has caused these highly trained individuals to break cover and take charge of a situation, ie passengers who don’t obey the fasten seatbelt sign…we are curious about how the recent news that the marshals will now be allowed to…
As reported by the Seattle Times, Seattle-Tacoma Airport has decided not to apply for the government’s Registered Travel Program. The TSA’s Registered Traveler Program is set to provide expedited security screening for passengers who volunteer biometric and biographic information and successfully complete a security-threat assessment. The information is collected by private organizations licensed by the…
Bruce Schneier, author of several books on security technology, comments on his blog. We must agree with Mr. Schneier and suggest that all click through and read his thoughts on the subject. If terrorists can cause us to hurt ourselves, to panic and suspect everyone of being dangerous, they have succeeded in striking a blow…
CNN reports that the pilot on an Air Canada Jazz flight from Ottawa to Winnipeg on Saturday returned from the airplane lavatory to discover he was locked out of the cockpit. With 30 minutes to go, the pilot went to the bathroom, leaving the first officer in charge. When he tried to return, the door…
In a press release yesterday, Airtran resumed service from Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. With this move, all nonstop markets served from Gulfport-Biloxi prior to Hurrican Katrina have been restored, and flights are 120 percent of pre-Katrina levels.
It is reported that on August 12, Raed Jarrar was about to board a Jetblue flight from New York’s JFK Airport to Oakland, CA. Allegedly, four officials, either from the airline or security stopped him and informed him he could not board with the shirt on. One apparently told him, “Going to an airport with…
In a press release earlier today, USAirways has announced a reduction in fares from Huntsville, Alabama. USAirways has lowered its fares in various markets and eliminated Saturday night stayover and roundtrip requirements in various markets as part of its attempt to transition to a Low Cost Carrier(LCC) model. LCCs are categorized, among other things, by…
MAXJet, the all business airline with service from the US to London Stansted Airport announced today they will be beginning service from Las Vegas on Mondays and Thursdays effective November 2nd. A press release can be found here.
San Jose International Airport, in the heart of Silicon Valley, is the largest US city still operating a major commercial airline terminal without jetways, forcing passengers to walk across the tarmac to board their aircraft. Airport officials are in negotiations with construction companies to rebuild the airport. Construction would begin next year with a demolition…
Our colleagues at our sister blog, opening this week, Gadget Wisdom sent us this link from Slashdot A passenger lost his Ipod in the airplane lavatory, and despite advising the flight crew some minutes later, the plane is diverted to Ottawa and a bomb squad is brought in, prompting an investigation. Once again, the most…
Last week’s entry on Candidates for an Award for Travel Stupidity referenced a 21 year old man, one Howard McFarland Fish, who had a stick of dynamite in his checked luggage. on a flight from Buenos Aires to Houston and onward to Newark. Further information, provided by the Sun Journal, indicates Fish bought it at…
A USAirways flight from Philadelphia to Houston was diverted to Tri-Cities Airport in Tennesee after a bomb threat was found in a note on board. Reuters reports that although all 52 passengers were offloaded, it turned out to be another hoax. Meanwhile, this woman, Janet Gregory, Age 66, was arrested in Charlotte, after she refused…
On Sunday morning, a Comair Flight bound for Atlanta took the wrong runway upon takeoff from Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, Kentucky. All but one of the 50 people onboard were killed. We mourn the loss of life in this tragedy. For more news on this investigation, a fuller report is available here. What does…
Toledo Express Airport has been awarded $400,000 in grants for air service. The Small Community Air Service Development grant will be used to secure non-stop passenger air service to New York City. The federal monies will be used to offset any loss an airline might incur. Toledo was one of 25 airports to receive a…