The holiday season is always full of craziness. We thought we’d update you on the security insanity of the holiday season. A US Airways passenger was charged with interfering with a flight crew after he unknowingly slapped a federal air marshal on a flight from Washington to Ft. Myers. The man threw a temper tantrum…
USA Today reports that the FAA has issued a 296-page regulation update which will allow the newest generation of airplanes to fly virtually any route. Currently, airplanes must often fly indirect routes as part of safety measures that require them to be a certain distance from an emergency diversion airport at all times. Over the…
USA Today reported that United has won the China bid, beating out Continental, American, and Northwest. The service will begin March 25, from Washington-Dulles to Beijing, China, operated with a three-class Boeing 747 aircraft. Next year, US carriers will be able to apply for another set of flights of China. This new bid will not…
Jetblue Airways announced in a press release today that effective May 3, 2007, it would inaugurate service to San Francisco International Airport, complimenting its service to Oakland and San Jose. Jetblue offers service from San Jose to Boston and New York City and from Oakland to Boston, New York City, Long Beach, Washington-Dulles, and Ft.…
Oneida County Airport in Utica, NY has closed. The county airport will now be operated out of the former Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome, which closed as a military base in 1993. Griffiss is now a business and technology park. As part of the move, the airport has been refurbished. Empire Aero Center, which…
As of January 31st, Varig will be removed from the Star Alliance because it no longer operates a major global network, which is one of the membership requirements. The Brazilian carrier has had a bad year and has greatly reduced its network. For the Star Alliance, that means it will be the only one of…
The Embraer 190, popular as the second aircraft model used by low-cost carrier Jetblue, has recently been added to the US Airways fleet. The 190 will be operated as a mainline jet, with 11 first class seats and 88 in coach. It will be serving niche markets too large for a regional jet and that…
And people say that air service in the United States is bad…Reuters reports that China’s civil aviation authority is asking fliers to stop complaining about domestic air travel there. They hope to “increase consumers’ understanding about the special nature of the civil aviation industry, so that together we can create a cosier, more harmonious aviation…
USAToday reported last month on the results of a DOT study that was the first review of airline customer service since 2001. The report acknowledges improved performance by the airlines, and a partial recovery from the problems created in a post 9/11 environment. Auditors for the Inspect General spent the last year examining how airlines…
Reuters reports that airlines can no longer hold but not use takeoff and landing slots at New York’s LaGuardia Airport. The FAA released a temporary plan effective in 2007 that continues strict limits until a permanent plan is implemented. Under the temporary plan, the FAA will maintain the hourly limit of seventy-five takeoffs and landings…
Delta announced today they have signed a memo of understanding for Montana-based Big Sky Airlines to operate Delta Connection service beginning next year. Big Sky, a subsidiary of MAIR Holdings, which also owns Northwest Airlink carrier Mesaba, will begin by operating eight 19-seat Beechcraft 1900D turboprops on short-haul routes. The routes will be announced sometime…
American Airlines announced today it would be adding more mainline service to its St. Louis focus city. American took over focus operations in the city when it absorbed TWA, which maintained a hub there. Beginning April 10th, service to Austin will feature round trips with one mainline jet and one regional jet. Service to Raleigh-Durham…
The San Francisco Chronicle predicts that while airlines are upgrading seats and in-flight services…higher fares, hotel rates, and car rental rates will mark the year ahead in travel. The Travel Industry of America predicts only a half a percent of growth in domestic airline passenger traffic, and 5.5 percent growth for international traffic. U.S. Airlines,…
Today in the Sky reports that Air France is being sued by a passenger who says he was “shocked” and “humiliated” after the airline told him he was too big to fit in one seat and would have to purchase another. Many airlines have policies for overweight passengers that require the purchase of such a…
Denver International Airport was closed Wednesday night due to severe winter conditions, forcing a thousand travellers to stay there overnight, USA Today reports. Airport officials provided several hundred cots and blankets as airport hotels were booked and the main road to downtown Denver was closed. Most airlines canceled their flights in and out of Denver.…
Jetblue announced in a press release today that, in honor of the holidays, from December 21 through January 3, it will waive excess bag fees for bags weighing up to sixty pounds, an additional ten pounds per bag for no additional charge. In addition, TrueBlue members will get two extra points through the 4th checking…
We have blasted Travelocity in the past, along with their online competitors over customer service issues. Travelocity now has its own blog…The Window Seat. We appreciate the name. There is much one can see from the window seat of an airplane…So have a look at their blog…we’ll certainly check it to see if there is…
This year is the first year of menorahs in the common areas of Hawaii’s airports, the Associated Press comments. Six-foot menorahs can be found in each major island, except Oahu where there are two. Unlike Seattle, there has been no complaint or outcry over the display of religious symbols. The display of Christmas decorations are…
Last week, Boeing delivered its 600th 777 aircraft. The 777 aircraft has been in production for eleven years, and Boeing has produced these planes faster than any previous twin aisle aircraft production. Singapore Airlines took delivery of the aircraft, adding to the sixty it already had, with an additional sixteen due to be delivered.
As the Times Herald Record reports, at 7:30 Tuesday morning, the first Jetblue flight will depart Stewart International Airport in Newburgh, NY. The first inbound flight, at 1:45PM, there will be speeches, coffee, and a ribbon cutting…even a traditional water cannon salute. Self-service kiosks are in full working order and Jetblue has twelve employees at…
American announced today that it would inaugurate once daily service between Austin, Texas and Seattle, WA on an MD80 aircraft with 16 First Class seats and 120 Coach seats. The route will begin April 10, 2007 and adds to American’s west coast offerings out of Austin, TX. They currently offer Austin to Los Angeles and…
Reuters reported the other day that airlines and airports send more of their trash to the dump than the country as a whole. Airlines and airports sent 80 percent of their garbage to dumps or incinerators rather than recycling…the national average of 70 percent. The thirty largest airports in the United States generated as much…
As the Cranky Flier reports, Jetblue has ‘started dating’. Jetblue previously announced it would seek arrangements with international airlines. What they have so far isn’t exactly what we would expect. AeroSvit, the National Airline of the Ukraine, offers JFK to Kiev flights and will give you $100 back if you connect to Jetblue. Just submit…
Spirit Airlines, following its application to serve Caracas, Venezuela, has filed an application to serve Port-au-Prince, Haiti from its Ft.Lauderdale hub…hoping to start service April 1st. With these two routes, Spirit will be taking on American’s Caribbean and South American service, and bringing low-cost carriers where they have never gone before.
Jetblue announced in a press release today that it would be removing a row of seats from its Airbus 320 aircraft, reducing the total number of seats on this aircraft from 156 to 150. This will have the effect of increasing the seat pitch from 32 inches in rows 1-11 to 36 inches, while the…