Terror Cupcake Resurfaces with a New Name
Rebecca Hains has shot back at the TSA’s characterization of her cupcake. The TSA finally decided to finally comment on the situation, which they are calling [caption id="" align="alignright" width="153" caption="Image by openfly via Flickr"][/caption] Cupcakegate. Not even addressing the stupidity of calling any mildly scandalous issue blank-gate, Blogger Bob refers to it as a…
TSA Agent Lavishly Praised For Doing The Right Thing, While Greedy Airline Reaps Benefits
Apparently, the TSA is so embattled and the reputation of its employees in such low regard, that when a TSA agent behaves in a normal, responsible manner, as anyone would be expected to do, it becomes news and he is heaped with lavish praise. We don’t mean to take away from TSA supervisor John Deschamp. …
The Little Twin Engine That Can’t
Strong headwinds have led to sharp increase in the number of transatlantic Continental Airlines flights forced to make unscheduled stops to refuel, the Wall Street Journal reports. The airline, owned by United Continental Holdings, has pushed the envelope by aggressively using the Boeing 757 on transatlantic flights. The plane is smaller and cheaper to operate…
Did They Eat The Fish? British Airways Flight Makes Emergency Landing After Pilots Feel ‘Unwell’
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="183"] Cover via Amazon[/caption] Where’s Ted Striker when you need him? A British Airways flight from London to Glasgow was forced to make an emergency landing on December 20 after both pilots reported feeling unwell and lightheaded. “Approximately 20 minutes into the flight, a very abrupt and panicked message came over the…
What is the TSA For, Exactly?
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…
Opinion: How Some People Ruin it For the Rest of Us
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…
Shameless Plug – Like Us on Facebook
[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…
In-Flight Wifi Safe For Airline Profits
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…
Southwest Apologizes to Terminally Ill Boy
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…
Frontier Airlines Fails To Deliver Unaccompanied Minor, Threatens To Turn Him Over To Child Protective Services
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…
The TSA Tries to Divert Focus Away from Cupcake Confiscation
[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…
Science Be Damned, John Quain’s Gut Tells Him Electronics Are Dangerous During Flight
[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…
Green Beret Arrested Attempting To Bring Explosives On Airplane
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”…
Are Airlines At Fault for Letting Terrorists Onboard?
[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…
Do Loyalty Programs Encourage Loyalty?
[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…
It’s Time to Rise Up and Shave in Flight
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…
Did US Airways Lose Someone’s Brother?
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…
Happy Holidays from Flight Wisdom
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…
Family Tries to Have a 3-Year Old and Infant Share Seat
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.…
Does This Make You Pay Attention to Safety Announcements?
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…
Man Who Subdued Underwear Bomber Wants Millions
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…
They Rent By the Hour – Rooms for Rent at the Airport
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…
Delta Grows at LaGuardia
[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.…
KLM Is Flying The Friendly Skies
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…