Changes are coming to U.S airport security checkpoints: The Transportation Security Administration recently announced plans to begin testing an identity verification program to let airline crews bypass the controversial full-body scanners and extra-thorough pat-down searches at airports. The proposed program,...
Man Beaten by Police on United Airlines Flight
A SkyWest CRJ-200 bound for Casper, Wyoming begins boarding in Denver. As departure time nears, a man seated in the exit row refuses to switch off his mobile phone. After repeated requests to turn off his phone, all of...
Expedia and American Airlines Kiss and Make Up
For months, American Airlines flights have been filtered from search results on Expedia and Hotwire due to a longstanding dispute over fees. American demanded to bypass central airline reservation systems and deliver the information to users directly, not only...
Lufthansa FAs Busted for Smuggling 63K Lbs of Euros into Germany
Sometimes, you just have to ask, “How?” Six Lufthansa employees, including four flight attendants, have been arrested after sneaking in more than 63,000 pounds of out-of-circulation, €1 and €2 coins from China back to Germany over the last four...
Southwest Fuselage Rips Apart Mid-Flight
Imagine you just boarded a Southwest Airlines flight in Sacramento for a quick hop down to Phoenix. You listen to the safety announcements, rolling your eyes as Southwest FAs throw in a few corny puns and one-liners. The aircraft...
"Terrorists" Force Diversion of a United Flight
Readers of my blog know that I have very little tolerance for irrationality. Such irrationality is often manifested in the actions of the TSA, but sometimes passengers or flight crews are to blame, like when a flight attendant overreacts to...
Flawed Radiation Readings Force TSA to Reevaluate Full Body Scanners
I have flown through Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, Washington Dulles, and San Francisco the last couple days and been (pleasantly) surprised that each time I have come across a full body scanner, it has not been in operation. In Chicago...
Delta Downsizes Memphis Hub
Only 330 miles away from Delta’s fortress hub and world headquarters in Atlanta, it was only a matter of time before service cutbacks at Memphis would occur after the Northwest/Delta merger. Although Delta promises that Memphis will remain a...
Flight Lands Without Guidance in Washington, DC While ATC Sleeps
Isn’t it a comforting thought that air traffic controllers at major airports sleep on the job? It is not the first time this has happened and I know it won’t be the last, but it is always newsworthy when it does occur. Earlier today, just after...
Jeff Smisek Addresses United’s "Service" Problem
While Glen Tilton, former United Airlines CEO, may not have been as bad as some made him out to be, he seemed to have a lot of trouble with empathy. He often gave the appearance that he could care...
Putin Offers United States "Visa-Free" Travel to Russia
One of the highlights of my journey around the world in 2007 was my three day stop in Russia. Moscow and St. Petersburg are great cities and I’ve often wanted to go back, especially now that I am relatively...
Texas Lawmakers Attempt to Ban TSA Full Body Scanners
A posse of Lone State lawmakers has a message for the TSA: Don’t mess with Texas. Republican State Representative David Simpson has introduced two bills targetting the TSA. Here are the highlights: HB 1938 …(b) An airport operator may...
Virgin Atlantic Lounge Masseuses Sue Airline
In typical tabloid fashion, we read about the plight of two Virgin Atlantic lounge masseuses: Beauty therapists Jayne Evans, 40, and Michelle Hindmarch, 35, each developed chronic muscular strain – including pain in their shoulders, upper back and wrists...
Kobe Bryant, the Armenian Genocide, and Turkish Airlines
I have been a big fan of Kobe Bryant since his NBA rookie year in 1996. Although I haven’t followed any sort of professional sport closely while living in Philadelphia or Frankfurt the last couple years, as a Southern California...
Continental Eliminates Free Snacks in Economy Class
If you are a big fan of pretzels or biscoff cookies while flying on Continental Airlines, you better bring your own. On Tuesday, the carrier eliminated these free treats on all routes that do not feature BusinessFirst seating. Among the...
As it Considers a Makeover, TSA Lets Man Slip Onto Plane with Three Box Cutters
Washington, DC is my favorite city in America and other than family and friends, that is the thing (well, place) I miss most as I enter my third month in Germany. DC is a bustling city filled with great...
Breaking: Two Dead in Frankfurt Airport Shooting
No confirmed details yet, but I am getting word that two people are dead and two are seriously injured after a shooting at Frankfurt International Airport just minutes ago. A Kosovarian suspect is under arrest. With an office right in the...
Would You Buy an Airline Ticket that Fluctuates with Fuel Prices?
Nevada-based Allegiant Air has written a letter to the Department of Transportation stating its intention to introduce a new whole new meaning to the definition of a flexible ticket: When making a purchase, consumer would be able to choose...
See, I Told You So! TSA Full Body Scanner Fails to Detect Gun in Bra
Last March, the Government Accounting Office warned Congress that full body scanners have not been tested and may not be able to detect the very type of explosives material the machines were procured to detect. Few listened, as most members...
Air New Zealand’s Corporate Responsibility on Display in Christchurch
Another massive earthquake struck New Zealand today, again centered near Christchurch. 65 are reported dead and hundreds are missing. The 6.3 magnitude quake struck at midday, at a time when many were out and about. When natural disasters occur, it is...
