Hot off the press, Star Alliance has named a replacement for departing CEO Jaan Albrecht. Mark Schwab, former Senior Vice President of Alliances at United Airlines, will continue his close work with Star Alliance, now as the head of...
Congressional Bill to "Strip" TSA Screeners of "Officer" Title
I concede that Congress has more important matters to worry about than the proper designation for a Transportation Security Administration clerk, but I have to applaud Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn’s attempt to roll back the “officer” designation, costume, and badge...
Fascinating Details Behind Air France 447 Crash
Mike sent me a fascinating story on Air France 447, a flight that crashed over the Atlantic Ocean nearly two years ago during a turbulent storm. After 18 months of searching, the black boxes were found and closely scrutizined....
What American Airlines’ Bankruptcy Filing Means for You
AMR Corp, parent of American Airlines, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this morning. Bankruptcy does not mean going out of business. Far from it, the move will allow the company to restructure and emerge as a more competitive...
Forced to Stand for Seven Hours on a US Airways Flight
The issue of how to approach a POS (passenger of size) is always a delicate one. As the debate rages over how much personal control some obese people really have over their weight, it is important to approach this...
Man Sues Delta for $2MN for Hearing Loss on Loud Flight
I have seen dozens of petty airline-related lawsuits over the years, but this one takes the cake. An Oregon man is suing Delta Air Lines for $2MN, claiming he suffered permanent hearing loss on a fight from Minneapolis to...
AirTran Airways Sued for Cockroaches and Indifference
Sort of like the composition of hot dogs, some thing things are better left unknown and we really do not want know what is creeping about behind air vents, walls, and floors on the aircraft we fly. But once...
Woman Tracks Down Laptop Stolen on Southwest Airlines Flight Using Craigslist
Sometimes, to catch a criminal you have to think like one. That is exactly what Ambre Boroughs did after finding her laptop stolen from her checked bag on a Southwest Airlines flight from Chicago to Charleston, South Carolina–and it...
Recognizing Pilot Bravery: Iran Air vs. LOT Polish Airlines
We have rightfully heard a lot of praise for the LOT Polish Airlines pilots who landed a Boeing 767 on its belly in Warsaw yesterday after the landing gear failed to deploy. Hailed as a hero, Captain Tadeusz Wrona...
A Closer Look at the EU Emissions Trading Scheme
26 counties, including the United States, lodged a formal protest today against a European Union law to tax all airlines travelling to and from Europe for their carbon emissions. Might this be the start of a trade war? Here...
Singapore Airlines Introduces "Scoot" Budget Carrier
Singapore Airlines revealed some more details about its planned low-cost subsidiary today. Here is a brief summary: The airline will be called “Scoot” Operations will begin in June 2012 Four Boeing 777-200 jets will be used initially The carrier...
Air India Passengers Wait 9 Hours to Travel from London Gatwick to Heathrow
I offer my condolences to the 300+ passengers on Air India flight 131 from Mumbai to London earlier this week, who were trapped on a 777 for nine hours in a comedy of errors that further diminishes the image...
Turkish Airlines Adds New Routes from Istanbul
Keep a close watch on Turkish Airlines: the carrier is growing fast and fiercely competing with its rivals. I have watched its route network grow over the last few years and am amazed that the carrier continues to add...
TSA SPOT Program Wastes Time and Money
The Transportation Security Administration is actively testing its new Israeli-style interrogation program at Boston’s Logan Airport. The new screening method is part of the TSA’s SPOT (Screening of Passengers by Observation Technique) initiative that began in 2001, encompasses the...
Bribed TSA Officer Conspires with Drug Smuggler at LAX…9 Times!
I wish I could say I am surprised, but I am not: a Transportation Security Administration Officer at Los Angeles International Airport was busted on Sunday for aiding and abetting a drug smuggler sneak 15lbs of marijuana past security....
Ryanair to Remove Toilets on Aircraft
When speaking about Ryanair, it is always difficult to determine whether they are serious or just fishing for publicity, but they are in the news again, and once again the issue is lavatories. While the Irish carrier dropped plans...
EU Court: Airline Carbon Trading Scheme is Legal
A European Court held today that the European Union can proceed with ambitious plans to implement its Emission Trading Scheme on 01 January, 2012. European Court of Justice Advocate General Juliane Kokott said the “EU legislation doesn’t infringe the...
Airport Security Screening of the Future
A little blurb on airport passengers screening in the Washington Post caught my eye today: AMSTERDAM — The airline industry has presented its vision for a security ‘checkpoint of the future,’ which would speed up safety checks by sorting...
American Airlines Headed for Bankruptcy?
The balance sheet at American Airlines is looking more troubling by the day. Some are warning about bankruptcy, though I am not convinced that will be necessary. In fact, if you are the gambling-type, this may be the perfect...
Delta Air Lines Hijacker Captured in Portugal
Remember the days when people who hijacked airplanes just wanted money or to make a point without physcailly hurting anyone? A convicted killer who escaped a New Jersey prison in 1970, then hijacked a U.S. airliner two years later,...
