Progress was made last week on the airport security front. Backlash over the TSA’s invasive full body scanners and pat-downs is rapidly escalating and a number of key news items suggest the public is finally starting to push back....
A Salute to Former Northwest Airlines Chairman Donald W. Nyrop
Airlines don’t build themselves. It takes leadership, vision, and ingenuity to make a carrier great. Last Tuesday, former Northwest Airlines chief Donald W. Nyrop passed away at the age of 98. Over his long tenure at Northwest, those were...
Why the TSA Violates the Fourth Amendment
Earlier today, Steven Frischling, author of the Flying with Fish blog over at Boarding Area, posted a piece entitled, How the TSA Legally Circumvents the Fourth Amendment. I am a big fan of Fish’s blog–he is a nuanced writer...
United Returns to Lima! New Service from Houston with Domestic 767-300s
Starting in February, United will take over Continental’s Houston (IAH) to Lima (LIM) route. Currently, Continental operates a 757-200 on this 3,143-mile, 6.5 hour flight, featuring 16 BusinessFirst seats (though this winter they will be transitioning to a 757-300...
TSA Exempts Pilots from Intrusive Pat-Downs and Full Body Scanners
Hot off the press, The Transportation Security Administration agreed Friday to let uniformed airline pilots skip the body scans and aggressive pat-downs at the heart of a national uproar. The pilots must pass through a metal detector at airport checkpoints and present...
Fly to New York City, Las Vegas, or Cancún for Free
This deal has been going on all afternoon, but the fat lady isn’t signing yet: Expedia.ca is offering $300 off your trip (air + hotel) to New York City, Las Vegas, or Cancún and there are no strings attached...
Air New Zealand Adds Credit Card Surcharge
Paying with a credit card just got a bit more expensive on Air New Zealand. Starting on December 15th, Air New Zealand will charge NZ$2 per person per one-way journey for domestic flights paid for by credit card, $5...
FAs to Vote on Retro 757 Livery to Celebrate United’s 85th Anniversary
To celebrate United Airlines’ 85th Anniversary next year, FAs (just the UA ones) will have a chance to vote on a classic livery that will be featured on a 757. The retro-schemed aircraft will survive the new UA “bingo container” paint jobs...
$5 Drinks During "Happy Hour" on American Airlines
If you find yourself behind the curtain next month on American Airlines’ during the five o’clock hour, you’ll have a chance to take advantage of AA’s "5@5" happy hour promotion. Currently, if you want an adult beverage on AA you’ve...
A Rundown of my Weekend Mileage Run: Snack, Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner on Continental Airlines
Last weekend I did a mileage run from Los Angeles to Denver and back via Cleveland on Continental. The fare was something like $160 r/t including taxes and gave me a chance to get some work done in the...
My Solution to the Full Body Scanner Dilemma: TSA Explosives Detection Canine Team
Whenever I discuss the TSA’s obtrusive screening procedures, I can usually get people to sympathize with my point of view or at least understand where I am coming from. The inevitable response, however, is “Yes, I see this as...
Picture of the Week #11: The Terrorists Have Won
I know, I know. The “terrorists” can dress up as nuns. Or children. Or seniors. But pictures like the one below just make me sad (even if it is a few years old). photo courtesy: Flicker user Morning in...
Why the 2011 United/Continental Elite Program Isn’t the End of the World
Reading some of the responses on Flyertalk today after United announced changes to the Mileage Plus program for 2011, you would think the world was coming to an end. Relax. I’m not happy about the changes either, but we may...
Why I Won’t Arrive 15 Minutes Before Departure Next Time I Fly Out of Burbank
Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, California is a handy little United Express station. Less 20 minutes from my house, it is always my airport of choice when I travel to and from Southern California. When mainline pulled out over a...
United Plays Bait and Switch with VDBs
I noticed yesterday morning that my afternoon SFO-PHL flight was zeroed out. I haven’t had a bump since February, so just the thought of picking up $400 in travel credits perked me up. I arrived in San Francisco about...
Full Body Scanning from the Eyes of the TSA
While Gary does a tremendous job summing up my thoughts on the matter while offering pithy commentary, I too want to review a Mom vs. The World blog post, which claims to offer insight on the full body scanner...
Watch Your Manners at Dubai International Airport
A 34-year-old British man has been arrested and sent to jail for giving "the finger" to an airport worker at Dubai International Airport. He got into a row with a female airport employee when she refused to let him use...
Why don’t passengers follow crew member instructions on regional jets?
I suppose a more apt question may be why don’t passengers follow crew members instructions on most flights, but I really felt sorry for the SkyWest FA working my SFO-BUR flight yesterday. After the aircraft door closed, she asked passengers...
United Airlines’ Unscheduled Stop in Iceland
When Delta announced they would begin serving Iceland from New York Kennedy, I secretly hoped that United or Continental might jump into the fray. Iceland’s economy may still be in doldrums, but why not have one flight to London...
SFO’s Best Gate Agent
Sometimes, a gate agent can just make your day. Due to favorable wind conditions and UA’s generous schedule padding (gotta retain that #1 in on-time arrivals status), I arrived in San Francisco one hour early this morning, leaving me...
