Posts Tagged ‘flight’
Stranded No More
New US legislation has been approved providing a time limit to airlines for how long they can hold you on a flight while on the ground. This new rule states that airlines can no longer hold passengers on grounded jets for longer than a three hour time span. This rule applies only to domestic flights, international flights are subjects to other regulations.
This comes after many incidents involving airline horror stories of such occurrences. Consumer complaints have been growing over being stranded and the media has been giving it more coverage. Continental Airlines was fined along with two regional carriers for stranding passengers on a 50 seat regional jet overnight. The price tag for this mistake was $175,000. This is the first time that airlines have seen repercussions for tarmac delays.
Airlines have fought such legislation from taking place believing that the amount of time should be at their discretion. Putting a time limit at three hours for ground delays could make the airlines’ operations even more congested and cause more misconnections which forms a greater ripple effect in terms of airline operations.
The airlines are given a few provisions concerning this matter and only time will tell how far they will be allowed to stretch them for their benefit. These are exemptions for matters of safety or security. The other exemption comes at the discretion of air traffic controllers. Basically if the air traffic controller says that a return to a gate for deplaning would cause a disruption of airport operations, then the time limit could be waived.
Having rights as a passenger is a great thing, no one wants to be stranded for hours without an end in sight. However, perhaps there is a bit more to be considered. What if the flight could takeoff for it’s destination after three hours and fifteen minutes, but due to the time restriction they are forced to return to the gate. Now, passengers have been deplaned as per regulation and hours are added to their delay that a little more time and the pilot’s discretion might have avoided. Perhaps there is no perfect solution to the issue, but this may not be exactly the victory that airline passengers believe it to be.
Tags: air traffic controller, airline horror stories, airlines, airport operations, Continental Airlines, domestic flights, flight, international flights, jets, legislation, passengers, regulations, Stranded
Orange Juice Terrorist
Terror strikes the skies again! The sinister culprit of this terroristic plot: John Reid. The name sends shivers down your spine it is so diabolic. For those of you weak of heart, you may not want to continue reading. The following are the alleged acts of Mr. Reid’s fateful flight on American Airlines that day.
An ordinary looking man, one Mr. John Reid, boards his flight and takes a seat with the other first class passengers. He blends in perfectly; no one on board would assume the hot irrational behavior housed in his demented mind by just looking at him. After a quiet take off (too quiet) things are put into motion.
Mr. Reid begins struggling with his tray table, the nerves of what he is about to do begins to show transparent, as he wrestles with the simple device. It is obvious he is a mess and his state of mind is to blame, since no piece of airline equipment is ever faulty, raggedy, or non-functional. After he finally has his tray table into position is demeanor quickly resumes to that of calm, cool, and calculating as he waits for his moment.
The Flight Attendant and hero of this sickening tale is Helen. Helen came over to serve breakfast to the passengers as is customary but, as she did so she could tell right away that something was amiss with John Reid . . . something didn’t “feel” right. In an attempt to show him that she was “on” to him and whatever he was up to, she dropped his breakfast tray hard onto the tray table. Unnerved by the act and knowing he had to act now, he sprung his designs into action. He asked if he could have a glass of orange juice! ORANGE JUICE only the most dangerous of the dangerous terrorists would ask for this evil drink with a First Class breakfast.
“This must be your first time in first class,” she allegedly said. Perhaps she could still stop him and gain the upper hand with this retort. It worked, dumbfounded by her cunning Mr. Reid could only stammer out some reply as to the effect that she was being “very condescending.” As her adrenaline began to pump she reacted quickly attempting to rally support from the other passengers.
She found no support and became panicked, the realization sunk in that this was far larger a plot than she had originally surmised. The whole first class cabin, and perhaps many more must be a part of this Orange Juice Terrorist Cell. Again not to be defeated, Helen put her training to use and went to the captain of the flight and got a written letter stating Mr. Reid may have violated federal law for “threatening, intimidating, or interfering with a crew member.” The day was saved and the actions of this heroic flight attendant are under investigation by the airline.
Okay, like I said these are the alleged incidents of that day. What is actually known is that Mr. Reid, who we are pretty sure is no terrorist, did have some problems with his tray table and did ask for a glass of orange juice. The flight attendant made a snarky remark and there was a verbal exchange between the two. The flight attendant attempted to get passengers to corroborate her version of events, which none would.
She did get a letter from the captain stating that Mr. Reid was possibly “threatening, intimidating, or interfering with a crew member.” and that he could face federal charges. Upon landing the passengers in first class all took time to back up Mr. Reid’s version of events. He has since then received and apology from American Airlines, as have the other passengers who witnessed the event.
Whether the Flight Attendant was just having a bad day, or was not very suited for a position dealing with customers face to face, is up for speculation. The fact that you can be threatened for committing acts of terrorism by asking for a glass of orange juice is ridiculous. Can’t wait for the made for TV movie adaptation of these events. If you are making one let me know I have great script for you (see above). That’s all for today folks . . . I think I’ll go have a glass of apple juice now. Yes, nice un-terroristic good old safe apple juice.
Tags: airline, american airlines, captain, first class, first class passengers, flight, Flight Attendant, Helen, John Reid, Orange Juice, passengers, skies, Terror, Terrorist, tray table
Book with an Airline
Airline tickets can be expensive but, they can also be found for
quite a steal. Just about everyone has heard of Orbitz, Cheap
Tickets, Expedia, or some other likewise company. But, be aware,
as the old saying goes : “you get what you pay for.” Now if you are
an easy going person and you don’t really care if you get where you
are going when you planned it or a week later, then these services
might be okay for you. Or, perhaps you are just an extremely lucky
person and things always go your way. Then again, maybe you’ll be
safe using these services.
However, if you’ve been planning this vacation for years now, or
your cruise will leave without you if you’re not there that day, or
you’re getting married; you may want to think again. Plan ahead
and book in as far advance as you can for your trip, with the
airline. Why you may ask? Well, if you book through a third party
you’ve kind of anchored yourself down. When an delay, oversell,
or ticketing problem arises you are going to be the problem of
that third party and not the airline you are traveling on. If changes
are made to your flights, be that delays, time changes, or new
flight numbers the airline will notify that third party site, who in
turn should notify you. Why add an extra link in between you and
the information you need.
Know what kind of ticket you are buying. Yes, there is First class,
Business class, and coach but within those there are different
classes of tickets you can purchase. Some are non-refundable and
non-transferable. Others have penalties if you change your
reservation. Just make sure you know what you are getting into.
Maybe, you can’t get that super cheap ticket through the airline
like you could with Orbitz however, with air travel being as
difficult as it is now days it would be well worth it. So when your
flight delays and you want them to put you on another airline to
get you there tonight you will have that as an option. Or, when
your e-ticket is lost and all the airline has is a reservation, they
can fix it. Make yourself the airline’s responsibility or you may end
up lost in limbo with third party sites.
Tags: airline, cheap ticket, delay, different classes of tickets, expedia, flight, flight numbers, non-refundable, non-transferable, Orbitz, oversell, reservation, third party booking sites, ticket, ticketing problem, vacation
December’s Hot Spot: Tasmania
Each month we bring you a new travel hot spot, this month we bring you
“down under” to Tasmania. This is just the place to escape civilization
and enjoy the rugged beauty and natural landscapes. Tasmania is an
island and state off the coastline of Australia. It has all the natural
beauties one looks for in a getaway: beaches, rain forests, mountain
plains, and more.
The natural wildlife is also a big draw for visitors including the infamous
feral Tasmanian Devil. Other wildlife draws include Wallabies, Tasmanian
Tigers, various species of frogs and other exotic wildlife. Almost 37% of
Tasmania lies in unspoiled natural reserves.
Hastings Caves is one of it’s more popular attractions. These spacious
caves are well light and have no narrow spaces or passages. The caves
are formed of Dolomite which is heavier than limestone and has a pinkish
white crystal look to it. This attraction also features thermal pools, a
picnic area surrounded by a lush forest, change rooms, electric
barbeques, and other amenities.
Want to sample a bit of the local culture? Salamanca Place is a great little
cove tucked away for you to come explore. It has an Arts Center, arts and
crafts, shopping, funky music scene, and the Salamanca Market every
Saturday. You can buy anything from handmade toys to fifty year old
china. The trees are lit at night and you can relax on benches and people
watch while you listen to local music.
Now is the time to visit Tasmania because the value of the Tasmanian
dollar is at a five year low and will presumably fall in value more in the
coming months. This gives you the opportunity for more bang for your
travel buck. Worried about the long flight? Qantas has a fleet of A380s,
the largest commercial jet in the world, making the trip easier than ever.
The best routing to Tasmania is through Melbourne. Visit
discovertasmania.com for more information.
Tags: Arts Center, Australia, beaches, Dolomite, down under, exotic wildlife, flight, Hastings Caves, Hot Spot, Melbourne, Qantas, rain forests, Salamanca Place, Tasmania, Tasmanian Devil, Tasmanian Tigers, thermal pools, travel, Wallabies
Be Cool
Be Cool, a simple rule to follow when flying. A lot of the times however, the airline system seems to be a challenge for most people’s sense of calm and cool demeanor. In spite of this, you have to realize that there are consequences for violating this rule. Forty-nine year old John Murray found this out November 17th when a US Airways flight diverted to Boston and had him removed from the flight.
Details are sparse at the moment but it is clear that at some point after takeoff from Philadelphia Murray became unruly and disruptive with the flight crew. The flight on it’s way to London was diverted by the flight crew to Boston when the Scottish man refused to take instruction from the flight crew involving an arm brace he was wearing. The reports say that he was arguing and causing a disturbance with other passengers.
That’s not all he did to the other passengers, the US Airways flight was delayed in Boston for 2 hours and 40 mins due to the unruly passenger. While unsure of the actual circumstances involving the dispute, Murray’s inability to keep his cool resulted in the flight and passengers being delayed. Murray is also now in custody of the Boston police for ” interfering with crew on flight 728.”
There are no allegations of terrorism, substance, or alcohol use involved in this case due to appear at East Boston District Court. There is an old saying that states: you have to pick your battles and I would add that you need to pick the place from where you wage those wars. Clearly aboard a flight going anywhere, let alone an international flight, is not the appropriate place to pick a fight. You will not win this dispute, the law and powers that be will always come down on the side of the flight crew.
If you have a dispute with the airline or flight crew, keep your calm and wait until you are off of the plane to make your argument or complaint heard. The consequences of not doing so, are hardly worth the instance which usually provokes these sorts of things. Murray has a girlfriend who lives in the states and frequently travels between here and there. Hopefully, after this incident Mr. Murray will learn to master this first and most basic rule of flight . . . Be Cool.
Tags: arm brace, Be Cool, Boston, delayed, diverted, flight, flight 728, flight crew, flying, international flight, John Murray, passengers, Philadelphia, takeoff, terrorism, unruly passenger, US Airways
Captain Sully in the Cockpit Soon?
Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, the pilot who safely avoided disaster by landing a US Airways flight in the Hudson River, will be returning to the cockpit soon. The word from US Airways is that he has completed the necessary training to make his return and is working out the details of his flight duties.
Among those duties, he will receive a promotion into management. He will be a “management pilot” on the airline’s flight operations safety management team. Captain Sully says: “In my new role, I will continue to be the same kind of advocate for aviation safety that I have been for several decades.” He is the head of his own aviation safety firm and a former Air Force pilot.
Capt. Sullenberger looks toward to getting back in the pilot’s seat. In a recent statement, he says “ I have missed working with my colleagues at US Airways, and I am eager to get back in the cockpit.” His book is set to release next month documenting the splash landing titled “Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters”.
Tags: aviation, aviation safety, Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, Captain Sully, Cockpit, flight, Hudson River, management, pilot, promotion, US Airways
Delta to “Paint” JFK Tower Pink
Delta Airlines has supported breast cancer research now for five years and looks to make this year’s launch particularly memorable. Delta’s “pink plane” the Boeing 757 with the pink paint job will play a part in this year’s launch as it has in previous years. The first big event to set off this year’s fund-raising efforts will be the “painting” of the tower. Delta will color a tower at JFK with pink lights. Immediately after this, they will host a charter flight for employee breast cancer survivors on the “pink jet”.
The flight will take it’s passengers from JFK to DCA. It will also feature special in-flight entertainment in the form of an acoustic concert by Melissa Etheridge. She will perform her hit song “I Run for Life.”
Delta Airlines will then begin this years fund-raising and awareness efforts in full by allowing it’s Flight Attendants to wear pink versions of their red dresses as well as pink breast cancer awareness T-shirts. Through October, which is breast cancer awareness month, they will offer pink lemonade on their flights for $2 and offer the proceeds to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation®.
The DeltaShop.com will also offer pink items branded with both Delta and the BCRF logos. These will include items like: pens, luggage tags, tumblers, aprons and more. The lighting ceremony will take place Sept. 29th at5 p.m. EDT.
Tags: airlines, awareness, BCRF, Boeing 757, breast cancer, breast cancer awareness month, breast cancer survivors, charter flight, delta, Delta's "pink plane", flight, Flight Attendants, fund-raising, I Run for Life, JFK, Melissa Etheridge, pink lemonade, pink plane, Pink Tower, Tower
Get Away Deals with Airtran
Airtran Airways is starting fall off with discounted airfares. The prices start out at $39 and cover all their locations. The tickets must be purchased by September 24, 2009 and are good for reservations up to January 27, 2010. This sale is good for one-way travel and do not require and overnight stay or round trip purchase. The fares do not include the various fees associated with airports and flight. Check the Airtran site for more details.
Tags: airfares, Airtran, Airtran Airways, deals, discounted airfares, flight, one-way travel, reservations, Tickets
Frontier Airlines Four Day Sale
As of September 22nd Frontier is ushering the fall season with a four day sale on airfares. They are boasting 40 destinations with fares starting at $44. Tickets for travel between now and March 10th 2010 must be purchased before 9:59 p.m. MDT on Sept. 25, 2009 to take advantage of this sale.
Frontier also has their own airfare structure called AirFairs. With this the passengers can choose a fare that suits their needs and desires. There are three fare types: Classic, Classic Plus and Economy. At each price point customers can receive different amenities.
According to Frontier Airlines Holdings, Inc. these levels are as follows:
- Classic: Frontier’s best value! For just $20 more than the lowest advertised prices, customers receive advanced priority seating, two checked bags, 125% EarlyReturns® mileage credit and complimentary in-flight DIRECTV® among other amenities.
- Classic Plus: Refundable ticket, advanced premium seating, same-day flight change, two checked bags, 150% EarlyReturns® mileage credit and complimentary in-flight DIRECTV® among other amenities.
- Economy: Seat selection at check-in and 100% EarlyReturns® mileage credit.
There are great deals to be had for those pay attention and we are happy to keep you informed. Saving money is important and if you need or want to book a flight to one of Frontier’s destinations now is a great time to book your flight. Check out their site for more details.
Tags: AirFairs, airfares, best value, book a flight, economy, fares, flight, Four Day Sale, Frontier, Frontier Airlines, premium seating, Sale, Tickets, travel
God Hijacks Plane: Preacher in Custody
Jose Flores, a 44-year-old Bolivian preacher and resident of Mexico, is in custody for hijacking an Aeromexico Flight allegedly under the orders of God Almighty himself. At 1pm on September 9th 2009 the pilot from Aeromexico Flight 576 radioed in that a passenger onboard had an explosive device and was demanding to speak with Mexican President Felipe Calderon. The explosive, he told flight attendants he had, was a can of juice with little lights attached. The man on board, Flores, demanded the flight circle Mexico City seven times before landing. The Boeing 737 did not have sufficient fuel to do this and had to land at the Mexico City Airport.
Once they landed and the SWAT team had arrived negotiations through the flight crew began. Flores, the hijacker, was demanding to speak with Mexican President Calderon and that Televisa television network send female reporters to speak with him as well. As part of those negotiations he allowed the release of all women and children aboard the flight. After the women and children had vacated the jet, the SWAT team stormed the plane and took Flores and several men from the plane in handcuffs. The other men were later cleared and released as they had nothing to do with the hijacking. Flores had indicated to the flight crew that he had accomplices as part of his ruse. Flores later admitted his only companions aboard the flight were the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
So, why had this preacher taken the flight hostage. Flores claims God had entrusted him with informing the Mexican President of impending doom. The date of the hijacking was 09-09-09 and upside down that was the satanic number of 666. He was privy of knowledge via a higher source that this date was to be harbinger of a great natural disaster unlike any other before in the form of an earthquake. It was his duty to warn the president of the eminent danger. He had received this revelation months ago but was unable to get his message to President Calderon. He felt God had given him a sign to hijack the flight as means to convey the message.
Passengers for the most part had been unaware of the situation believing the delay was due to the need for an additional security check. Once they landed and saw the police standing by armed and ready to go, the passengers became aware of the danger they were in. The situation went smoothly all things considered and passengers were left shaken but otherwise unharmed. Today is Sept.10th and the supposedly “accursed day” day has passed with no great disaster. If anything, through God’s grace the dangerous situation came to peaceful end. One passenger, Pamela Cheatham, said that she was particularly cautious about flying on possibly dangerous dates, and was avoiding flying on 09-11. The possibility of the 09-09-09 having any significance had escaped her until after this incident.
As long as there are crazy people walking the face of this Earth there will be those who carry out things in the name of God unjustly. It would be nice to see these disturbed people do things this like this in their own names. I suppose, that as far as hostage situations go aboard flights that to have such a peaceful resolutions would be the ideal.
Tags: 09-09-09, Aeromexico, Aeromexico Flight 576, airport, explosive, flight, God, hijacker, Hijacks Plane, hostage, hostage situations, Jose Flores, Mexico City, passengers, President Felipe Calderon, September 9th 2009, SWAT team, Televisa