Tag Archives: air travel

Spirit Airlines announced yesterday that they will begin charging passengers $20-$45 to place carry-on bags in the overhead bins. SRSLY. The cost depends on whether passengers are members of the airline’s ultra-low fare club and whether they “pre-reserve” their carry-on bag in advance. Each passenger will still be able to bring one personal item that fits under a seat for …

Well, this is reassuring. An air traffic controller at JFK took his kid to work with him and let the child deliver a few directions to pilots over the radio. Gothamist notes: “To be fair, he does sound pretty darn cute.” The FAA is vowing that heads will roll.

JFK’s main runway shuts down on Monday for a four month repair and retrofit. And passengers all across the country will suffer. About a third of airport traffic – and half of departures – will have to be diverted from the Bay Runway to smaller runways, leading to longer lines on the ground and in the air. Millions of passengers …

On his way home from the doing a live podcast at International Bear Rendezvous in San Francisco this weekend, director Kevin Smith was booted off a Southwest Airlines flight out of Oakland after being told he was too fat to fly. Smith was scheduled on a flight from Oakland to Burbank, California on Saturday. According to reports, Smith had purchased …

The TSA has launched an investigation of employees at their Orlando field office after learning of an office board game being played to mock gays, women and minorities. The board, resembling the TV game show “Jeopardy,” includes categories such as “pickle smokers,” “our gang” and “creatures,” which sources said were names used by managers for gay men, African-Americans and lesbians. …

This amusing ad for Air New Zealand is creating some controversy among rape prevention activists there, who claim it “promotes predatory behavior.”

Tefillin.

A flight out of LaGuardia was diverted to Philadelphia this morning after its flight crew became alarmed by an Orthodox Jewish teenager putting on his tefillin, a traditional prayer device involving two black boxes and long leather straps. Authorities say, Chautauqua Airlines flight 3079 from LaGuardia to Louisville was diverted to Philadelphia after a 17-year-old male strapped on a “tefillin,” …

A man in the UK is suing British Airways for making him move to another seat on a flight out of London. According to company policy, adult men are not allowed to sit next to children unrelated to them. Because we’re all potential child molesters. In line with the policy, BA cabin crew patrol the aisles before take-off checking that …

United joins the fee increase. Bloomberg News is reporting that United Airlines plans to start charging $23 for a first piece of checked luggage, a 53 percent increase, to match fees by competitors Delta and Continental. A second bag will cost $32, up from $25, Robin Urbanski, a spokeswoman for Chicago-based parent UAL Corp. told Bloomberg. The prices apply to …

When I was in Orlando last week, as always I was impressed with the airport. Easy access, close to town, beautiful terminal, cool monorails to the four airsides, loads of shops to kill time. For the 11th busiest airport in the country, it’s quite a marvel. What’s your favorite airport? What’s your least? Mine is JFK, hands down.

“If I were going to make up an alias, I wouldn’t pick Rosenberg. I’d pick Jolie or Pitt…Do terrorists wear Manolo Blahniks? I can tell you Donna Karan does not make anything that hides a bomb…I tried the tears; they didn’t work. I tried reasoning. I couldn’t bribe because I didn’t have any money. I said ‘I’m going to have …

“I am sick and tired of the former vice president of the United States taking shots not only at this administration, for problems he was largely and personally responsible for, but by an extension at those of us who served in the military and bring that experience. This man suffers from a horrible case of political Tourette’s, and it’s about …

Gawker and Towleroad have posted this transcription of new pre-flight security rules which were announced on a JetBlue flight from San Juan to NYC yesterday. Among the rules: no in-flight TV, no items in your lap for the last hour, no trips to the restroom during the last hour. However, I flew JetBlue from Orlando to NYC yesterday afternoon and …

Is that what’s next at airport security checkpoints? During 19 hours of travel, aboard two flights across three continents, law enforcement officials said, Abdul Farouk Abdulmutallab bided his time. Then, just as Northwest Flight 253 finally began its final approach to Detroit around noon on Friday, he tried to ignite the incendiary powder mixture he had taped to his leg, …

The feds have ruled that the longest an airline can hold you prisoner on a delayed airliner is three hours. The Obama administration took aim Monday at tarmac horror stories, ordering airlines to let passengers stuck in stranded airplanes get off the plane after three hours. With its new regulations, the Transportation Department sent an unequivocal message on the eve …