Helicopter and Plane Crash Lawyer
Airline Travel
Another Woman Dies On Airplane
Category: Airline Travel
It's been about a year and a half since we reported on a woman dying on a British Airways flight from Delhi to London and this was the first incident known to Frieda. However, it is more common than one would expect and even though airlines are not required to track or to report medical situations they have to handle, Atlanta police stationed at the airport stated they respond to a death on board a couple times a year. MedAir, based in Arizona, is a company that staffs doctors on the ground to help with medical emergencies in the air and they reported 89 deaths in 2006 for the flights they handle and their number of flights would be about 1/3 of the world's commercial flights. Frieda had no idea the number of deaths was this high.
Being part of these numbers is something the family of Michaele O'Neal Carnahan never expected as they eagerly waited for her to arrive from California for a wedding in Florida. The flight crew found her body in the bathroom of Delta flight 950 just before the plane landed in Atlanta. At this time there is no known cause for her death - an autopsy is scheduled for Thursday.
Qantas Has Second Emergency Landing
Category: Airline Travel
Just days after a jumbo jet made an emergency landing with a huge hole in it's fuselage, another Qantas flight going from Adelaide to Melbourne turned back to make what is called a "precautionary" landing. The airlines stated this incident posed no danger to the passengers and the only reason it got so much attention is because it followed so closely on the heels - three days - after the near-disaster on an international flight.
This "air-turn-back" as it is called, was due to the landing gear doors failing to close. This would not have put the plane in any danger - just a more turbulent ride and would have made it harder for the pilot to fly because of the aerodynamics of the situation. Although another plane was brought in to complete the flight, a few of the passengers chose not to fly again - one stating he would take a bus or a train to Melbourne.
Qantas airlines is based in Sydney, Australia and was founded in 1920 making it the second oldest continuously operating airline ( KLM is #1, founded just a year earlier in 1919) and the oldest in the English speaking world. Qantas, an acronym for "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services", was rated the 2nd best airline in 2005 and 2006, but fell to 5th in 2007.
Airline Asks Pilots to Cut Back on Fuel
Category: Airline Travel
Now when Frieda reads this, she's thinking. . .you've got to be kidding me! However, read on.
Pilots for US Airways feel the pressure to use less fuel is undermining their authority and perhaps compromising safety so some have filed complaints with the FAA. The command pilot of each flight determines the amount of fuel carried on their flight - the FAA requires enough fuel to reach their destination + enough for 45 extra minutes. Eight senior captains were singled out by U.S. Airways for having an extra 10-15 minutes of fuel and have scheduled for "fuel conservation training". According to a spokesman for the U.S. Airline Pilots Association, this action feels like intimidation to the pilots who also fear losing their licenses if they request extra fuel.
Well, guess what? U.S. Airways doesn't see it that way - they deny this is punitive and that pilots licenses are in jeopardy.
"We are absolutely not employing intimidation tactics to pressure pilots into operating aircraft with unsafe fuel levels," Morgan Durrant said. "Safety is the number one priority in everything we do."
Durrant insists this paid one day training session is to review safety practices and the need to use appropriate fuel levels. One gallon of jet fuel weighs almost 7 pounds - so carrying extra fuel causes the jet to burn more fuel as it flies. Durrant stated the arrival fuels are more than twice the FAA minimum standard. So what the airline is trying to find is the balance between traveling safely and flying efficiently - which is a wise attempt since U.S. Airways will pay $2 billion more in fuel costs this year than they did last year. Hopefully the pilots and the airlines can use each other's insights and experiences to find safe compromise. They will certainly need a more open minded attitude than Ms. Peters! Did she forget about the passengers?
"If a pilot doesn't feel that a plane has enough fuel in it for the trip that he or she is about to make, then they have the discretion of not flying that flight," Transportation Secretary Mary Peters said Wednesday.
World's 10 Best Airports According to Forbes
Category: Airline Travel
Forbes has released its list of the 10 best airports in the world based on customer choice - judging more than 40 categories in a 10 month period and collection 8.2 million questionnaires. Some of the questions concerned shopping, dining, staff courtesy, baggage delivery, and efficiency at security. Hong Kong International was ranked #1 for the seventh year in a row. Numbers 2 & 3 were Singapore and Seoul in South Korea with Kansai (Japan), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), European airports - Munich, Copenhagen, Zurich, Helsinki - and Cape Town finishing out the list.
Sadly there were no US airports that made the list, however, San Francisco, Denver, Dallas, and Atlanta's International airports slightly improved and ranked between #11 and #25. The CEO of Skytrax, a consultancy for commercial airlines, attributes this to an older airport infrastructure in the US because the top rated ones have developed purpose-built 21st century airports that have tried to include every imaginable amenity. These include, but are certainly not limited to, showers, massages, hair salons, miniature golf, and even a cinema. The CEO goes on the say the 1960s-era function driven airports in the US are slow to "go global".
Richard Gritta, and airline industry expert made the following comment:
The reason you don't see U.S. airports [on the list,]" says Gritta, "is because, by and large, our airports have become so crowded. There are security and weather problems and a lack of more sophisticated air traffic control. You're picking up the anger of the entire industry."
With the delays still at around 21% and the rising oil prices., don't look for things to change in the near future. According to Gritta, the airlines are "coming apart" which will force consolidation, resulting in fewer flights, which will eventually lead to less crowding in the airports.
International flights perhaps different from domestic flights in longer layovers, etc so Frieda can see why some the these amenities would be most welcome - especially if traveling with children. For our US airports, on the other hand, Frieda is so willing to opt for up to date equipment, training, and procedures to make US air travel the safest in the world - don't need luxury - we need safety! Give us safety and then we'll try on luxury. Frieda would rather be "function-driven" safe than luxuriously dead.
Packing Tips For Airline Luggage Crunch
Category: Airline Travel
We could call it ridiculous, outrageous, irritating, or an industry imposed efficiency course in packing. Whatever we call it or whatever our feelings about it are, it seems to be the way of the future - the immediate future at least - and that is the airline charge for checking baggage. First it started with a fee for the second checked bag - which Frieda will go along with - but now it's a fee for all checked luggage, which is ridiculous and extremely irritating. What's the difference to the airlines if we carry on the piece of luggage or check it? Carry-on luggage is getting to be a hassle for passengers to find space in the overhead compartments for their belongings - not to mention the clunks on the head, shoulders, and backs when passengers attempt to retrieve the possessions. If everyone on the plane decides to go the route of carry-on only, there just won't be enough room - what's the airline going to do then? Force passengers to check their luggage and to pay a fee they did not choose to pay. So, Frieda is hoping the airlines will realize the complications and inconveniences of this policy to their passengers and allow each traveler one checked piece of luggage at no extra charge - they can call it a courtesy to their customers and make us all feel so grateful we chose their airline.
Just in case this dream doesn't come true - here are some tips from the expert. It's time to think "inside the box" - or inside your luggage as the case may be. The key words are organization, function, and neat. The key size for a carry-on suitcase is 45 linear inches (a couple airlines allow 51 inches, check your airlines to be sure) - meaning height + length + width has to equal 45 inches or less. Clothes are less likely to wrinkle in a rectangular shaped suitcase on rollers, but a shoulder/duffle bag will hold more because there is no space taken up for the wheels. Which type to carry will depend on what kind of trip you are taking and what you need your luggage to do for you.
~ Roll your clothes for more economy of space.
~ Bags with a lot of inside compartments take up space and the extra zippers, flaps, etc add extra weight. Instead, use zip-top plastic bags if you want to separate items. This will be especially handy when going through security. A handy outside pocket can carry your computer, magazines, and other things for easy access.
~ Chose a wardrobe in the same color scheme so you can mix and match - usually blues, browns, black, and whites are very versatile. Wear your bulkiest items onto the plane.
~ Men should try to get by with 2 pair of shoes and women 3. Shoes are a great "open space" in which to pack smaller items - jewelry, underwear, anything that will fill up the space inside your shoe.
~ Toiletries seems to be a problem that can take up a lot of room. First decide the necessary basic items you will need. Then check again. Never take the full size container if at all possible - besides the airlines have the 3 oz. policy. Either go to the store and purchase the travel size of the products or purchase the travel size containers you can fill on you own. Combine as many items as possible - such as, instead of shampoo and conditioner try a shampoo with conditioner for the trip. You can also find some products in non liquid forms such as nail polish remover, colognes, etc - they won't have to be examined by security and they will weigh less & take up less room in your suitcase.
~ At this time you are also allowed to carry-on a smaller bag that will fit under the seat in front of you. This could be used for lap-tops, books, as well as your travel essentials like credit cards, boarding pass, etc. If you travel with a camera bag, there is usually enough room for these things in there.
Once the carry-on bag is packed and ready to go, someone is going to have to lift it up into the overhead compartment - keep this in mind as you're packing - make sure it is something you can handle. With a little thoughtful we can make it through this luggage crunch with the airlines.
Skywest/Delta Loses Young Passenger
Category: Airline Travel
And we get upset when our luggage is lost . . . what if it was our child? Just ask a Yuma, Arizona couple and they can certainly tell you. On Saturday, a fourteen year old boy was put on a plane in Yuma to spend the summer in Billings, Montana. All was thought to be going well until his parents received a call from him in the Salt Lake City Airport - he was lost and didn't know where to go - that was when it was learned the airlines had not fulfilled their "unaccompanied minor" promise to have a flight attendant or customer service representative escort the minor child onto and off the plane and to his next flight. . . for an extra $100 fee.
His parents aren't concerned about the $100, but they are very upset the airlines failed to keep track of their son, they are so grateful this incident did not end up in an "Amber Alert". They are also grateful their son was old enough to have a cell phone and was therefore able to call home - when he did his father told him to find someone in a uniform and give them the phone. It turned out the person he saw was a lady who worked for the airlines and was "wonderful" - she calmed the boy down, got him something to eat, and not only escorted him to the correct gate for his flight to Billings, but waited with him until he boarded the plane.
Obviously not all Skywest employees are so inclined. When the father went to Yuma to speak with the airlines, no one would talk with him. When he called Delta's corporate office, he was told it was probably his son's fault because he left the plane before someone could get him. Well, he had on a badge that identified him as an unaccompanied minor - why didn't the attendants who always stand at the door when you exit the plane stop him? Frieda's even seen the attendants go to the child while still in his/her seat and instruct them not to leave the plane - they actually hand off the child to someone who comes on board to get them.
So what happened in this case? Lack of communication, obviously. Negilence, possibly. Rudeness, definitely.
As for the airline's PR, someone from Skywest finally called the family, apologized, and refunded the unaccompanied minor charge. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm. . .
Are Airlines Launching More Fees Than Aircraft?
Category: Airline Travel
We all know the airlines are starting to charge for so many things we once took for granted, such as actually bringing clothes along on a vacation. Frieda is beginning to wonder what the purchase of a ticket actually covers. Why not just charge separately for everything - a boarding fee, a seat fee (which they already have to some degree), and in case you actually want to leave your airport, there would be a takeoff fee - then we have to have a landing fee, unless you want to stay airborne for your entire vacation. Then add on an additional fee for all of this to go smoothly and to actually be on time. We could also start paying for our trip by the mile - but wait, how would they do that? One would assume the shorter the distance, the less expensive the fee - BUT - it takes more fuel to take off and to land than it does to fly once the aircraft reaches altitude - so does this mean flying from New York to Los Angeles could be cheaper than flying from New York to Philadelphia? Hmmmmmmm. . . .
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747 Blows Four Tires in LAX
Category: Airline Travel
We think we have a problem when we have one flat tire on our car - an inconvenience perhaps - all we do is pull out the jack and change the one tire (after possibly having to clear out the trunk - sometimes a major inconvenience). Well, what if you blow four tires on a "vehicle" that's 231 feet long and weighs at least 400,000 lbs - and instead of having to merely clean out the trunk to find the jack, you have remove 232 people who were along for the ride and all their luggage?
This is exactly what happened on Tuesday to Qantas Flight 12 heading to Sydney, Australia, from LAX. The flight was aborted when the pilot noticed the warning light go off as he was attempting takeoff in the Boeing 747-400. No one was hurt, flight operations at the airport were not affected, and the passengers were taken to a hotel until a later flight could be found for them. An uneventful ending to a relatively rare occurrence - and a blessing it happened on takeoff and not on landing in Sydney.
More Airline Charges Are Upon Us
Category: Airline Travel
Frieda understands the frustration with the airlines - it sometimes seem they are "getting us" at every turn. All the services of the past that made flying such a pleasant experience - like a sandwich if your flight was over the lunch or dinner hour - are gone. The aircrafts are more crowded, now there will be charges for the 2nd piece of luggage & leg room. To be fair, the airlines are trying to find other ways to gain revenue rather than large increases in ticket prices - at least the luggage and leg room charges are somewhat elective for the passengers.
The real culprit here is not the airlines, but those in power who have allowed this country to become totally dependant on foreign oil from countries who care about nothing but power and getting richer and richer. We, the American people, are feeling this crunch from the grocery store to the gas pumps, and we are trying to compensate by using public transportation, car pooling, grouping our errands, and changing our purchasing habits. So why do we get upset with the airlines for doing the same?
It's time we all speak up and insist our government starts to rebuild our own strength as a country - our economy - so the American people can get back to enjoying living in and traveling throughout the best country in the world!
Weather Puts Dallas At Standstill
Category: Airline Travel
It seems Mother Nature continues to work havoc on our airports and travel plans. After a winter of heavy and blowing snows, it seems she now is giving us rain, floods, and tornados. Airlines were heavily affected by storms that caused homes and roads to be flooded, at least 2 deaths, and sweeping a teenager down a drainage pipe in Texas. At Dallas-Fort Worth, hundreds of planes were grounded due to high winds, and heavy rains then the tower was evacuated when a funnel cloud was spotted. Winds at the airport were reported at more than 100 mph at one time - this was one of the most vicious thunderstorms seen in the D-FW area in a long time - the intensity just seemed to go on and on.
Knowing the domino effect of canceled or delayed flights, travel was a bit frustrating on Tuesday. Due to weather concerns from Texas to Ohio and tornado watches in Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas, hundreds of flights were cancelled or delayed in these regions. AA alone canceled flights from late morning through the end of the day - some 700 departures and arrivals being affected - and over 100 flights going to D-FW were diverted. More cancellations are expected for this morning.
Tomorrow - March 20 - is officially the first day of spring which will hopefully bring less severe weather for a brief period at least before our April showers come about to bring those eagerly awaited May flowers. However, with all the snow melting now and thunderstorms, I think "April" showers can take a rest this season - the May flowers are well watered!
Environmentalist Criticize American Airlines
Category: Airline Travel
Wouldn't you just love being one of only five passengers on an airline jet bound for England with two flight attendants per passenger? This would probably the closest most of us would ever be to feeling like we were on our own private plane - being waited on lavishly in the comfy seats of business class. So how did this happen and why are environmental groups in an uproar?
Continue reading "Environmentalist Criticize American Airlines"
JFK No Longer On "Most Delayed Airport" List
Category: Airline Travel
JFK's air congestion problem has been frustrating passengers for several years and has been blamed for creating air flight delays all over the country. The flow of air traffic around the nation works according to the domino effect - a delay in an airport, especially one with the high volume of JFK, will have an effect in almost every airport across the country. In the time span between Nov. 1, 2007 and Jan. 31, 2008, slight improvement was seen in the percentage of on time arrivals and departures at JFK - from 67 percent to 73 percent. Not a giant leap forward Frieda admits, but enough to take John F. Kennedy International Airport off the list of the 50 most delayed airports in the country among hubs with at least 1,000 departures a day.
As passengers, we are frustrated and angry when our flights are delayed and especially when we miss connecting flights - and understandably so - but, hey, 1,000 departures a day is huge - that's an average of almost 42 an hour! This is if all hours of the day and night had an even number of departures and there were no peak hours - and we know better - there are critical peak hours. Considering all the factors in play for a departure to be on time, one realizes this event has to run with the precision of a well oiled machine - with no room for error. Then throw in a good storm somewhere in the country, a plane's flat tire, a runway incursion, human factors like a late or sick crew member . . . well, you get the idea - delays mean the air space around the airport becomes congested - traffic backs up and your flight is no longer part of that well oiled machine.
In November, around Thanksgiving with the thought of the high traffic volume for the holidays, the DOT took action in the form of a series of initiatives which included "tinkering" with takeoff routes and taxi patterns and allowing the use of military airspace for commercial aircraft. Then in December the FAA began its first tentative steps at an overhaul of the airspace in the region of JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark's Liberty Airport. Whether all these steps did the trick or if improvement of other factors (like the ones mentioned above) helped the situation is unknown, but the FAA is stating "the initial data is promising". Newark and LaGuardia have yet to see positive gains from the changes.
That, however, is not the end of the saga. Seeking to further improve the situation and to calm the attacks from aviation authorities about the delay problem in New York, starting on March 15, the DOT is putting a cap on the number of flights scheduled during peak hours when delays are naturally the worst and adding more flights during the middle of the day. The FAA is planning to install new equipment that should allow for more efficient directions of planes still on the ground.
This is still not the end of the saga - not everyone is happy about the "rush to improvement".
Politicians representing communities beneath some of the new flight paths have raised complaints about engine noise, and the union representing air traffic controllers has questioned whether the rush to implement the changes has led to safety compromises.
Stay tuned folks - the story is not over. Our airports across the nation are riddled with the problem of congestion - therefore safety. Let us push for something more than "quick fixes" in the "rush to improve" their situations. We have serious problems that need serious attention.
New Beijing Terminal Ready In Time For Summer Olympics
Category: Airline Travel
Terminal 3 is now open and ready for the onslaught of visitors expected for the Summer Olympics. This newest terminal at the airport in Beijing, China - a huge glass and steel building - welcomed its first domestic flight from Shandong province with 10 musicians playing stringed instruments and flower bouquets - a practice that would ease air traffic tempers all over the globe!
Even without the Olympics on the horizon, Beijing needed a new terminal desperately due to its double digit economic growth quickly outpacing the infrastructure expansion plans. The second terminal opened eight years ago and is already past it's max with long lines for check-in and flight delays. With an increase of 50 million visitors over last year, the new terminal is ready just in time. The Olympics are scheduled for August 8-24.
The Chinese are calling the new terminal "the pride of the Chinese nation" with deep red pillars and matte gold roof - evoking Beijing's imperial palaces and temples. It has 64 Western and Chinese restaurants, 90 retail shops, and a state-of- the-art baggage handling system - all this in a beautiful terminal with skylights to make it feel open and airy. Taking only four years to build, there is a high speed commuter train to take passengers to the city and has runway capabilities for the new huge Airbus A380 superjumbo jet.
Is there technology here that should interest our American airport planners?
Gatwick Airport Has Been Home for Homeless Chef
Category: Airline Travel
A homeless chef who has been living in London's Gatwick Airport will be sentenced in court next month. Sussex Police report first stopping Anthony Delaney at the airport in 2004 and have more than 30 encounters with him since that time. For three years, Mr. Delaney has been literally camping out in the southern terminal - leaving only to collect his unemployment checks. The 41 year old man ate, showered, and slept in the terminal despite run-ins with the police and a civil order banning him from the site. Frieda doesn't think 30 encounters in 3 years is that frequent, and is amazed he lasted that long - wonder if he got his inspiration from Tom Hanks in the movie, "The Terminal"?
Gatwick got it's name back in 1241 when land was assigned to the de Gatwick family and was later called the Manor of Gatwick. In 1930 the airport began as a small flying club, served the RAF in WWII, and in 1952 became an alternative to Heathrow - closing in 1956 for rebuilding and in 1958, was officially opened by The Queen. Today it's the busiest single runway airport in the world, the second largest airport in the UK, and the sixth busiest international airport in the world - flying to over 200 destinations and is used by around 90 airlines.
With this amount of activity, doubt Mr. Delaney got much rest or quiet time - wonder if the excitement made up for it?
In any event, we certainly wish for him gainful employment and better living quarters in the future.
Pilots Take Cat-Nap?
Category: Airline Travel
I guess from now on Frieda won't mind an interesting conversation with a fellow passenger being interrupted by the pilot's voice over the intercom - either the loud noisy garbled ones or the almost inaudible garbled ones - at least she'll know there's someone "at the helm" so to speak! Someone who realizes the one who is supposed to be relaxing and taking a nap would be the "flyee", not the "flyer"!
The FAA is investigating if the reason the airplane overshot Hilo International Airport by 15 miles - that's 15 miles into the ocean - is because the two pilots were asleep in the cockpit. Although the flight landed safely, the aircraft drifted off course and had to turn back to get to the airport - of course now the question is "why?". According to the air traffic controllers, they were unable to contact the pilots in the cockpit for 25 minutes. If, in fact, they were asleep, the plane was on autopilot - FAA penalties for this range from a warning letter to license suspension or revocation. Frieda is very aware that with all the cutbacks airlines are making are causing extreme long hours and fatigue for the airline employees, but this is inexcusable! A warning letter for putting the life of everyone onboard jeopardy? Hopefully the investigation will uncover why these two pilots were so exhausted - did the airline push them further than human limits allow or were the pilots at fault for not taking their time off to rest more seriously? Or will the investigation find there was something wrong with the communication system and not a case of resting pilots. We all await the answer.
Fights Diverted Due to Loss of Radio Communication
Category: Airline Travel
Hopefully hearts weren't broken on Valentine's Day when San Diego had to divert three flights and delay 18 flights at it's Lindbergh Field due to a FAA radar facility losing some of its radio communication capabilities. Two flights were sent to Phoenix and one to Los Angeles.
The outage at the Terminal Radar Approach Control center (TRACON) lasted only a little over 15 minutes, but long enough to inconvenience some travelers. TRACONs are FAA facilities that house air traffic controllers who use radar displays and radios to guide approaching and departing aircraft usually within a 30-50 mile radius of an airport up to 10,000 feet as well as any other aircraft that may be flying in that airspace. TRACON controllers hand the aircraft over to the airport tower once the aircraft is within five miles of the airport and below 2,500 feet. TRACON controllers don't handle take-offs and landings, their responsibility is for the safe separation of aircraft flying in the congested areas surrounding the airports.
The FAA is investigating the cause of the outage.
"Friendly Skies" of United Not So Friendly With New Charge
Category: Airline Travel
Starting May 5th, United Airlines is going to charge domestic customers $25 to check a second piece of luggage - all customers except their "Premier" frequent fliers. It seems investors have urged the airlines to pass on the increased cost of fuel onto passengers/customers/consumers through higher ticket prices or other surcharges. Guess United has decided to do both - affecting about one-fourth of it's passengers - all being those who purchase nonrefundable domestic economy tickets. The elite of United - the "Premier" and "Silver" status flyers will still be given the privilege of checking the second bag.
Chief Revenue Officer John Tague justifies the move in the following statement:
The new policy will allow customers with many bags to continue bringing them for a fee and "enables us to offer competitive fares to everyone."
Frieda wonders who "everyone" is - certainly not those purchasing nonrefundable domestic economy tickets - which is the greatest number of airline travelers. Right now it seems this extra fee is benefiting the investors as it supposedly helps the airline recover some of the cost of their fuel.
All customers will continue to be charged $100 per bag for a maximum of four bags (previous charge was $85 - $100) and charges will range from $100 to $200 for items requiring special handling.
Frieda wonders what would happen if the airlines would stop charging their customers for thier higher cost of operation and start leaning heavily on Washington to get our fuel costs down. No one will ever be willing to fix a problem as long as it can be passed onto someone else - in this case the hard working American public who is being hit on all sides due to higher fuel costs.
For the time being, we - the consumer - have other choices other than the "friendly skies" for our travel plans if we need to check the second bag.
"Stowaway" Purr-fectly Happy to Be Home
Category: Airline Travel
Rob Carter says he "screamed like a little girl" when he got home, opened the suitcase and was surprised when a kitten jumped out. Gracie Mae's adventure began in Palm Beach Gardens earlier Friday when she crawled into her owner's suitcase - probably looking for a comfy place to take a nap - instead, her newly found "bed" was closed and carried off to the airport. Her adventure then led her through an airport x-ray machine, the baggage compartment of the plane, a toss onto a baggage belt at the Fort Worth airport, and a ride home with a stranger who had mistakenly picked up the wrong suitcase.
Meanwhile back in Palm Beach Gardens Seth Levy's wife, Kellly, was looking everywhere for her kitty. The last time she had seen her was when her husband was packing his suitcase - when she returned from taking him to the airport, Gracie wasn't waiting on the bottom step as usual. She literally "took the house apart" in search of the cat - she and her father took out bathroom tiles and part of a cabinet to make sure Gracie wasn't in the crawl space - and put "Lost Cat" signs throughout the neighborhood. For all of us who have lost a pet we know all too well what Kelly was going through looking for Gracie.
Then the phone call came.
"Hi, you're not going to believe this, but I am calling from Fort Worth, Texas, and I accidentally picked up your husband's luggage. And when I opened the luggage, a cat jumped out,"
Mr. Carter said he considered keeping the cat before he knew she had a home - naming it "Suitcase", what else? However, after an $80 plane ticket and a 1,300 mile return flight, Gracie Mae is safely back home and "purr-fectly" happy.
Stowaways Found In Jet
Category: Airline Travel
This is a classic case of who, what, when, where, and why. Who are the two men found hiding in the ceiling of an Ethiopian Airlines jet? What will happen to them? When and where did they sneak on board the aircraft? Why were they on the plane? An investigation is underway to find the answers to all the above questions. The men were found on Wednesday during a security inspection of the aircraft at Dulles International Airport. It is not known at this time if there were any stopovers between Ethiopia and Dulles where the men could have gotten on board not is it know if they acted alone - merely wanting to flee their country - or if they were smuggled into this country to test our security. They are currently being held on misdemeanor charges of entering the United States without inspection and will likely be deported if it is found they did act alone and merely wanted out of Ethiopia. A criminal investigation will ensue if it is found others were involved or if it is found they were in fact testing security.
This is not the first time the ceiling of an aircraft was used as a stowaway haven. In 2004 airplane cleaners discovered five Indian nationals attempting to hide in the ceiling of the Bangladeshi passenger aircraft which had arrived from Hong Kong. The men were discovered when one of their shoes dropped from the ceiling - the staff then discovered a large hole where the men had gained access to the ceiling. Although they had passports and had purchased tickets from Hong Kong to Dhaka, it is thought they hid in order to fly on to London - a leg for which they had not purchased a ticket.
Definitely not Frieda's chosen method of travel - besides one doesn't receive frequent flyer miles when traveling in the ceiling.
Airlines Offering Cyberspace On Flights
Category: Airline Travel
Well, it's here - Internet service on commercial flights. American Airlines has begun installation of equipment for high-speed Internet service on it's Boeing 767s used for cross-country trips. Installation has been completed on one of the aircrafts with the other 14 not far behind. The technology will need to be tested on these aircrafts, approval gotten from the FAA, and of course AA will have to determine how much they will charge the customer before this service can be offered to passengers.
This has already been going on with other airlines on some of their aircraft - JetBlue, AirFrance, Quantas, and Emirates. OK, so now we'll be inundated by all this technology in the air as well as on the ground - not to mention the etiquette issues involved when these are used in a close environment like an airplane cabin.
Is Delta the Emily Post of the Airways?
Category: Airline Travel
Books upon books upon more books have been only one of the many sources available to educate the public on proper etiquette in every situation imaginable - except in the world of airline travel. Until now. Delta Air Lines, Inc, has ventured into this world with their "Planegauge:The language of Traveling by Plane" - a series of 25 humorous videos depicting common situations found while traveling by air. These videos are meant to "help raise travelers' consciousness about what it means to be good travel companions" states a spokeswoman for Delta. They portray the traveler "you don't want to be" and hope to educate the public on what to expect aboard a plane.
The videos have won praises from Anna Post (great-great-granddaughter of Emily Post) and from passengers. They site the videos addressing irritating behavior experienced in flight from passengers not covering their mouths when they cough to standing in line to use the restroom and not stepping aside to allow those coming out of the restroom room to walk by. Post states, "The more aware people are about how their actions affect others, the better the chances are that they'll make more of an effort to be considerate. The times when I see rudeness happening is when I don't see people being self-aware, It's great to see an airline acknowledge they understand the crazy situations passengers to through".
Airline Punctuality-Southwest Ranks #1
Category: Airline Travel
Well, we've heard all the horror stories of late flights & missed flights leaving passengers idle at the airport for hours on end and of course, the worst passenger disaster of recent memory was JetBlue's standing passengers on the tarmac for 11 hours at JKF - that wasn't a very Happy Valentine for anyone! We all expect these inconveniences/nightmares to become more common during the busy holiday travel season - more people, more flights, more congestion, more delay disasters. The news is full of all the stories.
Let's look at the other side - the one we don't hear about very often - if ever -airline punctuality - no, not necessarily a mutually exclusive term. Let's first look at what causes these maddening delays. Of course we can't point to one aspect, like poor incompetent airline management. The culprits are usually outdated software, understaffing, new and more thorough security measures, as well as factors out of man's control like inclement weather. Then there are the routes planes must use. Traveling in L.A. during the rush hour is quite different from traveling in the heartland on an easy Sunday afternoon. Yes, there are traffic jams in what seems to us an unlimited sky just as there are on our highways here on planet earth - where smaller regional jets can cause a traffic snarl just as a slow car can cause a slowdown for us. So, in light of this, the most on-time flights would be those who fly the less busy routes, in areas of the country where weather isn't a big problem, and land at less congested airports.
In a recent study, Southwest was the most punctual U.S. carried with 80.4 percent annual on-time arrivals. Ranked first was Hawaiian, second was Aloha, and Southwest was third out of the top 20 on-time airlines - it also has the highest percentage of on-time arrivals since the DOT started keeping records of this in 1987. With a percentage rate of 81.1, Southwest is the most on-time U.S. carrier overall. They have achieved this by considering they points made earlier. It flies into less congestive airports - like Midway instead of Chicago's O'Hare and by not focusing on quick connections. This is great when one is on a direct flight, but if having to make connections, the traveler can expect longer layovers between flights. This may not be a bad thing, if you are prepared and not in a big big rush - at least you know once on your Southwest flight, there is an 80.4% chance you will arrive on time.
TSA Is Aware Rules Are Frustrating - Yet Necessary
Category: Airline Travel
"Predictably unpredictable" is what travel writer, Harriet Baskas, calls TSA's security. She is referring to why your snacks, body piercing, or knee replacement may make it through one airport security checkpoint and not another. According to a TSA spokesman, they are not interested in our snacks nor our body armor - inside or outside - and they certainly don't want to embarrass or aggravate airline travelers.
The TSA must try to keep us safe and with 2 million people flying each day along with 3.5 million bags, it's not an easy process. They are looking for liquid explosives and state " if you can pour it , pump it, squeeze it, spread it, smear it, spray it, or spill it, it could be considered a liquid or gel". Well, Frieda thinks that just about covers everything - so it's no wonder we are stopped in one airport and not another - it's up to the TSA workers on duty to use their own discretion. This discretion also extends to body piercing, replaced body parts, hair decorations, and other jewelry. Let them do their job - they are professionally trained, but they are also human beings who have feelings just like us. If you do have a bad experience you feel is unethical or inappropriate, you can report it to 1-866-289-9673 or email to TSA-ContactCenter@dhs.gov.
TSA officers are following the rules - they didn't make them - and Frieda, for one, doesn't mind a little frustration at the airport - sure beats another 9/11! Just think about it, if everything were standard at every airport, the terrorists would know exactly what to expect and you can bet they would figure a way around the "standard". They don't come with a sign around their necks nor are they wearing a tee-shirt identifying who they are. So it's up to the TSA officer to do the best job he/she was trained to do.
As the holiday rush continues to build to a frenzied pace, allow yourself a little more time at the airport and remember to be pleasant to the security screeners - they are there for our security.
White House Steps In To Relieve Holiday Air Traffic Congestion
Category: Airline Travel
It's been a year of record delays for the airline industry and with the surge of travel over the holidays, it could get even worse. On Thursday President Bush announced a series of steps to reduce the congestion and long delays that have turned holiday travel to see family from joy and anticipation to horror and headache.
The most innovative move will be the Pentagon allowing commercial airliners to use two air corridors restricted to military flights off the eastern seaboard from 4 p.m. on Wednesday through Sunday - the busiest days of travel. This is the second time since September when he ordered the Department of Transportation and the FAA to find solutions to the congestion problem, that President Bush has intervened - this move called "a Thanksgiving express lane" will supplement the dozen air routes from Florida to New England. Of course this move was met by mixed reactions. A couple of the responses were from the trade groups representing the airports and airlines applauded Bush's efforts, air traffic controllers called them ineffective - stating their ranks have been cut too much for handling the holiday rush efficiently.
In theory, Frieda sees how this will work - although opening up more corridors will open the way for more planes to land, creating less "hover" time in the air, it will also allow more planes to take off, hopefully creating less time spent on the tarmac. However, Frieda continues to be concerned about the lack of well trained air traffic controllers and poorly planned runway/taxi way situations, although some airports have designed new runway use patterns. The main benefit of using the military airways is to get travelers out of the very crowded New York area faster and airline executives have committed to reducing overbooking during the holidays and will add ticketing staff - both should help the situation. In the meantime, airports are gathering cots, food, and water for travelers who are stranded - preparing for the worst case scenario . . .hopefully they are also adding security to protect those who might be sleeping on those cots - a lesson hopefully learned by all from the Superdome debacle in New Orleans during Katrina.
It does seem several facets are working together to try to ease the pain of holiday travel and Frieda gives them credit for that, however, all this is remains a short term "fix" for a serious chronic problem which needs intense extensive long term solutions.
Airport Conveyor Belt Heats Up Baggage Claim Area
One air traveler is going to have to replace all her toiletries when she reaches her destination due to a fire on the conveyor belt. Her backpack caught fire Tuesday at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport when it became jammed between two larger pieces of luggage. A U.S. Airways baggage handler noticed the bag was hot and set it aside - the fire department was called when the bag began to smoke - the hazardous materials team was called "just in case" - the bomb squad was called and found everything in the bag had melted
The backpack contained only legal materials - hairspray and other toiletries - but caused quite a stir when the gate area was evacuated, the plane was taken to another gate, passengers were delayed an hour before being allowed back on the plane, and the bag's owner was questioned by police before being allowed back on the plane.
The authorities theorize the impact of being jammed between the two larger pieces of luggage caused the contents of the backpack to leak, and the combination of the alcohol in the toiletries, the heat from the conveyor belt, and the friction of the belt's track rubbing against the backpack caused it to catch fire.
Granted this was a not - so - common occurrence, but Frieda might suggest precautions be taken in the future to load the belt differently and not to put the more fragile items in a position to be crushed causing perhaps a more serious incident one day.
Thanksgiving Travel Surge
Category: Airline Travel
With over 27 million air travelers expected to fly over the Thanksgiving holiday, the airlines are making preparations to handle the crunch - a 4% increase over last year. We are warned to expect longer lines at check-in and security, coupled with the worst on-time performance on record, this could be more frustrating for passengers than usual - especially if there is a weather problem anywhere thus creating a domino effect throughout aviation traffic. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association said delays are likely to worsen during the holiday season due to fewer fully trained air traffic controllers. Okay, let Frieda see if she understands the situation - more planes therefore more congestion, more runway traffic, more room for runway incursions and we have fewer fully trained controllers - WOW, that's a comforting thought! The FAA countered by saying it doesn't expect any flight delays related to staffing levels among controllers. Now just which group are we, the consumers, supposed to believe?
The airlines are making an attempt to minimize the headaches by hiring additional seasonal workers to help passengers through airports. Airports are bringing in additional food and water to supply planes that are stuck on the tarmac for long periods -surely an example of "lessons learned" from past tarmac disasters.
Minneapolis based Northwest Airlines went a step further in anticipation of the onslaught of holiday travelers - they are delaying the last two banks of flights at Detroit & Minneapolis-St. Paul (the 2 largest hubs) in an attempt to reduce missed connections during the peak travel days. The airline industry expect the busiest days to be the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday and Monday following the holiday.
If you are traveling this Thanksgiving holiday - whether it's by plane, train, or automobile - Frieda wishes you a safe arrival.
Survive A Plane Crash - Sit In The Safest Seat
There has been a long time myth that it doesn't matter where you sit on a airplane - Boeing states "one seat is as safe as the other", FAA states "there's just no way to say", and Airsafe's comment is "there is no safest seat". According to Popular Mechanics, these "expert" opinions are not based on hard data.
P.M. has investigated this question and says, "We're safest in the back of the plane." After nearly 200 passengers died in a Brazilian incident, PM studied 36 years of NTSB findings and seating charts and tells us to move to the back, in fact, the further back we sit, the better our chances - about 40% better. Now, that's an inconvenient concept for travelers who want to be as close to the front as possible - it's quieter, it feels less cramped, and we're off the planes faster if we have to make a connecting flight.
Continue reading "Survive A Plane Crash - Sit In The Safest Seat"
Airfares Hike Again!
The seventh airfare hike since Labor Day - and the largest - is upon us. American lead the way with a $20 for U. S round-trip tickets, Delta followed, others such as United is considering a hike but has not yet decided on a increase. "The last two months have been unprecedented, and a lot of it has to do with the unprecedented price of fuel," said Rick Seaney, chief executive of an airline price tracking website.
"Soaring fuel prices, among other pressures, leave little room for error in maintaining today's modest profit margins," said ATA Chief Economist John Heimlich.
Now, Frieda firmly believes the airlines could have a better business plan and work more efficiently - however, she is sensitivity to the cost of fuel - one of the industry's biggest costs. Cost of fuel is hurting us all - driving our cars, heating/cooling our homes, all products we purchase - yet we all seem to take it in stride - except for a few moans as we fill up our gas tanks - BUT we still fill up our cars and accept the rising prices! We have become a nation so dependent on others for almost everything - especially oil - we have no control. Instead of complaining to the airlines and our travel agents about the rising cost of the airline tickets, Frieda thinks it's time "we the people" start talking to our representatives who are supposed to be looking after our interests, our well being, our security as Americans. The problem is not with the airlines, my friends, it is with Washington.
Solution Not Easy For NYC Airport Traffic Jam
Category: Airline Travel
JFK is having a crisis - too many flights, too little airspace, way too much congestion causing too many delays. The aviation industry is "tied in knots" to find a solution. . .is the answer fewer flights or finding ways to get more planes in the air? During the past three weeks, a federal task force led by the FAA have been meeting behind closed doors to discuss these two solutions. In September, U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters told the group to find a fix for chronic delays at JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark Liberty, or be prepared to face a federal order reducing the number of allowed flights.
Continue reading "Solution Not Easy For NYC Airport Traffic Jam"
US Airways Cuts Flights In Pittsburgh-Gates Will Close
Category: Airline Travel
US Airways, long dominant in Pittsburgh, will cut 40 flights and drop 28 gates in January - all part of a dramatic cutback starting after 9/11. These latest cuts will leave only 1,800 workers in Pittsburgh and 68 daily flights - a large difference from the once high of 542 flights and 12,000 workers.
Part of the attempt to offset the cutbacks, Pittsburgh International Airport will close 27 gates and raise fees to airlines. The overall cost to all airlines operating from this airport will increase 11%. The report stated, "There's a direct correlation between the per-passenger cost and volume--the more travelers airlines bring through the terminal, the lower the per/passenger cost". Well, of course, duh! Cost per unit volume has always been determined by volume - Frieda wonders when this "direct correlation" will "directly" cost these passengers to whom they refer - uh, you and me!
Why does it always cost the air traveler when an airline cuts something to save money? Could we be talking this "direct correlation" again?
Flight Cuts for JFK Not Well Received As Solution To Severe Traffic Congestion
John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York is one of the busiest and most congested airport in the nation handling 100+ flights per hour during peak travel periods. The U. S. Department of Transportation has determined the airport could reliably handle 80 or 81 flights per hour and has asked the airlines to voluntarily cut back flights next summer or face a mandatory order to cutback. This is being done as an attempt to clear some of the congestion which would mean fewer flight delays, less chance of runway mishaps, and opposition from both airline and civilian business communities.
Continue reading "Flight Cuts for JFK Not Well Received As Solution To Severe Traffic Congestion"
Boarding Passes - Going, Going, Gone?
Category: Airline Travel
Frieda was stunned when she read in Sunday's paper that major airlines have agreed on a standard that will allow passengers to check in using a bar code sent to their cell phones. We will be asked to register our cell phone numbers when we purchase a ticket, we will be sent a bar code by text message which will then be scanned by the check in staff at the airport directly from our cell phone - doing away with the need for a boarding pass.
Does anyone not see a problem here??? Frieda will list a few that came to her immediately:
~ cell phone is out of reception area - no bar code is received
~ cell phone battery dies - bar code is lost
~ cell phone is lost or stolen - can someone else then board the flight?
~ cell phone does not have "text messaging" capabilities
~ cell phone, what cell phone? don't have one. . . don't want one
(don't be shocked - there are still some around)
~ last but certainly not least - without a boarding pass what will we use for a bookmark? You know, for that book we planned to read before we fell asleep? A cell phone just won't do - way too bulky. Bookmark: the second most important reason for having a boarding pass (the first, of course, is being able to board the plane) !
Just what must these people at the International Air Transport Association meeting in Geneva, Switzerland be thinking ?????
Cancelled Flight? Ask about Rule 240
Category: Airline Travel
Once upon a time, long long ago when the customer was the airlines' first priority and customer satisfaction was paramount, every airline had to follow the same set of rules - including dealing with cancelled flights and rule 240. This was before the deregulation of the airline industry.
The predecessor of today's FAA - the Civil Aeronautics Board - set the rules for all U. S. airlines. One of those rules was #240. It specified that if an airline couldn't get you to your destination on time, it was required to put you on another airline's flight if it would get you there faster than your original airline's next flight - even putting you in first class it that was the only available seat. Although not well advertised, for obvious reasons, the seasoned traveler could go to the counter and say the magic words, "240 me". Airlines formed after deregulation like JetBlue and Southwest were never required to follow these rules, although they may try to put you on another airline if there is no other choice. Todd Burke, JetBlue's VP for corporate communication stated although they don't have a traditional Rule 240, they will purchase confirmed seats on another airline in "the event of irregularities within our control" and if there is a "significant delay" the compensation may include a "partial or full refund" in addition to putting the passenger on another airline.
Travelers Need to Speak Up
Category: Airline Travel
Finally, after countless incidents of travelers being left on the tarmac for hours, they have finally spoken up to bring this situation to the attention not only to the airlines, but to the nation. Supposedly the airline industry has heard them - what will be done about it is still yet to be seen, but it's out in the open and we are watching. It's happened for years and Frieda can not figure out why we have let this go on so long. Years ago Frieda was stuck on the tarmac on a plane in Dallas in the summer with the hot sun beating in the window - of course, no air conditioning - we had a "fried" Frieda - it was miserable! Back then it was a rarity (???). Nowadays, it's happening at an increasing rate as the travel industry digs deeper and deeper into a chasm from which it may be impossible to emerge.
Improving Customer Service?
Category: Airline Travel
Improving Customer Service?
A recent survey found consumers rated the nation's airlines among the 5 least-trusted of the 30 industries studied - well behind health care! Another study found the airlines ranked right behind the IRS in poor customer satisfaction. So the airlines are going to try to improve customer service trust - can it be done?
Runway Incursions Continue - Shocker?
On August 16, 2007, the wingtip of Northwest Airlines A320 missed colliding with the nose of a West Jet B737 by 37 feet at LAX. Although this incursion was definitely a close call, no one was injured.
The investigation by the NTSB noted the Airport Movement Area Safety System (AMASS-a ground radar system which can detect and alert controllers to potential runway conflicts) at the airport was operational at the time of the incursion, but it is unknown whether or not it activated - exactly what does this mean? Is there an investigation into the level of functionality of the AMASS at LAX? We have lives at stake here!
Another Body Found In Plane's Nose Gear
Category: Airline Travel
Frieda first wrote on this subject on January 19 of this year - stowaways in wheel wells of large airliners. Last month a man's body was found at San Francisco International Airport in the nose gear wheel well of a United Boeing 747 during a routine post flight inspection. The 11 hour flight arrived from Shanghai. The man who had few obvious injuries and wore several layers of clothing, including two jackets probably died from lack of oxygen and hypothermia since the temperatures were minus 40 degrees for most of the flight.
Frieda just can't imagine someone taking this risk, but it happens more often than one would think - FAA has counted 75 stowaway attempts on 65 flights worldwide since 1947 with 57 ending in death. They are crushed to death, freeze to death, or fall to their death. U.S. regulators can do little to prevent this practice on international flights since the security issue is with the airport of origin. It's hard to believe we can't check our own planes - wouldn't this be in our best interest, especially in our war on terror? Are we really leaving the security checks of planes flying into American airspace up to the security checks of foreign airports?
The last live stowaway found on a flight to the U.S. was in 2004 on a flight from the Dominican Republic to Miami. Most stowaways are sent back to their country of origin - like the man in 2000 who survived a descent of 38,000 feet inside the wheel well of a flight bound to Los Angeles from Tahiti. And exception was made by Canada when a man survived a flight from Cuba in temperatures that would have been at least minus 40 degrees or colder. He told authorities he survived by holding a picture of his daughter and clinging to hot air pipes to stay warm.
Fourth of July - Busiest Travel Period of Summer - Beginning of Summer Travel Headaches
Category: Airline Travel
Americans are not willing to give up their celebration of our Independence Day in spite of high gas prices and congested airlines. AAA estimates 41.1 million people will be traveling next week - an increase from last year. Just how they will be traveling?
Enough About Passports!
Category: Airline Travel
Okay, okay - I know we've all heard enough about the trials and tribulations of trying to get a passport. We have the rules, then we have the reports of all the changes to the rules - now you need it, now you don't. Plus the money issue - for an extra $60 you can have your passport expedited and you will have it in 2-3 weeks. . . OOPS!. . .not necessarily - they didn't tell you that does not include $30+ for overnight delivery - and now they're refunding the $60 due to the extremely high numbers of passport applications and their inablility to live up to what was promised. What a mess - did the government not know this would happen?