News and notes from around the interweb:
- 20 passengers fell sick on a Spirit Airlines Atlanta – Los Angeles flight. I can’t say that I’m surprised, that’s nearly 2000 miles of flying on Spirit.
- Avianca says it is avoiding Venezuelan airspace after one of its planes was intercepted by a military jet on Friday. Venezuela doesn’t have many foreign airlines still flying, and can’t really afford this…
Avianca is one of the few foreign airlines still servicing Caracas after a number of carriers slashed service and stopped selling tickets to Venezuelans because Maduro’s government, facing a severe cash crunch triggered by low oil prices, hasn’t allowed them to repatriate some $3.8 billion in funds held in the country.
Avianca’s decision affects multiple daily flights between Caracas and Bogota and Lima, Peru as well as flights to the tiny Caribbean island of Barbados, which is near Venezuela.
- While it seems that bad behavior by passengers usually involves alcohol new research suggests that individuals with low measures of self control are the ones who… can’t control themselves inflight. (HT: Tyler Cowen)
- Richard Branson relates his experience meeting Donald Trump. He’s clearly not a fan, which appears to put him at odds with Virgin America CEO Dave Cush who endorsed Trump in January.
- Anthony Bourdain’s Pier 57 food stalls in New York now won’t open until 2019
- Details about changes coming to Washington National airport including the end of dreaded gate 35X. They’re relocating the security checkpoint, bringing more retail inside security. Airports are investing in redesigns to get you to spend more.
Washington National’s new design has the security checkpoints across the street from the terminal? It might work out, but the video makes it look like a ton of walking. Might be shorter to just walk to Dulles. Also, the video calls it the “Security Chekpoint (sic) Relocation Project,” which doesn’t inspire confidence.
Low oil prices is only a factor (albeit an important one) to Venezuela’s severe economic crisis. Left wing populist economic policies, with excessive government intervention and widespread corruption is the main cause. Argentina and Brazil have gotten rid of such regimes, hopefully Venezuela will do so soon.