Monthly Archives

Monthly Archives for March 2023.

FAA Administrator Nominee Goes 0-For-7 In Aviation Policy Quiz

by Gary Leff

Mar 03 2023

During Senate confirmation hearings for President Biden’s nominee to lead the FAA, Senator Ted Budd (R-NC) asked a rapid fire set of questions that amounted to a knowledge quiz. It was awkward both listening to the questions, as Budd tried to appear as though he’s an expert in the asking, and listening to the answers as Washington knew the answers to exactly zero of them.

And in answering it was clear he didn’t have enough familiarity with the issues to speak about them more generally, even if he didn’t exactly follow the questions.

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New Kansas City Airport Terminal Creates Controversy With Gender Neutral Bathrooms

by Gary Leff

Mar 03 2023

The reason I shrug my shoulders a bit at the new Kansas City airport terminal is because it’s Kansas City. You go there if you want barbecue that hides the quality of meat and the cooking technique with a thick tomato-based sauce.

If you’re Kansas City and want to be part of the national conversation, you make sure your new airport terminal has… gender-neutral bathrooms.

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Passenger Loses His Cool When He’s Unable To Sit Next To His Wife On The Plane ‘It’s Her Birthday!’

by Gary Leff

Mar 03 2023

A Melbourne-based couple traveling on Virgin Australia couldn’t get seats next to each other in business class when they booked. Virgin’s Boeing 737 premium cabin has just two rows up front.

So they took a window seat and an aisle seat on the other side of the aircraft, and tried to switch with another passenger when they boarded.

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These American Airlines Status Members Will No Longer Speak To Dedicated Elite Phone Agents

by Gary Leff

Mar 02 2023

Some airlines just give call priority, others give dedicated agents, and there can be a tradeoff. If dedicated agents are overwhelmed sometimes you just want to get through to someone. During actual high call volume periods an airline might roll over its elite members on hold to the top of the general reservations queue.

Such dynamic call handling makes sense. At American Airlines, though, Platinum Pro members’ calls get priority but will now roll over into general reservations instead of to dedicated elite agents for international bookings according to an internal airline memo.

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Biden’s Nominee To Lead The FAA Must Make A Personal Sacrifice To Be Confirmed

by Gary Leff

Mar 02 2023

Phil Washington, head of the Denver airport, has been nominated to become FAA Administrator by the Biden administration. His experience in aviation is limited, Democrats concede, but his backers argue that he is a good manager of public sector bureaucracies.

That management is in question based on his involvement in a corruption scandal from his time at L.A. Metro, and a discrimination lawsuit involving his leadership in Denver. However it is neither his skills nor his management that have the potential to derail the nomination. It is his 24 years of military service.

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10 People Hospitalized After Device Fire Breaks Out On Spirit Airlines Flight

by Gary Leff

Mar 02 2023

Spirit Airlines flight 259 from Dallas to Orlando diverted to Jacksonville, Florida on Wednesday afternoon as smoked filled the cabin of the aircraft when the battery of a passenger’s electronic device caught fire in an overhead bin. Once on the ground, 10 passengers and crew were hospitalized.

Smoke also reportedly filled the cockpit. A retired fireman assisted cabin crew in dousing the flames. Meanwhile, air traffic control gave the flight’s captain a direct routing to get on the ground.

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$50 Per Minute For Late Checkout And $2000 Per Extra Trash Bag, Airbnb’s Fees Can Be Insane

by Gary Leff

Mar 02 2023

I’ve seen horror story after horror story, from requiring guests to mow the lawn to losing a day of their long weekend having to wait for plumbers. But I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anything quite like the listing from Corpus Christi, Texas that includes a charge of $50 per minute for late check-out and $50 per minute for early check-in (something usually offered free, if a unit is available). The property owner likes $50 charges, adding that much if guests wear shoes in the house. also

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