Here’s a scam that savvy travelers need to watch out for. The internet, and especially Facebook Marketplace, has exploded with deals offering to sell unclaimed luggage and all of its contents at a deep discount – think $10. Sometimes they say it’s for charity, other times the $10 even includes shipping, but it’s too good to be true and these offers are not real.
Airports
Category Archives for Airports.
From Mob Lawyer to War Hero: The Incredible Story Behind Chicago O’Hare Airport’s Name
Dec
26
2023
A share in my social feed reminded me of this incredible story that links Chicago O’Hare and Al Capone. It’s really two stories, but stay with me until the end.
United’s Poison Pill: DC Airports Agree Any Airline Adding Flights At National Airport Must Pay $1 Million
Dec
20
2023
Delta Air Lines has been lobbying to modify flight restrictions at Washington’s National Airport, specifically targeting the 1,250-mile perimeter rule that limits long-distance flights. Congress has been looking for a deal to give them something, not not all of what they want. United may have found a workaround so that no airline takes advantage of the new opportunities Congress provides.
When Everyone’s A Suspect: The Paradox Of Two Million People On U.S. Terror Watchlists
Dec
14
2023
TSA has often failed to catch over 90% of contraband going through checkpoints, there have been tens of thousands of misconduct complaints against the agency’s staff, and yet we haven’t seen repeats in the U.S. of 9/11 largely because there aren’t as many threats as we think, they’re harder to carry out than we imagine, and because we’ve reinforced cockpit doors and passengers would no longer sit docilely by as an attack was carried out.
Possible Fraud In Southwest Airlines Flight Attendant Contract Vote, Union To Hold Vote Over
Dec
13
2023
It turns out that the union no longer has confidence in the integrity of the ballot. They’ve discovered vulnerabilities that would have allowed the vote to be manipulated, and errors that may have failed to tally some votes. And they’re going to hold the vote over.
Pre-Christmas Crackdown: Travelers Don’t Realize They Must Declare Cash When Leaving U.S.
Dec
09
2023
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is engaged in a “pre-Christmas crackdown” on passengers carrying cash out of the country with an apparent focus on Washington Dulles airport.
On Thursday they seized $68,000 from a family flying United Airlines 612 to Lagos, Nigeria after searching their bags. They were carrying $68,216, and authorities left them with $216 and allowed them to continue their travels.
American, United Want Out Of Deal To Modernize Chicago O’Hare
Dec
02
2023
American Airlines and United Airlines want Chicago O’Hare’s expansion that they signed off on in 2018 slowed down – or stopped – as the project runs $1.5 billion over budget. Somehow the carriers are surprised that a massive public infrastructure project, in Chicago no less, is spending far more than originally projected?
And in fact it’s only just the ‘next phase’ where a 24% projected cost overrun totals $1.5 billion more than expected. That’s before construction on the new terminal even starts! The project’s total cost has grown from $8.7 billion to a projected $12.1 billion. So the terminal’s overrun is only one piece of an overall $3.4 billion price increase.
TSA Is Reimagining Airport Security Checkpoints: First Self-Service Kiosk Opens Next Month
Dec
01
2023
TSA is working on three new security systems that reimagine airport checkpoints, investing in technology to screen more passengers effectively using self-service rather than scaling up the number of screeners the government employs. Passengers will start using the first one beginning next month.
Exposed: United Airlines Executives’ Multi-Million Dollar Bribery Scandal at Newark Airport
Dec
01
2023
Three former United Airlines executives engaged in a bribery scheme involving renovations at Newark airport. They accepted bribes from a maintenance and construction company to secure a restroom renovation project.
In exchange they received renovations to their own homes, electronics and jewelry and total bribes over $1.2 million. They steered the business to the most expensive contractor, who submitted a two page bid in comparison to dozens of pages for competing contractors. Then the employees inflate contract change orders to help the company recoup its bribe expenses.
2,536 Reasons to Raise Your Eyebrows: Bizarre Airport Gel Scandal
Nov
28
2023
If you’re a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer at Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport, a major hub, you’ve seen it all. Or so you thought. Enter the shipment from Hong Kong: 2,536 pink-packaged syringes of vaginal tightening gel. Not just a few samples, but thousands. Do you smile, or seize the packages and prosecute them? Or bring them home for a fun Saturday night? The choice is yours. But choose wisely.
