Category Archives for Airports.
One City of Chicago employee had two runway incursions in a single day and thanks to union rules wasn’t even fired. Indeed, not a single one of 5 city workers who drove vehicles improperly on O’Hare runways were terminated.
Flights continue to be cancelled nationwide, with more flights cancelled in the U.S. than anywhere else (even China) and more Southwest flights cancelled than any other airline.
Extreme winter weather is the proximate cause. In some cases this has been exacerbated by an airline’s ability to respond to that weather (sufficient staff and systems for recovery). Here’s the email that Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan sent internally to employees on Christmas evening.
American Airlines and British Airways have done a nice job with their new premium check-in area at New York JFK terminal 8, which takes inspiration from the old Flagship check-in in the same space at the airport and from the British Airways First Wing at London Heathrow.
Pueblo, Colorado is losing jet service to Denver, and seeing it replaced with 9-seat turboprops. And the federal government is paying $3 million a year for the privilege.
The irony is that the existing subsidized airline, SkyWest, was offering to take out nearly half the seats from their jets, providing a better flying experience, and operate two flights a day instead of just one.
Major airports usually have several days’ worth of fuel on site. That’s going to be tested in Orlando, and possibly some other Florida airports, over the next several days. In fact, Orlando International Airport has been projected to run out of fuel Sunday evening and that’s going to interrupt airline schedules.
Several women I’ve known have consistently been pulled aside for ‘extra screening’. Remember when Denver TSA colluded with each other so same-sex screeners could fondle passengers they thought were attractive?
Baltimore/Washington International airport is named for Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. But that’s not the interesting part of its name.
It was once known as Friendship International airport and its airport code was a logical BAL for Baltimore. Before Washington Dulles opened jets that were too large for National airport went to Baltimore.
Baltimore Washington International Airport plans to drop the company running its concessions – restaurants and shops – in favor of a brand new company headed by a former state governor’s Chief of Staff, who will turn the actual work over to HMSHost. And the bidding process sure looks like it was rigged.
The Maryland Aviation Administration has selected New Market Development Joint Venture, LLC to replace Fraport which has managed concessions at BWI for 18 years. The company, owned by a former chief of staff to former Gov. Parris Glendening, has only existed for one year.
9/11 hijackers used boxcutters. TSA was created to stop future 9/11s. They search wheelchair-bound grandmothers, steal from passengers, and light billions of dollars on fire each year – all while admitting in court that they see zero active threats to defend against.
But when passengers actually bring boxcutters to the checkpoint? Yeah, they got through and a Frontier Airlines flight had to divert after one was being used by an unruly passenger.
There are 1,430 slot machines in the Las Vegas airport. Those slot machines have generated $1 billion in revenue.
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
