Airports

Category Archives for Airports.

TSA Cracking Down on Known Crewmembers

by Gary Leff on August 26, 2019

Aug 26 2019

Airline crew can frequently show an ID and avoid being accosted with nude-o-scopes and metal detectors. Occasionally that’s been tempting for drug smugglers, but drugs aren’t the TSA’s purpose anyway. Still as a result crew do sometimes go through checks.

The Known Crewmember program, “a joint initiative between Airlines for America (A4A) and the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA),” has become more liberalized and useful over time — four years ago crew started being allowed to go through even when traveling personally and out of uniform. That was subsequently limited a bit. And this week it’s being significantly curtailed.nnnn

Man Checks Donuts as Luggage, Starts Eating Them on the Baggage Carousel

by Gary Leff on August 23, 2019

Aug 23 2019

I have to assume the reason he isn’t wearing a shirt is because he doesn’t want to get sauce on it while eating his donuts. He’ll have a hard time keeping his slice steady as he goes round and round the baggage carousel.

Passenger Forgets Snake at Security Checkpoint, TSA Doesn’t Notice

by Gary Leff on August 21, 2019

Aug 21 2019

I’ve never understood the stuff people leave behind at airport security, be it laptops, wallets, or phones. Newark airport on Monday night, however, appears to be the first time that anyone has left a snake behind.

Airport Security Screener Fired for Writing Note to Passenger That He’s Ugly

by Gary Leff on August 16, 2019

Aug 16 2019

A security screener has been fired after passing a note to a passenger at a Rochester airport checkpoint that said “You ugly.” t the end of the video the screener begins writing another note…

Hong Kong Airport Closed – Again – As Protesters Swarm

by Gary Leff on August 13, 2019

Aug 13 2019

After the airport was closed to departing flights Monday afternoon as a result of being overrun by protesters, people dispersed and some operations commenced again Tuesday morning.

However protesters returned and the airport once again shut down to departures on Tuesday afternoon.

How to Get Driven From Your Plane Like Hulk Hogan – Without Getting Chicago Cops in Trouble

by Gary Leff on August 13, 2019

Aug 13 2019

Hulk Hogan Facebook live’d a ride across the tarmac at Chicago O’Hare because no matter how many times you do it, it’s amazing. However a police officer that provided the ride is now under investigation.

However this is the sort of thing that anyone can do – it just costs money, or frequent flyer miles. With Hulk Hogan’s wealth he can pay for this whenever he wishes, but it’s not even always expensive to get the VIP treatment at an airport.

Iraq Veteran Has Necklace With a Love Letter Inside Confiscated by TSA

by Gary Leff on August 12, 2019

Aug 12 2019

Empty shell casings are permitted in carry on luggage — just not if they contain a love letter to an ex-Marine who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, apparently. The TSA defends their supervisor saying they have ‘discretion’ to throw away items of sentimental value belonging to members of the military.

After an outcry though they went ahead and violated policy and returned the man’s necklace, which had also contained a fingerprint from his late grandfather and a cross he wore through his wartime deployments.

Hong Kong Departing Flights Cancelled as Protesters Take Over Airport, No United/American Travel Waivers

by Gary Leff on August 12, 2019

Aug 12 2019

Clashes between police and democracy protesters have escalated. Here an officer arrests a man on Sunday night, pressing his knee into the man’s face pushing him into his own pooling blood as he calls out “Don’t do this. I’m begging you.” There were 45 protesters injured over the weekend. Of those 25 remain in the hospital.

Spurred on by the government’s increasingly violent crackdown, protesters occupied the airport on Monday. Traffic came to a standstill and protesters crossed the roads leading in and out. All departures were cancelled for the rest of the day.

Two Airports Are Up For the Best Public Restroom in America Award

by Gary Leff on August 11, 2019

Aug 11 2019

You’d never expect a U.S. airport to be nominated for the country’s best public restroom. At Dallas Fort-Worth, for instance, when they renovated the A terminal they didn’t even refresh the bathrooms and when they re-do terminal C they’ve scaled back the budget so there’s no money to do the restrooms there, either.

However a new restroom in Seattle’s North Satellite terminal is a finalist for American’s best. And so is a restroom in the refreshed New York LaGuardia Terminal B. Say what?

What are the Best – and Most Garbage – Airports in the U.S.?

by Gary Leff on August 10, 2019

Aug 10 2019

The best airports are the ones get are easiest to get to and get through. They make your travel more efficient, rather than adding to an already cumbersome and stressful experience. That has little to do with how much high-end retail there is (airports offer expensive shopping for their benefit, not for yours).

That means the best airports are close-in, and once you get there security is near the entrance and gates are near security. There’s enough taxiway space and runway capacity to handle flights, too, minimizing delays.