Airports

Category Archives for Airports.

American Didn’t Do It: Elderly Wheelchair-Bound Parkinson’s Patient Not Left Alone Overnight at O’Hare

airport tarmac
Dec 04 2018

It seems the woman wasn’t as unable to communicate as her son reports. And she wasn’t actually left overnight at the airport. Nor was her family left unaware of her situation — indeed, they rebooked her travel.

We’re inclined to believe the worst stories of customer service about an airline though, because in large measure dealing with an airline is like dealing with the IRS, DMV, and TSA all wrapped into one.

Continue Reading »

Nightmare Scenario: Man Arrested for Impersonating Air Traffic Control, Issuing Fake Takeoff Instructions

air traffic control
Dec 03 2018

Two years ago someone was pretending to be Melbourne, Australia air traffic control. A Virgin Australia flight from Gold Coast was instructed to land by this person — the plane came witin 275 feet of the runway before the real air traffic control waved them off. The Boeing 737 climbed to 3800 feet and made a go-round.

Frighteningly that seems not to have been a one-off. A man has been arrested for pulling that same stunt in Buenos Aires.

Continue Reading »

That’s Alight, Just Leave It There

dog pooping in airport
Dec 02 2018

Air travel brings people together from all sorts of backgrounds and experiences. So there are bound to be cultural clashes. And we’re not just dealing with people, we are also dealing with pets. And we’re dealing with how those people deal with their pets.

Walking through Washington Dulles airport on Thursday a passenger in front of me had their dog on a leash….

Continue Reading »

Donald Trump’s Plane Got Whacked at New York LaGuardia

trump on letterman
Nov 30 2018

Donald Trump used to own a whole airline. He purchased the Eastern Shuttle in 1989 and renamed it the Trump Shuttle. He lost $100 million on the deal, and also lost big in a takeover attempt of American Airlines the same year. The Trump Shuttle is now the American Airlines shuttle.

Trump does still own a Boeing 757 (as well as a Cessna). He acquired the jet in 2011.

Continue Reading »

You Can Now Go Through Security Even If You’re Not Flying at Two Major Airports

outside airport
Nov 09 2018

Passengers want to accompany friends and family to the gate. Airports want more people shopping and dining, they earn a percentage of the revenue at all the merchants at the airport. And by the way airlines usually share in this revenue, too.

The TSA wants to limit the number of people going through security. They also want to limit the bags they have to screen at the checkpoint.

As of today a second major US airport will allow passengers to clear security without a same day boarding pass.

Continue Reading »

3 European Countries are Adding Lie Detector Tests at the Border

monty python
Nov 02 2018

iBorderCtrl is a new lie detector project being tested in European airports at immigration checkpoints in Hungary, Latvia and Greece. They all border countries outside the EU.

Passengers entering from outside the EU will be asked questions “by a virtual border guard avatar.” A computer will decide whether it thinks the passenger is lying, and if so the tone of voice of the electronic border official should get “more skeptical.”

Continue Reading »

New York JFK Shuts Down Bathrooms, Tells Passengers to ‘Hold it and Go on the Plane’

jamaica train pass
Oct 25 2018

I don’t know about you but on a flight less than four hours I may not use the lavatory, especially if I’m in a window seat. I’ll just make a stop in the restroom on the way out of the terminal.

That doesn’t always work if you’re flying into New York JFK, though. This morning in terminal 5 a water main break caused the airports to lose pressure and close down the bathrooms.

Continue Reading »

Miami Passengers Under Armed Guard, Had Phone Searched Before Flight Was Cancelled

armed police searching mans phone
Oct 25 2018

Yesterday’s 7:05 p.m. American Airlines flight AA257 from Miami to Mexico City was delayed multiple times and then cancelled due to a security threat that was ultimately deemed ‘non-credible’.

When customers were back in the terminal they were guarded by armed officers. Police searched passengers’ phones and swabbed them for explosives residue.

Continue Reading »