Aug
15
2018
Developing. Washington’s National airport (DCA) is currently without power.
It’s Lights Out at Washington National Airport
Airports
Category Archives for Airports.
Watch: Geyser Spurts at New York JFK Baggage Claim
Aug
13
2018
New York JFK airport is a disaster. Governor Cuomo’s $10 billion plan won’t begin to fix it. The people who work there are bad enough but the physical plant itself is irredeemable.
Watch: TSA Agent Grab a Smoking Bag at Security Checkpoint
Aug
11
2018
On July 20 at the Savannah-Hilton Head airport the battery of an e-cigarette malfunctioned. TSA has just released video of the incident, because this happened, no one was hurt, and they didn’t even shut down the airport.
You can see the bag smoking once it’s gone through the x-ray. Initially the TSA screener saunters over, picks up the bag, and walks off. You can then see him on another camera speeding up.
This Delta Baggage Handler is Everything That’s Wrong With Air Travel
Aug
09
2018
It’s often been said that there are two kinds of luggage: carry on and lost. It turns out there’s a third kind.
Joshua Dwain Frith captured a Delta baggage handler on film Wednesday at New York JFK “recklessly tossing bags and a strollers… [h]e was assaulting those bags. But the stroller was attempted murder.”
Trend? People Request Wheelchair Assistance for Airport Priority When They’re Just Fine
Aug
05
2018
CBS ran a story on people using wheelchairs to get priority access at airports — even when they don’t need assistance. If you need assistance contact your airline in advance and they’ll arrange for a wheelchair.
There are three potential benefits I see to this strategy, all involve boarding the aircraft early.
Is Atlanta’s Airport the Most Corrupt in the Country?
Aug
04
2018
A couple of years ago Atlanta fired the General Manager of its airport. They didn’t provide much of a reason, and it seemed strange considering the success that the airport had.
The General Manager had plenty to say, though. He claimed he was fired for refusing to go along with corruption. Contracts were expected to be awarded to politically connected companies, not to the best companies or to those offering the best prices.
TSA Admits to Following Thousands of Americans, and Not One of Them Was a Threat
Aug
03
2018
At the beginning of the week we learned about a TSA program, “Quiet Skies” that follows passengers and notes their habits even though these passengers are on no threat list.
TSA acknowledges that this program hasn’t found a single actual threat. Not a single person being followed was determined to be worth any followup.
No, the TSA Isn’t Eliminating Security at Small Airports. Why Do You Ask?
Aug
02
2018
CNN is reporting on TSA documents for a proposal eliminating “passenger screening at more than 150 small and medium-sized airports across the US.”
The two things to know are (1) there are actually pretty good arguments for this, and (2) it isn’t being seriously discussed — as in considered for implementation — this is never going to happen.
A Simple Tip for Using My Home Airport: Austin
Jul
31
2018
Avoid pickups at arrivals altogether especially in the evening and get picked up at departures instead. There are few evening departures from Austin, so the upstairs departures level is mostly empty.
And this is permitted, too. Electronic signs beneath the names of airline names in front of the terminal read “DROP OFF PICKUP ONLY.” The airport officially encourages upstairs pickups! I’ve also never had an Uber driver refuse an upstairs pickup. You have to specify a pickup location at arrivals, but I then immediately send a pickup message asking for upstairs pickup. The driver almost always thanks me (and this is probably why my Uber rating has climbed to nearly 4.9).
Sometimes Gate Agents Fail to Process Upgrades, and Elites are Just Hosed
Jul
31
2018
Earlier this year I wrote about how it often looks like gate agents process upgrades incorrectly, but there are perfectly innocent explanations that customers usually don’t see.
At the same time, things sometimes do appear to be done wrong.
