Dublin Airport Evacuated, Because Mötley Crüe

by Gary Leff

thank you for smoking promo
Dec 23 2015

Dublin airport isn’t just a great connecting city and a convenient spot or US immigration preclearance (as well as a great place to find award space. It’s ground zero for weird aviation experiences, giving ‘Germany or Florida’ a run for its money. And they’re purists when it comes to St. Patrick’s Day.

A man died onboard a flight to Dublin in the the fall after attacking another passenger. And a passenger recently stripped naked and requested flight attendant sex on a flight that departed from there. It’s also where a male model had $646,000 confiscated. So it should be no surprise that…

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TSA Taking Away Your Right to Opt Out of Naked Imaging Screening

by Gary Leff

Dec 22 2015

The Department of Homeland Security has published a privacy impact assessment for the use of ‘Advanced Imaging Technology’ — in other words, ‘nude-o-scopes’ the whole body imaging machines that you step into and ‘assume the position’.

They published this assessment because they are changing the procedure for these machines, giving themselves the discretion to eliminate the option of passengers opting out of these machines.

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NEW: Get Email Alerts When British Airways Award and Upgrade Space Becomes Available

by Gary Leff

Dec 22 2015

Expert Flyer is a pay site, though they offer free 5 day trials.

I find it invaluable. Historically it has been a must for any American AAdvantage member since it’s been one of the only sources for real-time availability of American Airlines flight inventory and because it also displays confirmable upgrade availability for American’s flights.

Two weeks ago they added support for awards across the Star Alliance. Now they’ve just added British Airways as well.

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Miami Airport Skytrain Derails, Car Goes Onto Airport Roof

by Gary Leff

Dec 22 2015

The Skytrain at Miami International Airport which makes it easier to traverse to long D concourse that houses American Airlines had an accident last night.

A train derailed at 2 a.m. during a maintenance run. An employee was onboard but wasn’t hurt. The Skytrain is currently shut down, making connections more arduous and the need to clear security at the closest checkpoint more important.

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Are Chinese Pilots Indentured Servants, and Would You Want to Fly With One That Is?

by Gary Leff

Dec 21 2015

When we talk about airlines mistreating their employees, we usually think about allegations of how oneworld member and American Airlines partner Qatar Airways’ flight attendants are treated.

It’s rare that we’d even entertain the notion of pilots being treated as anything less than Skygods — in some measure we had US Airways acquire American Airlines because American’s pilots decided that they wouldn’t work with CEO Tom Horton; he had to go. At Kuwait Airways it was literally two years after a pilot invited a porn star to take the controls that the pilot was even suspended.

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