MetaFilter posts tagged with Airtravel

Pilots overshoot MSP. Whoops!

COBRA! — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:50:50 -0800

Were they arguing? Were they asleep? It's not clear yet why two pilots overflew the Minneapolis airport by 150 miles before turning around in Wisconsin. What is known is that they dropped radio contact over Kansas, that Air Force fighters were put on alert, and that, according to MN Public radio, passengers saw cops and stern-looking men in suits waiting on the jetway when they were finally allowed off the plane. MSP alt-weekly City Pages aggregates info about the flight as it comes in, and discussion on local sites is spirited.

Oh, it's a big, pretty white plane with red stripes, curtains in the windows and wheels; why, it looks like a big Tylenol!

crapmatic — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:12:32 -0800

Mark takes us on the A380 (warning: image heavy) from Dubai to New York with meticulous photographic detail. For $7300 you can fly the A380 with access to amenities like showers and a full-service bar, and stroll down to see the plebs in steerage. Arguably the last time a flying hotel was tried in earnest was the post-WWII Boeing 377 Stratocruiser, a staple of Pacific routes until jet-powered 707s appeared on the scene.

The Asbestos Of The Skies

AmbroseChapel — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 18:54:42 -0800

It smells like dirty socks, wet dog, oil, chemicals, gymnasiums, burning, vomit, and more. It induces blurred vision, disorientation, shaking and tremors, vertigo, seizures, loss of consciousness, respiratory failure, depression, sleep disorders, salivation, nausea and diarrhoea among other symptoms. Is "toxic airline syndrome" the new Gulf War Syndrome? A pressure group seems sure that a "design flaw in modern aircraft" brings fumes direct from the engine into the cabins which include organophospate neurotoxins, including tricresyl phosphate (TCP). There's been a Senate Inquiry in Australia. There's a documentary, with an unintentionally hilarious theme song. There's a book, and an array of different websites, most of which seem to be funded by one pilot's early retirement payout. One aircraft in particular, the BAe-146, has definitely been reported to have this fault by credible media organisations but the "toxic airlines" people insist it's a much bigger problem. They've got the story the airlines don't want you to hear, and they'll even sell you a detector so you can see for yourself. According to them it's a massive industry cover-up; the Asbestos Of The Skies.

Big Brother Is Watching You... Pack

dw — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 07:25:58 -0800

The TSA wants you to know, dear American, that if you don't pack your bags neatly, the terrorists have already won. This busiest Thanksgiving travel week ever, why not Simplifly? (Brian Williams tries to our methadone Jon Stewart)

Air Filter

chuckdarwin — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 10:14:57 -0800

Airway Robbery. Another summer, another disaster for British Airways. The company has just received the largest fine ever issued by Britain’s competition agency (nearly £270m / $547m) for price fixing on fuel surcharges. BA admitted to colluding with rival airline Virgin Atlantic (who won immunity in the UK) on at least six occasions. The allegations are thought to be linked to the resignation of commercial director Martin George and communications chief Iain Burns. Although BA said fuel surcharges were "a legitimate way of recovering costs", in May 2007 it put aside £350 million for legal fees and fines. Criminal proceedings against individuals in both countries are a distinct possibility.

vayama

chunking express — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 13:32:16 -0800

vayama is a very slick flight booking site.

No flys on these guys

unSane — Thu, 05 Oct 2006 12:14:48 -0800

What does everyone called Gary Smith, John Williams or Robert Johnson have in common with Saddam Hussein, the Speaker of the Parliament of Lebanon, the President of Bolivia, and the dead 9/11 hijackers? They're on the No-Fly List, that's what, even if they're babies. But the 11 British suspects recently charged with plotting to blow up airliners with liquid explosives were not on it, despite the fact they were under surveillance for more than a year. They were deliberately left off the list. in case it fell into the wrong hands.

Power outlets in airports wiki

allkindsoftime — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 00:25:19 -0800

AirPower Wiki looks like its just getting off the ground, but if you travel much, you know the hassle of finding a power outlet in an airport. Hopefully it grows fast and furiously.

Please step away from the line....

Dunvegan — Tue, 09 Sep 2003 11:01:12 -0800

All US Air Passengers to be Profiled, and 1% Will be Banned from Boarding. In the most aggressive -- and, some say, invasive -- step yet, the federal government and the airlines will phase in a computer system next year to measure the risk posed by every passenger on every flight in the United States. Up to 8 percent of passengers who board flights will be coded "yellow" and pulled for additional screening. An estimated 1 to 2 percent will be labeled "red" and will be prohibited from boarding. These passengers also will face police questioning and may be arrested. [More Inside....]

Eyes in the Skies

Irontom — Fri, 18 Jul 2003 06:18:49 -0800

Southeast Airlines has plans to install digital video cameras throughout the cabins of its planes to record the faces and activities of its passengers at all times. Furthermore, the charter airline will store the digitized video for up to 10 years. And it may use face recognition software to match faces to names and personal records.

They're making a list, checking it twice....

elwoodwiles — Thu, 15 May 2003 12:52:06 -0800

"If your name is David Nelson you can expect to be hassled, delayed, questioned and searched before being allowed to board aircraft anywhere in the United States for the foreseeable future."

Bye Bye Concorde

jontyjago — Thu, 10 Apr 2003 01:45:16 -0800

The Queen of the Skies retires Undoubtedly the most elegant plane out there, Concorde is being put into retirement, some say too early. She flies over my office every morning and it's a beautiful sight. I feel very sad - is it normal to miss a machine?

Wong Fei-hung — Thu, 29 Aug 2002 06:23:21 -0800

Is this so called heighted security? Why are we permitting people to bring on carry on luggage at all? If the airlines are unwilling to put a skymarshal on every flight then they need to arm the pilots. We really need to take much stronger steps in this area than the feeble attempts taken thus far.

Real9 — Thu, 31 Jan 2002 18:43:37 -0800

Mileage Run! Not sitting at the front of the Airbus? Then maybe you need to pack a light bag, book a tight itinerary and rack up those miles. Here's a nice tool for finding efficient flights. Otherwise the terrorists have already won.. ha!.

lostbyanecho — Sun, 06 Jan 2002 11:09:10 -0800

Pee on a plane and get 20......years. After consuming alcohol, prescription sleeping tablets and cocaine, Rodrigo Deambrosio urinated on seats and threatened to bring the plane down. He may now face 20 years if convicted. Mr. Deambrosio insists it was the drugs he consumed but we all know it was the United Airlines service that drove him to his fit of rage.

Postroad — Wed, 19 Sep 2001 13:16:15 -0800

Egyptian plane crashes and U.S. says pilot a suicide Egypt denies suicide as cause of plane that crashed just off our coast. Any connection to WTC?

prozaction — Wed, 12 Sep 2001 20:04:52 -0800

Fear of flying? New security measures are being discussed. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta says, "These terrorist acts are designed to steal the confidence of Americans. We will restore that confidence."

jackstark — Tue, 12 Jun 2001 13:53:00 -0800

Boeing is upping the chance you'll be able to surf while you fly.. Question is: will more of these devices also mean a lower price?

Zebulun — Mon, 30 Apr 2001 23:14:57 -0800

Boeing's new boat will be able to fly 6,000 nautical to 10,000 nautical miles nonstop which means it could circle the earth having to only refuel twice. The linked page includes a nice rendering of what the plane will look like (with concords permanently grounded, boeing might actually pull this off)

stevis — Sat, 03 Mar 2001 21:47:14 -0800

Going down? NPR's Savvy Traveler did a bit on this site; apparently it tells you the odds of a crash on your chosen flight. Question is, do I want to know?

Aaaugh! — Mon, 05 Feb 2001 14:13:00 -0800

Hey! What's this thing suddenly coming toward me very fast? Very, very fast. So big and flat and round... Are you one of those people in search of a new extreme sport? Have you considered spacediving?