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Message to US Airlines ‘Wake Up and Reduce In-Flight Consumer Waste!’

January 28, 2012
Cabin Crew- It's easy to be green!

Join Green America in asking U.S. airlines to recycle As concerned consumers, we believe that it is important for us to know that the airline companies with which we travel help reduce consumer waste by implementing recycling programs. Overall, airlines have the capacity to recycle nearly 500 million more pounds of waste each year, including 250 million pounds of in-flight waste. Additionally, nearly 75% of in-flight generated waste is recyclable; however only about 20% of that waste actually is...

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How do you handle a 15 hour (or more) flight in coach?

January 20, 2012
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The ‘Wall Street Journal Middle Seat’ takes us from Sydney to Dallas, in coach! How would you pace yourself? What would you do for 15 hours (or more) stuck in ‘the village’? From WSJ ‘Middle Seat’~ Over the Pacific Ocean It’s 2 a.m. aboard Qantas Airways Flight 7 from Sydney to Dallas. The sun is rising. Time for a quick stretch, then a couple of episodes of “30 Rock.” Are we there yet? Five hours remain on the 15-hour trip, the...

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From PCWorld, The Top 10 Tech-Friendly U.S. Airlines

January 16, 2012
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PCWorld shares the good, bad, and ugly with an informative list of tech amenities offered by the 10 top US airlines. From the article~ Some airlines have become deeply involved in making their gate areas a more welcoming place for laptop and smartphone users. Others have focused on developing apps and mobile websites, and offering in-flight Wi-Fi service in their planes. Not surprisingly, some airlines are more progressive than others when it comes to techy stuff. Here’s how the...

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Fly Smarter! That’s right, 5 really smart phone apps you shouldn’t be without!

January 4, 2012
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Impressive travel website ‘Smarter Travel‘ has done it again, this time with a list of 5 smartphone apps every frequent (or not so much) flyer shouldn’t leave home without. 5 Apps the Airlines Don’t Want You to Use Now that almost every flier has a smartphone, and almost every airport has charging stations to power up these devices, savvy travelers know to load up on handy apps. But which ones are the best for your entire flight process—from booking that...

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Martha Stewardess shares her TOP 10 New Year’s Resolutions for 2012

December 30, 2011
Happy-New-Year-2012-orkut-scrap

Many people set themselves up for failure with unrealistic New Year’s resolutions. Forget the usual “I will eat less, exercise more, and stop drinking” empty promises for ringing in the new year. I will not set myself up for failure, not this year. Instead I will be realistic with my resolutions for 2012. I can do this! I now present you with Martha’s Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions for 2012! 10. Stop saying “your trash” while collecting trash in...

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Are Cupcakes a Security Threat for Airliners?

December 26, 2011
Not the confiscated cupcake (google image)

Airport security confiscates cupcake because icing a security risk TheNewsStar.com PEABODY, Mass. – A woman who just flew back home from Las Vegas says an airport security officer confiscated her frosted cupcake because he thought the icing on it could be a security risk. Rebecca Hains said the Transportation Security Administration agent at McCarran International Airport took her cupcake Wednesday, telling her its frosting was enough like a gel to violate TSA restrictions on allowing liquids and gels onto flights to prevent them...

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A Survival Guide for Flying ‘Village class’

December 22, 2011
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Tips for Surviving 10 Hours in Coach By Michael Martin- TheStreet.com BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (MainStreet) — With the holiday season comes some of the year’s busiest travel days, and passengers face sold-out flights, scaled-back services and inevitable delays that compound an already taxing airline experience. For those who usually fly business class through their work or preferential airline status, busier flights mean less likely chances of upgrades even for those with all the frequent-flier miles and status in the...

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The gift that keeps on giving….. your very own airline Trolley Dolly!

December 9, 2011
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Let me tell you up front, they’re not cheap (but oh so unique). What they are~ incredibly chic, sleek, stylish, elegant, and practical! From the aisle to the home, the mini-bars of the skies. We are talking about the highly maneuverable and functional ‘Airline Trolley’ (or beverage cart). Originally designed to provide airline passengers with in-flight food, drinks, and some of the comforts of home. You can now stylishly enjoy these comforts at home with your very own designer airline...

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Alec Baldwin stirs up the ‘electronics on an airliner’ safety debate

December 7, 2011
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Baldwin dust-up sparks debate about electronics on planes Actor Alec Baldwin’s removal from an American Airlines plane Tuesday for playing a game on his cellphone has sparked discussion among experts and frequent fliers at odds over being required to shut off electronic devices during takeoff and landing. Federal Aviation Administration rules state that no airline or pilot may allow passengers to operate “any portable electronic device” on an operating aircraft. Nonetheless, airlines often allow passengers to use laptops and other devices that...

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American Airlines files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

November 29, 2011
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American Airlines and parent AMR will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Tuesday, AMR announced. Chairman and chief executive Gerard Arpey has resigned as well. The AMR board picked Tom Horton, currently AMR and American Airlines president. Horton was picked by Arpey in 2010 as president, and Arpey recommended to the board that Horton replace him as chairman and CEO. One person said the AMR board has asked Arpey to remain in his job and guide the airline through the...

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Tis the season! Time to revisit “10 Ways to Avoid Being that Annoying Airline Passenger

November 23, 2011
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It’s easy to complain about rude airline passengers, but haven’t we all committed an airline etiquette faux pas at some point? Here are 10 ways to get through your next flight without alienating your fellow travelers. By Tracy Stewart, Airfarewatchdog.com Everyone loves the holidays, but before you belly up to the table for turkey and pie, you’ll have to suffer through the flight home. And while there’s not much you can do about long lines and delayed departures, there...

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Yes, Your Airline Seat May Be Bedbug Infested…..

November 21, 2011
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Bed Bugs on Airplanes?! Yikes! How to Fly Bed Bug-Free From Forbes.com Just because you haven’t heard much about bed bug-infested airplanes doesn’t mean that economy or business class seat is free of the icky pests. While the topic hasn’t hit the headlines the way bed bugs in hotels has, the stories are getting out. (Bedbug travel protection products available at ‘Pax Whirled Shopping’ above) Passengers Go Viral with Bed Bug Complaints According to the Daily Mail, British Airways was...

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Travel Tips and Forgettable Travel Items You Should Never Forget

November 16, 2011
Do I have everything?  (Google Photo)

It’s here, the holiday travel season. Think (and plan) before you fly! Martha’s top 10 travel tips. In a hurry to pack or just a lousy packer? You’ll regret forgetting items from this list. Replacements are costly, not to mention the unnecessary aggravation. Pre-program all ‘trip related’ phone numbers into your mobile phone before heading for the airport. Should your trip fall apart seconds count, you’ll be in a rush to contact the airline, hotel, ground transportation, or friends...

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FOR SALE Boeing 767 Passenger Jet (used) Good Condition, minor body damage, needs landing gear

November 2, 2011
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Interior- good Body- minor scrapes and scratches Missing Landing Gear Must pick up at current location ASAP Price negotiable. Serious only Leave message below  

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Holiday travel tips for all, and to all a good flight!

November 1, 2011
airport crowds

Tis the season for holiday travel, crowded airports, weather delays, understaffed airlines, first timers and stressed out flyers. The best advice is “be prepared” for it all. Think it through, fly smart! We’ve compiled a few helpful lists with tips to get you started. The rest is up to you. Again, the best advice is “know before you go” and “be prepared”. Have we left anything out? How do you survive holiday travel? Add your tips below! 20 Tips from...

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Selling on-board ad space big money for airlines, but when is it too much?

October 23, 2011
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Airline fee’s aren’t enough, selling ad space is the next big thing for airline revenue. A Lincoln Continental ad shown prior to the safety video, other advertisements appearing on overhead bins, tray tables, snack boxes, and even on flight attendant uniform aprons. Airline passengers, prepare to be bombarded with commercial advertisements while trapped inside the tubular billboard! If I’m a walking advertisement, it’s only fair I be compensated for it. See below article from USA Today: Ads add...

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5 Ways In-Flight Services Have Changed Through the Years

October 21, 2011
5 Ways In-Flight Services Have Changed Through the Years

–Philip J Reed, on behalf of Redstone College In-flight ‘service’:  perhaps the one thing that springs instantly to mind whenever anybody thinks about air travel. Whether positive or negative, we’ve all had our experiences with it, and we all have our opinions about it. Of course, what we think about in-flight service is shaped by our experience, and any given traveler has really only seen a small representation of what in-flight service has embodied over the years. For that reason, we...

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Speaking of underwear, is it okay to fly in your ‘drawers’, and nothing else?

October 10, 2011
granny-panties

Fliers’ vs. Airlines’ Rights Airlines have long been able to remove disruptive passengers from their airplanes. But while in the past only fellow travelers knew what had happened, now social media exposes these disputes to a worldwide audience. In two recent cases — one involving a black football player who was removed from a US Airways flight because he refused to pull up his pants and the other involving a lesbian actress who was escorted off a Southwest flight...

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Jury will get a peek into attempted airline bombers underwear….. sort of

September 27, 2011
Bomber Briefs courtesy of ABC News

Underwear bomber jury will see evidence he fought to keep from trial Things could get bumpy at trial for underwear bombing suspect Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who learned today that the jury will get to see a stockpile of evidence that he fought to keep out, including a replica of the bomb he allegedly hid in his underwear when he tried to blow up an airplane. Still, the Nigerian national, who was back to his usual polite and quiet self...

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Review of ‘Pan Am’, scheduled for take off this Sunday on ABC

September 24, 2011
pic from ABC

By Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times Television Critic Here is what “Mad Man” has wrought. (Never underestimate the power of a media-beloved period cable drama featuring beautiful people in beautiful clothes, no matter how few people actually watch it, to influence decision-making at a broadcast network.) ”The Playboy Club,” a tale of mob intrigue set in the original Chicago bunny hutch, premiered onNBC on Monday; ”Pan Am,” a sparkly and highly appealing international adventure series set around the late airline, takes off Sunday night on ABC……. more...

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Independent airport lounges may be worth the extra fee

August 31, 2011
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Independent airport lounges provide cheap travel relief Variations in travel habits and budget concerns can make it difficult for many travelers to justify the cost of an annual membership with an airline club lounge. But the recent growth of independent airport VIP lounges has resulted in a variety of less-expensive options for harried travelers looking for peace, quiet and amenities during that next long layover. All of the lounges mentioned here offer free Wi-Fi as well as other features...

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Passenger suing Continental Airlines for not accepting cash during flight

August 22, 2011
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Okay, the guy didn’t have plastic handy during the flight. The reason? Because he checked his credit cards with his luggage. Duh! That’s his problem, not the airline. What a dummy! I suppose he checked his meds too? Blame, blame, blame! Accept some responsibility will ya? For every choice there are consequences. You made a choice to be a numbskull while traveling. It’s okay, ‘numbskullishness’ happens. Accept it and move on. You can always travel with a personal entertainment...

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US Airways Captain Valerie Wells Discusses Airport Eviction Incident

August 21, 2011
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US Airways Captain Describes Airport Eviction CHARLOTTE, N.C. — For the first time, a US Airways captain has publicly described an incident where two security officials escorted her from the airport’s secure area after she would not fly a plane from Philadelphia to Rome because of electrical system problems. Captain Valerie Wells, a 30-year pilot, discussed the June 16 incident on Friday in U.S. District Court in Charlotte, where she was the star witness in the pilots union’s defense against the airline’s suit...

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The Skinny on Airline Food in Coach. What’s hot, and what’s not!

August 11, 2011
Once enjoyed for free on Continental

The Wall Street Journal’s ‘Middle Seat’ weighs in on the nibbly bits up for grabs on US carriers. The burgers on Alaska are hot sellers while some travelers like to cut the cheese with high calorie snackboxes on United. For other flyers, they look for ‘comfort’ food. Ironic isn’t it? Comfort in coach by way of your own can of Pringles packed tightly in a tube. Anyway, here’s the article ….. Coffee, Tea, or Tapas? Critiquing Airline Fare Airlines...

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Dear Inconsiderate Reclining Airline Passenger……….

July 28, 2011
reclined-seat

  Kudos to Washington Post columnist Gene Weingarten for creating this printout. Download and print several copies for those space invading knee jamming travel experiences when seated in ‘the village’. The handout is a civilized approach to what can be a very uncivilized and uncomfortable situation. The gift that keeps on giving. Pass it on.

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Are Continental Pilots Cooking Up a Recipe Similar to UAL’s ‘Summer from Hell’ 2000?

July 27, 2011
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Happening now…….. United’s Newark Hub Has Most of 24 Cancellations on Crews United Continental Holdings Inc.’s Continental Airlines unit canceled 24 flights today because of crew shortages, mostly from the carrier’s hub at New Jersey’s Newark airport. A so-called sickout left the airline with too few pilots to fly its schedule, the Click2Houston.com news website reported. Megan McCarthy, a United Continental spokeswoman, gave the flight totals and locations by telephone while saying the airline wasn’t speculating on the cause...

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Flight Attendants and Passengers Square Off, each listing their ‘Top Ten Peeves’

July 20, 2011
"Please take all valuable items and 'peeves' with you" (Google pic)

By USA Today Frequent fliers, attendants share stories of rude travelers Top 10 pet peeves of frequent business travelers  USA TODAY’s Road Warriors, frequent travelers who fly many miles each year, have their gripes. Ten of them: •Loud cellphone conversations. •People who disobey the rules and try to carry on too many bags or carry too much liquid through security. •People who play music so loudly, even with earplugs or headphones, that others can hear it. •Disrespect that passengers...

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Four Airlines Make the List of the 19 Most Hated Companies in America

July 11, 2011
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Is your carrier on the list?  Hint: “Legacy” The 19 Most Hated Companies in America TheAtlantic.com There’s a difference between Bank of America and UPS that won’t show up on their balance sheets. Customers hate Bank of America, repelled by excessive fees, impenetrable call centers, and foreclosure horror stories. But they love UPS. The American Customer Satisfaction Index rates companies based on thousands of surveys. In the latest index, the most-hated companies include large banks, airlines, power and telecom...

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Comparing airline up-charges, do you get what you pay for?

July 8, 2011
The 'best of cattle class~ Google pic

Airline perks worth paying for  Travel Tips on MSNBC.com Greasy added fees cover what were once free, so learn what’s worth the bucks Once upon a time, the guy who booked his plane ticket early was the lucky chap who laid claim to the window seat in the exit row. But today, first-come, first-served plane seats have gone the way of stewardesses, cabin smoking sections and paper tickets. In the past few years, we’ve rolled our eyes as airline...

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Well it’s about time airline passengers leave WITH the trash they carried on-board!

July 7, 2011
Photo: The Consumerist

Finally, an airline gets it! Well sort of. I’ve written this up to my carrier more than a few times suggesting trash and recyclable containers be positioned in the jetway available to passengers as they exit the aircraft. The Flight Purser would simply make a suggestive ‘environmentally friendly’ announcement (I know, another ignored announcement) requesting passengers to “please drop off all disposable and recyclable items brought on board with you in the receptacles on the way out. Thanks for doing...

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From the Weird File: Passenger Stung by Scorpion on Alaska Airlines Flight

June 30, 2011
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Scorpion on a plane: Portland-area man stung on flight to Alaska PORTLAND, Ore. - A scorpion on an airplane stung a Portland-area man flying from Seattle to Anchorage. No, it’s not a sequel to Samuel L. Jackson’s infamous 2006 action flick, Snakes on a Plane. The real life drama happened to Jeff Ellis, of West Linn, on board a June 17 Alaska Airlines flight. ”Everybody I’ve talk to thinks it was incredible, unbelievable. I’m here to tell you, it was definitely there,” said...

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US Airways Cross-Dressing Frequent Flyer Speaks Out

June 22, 2011
This is the same guy right? From a 'what not to wear' story last year...

The above pic is from an August, 2010 story on CNN with a lead in story right here on this site “DFW First Class passenger wearing thigh highs, halter top, and short shorts. Is ‘he’ showing too much skin?” Anyway, back to the current news. The cross-dressing frequent flyer is speaking out for the right to wear clothing he feels “make(s) business travel more fun”. “I try to respect other people’s opinions. As long as my dress is not...

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US Airways, White Male Passenger in Panties OK to Fly but Black Saggy Pants Flyer Booted?

June 22, 2011
SFGate.com pic

US Airways let man wearing women’s panties fly From SFGATE.com   Six days before a college football player was arrested at San Francisco International Airport in a dispute that began because he tried to board a US Airways jet with sagging pants, a man who was wearing little but women’s undergarments was allowed to fly the airline, a US Airways spokeswoman conceded Tuesday.   A photo of the scantily clad man was provided to The Chronicle by Jill Tarlow,...

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Quadriplegic Forced off Frontier Airlines Flight by Police, Pilot “I want him off this plane”

June 20, 2011
"Frontier, you've got some explaining (and damage control) to do!"

Quadriplegic man forced off flight by police after pilot ‘said it was unsafe to fly with him on board’  Story from The Daily Mail UK Online Dallas- A quadriplegic man was humiliatingly escorted off a flight by police after the pilot refused to fly with him on board, it has been claimed. John Morris and his family had just boarded a Frontier Airlines flight in Dallas on Sunday to return home to Fort Collins when he was forced off the...

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Sagging Pants Leads to Airline Passenger Arrest – onboard confrontation video added

June 16, 2011
Image from New York state senator Eric Adams's "stop the sag" campaign

SAN FRANCISCO — SF Chronicle- A dispute that began after a passenger refused to pull up his sagging pants led to his arrest and removal from a plane at San Francisco International Airport on Wednesday, police said. Deshon Marman, 20, a University of New Mexico football player who was in the city to attend the funeral of a close friend, former Lincoln High School standout David Henderson, was being held at San Mateo County Jail on suspicion of trespassing,...

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The debate continues, are cellphones safe on airplanes?

June 10, 2011
Photo from Google

ABC News reports……… Like most airline passengers, you probably have serious doubts about those pre-flight announcements asking you to turn off your cellphones, blackberries, iPods and anything else electronic. The announcements are flat-out ignored by many frequent fliers, who are skeptical that so-called “personal electronic devices” pose any safety threat to airplane. Some passengers openly rebel, like New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, who cursed out one flight attendant who demanded he turn off his cellphone. But a confidential industry...

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Flying the ‘Un-bundled’ Skies

June 4, 2011
Prepare to pay,,,,, I mean take off $$$

Skyway Robbery! The slopes of the Rockies beckoned for spring skiing. The airfare seemed reasonable enough on short notice: New York City to Denver for $386 round-trip. But United wasn’t finished trying to pry money out of me. At the self-service check-in kiosk, I was offered a chance to upgrade to Economy Plus for $40. Did I have bags to check? The first was $25, the second $45. Did I want to shortcut the security line and board early...

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Come fly with ABC’s ‘Pan Am’. Prepare for departure this fall.

May 23, 2011
pic from ABC

Drama aside, it likely will be the glamour of the golden age of air travel and those snug blue Pan Am uniforms that will seduce viewers to tune in — again, taking a page from AMC’s “Mad Men’s” fashion-driven portrayal of Madison Avenue in the same period. Back then, stewardesses generally couldn’t be married or have children and had to meet strict weight standards, but that doesn’t mean they lacked substance, said Dan Hagedorn, senior curator at the Museum of Flight...

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New volcanic ash ‘eruption’ threatens Europe airspace

May 23, 2011
google photo, Icelandic Coastguard

Volcanic ash could reach Europe in days A plume of ash from an erupting volcano in Iceland is being blown south towards Britain and could reach the airspace over mainland Europe later in the week, meteorological experts said. The eruption of Grimsvoetn has evoked fears of a repeat of last year’s travel chaos sparked by the eruption of another Icelandic volcano, Eyjafjoell, which led to the biggest shutdown of European airspace since World War II. More than 100,000 flights...

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Air Travelers Survival Guide, or………..

May 19, 2011
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Secrets from the dark side of flying. Want a premium seat? You’ll be happy to know there is a way to get it, without paying the premium price. How to Lie, Cheat, and Steal Your Way to a Perfect Flight Flying generally sucks, but it doesn’t have to be awful. If you’re willing to break a few rules and compromise your status as an upstanding moral citizen, the dark side has a few secrets to help you have a...

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Do you have a hotel horror story to share?

May 11, 2011
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Below is from www.elliot.org. Christopher Elliott is a consumer advocate and travel journalist. Check out his always informative and entertaining travel blog. Ridiculous or not? The “myth” of the unchanged hotel sheets “Carolyn Golaszewski, a flight attendant for a major airline, wrote to me after the story appeared to say the dirty-sheets problem was widespread. “Over my career, I’ve stayed in many a room that were not clean,” she told me. “Sometimes our layovers are less than nine hours so there’s no time...

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Why are US Air Carriers so far behind foreign competition?

May 5, 2011
Emirates First Class

With New Planes, Flying Is Looking Up BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (TheStreet) — Especially in America, you seem to hear it a lot when flying these days: “I hate old planes.” Usually there’s a rebuttal that safety doesn’t mean fresh leather seats or the newest entertainment gadgetry, but most everyone prefers a new plane to an old one anyway. Add to the equation that you or your company are paying top dollar for full-fare business or first class and there’s...

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