The *new* PEOPLExpress will start flying primarily on the east coast using Boeing 737-400′s with 158 economy class seats.

I loved the original PEOPLExpress and the people who made it all happen. I was one of them. My years at PEOPLExpress were incredible, and I’ll never forget the amazing people I worked with.

I wish the new PEOPLExpress great success, and I’ll be patiently standing by for your west coast arrival.

You’ll be ‘Flying Smarter’ this time around, and I really like the green!

Image from USA Today

Below from Washington Post

PeoplExpress plans to launch 25 years after pioneer of low-cost, no frills flying went away

NORFOLK, Va. — The name PeoplExpress conjures up thoughts of cheap fares, packed planes and bare-bones service.

If regulators agree, the name will be back this summer, attached to an airline that hopes to borrow from the old playbook while avoiding some of the mistakes that doomed one of the pioneers of the no frills airline business.

PeoplExpress Airlines announced Monday that it will be headquartered at Newport News-Williamsburg International Airport in southeastern Virginia. The airline plans to offer flights on the East Coast this summer. But a successful launch is far from a sure thing. It still needs approval from the U.S. government. And it still needs to secure financing.

Initial destinations are expected to be Pittsburgh, Newark, N.J. and West Palm Beach, Fla. Chief Operating Officer Michael Morisi, who worked at the original airline, says the airline won’t ever fly to large cities served by other airlines. The original PeoplExpress called overexpansion one of its fatal mistakes. At the time, Morisi was responsible for opening up several domestic and international destinations, including London and Los Angeles…. more

Click here for complete story at WashingtonPost.com

Air Force preps flight attendants for VIP trips

JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. — Bret Baker welcomes customers aboard a Boeing 757 wearing a three-piece suit and a sparkling smile. His manner is all Friendly Skies but his pocket patch bears the seal of the Vice President of the United States, signaling that this is government business.

And though his brass name tag reads, simply, “Bret,” make no mistake: That’s Air Force Tech. Sgt. Baker ensuring that seat belts are fastened and carry-ons securely stowed. He’s also responsible for making sure meals have been prepared for dozens of passengers who really didn’t have time to pick up snacks before boarding, and whose far-flung destinations may not include safe or familiar foods.

Baker is a military flight attendant, part of a team serving America’s top government officials, their staffs, guests and reporters aboard 19 planes flown by the 89th Airlift Wing out of Joint Base Andrews near Washington. Their customers include the president, vice president, first lady, secretary of state, secretary of defense and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

As attendants on Air Force One and other VIP planes flying as many as 1,000 missions a year, they perform all the safety and comfort functions of their commercial airline counterparts and more. Hurried departures and delays to accommodate impromptu news conferences are common. The attendants also must buy ingredients and prepare meals to their customer’s preferences — sometimes on a day’s notice……. continued

Click here for full story and pics www.airforcetimes.com

Give gawkers and the easily offended something to smile about while keeping your baby’s noggin from exposure. The Boobie Beanie is customized just for you matching your size, nipple color, and skin tone!

From Etsy.com

“This is a completely hand-made crocheted hat made to look like a breast when worn by a baby/toddler/child, while nursing! It’s made of 100% organic cotton, and is very soft and warm. You have the option of a pink nipple or a brown one and I can also make it in a different skin tone, or size, if you’d like.” ~ Etsy

Only $15 plus s&h

Click here for the Boobie Beanie at www.Etsy.com

Google Photo

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 longest flight in the world with a coach cabin. It’s an eternity when shoehorned into space with a mere 16 inches of hip width inside the armrests.

Nonetheless, long-haul nonstop flights like this one are increasingly popular among business travelers and high-end tourists who are willing to pay about 20% more to avoid a layover.

How about the 18 hour mother-lode Los Angeles to Singapore?

“You have to know how to pace yourself,” said architect and interior designer Beatrice Girelli. For her, the Los Angeles to Singapore 18-hour nonstop she takes about six times a year on Singapore Airlines is like a “spa day.” Working long hours on the ground, she finds that time spent six miles above Earth becomes her escape: She sleeps, relaxes, avoids work and enjoys three meals plus Italian or French movies.

Read entire WSJ ‘Middle Seat’ article here

How do you manage the long-haul non-stops? Comment below…..

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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 U.S. airlines stack up.

1. Delta

2. Alaska

3. Virgin America

4. American

5. Southwest

6. United/Continental

7. US Airways

8. Frontier

9. Airtran

10. Jet Blue

Click here for a comprehensive report listing tech amenities offered for each carrier listed. www.pcworld.com

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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 cheap ticket to saving yourself when things go wrong? The apps below are so helpful, we suspect the airlines would prefer you didn’t actually use them.

Flyers Rights ($0.99): Did you know that airlines are no longer legally allowed to keep you trapped on the tarmac for more than three hours during a domestic flight delay? If you had the Flyers Rights app, you would. Plus, you’d be able to log your delays in real time, using the app’s GPS system and map for future evidence. The app also gives helpful tips about what to do in the event of a delay, and specific information about your legal rights as a passenger.

But wait, there’s more! See the full list at www.smartertravel.com

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 the aisle 

9. No more making ‘whoopee’ in the coach lavatories

8. Stop drinking from the wine bottles during flight

7. No more smoking during the meal service

6. Stop yelling “WE’RE CRASHING” over the pa system during turbulence

5. Stop saying “thank you” when I’m handed trash

4. I will try not to yell at passengers during boarding

3. Stop playing ‘Words with Friends’ with Alec Baldwin

2. I will not accuse Justin Bieber of fathering my baby

1. Stop referring to passengers as ‘inmates’

Happy New Year!!!

Share your resolutions below……

TheNewsStar.com

Not the confiscated cupcake (google image)

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 from being used as explosives.

“I just thought this was terrible logic,” Hains said Friday. Hains, who lives in Peabody, just north of Boston, said the agent didn’t seem concerned that the cupcake could actually be explosive….. continued

(click here for more on this story)

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 world.

For those facing the prospect of a transcontinental flight in coach, here’s a game plan to make the most of the experience even if you happen to be seated at the very back of the plane.

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Book your seat ASAP
Always confirm your seat at the time of ticket purchase – before you even hang up the phone or leave the Web page — for the best possible seats. Be sure to note the specifics of your flight, specifically what type of aircraft is used for the service (usually listed on the actual reservation page). This information is a must for using Web sites such as Seatguru, which can help you find the best seats in any class as well as avoid seats that might be too close to the bathroom, offer the least amount of legroom or perhaps don’t recline due to their proximity to exits.

For more survival tips click TheStreet.com

Add your own tips below………