I have mentioned a few times in my blog that for my “real” job I work at a local university. Right now the students are about ready to have finals. You can always tell since the library gets full and students start to have stressed [...]]]>

AirTran Boeing 737-800 at Seattle when I flew them last

I have mentioned a few times in my blog that for my “real” job I work at a local university. Right now the students are about ready to have finals. You can always tell since the library gets full and students start to have stressed looks on their faces (how I do not miss those days). But with finals, soon comes a well deserved spring break.

Enter AirTran’s U program, which allows college students to purchase cheap standby tickets — arriving just in time for those spring breaks. There are two things most college students like: FaceBook and saving money and AirTran is happy to meet those needs.

AirTran is also launching the Creeper Sweepstakes (people surfing FaceBook are called “creepers”) via the AirTran U FaceBook page where college students can win a free round-trip ticket on AirTran.

My mother still tells me stories when she was in college she would always fly standby on the cheap. At a time when we hear more and more about airlines charging to fly standby, it is refreshing to see an airline to help college students have an awesome spring break.

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Kuban Airlines was founded back in 1932 as a division of Aeroflot, in Krasnodar, Russia. In 1992 it was mostly privatized with the state owning 51% and the employees owning 49%.

This February Kuban Airlines added three Boeing 737-300’s to its fleet with a brand new livery. The [...]]]>

Kuban Airlines Boeing 737-300 (VQ-BHD) with sunflower livery

Kuban Airlines was founded back in 1932 as a division of Aeroflot, in Krasnodar, Russia. In 1992 it was mostly privatized with the state owning 51% and the employees owning 49%.

This February Kuban Airlines added three Boeing 737-300’s to its fleet with a brand new livery. The airline also flies 12 flew Yakovlev Yak-42D’s in their old livery. They fly to about 18 domestic destinations, but will also fly chartered international flights.

If you know Russian, you can learn more about them on their website.

Thanks Yvette for this find!

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I created the “Crazier Than Ryanair” medal quite a long time ago and have only been able to give it to one airline, before taking it back again. Reader Daniel asked if Cimber Sterling might be deserving of the medal due to their recent actions of [...]]]>

Congrats! Cimber Sterling earns the "Crazier Than Ryanair" medal.

I created the “Crazier Than Ryanair” medal quite a long time ago and have only been able to give it to one airline, before taking it back again. Reader Daniel asked if Cimber Sterling might be deserving of the medal due to their recent actions of buying cheap tickets from a competitor, so passengers could not.

Oh yes. That is for sure crazier than Ryanair…or at least equal enough to their craziness for Cimber Sterling to earn the “Crazier Than Ryanair” medal. Congrats!

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Picture an airline that is having a super sale. When I say super, I mean SUPER. Selling tickets for only $0.19 USD (well it was for 1 Danish crown, but that equals about $0.19). Then picture a second airline whose employees go and buy out hundreds of the $0.19 [...]]]>

A Norwegian Air Shuttle Boeing 737-300

Picture an airline that is having a super sale. When I say super, I mean SUPER. Selling tickets for only $0.19 USD (well it was for 1 Danish crown, but that equals about $0.19). Then picture a second airline whose employees go and buy out hundreds of the $0.19 tickets, not letting real passengers purchase them. Too crazy to happen? Think again.

Norwegian Air Shuttle, to celebrate a new route between Copenhagen and Karup, were offering the super cheap airfares. Danish airline Cimber Sterling employees saw a good opportunity to take advantage of the low fares.

Using fake names, Cimber Sterling employees bought well over 650 tickets on Norwegian Air Shuttle. “One person has booked 458 tickets, and another 100, and two more than 50, and two Cimber board members 18. I am sure it is more than 650,” Norwegian Air Shuttle spokesperson Anne-Sissel Skaanvik said. “It costs us money when we have work to cancel the tickets. There are many people involved in this, and it is not for free.”

Skaanvik said that the flight has seen many “no-shows” since real passengers weren’t able to purchase the tickets. Cimber Sterling’s CEO Jacob Krogsgaard called his counterpart to apologize. “I have called (Norwegian CEO) Bjorn Kjos and given him an unreserved apology for what occurred,” Krogsgaard said in a statement, calling it a case of “misguided loyalty” on the part of Cimber staff. “We cannot interfere in what our employees are doing privately, but I want to stress that it is not the way Cimber Sterling wants to do business,” Krogsgaard continued.

This is just dirty. Yes, there is good competition out there and this is not it. Even if real passengers bought the tickets, Norwegian Air Shuttle would have lost money, but it would have built relationships with new customers. Not only were they not able to build those relationships, it cost them money to take care of the fake tickets. To have so many employees and even board members purchasing the tickets, it is hard to believe that upper management at Cimber Sterling had no idea what was going on.

Thanks Keith for the tip!

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If you read the blog often you know I have a fascination with Ryanair. Well I think most people who follow the airline industry have a fascination with Ryanair. As American travelers complain about fees, yet still pay them, I think Ryanair might show [...]]]>

Sunset view looking at a Ryanair winglet over the Canary Islands

If you read the blog often you know I have a fascination with Ryanair. Well I think most people who follow the airline industry have a fascination with Ryanair. As American travelers complain about fees, yet still pay them, I think Ryanair might show a glimpse of the future if passengers keep demanding the lowest price possible. Ryanair is known for their cheap prices, tons of fees and a total lack of customer service.

Recently Ryanair showed their customer service skills by stranding passengers at the wrong destination.

Eager passengers were on a flight from the UK to Lanzarote in the Canary Islands when it was diverted to Fuerteventura (about 30 miles away) due to weather. Even though airlines have no legal obligations to pay for costs related to weather, most make accommodations for customers in this situation due to this thing called “customer service.”

Instead, Ryanair booted off the passengers, fueled up and took off, leaving passengers on their own. Since there was no staff at the airport, there was little chance to get help. Of course, they could have tried to fight it out on the phone, but  Ryanair charges by the minute to talk to a customer service representative.

Do I feel bad for these travelers? A little bit, I mean they lost a day of their vacation, had to get a hotel room, but flying on Ryanair is always a gamble. The old saying “you get what you pay for,” is quite accurate with Ryanair.

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It was lucky that the bomb didn’t go off on Delta Airlines Flight 253 by the so-called Christmas bomber. However recent research shows that the Airbus A330 with 278 might have been able to land, if the bomb had detonated.

BBC News did some research with a Boeing 747 that showed that [...]]]>

Delta Air Lines Flight 253

It was lucky that the bomb didn’t go off on Delta Airlines Flight 253 by the so-called Christmas bomber. However recent research shows that the Airbus A330 with 278 might have been able to land, if the bomb had detonated.

BBC News did some research with a Boeing 747 that showed that flight 253’s  fuselage most likely would not have broken and it should have been able to land safely. The testing shows the bomber, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, and the passenger next to him would have most likely been killed, making it still a very horrific event. The explosion would cause injuries to passengers, smoke and chaos, but the plane would have still been able to land completely intact.

Dr John Wyatt, an international terrorism and explosives adviser to the UN, replicated the conditions on board the Detroit flight on a decommissioned Boeing 747 at an aircraft graveyard in Gloucestershire, England. The amount of explosives found on the bomber would not have been enough to break the skin of the flexible aluminum making up the aircraft’s fuselage. Even though the Boeing 747 was not the aircraft that flew on flight 253, the two planes are made similarly enough to be used in the test.

The researchers couldn’t do into great details of the damages that were caused for security reasons, but their goal is to assure passengers that airlines are safer than most people think. For the tests the plane was not pressurized since flight 253 was at about 10,000 feet and the pressure would have been similar on the inside and outside of the fuselage. The results could be much more different at a higher altitude.

If you live in the UK you can watch the full BBC show, otherwise you can check out a small clip of the show here.

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Had a lot of great guesses from people on the photo livery quiz. You can see the answers above. Most people made the same mistake I did on the last one. I thought it was USAir, but if you look closely this was a [...]]]>

Here are the answers -- did you guess right?

Had a lot of great guesses from people on the photo livery quiz. You can see the answers above. Most people made the same mistake I did on the last one. I thought it was USAir, but if you look closely this was a bare-metal plane from American, with Southwest’s livery painted on it. You can read more about these planes and see larger photos on Southwest Airline’s blog.

Winners of being big airline livery nerds:
* TxAgFlyer
* DCSpotter
* Patrick Olave
* Unregistered user #473787 on the Seattle PI

Nice job folks. There were quite a few others that only got one wrong.

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“While many nations have merged Immigrations and Customs into one larger agency, such as US Department of Homeland Security and Canada’s Border Services Agency, their roles are [...]]]> What is the difference between customs and immigration is a great question. It is also one that a reader asked Steven Frischling over on his blog Flying With Fish.

“While many nations have merged Immigrations and Customs into one larger agency, such as US Department of Homeland Security and Canada’s Border Services Agency, their roles are quite different at the airport.

In short, here are the roles of the Customs and Immigrations” … CHECK OUT HIS BLOG TO READ MORE

Sometimes bad things happens and there is no one to blame. Some how William Ogletree, a lawyer from Texas, didn’t get that memo. Ogletree was flying from Houston to Las Vegas back last December and went to the food court in Terminal C for some food. When leaving, he accidentally left his [...]]]>

Houston Airport's Food Court

Sometimes bad things happens and there is no one to blame. Some how William Ogletree, a lawyer from Texas, didn’t get that memo. Ogletree was flying from Houston to Las Vegas back last December and went to the food court in Terminal C for some food. When leaving, he accidentally left his $800 black leather jacket, which unsurprisingly, someone ended up stealing.

Yea, that sucks, but it is a fact of life. I have lost a few coats in similar fashions (not $800 ones thanks goodness), but I didn’t blame anyone but myself. Ogletree on the other hand is threatening to sue the City of Houston, Continental Airlines and the food court’s management for failing to have “collected the coat, kept it in a secure place and held it for a reasonable time” until he was able to claim the jacket. The bitter passenger claims the defendants, “breached their duty” in connection with how they “manage lost and found items for which they are responsible.”

The letter written to the defendants, obtained by The Smoking Gun, shows Oggletree gave them ten whole days to pay him the $800 or they would also be burdened with, “court costs, attorney’s fees, investigation, expert witnesses and other damages.”

I am sorry you lost your coat Mr. Ogletree, but seriously get over it. It is not the city, the food court or Continental Airlines’s fault (I don’t even get how could come close to blame Continental — for not asking every passenger if they remembered their coats?). There are only two people to blame. Oggletree and whomever stole the jacket.

No official word if Ogletree ever got his money or his jacket.

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Can anyone take a guess where Croatia Airlines might be based? If you guessed Croatia, give yourself a pat on the back. The airline is based at Zagreb Airport and is a part of the Star Alliance.

They have a fleet mostly Airbus A320/A319, but also four Bombardier Dash 8 Q400’s. [...]]]>

Croatia Airlines Airbus A320 (9A-CTF)

Can anyone take a guess where Croatia Airlines might be based? If you guessed Croatia, give yourself a pat on the back. The airline is based at Zagreb Airport and is a part of the Star Alliance.

They have a fleet mostly Airbus A320/A319, but also four Bombardier Dash 8 Q400’s. They fly to just under 30 destinations and have been in operation since 1989.

The airline started running cargo for UPS using Cessna 402 aircraft. At the time the airline was called Zagreb Airlines. After the first democratic elections were held in Croatia, the name was changed to Croatia Airlines in 1990. In 1991, Coatia Airlines leased a MD-82 and started passenger service.

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In the late 1940’s passenger airline transport was booming and there were a lot of new jobs to go with it. This classic video shows some of the jobs and requirements (“stewardesses” had to be single for one) of the time. Most of this film was shot at Chicago’s Midway Airport. Be sure to check [...]]]>

In the late 1940’s passenger airline transport was booming and there were a lot of new jobs to go with it. This classic video shows some of the jobs and requirements (“stewardesses” had to be single for one) of the time. Most of this film was shot at Chicago’s Midway Airport. Be sure to check out all the old planes in the video.

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Meet Bethel, Alaska. The town is located about 340 miles west of Anchorage and about 40 miles inland from the Bering Sea. There are only ten miles of paved [...]]]>

Alaska customer service agents Heidi Tokar (left) and Julie Bilbey (right), of Bethel, are dressed in a typical winter-weather gear for this remote area of Alaska.

Meet Bethel, Alaska. The town is located about 340 miles west of Anchorage and about 40 miles inland from the Bering Sea. There are only ten miles of paved roads and none connect to any highway. Roads made of ice and snow mobile trails are what connect to over 50 Native Alaskan villages in the region.

With the lack of solid ground transportation, aviation is  very important to the town of less than 6,000 people. Even though the population is small, it is a major hub for air travel in the state. “It may be little, but it’s mighty,” says Christine Klein, Deputy Commissioner of Aviation for the state of Alaska. Aviation is a much larger part of the economy in Alaska than other states, accounting for one in every 10 jobs in the state and $3.5 billion in revenue.

Bethel Airport (BET) is the third busiest airport in the state, behind Fairbanks and Anchorage. The airport has two runways: One is paved and 6400 feet in length (for comparison, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport’s largest runway is almost 12,000 feet long) and one that is gravel and only 1,860 feet long.

Signage at Bethel Airport

From June 2006 to June 2007, the airport had 122,000 aircraft operations, which is an average of 334 per day. During that time, there were 232 airplanes based at the airport: 90% single engine, 7% multi-engine, 2% helicopters and 1% military.  Now, that is a lot of aviation for a town so far out in the middle of nowhere.

Alaska Airlines, who have 27 employees at the airport, proudly has a strong relationship with Bethel and the surrounding area. They fly round-trip flights between Bethel and Anchorage three times per day using their Boeing 737-400’s and Combis. Alaska Airlines provides important connections for passengers and cargo for Bethel residents and the rest of the world.

Alaska Airlines does much more than just fly in and out of the airport. The airline also supports local aviation and promotes careers in aviation. Recently the airline donated $15,000 to the Yuut Yaqungviat Flight School, which will will help local residents, the majority of whom are Native Alaskans, obtain their pilot, airframe and power plant mechanic licenses.

Founded in 2000, the flight school has a high placement rate for students who complete the two-year private pilot certificate program. Of 25 students who finished the program, 16 are actively working as pilots for Yute Air, Grant Aviation, Frontier Alaska, Hageland Aviation and other airlines. “Historically, a revolving door of professionals leave the Bethel area. This outmigration is a loss of potential revenue for the region,” says John Amik, co-director of the school. He continued, “Yuut Yaqungviat has helped young adults capture a sense of purpose, hope and self-respect.”

Alaska is hoping this assistance will not only help Native Alaskans find careers in aviation, but also help them get jobs with Alaska Airlines. “We would very much like to see more Native Alaskan pilots working their way into our cockpits,” said Bill MacKay, Alaska Airlines’ senior vice president.

If you live in an area where Alaska Airlines doesn’t fly: It is based out of Seattle, WA, flies over 115 Boeing 737’s to about 90 destinations in the US and Mexico, and of course has quite a few flights to Alaska. If you are interested in connecting with Alaska Airlines, be sure to follow their Twitter, Facebook or YouTube channel.

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Ah, “Bring Your Kid To Work Day,” is a classic. It is nice  that your children are able to see what mommy and daddy do all day and your co-workers get to meet your little ball of joy you talk [...]]]>

John F. Kennedy International Airport's control tower with a few jetBlue Airbus A320's in front

Ah, “Bring Your Kid To Work Day,” is a classic. It is nice  that your children are able to see what mommy and daddy do all day and your co-workers get to meet your little ball of joy you talk about so much.

However there are some jobs that it might be best for your child to skip visiting. On the surface it might seem harmless to bring your child to work if you are an air traffic controller. Maybe during your time off you can show him the view, let him see those big radar screens and listen to some of your co-workers in action.

Well, one traffic controller at JFK wanted his kid to get the full experience and let him talk to pilots. On a recording found on Gadling, it is quite clear the child is talking directly to the pilots, being assisted by his parent. The pilots don’t seem too put off by this, but the FAA sure isn’t amused.

An FAA spokesperson stated, “Pending the outcome of our investigation, the employees involved in this incident are not controlling air traffic. This behavior is not acceptable and does not demonstrate the kind of professionalism expected from all FAA employees.”

Sure, this might have been a little more “fun” at a smaller airport directing Cessna 172’s, not at JFK, directing large Boeing 747’s. I know I would feel a bit more comfortable knowing there aren’t children directing my next flight out of JFK.

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Ah Las Vegas. Gambling, fancy hotels, bunch of college students and of course alcohol (ok the list could go on and on, but we will stop with that). Remember in the olden days how you had to wait to get to downtown before getting sloshed? That time between [...]]]>

Welcome to Las Vegas! Liquor Store Ahead!

Ah Las Vegas. Gambling, fancy hotels, bunch of college students and of course alcohol (ok the list could go on and on, but we will stop with that). Remember in the olden days how you had to wait to get to downtown before getting sloshed? That time between your buzz wearing off from your $6 beer from the plane and having to take a cab all the way downtown? How many times have you been waiting for your bag and thought, “dang, I sure could use a Jaeger shot right about now.” I know…LAME! Well have no worry — the Vegas airport is here to help.

The McCarran International Airport is proposing to open a liquor store in baggage claim. That’s right! This would be the first airport to have a true liquor store. Sure you have those duty free stores and bars, but this you can buy full bottles and take them with you (or finish them before leaving the airport).

Steven Sisolak, a Clark County Commissioner stated, “Oh, I know it will be a gold mine for some liquor store, but does this mean we’ll do anything for money?”

Seriously? Does this guy know Vegas? It is based on making money! He continues, “What’s next? Airport strip clubs? Topless bars? Is that appropriate for county property? I mean, that’s ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking, too.” Maybe, but really alcohol is already served on planes and in bars, is a liquor store really that much of a jump?

Sisolak also states he is worried about travelers drinking the alcohol in public and having public drunkenness. But isn’t that pretty standard in Vegas, people walking around quite buzzed with a drink in hand?

The airport is hoping this might bring in some extra cash. “We’re strapped for cash just like every other county department, and because of the smoking ban our gaming revenue has gone down and advertising has been a little slow,” said Elaine Sanchez, airport spokeswoman. “We believe, in hard times, this is a good idea.”

What do you think? Is this a good idea?

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