Plane Gossip Files

The Spin On Checkpoint Bins

2008-11-13T17:49:00.004-05:00

Welcome Aboard

Expect to find more ads by Sony or Sylvania and even Zappos as you pass through security checkpoints at an airport near you.

It's just not about the billboard you pass along the highway or the magazine you flip page-by-page where advertising slogans are in your face.

Advertising can be found just about anywhere and now, the Transportation Security Administration is taking full advantage of the benefits it will receive for ads to be placed in airport checkpoint bins.

According to TSA spokeswoman Sterling Payne, "The program aims to upgrade equipment at airport checkpoints at no cost to the federal government."

Although TSA will not receive money as an exchange for ad space, in return, they will get new plastic bins, carts for screeners, and stainless steel tables for passengers to unload their belongings.

USA Today reported that advertisers buy the equipment for the right to advertise in the bins, and airports also collect a cut of the advertising revenue.

For more on the article go to the link below:
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2008-11-03-adbins_N.htm

Thank For Flying :)

Dig Revealed 4,300-year-old pyramid

2008-11-11T11:40:00.004-05:00

Welcome Aboard

An announcement was made on Tuesday, Nov 11 at a site in Saqqara, Egypt, about 22 miles south of Cairo, on the findings of a 4,300-year-old pyramid.

The discovery was found two months ago.

It is said to belong to Queen Sesheshet, the mother of King Teti who was the founder of the 6th Dynasty of Egypt's Old Kingdom.

The finding is rather significant in the world of archaeology.

The Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass told reporters that the finding could lay the foundation to enrich generations to come with knowledge about the Old Kingdom.

"The only queen whose pyramid is missing is Shesheshet, which is why I am sure it belonged to her," Hawass said. "This will enrich our knowledge about the Old Kingdom."

So, if traveling to the ends of the Earth is your thing in life than pack your bags.

Once the site is excavated and all antiquities identified the artifacts will surely be made public.

Perhaps the site will be made available for touring.

A visit into the past worth taking a vacation for.

Thank For Flying :)

Text Advances Communication On Plane

2008-11-11T00:05:00.001-05:00

Welcome Aboard

Airlines are competing to find new ways of "getting more passengers onto planes with the promise of more luxurious and fun ways to pass the time in the air," according to an August 8, 2006 Airwise News article.

Although the article is dated some years back the statement provided a bold look at what draws passengers to fly certain carriers.

Airlines today offer all sort of on board activities to pass the time to take the passenger's mind off of flying.

With advances in communication technology, text messaging has found its place sitting in an isle or window seat heading for Hawaii.

Imagine talking to friends and family members at 37,000 feet above the Earth.

Yes, it's literally gone ozone.

Richard Branson was the person who first proposed the idea for this sort of person-to-person communication back in 2006.

Airlines are making strides to equipped aircraft with the technology to bring this to fruition, but not all aircraft are up to date.

The Federal Aviation Administration sets the regulations that control air travel.

The use of communication devices on board an aircraft, other than the equipment used to navigate the plane, has always been prohibited for use.

As you, however, staying connected has become the backbone in consumer culture.

Everyone has a cell phone or computer with wireless capabilities and they want full excess all the time.

Jetblue for example has experimented with testing in-flight e-mail and IM. It received overwhelming acclaim and is fee free; the service on Beta Blue, the only aircraft in their fleet with these capabilities.

Other airlines, like American Airlines and Virgin America plan on offering on-board broadbandon-board broadband. They will, however, charge for the service.

Overall, the issue was debated about the use of cell phones on planes because of the close proximity in an overcrowded situation.

"The public doesn't want to be subjected to people talking on their cell phones on an already over packed airplane," said Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.).

But as time progresses and regulations aggressively are challenged, it's only a matter of time before cell chatter will be heard on planes.

Thank For Flying :)

Excuse Me! Lady With A Baby

2008-11-10T20:24:00.005-05:00

Welcome Aboard

The holiday season is approaching and the lines at Transportation Security Administration checkpoints, in airports across the country, will be out the door.

This season, however, TSA is prepared as they have made accommodations by opening "family lanes" by Nov. 20, close to the Thanksgiving holiday.

This will ease the stress parents feel when traveling with their children.

According to USA Today, "the family lanes will be open at 533 checkpoints in every large and mid-size airport when millions of inexperienced travelers are taking to the skies."

Earlier this year many airports saw the need to offer the "family lanes" which served as a measure "where parents can feel free to move at their own pace."

It was found to be popular with the travelers.

It is a stressful experience for parents and, sometimes, it only involves one parent traveling with children and baggage.

The task at hand for a single parent, especially serves to kill the whole air travel experience.

But for the family in general, the experience of going to the airport and lining up at the checkpoint is reason to feel more relaxed.

The rollout this holiday will be the largest yet and will become a permanent fixture at TSA checkpoints.

To read more on the subject go to the link below:

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2008-11-09-family-lanes_N.htm

Thanks For Flying ;)

It Will Cost You To Fly

2008-10-30T17:38:00.010-04:00

Welcome Aboard

The following video is worth sharing and perhaps has some value-added humor for the air traveler at heart.

We all know to well what air travel entails, especially the price you pay for a ticket.

The USA Today reported on Nov. 10 that even though fuel surcharges have faded the fare you pay on a ticket hasn't changed.

Hell, we all paid the price at the pump.

But as the barrel of oil significantly declined in recent weeks wouldn't it be feasible to conclude that the airlines would drop their fees?

At the request of USA Today, FareCompare, a dot com company, did an analysis and revealed that airlines folded surcharges into the airfare.

"Travelers are paying the same as before the change," according to USA Today.

The overall reason for the surcharge was to offset the losses airlines experienced from high fuel costs.

As the video pokes fun at the fees airlines charge travelers beyond the price they pay for a ticket, it implies truth behind fees in general.

To be in business means to be in it for a profit.

Understandably, when profits aren't flying in, companies need to adjust their bottom line.

Consequently, however, the excuse to keep the fares where they are remains a matter of recooping all previous losses.

So, now where do we from here?

The article can be accessed through the link below:

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2008-11-10-fuel-surcharge-airfares_N.htm

Thanks For Flying ;)

Where You Sit Could Save Your Life

2008-10-30T09:56:00.008-04:00

Welcome Aboard

There are those that consider flying to be the safest form of travel and there are those who have there superstitions.

So, does it matter where you sit on the aircraft in the event that the aircraft were to crash?

Though it may seem a little morbid to think in terms of an aircraft even taking a nose-dive, there are those people who consider their options of surviving an incident of such magnitude.

Since 1971, there has been 20 US airline accidents documented by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) with both fatalities and survivors.

Popular Mechanics investigated these crashes and took an in depth look into the past 36 years of airline seating charts.

They've concluded that the aft portion of the aircraft is the safest area to survive a crash.

The following chart provided the finding from their studies showing that it is 69 percent more likely that survival is greater in the back of the bus.

In 11 of the 20 crashes investigated PM found that rear passengers clearly fared better; passengers sitting nearer to the tail of the aircraft were 40 percent more likely to survive a crash than those in the first few rows up front.

Only five accidents favored those sitting forward.

Three were tossups, with no particular pattern of survival.

In one case, seat positions could not be determined.

But their findings came with great skepticism and expert opinion deemed the study indifferent on where you sit.

Boeing stated that "one seat is as safe as the other."

A Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson commented that "there's just no way to say."

And the website airsafe.com implied that "there is no safest seat."

As superstition will have it, however, it is really up to the individual flyer to decide what are the options.

For more on the article access the page through the link attached on Popular Mechanics.

Thanks For Flying

Space Invaders On Board

2008-10-29T11:20:00.010-04:00

Feeling a little cramped in coach can feel more like a busy New York subway at rush hour at the end of a hectic day.

The last thing you want is to be bumped and poked within your personal space.

But New York subway travelers are used to this.

Air travelers, on-the-other-hand, take personal space seriously.

If they're not claiming the overhead bins as their very own closet, they're fighting over whose elbow has first divs for the armrest; especially if you are lucky enough to sit in a middle seat.

Planes have been diverted because passengers didn't see eye-to-eye.

Usually, the understanding of personal space falls within the realm of personality clashes.

There are some people who just don't mingle well in public places; flying is one of them.

Personal space on an aircraft, however, is more about finding your comfort zone knowing that perhaps a long flight is ahead of you.

In my position, I get to know everybody boarding the aircraft just by a simple greeting. I do this all within my personal space-Galley 1.

If it's not the passengers invading my space, it's ground crew or even the pilots who infringe upon my ability to move around. And I know all-to-well what it means to feel backed into a corner with nowhere to move.

Learning how to share in cramped places like a plane takes a little getting use to, but a smile goes a long way in conveying your willingness to cope.

How The Other Half Flies

2008-10-29T09:44:00.007-04:00

Welcome Aboard

The idea of flying first-class comes with a pretty hefty price tag in upwards of $4000-$12,000.

Despite low-cost carriers, there are those that wage no bones about spending the extra buck for the luxury of first-class pampering.

But what's the point?

Some will say it's just a waste of money that can be spent in a more resposible way.

Agree or disagree?

But really, what do you get for spending the big bucks?

The following information was provided by Via, a AAA Traveler's Companion, comparing airlines and the perks they provide:

Goodie Bags

American — Origins Lip Remedy, cooling gel, and (on request) Blade Runner shaving cream.
United — Aerosense mouth wash, lip balm, and moisturizer, all created for the airline.
Delta — Lip balm and lotion from L’Occitane.
Continental — Rembrandt toothpaste and toothbrush; blue cotton socks.
Virgin — Virgin Vie eye gel, essential oil body gel, pen, paper, and mints.
Singapore — Hermès lotion and Neutrogena lip moisturizer; aromatherapy oils and mist.

To Help You Sleep

American — A privacy divider and a fully reclining seat.
United — Full-size pillows, a privacy divider, and a fully reclining seat.
Delta — An eye shade with a terry liner, and comfy, ergonomically designed seats.
Continental — Full-size pillows, electronic lumbar support, and an adjustable footrest.
Virgin — Fully reclining seats, eye shades, cotton pajamas, and soft, cozy socks.
Singapore — Seats turn into beds with fresh linens and duvet. Plus: Givenchy pajamas.

Dinner

American — Filet mignon pot roast, paella, or lamb chops in rosemary sauce.
United — Golden sesame chicken napped in citrus sauce with fried rice and peppers.
Delta — Five-course meal with entrée choices ranging from beef tenderloin to vegetarian pasta.
Continental — Grilled veal chop with porcini mushroom sauce and roasted vegetables in wine sauce.
Virgin — Menu allows you to select from 23 items, from a light salmon salad to a Philly cheese steak.
Singapore — Lobster thermidor, steak, lamb noisettes, or a barramundi fillet baked in a banana leaf.

Dessert

American — Vanilla flan with white chocolate mousse or coconut manjar with chocolate sauce.
United — Ice cream sundaes with hot fudge, walnuts, and whipped cream. Dieting? Fresh fruit.
Delta — Old-fashioned ice cream sundaes with the works.
Continental — Hot fudge sundaes, apple cobbler, and cognac.
Virgin — Sweet nibbles, including miniature raspberry cheesecakes and meringue tortes.
Singapore — Healthy sweets, such as sliced fresh fruit, or berry sorbet with a fruit compote.

Free Booze

American — 1996 Bordeaux and Pommery Cuvée Madame Louise 1988 champagne.
United — Dom Pérignon and Chivas Brothers Royal Salute scotch.
Delta — A selection of wines from around the world.
Continental — Grand Marnier and Harvey’s Bristol Cream
Virgin — Order some Virgin vodka or Rémy Martin cognac at the stand-up bar.
Singapore — Champagne from Dom Pérignon and Krug.

Entertainment

American — Personal TV screen with a DVD player.
United — Personal TV screen with programs from NBC, Disney, and ESPN. Plus your choice of films.
Delta — Personal TV screen, films, and video games, ranging from blackjack to Tetris.
Continental — Personal screen for viewing The Simpsons, first-run movies, or classics like Rebel Without a Cause.
Virgin — Watch new films (or favorite oldies) on your personal screen. Or you can play Nintendo.
Singapore — Personal 14-in. screen; interactive information on your destination.

Seat Size (pitch is distance from seat back to back of seat behind)

American — Pitch: 89 in. Width: 21 in. (30.5 in. on international flights) Recline: all the way.
United — Pitch: 78 in. Width: 21.5 in. Recline: all the way.
Delta — Pitch: 60 in. Width: 21 in. Recline: 17 in.
Continental — Pitch: 55 in. Width: 20-21 in. Recline: 15 in.
Virgin — Pitch: 55–60 in. Width: 22.5 in. Recline: converts into a bed.
Singapore — Pitch: 78 in. Width: 23 in. Recline: converts to a 76-in. bed with an inflatable air mattress.

Luxurious Amenities

American — Bose noise-cancelling headsets.
United — The seat can inflate and deflate every two minutes, giving you a massage.
Delta — A self-service snack station with cheeses, fruits, and nuts.
Continental — Complimentary limousine service upon arrival; open snack bar.
Virgin — In-flight massages and manicures; free limo service.
Singapore — Sip your Dom Pérignon from crystal glasses.

If you ask me, you can spend much less on any of the perks yourself and still have the "luxury" of living like the other half.

Bring a freind along or a few on the trip and make it a party in coach.

Thanks For Flying :)

Young Mother Terrified Over Roach

2008-10-28T22:52:00.007-04:00

Welcome Aboard

It's not the first time that a roach was spotted on the plane.

In fact, if you look hard enough you can find them on every flight.

They usually come out in the evening when the cabin lights are turned down.

Well, a mother and her infant child were seated in the front row on one of my flights when a roach scurried across the bulkhead panel.

She was quite taken by the fact that "a roach" would even be on an aircraft.

She was even more taken by my response, "it's only a roach."

Roaches have been around for millions of years and they'll be around for millions more.

It is said that they can live through a nuclear blast.

I believe it.

Her concern , however, was for her child because she was afraid that the roach would come near her son.

I would be concerned too, but I assured her that the roach would run away first.

Roaches are nocturnal creatures and run away from the light.

To assure her of her son's safety, I squashed the bug and that was the end of it.

Thanks For Flying :)

Ears Are Ringing

2008-10-28T21:14:00.011-04:00

Welcome Aboard

Imagine that you're on vacation.

A vacation away from all the hustle and bustle of everyday routine.

You just boarded your flight, took your seat, and rested your head back on the headrest.

The flight will last about six hours and all you want to do is take a nap.

Now, what if the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) approved the use of cell phones on planes, do you think you would get the needed rest?

You would be annoyed by the conversations going on around you and would lash out for some peace and quiet.

What can you do?

You can thank God that the bill was not passed and get some sleep now.

Anyway, the things that people do just for a little talk-time on their cell.

They need to keep in touch and won't last the flight unless they can talk.

Passengers go through cell phone withdrawal; it's like having a bad craving for a cigarette.

I can't tell you how many times a passenger has asked if their cell would work in the air.

It's a good thing they don't.

Can you image the use of cell phones on planes?

Give me some earplugs.

Anyway, a plane is no place for any sort of open air conversation. It's bad enough when passenger talk loudly to each other and others have to hear it.

There's something about the close proximity of sitting next to someone who just talks loudly; so, can you imagine sitting next to someone talking on their cell for the whole fight?

The only quiet place for a little peace may very well be in the bathroom.

Just remember to lock the door.

Thanks For Flying :)

Poodle Took To The Runway

2008-10-28T19:28:00.006-04:00

Welcome Aboard

It's a bird!

It's a plane!

OK......It's a poodle!

There was a whole lot of commotion in Boston on Saturday, Oct. 25 after "Choochy," a beloved pet poodle, broke out of her cage.

The Boston Globe reported "the tiny white fugitive managed to elude nearly a dozen Massport employees and State Police, holding up runway traffic as she cavorted on the tarmac."

Apparently, the pooch escaped her kennel around 7:15 p.m. on Saturday and managed to elude capture for 17 hours according to the Boston Globe.

But put yourself in Choochy's place.

She was cramped up in her kennel from Detroit to Boston.

The flight is about two hours and she was probably feeling scared in the belly of the beast.

From the sound of it, she was carted in the belly of the aircraft.

So, do you get the picture?

Good for her for taking the moment to break away and stretch her legs.

She did, however, put on a good show and delayed eight flights that evening.

Some passengers aboard a US Airways found the fiasco amusing.

She was contained only because she was hungry and her weakness to feed the pain ended her freedom to run.

Thanks For Flying :)

Cell Phone Use Not A Danger?

2008-10-27T23:10:00.009-04:00

Welcome Aboard

The idea that cell phones and wireless communication devices cause interference with aircraft systems may not be necessarily true.

Despite countless efforts made to ensure customers comply with FAA regulations to power off these devices, they merely just hide them away without turning them off.

Cell phones, especially, can be turned to silent and shoved into the seat back pocket.

Flight attendants, alike, can vouch that customers sneak the use of cell phones long after compliance checks are done.

A mere guess-timate to how many fliers have their phones on would be around 80 percent.

Look at it this way, there hasn't been a recent news story where a plane crashed because of cell phone signal interference.

Cell phones work only in "zones" or "cells" and when you move from cell-to-cell the signal is handed-off.

Based on the number of towers in any given area depends on your service plan and service plans don't include air travel.

A cell's signal moves over land serfaces only hence rendering a cell phone useless on a plane.

There are technologies, however, that when installed on a plane allow for the use of communication devices.

Rather, the idea to power the phone off would be more for the customers benefit to pay attention to safety information that could potentially save their lives.

Incendently, laptops, DVDs, and even I-pods serve as a distraction from what is more important......SAFETY.

Thanks For Flying :)

Computer Warned Of Potential Hazard

2008-10-25T20:32:00.019-04:00

Welcome Aboard

A warning signal flashed on a screen.

In bold, orange letters a message alerted the pilot that the landing gear was not operating properly.

This happened before the aircraft left the ground.

Today's computer-integrated technology provided the information that was vital for the pilot to make the decisions for life or death situations.

Imagine, however, that before such technology was available what could of happened if the aircraft took off with faulty landing gear.

In 1995 the first aircraft was produced through computer-aided design and engineered by Boeing.

They debuted the twin-engine 777, the biggest two-engine jet ever to fly and the first aircraft produced through computer-aided design and engineering.

It was a wonderful achievement.

Such an incident happened just the other day and maintenance thought they had fixed the problem the first time around.

It was only until the big-bird left the gate that another warning message appeared and it was back to the gate for another look.

This time around, maintenance could not get the problem solved and the plane was grounded.

Despite the situation and the unhappy customers that didn't depart on time they were grateful for the attention given to safety.

It was hours later that another plane was provided for the flight and the customers were safely transported to their destination.

Come Fly Again :)

Largest Aircraft Engineered By Russia

2008-10-24T13:27:00.051-04:00

Welcome Aboard

The An-225 Mriya , pictured on the left, is the world's largest and heaviest aircraft built by the Antonov Design Bureau, a Ukrainian-based avionics team.

The word Mriya is Ukrainian for "Dream" and there has been only two produced in the world.

Presently, only one aircraft is in operation, however, the second aircraft is being reconditioned and is scheduled for completion around late 2008.

The An-225 is an extension of Antonov's An-124 which, at the time, was the largest aircraft built. Both aircrafts, however, serve as commercial carriers to fly over-sized payload due to the unique size of their cargo deck.

Other aircraft that measure up, but don't take the cake are the Airbus A380 airliner, the Boeing 747 Large Cargo Freighter, and the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy, all nearing the equivalent to the heavy airlifter An-225.

The following photographs show the aircrafts mentioned above respectively.

The An-225 was designed in the late 1980s for the Soviet space program to aid in the launch of the Buran spacecraft. The aircraft's equivalent is the Airbus Beluga and the the United States' Shuttle Carrier Aircraft

The photograph to the left is the An-225 transporting the Buran spacecraft. It was built to carry up to 250,000 kg (550,000 lb) internally or 200,000 kg (440,000 lb) on the upper fuselage where cargo on the upper fuselage can be, as-much-as, 70 m long.

The following two photographs show the Airbus Beluga and the United States' Shuttle Carrier Aircraft.

The first photo shows the Airbus Beluga which resembles a fish or whale.The cargo, however, is only transported inside the belly of the aircraft.

The second photo shows the SCA with the Atlantis space shuttle on its upper fuselage returning to the Kennedy Space Center. The image looks very much like the An-225 and Buran spacecraft.

Though the An-225 was originally engineered in the late 1980s for the Soviet space program to carry the Buran its operation was short lived with the collapse of the program in 1990.

The aircraft was than stored for some 12 years and fully returned to service in 2001 for use in transporting food and supplies in the Iragi War.

Thanks For Flying :)

Cold-Weather Blues Send Snowbirds Packing

2008-10-22T16:22:00.007-04:00

Welcome Aboard

It's that time of year again.

The leaves have started to change colors in the New England areas signaling the return of the autumn season, not to mention, a change in temperature that also marks the migration of "snowbirds" heading South.

By "snowbirds," I mean the seasoned travelers who return to the sunny shores of South Florida each autumn to escape the cold, harsh winter season.

Like all travelers, though, these ones stand out.

They stand out because they pretty much bring the kitchen sink with them and if they could, they would bring the refrigerator as well.

Anyway, as close to bringing the refrigerator as they'll get, they empty it into a suitcase and cart it with them.

They sure do.

And give or take emptying the linen closest of a few rolls of toilet paper, grooming products, and other essential needs to bring along on the trip.

It makes you wonder what planet they came from and if they truly ever traveled a day in their lives.

Funny thing is, they'll do the samething, but in reverse, once the weather turns up North.

Really...think about it....why all the extra packing when you can just buy it elsewhere?

Go figure.

The less there is to travel with the easier. It's just that much less hassle.

Thanks For Flying :)

Passenger, Pooch Removed From Plane

2008-10-20T13:42:00.006-04:00

In an earlier blog, I spoke about air travel and bringing the pet along.

It happens to be the norm these days that passengers bring along the family pet to join in for some rest and relaxation. After-all, the beloved animal is part of the family.

I am amazed, however, at what extremes are taken just to bring them onto the plane.

A young lady and her dog were removed from their flight because the pet was just too large for the carrier that she transported her pet in.

Quite frankly, passengers are doing this more often than not.

One very profound reason is that if a passenger can have the pet in the cabin with them they find ways to make it work for them.

It doesn't necessarily mean that it works for the pet, however, who is being cooped up with no room to move around in the carrier.

This type of animal cruelty is in-humane.

Passenger need to take more responsibility for their actions and be more caring in situations of truly loving their pets.

Anyway, the young lady was adamant that she traveled before with her pet and that she was still going to take the flight.

Needless-to-say, a supervisor had to remove her from the aircraft and she had to find other travel accommodations.

Southwest Airline's Profits Head South

2008-10-15T22:01:00.006-04:00

What goes up must eventually come down.

We've all been witness to the rise in the price of a barrel of oil.

It correlates all to well with filling up at the pump and dips severely into our earnings.

Well, airlines have it even worse and they have deeper pockets.

Southwest Airline has made some smart choices in the past and hedged their fuel prices before sky rocket oil prices could cripple their operation.

Those that didn't hedge had it far worse in a changing environment dependent on raw, crude oil.

Recently, however, Southwest has been plagued with the price of oil, but in the reverse direction; oil prices have fallen below their hedged dollar amount.

One thing was evident, consumers have benefited at the pump.

Southwest, on-the-other-hand, took a hard hit and for the first time in 17-years their profit-margin shrunk considerably.

Market predictability plays a key role in gauging a hedge fund's success.

Sometimes there are winners, but other times there are losers.

As the price of oil continues to drop, Southwest could possible see more profits fly out the window.

Top 10 Germ-Infested Places

2008-10-14T17:13:00.006-04:00

I thought the perfect place imaginable to be the best for coming in contact with infectious bacteria would be an airplane, but I was wrong.

An airplane doesn't even rank in the Top 10 of the most germ-infested places in public.

According to the website, SixWise.com, the following places are among the Top 10:

Playgrounds
Bus rails/armrests
Public bathrooms
Shopping cart handles
Escalator handrails
Chair armrests
Vending machine buttons
Shared pens
Public telephones
Elevator buttons

Well, despite their findings, ranking an airplane as one germ-infested public place deserves some notoriety which entails at least three places above: playgrounds, bus rails/armrests, and public bathrooms.

Wow! Imagine all these places in one convenient location.

Now imagine being bombarded with millions-upon-millions of tiny little organisms.

SixWise, otherwise, offers some "epiphanies for your empowerment" that will perhaps broaden your thinking for living a longer, healthier life around or away from your home.

For the germaphobic-at-heart, consider bringing along a sanitation-wipe when traveling and give your seating area good cleaning.

Pay close attention, however, to the seat-back pocket where items such as chewing gum, baby diapers, band aides, and snotty tissues have been found.

Street Beggar Boards Plane

2008-10-09T16:56:00.009-04:00

It's not unusual that customers would ask for snacks and beverages as they board an aircraft after, at the most, two to three hours sitting in a terminal.

What I find unusual, however, is that while sitting in the terminal, where food selection is sometimes better than what is offered on the plane, the average customer would rather starve or die of thirst until they board the aircraft.

I realize what is offered on board is free, but lets be for real.

First of all, what happened to eating a healthy meal before you travel?

Snacks just don't cut it and meals are not provided on domestic flights.

I think it has something to do with cutting cost.

Anyway, on a particular day in October, I had the pleasure of what I considered a "beggar" in my section. I real don't like to stereo-type, but I had no choice.

A lady claimed to be starving and wondered if I could provide her with some of our delicious cookies we serve. Her request, however, was declined and I offered to provide them only during the inflight service.

You might be saying, "How rude," but think about the dominoes affect that could follow; others would ask for the same treatment. I just decided to keep it all on the same page.

This sort of thing, however, happens all the time.

Well, at the start of serving snacks, the anticipation of serving this lady churned in my stomach. I had this gut feeling that she was going to throw a curve ball. She requested three packs of those cookies she asked for earlier.

Not a problem, but I still had others to serve and suggested she take one now. The cookies are in limited supply: so, until everyone has made their choice, she could have more.

Oh, I did offer her some of the other snacks that were available.......and she took them.

Here's the curve ball.......she started to hand me a purple shopping bag and asked if I would fill it up with the remaining snacks that were left over.

Can you imagine that.....what has this world turned into?

Parents Coached Daughter To Lie

2008-10-08T22:00:00.019-04:00

So, how many parents teach their children to lie?

I know of at least two.

Working a flight the other day I overheard a man say, "Remember, you're not 13, you're 15."

This instinctively triggered my radar to focus on the conversation.

There was a family of three seated in the exit row...Mother, Father, and daughter.

I allowed the conversation to go on for a couple of minutes before I interjected.

Passengers in an exit row must qualify under specific criteria to occupy a seat here.

If they don't meet one of them, they can not sit here.

Generally, they must be willing and able to assist the crew in the event of an emergency.

Other specific guidelines include understanding the English language and meeting the age requirement of 15-years and older.

Well, I approached the girl in the exit row and went for the jugular vein.

I immediately asked her for the month, day, and year she was born.

Her response was delayed and provided me with a good enough indication that she did not meet at least one of the exit row criterias.

A 15-year-old, I hope, knows when they were born and don't have to think about it.

The fact that I caught the girl on a lie was more of an embarrassment to the parents who were coaching her to lie.

Shame on them!

Shame on them for putting their 13 year old daughter in a situation that could of ended in an emergency where passengers depended on her to save their lives.

What if she didn't have an understanding of what it was to take on such a responsibility.

I made my discontent known and surely the parents were not happy they had to relocate to another section of seats.

Pilot Sucks Chicken Wing

2008-09-29T16:56:00.006-04:00

Welcome Back...

Food powers the mind and body.....along with other things.

So, consumption of food is important, but how and where you gobble it down is in the eye of the beholder.

Well, you work for Company X and they have restrictions that say you can do this and you can do that. In this case the company policy concerning your appetite is basically to eat in a less conspicuous place.....not behind a podium while in uniform stuffing your trap.

This doesn't only apply to the pilot "boning" his mouth, but perhaps to the general working public who might use discretion before they consider stepping up to the podium.

The pilot was only doing what his gut was telling him to do......EAT!

As a crewmember working for the same company I was obliged to have a conversation regarding his eating habits. For me and the rest of my fellow crew we were quite disgusted at watching him dine.

He replied, "I have to eat sometime."

The conversation, of course, was friendly and no hard feelings came from it. Apparently, someone beat me to the punch.

One customer, Ernie, found the entire show "not very nice."

Dogs Go Bow-Wow, Cats Go Meow-Meow

2008-09-25T19:13:00.017-04:00

People have a love for animals that sometimes supersedes the love for a sibling or relative.

This is a relevant fact considering the number of pets on board air crafts these days and the numbers are only getting bigger.

I'm certain that given the opportunity, any pet lover would like to bring the "family-friend" along.

There are, however, regulations that limit how many pets are allowed per plane and the size of the pet.

Limits apply, however, more for pets that are carried on board the plane that share the cabin with passengers.

All-to-often, the love pet owners have for their animal does more harm than good when they bring them along. There are reasons for regulations that not only protect the pets well being, but also the paying customers.

There are people who just don't like pets and there are a lot them.

It's always a problem when when trying to situate a pet and a anti, pet-loving customer.

Who should be relocated?

Despite the animosities that some people have there are those people who are cool with pets and finding someone to move is never a problem.

A rule-of-thumb is to be prepared and research your travel options ahead of time so there is no surprises the day you fly.

Always follow regulations and comply with the flight attendant in charge.

Pets must always remain enclosed in their pet carrier and stowed like any other piece of carry-on luggage. The FAA deems a pet in a carrier as a piece of luggage.

Pets are to remain stowed under the seats in front of the passenger's assigned seat during take-off and landing. It's ok to have the pet in a sealed carrier on the lap once the aircraft is in flight.

Often enough, however, pet owners break the rules and are reminded they need to comply.

As an in flight crewmember, I can say that pet regulations are not taken seriously and are ignored more than they are followed.

Think Smaller or Take A Big Delay

2008-09-24T21:13:00.008-04:00

What type of carry-on luggage is considered standard these days?

As an inflight crewmember, I am baffled with this question.

Although bag sizers are located in terminal boarding areas, I rarely see customers using them.

Also, you'll probably never see a flight attendant with a measuring tape to insure compliance with regulations.

Luggage these days comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes. It seems that if it can fit in the overhead bin, it is considered a carry-on.

Carry-on luggage, however, small or large, must comply with Federal Aviation Regulations.

Size matters as does the weight of the bag:

size matters because it allows the use of the overhead compartments for shared purposes.

weight matters because overhead bins are weight restricted and excess weight weakens the infrastructure of the bins.

When shopping for the perfect piece to travel with consider staying within the measurements required for a carry-on.

It will save the headache of checking luggage at the boarding door which may or may not delay a flight.

Frequent Flyers

2008-09-23T21:57:00.032-04:00

These days consumers have moved away from using their "cold-hard-cash."

Instead, consumers prefer the feel of plastic in their fingertips and reap the benefits of swiping a credit card.

Credit card companies offer all sorts of incentives when you carry around plastic instead of cash.

MileCards.com is a website that offers consumers the ability to compare and apply for credit cards that provide "mile points" for the frequent flyer.

Points can be redeemed for travel tickets, gasoline, gift cards, and hotel nights.

Not all cards offer the same benefit; so, it is wise to shop around and choose the best one for you.

It seems American Express offers the most in value for having their card; so, check out the website.

Best Foot Forward

2008-09-22T20:40:00.000-04:00

Welcome Back......

Well, for starters it wasn't another boring day flying the freindly skies.

This will make you consider who you're sitting next to in an exit row.

What if your life was on the line and your survival depended on the person closest to the only operating window exit. Lets say that it was the only exit excessible for your survival....

First of all, over-wing, exit windows do offer the extra leg room, but think about this.....the extra leg room is a trade-off for your willingness and ableness to help the inflight crew in the event of an emergency.

Anyway, a young lady boarding my flight on Friday, Sept. 19 was afraid of flying. I was flying position 1 and of course I was the first to meet and greet the customers.

She didn't hide the fact that she was afraid of flying as she informed me of her fear. I asked her where she was seated and the rest was history....

I asked her why she felt that it was ok for her to sit in an exit row informing her that she may be called upon in the event of an emergency. She simply replied that after a drink or two she'll feel better.

So, what's wrong with this picture that I'm painting in your head?

Keep On Moving

2008-09-18T09:07:00.000-04:00

Welcome Back.

A good laugh every now-and-than is good medicine to perk up the day. In my case it was a good perk-me-up after a long day.

It was just the other day on Tuesday after I just settled in for my flight home from Orlando on Southwest Airlines. While those that were sitting around me were reading or doing some other sort of thing I was watching people expedite the boarding process as they came onto the plane.

Southwest offers open seating for all customers; so, it is first-come-first serve. Unfortunately, I was processed in the B category and was the fourth set of customers to board. Middle seating was only available by this time, but I managed a seat close to the front of the plane.

It never fails that overhead space is always an issue in the front of the plane. The reason for this is that customers seating further back will always place their bags in those bins. I guess they find it easier to just walk up and pull down the bag and walk off.

Customers who this are wrong for doing so.

It's such an inconvenience for customers who board toward the end to have no over head space for their bags. They usually have to put it further back behind their row. Now, this makes for an ugly deplaning when that customer moves against traffic and holds up the process by retrieving their bag.

Anyway, my point follows here. People feel that once they occupy the overhead space it belongs only to them and organize it in a fashion that makes it an inconvenience for others to share that space.

Such is the case when a man on my flight had not only a roller board(suitcase) in the overhead, he also had his laptop bag and suit jacket. Oh, the suit jacket was also perfectly folded and placed ever so neatly in the overhead bin. These items can be stacked so others can share.

Now, here is the funny part. When seating in the bulkhead it is regulatory for all bags to be stowed. Bulkhead seating, unfortunately, does not have "under-the-seat" stowage and so bags need to be placed in overheads.

Hey folks it's FAA policy not mine.

Well, there was a young woman who needed to stow her bag and she just so happen to open the bin where that jacket I mention was stowed. The man, of course, made sure to tell her that she should be careful not to disturb his jacket. She replied, "It will be OK."

Funny thing is that it's never OK and wouldn't you know it, she closed the overhead bin down onto his jacket. Parts of the jacket were now sticking out of the bin. In disgust the man jumped up to save it from getting a wrinkle and mumbled some profanity.

All-in-all, I just find that at times that people are unaware what is going on around them. We need to pay more attention. The woman could of been more careful when she closed the overhead and the man could of been more considerate to others when he stowed his belongings.

Thanks for reading.

Time Sure Does Fly

2008-09-16T22:19:00.000-04:00

Welcome back.

It's sad to see the current state-of-affairs unfolding in our economy.

Overall, it's the mortgage-lending fall-out that has lenders feeling the squeeze and banks faultering on the verge of failure.

If this doesn't make your head spin along with the presidential race hitting the airwaves everyday, you're immune to the _______! (fill in the blank).

Personally, it bothers me that our financial infrastructure is collapsing......or is it?

Anyway, at my age, I've lived through the good and the bad. I would give this advice and say, "Make your own judgements and wise choices. Don't be steered by everything you see or hear."

I say this because I have a lot at stake in the financial market. I invest in a 401K and wouldn't have it any other way. I've invested since I started working for my company and surely I am taking full advantage of it. Why not!

I've vested over 5-years of my blood, sweat, and tears in the company and now they match dollar-for-dollar for every cent I invest. It's called matching.

It is, however, my fear that with the crap going on in the economy today I could loose my hard-earned cash. That's suppose to be my early, retirement fund.

Despite the ups-and-downs, I've seen fluctuations in my 401K that would surely have made your head spin.

What I did was absolutely nothing. I let time fly by and take its course. The market dipped, but came back up.

So, with that said just consider what I said above.

Goodnight :)

Heading North by Southwest

2008-09-16T21:51:00.000-04:00

Hi and thanks for taking the time to read my blog.

This past Monday, Sept, 15, I had reservations on Southwest Airlines. It's been some time since I actually flew the airline and to tell you the truth I can't really remember how many years ago it has been.

As you can probably guess by my blogs title it's all about what may go on in an aircraft or the industry in general.

Anyway, I had a flight from Fort Lauderdale to Orlando at my company's expense. Generally, I fly for free on pretty much any domestic carrier. This time it was for business. This month marked my fifth year anniversary as an inflight crewmember......big pay raise that's all I have to say.

Well, I was quite impressed by Southwest and their efficiency at operating business as usual.

Now, working for an airline myself and flying everywhere around the country I am witness to numerous things. This particular time I was impressed by Southwest's boarding process.

Like I said earlier, I can't really remember the last time I flew the airline, but I was aware of their boarding procedures. I guess I never really took the time to pay attention.

All-in-all, I pay attention to everything and that mainly comes with the territory, more-or-less, surrounding the 911 attacks on our country.

The boarding was flawless and the customers followed protocol.

Generally, though, customers flying short routes like Fort Lauderdale-Orlando, New York-Buffalo, or New York-Boston, for example, are business-suite types who fly several times a week. They're repeat customers racking up flying miles and due this sort of thing in their sleep.

Really, though, the company I work for has tried several approaches on aircraft boarding. We just can't get it right.

I'm not knocking my company or any other company, for that matter, its just that I have experienced the process first hand time-and-time again.

It's important to remember, however, that where there is credit due it's OK to express your thoughts.

Goodnight :)

"Ad" Me To Your Manifest

2008-09-13T11:10:00.000-04:00

Welcome and thanks for "blogging" in.

Unless you live in a remote part of the world untouched by "civilized" communities your victim to an endless bombardment of banner advertisements.

Civilized communities are driven for the sole purpose of big business and personal gain.

I find it preposterous for Spirit Airlines to take it a step further in selling ad-space on their aircraft's to utilize overhead bins and bulkheads to plaster advertisements in your face.

An article in the Sun-Sentinel dated Sept. 12, 2008 states, "onboard advertising appears to be the low-cost carrier's latest revenue-generating tactic" to ease losses.

Airlines today operate in a time with higher cost due to fuel and fewer travelers who just can't afford the cost of a ticket.

Does this mean that other airlines will follow suit to raise revenue? I personally hope that it isn't a precedent in the making.

I find advertisements distracting, especial billboards on roadside that you can't even read. You'll drive off the road even before you can understand what it is that the ad is saying. At 70-mph it isn't Ad-vantageous to take your eyes off the road.

In One Ear and Out the Other

2008-09-11T19:26:00.000-04:00

Ears serve a very specific function....to listen and process information in the brain. They don't come with a volume control switch to tune out surrounding noise.

The term selective hearing is a nice way of saying that a person listens to what they want to hear by tuning out what they feel is unimportant. Sometimes, however, what they tune out is valuable information and serves to provide a life saving measure for their safety.

Guidelines must be followed when customers board an aircraft and most important is the "safety demonstration" set forth by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This is a mandatory stage in the safety and comfort for customers and crew members.

For every three customers on board an aircraft, I can personally say that 66.66 percent of customers are listening during the demonstration. The other 33.33 percent are tuning out by listening to iPods, text messaging, using laptops, or distracting those that listen with loud conversations. There are also those that fall right-to-sleep as soon as they sit down.

The experience I've had on board an aircraft has shown me that, overall, for every 10 safety demos performed on board one is interrupted due to phones ringing or conversations that are to loud. These serve as distractions for those that are listening to the pertinent information and it is a dis-service to humanity.

The realization is that repeat customers hear safety demos time-and-time again and the demos rarely divert from the usual information. Yet, there are those that listen tentatively because they fear that "this-time-may-be-the-time" they need to save their lives.

Even though statistic say that flying is the safest way to travel, people have a bigger fear of flying then they do traveling in ground transportation.

The world would be a much better place if people listen and show consideration for others despite their personal short-comings