Business is a cut-throat world, and the airline industry is more brutal than most. So when Spirit Airlines stupidly decided to charge for carry-on luggage, they basically invited angry travelers and direct competitors to start piling on. Our response was mostly to point out how the new fee was part and parcel of a history of bad ideas from Spirit Air. JetBlue came up with something a little less direct.

The LCC took to their official blog to announce that, while they obviously recommend flying JetBlue because their overhead bins are free, they understand that sometimes itineraries just don't work out. For those times they recommended the "Extrago Sherpa Shirt," a "special outerwear that we designed to hold 'an entire trip’s worth of necessities, including the money you’ll save by not checking or carrying on your bag.'" It was originally part of their Christmas viral ad/store thing in New York, and they've brought it back.]]> Omri 2010-04-16T16:52:58-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/11/9/135754/222

We all think we're unique and special, and maybe we are, when we're among our own people. But once we're out of our element, it's awfully easy to fall into a stereotype. Travel blogger David Garrett Byars was recently reflecting on the different people he's met while backpacking the world, and came up with a humorous list of the five types of travelers you're likely to encounter (or be) when you hit the road. Take The Expert, for example. He's the guy who "sipped hot green tea from the cupped hands of the Dalai Lama" and "has no friends because no one can really relate to him on his level because of the deep and meaningful experiences he has had." Yeah, I've met that guy. I might add that he'll always find a way to insult whatever guidebook you're using, because it's just so commercialized and shallow compared with the ancient papyrus scrolls he consults for wisdom. Then there's the Travel Hippie, who will recoil in horror if you order animal flesh at a restaurant, but secretly "doesn’t even like Phish and can only name two Grateful Dead songs." My favorite: Super Technical Gear Guy (pictured), whose clothing "conveys the sense that he just traversed the Sahara Desert strapped to the top of a Land Rover." So what kind of traveler are you? Possibly a little bit of each. There's a piece of Super Technical Gear Guy in all of us.

[Photo: David Garrett Byars]

Related Stories:
· Variety is the Spice of Life [davidgarrettbyars.com]
· Humor Coverage [Jaunted]]]> Victor Ozols 2008-11-09T13:57:54-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2007/5/14/154239/901

Don't get me wrong: I like people as a concept. It's just that actual people keep ruining it for me.

Usually, we leave the heavy-duty airline reporting to wonky airline blogs that know the difference between Y-ups and Q fares. But when customers' rights come under attack we have to let you know. American Airlines will no longer include jet fuel in the price of a ticket.

True, we like choices when it comes to travel, but doesn't this sound a little extreme?

The airlines spokesperson said that once a flight has departed, flight attendants will ask the passengers to chip in for the fuel necessary to reach their final destination.

"If you're on a transcontinental flight, the choice will be the consumer's," she said. "Do you want to go all the way from New York to Los Angeles, or will you settle for Cleveland?"

Related Stories:
· Downgrades: Spirit Airlines to Charge... [Upgrade: Travel Better]
· Airlines to Offer ‘Fuel for Purchase’ Option [Borowitz Report]]]> pbb 2007-03-07T10:28:49-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2007/1/10/16252/6912

Typical of the useless stuff people take the time to post on YouTube, but notable for the fact it somehow did make us laugh. Someone taped a Tickle Me Elmo Extreme laughing at passengers at the airport.

We could have used something like this when we were changing gates in Houston, waiting for the monorail to take us to a flight that was leaving in 11 minutes. Hey, better to laugh than to stab oneself in the knee...which is what we wanted to do at the time.]]> djk 2007-01-10T16:02:52-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2007/1/8/94316/64657
Money can't buy you love. Money can't buy you a sense of humor. Free television can't buy you a sense of humor, but a little known fact is that it can buy you love. We know because of the mistakes we've made in the throes of cable deprivation. The flirtatious wave of a Time Warner remote can lure more cable-less tail than you'd think.

Canada's second airline, WestJet, continues to struggle to turn on the charm despite a record profit this quarter and all the onboard entertainment it offers. Simply put, WestJet tries to be funny. Problem is, WestJet isn't funny. The lame jokes flight attendants tell over the intercom system are the bane of some passengers' patronage. Every WestJet plane carries a joke book filled to the gills with this cheese. Example: "Q: What kind of car does Luke Skywalker drive? A: A Toy-Yoda." Oh, and the book is called--get ready, now--Just Plane Fun.

The good news is that WestJet is always looking to expand its repertoire. We encourage all interested comedians to call 1-877-WJCARES and suggest a joke, as it's impossible to locate a customer service email address on WestJet's site. We wouldn't object if you, say, petitioned them to hire Bob Saget to perform on select routes, but that's up to you.

[Photo: ericbegin2000]

Related Stories:
· WestJet seeks joke material for cabin comedians [Vancouver Sun]
· WestJet lifts off despite shaky start in '06 [Canada.com]
· WestJet, Air Canada hit heights in 2006 [Globe and Mail]]]> djk 2007-01-08T09:43:16-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/