I don't know why, but I've always liked the word tarmac. Before I even knew what it meant, I knew it was something important, a place where powerful people went and big things happened. Maybe it was from snippets of the TV news I'd overhear about presidents being greeted on the tarmac, or my airline pilot father making conversation with his friends about a recent flight, but I was sure that a tarmac was far more exciting than my suburban backyard. When I finally figured out that tarmac referred to the runways, aprons, and ramp areas of airports, it lost none of its allure. Sure, the golden age of flight is over, but big things still happen in airports, journeys begin and end. And for some reason, the word tarmac perfectly describes the big, flat open space that serves as as a mini-purgatory for fliers, whether coming or going. ]]> Victor Ozols 2009-08-29T13:26:35-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/8/21/11951/8634

We've already expressed our repulsion at the baggage fees that airlines keep piling on passengers these days but we were appalled at this fee that we saw United Airlines leveraging on passengers at the Kahului Airport (OGG) in Maui, Hawaii yesterday.

The sign says,

$125 charge for checked bags over 50lbs.

Usually, we understand that overweight bags should be dinged for their heftiness but $125? That is just thievery. And according to United's website, oversized baggage costs $175. Ugh. Better consider shipping that luggage instead.

Got an outrageous checked baggage fee experience? Unlike the stone-faced check-in agents, Jaunted is ready to listen to you! Send us your story.

Related Stories:
· The Airlines Are Just Not That Into Us: New Baggage Fees Announced [Jaunted]
· Oversized, overweight and excess baggage [United Airlines] ]]> juliana 2009-08-21T10:42:32-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/3/16/162028/836

Oh Orbitz. Why do you keep making us publish these stories? Via Technologizer:

I ended up at Orbitz, which offered some attractive-sounding package deals for a flight and hotel room. I started clicking my way through to buy... Orbitz had added a $14 bus pickup and dropoff to my order. One I hadn’t asked for. And it told me it was doing it "for my convenience." ...

Keep reading to what other optional upgrades Orbitz thinks are "convenient" for you. ]]> Omri 2009-03-17T08:45:23-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/3/14/142117/416

Great Britain has 9,447 miles of coastline, and Current U.K. contributor Holly Walsh hates every inch of it. She makes her feelings known in a hilarious "pod" that calls out resort areas like Brighton, Blackpool, and Worthing as depressing, decrepit places that exist solely because people are convinced that they're supposed to enjoy them. ]]> Victor Ozols 2009-03-14T14:21:17-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/2/2/13158/18267

What the Blitz and terrorists have failed to do, the weather has done. London is on its knees today (or at least buried up to its knees) under a whole seven inches of snow.

Three of the five London airports are shut, mainline trains are down, only two of the 11 underground trains are running properly and all 5 million buses have been taken off the roads.

And because of (read: thanks to) that, there’s barely anyone about. Ever diligent, we made it into work this morning, to be confronted with tumbleweed blowing around the office. London Underground staff were using commuter paper Metro to mop up the water this morning, while afternoon paper thelondonpaper* reduced its print run from 500,000 to 150,000 to compensate for the lack of readers about. ]]> juliab 2009-02-02T14:45:59-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/11/18/173432/45

President Bush made his now-annual announcement today that "military airspace" would be opened up to commercial traffic to ease Thanksgiving travel in the US this year.

Of course, as was pointed out last year, the move doesn't guarantee a trouble-free holiday travel season. Still, the announcement gave the outgoing president the chance to try out a joke:

The past eight years I have not seen a traffic jam, waited for an airplane or had my bags lost.

Hilarious.

Related Stories:
· President Bush Tells a Joke [Airline Biz Blog]
· Bush Opens Military Airspace [WaPo]
· Bush Opens Airspace for Thanksgiving Travelers [Peter Greenberg]
· Bush Moves to Open More Flight Lanes for Holiday [AP, via Google]

[Photo of JFK: Carl Puentes Photography]]]> pbb 2008-11-18T17:34:32-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/11/13/152553/33

Short answer: Probably not. While the European Union said Wednesday that a group of new investors could take over the money-hemorrhaging airline, Alitalia will also have to pay back a €300 million ($377 million) rescue loan it received from the Italian government. No one's quite sure where that money's going to come from.

Meanwhile, some staff are organizing impromptu (i.e. wildcat) strikes at airports, delaying departures and forcing flight cancellations. Italian newspaper La Repubblica says even the corpse of a woman headed to Albania can't get where its going, languishing instead at Fiumicino. While Italy's labor minister has suggested the strikes are illegal, that's of little consolation to stranded fliers.

The new Alitalia is supposed to debut on December 1. Will it be ready to fly by then? And will Ryanair's allegation that this takeover is against EU rules further stall the much-needed makeover? We're not planning to find out.

Related Stories:
· EU Backs Proposed Alitalia Takeover [AP, via Google]
· Alitalia Protests Continue, Government Eyes Options [Reuters]
· Ryanair to Appeal EU's "Corrupt" Support [AFP, via Google]
· Fiumicino: Even a Corpse, Delayed for Days [La Repubblica, in Italian]

[Photo: Alessio85]]]> pbb 2008-11-13T15:30:12-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/