Jaunted

Airline Hell / Airline Report / Michelle Higgins / New York Times / → All Tags

Airline Report: The Times Says Love Your (Seat) Neighbor

We've all be trapped between the incessant talker and the guy with a stinky sandwich. Marathon flights across the country or across the sea guarantee obnoxious seatmates. You can forget the friendly skies, and forget catching some Zs. You're lucky to make it to drink service holding onto your sanity between a screaming kid and the woman eager to become your new best friend.

But this weekend's NY Times Travel section has got the tips you need to avoid the hassle, get a decent seat, and if you're lucky, even enjoy a little shut eye.

Want a taste of the Gray Lady's advice? Reporter Michelle Higgins says to take the road less traveled (we're pretty sure she borrowed that advice from some guy named Robert Frost), and book your flights on unexpected routes. Or better yet, be a guinea pig on new flights to new locations.

If all else fails? Stuff in the ear plugs, pull down the eye mask, and keep your fingers crossed that the guy with the B.O. isn't seated next to you.

Related Stories:
· Mid-Air Brawl [Jaunted]
· Finding Empty Seats On Busy Routes [NY Times]

[Photo Credit: Dan Heller]

Airline Delays / Vance Atkinson / Airline Report / New York Times / → All Tags

Judas of Pilots is Our Hero

Sure, the other pilots might think he's a traitor. But Vance Atkinson, 64, who spent 30 years flying for an unnamed airline actually admits that the airline industry is screwing its customers. An article quoting Atkinson's disillusionment with the state of the airline industry appeared in The New York Times Tuesday.

Atkinson lays out a plan to improve passengers' flight experience by forcing airlines to stop cutting corners. On the other hand, this means we need to be willing to pay higher ticket prices. Hmm, you had us until then Vance. Good thing there's SkyBus.

Related Stories:
· Even a Pilot Thinks Airlines Are a Mess [NY Times]
· 2007 Flight Delays the Worst on Record [Jaunted]

[Photo Credit: NY Times]

US Airways / Airline Report / → All Tags

Pink is the New Emergency Landing

Gossip blogger Trent, the man behind Pink is the New Blog had a scary flight experience today riding on US Airways from Burbank, CA to Detroit:

I am currently in a holding room in the Las Vegas airport penned up with other travelers. My US Airways flight (#2800) out of Burbank to Detroit had to make an emergency landing in the middle of the Mojave Desert after the pilot informed us that there was a fire in the cockpit. Thankfully we landed safely and without incident but, and I kid you not, we were just bused to Las Vegas. People, the entire plane full of people were herded onto a bus and 3 hours later here we are.

In that case, is US Airways better than JetBlue for at least putting people on a bus? Have no fear, though. Trent is set to get on a flight to Detroit, via Phoenix in just a few short hours.

Related Stories:
· Panic! At the Airport [PTNB]