Tag: Military Travel

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Three Airports That Already Celebrated the Holidays with Flashmobs

December 23, 2011 at 11:04 AM | by | Comments (0)

Traveling today? Who isn't?! Luckily not flashmobbers, since the holiday airport flashmobs are done for the season; airports don't want to crowd up their walkways on one of the busiest travel days of the year, you see. Flashmobs already got their dancing and videos out of the way over the last few weeks.

Without a doubt, the winner for best airport flashmob of winter 2011 is Denver International, with their swing-happy routine. Essentially they Lindy-bombed the place. The video above is energetic enough to hold your attention all the way through, and perhaps even get you grinning.

The following two videos are flashmob-esque:

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Right Now is Not the Best Time to Day Trip to the DMZ

December 19, 2011 at 8:15 AM | by | Comments (0)

So, North Korea's "Dear Leader" Kim Jong Il died this weekend—at 8:30am local time on Saturday, to be specific. According to NK state media and CNN, the cause of death is heart attack. The sudden news will start this week with uncertainty, as North Korea enters a period of mourning (until December 29) and South Korea holds emergency government meetings.

Naturally we're thinking about how all this will impact travel, and while weekending in Pyongyang isn't exactly around the corner, the tense situation between North and South Korea will almost certainly end visits to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), at least temporarily.

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How to Send a Holiday Card to Troops Overseas This Holiday Season

November 16, 2011 at 1:59 PM | by | Comments (0)

You might not be able to make it to an overseas military base to thank a soldier in person this holiday season, but there is still time to send the troops a holiday card through the Red Cross Holiday Mail For Heroes program.

The American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes are partnering for the fifth time to ensure all Americans have the chance to send "a touch of home" to U.S. military members who are far away from their homes during the holidays.

To send a holiday card to a member of the U.S. Armed Forces, all you need to do is write out a card using the salutation "Dear Service Member," include a note of gratitude, and send it to the address below by December 9, 2011:

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Some People Will Do Anything for an Upgrade, Even Criminally Impersonate a US Soldier

June 27, 2011 at 1:52 PM | by | Comment (1)

Are you prepared to read a travel tale so pathetic, that it could very well either be the best or worst thing you read today? Here goes: the NY Post reports that a man was arrested for impersonating a US Army soldier in order to score a free First Class upgrade on American Airlines. Wow. Just wow.

It seems that Rock Diaz (pictured at right in his faux army duds) was caught by a detail-oriented customs agent at JFK Airport after he disembarked an AA plane from the Dominican Republic and couldn't correctly answer questions about his rank and station. Nor could he produce a military ID. All this came after Diaz enjoyed the long flight in First Class, as a flight attendant spotted his uniform and upgraded him.

He blames the whole thing on a misunderstanding and language barrier, but he has a history of pulling this stunt; Diaz has impersonated military for flight upgrades (and even a cockpit visit) in the past.

This the smartest/stupidest upgrade idea ever. It's smart because it's so low that it's almost unexpected and depending on the uniform details, flight crew may never be the wiser. It's stupid because it's ridiculously cowardly, cheap, and underhanded. We feel sorry for the flight attendant and other crew he's duped in the past, because here they thought they were being patriotic and kind to a real soldier, and here it's just another petty criminal looking for a free meal.

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My First Flight: 'Flying Was a Risky Business. I Would Soon Learn Just How Risky.'

June 7, 2011 at 9:35 AM | by | Comments (0)


A Pan Am Boeing B-314 Flying Boat. Click to see a cutaway.

Everybody has a story about their first time. The anticipation, the nerves, the worry...but then the pure wonder when you finally take off. Of course we're talking about your first flight—the first time you boarded an airplane and discovered the skyways. We're telling those stories in a new series simply called "My First Flight." Want to share your first flight story? We've love to have it! Send it along to us here.

This story comes from Mr. Ed Dover, a Jaunted reader. Enjoy!

My very first time aloft in an airplane was an orientation flight over San Francisco Bay on board one of the Martin M-130 Clippers. The flight deck of the Martin was rather cramped compared to the Flight deck of the Boeing B-314. I was a Flight Radio Officer, and radio operators sat at a small desk directly behind the co-pilot and the flight engineer sat on what amounted to a small shelf just above and behind that. If the radio operator was in his seat, he would have to get out and step down to the main deck in order to allow the flight engineer access to his respective operating location.

My next assignment was to get outfitted for my uniforms...

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Memorial Day Already Happened at SFO, with the Arrival of the 'Honor Flight'

Where: San Francisco International [map], San Francisco, CA, United States
May 27, 2011 at 9:50 AM | by | Comments (0)

Here's to a three-day weekend! We may all enjoy the first taste of summer relaxation with this upcoming Monday off of work, but it's okay to remember why the day has been dedicated a national holiday. Memorial Day isn't just sleeping until noon on a weekday, boozy brunching and maybe driving through the closest cemetery to view all the flags placed on veteran's graves. Memorial Day is about remembrance, and before we start into some Hallmark card-like spiel, we'll leave you with a photo of a touching scene we accidentally walked into while at San Francisco International Airport last week.

After disembarking our flight and heading out beyond security, towards the BART train, we passed by firefighters and policemen hoisting up American flags, and families decked out in red, blue and white awaiting the arrival of a very specific flight. Our first thought? Maybe they were here to welcome home servicemen on active duty. But no...

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Fleet Week Comes to NYC This Wednesday: The Top Five Events

May 23, 2011 at 4:31 PM | by | Comments (0)

We've got two words for you: FLEET WEEK. More than 3,000 Marines, Sailors and Coast Guardsmen are cruising into NYC this week in what's something of an annual celebration of military-themed drink specials and dress whites. Central Park will be at its leafiest, the club districts will be hopping, and cougars will be out searching for young, clean-shaven prey. It's summer in the city at its finest.

It all starts this Wednesday at 8:30am with the Parade of Ships on the Hudson River. Fleet Week is a Wednesday-to-Wednesday deal, so the servicemen have time to go home to their families if they choose, or to party it up in the Big Apple for seven straight days. While they're off the ships, the behemoth vessels open up to public tours—for free—from 8am to 5pm most days.

If your Memorial Day plans involve hanging out in NYC, we recommend hitting up a few of those tours and these next 5 events, our Top Five official events during Fleet Week:

[Photo: US Marine Corps on Flickr]

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Osama Bin Laden's Compound in Abbottabad Has Tourist Destination Potential

May 2, 2011 at 9:36 AM | by | Comments (0)


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Last night, when President Barack Obama announced the killing of terrorist al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, history was made at the same time as a town in Pakistan lost its innocence. Abbottabad was named by Barack as the place in which bin Laden had made his mansion hideout home. He wasn't in caves, he wasn't in Afghanistan, and he wasn't going to escape this time. A recently built home, surrounded by walls and within an affluent community, was where the last stand between Osama and the USA took place, with the US' Navy SEALS emerging victorious in under 40 minutes of covert operations.

As such, Abbottabad is today the center of much curiosity; it's even been trending on Twitter all night thanks to Abbottabad-based Twitter user Sohaib Athar—@ReallyVirtual—who lives in the town and who unknowingly live-tweeted the mission several days ago, hearing as he did helicopters overhead and bursts. Sohaib moved to the relative calm of Abbottabad to work on his IT business and escape the fighting in Lehore, Pakistan. This isn't all that extraordinary, since Abbottabad is a huge tourist destination; in fact it is considered one of the most beautiful cities in Pakistan.

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American Airlines Redefines Airport USOs with New 'Cyber Canteen' at O'Hare

December 15, 2010 at 10:30 AM | by | Comment (1)

Troops coming home or heading out to battle will have a little bit more room to stretch out when traveling through Chicago-O’Hare thanks to the USO and American Airlines. The two are partnering up to launch a brand new Cyber Canteen. It’s pretty much just a new USO lounge, albeit with a clever name, and it offers 1,000 square feet for active military service members to escape the madness of Terminal 3.

Ready to welcome home plenty of military just in time for the holidays, the new lounge will offer seating space and relaxation room for around 120 members of the military when they find themselves flying through Chicago. The cyber part comes from all the computers and televisions that will be set up in the lounge, and there will be ample opportunities to call home and to check in with friends and family over the internet.

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Fly a MiG Over Moscow or a Fighter Jet Over LA Without a Pilot's License

February 9, 2010 at 12:00 PM | by | Comments (0)

If you watched Top Gun and longed to be hot-headed pilot Maverick, kicking ass in the skies, then get your jumpsuit ready. Incredible Adventures will not only set you up with a fighter jet, but the company will film your short escapade and you can help write a script.

You get to choose whether you want to do rolls and loops in your L-39 over L.A. or San Diego, which cost $2,950, or Vegas, which is $4,950. It's the same plane that was used in Jarhead, a film that Incredible Adventures helped make. For some additional dough, you can add a paparazzo or an enemy cameo to your story.

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For Veteran's Day, Donate Your Unused Miles To An Injured Soldier

November 11, 2009 at 11:30 AM | by | Comments (0)

If you've been looking for a way to give back to the men and women of the armed services, look to The Fisher House Foundation. As a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting America's military in their time of need, they're always looking for donated frequent flyer miles. The Hero Miles program allows passengers to donate their frequent flyer miles to service members and their families.

Fisher House specifically uses the donated miles to provide free airline tickets to military men and women who are being treated at a military or VA medical center due to an injury they sustained in Iraq or Afghanistan. The purchased plane tickets provide these men and women with the ability to visit home on an approved leave, or for their families to come to them.

The Fisher House works with several airlines including AirTran Airways, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Midwest Airlines, Northwest Airlines, United Airlines, and US Airways for the Heroes Miles program. To donate, you can visit Fisher House's website or the individual airlines and request information about donating your miles.

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