I just don’t understand how anyone can be afraid to fly. It’s well-established that flying is statistically safer than driving.
Annoyed by flying, I can understand. That happens to me, even though I love flying (yes, I act like a golden retriever hopping into a pickup whenever it’s time to fly).
Even if I don’t understand frightened [...]
Posts under ‘flying’
5 Ways to Pack Lighter
A good friend of mine dropped into a recent post here lately, saying that she can go carry-on even for international flights. That’s the virtue of packing light, of course. I can’t go carry-on despite being a light packer because of the length of my backpack. But I can share some of my tips for [...]
Airport “Authorities” Continue Running Amok
Monday night, I had to visit Sky Harbor Airport to pick my wife up from racing in the Ironman triathlon in Madison, Wisc. She flew United, which is based at Terminal 2. For a person stiff and sore from completing the 140-mile course -and with extra injuries from a crash- it’s the perfect terminal: It’s [...]
Cheat Your Way out of Airline Checked-Bag Fees – For Now
The Arizona Republic has an interesting story about airline passengers trying to cram as much stuff into their carry-on luggage as possible to avoid checked-bag fees. That in itself was nothing revolutionary. But a few things stuck out to me:
1. Cheapskate passengers are slowing up the laborious boarding process for everyone else because, while they can afford [...]
Airline Seats – They’re Not So Bad
Let me preface this by saying I’m 6′2, 190 pounds. With those dimensions, I should be uncomfortable while flying. Even though I’m on the thin side, long limbs often make for an unhappy traveler.
Here’s the funny thing, though: I’m pretty content when I’m seated, even when the person in front of me starts leaning back. [...]
What Hotel Services Could You Live Without?
Recently, The Cranky Flier wrote about the airline El Al (which seriously sounds like it should serve flights to the planet Kypton) creating a super-low economy section by charging for services normally offered for free. This “unbundling”, as it’s known in industry parlance, would charge for things like snacks and drinks. I’m assuming there’s no [...]
Funny FAQ Offers Glimpse Into Kiwi Culture
I’ve come to the conclusion that the United States is one uptight country. Then again, next to New Zealand, just about every nation needs to douse itself with Valium.
And there’s no better proof of this than Air New Zealand’s online FAQ list. It’s in a pop-up window, so I can’t give you a direct link. [...]
Airline Update – Phoenix to Jamaica
Wow, check it out! There’s now a new international destination from the Nation’s Least International International Airport (aka Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport).
This one comes to us from US Airways, which is offering seasonal nonstop service from Phoenix to Montego Bay, Jamaica, starting Dec. 17 and running through April 12, 2010. That’s aboard an Airbus [...]
27 Injured in Jet’s Rough Ride
I usually think a bit of turbulence makes for a fun ride on a commercial flight. But I don’t like it quite this much.
It takes a lot of turbulence to bounce the widebodied 767 around to the tune of 27 injuries. Continental Airlines Flight 128 (Rio de Janeiro to Houston) took its pummeling at about [...]
A Few Fun Photos and Fishy Facts
Just in case you’re wondering, I have a few new adventures that I’m preparing to share with you. In the meantime, enjoy these few photos from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. These are a few of the more interesting planes at the candidate for America’s dullest international airport.
The Alaska Airlines Salmon-Thirty-Salmon wasn’t an interesting plane [...]
