Dog in care of Delta airlines found dead in Atlanta

by McLean Robbins on

The dog lost by Delta Airlines over the holiday weekend was found dead on the side of the road Saturday, CBS Atlanta reports.

Our friends at AOL Travel originally reported on the story of an Army family’s dog, a German Shepherd mix named Nala, that had gone missing after escaping from her crate at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. The dog and her travel companion, the family’s Beagle, were changing planes en route to Frankfurt, Germany. The other dog has arrived safely.

Nala escaped from her crate and was last seen on Christmas Eve. The airline had been offering a $1,000 reward for the return of the dog and now says it plans to donate that money to a local animal rescue organization.

This story is quite sad, as anyone who has ever lost a family pet will certainly agree. But what is even more strange is how a dog that large could escape without being tracked down immediately. There must be some sort of consequences for the employee in charge of these pets as there is a clear lack of effective security measures that contributed to the escape. While we certainly applaud Delta’s reward efforts, $1,000 is a small consolation for the loss of a beloved pet.

Atlanta TSA employee allegedly abducts, assaults woman and attempts suicide

by Tom Johansmeyer on

As if the TSA didn’t have enough to worry about this week …

Only hours before the busiest travel day of the year, news has gotten out that a TSA employee working at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta – the busiest airport in the country – attempted to commit suicide. It was a particularly grotesque situation, as he allegedly abducted a young woman, sexually assaulted her and gave her his suicide note to pass along.

Randall Scott King is reported to have snatched the woman from a MARTA parking lot last Wednesday night. He took her to his home in Hogansville, Georgia – around 50 miles from Atlanta – and allegedly assaulted her. King then let her go, bearing the suicide note he gave her.

When the alleged victim notified the authorities, King was found at his home with self-inflicted wounds – he’s now in critical condition at Columbus’ Regional Medical Center. He was a behavior detection officer with the TSA, where he has worked for close to five years, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

King and the woman he’s alleged to have abducted knew each other, according to airport spokeswoman Katena Carvajales: “They left the airport together voluntarily.”

[photo by hyku via Flickr]

Relief: Four airport perks coming soon

by Tom Johansmeyer on

There’s nothing fun about going to the airport, and the regulatory climate isn’t likely to change that anytime soon. Security will still be a nightmare, and you won’t be able to bring your own water with you (at least not for a while). Fortunately, there are companies out there looking for ways to make your airport experience better.

So, what can you expect to see in your local airport in the near future? Here are four amenities to whet your appetite for something to counteract the airport security gauntlet:

1. Catch some comfy shut-eye: sleeping on a plane sucks. There’s just no way to get comfortable. And, if you slip your leg alongside the seat in front of you, you do run the risk that it will get slammed by the beverage cart. Well, you’ll be able to use your layovers to rest, soon. Napping nooks, already available at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, are expected to come to San Francisco in the near future. Seven airports are in the early stages.2. Light up a cigar: okay, this one is particularly meaningful to me. A few airports still have smoking areas (I just lit up in Denver last month), but they tend to be unfortunate spaces, not designed to appeal. This is where a company like Graycliff can make a difference. The Bahamas-based cigar and hospitality company has an idea for well-ventilated lounges, featuring cigar rollers (and nothing beats a stick fresh off the bench, at least, not for me). With Graycliff involved, you can expect a stylish, upscale experience. The first is already open at the airports in Nashville and Nassau.

3. Better shopping and eating: the challenge of finding a bite or buying a tie during weird hours could become a thing of the past. From the chance to dine at a Food Network Kitchen to broader shopping options, airports are scoping out ways to enhance the experience of being trapped within their walls. If all the doomsday predictions by the airline industry about the implications of the three-hour delay rule are true, you might need to buy several changes of clothes and meals … because they believe this rule means you will never get home again.

4. Get picked up more easily: no, this has nothing to do with wearing something hot or having that extra cocktail. Rather, airports are opening their minds to parking where your ride can wait for you. You call; they drive around to get you. But, it’s not always that easy. Nature calls, and there’s always a shortage of space. So, look for larger parking lots with bathrooms flight information boards and maybe even dining options? Newark’s already headed down this road, with plans in the works for JFK airport, Cincinnati, Fort Myers and St. George (in Utah).

For more on this topic, head on over to USA Today where airport expert Harriet Baskas explores more upcoming airport amenities.

[photo by msspider66 via Flickr]

AirTran, ATL airport reach seven-year agreement

by McLean Robbins on

Travelers flying on AirTrain Airways will be spending a lot more time in Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, thanks to the completion of a seven-year master lease agreement for facilities, signed earlier this week.

AirTran Airways, based in Orlando, Fla., operates the world’s largest low-cost carrier hub at Hartsfield-Jackson and has a considerable economic impact on the city, state and region. The low-cost carrier is the 25th largest employer in Atlanta and employs more than 6,000 crew members in the state.

“Finalizing our long-term lease with the city of Atlanta brings economic certainty to the airline and sets the platform for future growth,” said Bob Fornaro, AirTran Airways’ chairman, president and chief executive officer. “This agreement is good for the city, AirTran Airways and fans of low fares around the nation.”

AirTran is the second largest airline at the world’s busiest airport serving dozens of destinations around the country and throughout the Caribbean. While the news may be good for the city’s economy, it may not be a positive for travelers – Atlanta’s airport is one of the country’s most notorious for flight delays.

In addition to flight operations at the airport, the airline also operates pilot and flight attendant bases, a maintenance hangar and base, two reservations centers, marketing and sales, security offices and corporate and flight training centers in the area.

Odds are, you’ll be on a smaller plane

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Airlines are using the little planes for longer runs, these days. According to the Las Vegas Sun, the average regional airline flight hit 461 miles in 2008, up profoundly from 274 miles in 2009. That’s an increase of 41 percent! This is an industry-wide trend, so shopping around isn’t likely to help you get a larger jet. The major carriers are relying on regional affiliates, so you’ll probably be out of luck. The regionals fly more than half the flights from some pretty hefty airports, including LaGuardia, O’Hare, Milwaukee, Raleigh and Memphis. And, these airlines account for 45% of the traffic at Atlanta’s Hartsfield International, the busiest airport in the United States.

American Airlines and United announced that they were adopting this approach back in September, particularly at airports such as Chicago and Denver. Delta has moved its Washington-to-New York shuttle to one of its regional carriers, as well.

[Via USA Today]