Want a little extra room when traveling with a spouse or friend? Book the window and aisle seats of the same row.
Since the middle seats are the last seats on the plane to be chosen, there’s a good chance that the seat between you will be vacant if the flight isn’t fully-booked.
If someone does sit between you, just offer them the window or the aisle seat. Who wouldn’t exchange a middle seat for a window or aisle?
Most travelers know to shower before they fly. It’s common sense that when you’re going to be captive for hours, with no personal space, the last thing anyone needs is body odor. What some new travelers don’t realize is that even the tiniest amount of aftershave or perfume can be toxic to cooped-up fliers.
At home, your loved one may adore the smell of your fu-fu, but people sitting near you on a packed flight, will not — and there is just no way they can get away from it.
So, to recap: shower; wear fresh, clean clothes; but please hold the cologne.
A planeload of passengers on a Ryanair flight from the UK to Lanzarote (one of the Spanish Canary Islands) learned the hard way that low cost carriers carry a hidden price.
Instead of landing in Lanzarote, the plane landed in Fuerteventura (about 30 miles from their intended destination).
Bad weather had forced the plane to divert, but usually when a plane has to divert, a normal airline takes care of its customers.
Obviously, Ryanair isn’t considered to be a normal airline, so the passengers were told to get off the plane, and after refueling, the plane took off, leaving the passengers to fend for themselves.
There were no Ryanair staff at the airport, and with no way to reach anyone from the airline, the passengers had to book hotels for themselves.
The next morning, the passengers were able to grab a ferry to their correct destination, losing a night of their vacation and any hotel nights they had booked.
A Ryanair spokesman confirmed that the flight had indeed been diverted, but was quick to point out that “if flight disruption is outside the control of the airline, no monetary compensation is due.”
So there you have it – flying with Ryanair really is a gamble, and you don’t even know whether you’ll actually arrive at your destination. Perhaps they can make some more money by starting a “will we get to our destination” lottery on their flights.
(Image: Getty)
%Gallery-76818%
%Gallery-64688%
We’ve already been told that being too fat will have you kicked off the plane, but now “too smelly” is apparently also a (very) good reason to be sent back into the terminal.
Not much is known about the specifics, but several weeks ago, Canadian airline Jazz had to remove a passenger because of his “brutal” stench.
I’ve been in the unlucky situation of sitting next to a stinker, and it really is a horrible position to be in – especially when you are dealing with the kind of stench that can’t be masked by a spritz of Old Spice.
Thankfully, someone at Jazz had the guts to tell the passenger that he had to get off the plane. In situations like this, I’d rather see them embarrass one passenger, than inconvenience an entire plane.
The airline wouldn’t reveal any specifics, citing privacy concerns, but they do admit that a passenger was removed, mentioning “safety concerns”.
As far as I’m concerned, that is a perfect way to handle it. Seriously, I can understand smelling a little nasty after a few days on the road, but I’ve encountered people I could smell 4 rows up. Do everyone a favor, and take a shower before you fly!
%Poll-41939%
(Image from: Getty)
Just in time for my ‘virgin’ flight with Virgin America next week, the low-cost high-fun airline launches a whole new suite of in-flight entertainment. Here’s what is new at 35,000-feet (and what I’ll be doing next week):
Shop ’til you drop… err, land: Virgin America Elevate members can earn points toward a free flight just by shopping online in-flight. The “Red Store” has over 150 retailers including Apple, BarnesandNoble.com, BestBuy.com, macys.com, Target.com and more. This is great news for flyers who always seem to forget something.
Fine wine and flying: Virgin America was named the top domestic airline for in-flight wine by Global Traveler, and now the first-class cabin gets a new selection to choose from. Straight from the Mirassou winery in Northern California, Virgin America serves up two different varietals that are sure to please: Mirassou 2008 Sauvignon Blanc and the Mirassou 2008 Pinot Noir. (Personal opinion: Mirassou makes a great Pinot, and I highly recommend you try a glass if you’re in the mood. The combo of cherries, red currants and a hint of vanilla make for a smooth wine.) You can check out more of Virgin’s in-flight food and beverage service here.
The airline has a few new debuts coming soon, including their CW Reality Show “Fly Girls“, which launches March 24. In the meantime, this happy traveler is getting her bags ready for a little online shopping in the sky.