You know when you’ve just downed your water bottle before reaching airport security? And you didn’t have time to use the airport bathroom? And then the plane is delayed on the tarmac?
Yeah, even then…don’t use the airplane toilet before takeoff.
One passenger learned the hard way yesterday. United Flight 22 had already left the gate at Los Angeles International Airport, but hadn’t taken off yet, and the man needed to use the toilet. But of course the fasten seat belt sign was on and a flight attendant told him to sit down.
He got up and ran to the toilet anyway.
I could easily imagine that happening. In my mind, it’s more of a personal emergency and not a threat to public safety.
But apparently, the flight crew didn’t think so. The plane was brought back to the gate. Once there, the man was escorted out, and the other passengers were let off the plane. Then, the plane was searched.
What did they find? Nothing. Nothing on the plane. Nothing in the man’s luggage. Nothing but proof that the passenger really needed to use the toilet.
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The third official Airbus A380 route has officially been scheduled into the United States. Air France, the third air carrier to take delivery of the massive, double decker airplane, plans on using the behemoth to fly between Paris (CDG) and New York (JFK), a hotly contested, jetset route.
The tightly packed 538-seat double decker will contain about 449 economy seats, 80 in business class and 9 in first, each with the latest in entertainment technology and sporting that snazzy new plane fresh scent.
Inaugural flights from Paris and New York are tentatively scheduled for November 20th and 21st respectively, with a fair share of pomp and circumstance planned in parallel. But the best part of the whole affair is that tickets are open to the regular public.
By auction that is. Starting on October 1st, the French airline will be opening up 380 seats from each flight for auction, the proceeds of which will go to humanitarian efforts local to each flight. Ebay will be operating the entire sale of tickets, which include return fare on a regularly scheduled AF flight, a local shopping and culinary experience in your target city and discounted hotel stays each night. And don’t forget that it’s for charity.
The auction kicks off in two days, which should give you plenty of time to dig through your couch for spare change. See you on the flight!
You’re already paying airlines extra fees for checking your bags, feeding you bad food, and letting you watch a bad movie. Now, as Gadling mentioned a few days ago, several airlines, including American, United, U.S. Airways, and Delta, have announced that beginning this Thanksgiving, domestic passengers will have to pay an extra $10 for the privilege of flying on a busy travel day.
The surcharge will apply to domestic flights on the Sunday after Thanksgiving and to flights on January 2 and 3, the first weekend after New Year’s Day.
So what’s wrong with this? Well, it’s not that the airlines are charging a premium to people who fly on very busy days– they already do that. (Ever looked at the price of a Christmas Eve plane ticket? Ouch.) No, the problem is that the airlines are creating yet another new “surcharge” instead of simply adding $10 to the base price of a ticket. (see update below)
The reason they’re doing this is obvious: it allows the airline to hide the premium in the “taxes and fees” portion of the ticket (where it might go unnoticed) rather than in the “base airfare” price. This is, of course, a bit deceptive– taxes and fees already make up a a large chunk, sometimes the majority, of a plane ticket’s price– and this new surcharge doesn’t quite feel legitimate. One Gadling commenter said it well: “It’s the sneaky nature of the thing that makes us dislike it.”
Note that, as Scott wrote in his original post, Continental, Southwest, Alaska Airlines, and Jet Blue, perhaps recognizing that their customers already feel nickel-and-dimed to death, have decided they will not institute the fees.
If these surcharges are instituted with little backlash, look for them to be expanded to Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Arbor Day, weekends…
UPDATE: American Airlines’ Media Relations guru Tim Smith emails to say:
“Any surcharge (for any reason) shows up directly IN THE FARE AMOUNT and does NOT affect any of the applicable taxes or fees. As always the customer gets to see the bottom line fare and full price PRIOR to making any purchase decision. The customer does not notice a difference! If it is $10 in the fare or $10 as a surcharge it is the same and looks the same!…
“So, if it’s the same as adding $10 to the fare, why not do it that way? The answer is simple, though still perhaps difficult for people to understand. Most fare changes (which cover thousands of markets and many dates of travel) are filed into a massive, computerized clearinghouse (ATPCO) that then pushes the fare information out to all the different computerized reservations systems – both online and those used by travel agents.
Gadling’s own Tom Johansmeyer discussed the scourge of airline fees here. I defended(!) Ryanair’s proposed “pay to pee” scheme here.
Last year, we compiled a list of vintage airline commercials, and since the Internet is full of some of the greatest commercials commissioned by airlines, we picked “sexiest airline commercials” as the topic of this top ten lineup.
The list has some vintage clips (Southwest Airlines hotpants) and some pretty recent stuff. So, sit back and enjoy these ten sexiest airline commercials.
Virgin Atlantic 25th anniversary video
This commercial is brilliant – it takes all the best (and the worst) of 1984 to celebrate 25 years of Virgin Atlantic
Air New Zealand “Nothing To Hide”
Bodypainted cabin crew members, and a cameo appearance by the CEO of the airline.
Southwest Airlines
Remember before Southwest Airlines? We didn’t have hostesses in hotpants. And now we still don’t, but at least they don’t charge for checking a bag. Though if I’m honest, I’d probably prefer the hotpants.
Airport metal detector prank
Alright, so it isn’t for an airline, and it isn’t even for a product remotely related to flying, but it has long been one of the most popular commercials involving an airport.
Silverjet
Seriously? Using a lesbian mile high romp to advertise your airline? Sadly, the airline only lasted two years before they realized that their all business class service couldn’t survive in the new economy.
Fake airline, funny commercial
This commercial for “Lynx Airlines” was made in 2008.Obviously it isn’t for a real airline, but it does mimic the services Ryanair said they’d offer in Business Class should they ever start flying transatlantic.
National Airlines “Go Go vacations”
They really don’t make them like this any more – because if they did, someone would probably sue.
If you wanted to sleep with him, you would have married him
Not every sexy airline commercial involves a stewardess in hotpants.
“I just love a man in a JetBlue uniform”
These girls love pilots – but only JetBlue pilots. Talk about being picky.
Nothing says awkward like exposing yourself to your inlaws.
(Warning, may not be suitable for work). This is one of those commercials that was clearly devised before the ad agency had a taker, because nothing in the clip is even remotely aviation related. That doesn’t prevent it from being hilarious.
If you liked the videos, you might be interested in …
Head back to the days when travel ads were works of art and the feeling of wanderlust can take over. There’s something about a harbor scene rendered in watercolors that evoke the feeling of romance and adventure. That was my first thought when I browsed through the “Destinations” section of the blog Creative Cloud’s bounty of vintage travel print ads.
The post includes 45 ads in all that have been divided into categories ranging from ads for airlines to ads for travel accessories. The ads also highlight how attitudes about travel have changed, as well as, the changes in what certain products once promised. One ad for Coppertone suntan lotion found under Travel Essentials, for example, touts that using the product can give you “younger skin tomorrow.” Haaa! It’s been awhile since that’s been part of public thinking.
The ads for airlines pay tribute to some that no longer exist like TWA and Pan Am.
Whether you’re after a trip down memory lane or want to look at the artistry of when advertising once paid for artists to conceptualize an ad’s message, take time to browse. You may find yourself hunting down a vintage leather, hard-shell suitcase and a cream-colored linen suit for your next trip.
Thanks Gadling reader Andy for sending this visual treasure trove our way.