Man attacks a con artist with a golf club after being sold fake plane ticket vouchers on Craigslist

by Jamie Rhein on

This story reads like something you’d see in a movie scene. It actually would make a good movie scene if you could build a movie around it.

This funny tale came our way from Christopher Elliot’s blog. Elliot, problem solver extraordinaire sometimes helps unhappy travelers find resolutions to their hotel and airline woes in order to get them a favorable outcome.

In the case of Ted LeClair, a man who bought travel vouchers for Southwest Airlines tickets at Craigslist from someone who checked out as reputable–but wasn’t, found his own happy ending from swinging a nine iron at the crook.

Elliot recounts the story in humorous detail, but here are the highlights:

  • LeClair buys Southwest ticket vouchers through Craigslist after meeting the guy selling the vouchers. They meet in person and the guy checks out.
  • LeClair’s daughter is at the airport with LeClair’s mother to use the Southwest ticket, only to find out the ticket needs to be paid for with cash since the credit card purchase was canceled.
  • LeClair’s daughter can’t take the Southwest flight and is in tears.
  • LeClair is hopping mad.
  • LeClair arranges to buy ticket vouchers on Craigslist from the same person, but as a fictious female using a female friend of his to make the phone call connection.
  • LeClair calls the police to tell them he knows how to catch a criminal. The police say, “Yeah, yeah, but give us five days.”
  • LeClair shows up at a health food store with a golf club where the crook is to hand over the vouchers to the fake female and book the ticket.
  • LeClair demands his money back and when the crook doesn’t comply, LeClair whomps on the crook with the nine-iron.
  • The police are called by folks at the health food store.
  • The police eventually arrest the crook and let LeClair go.

JetBlue Airlines is postponing grand opening of new JFK terminal

by Jeffrey White on

For those of you who read Jeremy’s dispatch from JetBlue’s new Terminal 5 at JFK airport back in August, here’s an update: The airline pushed back opening the new wing.

It was to open this week, but JetBlue has announced that it won’t be ready until toward the end of the month. The Associated Press is saying Oct. 22 is the day.

The reason? The airline says it wants to give the vendors who will operate in the terminal a little extra time to prepare and set up. It denies that it is behind schedule on the actual construction and finalizing of the terminal.

The new terminal is attached to Kennedy’s old TWA terminal that closed in 2001.

Airport workers push plane off of runway

by Jamie Rhein on

In a demonstration of physical prowess and the power of team work–slightly reminiscent of the Chinese display of can-do power at the Beijing Olympics, 30 airport workers pushed a CRG7 airplane off to a side lane at the Zhengzou Airport in China.

Whew! As one pusher said, “Thank God, it was only a 20 tonne medium-sized airplane. If it had been a big plane, it would have knocked us out.”

The reason for this particular great leap forward was because of the plane’s mechanical failure that began while it was landing. No one was hurt, but once on the ground, the plane was through working. It’s hydraulic system was toast. According to airport officials, a tow truck wouldn’t work without the hydraulic system. The plane is where the workers left it since technicians have yet to fix it.

How long does it take to move a medium-sized plane a little less than half a mile off a runway if you have 30 able-bodied people? About two hours.

According to the Ananova article, there were 69 passengers and 7 crew on board. I’m wondering why were they allowed to stay on the airplane?

Thanks to Gadling reader Bob for sending along the link to this story.

How does air traffic flow across the world?

by Grant Martin on

Many passengers’ air logistics worries go no further than the few flights that they’re on that day. Occasionally, this broadens when a canceled flight or disruptions occur and you have to look at other flights going on in the day.

But what about all of the flights that depart on one airline in one day? Or what about all flights from all airlines in one day? Where and how do these flights operate? For the answer, check out this video that models every single flight over an entire day.

If you think about it, many international flights head out in the evening, so near night time you’ll see a swath of yellow dots head right over the Atlantic. Conversely, during the day the yellow dots will head west. Watch the video a few times over and you’ll see some interesting trends.

Ryanair weeks away from offering in-flight mobile phone service

by Scott Carmichael on

An article posted by The Register this morning reports that Irish low cost carrier Ryanair is just a few weeks away from launching in-flight mobile phone service.

The service will be provided by OnAir, a joint venture between SITA and Airbus, which was setup to bring Internet, phone and text messaging service to the skies.

Mobile phone calls will cost £2 per minute, which at the current exchange rate translates to just under $4. At launch, the service will only be available to passengers with a mobile phone on the UK’s O2 and Three networks. The technology allows 6 simultaneous calls from each plane and the required equipment will first be introduced on 14 Dublin based Ryanair planes.

In a time where airlines are scrambling to find ways to generate more revenue, I doubt Ryanair will be the last airline to try and tap into the lucrative mobile phone market. It is however ironic that the low cost carriers are among the first to introduce these new services.

Mobile phone service on flights won’t be coming to the States any time soon, as the FCC has not lifted the ban on in-flight phone service. The upside to this, is that you won’t have to deal with a seatmate blabbering on his phone for the entire flight.