Woman said her drink was spiked on flight to Thailand

by Jamie Rhein on

According to Anamaree Correia, a former flight attendant, three Australian soldiers wanted to have bit of fun with her on a Jetstar flight from Sydney to Phukhet, Thailand. This wasn’t the flirting kind of fun that leaves you feeling gloriously giddy. This was the giddy that gets you groggy and passed out. Correia said she was sitting next to a soldier with two others in front of her and they must have spiked her water while she trotted off to the toilet. The weird feeling she had in her head after drinking her water wasn’t because of the wine she drank before she drank the water–it was what was in the water.

Whatever was put in the bottle made her pass out and pee on herself, as published in the Herald Sun. Okay, this happened a few days ago, but there hasn’t been any more news about it that I found. Correia didn’t want to press charges at the time of the incident, but I’m wondering, wouldn’t she have gone for a test to find out what was put in the water, if anything? If something was put in my drink, I sure would want to know what it was. Also wouldn’t it be good to stop drink spikers?

The article also doesn’t say if the soldiers were questioned. We’ve posted stories about urine troubles on airplanes before. Add this one to the mix as another hard to believe, but stranger true things have happened, type tale.

What strange things have been found on planes?


Click the image to read the bizarre story…

UK airline Flybe caught hiring actors to boost passenger loads

by Grant Martin on

Many Americans don’t realize it, but the Low Cost Carrier (LCC) situation in the UK is downright comical. It seems that every other week or so Ryanair is in the news for some stupid advertising campaign involving boobs, slimeball politicians or both. But competition is pretty tight in the LCC market, so they have to earn their stripes in some way, right?

This week, little known budget carrier flybe was caught attempting to hire actors and actresses to pose as passengers on their flights to fool authorities at Norwich Airport. Why would they do something crazy like this, you ask? Apparently the airline had a deal with the municipality to fly fifteen thousand passengers on the Norwich-Dublin route. If they didn’t hit their numbers by March 31, the airport got to levy a $560,000 fine against the budget carrier

At just a few days out, they were still 172 passengers short, so they started placing ads for free round trip tickets for the weekend, posting ads on actors’ websites and asking their employees to be ready to fly roundtrip over the weekend.

Norwich and the news agencies naturally caught wind and now the airport is pretty sour with flybe. Each party called the other greedy and environmentally unconscious, and now flybe is not invited over for tea this weekend.

Still, you have to admit that it’s a pretty low stunt to pull if you’re not going to make your numbers. Corporate greed, anyone?

Air New Zealand fumigates its passengers

by Jeffrey White on

I’m going to admit to a little ignorance about this strange story in the New Zealand Herald this morning, concerning an Air New Zealand flight yesterday that was fumigated with passengers still on board.

A man is complaining of a sore throat, and a baby caught in the noxious fog gagged and threw up.

Passengers were left with no official explanation for the spraying, but one traveler who spoke to the Herald said that one of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry officers who carried out the spraying explained that the airplane had its “bio-security certificate” expire and thus needed manual fumigation.

The plane had come from Fiji and was fumigated on the tarmac of Auckland International Airport.

I can sum up my ignorance thusly: Just what is a airplane bio-security certificate? It seems to me that this is something particular to New Zealand; there is, after all, an official agency called the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Bio-security New Zealand. But then again, maybe this is something so common as to usually be ignored.

What doesn’t seem common is dousing a bunch of passengers with chemicals while they sit in their seats, covering their noses and trying not to breath too much. One man described the ordeal as like a sauna, only without the heat.

Next time your pissed sitting on the tarmac be at least thankful that the plane’s doors do not fly open and man in gas masks come on board.

Aloha Airlines to end passenger service Monday

by Jamie Rhein on

Grant’s post about Aloha Airlines filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy wasn’t exactly the sound of a death knell, but since then, the airline has decided to call it quits on passenger service. After Monday, as in March 31, according to this AP article, there will be no more passenger reservations taken.

Those who have Aloha Airlines tickets already may be rerouted on United Airlines flights to the mainland or on Hawaiian Airlines if travel is between the islands. Those who don’t want those options, but who want their money back instead, can file in bankruptcy court. I don’t envy people who are left to sort out their travel plans on such short notice. Hopefully, they saw this coming. The Aloha Airlines Web site does have links to help passengers rebook.

The demise of the airline that has been around since 1946 is due to unfair competition and rising fuel costs the airline’s money folks say. I feel bad that Aloha Airlines hasn’t been able to continue. The first time I went to Hawaii, I flew Aloha Airlines from Oahu to The Big Island on a package deal. It was much cheaper than I had imagined it would be. The rental car and two nights in a hotel was included. The best thing about arranging for the trip was that we were able to set it up after we were already visiting my relatives on Oahu. For people who travel within Hawaii, I bet they are bummed.

The shipping function of Aloha Airlines is being taken over by a Seattle-based company. Maybe people could package themselves up as a way to get off the island with their unused tickets? In case you’re one of the one affected, here’s a link with questions and answers.

Cathay Pacific’s 2008 All Asia Pass

by Jamie Rhein on

If you have 21 days between now and May 15 and August 20 through December 1, Cathay Pacific Airways has the All Asia Pass that gives travelers a chance to visit Hong Kong and up to four more cities in Asia. Prices range from $1,099 with two additional cities; $1,399 for three cities, plus Hong Kong; to $1,699 for the four cities and Hong Kong. With San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York as departure cities, you could probably snag an inexpensive flight to any of them if you plan early enough.

If I were going to take advantage of this ticket, I’d head to Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan and Cambodia. The first three, because I’ve been to each of them and have people I’d like to visit. Cambodia is a place I’d love to go. None of them are far from each other which would help maximize my time in the countries and not going from place to place. In Vietnam, I’d head north to Sapa, a place I haven’t been and see friends in Hanoi. In Thailand, I’d spend a day or two in Bangkok and then head to a beach somewhere. Taiwan would mean revisiting places I liked when I lived there, particularly Beipu and eating all the food I’ve missed since I left. Cambodia would mean new discoveries.

But, since as with most great travel deals, the summer is excluded and that’s when I would have the 21 days to spare, I can’t take advantage. Hopefully, others can. Except for Taiwan, it’s possible to travel in the other three on a shoestring. Hong Kong is good for a day or two, but I’d head to cheaper locations ASAP.