New York airport police turning theft complaints into lost property complaints

by Scott Carmichael on

Something fishy is taking place at New York area airports. According to the New York Post, New York Port Authority cops regularly downgrade theft at the airport to “lost property” cases, artificially lowering the crime rates at the airports they protect.

By changing the statistics, crimes are no longer being accurately reported. According to the Post, Port Authority police captains regularly tell officers to rewrite reports. When filing reports, victims would report the events, and upon receiving the final report, things like grand-larceny turned in a basic lost property report.

Of course, with actual theft being reported as lost property, crime statistics are skewed and there will be no follow-up actions at the airport, allowing crooks to continue stealing from passengers without the true scale of their crimes becoming apparent.

When asked about the story, a Port Authority spokesman denies all the claims, saying “Every criminal complaint made to the PAPD receives a careful investigation.” Bottom line is simple – keep a close eye on all your belongings, and if something is stolen, be sure to verify that the police report stays accurate.

[Image: Flickr/Pheezy]

Chicago solution to budget problems: get passengers liquored up at O’Hare

by Scott Carmichael on

Chicago’s Mayor Daley has come up with a creative way to deal with his constant budget issues – introduce alcohol carts at Chicago O’Hare. The plan would allow current liquor license holders to sell booze at spots where there are no nearby restaurants or bars.

Thankfully, the idea isn’t as controversial as plans to sell booze at the baggage claim area, like McCarran in Las Vegas, but in a day and age where planes are quite regularly diverted because of drunk passengers, I’m not sure providing easier access to booze is such a good idea.

Worse yet, chances are that none of the cash generated for the city would go back to the airport – an airport that really needs all the help it can get. Anyone that has passed through O’Hare knows that it isn’t exactly a very welcoming airport. In the Daley plan, you’ll soon have an easier time finding someone selling cocktails than finding a quiet place to sit and relax.

The idea is still in its early stages, but chances are that restaurant operators will soon have even more places at O’Hare selling alcohol to needy passengers.

[Image from Flickr: pfala]

Open skies agreement between EU and US signed

by Sean McLachlan on

The United States and the European Union have signed an open skies agreement that makes it easier for airlines to buy one another.

This is the second open skies agreement between the two governments. The first open skies agreement took effect in 2008 and opened up transatlantic routes to all carriers. Previously some routes were limited to specific carriers.

This new agreement will allow foreign owners to have a majority stake in an airline. Until now, European airlines could only own 25% of a US carrier, and US airlines could only own 49.9% of a European airline. The new limits have yet to be set and the move still has to be approved by Congress.

The deal also equalizes rules on emissions, fuel, and noise, and establishes a closer cooperation with the carbon trading scheme. European airlines will also now be able to fly in and out of the U.S. without first landing or taking off in the EU. Expect more services to non-EU destinations by EU airlines in the near future.

Is Thailand Safe Now?

by Andrew Evans on

Yeah, pretty much.

A full month has passed since Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and the slightly Orwellian-sounding CRES (Center for the Resolution of Emergency Situation) gave themselves an all-clear. The official sigh of relief follows a few weeks of fairly intense civil unrest–the chaos of ongoing street protests between yellow-shirted PAD and the red-shirted UDD claimed 88 lives and caused hundreds of millions of dollars of damage and lost business. The violence only ended following an agreement to hold general elections this coming November. Since then, the Thai government has been implementing a number of important changes in order to return the country back to normal. (But honestly, was Thailand ever normal? I mean, does anyone fly 16 hours to a country because it’s normal?)

Although the emergency decree remains in place, the curfew has been lifted in Bangkok and the country. (That’s a very good thing because Bangkok with a curfew is like going on a date with your parents in the backseat.) A far more encouraging sign is that the US State Department has ended their travel advisory for Thailand, even disappearing it from their website.

If it was anywhere else in the world, this on-again/off-again safety status might seem alarming, but those who know Thailand understand how quickly people settle back into a peaceful, “life-is-good” sort-of existence. It’s also important to remember that the most recent protests were concentrated in very specific areas of Bangkok. Few signs remain that anything was ever amok.

Hesitant tourists are the unfortunate result of any political instability, no matter how short-lived. The resulting drop in foreign visitors to Thailand has instigated a price war among hotels and resorts across the country–if you thought Thailand used to be cheap, it just got a whole lot cheaper. A number of awesome deals are up for the taking, like Thai Airwarys’ Discover Thailand pass (fly to any 3 cities within Thailand for $278).It will take a long time for tourism to recover, for sure. To encourage reluctant travelers, the Thai Tourist Authority is now waiving visa requirements and all fees for any American traveler wishing to stay beyond the normally-allotted 30 days. Already eager to please as a culture, Thai businesses are also bending over backwards to accomodate visitors. All flights are running normally at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, which, for the record, is a far more efficient airport than JFK and LAX put together.

Regardless, travelers to any foreign country should always follow a “Stay Informed” mantra. Before you go anywhere (be it Ireland, Italy, or South Dakota), it’s best to make yourself aware of the political situation. People versus parliament is a universal struggle (see Tea Party) but in Thailand, there is a long back story to the back and forth between people, government and military. There is also a very long history of peace. The beaches aren’t bad either.

(Photo Credits: Ratchaprasong and The Media Slut on Flickr)

Ryanair to open base in Valencia, Spain

by Sean McLachlan on

Budget airline Ryanair has announced that it will open a base in Valencia, Spain, Inside Ireland reports. Service will start in November with a total of 260 flights a week to 20 destinations, including popular spots such as Madrid, Barcelona, London-Stansted, Dublin, Brussels, Frankfurt, Milan, and Rome.

Valencia is a port in eastern Spain that combines beautifully preserved medieval and Renaissance architecture with modern exhibitions and a fun nightlife. Gadling named it one of the 25 greatest cities for drinking wine.

Ryanair is celebrating by offering half a million seats from €10 ($12) for travel on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays on more than 500 routes this September and October. The seats are only available until midnight this Thursday.

Photo courtesy Felivet via Wikimedia commons.