Man flies to Pakistan using sister’s passport

by Jeffrey White on

Here at Gadling, we have from time to time chastised the Transportation Security Administration for its ineptitude.

Need examples? Check out this funny round-up from Scott on some of the dumbest things the TSA did in 2008. Highlights include a TSA agent smuggling a gun on board an airplane, agents failing to catch a mock bomb (in front of CNN cameras) and, of course, the famous Nipplegate scandal.

But we also like to spread the ridicule around.

With that, I give you the possibly more inept security workers at Birmingham International Airport in Britain.

A Pakistani man recently succeeded in flying between BIA and Islamabad, passing through no fewer than three security checkpoints along the way, using his sister’s passport. When he arrived in Pakistan, border guards there noticed the, uh, discrepancy and promptly sent the man back to Britain — where he had to rebook his trip, this time with the right documentation.

Businessman Kasim Raja, 26, said it was an honest mistake. He told Britain’s Sunday Mercury: “I was in a bit of a rush and grabbed what I thought was my passport as I was leaving.”

He added: “I handed it over at the desk, they checked it and everything was fine. When we got to the boarding gate they checked it again and waved me straight through.”

Swissport, who operates the BIA terminal out of which Pakistan International Airways flies, says it is investigating the incident.

Mr. Raja is actually angry at Swissport for refusing to give him a refund upon his return. “If they had spotted the error like they are supposed to, I could have gone home, got my passport and still made the flight,” he said.

Then again, if Mr. Raja had actually made sure he had the right passport on him to begin with…..

Top 10 stupidest laws you could encounter abroad


Flying pets: Getting them safely from point A to point B

by Brenda Yun on

My pug Iris (pictured here inside her airline travel bag) is what I believe to be one of the most well-traveled pugs in the universe. She is just seven years old and has been on at least twenty flights with me — most of them from one coast to the other.

A friend once asked me how much it costs to have a pet fly with you (or under you) on the plane and when I informed her that it cost at least $50 a “leg,” she actually thought I meant it cost $200 because my dog has four legs and asked me if I considered cutting off a leg or two to make her flight cheaper.

Nowadays, it can cost upwards of $300 for a pet to fly with you on the plane. It’s a sad state of affairs for airlines these days, and flying pets are the first to pay the price.Cassandra, a Gadling reader, inquired this week about how safe it is to fly your pet: “With all the news the media reports about animals deaths from flying because of heat/cold. Where exactly are they stored and is the pilot informed they are flying animals? And why can’t the airline industries build a section on the plane in the back near the bathroom for them rather than put them below? You’d think animals would feel more secure being near their owners rather than the loud noises of the belly.”

I have heard countless stories about pets dying of hypothermia or overheating on planes, or nightmarish tales of lost or stolen pets on planes, so there are, unfortunately, plenty of reasons to be worried about the safety of your pet in transit. Kent Wien, Gadling’s pilot and plane expert, wants you all to be assured that the conditions of the cargo area on planes are altered to accommodate for pets: “On the 767, the temperature in our ‘bulk cargo compartment’ is 65 degrees if we know there are animals below — 45 degrees if we don’t have animals. Most other Boeings are warm enough to support small chicks (birds) so I imagine they’re in the 55 to 65 degree range, but I haven’t seen the actual numbers on that.”

As for the location of the cargo and reason why pets are not allowed in the back of the plane near the bathroom, I imagine it has a lot to do with people having allergies to pet dander. Clearly, some pets do not like the small, dark, and cold confines of the plane’s cargo area (yes, it is the plane’s loud belly), but it is a highly controlled area of the plane.

It is also worth noting that, while some airlines allow small pets (they must be able to fit in a carrier under the seat in front of you and weigh roughly under 30 pounds) on the plane, other airlines restrict even small pets to the cargo area. You should always check with your particular airline to know whether to bring the carry-on pet bag or the airline-approved cargo kennel with you.

In addition, if you carry your pet onto the plane and squeeze the carrier under the seat in front of you, it’s always a good idea to reserve a middle seat rather than one by the window or aisle. The middle seat has more room for the bag, and therefore more room for your pet. Federal regulations require that your pet remain inside its carrier for the entire flight. Sorry, you can’t hide it under your blanket (although I’ve tried to do this both successfully and unsuccessfully before).

If you have a layover, it would be wise to take your dog out for a potty break. You will have to exit and re-enter through the TSA and security, but your pup will be forever grateful. Nearly every airport has a little plot of green somewhere near the baggage claim outside to let your dog do its business and stretch its legs.

Although I suffer from snub-nosed pet owner flying anxiety, I have yet to have a really sour experience flying with my beloved Iris. I have yet to have the fear of flying prevent Iris and I from getting where we need to go. If you are in doubt, though, there’s always road tripping it, like she and I did from Florida to California this past January!

Japanese man living in Mexico City airport mysteriously disappears

by Grant Martin on

You might recall last month’s interesting story about a Japanese gentleman who moved into Mexico City‘s Benito Juarez airport.

For those of you that didn’t read the story last month, a little background: Hiroshi Nohara showed up in Mexico City last month on a tourist visa and decided that he wanted to stay. He had no plans, no reason for staying and the full right to call the airport his home — his tourist visa is supposed to last until March and the airport technically never closes. Eventually he became an oddity of sorts, with people coming to get their picture taken with him, local restaurants offering sponsorships and even feeding him.

And so he remained until this month. When the plot thickens.

This past Sunday, Nohara was spotted getting into a taxi with an unnamed woman, a woman who had come to visit twice and who the authorities could not name. And then he disappeared.

Where was he going? Did this woman offer him a nice place to stay or a movie deal? Is it his estranged daughter that abandonded him at the airport? Something tells me we’ll find out when the movie comes out.

Newark security: proactive or disruptive?

by Tom Johansmeyer on

These guys never catch a break. A by-the-book private security guard at Newark International Airport was compared to a “prison guard” by NY Times travel columnist Joe Sharkey. Intent on enforcing carry-on luggage size, the guard apparently hassled a young lady as she waited to reach the metal detectors. And, it must have been bad. The people in line seemed to side with the traveler. Usually, we blame the carry-on carrier. So, the situation must have been pretty awful.

While this may look like a case of poor customer service – or even just rude behavior – the problem is actually much worse. Outgoing Transportation Security Administration head Kip Hawley says in the article, “In the hurly-burly and the infinite variety of travel, you can end up with nonsensical results in which the T.S.A. person says, ‘Well, I’m just following the rules.'” Wow, it sounds like he’s flown lately!

The guard , it seems, caused a “needless disruption,” which is what outgoing Hawley hopes to see prevented. These disruptions, apparently, make it easier for terrorists to compromise security. Of course, what could be more dangerous than an oversized carry-on?

[Via NY Times]

Delta adds 7,000 seats to Augusta, GA for Masters

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Every April, golf fanatics descend on Augusta, GA to sneak a peek at the best-manicured lawn in the country. The Masters Tournament fills hotel rooms and keeps local bartenders busy. If you haven’t been through the airport down there, then you have no idea why Delta has decided to add 7,000 seats between Augusta and its Atlanta hub, not to mention daily service to LaGuardia and JFK in New York. This 50 percent increase in seating capacity is necessary. There aren’t many flights into Augusta from anywhere. So, for a week and a half every April, the rules have to be changed.

According to Bob Cortelyou … yes, the Bob Cortelyou (senior vice president of network planning at Delta), “you talk about the Masters, no airline is better positioned to carry fans from around the world to this premier sporting event than Delta.” And, since Bob Cortelyou says it, it must be true!

When you are flying home, don’t get to the airport too early. Dining options are extremely limited, and you are guaranteed to be bored out of your mind. I only flew through once, and it was a drag. Of course, an event like the Masters is bound to force more people through that airport in a week than these folks see all year. Do the math: small airport + much larger crowds than usual = miserable you. Bring a book. Hell, bring two.