Alaska Airlines Passenger Sparks Airline Backlash With A Facebook Post

by Jessica Festa on

A longtime concert promoter and Oregon native has sparked heated backlash against Alaska Airlines through social media. After a disturbing airport experience, Cameron Clark logged onto Facebook and described the airline as “the worst of humanity.”

According to USA Today, Clark witnessed a disabled man miss his flight because the numerous airport personnel wouldn’t offer him extra assistance. The man had late-stage Parkinson’s disease, and even after Clark brought the situation to the airline staff’s attention, they refused to help. Because he wasn’t able to make his flight, the disabled man missed a limited window of time he had to meet his daughter in Bellingham, Washington.

Clark wrote: “what happened to our collective sense of decency, of compassion, of our disposition to help those in need of extra help. alaska airlines. you broke a man’s heart today. you maintained your policy, and ignored an opportunity to do the right thing. you broke my heart too.”

Although Clark didn’t intend for it to happen, the post went viral. Now, angry people are putting pressure on the airline to change their ways and hold themselves accountable.

Alaska Airlines has a different view of what happened. According to spokesman Paul McElroy, the man never mentioned he was disabled and, when staff smelled alcohol on him, assumed he was intoxicated. Although the man has not issued a formal complaint, the airline did refund his ticket and put him on a different flight.

[Photo via philosophygeek]

11-Year-Old Boards International Flight Without Passport Or Ticket

by Jessica Festa on



With all the security and red tape most travelers endure at the airport, it’s surprising – and scary – that 11-year-old Liam Corcoran-Fort was so easily able to get by security, board an aircraft and fly internationally without a passport or ticket.

While shopping in Manchester with his mother, the boy decided to sneak off, hopping a bus to Manchester International Airport after finding a bus ticket on the ground. According to Corcoran-Fort, once he got to Terminal 1 he walked right through the body scanner, metal detector and boarding gate onto Jet2.com Flight LS791 to Rome, Italy.

“There were lots of people but I didn’t speak to anyone. I followed where people were going and then at the barrier I went underneath it,” said the boy. “I didn’t have anything on me and no-one asked me for anything. I just carried on walking.”

According to news.com.au, the boy claims he didn’t have the intention to cause harm, he simply wanted to use to the toilet; however, it ended up just being too easy. It wasn’t until passengers noticed the lonely boy talking about how he had wanted to run away from home that Corcoran-Fort was discovered.

There is currently a full investigation in progress to find out how a young boy could have passed through five security checks and boarded an airplane without showing a ticket or passport. So far, five Jet2 and airport staff members have been suspended.

Spain Raises Airport Taxes

by Sean McLachlan on


The government of Spain has announced that it is raising airport taxes.

The amount of the increase depends on the airport, with the average being 18.9 percent. Taxes at the two busiest airports, however, will more than double. Madrid’s Barajas airport will increase from 6.95 euros to 14.44 ($8.64 to $17.94). Barcelona’s El Prat airport will go from 6.12 euros to 13.44 ($7.60 to $16.70).

Ryanair and Vueling have already passed the extra fee onto their passengers. Other airlines have yet to decide how to respond. The tax is retrospective for those who booked before July 2, 2012, and are traveling from July 1 onwards.

Spain is one of the most troubled economies of the Eurozone. It has recently been granted up to 100 billion euros ($124 billion) in bailouts for its banks and the government is planning harsh austerity measures in order to balance the books. With summer tourist season kicking into high gear, the increased tax will bring in tens of millions in much-needed funds, assuming it doesn’t turn away too many tourists.

[Photo of Madrid’s Barajas airport courtesy Andres Rueda]

Study Reveals What Travelers Want Most When Flying

by Jessica Festa on

There’s been a lot of talk lately about customer satisfaction and future plans for air travel. To help get to the bottom of what fliers really want, Skyscanner surveyed airline passengers and asked them.

The findings showed:

  • 20% of travelers want capsule-style bunks on flights
  • 18% would like to see soundproof sections for children
  • 8% hope airplanes will soon have kick-proof seats
  • 1 in 20 people surveyed said they wanted transparent floors and ceilings for better views
  • 4% of fliers want a singles section, where they could potentially connect and flirt with a future partner

Some other suggestions travelers have for flights are featuring an on-board cocktail bar, in-flight cinema, massage chairs and free use of iPads, although certain airlines already offer iPads, showers and capsules in business and first class.

What do you hope is in store for the future of air travel?

[photo via Kuster & Wildhaber Photography]

Airline Launches Teddy Bear Check-Ins For Children

by Jessica Festa on

Fact: Each month, London Gatwick Airport receives up to 30 forgotten stuffed animals. That’s one airport alone. The loss of a furry friend can be devastating for a child, and unfortunately, the chaos of travel leads it to happen way too often.

To help combat the problem, Thomson Airways has created the “teddy bear check-in.” The program allows kids to check in their stuffed animals at the airport’s front desk. Each furry friend will receive a special boarding pass, which can be exchanged for a “Very Important Buddy” (VIB) tag at the gate. The idea behind the unique check-in is for children to pay closer attention to their toys when flying.

“As a family-friendly tour operator, we like to make a fuss of children travelling on our holidays, both in resort and on their flight,” says Carl Gissing of Thomson Airways. “We know that kids will love checking their toys in and taking home the VIB tag as a souvenir.”

While we’re not so sure this will really help cut back on the amount of lost teddy bears, it is a fun idea.

Do you think this service will help kids keep track of their toys when flying?