Wrong switch, gets Delta fighter jet escort

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Don’t slip!

A Delta Airlines pilot accidentally activated a hijacking alert on a flight from New York to Tel Aviv. As a result, Israeli fighter jets were scrambled to escort the plane “safely” to Ben Gurion Airport.

The fighter jets lingered briefly over the airliner and its 100 passengers … ultimately for no reason. Then, they escorted the plane – and probably a confused flight crew – into Tel Aviv. A technical malfunction, apparently, kept the pilot from communicating with the airport’s tower.

Nobody was hurt in this bizarre event, according to Israeli transportation ministry official Dani Shenar, and an investigation will be launched.

Uniform changes, soft drinks wait for Delta and NWA

by Tom Johansmeyer on

This week, Northwest employees will get some new threads. Delta has announced that the vanquished will don the mother ship’s uniforms this week, calling it “one of the first outwardly visible signs that the two airlines are now one.” More important than the employees’ new sartorial splendor, free snacks are coming back to all flights!

But, one important question remains: Coke or Pepsi? Delta and Coca-Cola, both Atlanta-based, have had a near-marriage for more than 75 years. So, does Delta want some strange, or will it honor its long-term commitment? Northwest currently serves Pepsi products on its flights.

According to a Delta mouthpiece, it could take a while to come to a landing on the “beverage strategy.” So, for now: same duds, different suds.

10 tips for smarter flying


5 steps to smarter packing

Delta passenger busts open exit door at JFK

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Every passenger stuck on the ground fantasizes about busting open the door and liberating people on the plane. For me, it usually involves the battle cry, “I GRANT YOU FREEDOM!!!” Of course, I’m no Robert McDonald. He acted on these urges during a delay at John F. Kennedy International Airport (yep, no surprise there).

The Glasgow, Scotland resident was charged with reckless and endangerment and criminal tampering for his shenanigans, which involved opening the emergency exit hatch. The cabin crew stopped McDonald before he could open the door enough to activate the emergency chute.

Delta Flight 149, which had just come from Rome and was to finish in Las Vegas, was stuck on the tarmac for close to three hours when the angry Scot had had enough. Local District Attorney Richard Brown offered a “no shit” explanation that highlights the benefits of a top legal education: “Apparently, the defendant wanted to get off the plane,” District Attorney Richard Brown said, “so he opened the emergency exit door.”

Ultimately, McDonald’s act of defiance ruined the evening for the 146 passengers on Flight 149. McDonald, who is 60 years old, risks spending the next one in prison if he’s convicted.

Another week, another ring of luggage thieves busted

by Scott Carmichael on

Theft from airport baggage is becoming such a common thing, that pretty soon we’ll be reporting on the airports that have not yet been in the news for having a theft ring busted.

This week, it’s St. Louis airport that made headlines with the roundup of six baggage handlers and two of their friends who had been helping themselves to our belongings. The baggage handlers worked for a handling firm hired by Delta Airlines.

Their stash consisted of the kind of stuff you’d expect thieves to be after; DVD’s, GPS devices, mobile phones, iPods and even two handguns. According to police records, the thieves stuffed the stolen items in jackets and backpacks.

If you traveled through Lambert International Airport on Delta Airlines, and believe you may have been a victim of these crooks, you can contact a police hotline at (314) 890-1822. The police will need specific information on how to determine that the item belongs to you.

All this of course raises the question how on earth these people can get away with stealing items for such a long stretch of time (15 months). It is clear that the focus of airport security needs to be expanded from passengers, to everyone working at the airport.

It is great the our nation is being protected from nasty terrorists, but if gangs of thieves can steal guns from checked luggage, the whole concept really does need some work. Most electronics stores do not allow staff to bring any kind of gadgets into, or out of the store, which is how things should work at the airports too.

U.S. Airlines hoping for a successful summer

by Scott Carmichael on

Let’s file this one under “boo hoo”.

U.S. Airlines are hoping that summer air travel will help dig them out of the slump they have been in for the past year(s). As business travel has plummeted, consumers trying to escape all the doom and gloom for a couple of weeks of R&R is pretty much all they have left to hope for.

So, if summer travel is this important for them, you’d assume they would take the time to load some juicy low airfare for us, wouldn’t you?

Sadly, they want to have their cake, and eat it, as airfare prices for the summer months are absolutely atrocious.

Some examples of the fares loaded at the moment:

United Airlines – Chicago to Las Vegas in June – $521
United Airlines – Chicago to Paris in July – $1054
American Airlines – New York to Paris in August – $939
American Airlines – Los Angeles to Hong Kong in August- $2054
Delta Airlines – Atlanta to Paris in September – $1023
Continental Airlines – Newark to Amsterdam in August – $948

None of those fares are exceptionally cheap, and in a time where the airlines claim to be hurting so badly, it isn’t exactly like they put effort into lowering prices to help passengers.

In fact, I’m guessing that the airlines just assume (and hope) that you and I will be so eager to travel, that we’ll pay anything.

These high prices will have a bad effect on summer travel – it will force passengers to sit and wait for fares to drop, making their vacation plans even more complicated. You’d think the smart airlines would want to offer something good now and lock passengers in as early as possible.

Of course, only finding bad fares may force people to completely abandon their plans and stick to a more budget friendly trip.

For tips on how to squeeze the most out of your trip, check out this handy guide by Tom, or go through the budget destination posts we’ve written for you.