View air traffic like nothing you’ve ever seen before

by Scott Carmichael on

This photo is not a closeup of your DNA, nor is it the latest work of art at the local gallery. It is in fact, a representation of every single flight in the domestic US airspace over a 24 hour period.

The picture is part of a map built by Aaron Koblin, on display at Wired.com. The portion you see above is of air traffic into Chicago’s 2 airports, and if you look closely, you’ll clearly see planes headed for O’Hare, and those going to Midway.

The map is zoomable and scrollable, and can be sorted by make, model and altitude of the plane. The real time flight data was provided by FlightView. I can highly recommend wasting a couple of minutes of your busy day to play around with the map!

Flight tracking for your iPhone or iPod Touch

by Brenda Yun on

If you’re a frequent flier and an iPhone or iPod Touch user, then you’re in luck. The latest version of Appropos Mobile‘s FlightTrack application will likely save you a lot of time and spare you of some travel woes and headaches.

For just a few bucks, you can get up-to-the-minute flight arrival and departure information through the easy to use FlightTrack application. No longer will you have to check the internet or call the airline to make sure a flight is delayed or cancelled. The user-friendly application will give you the most accurate information for you, the busy traveler. You can even check your own flight status and altitude in the air!

As an added bonus, FlightTrack Pro teamed up with TripIt, the online trip planner, to serve as your very own personal assistant. Once you plug in your travel details, the application will automatically keep up with and inform you of your latest and upcoming whereabouts.

The FlightTrack application has consistently ranked among Apple’s top travel applications, so there’s something to be said about user satisfaction. To find out more about FlightTrack or to download the application, visit this site.

Galley Gossip: Passenger of the month – Christopher Elliott

by Heather Poole on

Name? Christopher Elliott

Where do you live? Orlando, Florida

Occupation? I’m a travel journalist.

Website? Elliott.org

City you spend the most time in? Orlando

Okay, that makes sense. Bad question. So where do you travel to the most often? New York

I love New York. Everyone should visit New York at least once in their lifetime, especially during Christmas. Miles flown this year? Just over 5,000.

Do you remember your very first flight? It was a Pan Am flight from New York to Munich in 1972 or 1973. I was probably four years old at the time, but I still remember the plane. It was huge — a Boeing 747, I think. The flight attendants were very kind to us. I remember my baby brother being in some kind of hammock. I looked out the window almost the entire time. Wow, we were actually flying! You know how airline people say they have jet fuel in their veins. Well, after that flight, I did.

It’s true, once you work for an airline it’s almost impossible to stop. Type / brand of luggage you own and travel with? I’m using a Travelpro Platinum 6 at the moment.

Check it or Carry on? Carry it. Always carry it.

I take it you pack light. Window or Aisle? I still like to look out the window.

Favorite seat? Anything in the emergency exit row — except the middle seat.

Something to Drink? Soda water with lime, please. I know — booooooring! — but I’ve I’ve learned some hard lessons about drinking on planes. Let’s just leave it at that.

Good to know, I’ll save you a few limes. Beef or Chicken? Chicken.

What snacks do you pack? Gummi bears.

Gummi bears? Really? What exactly is in your carry on bag? My laptop, an extra pair of khakis, shirt, pajamas and something to read.

You DO pack light. My kind of man. Any packing tips/tricks? Roll, don’t fold.

That’s what I do. Describe your traveling outfit… Loose fitting pants, button-down shirt, blue blazer, sunglasses.

Best shoes to wear through airport security? Anything you can get into and out of easily. I have a pair of Clarks that slip right off. For trips to the mountains, I wear a pair of New Balance hiking shoes that are surprisingly easy to take off.

Any airport routines? A triple grande nonfat latte before boarding.

Was that you behind me in line at Starbucks? I always make it a point to get a tall latte before every flight. Best airline/experience? Any time I’ve been upgraded to first class. Which never happens anymore.

Ahhh…but is that because you’re flying Southwest? Most memorable experience onboard a flight? I was flying from Frankfurt to New York in the 80s. We were over Greenland or Canada, and encountered this sudden, violent turbulence. I looked out at the wing and saw it bending — you know, like a wave — and people were screaming. Some were crying. The plane dropped quickly, in an apparent effort to get away from the rough air. Everyone thought this was the end. I literally was saying my last prayers. I wasn’t sure if we could survive a crash, and if we did, I knew we’d quickly die of exposure to the elements. And just as quickly as it had begun, it stopped. It was way scarier than the aborted takeoff in Houston a few years later.

Nicest Airport – Orlando.

Favorite Airport restaurant? There’s a little taco place — not sure what it’s called — near the Southwest gates at LAX. Best darned Mexican food ever.

Next time you’re in Los Angeles I’ll take you to the best darned Mexican food place ever! Burrito is my middle name and chips and salsa is my favorite food. Hotel away from home? I had a great experience at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa recently. I could probably move in.

Most luxurious hotel you’ve ever experienced? The Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas. I stayed in the JR suite a few years ago. Wow!

I grew up in Dallas, so I know that hotel – talk about NICE! Favorite in-flight announcement? Anything on Southwest Airlines.

Passengers do seem to love their humor. Book / magazine last read on a flight? “The Geography of Bliss” by Eric Weiner

Favorite travel book(s)? I like to re-read Ann Tyler’s “The Accidental Tourist” every now and then. It’s a good reality check.

I’ve never read that one. Perhaps I’ll pick it up for my flight home. So…where did you go on your last vacation? My last vacation — well, it was a weekend trip, really — was to Canaveral National Seashore with my family. It’s my new favorite beach on Florida’s East Coast. Beautiful sand dunes, unspoiled coastline, and you’re a stone’s throw from the launch pads at Kennedy Space Center.

Oh I’m going to check that out! Sounds beautiful. Tell me about your favorite destination? Vienna, Austria. It’s where I grew up.

Now finish the following sentences…

I can’t fly without my… Bose noise-canceling headset.

On my last flight…I slept almost the entire time. What a beautiful thing.

If I could be anywhere in the world, I’d …On a diveboat in Key Largo, Fla., right over Molasses Reef on a flat-calm day with 100 feet of viz.

When it comes to traveling, I wish…I didn’t have to do as much of it as I do.

Why do passengers…lean their seats into my knees?

Why do flight attendants…tell me that “I’m going to need to” do something instead of just asking me to do it.

Why do pilots…always seem to wait until I’m asleep to make their in-flight announcement?

Next flight? I’m grounded for the next few weeks.

Okay, now ask me a question, any question! What is the meaning of life?

Hey now, you were supposed to ask me something about flying! Not go all serious on me. That’s okay, because I do know the meaning of life – for me. Life is the journey, not the destination. Thank you so much for your time, Christopher. Enjoy your travels and fly safe

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!

Ryan Air to forbid booking through third parties

by Abha Malpani on

I heavily rely on multiple booking sites like Atrapalo, WeGoLo, Kayak, Rumbo, Orbitz, Expedia and CheapTickets. I find that 80% of the time, they are the best way to choose a route and flight to a destination. So reading that Ryan Air is not going to accept bookings from these sites, was an annoying blow.

Starting August 11, Ryan Air has announced plans to cancel all flight bookings through these intermediary sites (also called “screen scrapers”). Why? Apparently, these sites function against their terms and conditions, and are illegal. In addition, they want to ensure that passengers get the lowest rates, to avoid the Ryan Air’s website server be overloaded, and to be able to have direct contact with their customers. On the business front: When people book flights on intermediary sites, websites like Ryan Air lose sales on services such as travel-insurance, hotel-bookings, car-rentals, etc — probably the main reason for this action.

For the moment, BravoFly, V-tours, Opodo, Atrapalo, and OTbeach, are the main ones Ryan Air is taking action against.

I think passengers have the right to choose how they want to book their flights. There are more pros than cons booking with third parties, and if the customer is willing to pay the extra buck, the airline is no one to interfere with that. Anyhow, only 0.5% of Ryan Air’s bookings come through these booking engines; since Ryan Air will no longer appear on the flight options of these “screen scrapers”, they are bound to lose that business. Looks like they are just making an unnecessary inconvenience for everyone.