EasyJet tells six year old girl that her teddy bear has to travel as excess baggage

by Scott Carmichael on

It’s amazing what a total lack of common sense can do for your company.

Take for example the story of a check-in agent at Glasgow airport responsible for helping Easy Jet passengers. When 6 year old Amparo Peris-Bordes approched the desk with her mother, this EasyJet staffer told her that she’d have to pay 9 pounds, and send her teddy bear onto the conveyor belt, and into the hold as excess baggage.

For some reason, her mother refused to pay this, so they boxed the bear up, and sent it home with the mail.

EasyJet has of course announced that they’ll review their internal procedures, because nothing says “bad PR” like a smiling girl in the news reporting how mean your airline is.

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.

10 snowmen from around the world

by Jamie Rhein on

Here’s a bit of winter fun you can do wherever there’s enough snow to make a go of it. Build a snowman. Even if you only have enough snow for a small snowman, go for it. One group of guys advocates building the biggest snowman you can make in a friend’s yard in the middle of the night. Your creation will be a big surprise in the morning. (Click here for picture.)

One of my favorite memories is going to the Great Wall in China right after it had snowed. There was a whimsical snowman greeting people at the top of one of the sets of stairs.

Here are some snowmaking tips. The one I thought was a great idea was to use three different size buckets as molds for the body. You add snow to the bucket shape to create the roundness. For snowman inspiration, here’s a sampling of snowmen from around the world.

MGShelton, who took this picture, said this fella was in her neighbor’s backyard in Birrmingam, Alabama.

This snowmen crowd was shot by showbizsuperstar in Japan at the Sapporo Snow and Ice Festival.

Last January, NINJ4 and a friend built this snowman on the lawn of Andersen Hall at Kansas State University. It looks like this one is hanging in as the snow is melting.

This snowman in Glascow, Scotland looks like a character in a children’s book or something. I think it’s the hat and scarf combo. Hodgers took this picture in his front garden.

According to thisisbossi who took this picture in Altoona, Pennsylvania, his aunt’s snowman frightened the cat. I think it’s sweet.

This leaning guy was at Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C. before the snow melted. I’m impressed by the jaunty hat and smile. Joe in D.C. took this picture.

Although this snowman probably saw better days, it’s background is truly international. ericaflynn, who took this picture in China, said that it was made by two Scandivanvian children.

This snowman in Tokyo, Japan should win the darling prize if there was such a thing. I love the expression that OiMax captured with just the right angle.

This snowman overlooking his kingdom in Denmark was made to sit in a flower box on metal-dog’s balcony.

If you have more time on your hands build a snowman grouping like bgilliard did in Ontario, Canada. He titles this David’s and Goliath. One commenter noted that Goliath looks like a penguin.

If you build a snowman, take a picture of it, post it on Gadling’s Flicker photo pool, and tell me where it was taken in the comment section of this post, I’ll create a Gadling reader’s snowman post where you can share your handy work.

Light up in Glasgow’s Bothy

by Tom Johansmeyer on

You’ll never find the “Bothy” on your own. Tucked away in the Hotel du Vin’s courtyard, this hidden gem is Glasgow‘s only sheltered smoke spot. So, while the rest of Scotland endures wind and rain with each precious puff, you can stay dry and enjoy every draw. Oppressive may render smoking a chore, but the Bothy brings the pleasure back.

Scotland‘s smoking laws make those in the United States seem downright accommodating. On our side of the Atlantic, most tobacconists find space for at least a few chairs, or accept that customers will stand around the shop for a bit while partaking of their recent purchases. Even this luxury, though, is not afforded by the regulations that bear down on Glasgow. Cigar shops remain points of sale only, deprived of the chance to incubate friendships and cultivate a tightly-knit smoking culture.

The Hotel du Vin, fortunately, has found a way to bypass the indoor smoking ban: strip away the walls.

One of several upscale boutiques in Glasgow, the Hotel du Vin, distinguishes itself by having eschewed a cookie-cutter design in favor of truly unique guestrooms. For lovers of the leaf, however, the essential attraction is through the lobby and beyond a white-trimmed glass door. The rest of the journey to the Bothy requires no more than 25 paces (if you stand 5’10”), ending in a covered, heated outdoor smoking lounge that is open 24 hours a day.

The Bothy is an indoor/outdoor hybrid, with natural and copious ventilation that does not come at the expense of protection from scorching sunlight or driving rain. Most of the structure lacks walls, though the sloping roof compensates for about half of what is missing, and heating along the shelter’s perimeter combats Glasgow’s often merciless elements. The gas-powered fireplace is typically ablaze throughout the day and evening, and if it is not, the staff has made clear that they are more than happy to ignite it-quickly.
To the Hotel du Vin’s credit, the Bothy is not treated as a leper colony. The staff directs you to this nearby retreat without judgment or sneers … and with coffee (or tea). Several beverages are available for outdoor consumption while you smoke, and an amply-stocked humidor can fill any gaps in what you have brought with you for the trip. If you are equipped with your own cigars, the Hotel du Vin does not charge a cutting fee in the Bothy. As I write, a Toro-sized De La Concha Grand Reserve, brought with me from New York, rests between my fingers, though I may switch to a stick of the Cuban variety when the ember comes closer to my knuckles.

Whether you’re staying on the premises or need to grab a taxi from deep inside the city, the Bothy is worth the time it takes to smoke a double corona. Clip it, light it and relax in a soft leather chair. Sip one of the few good cups of coffee in Scotland. And, enjoy la dolce vita.

Baggage handler punches a $2 Million hole in a Boeing 737

by Scott Carmichael on

A baggage handler at Glasgow airport in the UK made a very expensive mistake when the truck he was driving ripped a 5 foot hole in a parked plane. The Boeing 757 operated by Flyeglobespan was being prepared for a flight to Alicante, Spain when the accident happened.

Passengers were told that they would have to transfer to a different plane due to “aircraft damage”. Amazingly, the passengers were on their way to their destination in under 2 hours.

The aircraft will be out of service for several weeks so aviation engineers can examine the damage and perform repairs on the structure. When damage like this occurs, all kinds of critical flight systems could be damaged, and depending on the speed of the impact, the repair may involve much more than just patching a hole.

The baggage handler worked for Alba Ground Handling and the source article says he has been “sacked”. Accidents like this are fairly common, and baggage handlers are instructed to always keep a safe distance from the plane they are working on, but in the chaos of getting aircraft ready for a quick turnaround, accidents do happen.

Flyglobespan is a Scottish low cost carrier with flights from several UK airports to the US, Canada and the European mainland. The have an all Boeing fleet of 15 planes, and are expanding rapidly. They are also one of the airlines with an order in place for the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner.