Galley Gossip: Italy: Prepare for takeoff.

by Heather Poole on

“Want to go to Italy?” The husband asked.

“Umm…I don’t know…Yes. As in YES YES YES!” I exclaimed. And then I added, “But I’m not flying standby.” Because I wasn’t. And I was ready to stand my ground.

“Yeah, well me neither,” he said, and that was that.

When The Husband and I decided to go to Italy on our vacation last month, we actually purchased our tickets, even though I can fly standby for free. Why? Because we wanted to go to Italy, remember? We actually wanted to make it to the land of wine and cheese and olives and pasta and prosciutto served with a loaf of crusty bread.

What we didn’t want to do was get stuck sitting around an airport for days praying that two people wouldn’t show up for their flight. Oh no, we wanted to get fat from drinking wine and eating cheese and olives and pasta and prosciutto with a loaf of crusty bread in Venice, Rome, and Positano. Not from cheeseburgers and pizza at the JFK food court. And not only did we have plans to eat our way through Italy, we also planned on getting back home when the vacation came to an end. Oh the joys of stand-by travel…

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Because The Husband flies over 100,000 miles a year, we were able to use his frequent flier miles to bump us up to business class, where you can usually find me working. Did I happen to mention this was a dream trip, a trip we’ve been planning for years, a trip that was supposed to be our honeymoon trip five years ago things got screwed up and we wound up in Playa Blanca, a teeny tiny town near Zihautanejo. The war had just broken out and someone was afraid to travel too far from home for fear of getting stuck, since that same someone had gotten stuck in Zurich with her mother for two weeks immediately following 9/11.

Okay okay, so there are worse places to get stuck than Zurich, I know, but when you’re a flight attendant and make a flight attendant salary, it’s very easy to go broke on cappuccino and croissant alone. Though there are worse ways to go broke, I guess.

The best part about actually buying a ticket on a flight, opposed to standing-by for free, is that you get to choose your seat. A window seat, that’s what I chose, and that’s exactly what I got. Man, I couldn’t wait to get on that airplane. And sit. Not work. And watch movies. As others worked. While I sat. Not working. I did mention that this was my dream trip, right? Oh yeah, trust me, that’s part of the dream. I couldn’t wait to take off from JFK at dusk, my favorite time of day, and look out my window, camera in hand, from a business class seat. Not the jumpseat. I couldn’t wait to see a breathtaking view of New York City. Not the first class closet. Or the business class galley. Or the nasty coach carpet. Or the flight attendant sitting next to me. No offense to the flight attendant sitting next to me, whoever that flight attendant may happen to be. I couldn’t wait to….oh you get the picture. Speaking of pictures, here’s a few from our flight from New York to London, where we transferred to another flight that would take us to Venice.

JFK airport’s makeover: What to do with a stained glass window?

by Jamie Rhein on

As Terminal 8 at JFK is being taken down to make room for snowplow storage, figuring out what to do with its 900-pane stained glass window has been considered in depth. When the terminal was built in 1960, the window was a signature piece that pointed to the glory of air travel. Glory didn’t even last half a century.

There was an effort to save the window in its entirety, but that failed. For a mere one million dollars it could have been yours. Instead it’s being taken apart with sections of it being shipped to various locations. The folks who wanted to save the window aren’t too happy about it since the feeling is that has historic and artistic value. It might be the largest stained glass window in the world. It is the largest stained glass window to figure into a building’s design. Others believe that why save a stained glass window when airlines are struggling to meet costs?

Still, it’s too bad about the window. Although pieces of it will be quite lovely in their new locations, they won’t be the same as seeing the whole thing. One could also look at this change due to change as similar to a Buddhist sand mandala or a Native American sand painting. They aren’t made to last, but their beauty transcends. (Here’s a New York magazine post about former efforts to save the window. The photo is from 1961.) [via New York Times]

Subway from JFK to Manhattan is looong, but cheap

by Iva Skoch on

While a taxi is the most comfortable way to travel from JFK airport to Manhattan, it isn’t exactly cheap. (Unless, of course, you are traveling from the UK. Then it must seem like a bargain). The trip will set you back a flat fee of $45 plus tip. If you have more than 3 people traveling, it makes sense. New York taxis don’t charge you by the person or by the luggage, unlike some places. (Hello Panama! Hello Rome!)

The good news is, you can take the subway from JFK airport straight into Manhattan for $7. The bad news is, it will take you at least an hour, maybe more during peak times. It is not the smoothest system out there. You first have to take the air train to the subway terminal. Here comes the tricky part, which confuses a lot of people. You have to figure out if you want the Jamaica subway station or Howard Beach subway station.

Here is how I decide: If I have to go downtown Manhattan (south of 14th Street), I take the A train from Howard Beach. If I have to go to midtown or uptown (north of 14th Street), I find the Jamaica Station E train to be faster.

Taking the subway from the airport into the city is a good way to prepare yourself for the urban jungle that awaits you in Manhattan. Most escalators in subways don’t work, so you might find yourself schlepping your bag up 50 stairs. There are other subway joys, such as the turnstiles, which are absolutely incompatible with wheeled bags. Then there is the problem with limited space, which seems to only bother you, not the other 15 people who just squeezed their butts into an already packed train.

When you finally arrive at your hotel (or your friend’s tiny studio), you will be drenched in sweat and the phrase “If you can make it there, you’ll make it anywhere” will take on a whole new meaning. This is when a nice chilled Manhattan comes in handy.

JFK baggage handlers charged with stealing $250,000 in jewelry

by Catherine Bodry on

Two baggage handlers at JFK airport, a 51-year-old worker and his 39-year-old supervisor, have been charged with grand larceny and possession of stolen property, according to MSNBC.

The thieves haven’t been slowly pilfering individual luggage, however; instead, they stole everything from one container marked “high value.” One of the men opened the container, passed the goods off to the other guy, who put it in his jacket and later a locker — where the jewels were found.

Now, I’m in no way excusing the theft, but doesn’t it seem counterintuitive to mark something as “high value?”

Wow, if it’s not the baggage handlers, it’s the TSA. Which group frustrates you most?

Just in case you didn’t know how many people hate the TSA, here are some reasons to be annoyed with them:

Worst U.S. Airport for On-Time Arrivals. Departures Aren’t Much Better

by Jamie Rhein on

The verdict came in the beginning of February. Newark Liberty International Airport has the worst record of airports in the U.S. for airplanes arriving on time. Only a third of them pull up to the gate when the schedule says. The departures, although, not the worst, aren’t much better.

Blame it on the same thing that ails doctors, I say. When I read the reasons for the off-schedule comings and goings, it reminded me of how you can show up for a doctor’s appointment exactly when your name is to be called and still have time to get through two or three magazine articles before you’re ushered into the examination room only to wait some more.

See, Newark shares air space with John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia airports (also on the bottom of the on-time barrel) so during busy times of the day, which means all day for these three, airlines have too many planes scheduled to take off and land at times that are too close together.

Bad weather in places like Denver and Atlanta can also influence Newark air travel. This photo, taken in January and posted on Flickr by Kevin, tells the truth of this travel woe story. Because airlines are opting to fly more smaller jets, this means more take offs and landings. Therefore, if one thing goes wrong there is a chain reaction. Like when you are at the doctor’s office and the receptionist says, “Oh, by the way, there was an emergency at 10 AM.” You look at the clock and don’t say, “But, it’s 4 PM now.” Instead, you sit back down and flip to another article.

If arriving on time is important, head to the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky airport. Its record for on-time arrivals is the best. If heading overseas, fly out of Salt Lake City to leave when the schedule says. Otherwise, if Newark is your desination or point of departure, remember to bring a good magazine and don’t watch the time.