Aviation Archives : Plane Sailing

Bored with Earth? Space is the next travel frontier

Images of the Virgin Galactic trials. (imagenet)

Where would we be without eccentric entrepreneurs? Stuck on our own planet, that’s where.

Passengers pitch in to fix plane before takeoff

Of the list of things you might think could happen on an aircraft, this one takes some beating.

Customers aboard a LOT Polish Airlines plane were reportedly asked to help pay to fix the Boeing 787 Dreamliner’s hydraulic pump.

Are UFOs, or meteors, a danger to aviation?

The Day the Earth Stood Still (20th Century Fox, 1951)

A very bright light accelerating to twice the speed of sound caused momentary cause for concern for pilots over Ireland.

Was it a alien spaceship or, as officials suggest, a meteor that sped up once it hit Earth’s atmosphere.

The smell that stopped a plane from taking off

Few things, let alone fruits, are as divisive as durian. I’m reliably informed that many people find them delicious.

But many other people find their stench unbearable, leading to many hotels in Asia having a very strict “no-durian” policy. So, it comes as no surprise to read that the smell of the fruit has delayed a flight.

A matter of life, death and racial profiling at 30,000 feet

If you were suffering a medical emergency on a flight and a doctor came to your aid, you’d almost certainly welcome their attention.

But what if airline crew tried to stop the doctor from helping you? That’s not a hypothetical situation; it actually happened.

You should be vigilant, but not panic, about air safety

Update, November 22, 2018: The general thrust of this article is that you should look carefully at the safety record of the airline you intend to fly with. This New York Times story suggests that Lion Air has grown too quickly and without instilling a safety culture among its workforce. It also raises questions about the Indonesian air safety authorities.

Update, November 2, 2018: As I mention below, Indonesia has an air-safety problem. Read more about it here. The headline of this article has also be changed, and a footnote added.

You want travel rewards? Computer says No

David Walliams as Carol in Little Britain. (BBC)

Sometimes when I sit at my laptop I feel like I’m in one of those Little Britain sketches where a relatively simple operation is thwarted because the “computer says No”.

It’s happened to me on so many occasions that I reckon I’m wasting my time even reading those tempting travel-related offers that come via my inbox

Forget about privacy, everyone’s got your number

Updated (see second footnote)

Another day, another data breach. Revelations that data held by Cathay Pacific has been “compromised” do worry me a little, as I have flown with the airline several times, and plan to do so again next month.

But, as a frequent traveller, I’ve got used to the idea that many people have the details of my credit cards, passport and much, much more.

Should passengers be bumped to make way for off-duty pilots?

There’s a saying about airlines being “bad on the ground, but good in the air”. Basically, it means that booking, checking in and so on may be a hassle, but the airline compensates for all that by offering superior service during the flight (which is pretty much all that matters to most passengers.)

If there are scales of good to bad both in the air and on the ground, I’m not sure where Thai Airways sits after a recent debacle concerning passengers who were bumped back from first class to the business cabin to make way for two off-duty pilots.

The ugly side to joining the Mile High Club

We’ve heard the jokes about the Mile High Club, and it’s probable that some people reading this have aspirations to join it.

But having sex in a toilet cubicle* on a commercial aircraft is no laughing matter, or anything to be proud of. It’s a matter of hygiene, people.

How ‘incidents’ actually improve air safety

As I write this, news is coming in about a United Airlines pilot who issued a “mayday” call and had to make an emergency landing at Sydney Airport.

These sorts of headlines might concern those with a fear of flying, but in fact this incident, and others like it, should be cause for comfort.

Are Aussies giving the Middle East the miss?

Friendly crew are part of the Emirates experience. (Emirates.com)

Some bad news for Australians hoping to experience flying in an Airbus A380: Emirates, the biggest operator of these planes, is scaling back its services from Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, replacing the superjumbos with Boeing 777 aircraft.

As reported by Australian Business Traveller, this will effect people at the pointy end (or, in the case of the A380, the top deck) who won’t get the latest first-class seating or the use of a bar.

What to do when your airline goes bust

Apart from the obvious fear-of-flying-related scenarios, what’s the worst thing that can happen to an airline passenger?

That would be the collapse of the airline, leaving you stranded and out of pocket. And, at the time of writing, that’s what has just happened with the Scandinavian budget carrier Primera.

Be prepared to have your digital devices searched

A surprise may await you on arrival at your destination next time you travel.

All travellers know, or ought to know, that they must abide by the laws of the country they are in, or are about to enter.

But laws keep on changing and it’s hard to keep up. So you may not know that some countries now can require you to take what is inelegantly described as a “digital strip search”.

How influential are the travel ‘influencers’?

We can’t all afford the champagne lifestyles enjoyed by influencers.

Updated: October 19 (see footnote)

The world is being taken over by “influencers”. It’s especially true in the world of travel, where it seems every second person is desperate to be one.

It seems we’ve all got “influenza”, but exactly how influential are these people, and are some of them taking us — and the travel industry — for a ride?

Airports aren’t what they used to be, thank goodness

Brisbane Airport in the 1960s. (Photo: Arthur Debritz)

A recent Twitter exchange about long stopovers reminded me of one thing that has absolutely improved about travel over the years I’ve been doing it: the standard of airport terminals.

Although some may complain that the departure area has been taken over by duty-free booze and perfume outlets, not to mention all-too-familiar fast-food franchises, it’s a far cry from what was on offer not so long ago.

Should you suit up before you take flight?

Is this open-neck, short-sleeved shirt too casual for business class?

It’s an issue that ruffles a lot of feathers: how well should you dress when you fly?

Long gone are the days when everybody wears their Sunday best when they step on an aeroplane, but surely there must be some standards.

You can stop the music: one airline just did

We all know that flying isn’t what it used to be. Under pressure from increased competition, especially from budget carriers, all airlines are making cuts.

We’ve all got used to narrower seats, paying for meals, drinks and luggage, and generally being made to feel less special when we fly. But has enough finally become enough?

Spelling mistake or high-flying PR stunt?

Updated

It’s a wise airline that knows its own name. Or is it?

I’m probably not the first, or only, person to suspect that Cathay Pacific orchestrated the error in spelling on the side of one of its aircraft that got great play on social media.

Some people like the middle seat, but I’m not buying it

Social media drew my attention to this story on Nerdwallet about why some passengers actually prefer to sit in the dreaded middle seat on an aircraft.

Things ain’t what they used to be. when it comes to airline seating.
(Copyright holder unknown. Source: worksthatwork.com)

Yes, I know. You did read that correctly.