He’s The Guy Who Was Too Fat to Fly. And by too fat to fly, we mean too fat to fly by Southwest Air’s standards.

At 330 pounds, Smith felt he would need two seats on the plane. So, he bought himself two seats; his weight wasn’t even breaking any print regulations from the airline.

He admitted that he liked to have the room; and at 30,000 feet cramped up with a hundred other people like fish in a can, who doesn’t? But when he decided to board a standby flight, he wasn’t able to have two seats.

Still, he boarded the flight and sat down without a problem in a single seat between two women, buckled in–and then was kicked off the flight for being too fat.

Though Southwest has since apologized, given Smith a lousy $100 voucher for his embarrassment, and tried to save face by issuing a statement about how their concern was for the safety and comfort of the other passengers (though none had complained), there’s little they can do to derail public attention from Kevin Smith’s new cause–nor his Twitter feeds regarding his public humiliation.

The actor has since issued dozens of tweets regarding the situation–most of them facetious, all of them at least tinged with outrage. One notable tweet read, “Don’t worry: wall of the plane was opened & I was airlifted out while Richard Simmons supervised.”

The TSA claimed that since security measures were getting so stellar in the commercial sector (yes, they actually stated this as a fact), they made private planes and smaller airports more vulnerable to an attack. Terrorists would, apparently, be so terrified of hijacking a commercial plane that they would have no choice but to commandeer a personal plane instead.

As usual, a very logical point from the TSA.

The plan called for every general aviation flight–personal plane used for business or pleasure–to be checked against all terrorist watch lists. Expensive new security programs would be required for at least 300 small airports across the nation.

It turns out that the Administration quickly realized the redundancy of their plan, and the idea for the new increased security measures–a costly and controversial mandate–has now been scrapped.

The decision has been attributed to a strong outcry from the general aviation industry as a whole. Pilots complained that the measures were unnecessary given the small risk of a terrorist attack, as well as the lack of trust in their decisions to carry safe people on their planes.

Of course, the TSA still maintains that a risk is very real and dangerous, and general aviation manager Brian Delauter says that a collaboration between the industry and the TSA in negotiating new measures will be necessary.

]]> http://www.maersk-air.com/private-charter/new-rules-for-private-planes-are-a-no-go/feed/ 0 http://www.maersk-air.com/jet-charter/holiday-air-travel-fees-continue-to-rise/ http://www.maersk-air.com/jet-charter/holiday-air-travel-fees-continue-to-rise/#comments Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:27:41 +0000 admin http://www.maersk-air.com/?p=115 Though news of holiday rates and fees escalating came in weeks ago, it didn’t report how much of an increase we’d see. In the last week alone, the $10 service fees of last month were doubled to $20 on domestic flights–each way.

Apparently the major U.S. airlines thought that a such nominal random fee wasn’t enough for their flights, which of course warrants an increase.

It seems that the companies are following in the footsteps of American Airlines, which was the first major business to charge a fee for holidays–as well as the dates surrounding them–in September. Now the charges are pretty commonplace among all of the major airlines.

And while the number of days each company would add the fee was at three, it has since been raised to 13 during the entire year.

Don’t most people who receive holiday pay only get 10 holidays per year, if that? If the airlines are declaring even more holidays, perhaps people should be getting more paid time off work.

Southwest Airlines and JetBlue Airlines are the only two companies to not add the surcharges so far. The businesses, known for the economical flights and leading environmental practices, say that they aren’t going to, either.

Funny how the little guy can maintain a profit without adding fees but the big kahunas still demand more.

And even though all of these airlines adding the fees carry international flights, there has yet to be any word on them adding surcharges in Europe. So what we have are extra holiday fees being charged in the United States only, during a time when it’s already very tight for passengers to fly.

Does that seem very wise at this point?

It’s quite another thing to engage in such activity while flying a plane, which is exactly what two pilots did last week.The two pilots from Northwest Airlines didn’t just create a minor blip, either. They overshot their own landing by 150 miles, were out of radio contact for 90 minutes and left over 140 passengers worried during their journey–all because they were both playing on their laptops during the flight.

The military even almost became involved at one point for fear of another national security disaster.

Okay, when people scoff that it’s more dangerous to be in car than in an airplane, and that riding in a plane is a perfectly safe way to travel, perhaps their words of wisdom don’t hold up as much as they have in the past.

People are often being told to stop talking–and especially texting–on their cell phones while driving their cars (or a bus or train…); perhaps a campaign against web browsing while flying a plane full of passengers is needed as well.

The two pilots, who violated aviation policy with their little laptop break, had their licences revoked by the Federal Aviation Administration as a result.

While some are arguing that these pilots must have been under severe stress to do such a thing–and it’s true that pilots have been enduring a lot during the economic crisis in the country right now–common sense has to come in somewhere. You’re flying a plane. In the sky. With over a hundred lives in your hands. You shouldn’t be on your laptop.

From random (to not-so-random) searches to people with prosthetic limbs being asked to prove they’re there to babies in blankets being checked before boarding, it’s never a surprise to discover what the latest thing being banned from the friendly skies might be.

Which is exactly why it’s so surprising that flights coming out of the Bay Area might be carrying passengers with approved baggies of pot.Granted, the marijuana they are traveling with is of the medical variety, but given the strict regulations on so many other substances, it’s still a cause for eyebrows to disappear beneath hairlines.

According to San Francisco police, as long as the patients carry cards that verify that the pot is for medical purposes, they are allowed to bring up to 8 ounces of dried marijuana on board with their toiletries. The police use the same policy within the city itself, and have been doing so since November of 2008.

Airport staff aren’t allowed to dictate who can fly or not with the cannabis; only the local police have that authority.

In San Jose, the law differs. While passengers are allowed to fly with their drugs, the police do write up a report and submit it to a federal judge, who then decides whether criminal activity has occurred or not.

The U.S. Justice Department in general is backing the patients, saying that prosecution of travelers with valid medical needs for the marijuana should be avoided as long as they cooperate with local laws.

Once considered scandalous, fees for baggage, as well as surcharges, are starting to become a normal addition with most flights. Holiday flights are still being sacked with $10 surcharges. And baggage charges aren’t just for extra baggage anymore; some airlines are charging for bringing one piece of luggage on a flight. The remedy for this? Wearing layers and carrying a large purse.

Fees for unaccompanied minors have significantly increased (perhaps in the spirit of self-pity following the film with the same title). From changing seating arrangements to in-flight meals (which aren’t exactly scrumptious fare you’d pay for on the ground), many services that were once free now have hefty price tags attached to them.

The worst part of it all is that customers can’t see these fees when they buy their tickets; they’re all added in later. So when you’re getting a deal, keep in mind that the deal could end up being as much–if not more–than a standard ticket once all of the extras are added in.

But the reality is that air travel generates a considerable amount of waste. If the aluminum cans that are pitched from flights every year were recycled alone (4,250 tons of them, to be precise), there would be enough to construct 58 brand new 747s–which, you might think, would provide some incentive to recycle for the airlines. Raw materials don’t come much cheaper than that!

Paper is also a huge waste in the air travel business. Every year, 72,250 tons of paper are wasted on flights–which is enough to fill up a football-field sized hole 230 feet deep.

The good news is that some airlines are opting to get a bit greener. Delta Airlines, JetBlue and Southwest Airlines have all made some strides in recycling their waste. Southwest in particular hopes to make enough money through its recycling efforts to pay for its entire waste management process.

However, most airlines haven’t really jumped aboard the green wagon as of yet. Though the reasons why vary, experts cite little to no government regulations or incentives as the main culprit.

That said, the fact that airports that do recycle save about $100,000 annually should nudge them in the eco-friendly direction.

So what do you do if your attendant cannot recycle your stuff for you? If you truly care about it, you can keep it in your carry-on (which is likely already jam packed!) and recycle it after you get off the plane. Just be sure to write the airline once you get home and let them know that it’s very important to you.

The fee, which will be under “miscellaneous fees” (isn’t that cute?), will be applied during Thanksgiving and New Year’s travel with certain airlines.

While the additional surcharge is only ten bucks, you have to hand it to these airlines: rather than drawing in more flies with honey, they made the bug spray just a wee big stronger.

If you’re making plans to travel on November 29, January 2, or January 3, you can expect the charge if you’re using Delta Air Lines, Northwest, US Airways Group Inc, United, or American Airlines.

And in American’s case, the charge applies both ways, ensuring that if you’re broke and you must travel, you won’t even be able to grab a Cinnabon or a coke during your layover.

Whether it’s traditional or not, during times of economical hardship it seems like a slap in the face to the American people to ask for the ten bucks you’re already asking to now be spent on a terrible  in-flight meal.

If airlines continue to hike up costs–especially for silly reasons like “busy days”–to cover for lack of passengers, they’re likely only going to be met with a greater lack of passengers.

Experts say that travelers should book while the booking is good. “You’re going to have less availability to choose from. Any of these lower fares or special fares that you see offered are capacity controlled,” warns Janet Stevens of AAA Travel Services.It all comes down to the numbers: there are simply fewer passengers flying these days. In fact, this year’s fourth quarter low is expected to be nearly as low as the record set following the September 11 attack in 2001.

Fewer passengers translates to fewer flights offered. And when the holidays sneak up on travelers as they always seem to do, without as many flights available, there won’t be as many choices left.

So how early do we need to buy? Experts say that anytime between now and the end of October is ideal. “Bottom line is that holiday air travel procrastinators do so at their own peril this year and practical travelers should be shopping now,” says Farecompare.com’s Rick Seaney.

According to Stevens, Thanksgiving morning departures can often help people save money, as well as flying outside normal peak periods. This entails flying a few days earlier–such the Monday or Tuesday before Thanksgiving rather than the day before.

Fewer passengers flying does have its advantages. Processing times should be shorter, and lines should be as well. Flights may not be as crowded, and may be more likely to arrive on time.

But in times like these, people are trying to save every penny possible. How can a family of four plan a trip to go see grandma across the country on a budget of, say, only a couple hundred dollars? Can it even be done?

The answer is a resounding yes. With plenty of advance planning and a little saving, it’s definitely possible to make a cross-country trip without spending your entire budget on the airfare itself. Here’s how to do it.

Book Well in Advance

Plan your trip a month ahead. Not only will you have the headache of planning at the last minute prevented, you’ll also save hundreds of dollars. You could even end up spending less than $100 per ticket if you do this in conjunction with the following tips.

Play with Your Dates

Before you plan out your entire trip while you’ll be away, play with the dates you use to find tickets. Sometimes just changing your departure (or return) date by one day will save you a few hundred dollars.

Skip Holiday Charges

Airfare tends to rise over the holidays, so see if you can have Christmas with Nana a little early instead of right on Christmas day. Then your family can have two Christmases! Who wants to travel on Christmas anyway?

Don’t Fly During the Weekend

You might have to stagger your vacation dates–say, Wednesday through Tuesday rather than Monday through Friday–but you’ll save a few hundred dollars doing so.

Specifically Search for Cheap Flights

Search for “Flights Under $100″ and you’ll find round-trip fares all across the country for around $70 each. Southwest Air is particularly famous for such prices. Once you add in fees they’re a little higher, but still often under $100 per ticket.