Travel Blogger

Budget airline unveils ash cloud detector - CNN.com

London, England (CNN) -- British budget airline easyJet unveiled a volcanic ash detector on Friday that it says will allow aircraft to safely navigate around potentially lethal ash clouds.

via edition.cnn.com

What's next for airlines, paying by the pound? - CNN.com

Now that Spirit Airlines has done the unthinkable, announcing plans to begin charging for carry-on bags this summer -- that's right, carry-on bags -- the question everyone seems to be asking is: What's next?

Pay toilets? Too late. Ryanair, the irreverent Irish discount carrier, is reportedly considering the concept. No, the next big idea could be paying by the pound. Seriously.

via edition.cnn.com

Do flight attendants hang out with pilots on layovers? | Gadling.com

Do pilots and flight attendants spend time together on layovers? Sometimes. Depends on the crew. Also depends on the length of the layover. At my airline, the majority of our domestic layovers average 10 hours. Add a delay or a mechanical into the mix (they happen!) and that 10 hour layover quickly becomes a nine hour layover. That's not enough time to do much other than sleep, eat and shower.

via www.gadling.com

Understanding the new airline passenger protection rules | CNN.com

You've heard passengers' horror stories about sitting for hours in a parked metal tube with crying babies, clogged toilets and rationed snacks.

The Department of Transportation hopes they will become faded memories for air travelers after new, more aggressive passenger protection rules go into effect Thursday.

via edition.cnn.com

Airline merger: What happens now? | chicagotribune.com

Travelers' questions about United and Continental frequent flier miles, fares, other mergers and more answered

via www.chicagotribune.com

New tarmac delay rule: What you need to know | USATODAY.com

I suspect the big result of this will be more canceled flights. TB

You've heard the horror stories of airline passengers stranded on the tarmac for hours without food or water or even sanitary bathroom conditions. Or worse, you've lived the experience. You wondered, why is this allowed to happen?

After years of sparring between passenger advocates and defiant airlines, the government has stepped in. Starting Thursday, U.S. airlines will have to let passengers off the plane after three hours or face potentially huge fines.

via www.usatoday.com

Boeing 787 Begins Extreme Weather Tests | Aviation Week

 

Boeing’s third test 787 has entered a two-week phase of extreme weather tests at McKinley Climatic Laboratory at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida as part of the aircraft’s type certification effort.

The testing will expose the aircraft to heat as high as 115F degrees (46C) and as low as -45F (-43C). Boeing says once the aircraft (ZA003), is stabilized at either the hot or cold temperatures, flight test technicians will follow the 787 maintenance manual to prepare it for flight release and operate under these conditions. “Sensors and monitors will allow the test team to determine if all systems hardware and software operate as expected,” adds the manufacturer.

via www.aviationweek.com

FAA wants no pilot distractions | USATODAY.com

 

Federal aviation regulators are prodding airlines today to take concrete steps that would ensure their pilots are not distracted by laptops, cellphones and extraneous conversations.

via www.usatoday.com

New Panama City airport could stir Gulf Coast's sleepy way of life | MiamiHerald.com

They call it the Emerald Coast for the blue-green water, but the color I remember best about the beaches of South Walton is white: wide expanses of sand so white it glistens in the sun. Few beaches in Florida or anywhere can match this 26-mile shoreline in Walton County, bordering the Gulf of Mexico in Florida's northwest Panhandle. The sand is nearly pure quartz crystal, dazzling to the eye and soft underfoot.

via www.miamiherald.com

Video - The making of a Boeing 737 | ABC News

See a time-lapse video of the construction of the airline's latest jet. Video Link

via abcnews.go.com