Drinks on a recent flight on Alaska Airlines that did not fly over New Mexico
In 2007 US Airways sued the state of New Mexico because the state pulled the airline’s liquor license. The state chose to do this after a passenger, Dana Papsi, was served too much alcohol on a flight and caused a car crash that killed five people, plus himself. This means US Airways cannot serve any alcohol on flights that are over New Mexico or grounded in the state. The airline lost the federal suit, meaning New Mexico had to remain alcohol-free.
Kelly O’Donnel, New Mexico’s License Department superintendent stated, “It is a victory, a huge victory, for public safety here in New Mexico and for other states that want to ensure their liquor laws are upheld by everybody who is selling liquor within their borders.”
US Airways argued that the state has no authority to tell the airline how to regulate alcohol, since it is a federal issue. Now that the federal courts have agreed with the state, the airline has nowhere else to go.
Although the passenger involved should have had better personal responsibility, the 21st Amendment provides the right to distribute and sell alcohol, and that comes with responsibility in serving. During the investigation, other passengers stated it was obvious the man who caused the five deaths was intoxicated and the airline still served him two additional drinks.
Should the airline not be allowed to serve alcohol or should they get a fine and be able to continue?
Source: Gadling
Delta Airlines Kiosk - they can create a lot of anger
A passenger from Georgia was trying to take a Delta Air Lines flight in Bismarck, ND and had some issues with the automated kiosk. He only had 30-minutes until his flight departed, it was 5am, and the passenger got up on the wrong side of the bed. Instead of asking for some help, he decided to take his anger out on the kiosk, smashing the screen and causing $15,000.00 worth of damages.
The airport and Delta Air Lines have barred the man from contacting either one and the passenger has been charged with a felony.
Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Image: choking sun
Photo taken by a passenger on Delta flight 1050
Delta Air Lines flight 1050, a Boeing 757, from Seattle to Atlanta had to be diverted yesterday due to a passenger who got a bit out of hand. Witnesses report that a passenger, Paul Marchak III was sitting in a middle seat and started to have a heated conversation with a woman sitting in the window seat. When she was trying to get up to move, he was not allowing her and not listening to the orders from the flight attendant. Three men who “looked like linebackers” came to her rescue and helped to subdue Marchak in the back of the plane with zip ties. The pilot decided to divert the plane to Nashville, where police were more than happy to arrest him.
Family of Marchak say he has Tourette’s Syndrome and had been in Alaska for a two weeks visiting his stepmother. His stepmother stated he had been acting unusual and violent during his trip with her.
Although the incident was scary for those on board, the woman in the window seat praised the flight crew and the gentlemen who helped her, “(They) handled it perfectly,” she said. “I don’t know how they maintained their calm and peacefulness. I don’t think it could have gone any better considering what could have happened.”
The flight landed about 1.5hrs late with no other issues.
Source & Image: KOMO
ANA 747-400D(JA401A) which can hold up to 565 passengers
SAVE THE WHALES! It is easier than you might think. You don’t have to donate money, go out and protest, nor send a letter to your congressman. All you need to do, according to All Nippon Airways (ANA), is use the bathroom before you board your flight.
Confused? ANA is stating that if just half their passengers would use the facilities before taking flight, it would save 4.2 tons of carbon dioxide per month.
All joking aside, they might have something here. The more weight on an aircraft, the more fuel it will burn and the more carbon dioxide will be put into the atmosphere. One of their Boeing 747-400D (high density seating) can hold over 560 people. Take 560 x (bathroom times) = a lot of weight.
Now, this is not all that ANA is doing to help out. They have also started using recycled paper cups, plastic bottles, and eliminating glass. They are also showing an eFlight (the “e” standing for “environment” not “electronic”) film to all passengers that states, “This flight is a so-called ‘eFlight.’ The idea behind the operation is to think about the Earth in the sky above. Fuel reduction by lightening the weight of the aircraft will lead to restrain the carbon dioxide emission, which is one of the causes of global warming. Thank you for your understanding.”
Either way, if this saves ANA a few bucks in gas and maybe a whale or two, it works for me. Besides, it is best to go before flight anyhow, so you can avoid using an airplane’s tiny bathroom.
Image: woinary
Space shuttle sitting on top of a modified Boeing 747 - Click to see video.
I know it is not directly related to airlines, but close enough. You have a modified Boeing 747 that can fly the Space Shuttle across the country. The process of getting the shuttle on and off the Boeing 747 is not an easy task. A reader pointed out a site that shows a bunch of photos and also a time-lapse video.
Thanks Dan for the tip!