Anyone else seen this whacky situation? At Rhode Island airport, a TSA officer examining a child’s carry-on bag found pieces of a handgun hidden inside a stuffed teddy bear, a stuffed rabbit, and a stuffed Mickey Mouse toy. The pieces included the frame of a .40-caliber firearm, a magazine with two .40-caliber rounds, a firing pin and a slide. These would form a complete gun when re-assembled. The child’s father said he was “unaware” that the pieces of the gun had been nestled snugly within the plush bodies of his child’s toys. The father also stated that the…
Weird or Wonderful
Category Archives for Weird or Wonderful.
American’s Tricky Problem: Tickets for Life
So you want to raise cash as an airline? What do you do? Why not sell a First Class ticket that gives a passenger unlimited first class travel for life The Los Angeles Times reports that this is what American Airlines did in 1981. Aviation Gas was cheap and interest rates high. The airline wanted cash. So for $US250,000, 64 passengers bought a ticket which allowed them to travel as often as they wanted in first class. For an extra $150 000 you could take a companion. It was called the AAirpass program. The airline did not pass…
Dude, Stop standing in my Plane
He was 6’4 and sitting in the cramped row in front of me in the middle seat on an American Airlines flight. After the drink and “meal” service, he stood up and moved to the centre of the plane. There he stood in the aisle reading a paperback book. After 45 minutes, the person in the aisle seat next to where he was standing told him loudly: “you are creeping me out. Please go back to your seat.” The man moved forward one row of seats but continued to stand in the aisle reading his book until just…
The D36 Connection
My flight from Miami to Dallas (AA 495) departed out of Gate D36 at Miami Airport. My connecting flight from Dallas to Vancouver departs from Gate D36 at Dallas Fort Worth Airport. How often does that sort of coincidence happen? Someone can probably work out the odds! It had me bemused! Related Posts: Buenos Aires, Argentina Argentinean Altercations
Argentinean Airport Line Altercation
After my plane touched down into Buenos Aires airport, there was a rush forward of people determined to get off first! Seated in the first row of Economy (Row 20A on this American Airlines Boeing 777) meant I had a little head start. I walked quickly and was soon close to the front of all the deplaned passengers. (Immigration queues in many countries can be horrendous so I try to be as close to first in the queue as I can!). Upon deplaning, we walked up a steep gangway to a gleaming new terminal. More twists and turns brought us to…
Stonehenge complete in Australia
I visited Stonehenge whilst in the Uk a couple of years ago. Rising up out of the plains, the historical site is awe inspiring. Its one of my favourite places in the world. Access to the site is limited to a very small number of people with most people only being able to gaze across a fence, I organised to get on a tour that actually goes in and I got to spend sunset at the site, close to the stones. Last week, I visited Stonehenge again. This time it was complete. The circle of stones is unblemished. Whats the story? In a move that is either crazy or astounding, Stonehenge has been re-created in Western Australia as it might have been. 137 granite stones…
Wacky Irritation: Press One now
Called the Virgin Australia frequent flyer contact centre last week Get the usual guff: Welcome blah blah “Press 1 for bookings Press 2 for Frequent flyer Key in your membership number Transferring you now” (Sound of transfer) “Due to the Australian Public Holiday, our centre is closed”. Why not tell me before I pressed all those numbers? I get so peeved with those automated voice systems when: I end up in a Department that is not the one I selected I enter my frequent flyer membership number or flight details or credit card and when I finally…
Malaysian Kids Free Zones -Wacky or Wise
I have flown 842 times. In that time, one child has kept me irritated for an entire flight. As he bounced up and down the seats with his oblivious mother staring at her video screen, an exasperated fellow passenger asked if she had brought anything for her child to do. She looked up and shrugged her shoulders, saying “No” and went back to watching her screen. A few babies have disturbed my takeoffs and landings but not enough for me to want children removed from my aeroplane. Most I have met on board have been well behaved or in awe…
Wacky Wednesday? Air Pacific Nationalises
Today’s wacky Wednesday post is a little different. Is what Fiji doing with their carrier Wacky? The Fijian government led by Commodore Frank Bainimarama seized power in a coup d’état in December 2006. Fiji has been running against the world and pushing back against Australia since then. Australia and Fji expelled each other’s diplomats in 2009 and Fiji has been increasingly making it difficult for foreign owned [often Australian controlled] businesses to operate. Now the “war” has moved to the air. Air Pacific, the flag carrier, was Fiji Air. It was founded in 1951 by Gatty, an Australian aviator. 70 per cent of all travellers to the island nation use Air Pacific, although competition by the two…
Invention for Slow walkers
One of my frustrations in Airports are people who meander. Some people wander slowly through airports because they are lost or confused or stressed and some because they are day dreaming. These individuals (and groups) walk slowly on travelators, stop for discussions at the top of escalators, hold the button on the lifts (elevators) and bunch at the doors of airports. Drives me crazy!! I am always trying to minimise my time in an airport, so I want to plow through. I am also familiar with airports and how to quickly get to gates. I have to remember, not everyone is as adept…
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