A woman was stopped at Munich airport last week while en route from Brazil to Naples when the baggage handlers noted some unusual content in her luggage. Imagine the scanner operator's face, well accustomed to clothes, shoes, toiletries etc, when they found the image of a human skeleton coming up on the screen! The 62 year old lady explained that she was taking the remains of her brother to Italy in order to bury them in accordance with his wishes. He'd died 11 years previously and she'd only just got around to it.
Where he had been in the meantime is a mystery, however once it had been established that she wasn't actually breaking any German laws she was (or, they were) allowed to continue with the journey. What happened when she reached Naples is also unknown, but given Naples' problems with the illegal dumping of pollutants from all over Italy, the authorities may not have been that pleased to see what she was planning to deposit!
Showing posts with label passengers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label passengers. Show all posts
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Sticky Situation
This surely must be a first on all counts. Apparently a 21-year-old woman is suing American Airlines for not protecting her from a man a masterbating man on one of their flights. She wants $200,000 after she awoke to find "a substantial amount of an extremely sticky substance in her hair." The flight was from Dallas/Forth Worth to Los Angeles and she claims the airline should have seen the man go from his seat to the seat next to hers and remove him back to his original assigned seat. He was arrested when the plane landed while she was calmed by a fellow passenger.
Monday, February 11, 2008
An Eye Opener
Have you ever got on an early morning flight and been amazed just how many people ask for a drink, other than tea and coffee that is? The reasons why they do so are of course many and varied. There are those who just need a drink to get themselves through the whole experience – fear is a dreadful thing. I remember one early morning flight from Glasgow to London where a lady passenger was so fearful that she had taken a couple of Valium, and then once on board she set about the drink. Twenty minutes from landing she had fallen sound asleep and when the aircraft landed in London she was still out for the count and had to be carried off the plane. There are others for whom that early morning drink is the hair of the dog, and then there are those who have a drink problem. Last of all there are those who drink for the simplest of reasons; it’s free.
So nothing unusual on the 6.30am flight from Detroit to Fort Wayne, Indiana, when two men got on and one started drinking. It’s only a twenty-five minute flight but by the time they arrived he’d already become a little excitable. Some passengers disembarked, and more got on for the next leg to Indianapolis. Soon enough they were under way again and the man continued to drink. His behaviour went from rowdy to downright obnoxious, to such an extent that the flight attendant informed the captain.
Once they arrived at Indianapolis the captain decided his behaviour was unacceptable and ordered him off the flight. The drunken passenger argued that he needed to carry on to Atlanta, but the captain was having none of it. His, sober, companion appealed too, but the captain was unmoved and the inebriated man was taken off the flight.
Once they were in the air again and about 25 minutes into the hour and a half flight to Atlanta, the cockpit radio crackled into life. The conversation went like this:
“Captain, did you kick a passenger off your flight in Indianapolis?”
“Yes, he was drunk and disorderly.”
“Was he with someone?”
“Yes.”
“Are they still on the plane?”
“Yes.”
“That’s good. The man you ejected was sergeant XXX from the Detroit Police Dept and the man with him is the prisoner he’s escorting.”
The captain immediately asked the flight attendants to upgrade the prisoner to first class. Once they landed in Atlanta, he went back to see the man and thanked him for flying with the airline. The pilot then told him that some people had come to meet him off the flight. “You know?” asked the man. “Yes, we know.” Replied the captain.
The white-collar criminal was then returned to custody and continued with his extradition. It is not known how the sergeant’s return to the office went, or whether he has yet lived the episode down.
So nothing unusual on the 6.30am flight from Detroit to Fort Wayne, Indiana, when two men got on and one started drinking. It’s only a twenty-five minute flight but by the time they arrived he’d already become a little excitable. Some passengers disembarked, and more got on for the next leg to Indianapolis. Soon enough they were under way again and the man continued to drink. His behaviour went from rowdy to downright obnoxious, to such an extent that the flight attendant informed the captain.
Once they arrived at Indianapolis the captain decided his behaviour was unacceptable and ordered him off the flight. The drunken passenger argued that he needed to carry on to Atlanta, but the captain was having none of it. His, sober, companion appealed too, but the captain was unmoved and the inebriated man was taken off the flight.
Once they were in the air again and about 25 minutes into the hour and a half flight to Atlanta, the cockpit radio crackled into life. The conversation went like this:
“Captain, did you kick a passenger off your flight in Indianapolis?”
“Yes, he was drunk and disorderly.”
“Was he with someone?”
“Yes.”
“Are they still on the plane?”
“Yes.”
“That’s good. The man you ejected was sergeant XXX from the Detroit Police Dept and the man with him is the prisoner he’s escorting.”
The captain immediately asked the flight attendants to upgrade the prisoner to first class. Once they landed in Atlanta, he went back to see the man and thanked him for flying with the airline. The pilot then told him that some people had come to meet him off the flight. “You know?” asked the man. “Yes, we know.” Replied the captain.
The white-collar criminal was then returned to custody and continued with his extradition. It is not known how the sergeant’s return to the office went, or whether he has yet lived the episode down.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Fat Chance No.2
A Nevada resident was recently travelling on Delta Airlines when he was forced to endure an uncomfortable flight. He takes up the story. "I was on a Delta Air Lines flight from Philadelphia to Atlanta, and was one of the last people to board the aircraft. When I got to my seat, half of it was missing. Sitting next to me, in the middle seat, was an extremely large woman. So large that she not only took up her own seat, but half of mine. There was no way for her to put the armrest down. She said she hoped there was room for me. A flight attendant suggested that the only way to change my seat was to “find a cute boy or girl” and sit on their lap. Not only did I find this offensive, but also it was distressing.
One of the flight attendants came over and offered the large passenger next to me a seat belt extender. I tried to sit down, but ended up spending half of the flight on this woman’s lap and the other half spilling over into the aisle. I e-mailed Delta after the flight and asked for a refund. I bought one seat, and I didn’t even have half of one. Delta thanked me for the feedback but refused to do anything.I discreetly asked one of the flight attendants if I could buy a seat in first class, and was told that first class was full. I asked if the remainder of the plane was full, and they said that there were no empty seats.
Is this likely to become more common place? Well of course, yes. What is to be done about it? Nothing. Try charging people for more than one seat and we'll have Human rights being screamed from the roof tops. The fact is if God had meant fat people to be prevented from flying he would have made the doors smaller.
One of the flight attendants came over and offered the large passenger next to me a seat belt extender. I tried to sit down, but ended up spending half of the flight on this woman’s lap and the other half spilling over into the aisle. I e-mailed Delta after the flight and asked for a refund. I bought one seat, and I didn’t even have half of one. Delta thanked me for the feedback but refused to do anything.I discreetly asked one of the flight attendants if I could buy a seat in first class, and was told that first class was full. I asked if the remainder of the plane was full, and they said that there were no empty seats.
Is this likely to become more common place? Well of course, yes. What is to be done about it? Nothing. Try charging people for more than one seat and we'll have Human rights being screamed from the roof tops. The fact is if God had meant fat people to be prevented from flying he would have made the doors smaller.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
As Nature Intended
What better way to break a bit of a quiet patch for airline-related nonsense and entertainment than with some naked Germans? Yes folks, at last the German nudist market is being properly serviced by an East German travel agency. Those wishing to cast off their garb in flight can now visit ossiurlaub.de to book a trip from Erfurt to the popular Baltic Sea resort of Usedom, leaving on July 5th at a cost of £370.
The new and innovative element of the holiday is the fact that the entire passenger list (we hope it's all of them and that nobody ventures aboard unawares) is intending to strip off for the duration of the flight. They'll have to be clothed until they're on the 'plane and dress again to disembark. The crew will keep their kit on for 'safety reasons'. The safety reasons have not been specified - the mind boggles at the potential for burns if the emergency slides get used!.
Mr. Enrico Hess, the head of the travel agent which is endeavouring to plug the gap in the market for naked flight noted that Naturism, or "free body culture" (FKK) as it is called in Germany, was banned by the Nazis but has boomed since the end of WWII. He went on to say "I don't want people to get the wrong idea. It's not that we're starting a a swinger club in mid-air or something like that. We're a perfectly normal holiday company." Absolutely.
The new and innovative element of the holiday is the fact that the entire passenger list (we hope it's all of them and that nobody ventures aboard unawares) is intending to strip off for the duration of the flight. They'll have to be clothed until they're on the 'plane and dress again to disembark. The crew will keep their kit on for 'safety reasons'. The safety reasons have not been specified - the mind boggles at the potential for burns if the emergency slides get used!.
Mr. Enrico Hess, the head of the travel agent which is endeavouring to plug the gap in the market for naked flight noted that Naturism, or "free body culture" (FKK) as it is called in Germany, was banned by the Nazis but has boomed since the end of WWII. He went on to say "I don't want people to get the wrong idea. It's not that we're starting a a swinger club in mid-air or something like that. We're a perfectly normal holiday company." Absolutely.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Not So Quiet Riot....
A strike by airline staff does not normally lead to a riot but that's precisely what happened in Buenos Aires over the weekend after Aerolineas Argentinas babbage handlers and ticket desk staff demanded more money and refused to work. The passengers reportedly broke ticket counters and threw objects at the airline employees , after learning that their international flights were cancelled for the second day running.
The strike left several thousand passengers were stranded, including a woman who was scheduled to fly to Venezuela (can you imagine, all the way to Venezuela? - Ed)
The strike left several thousand passengers were stranded, including a woman who was scheduled to fly to Venezuela (can you imagine, all the way to Venezuela? - Ed)
Friday, January 4, 2008
Cooper Mystery Revived
One of the longest running, and oddest, investigations in US criminal history has been revived by the FBI in the hope of solving the case. The strange events of 24th November 1971 aboard a Northwest Orient flight from Portland to Seattle when a passenger calling himself D.B.Cooper held the aircraft's occupants to ransom and succeeded in parachuting out of the plane with $200,000 in cash as a consequence are well documented...particularly well so on page 28 of Airline Confidential (but we would say that, wouldn't we?) and many other places
The FBI has just released for the first time pictures and information on its website (take look at www.fbi.gov). The renewed interest is the result of FBI Special Agent Larry Carr taking over the long outstanding case six months ago. He's a self confessed 'Cooper Buff' and reckons that the previous assumption that Cooper was a paratrooper is wrong. His theory is that the hijacker probably failed to even open his 'chute and modern technology could lead to his (presumeably pretty deep) grave.
The FBI has just released for the first time pictures and information on its website (take look at www.fbi.gov). The renewed interest is the result of FBI Special Agent Larry Carr taking over the long outstanding case six months ago. He's a self confessed 'Cooper Buff' and reckons that the previous assumption that Cooper was a paratrooper is wrong. His theory is that the hijacker probably failed to even open his 'chute and modern technology could lead to his (presumeably pretty deep) grave.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Heavy Bags and No Gain
According to 'African Echo - The Voice of Africa', "British Airways passengers on the Accra – London route on Economy class can now carry 46 kilos of checked-in luggage instead of 23 kilos while those in Business class can carry up to 60kilos of checked-in luggage. The doubling of the baggage allowance on the route has been considered by the Airline’s authorities to streamline baggage allowance policy on some ‘dedicated’ African routes.
The Head of Africa and Europe Affairs of British Airways, Mr. Pat Gaffey acknowledged that Nigerian passengers on the Lagos – London route for many years enjoyed 60 kilos of baggage allowance and said “don’t ask me why, it has been a very old policy which I may not be able to explain, but the good news is that our Ghanaian passengers are now going to have their baggage allowance doubled on our flights to and from Accra.”
Well it all stems back to those good ol' days when British Caledonian Airways flew these routes. Such was the wealth of many of the Nigerian passengers in the 70s and 80s (oil money) that they would come to London and buy vast amounts of everything and anything. They would then turn up at the airport with trolleys laden down with TVs, Fridges and countless other articles of flotsam and jetsam to take home to Nigeria. Trying to extract excess baggage payments from them was like pulling teeth so it was felt to be easier simply to raise the baggage allowance and hope for the best.
The Head of Africa and Europe Affairs of British Airways, Mr. Pat Gaffey acknowledged that Nigerian passengers on the Lagos – London route for many years enjoyed 60 kilos of baggage allowance and said “don’t ask me why, it has been a very old policy which I may not be able to explain, but the good news is that our Ghanaian passengers are now going to have their baggage allowance doubled on our flights to and from Accra.”
Well it all stems back to those good ol' days when British Caledonian Airways flew these routes. Such was the wealth of many of the Nigerian passengers in the 70s and 80s (oil money) that they would come to London and buy vast amounts of everything and anything. They would then turn up at the airport with trolleys laden down with TVs, Fridges and countless other articles of flotsam and jetsam to take home to Nigeria. Trying to extract excess baggage payments from them was like pulling teeth so it was felt to be easier simply to raise the baggage allowance and hope for the best.
An American Tale
Not everyone it seems is so happy to be travelling in Arctic conditions. Two passengers who were stranded for more than eight hours aboard an American Airlines flight are suing the airline after their plane was diverted during a major storm over North Texas. They are accusing American of false imprisonment (are they barking mad? - Ed), fraud and negligence.
The two, Kate Hanni of California and Catherine Ray of Arkansas were on flights diverted from Dallas-Fort Worth Airport to Austin on December 30, 2006. After landing the passengers were kept on the plane for more than eight hours, apparently they were unable to leave despite overflowing toilets and little food or water.
The two, Kate Hanni of California and Catherine Ray of Arkansas were on flights diverted from Dallas-Fort Worth Airport to Austin on December 30, 2006. After landing the passengers were kept on the plane for more than eight hours, apparently they were unable to leave despite overflowing toilets and little food or water.
Friday, December 7, 2007
Where The Buck Stops?
One of ur favourite stories concerning an aparent case of bad behaviour on board an aircraft was from a couple of years ago. It's a case that smacked more of air rage than air guitar, when REM's Peter Buck was arrested after he was accused of attacking two British Airways staff on a flight from Seattle to London. He allegedly threw yoghurt over them, swore at the captain, knocked a trolley over and tried to steal a knife. He apparently mistook the trolley for a compact disc player, an easy mistake after you’ve drunk fifteen glasses of wine. A Mr Whittaker, REM’s tour manager, accompanied him on the flight and he like Mr Buck failed to cover himself in glory, although he did take off his shirt and covered his face with ice cream. He tried the old “do you know who I am?” approach, apparently telling the captain, ”I am REM and I can make up a story that I was assaulted.” He was later cleared of assault after blaming a sleeping pill and alcohol, which turned him into ‘a none insane automaton.’
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
The Price of Fame
Actor John Stamos was involved in an altercation on a flight from Chicago to Los Angeles on Monday. The actor who currently stars in the TV drama 'ER,' was apparently harrsassed by a woman who was also flying first class. When Stamos tried to go to sleep, the woman allegedly got a bit loud. The flight attendents tried to calm her down and they allerted the authorities so that when the planne landed it was met by the FBI. It appears that no charges will be filed.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
The Campbell is Coming or Possibly Not....
According to the Daily Mirror Naomi Campbell is apparently in trouble with an airline, and not for the first time. It is reported that she turned up 11 minutes before her flight was due to take off from Heathrow and demanded to be let on. It's claimed she even stamped her feet and whined: "You have to let me on. Come on." Reports that she added "I'll scream and scream until I'm sick" seem to have been exaggerated.
BA staff said they offered to let her travel without her luggage and send her bags on a later flight. "You are joking. You are always losing bags and I don't trust you with mine in a million years." Was her reported retort. Miss Campbell recently attended anger management classes, I wonder if she'll ask for her money back?
BA staff said they offered to let her travel without her luggage and send her bags on a later flight. "You are joking. You are always losing bags and I don't trust you with mine in a million years." Was her reported retort. Miss Campbell recently attended anger management classes, I wonder if she'll ask for her money back?
I'm Getting Off
Yesterday on an American Airlines flight from Orlando to Dallas a woman tried to open an over-wing door during the flight. The aircraft with 176 passengers and six crew on board diverted to Houston after the woman was subdued by the crew.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Island Life
Passengers' non-existent knowledge of geography - and specifically the geography over which they are travelling - is a regular source of astonishment to flight attendants. It seems that some people have never even encountered an atlas, never mind looked at a map, before taking a trip and have little or no grasp of how far they're going or how their destination and route relates to the rest of the planet.
One such lady was sitting looking out of the window on a flight from the US west coast to Hawaii. When the flight attendant was serving her a drink the lady asked "Are we going to see water the entire way to Hawaii?" "I sure hope so." replied the bemused flight attendant, wondering what this lady was thinking. The passenger just looked back out of the window and dreamily said "Oh my gosh, we're going to see water the entire way..."
While on the subject of trips to Hawaii and passengers' strange expectations, another passenger had a disagreement with a flight attendant about how long it would take to get to the islands. The seasoned cabin crew member explained that they're thousands of miles off the west coast of the US and would take hours to get to. The passenger wouldn't have it, insisting that the distance wasn't great, and the debate continued for a long while. Finally the truth emerged; the passenger had been looking at a map of the US on which, in order to fit everything on the page, the cartographer had placed Hawaii an inch or so from California.
One such lady was sitting looking out of the window on a flight from the US west coast to Hawaii. When the flight attendant was serving her a drink the lady asked "Are we going to see water the entire way to Hawaii?" "I sure hope so." replied the bemused flight attendant, wondering what this lady was thinking. The passenger just looked back out of the window and dreamily said "Oh my gosh, we're going to see water the entire way..."
While on the subject of trips to Hawaii and passengers' strange expectations, another passenger had a disagreement with a flight attendant about how long it would take to get to the islands. The seasoned cabin crew member explained that they're thousands of miles off the west coast of the US and would take hours to get to. The passenger wouldn't have it, insisting that the distance wasn't great, and the debate continued for a long while. Finally the truth emerged; the passenger had been looking at a map of the US on which, in order to fit everything on the page, the cartographer had placed Hawaii an inch or so from California.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Scores of People Affected....
There's big news from down under. According to New Zealand's Dominion Post. 'Scores of air passengers had their travel plans disrupted this morning when a thick blanket of fog briefly covered Christchurch International Airport. An airport spokeswoman said the fog rolled in about 7.35am, affecting arrivals from Wellington and Hokitika, and one departure to Wellington was cancelled." Can you believe it? Scores, that's less than a hundred.....Twenty Four hour rolling news and our culture of doom has a lot to answer for.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
A Revolutionary Speaks...
At St. Petersburg, Florida on Thursday night police rushed to meet an Allegiant Air Flight after a female passenger made a bomb threat. It must have been frightening for everyone on board but the hoaxer had a very different take on it.
"I guess just to make a statement, potentially to be a social revolutionary, or maybe it was just a crazy thought. I'm not quite sure. It was no bad intention. I think things just got a little bit out of hand. By all means the only thing that I wanted to express to the media, and you guys, was that I apologize for the waste of time the waste of people's energy..." Of the police that showed up so quickly she said. "It was amazing response time the whole process to getting everybody off plane was amazing." She told them. "I wanted to make a true difference to society and I believe I have thank you very much have a good day.”
According to her mother. "How much damage does a person have to do because they can't get help before that balance is the money that the state spends on her if that plane had blown up, would that have been enough." Ford's mother, frustrated with a North Carolina mental institution for allowing her daughter out, blames budget constraints.
"I guess just to make a statement, potentially to be a social revolutionary, or maybe it was just a crazy thought. I'm not quite sure. It was no bad intention. I think things just got a little bit out of hand. By all means the only thing that I wanted to express to the media, and you guys, was that I apologize for the waste of time the waste of people's energy..." Of the police that showed up so quickly she said. "It was amazing response time the whole process to getting everybody off plane was amazing." She told them. "I wanted to make a true difference to society and I believe I have thank you very much have a good day.”
According to her mother. "How much damage does a person have to do because they can't get help before that balance is the money that the state spends on her if that plane had blown up, would that have been enough." Ford's mother, frustrated with a North Carolina mental institution for allowing her daughter out, blames budget constraints.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Do You Know Who I Am?
According to the Seattle Times Senators trying to get home for the extended weekend caused by the Jewish holiday had to fight for airline seats just like ordinary passengers. A new ethics rule forbidding gifts to senators in which the Air Transport Association hase deemed that it would be a violation of the Senate's gift ban to allow senators to continue their usual practice of double- and, sometimes, triple-booking flights. No doubt the immortal words "Do you know who I am" will have been heard in a few American airports.
Saturday, September 8, 2007
What Not To Wear
A waitress from the American beer and burger chain Hooters was recently asked to change her clothes before being allowed to fly on Southwest because she was dressed inappropriately - and it wasn't because she wanted an upgrade. The 23-year-old was wearing a miniskirt that the Southwest employee found "too inappropriate" to fly. Kyla Ebbert was on a plane to Tucson from San Diego wearing a mini-skirt and a tank-top covered up by a summer sweater. The snug-fitting white top with a scoop neck stopped just short of showing cleavage.
Ms. Ebbert explained that she had no spare clothes to change into and urgently needed to fly for a doctor’s appointment. The airline's suggestion was to buy a dress from a gift shop. Eventually they compromised by asking her to adjust her clothing to be less revealing and cover herself with a blanket.
The girl's mother wrote and complained, the airline said they reserved the right to kick anyone off their planes if they wore "lewd or offensive" clothes and now Ms. Ebbert is becoming something of a celebrity. You'd almost think she planned the whole thing to get her five minutes of fame.
Ms. Ebbert explained that she had no spare clothes to change into and urgently needed to fly for a doctor’s appointment. The airline's suggestion was to buy a dress from a gift shop. Eventually they compromised by asking her to adjust her clothing to be less revealing and cover herself with a blanket.
The girl's mother wrote and complained, the airline said they reserved the right to kick anyone off their planes if they wore "lewd or offensive" clothes and now Ms. Ebbert is becoming something of a celebrity. You'd almost think she planned the whole thing to get her five minutes of fame.
Friday, September 7, 2007
The Final Frontier?
Alan Michael Froula, 42, of Fisherville, about 20 miles east of downtown Louisville, pleaded not guilty on Tuesday of exposing his genitals on a Frontier Airlines flight in a Denver court. Passengers and flight attendants reported seeing Mr. Froula's genitals exposed on Flight 4961 from Louisville to Denver last Saturday, according to evidence put before the court. Were they lining up to look?
Thursday, August 30, 2007
A Lot of People
The US Air Transport Association has estimated that 15.7 million passengers will travel on U.S. airlines between 29 August and 5 September making for yet more hassles with lost bags, crowded airports, delays and packed planes. Put into context that's more people than live in Ireland, New Zealand, Norway and Latvia - ADDED together!
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