Not Your Average Air Travel Story: Week of April 23
Another bird strike: A JetBlue flight from New York to West Palm Beach struck two geese shortly after taking off. The plane made an emergency landing and returned, with no passengers injured.
Final flight: An elderly woman died of a heart attack on a Southwest flight from Atlanta to Chicago.
Non-final flight: Passengers and crew quarantined on Delta plane after man is suspected of carrying dreaded monkeypox. All-clear sounded after CDC diagnosis: bug bites.
Meanwhile, on another Delta flight: Two state troopers saved a man’s life by reviving him after he suffered what was thought to be a heart attack.
Awwww! The cutest delay ever: A puppy escaped from its crate at LaGuardia Airport causing the tarmac to shut down for about 10 minutes and about two or three planes were delayed.
Kickbacks and trays up, please: Two TSA employees allowed drugs to pass through security at LAX because they were paid off. So, drugs are cool, but little kids – not so much?
A second pass: Passengers passing through international airports in Japan can start to expect body searches, in an effort to double check what metal detectors may not have picked up.
Everything is bigger in Texas: Including pat-downs by the TSA. Rep. Francisco Canseco, R-Texas, claims he was assaulted by a TSA agent. And the TSA agent claims Canseco assaulted him as well. Apparently, you can’t touch TSA agents.
Passenger of the Year Nominee: Man files police report against flight attendant who had the audacity to wake him up because the plane had landed.
That’s the Spirit: Dying man deniedticket refund. Said Spirit, “Hey, you could have bought insurance.” If he dies before the flight, though, he may get partial refund. See the update for Spirit’s latest response.
Speaking of Spirit: That parody ad about the Secret Service/hooker scandal Spirit created? Yeah, that’s no more.
Another great deal: South Africa’s Kulula Airlines’ latest promotion: 4th wife flies free.
Free beer: Now that we have your attention, Frontier wants you to vote for a new onboard beer. And it’s not free (I lied).
“Yeah, I’ll take a venti Frappuccino and a ticket for It’s a Small World”: Starbucks will start selling coffee in Disney parks.
Best vacation destination: Orlando (well, nearby Celebration, Fla.) for the Great American Pie Festival. And Orlando is cheap this summer so it’s like having your pie and eating it, too.
Lavatory portraits: Woman decorates self with tissues in airplane restrooms to recreate look of 15th century Dutch paintings. Unclear why.
