The Knucklehead of the Day award

Today's winner is ExpressJet Airlines. They get the award for the following-

By its sixth hour sitting on a deserted tarmac, Continental Express Flight 2816 had taken on the smell of diapers and an overwhelmed lone toilet.

What should have been a 2 1/2-hour trip from Houston to Minneapolis had moved into its ninth hour, and the 47 passengers on board had burned through the free pretzels and drinks handed out early in their Friday night flight from Houston.

Passengers on another flight that had been diverted to the airport in Rochester, Minn., because of storms were allowed to disembark and were put on a bus that would take them the 85 miles to Minneapolis. And the terminal, where passengers could at least stretch their legs, breathe fresh air and use the vending machines, was a mere 50 yards away.

But it wasn't until 6 a.m. Saturday — six hours after landing — that Flight 2816's passengers were allowed out of the plane.

This is just plain unacceptable. Have the airlines learned anything from the weather related incident from a few years ago when some airline passengers were kept on planes for half a day. The airline is transporting people not cattle, and airline employees should have sufficient enough brain matter to know that keeping any number of people confined to a plane with no ability to exit or get food, drink, or plumbing is just plain inhumane. How would they like to be treated in the same fashion.

The airline apologized to the customers affected, but also tried to pass the blame to the airport in Minnesota.

Kristy Nicholas, a spokeswoman for ExpressJet Airlines, said passengers couldn't go to the Rochester terminal to wait out the storms because they would have needed to redo their security screening and screeners had gone home.

The airport's manager, Steven Leqve, said that wasn't true. Leqve said passengers could have waited in a secure area until their plane was cleared to leave.

"This is not an airport issue. This is an airline issue," he said.

I agree with Mr. Leqve. Passengers could have been disembarked into the terminal. I name ExpressJet Airlines today's Knucklehead of the Day.

Camping out

Because of the economy, travel related businesses are particularly hard hit for customers. Here is one innovative way a resort is trying to attract guests.

A luxury resort in San Diego is offering rooms for $19 a night — if you don't mind sleeping in a tent.

The Rancho Bernardo Inn boasts three pools, a spa and golf course. It typically charges more than $200 a room.

But business is down. So from Aug. 16 to 31, guests can get a "Survivor Package" that charges them less for each amenity they give up.

So far as luxury resorts go, $200 is quite a bargain. I used to travel to Southern California on a regular basis as recently as 2001. Hotels in some parts of Los Angeles were in the $150-200 range. Have prices dropped that much due to the present economy?

For $19, guests give up breakfast, air conditioning, lights, sheets and even the bed. Staff will remove the mattress and headboard and leave a small tent instead.

Will the hotel provide mosquitos or the sound of crickets chirping? Of course, but they will be extra!

Oh, and bring your own toilet paper.

You can count me out then. I don't think this business model will be successful.

Mad rush

Be glad you're not traveling to Thailand right now. From AP-

BANGKOK, Thailand - Thousands of bleary-eyed tourists mingled with yellow-clad protesters who brought flights to a halt at Bangkok's international airport Wednesday, dealing a major blow to Thailand's tourism industry during its peak season.

The tourism industry, which makes up 6 percent of the economy and employs about a million people, was already flagging after protesters in late August shut down airports serving popular beach resorts in Thailand's south.

With the latest unrest paralyzing the airport -- which handles about 40 million passengers a year -- during the peak tourist season, and TV networks broadcasting images of the chaos worldwide, the damage this time is likely to be more severe.

"Our main concern is to get the first flight home and never come back," said Australian newlywed Robert Grieve, 32, drinking a can of Heineken at 9 a.m. as he leaned against a vacated Thai Airways check-in counter. "I haven't even seen any staff since last night."

Fred Thierry, a Shanghai-based French executive with a printing materials company, had been stranded at the airport since 8 p.m. Tuesday.

"I have some meetings in Shanghai today," he said. "I had a big meeting with big customers."

Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport was shut down Tuesday after thousands of protesters -- dressed in yellow to symbolize loyalty to Thailand's revered king -- stormed the complex. Some of them were masked and carrying metal rods.

Sounds like non-thinking hooligans to me. What could possibly be the reasoning of the people who caused the airport to close? Turists and ordinary people who work at the facility are more likely to be angry than sympathetic to any cause the protesters support.

I've experienced a airport closing once in my life. It was December 1st 1989, and I was flying to Manila Philippines to meet my wife who would a few days later be going for her embassy interview in order to immigrate to the USA. A coup attempt happened in Manila that day and I got stranded in Seoul South Korea.

One of the coup plotters is now a Senator. They have a funny way of penalizing traitors in that part of the world. Will one of the Thai protesters benefit from the chaos they caused like Gregorio Honasan has?

Update- I will give Gregorio credit. He and the 89 plotters knew how to try toppling a government, today when a so called coup attempt happens in the PI, the only threat caused is to hotel guests and a people trying to get married.

Lipstick on a white elephant

The ugliest piece of architecture in the world is getting a facelift. Yes, the Ryugyong Hotel after being abandoned for 16 years is having glass panels installed.



Why don't they just tear down the monstrosity some call 'Hotel of Doom', 'Phantom Hotel', or The 'Phantom Pyramid'? In Asia saving face is often more important than displaying common sense. No hotel guest is likely to ever stay in the place. In the meantime more money will be poured down a hole making this building pretty. LOL, bureaucrats are alike all over. They all know how to waste money.

Hat tip- Robert Koehler at Marmot's Hole

Welcome aboard Ladies

A major Asian airline just had two women become the first to earn their Captain's wings. From JoonAng Daily-

Two female captains will take to the skies for a commercial airline for the first time in Korea’s 60-year aviation history, Korean Air announced Monday.

Shin Soo-jin, 39, and Hong Soo-in, 36, passed the final tests administered by the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs this week, after five months of final training. The two started at Korean Air in 1996, when Shin became Korea’s first assistant captain in 1997, followed by Hong later in the year.

The aviation industry, especially in the field of technicians and pilots, has often been dubbed one of the most male-dominated sectors. The first woman to be hired as a captain for a commercial airline company was Helen Richey in 1934 at Central Airlines, which later became part of United Airlines.

“First of all, there aren’t many female applicants for commercial airline service. The training period is long and very time-consuming,” said Sim Mun-man, an official at Korean Air.

Both female captains however, say that there are many advantages for females in this field. “Now, controlling a plane doesn’t require as much physical strength, as it requires grace, accuracy and delicate handling of high-tech equipment,” said Shin.

To be a captain at Korean Air, one must have at least five years of experience serving as an assistant captain as well as having flown at least 4,000 hours. Also, written exams, including those in English, are mandatory as well.

Dram man at Marmot's Hole writes "Well seeing how often the Pilots write letters to the control tower, a written exam is a perfect way to test to test a pilot’s English abilities." I agree, that is odd sounding.

The two women pilots are certainly pioneers, but their chances of breaking the patriarchal nature of not just society but the cockpits won't be easy. I do hope bot Ms. Shin and Ms. Hong use proper use of the people in the cockpit besides themselves. KAL has a bad history of cockpit crews failing to challenge a Captain. The 1997 crash on Guam where 228 passengers were killed being the worst example.

Florida the rules are different here Chapter CLXV

Our baseball teams gets kicked out of their hotel during a World Series. No they didn't end up at a Days Inn. Isn't this a great state or what?

PHILADELPHIA - The Tampa Bay Rays had to scramble for hotel rooms when Game 5 of the World Series was suspended because of bad weather.

The Rays had booked rooms at the Westin Hotel in downtown Philadelphia only through Monday, believing they would be heading back to St. Petersburg on Tuesday.

When Monday night's game was suspended because of rain, the Rays found that the rooms they had rented at the Westin were already booked.

After some calls, the team found a hotel that had enough rooms for all the players - the posh Hotel du Pont in downtown Wilmington, Del., about 25 miles south of Citizens Bank Park.

We won't get off

I doubt you will read about this happening in the United States.

BEIJING (Reuters) - Fifty-two passengers on a Chinese airliner whose flight was cancelled due to bad weather refused to disembark and instead spent the night onboard before finally leaving to their destination, local media said on Friday. The passengers boarded for their 8 p.m. (1:00 a.m. EDT) flight from Beijing to the eastern coastal city of Yantai, but after more than three hours of sitting on the tarmac, the airline cancelled the flight, the Beijing Morning Post said.

"Most of the about 200 passengers disembarked to complete flight transfer procedures, but a Mrs. Shi was one of 52 passengers who refused to get off," the newspaper said.

"Mrs. Shi said that she and her colleagues had to get to Yantai for a meeting, they were on a very tight schedule, and could not accept the cancellation of the flight."

At 3 a.m. the airline finally told them they could take a 7.30 a.m. flight to Yantai.

"The passengers said that in the 12 hours or so they spent on the aircraft, the crew provided continuous service, and all along offered food and drink," the report said. Chinese media frequently report stories of badly behaved passengers refusing to get off delayed aircraft or running amok at airports following delays, but also criticise airlines for not giving enough information to passengers about delays.

The crew stayed around to give them service. Just incredible, if it's true.

Some 20 years ago I was flying from Florida to the Philippines with connections in Dallas and Los Angeles. My plane left the gate in Dallas around 5 p.m. We didn't take all till around 8:30. The presence of thunderstorms in the area, preventing my flight(and others) from taking off.

This was in the days when passengers could smoke on board. When we finally took off, passengers cheered. I don't remember anyone getting angry about the delay. If they did, it was kept to themselves.

Today if a airline keeps passengers confined to a plane for 3.5 hours or no matter what the reason, it is likely to be on the evening news. The lawsuits to follow soon afterwards. Have times changed that much?

The Knucklehead of the Day award

Today's winner is The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority. They get the award for the following.

A pendant in the shape of an antique Colt 45 pistol almost landed Marnina Norys in the hoosegow on Monday.

The 39-year-old Toronto resident was caught by alert Kelowna Airport security wearing the 1.75-inch sterling silver pendant on a chain around her neck.

"That's a replica," an unidentified security agent told the harried traveller as if she would understand that replica weapons, even miniaturized pieces of jewelry, are not allowed.

Her jewelry posed no threat, responded Norys, and could hardly be used to hijack an airplane. "It's what it represents," said the agent.

*****

"How do you know it wasn't a real gun?" asked Guy, a security agent with the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, who also declined to provide his last name.

"Who knows if there is a gun that small that can shoot bullets? You don't know that. They followed the rules."

Anyone who tries to get through airport security with a piece of jewelry that looks like a miniature knife, spear or any other weapon would be told the same thing, he said.

This whole story is hysterical. Go to the link above and read it in its entirety, plus this followup one. The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority has since apologized for their stupidity but I'll still name them today's Knucklehead of the Day.

Hat tip- Eugene Volokh at The Volokh Conspiracy

The Knucklehead of the Day award

Today's winner is The China National Chemical Construction Corp. They get the award for the following.

BEIJING (Reuters) - A Chinese state-run company has been ordered to pay a record $65 million (32 million pounds) in compensation, plus interest, for destroying a Malaysia Airlines plane with falsely declared cargo of caustic chemicals.

The Airbus A330 was ruined when 80 canisters belonging to the Dalian branch of the China National Chemical Construction Corp. leaked an extremely corrosive chemical, oxalyl chloride, in the cargo hold in March 2000.

The crew of the passenger flight from Beijing detected an acrid odour before landing in Kuala Lumpur en route to India and five ground handlers were taken ill when unloading the canisters to be sold to an Indian company.

The passengers disembarked without incident, but the $130 million aircraft was so badly damaged that the manufacturer concluded that it could not be repaired.

The Beijing Higher People's Court ruled on Wednesday that the Dalian company should bear the main blame by declaring the canisters contained a safe chemical in the form of powder, the Beijing Times said on Thursday.

The company had to pay five foreign insurers for Malaysia Airlines $65 million plus interest in compensation, ending a five-year lawsuit, the newspaper said.

Their improper shipment of chemicals didn't just destroy an airplane but endanger human lives. That is way I name The China National Chemical Construction Corp. today's Knucklehead of the Day.

Linked to- Adam, Bright & Early, Leaning Straight Up, Mad Pigeon, Random Yak, Right Wing Nation, Rosemary, Woman Honor Thyself, Yankee Sailor,

Near miss

A move is underway to do something in regards to airport runway collisions. From AP-

WASHINGTON - There is "a high risk of a catastrophic runway collision occurring in the United States" because of faltering federal leadership, malfunctioning technology and overworked air traffic controllers, congressional investigators concluded Wednesday.

The investigators gave the Federal Aviation Administration credit for reducing runway safety incidents from a peak in 2001 but said "FAA's runway safety efforts subsequently waned" as the number of incidents settled at a lower level.

Then in fiscal 2007, which ended Sept. 30, the incidents spiked to 370, or 6.05 runway incursions per 1 million air traffic control operations, almost returning to 2001's 407 incursions and 6.1 rate. An incursion is any aircraft, vehicle or person that goes where it shouldn't be in space reserved for take-off or landing.

*****

Then-Federal Aviation Administrator Marion Blakely stepped into that leadership void in August by calling an industrywide brainstorming conference to produce ideas for quick action. In October, the FAA reported progress on steps recommended by the August conclave, particularly in speeding improved runway markings and pilot training. The GAO report approved of those moves but also recommended more leadership from the FAA, improved data collection and a reduction in overtime required of air traffic controllers.

"This report makes clear that the Bush administration is cutting corners and failing to put passenger safety first," Lautenberg said. "The FAA is taking too many chances and ignoring too many red flags."

Even though serious incursions, where a collision was narrowly averted, declined to a record low 24 in 2007 from 31 the year before, the report said they have remained high enough since the FAA took its eye off the ball to represent a high risk of catastrophe.

Since 1990, 63 people have died in six U.S. runway collisions. And the FAA's previous definition didn't classify some serious runway errors as incursions, including an Aug. 27, 2006, crash in Lexington, Ky., of a Comair jet that took off from a too-short runway, killing 49.

This year has seen dramatic near-misses. On Aug. 16, two commercial jets carrying 296 people came within 37 feet of colliding at Los Angeles International. A Delta Boeing 757 touched down in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., July 11 and had to take off immediately to avoid hitting a United Airbus A320 mistakenly on its runway. A Delta Boeing 737 landing at New York's LaGuardia airport July 5 narrowly missed a commuter jet mistakenly cleared to cross its runway.

I wrote about the Fort Lauderdale incident in posts here and here.

It is silly, but rather predictable coming from some democrats, to blame these near misses on the Bush administration. The FAA at present is a mess, as can been seen by the low number of trained air traffic controllers, in addition to the blunders responsible for the Lexington Kentucky crash. The US has gone six years without a major airline disaster. We can't get complacenet for air safety, but history as proven over and over again, it takes a disaster for action to take place. How many people will have to die for FAA incompetence in addition to those 49 in Kentucky last year?

Note- I don't think posturing in Washington DC by Democrats or Republicans is going to fix matters also. Does Lautenberg or any other senator have a proposal to prevent these near misses before a tragedy occurs? I bet not.

Linked to- Bullwinkle, Church and State, Right Voices, The World According to Carl,

The Knucklehead of the Day award

Today's winner is Spirit Airlines. They get the award for the following.

Act fast and you too can cash in on the "MILF" promotion.

The fire sale by Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Spirit Airlines promises "Many Islands, Low Fares" deals as low as $9 for future travel dates between Fort Lauderdale and the Bahamas.

While the prices may be right, it's that promotional acronym that's raised eyebrows among customers and now has the company feeling "uncomfortable."

Before MILF became shorthand for a Spirit Airlines promotion, the acronym hit the mainstream as an obscene descriptor of a mother considered to be sexy.

The term was popularized in the raunchy 1999 feature film "American Pie," in which Jennifer Coolidge plays Stifler's Mom, an attractive, voluptuous woman who ultimately seduces a high school adversary of her son Steve, played by Seann William Scott.


In 2003, the band Fountains of Wayne released the song "Stacy's Mom," which ultimately peaked at No. 21 on the Billboard charts and became the No. 1 most downloaded song for iTunes. The song and accompanying video, which features an adolescent boy fantasizing about his mother's friend, rose to No. 1 on MTV's "TRL."

It's impossible to know exactly what percentage of Americans are familiar with the slang acronym, but Spirit Airlines maintains that the executive who authorized the MILF promotion did not know the connection.

"Not at all," Juan Arbelaez, the director of communications for the company's Latin American market, told ABC News when asked whether the airline was aware of the racy implications. "We started receiving some e-mails today."

Arbelaez said that Spirit's senior vice president of pricing is a British citizen who was unfamiliar with the MILF terminology and that the airline is not trying to offend customers.

I don't believe Spirit did anything intentional, but a screwup is a screwup. A US centered based using a British citizen to help write an ad campaign, could think it wise to have someone familiar with US slang, sayings, etc reading things to avoid episodes like this.

What does MILF stand for- Mother I like to f***. Pretty offensive, huh? Note this isn't the first dumb promo Spirit came up with. Last year it was 'Hunt for Hoffa', labeled#8 on CNN Money's 101 Dumbest Moments in Business.

The airline has a notorious record for customer service. Just google search the words 'Spirit Airlines sucks' and you'll know what I mean. Now Spirit Airlines will get another distinction, they are today's Knucklehead of the Day.

Rick at SOTP is also discussing this news.
Linked to- Adam, Leaning Straight Up, Morewhat, Populist, Right Voices, Right Wing Nation, Rosemary, The World According to Carl, Yankee Sailor,

Anyone missing an engine cover?

I heard Indonesian air travel is in bad shape. Now we can say it is falling apart.

JAKARTA, Indonesia - Workers found a piece of a wing from a passenger jet on the runway at Indonesia's main airport and investigators are trying to determine which plane it fell from, officials said Wednesday.

The 10-foot piece of wing was found Tuesday at Jakarta's Sukarno-Hatta international airport, said Yurlis Hasibuan, a senior air transportation official.

"It has been identified as a side engine cover, but we do not yet know which plane it came from," he said.

The wing piece was found on a runway used by planes on domestic flights as well as some cargo planes flying internationally, he said.

Last month, a similar-sized piece of wing fell from a jetliner minutes after it took off from the same airport.

The Boeing 737, which was operated by a local airline, landed safely but the incident added to safety concerns about commercial aviation in Indonesia.

The country suffered a series of accidents earlier this year that killed more than 120 people, leading the European Union to ban all the country's airlines from landing there.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration downgraded the nation's rating to its lowest category.

Will the airline who lost the part come forward? I'm betting not.

A developing nation trying to become a force in its region and even the world, doesn't want to be known as having a broken down transportation system. In these days of globalization, officials and business people still have a need for travel. If they fear for their safety when flying, money won't flow as rapidly as it would to nations where flying entails few risks.

Linked to- Adam, Blue Star, Bright & Early, Leaning Straight Up,

Cautious Chinese

The Chinese don't want HIV/AIDS to spread during next year's Olympics. So here's their plan.

BEIJING- Beijing, preparing to host the 2008 Olympics, has ordered hotels to provide condoms in all bedrooms in a bid to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS after cases of infection soared 54 percent in the first 10 months of this year.

Announcing the move, the official Xinhua news agency made no direct reference to the Games, saying only that all the Chinese capital's 700 hotels must comply by the end of 2008.

With many thousands of visitors due to crowd into the city for the Olympics, which run from August 8 to August 24, every hotel is likely to be sold out.

While hotel managers must provide condoms for their guests, Xinhua said, they are not required to make a loss. The city health bureau said it was up to them how much to charge.

I thought the state set the prices in a communist nation. Then who says mainland China is communist any more?

Will the Olympic athletes get condoms too? If they do, will they be charged?

Author John Le Carre may have termed China's plans as 'extra special service'. Blogger GI at ROK Drop ponders if Chinese hotels will put condoms on pillows like some do with mints.

Linked to- Bright & Early, Bullwinkle, The World According to Carl,

Losing an engine

A aviation disaster was averted the other day.

Nationwide Airlines has praised the captain and crew of Flight 723 as the heroes of the drama that unfolded at Cape Town International Airport this week.

Chief executive officer Vernon Bricknell complimented pilot Trevor Arnold, co-pilot Daniel Perry and the crew of the flight for their "heroic efforts" that averted disaster after a Boeing 737 jet lost one its engines on take-off on Wednesday.

On Thursday the company insisted the incident had nothing to do with maintenance or the age of the aircraft.

Rather, the company said, the plane had done what it was supposed to do if a foreign object was sucked in, causing dangerous vibrations that might damage the wing: shear off its engine.

Preliminary investigations yesterday showed the engine had broken off the aircraft's starboard wing because of vibrations from damage done to the internal moving parts of the engine after it had sucked in an object while at the top end of its thrust during take-off.

The engine landed next to the runway, while the aircraft lifted off under full power. Arnold and Perry reacted instantly and kept the plane stable while flying it out of danger, moved over False Bay to jettison fuel for safety reasons and landed safely back at the airport.

In the statement, Bricknell said the engine-to-wing supporting structure was designed to "release" the engine under such circumstances to prevent structural damage to the wing.

Independent Cape Town aviation analyst Linden Birns agreed, noting a foreign object in the engine could cause further damage.

"If the engine is out of kilter, it will begin to vibrate at a very high frequency and this would cause the bolts holding the engine to the wing to shear. It is important for that to happen, to prevent damage to the wing."

A little bit of web searching showed that an engine could come off. Never heard that before, but you learn something every day. Kudos to the pilots for making a safe landing. The worst aviation disaster in US history, saw an engine detach. Because of other damage done, the plane was doomed.

Linked to- Big Dog, Third World County, Yankee Sailor,

All Knucklehead Day Award Twenty One

Our twenty-first winner is The Nagano Palace Hotel. They get the award for the following.

NAGANO — A briefcase containing 100 million yen worth of jewelry was stolen from a hotel room in Nagano City on Friday night, police said. A male employee of a jewelry company based in Kofu, Yamanashi Prefecture, who was staying at Nagano Palace Hotel alerted police at around 8:40 p.m., they said.

According to the investigation, the employee went outside the hotel for dinner at around 8 p.m. Shortly, a man claiming to be one of the employees of the company called the front desk, asking the hotel to hand over the key of the male employee's room to a "customer" who will be visiting. After that phone call, a man appeared in the hotel, receiving the key to the room from a hotel employee, they said. When the jewelry company's employee returned to his room, the briefcase was missing, they said.

Such excellent customer service. Can I steal a briefcase? The clerk says. "Of course sir, how can I help you." For failing one of its customers, The Nagano Palace Hotel is today's twenty-first Knucklehead winner of the Day.

Hat tip- Japundit
Linked to- Big Dog, Right Wing Nation, Stop the ACLU, Third World County, Woman Honor Thyself,

Overshot

Some news from the Philippines

A Philippine Airlines aircraft overshot a runway and plowed into a tropical forest while landing in a southern city early Friday, injuring 19 passengers and crew, police and the airline said.

The Airbus A320 flight from Manila to Butuan city sustained extensive damage after it came to a halt in a banana and coconut grove, airline spokesman Rolando Estabillo said.

The plane's doors and exits were swung open and emergency slides were deployed.

Nineteen people suffered minor injuries, said police Superintendent Elmer Doyo. Estabillo said the pilot and co-pilot were slightly hurt in the neck and nose and several others were brought to a hospital.

"Some have only anxiety reaction and had themselves checked," Doyo said, adding other injuries included scrapes and bruises.

The plane had 148 passengers and crew.

Estabillo said the airport in Butuan, about 790 kilometers (490 miles) southeast of Manila, was closed until Saturday while the plane and the runway were being inspected.

Butuan airport manager Emmanuel Costelo said the plane's two engines were damaged.

I make a bet there is alot more than just some engine damage. PAL may be able to salvage the plane. Fortunately no one was seriously hurt.

This crash, which according to Philippine television(TFM has directv and pays for extra for Philippine channels. Ever since we started getting this a year ago, my wife hardly goes a day without watching Wowowee or some Philippine soap opera.) had the A-320 clipping trees as it crashed, reminds me of this crash from the year I got married. Another Philippine airline flight overshot the runway that year also.

Philippine Airlines safety record is fair. On the other hand, their record for being on-time has left a lot to be desired. PAL just doesn't stand for Philippine Alrline but also for 'Plane always late'.

One last note- Butuan is Northeastern Mindanao, not far from my wife's home island of Leyte.

Linked to- Adam, Big Dog, Outside the Beltway, Third World County, Woman Honor Thyself,

Outstanding customer service

Those Singaporeans really know how to take care of people.

TOULOUSE, France (AFP) - "There is no first class on this plane, sir. This is Suite Class," repeats the Singapore Airlines steward as she shows off the front of the plane to curious onlookers.

All of the guides parroted the same line on Monday as the carrier unveiled what it called a "new standard for luxury and comfort" in the Airbus A380, the world's biggest passenger jet.

First class has been rejected by the Asian carrier as a label for the 12 seats on the plane that feature 58-centimetre (23-inch) flat-screen televisions, sheets by French designer Givenchy and a full-length bed with separate mattress.

That sounds like first class to me. International airlines put US carriers to shame in how First and Business Class customers are treated. I've flown internationally in Business and First Class. Singapore Airlines was excellent when my wife and I flew Manila to Singapore. Dutch carrier KLM was a little mixed. Their service on cross Atlantic flights is very good, but within Europe, there was little difference between Business and Coach. KLM still sitting three people across on 737 flights I flew between Amsterdam and Zurich, Vienna and Warsaw that I have flown on. Granted there was more leg room up front.

For couples with the money, there is an option to join two suites together to make a double bed, forming a self-contained bubble for two with closed sides and complete privacy.

Allowing nookie at 35-40,000 feet. That is really taking care of customers.

Disclosure- TFM doesn't work for Singapore airlines, but maybe I should.(Cue the sarcastic laughter)
Linked to- DragonLady, High Desert Wanderer, Is it just me?, Right Wing Nation,

The Knuckleheads of the Day award

Today's winners are The Port of Oakland(California) and its Executive Director Omar Benjamin, plus Hilltop Aviation. They get the award for the following.

Oakland International Airport officials apologized for prohibiting a planeload of U.S. troops, just back from Iraq, from entering the passenger terminal during a layover Thursday, prompting conservative pundits and bloggers to hold up the incident as an example of the Left Coast dishonoring soldiers.

"We apologize, I apologize to any members of the military that were on this flight and may have experienced some discomfort or perception of disrespect," said Omar Benjamin, executive director of the Port of Oakland, which operates the airport.

There was no disrespect intended when North American Airlines Flight 1777 was directed to wait two hours at a remote part of the airport, Benjamin said. The plane was onits way from Iraq to Hawaii.

Benjamin's apology came in the face of conflicting reports circulating across the nation painting the airport in the liberal-leaning Bay Area as a poster child for disrespect toward U.S. troops.

Although the airport said its decision was made "together with the TSA," the Transportation Security Administration denied playing a role.

*****

At a news conference Tuesday afternoon, airport officials said they did not realize that the soldiers had been screened during previous stopovers in Kuwait and New York. They also were unaware that some of the troops, reportedly Marines, had meant to see locals during their two-hour layover, said Deborah Ale-Flint, the airport's assistant director of aviation.

Hilltop Aviation, which was contracted to provide ground services for North American Airlines Flight 1777, had said there were weapons aboard the flight, the passengers had not been screened, and did not tell the airport "that some of the service men and women onboard anticipated meeting family and friends," Ale-Flint said.

"If this information had been shared in advance," she said, "there would have been a different outcome."

As evidence of that, Ale-Flint noted that Hilltop had made such arrangements for an earlier North American flight that same day, and the troops were permitted inside the airport.

What a disgraceful way to treat our returning soldiers. The Airport and Hilltop should be ashamed of themselves for idiotic behavior. What happened in Oakland was probably nothing political, just people not thinking. It happens all too often.

The Port of Oakland(California) and its Executive Director Omar Benjamin, plus Hilltop Aviation are today's Knuckleheads of the Day.

Hat tip- Michelle Malkin. Check out her posts here and here.
Linked to- Big Dog, Blue Star, Bright & Early, Cao, High Desert Wanderer, Is it just me?, Outside the Beltway, Perri Nelson, Pirate's Cove, Rosemary, Samantha Burns, Stuck on Stupid, Third World County, Woman Honor Thyself, Yankee Sailor,

The Labor Day Knucklehead Award Marathon Part Seven

Our seventh winners today are British Airways and Korean Air. They get the award for the following.

WASHINGTON - Two major international airlines were fined $300 million apiece Thursday in the United States after admitting they conspired to fix prices on overseas flights and agreeing to help prosecutors investigate other airlines, including American Airlines.

British Airways PLC, Britain's largest airline, and Korean Air Co., South Korea's national carrier, pleaded guilty to antitrust conspiracy charges. They acknowledged colluding with rivals over cargo rates and fuel surcharges, which were added to fares in response to rising oil prices. That meant higher costs for international shippers and passengers.

Thursday's guilty pleas end the first criminal prosecutions arising from a multinational antitrust investigation of the air transportation industry. European and U.S. regulators are investigating at least 11 other companies including AMR Corp.'s American Airlines, Air France-KLM Group and Japan Airlines Corp. for possible price fixing.

*****

Korean Air released a statement saying it was "committed to antitrust compliance" and was taking steps to make sure the conduct was never repeated. Neither company addressed the extent of its cooperation or how widespread the practice was in the industry.

*****

As part of their plea deals, the airlines acknowledged they colluded with other unidentified companies from 2000 to 2006. The cargo rate scheme meant higher shipping costs for businesses. For passengers, the scheme meant more expensive tickets because the surcharges were wrapped into the ticket fare.

This isn't British Airways first Knucklehead award. Click here to read the other.

Price fixing leading up to 300 million dollar fines is good enough for me. I make British Airways and Korean Air our Seventh Knuckleheads of the Day.

Linked to- Big Dog, Bright & Early, Cao,

Fly me to Manila

From the Honolulu Advertiser-

Hawaiian Airlines said it plans to fly to the Philippines starting in March, in what could be the first of several new routes in Asia.

The state's largest airline said yesterday that it will fly at least four weekly flights between Honolulu and Manila, making it the only domestic airline to fly nonstop between the two destinations.

"We see tremendous opportunity to increase travel on this route in light of the deep historical and cultural ties Hawai'i has to the Philippines, Manila's large population of over 10 million people, its growing international business sector and substantial middle class with the inclination and means to travel," said Mark Dunkerley, Hawaiian's chief executive officer.

The move, which requires approval from U.S. and Philippine authorities, will allow Hawaiian to recall 11 furloughed pilots and hire additional flight attendants.

With Hawaii having a large Filipno-American population, I would certainly there would be a market for Honolulu flights. At this time, I think Philippine Airlines is the only carrier doing that route non-stop seven days a week.(Someone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.)

If Hawaiian Air is successful in getting these routes, they would become like another carrier Alaska Airlines that many people think of as a regional carrier. When in fact Alaska flies(or once flew) to stops in Russia and Mexico in addition to domestic routes.(Note I was singularly unimpressed with Alaska the one and only time I flew them. Waiting an hour for my luggage will do that.)

Linked to- Outside the Beltway, Pirate's Cove, Pursuing Holiness, Third World County,