An Airline Dispatcher’s View on Why Ground Delays Happen (Guest Post)

A great look from an insider as to why three hour limits on tarmac delays are a horrible idea.


An Airline Dispatcher’s View on Why Ground Delays Happen (Guest Post)

Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood to Perform at Greenbrier Resort - WVNS-TV - WVNSTV.com

Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood to Perform at Greenbrier Resort - WVNS-TV - WVNSTV.com

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Another interesting move in the airline wars

The airline industry continues to make odd bedfellows out of rivals. This morning American Airlines and low cost carrier jetBlue announced a deal for slot swaps and codesharing in JFK and DCA. Very interesting development!


http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/03/31/340158/jetblue-and-american-unveil-a-strategic-new-partnership.html

Dying Man Shares Previously Unseen Amateur Video of Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster

A 70 year old man found a never before seen videotape of the Challenge explosion. He turned it over to a museum a week before his death and is now available to watch at the link below.

Dying Man Shares Previously Unseen Amateur Video of Space Shuttle <em>Challenger</em> Disaster

On This Day in Aviation History: March 30th

On This Day in Aviation History: March 30th

Delta steals a codeshare partner

http://blog.seattlepi.com/worldairlinenews/archives/199857.asp?from=blog_last3
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/item.aspx?type=blog&ak=85530.blog

Several media outlets, including the Seattle PI and USAToday, are now reporting that Canadian low cost carrier WestJet is dumping Southwest Airlines and their codeshare agreement in favor of an agreement with Delta Airlines. This would be a nice get for Delta and would also allow WestJet to play on a more even field with Air Canada. Air Canada is a member of Star Alliance with United, Continental and USAirways in North America while WestJet has been unaffiliated.
Delta Airlines recently announced a new proposal to swap landing slots in DCA with USAirways and their landing slots (and terminal) at LaGuardia that included selling 10 slots to WestJet. Obviously those slots would then be used to feed passengers to WestJet in LGA for flights into Canada.

AirTran fires back at Southwest

I'm sure most of you have seen the new Southwest ad that shows Southwest employees "flashing" an airplane with painted stomachs saying "bags fly free". The other plane is an AirTran plane although SWA did blur out the name. AirTran hasn't taken too kindly to it and has fired back with a new viral ad mocking SWA's boarding process and folksy style. Check it out at the link below.


http://www.insideairtran.com/?p=2565

I've gone and done it again!

Sometimes I should just know better but I'll never learn. Just a few months after the last redesign I've gone and redone the blog yet again. Blogger sent me an email telling me all about the new options that they had added to their site and I just had to go play a bit. So, hope you like the new layout but don't get used to it, I'm sure it'll change again soon.

From USAToday

Fed up with airline fees for checked bags? You're not alone. Many of the nation's flight attendants say they feel your pain – literally. More than 80% of attendants claim that they've sustained injuries from helping with passengers' carry-ons. The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) is using that data – which the union says comes from a representative sample survey of its 50,000 members – to press Congress to set a standardized size limit for carry-on bags on U.S. commercial flights. Currently, each airline is able to determine its own size limits for carry-on items.

RELATED POST: Flight attendants press for hand-to-hand combat training as anti-terror measure

Among the survey's other findings: About half of the union's attendants claim they've witnessed carry-on items falling from overhead bins during the two months preceding the survey. The AFA-CWA's conclusion? The union says in a release "the survey validated anecdotal reports that carry-on baggage is out of control, mostly due to recent fees to check luggage."

"We now have compelling evidence that flight attendants and passengers are being injured by excess amounts of oversized carry-on items," AFA-CWA chief Patricia Friend says in the release. "AFA-CWA has been urging Congress, government agencies, and carriers to establish reasonable carry-on limitations that will improve the overall safety, health and security of crew and passengers inside the aircraft cabin. These limits will reduce injuries and distractions caused by carry-ons and allow flight attendants to devote more attention to the critical task of ensuring the safest and most secure flight possible."

As part of its efforts to push ahead with its effort, the AFA-CWA has unveiled a website devoted to the top. It can be found at endcarryoncrunch.org.

You can follow me on Twitter at twitter.com/TodayInTheSky.

Exciting news for Lewisburg!

Delta to offer new nonstop service to Greenbrier Valley Airport

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March 19, 2010

Delta will offer daily, nonstop service to Greenbrier Valley Airport from Atlanta and New York-LaGuardia thanks to a new partnership with The Greenbrier, an historic landmark and luxury resort located in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. The new year-round service, which begins June 10, will utilize 50-seat CRJ-200 aircraft.

“Delta is excited to be providing convenient, nonstop service between Greenbrier Valley Airport and Atlanta and New York-LaGuardia,” said Joe Esposito, managing director-Domestic Network Planning. “Thanks to the connections of Delta’s large global network, the new flights will provide increased opportunities for visitors from around the world to visit the Greenbrier Valley.”

Flights are available for booking on Saturday and will be operated by Delta Connection carriers Atlantic Southeast Airlines and Pinnacle Airlines.

One of the better Top Ten lists I've seen in a while

Eventually, your hypocrisy will be called out!

List of Top 10 Anti-Gay Activists Caught Being Gay on Ranker

"The Letter" by Macy Gray

Dedicated by me to an longtime friend.



All I ever wanted was some love and peace and harmony
I could dance in the raw in the sun underneath the stars
When I walk over to my money tree ain't nobody there
Trying to take from me
When they ask "Are you truly free?" I'd say "Yes, truly"
But down here in really everybody knows there ain't
No such thing
And It's clear
It's obviously this is not the place I'm supposed to be
On and on and on I've searched
What I'm looking for is not here on earth
I can't stand I can't take no more
So I know that I goota go
So long everybody
Mama don't be sad for me
Life was a heartache and now I am finally free
Don't know where I'm headed
Hope I see you someday soon
So long everybody
I have gone beyond the moon

All I ever wanted was some love and peace and harmony
Just to be live and shine
When I get ready I up and fly
And I can't remember none of the things that I want
To forget
It's the best - satisfaction no less
Ask if I'm free and I'll say "Oh yes"
But down here in really everybody knows there ain't
No such thing
And It's clear
It's obviously this is not the place I'm supposed to be
On and on and on I've searched
What I'm looking for is not here on earth
I can't stand I can't take no more
So I know that I goota go
So long everybody
Mama don't be sad for me
Life was a heartache and now I am finally free
Don't know where I'm headed
Hope I see you someday soon
So long everybody

Bachmann will push 2010 census - TheHill.com

Once it was pointed out that Bachmann's district will probably be redistricted out of existence in the next Census she flipped on how effective and "legal" the census count is and now intends to vote on a resolution encouraging people to participate in the upcoming count.

Bachmann will push 2010 census - TheHill.com

Author nails it on tarmac delays

http://www.sdnn.com/sandiego/2010-02-28/blog/sponsored-blogs/air-charter/fly-or-fine-airlines-fight-back

Here's one of the best blog posts I've seen on the recent changes to the airplane tarmac delay policy. The unintended consequences that airlines warned about are rearing their ugly heads and the flying public will still not be able to make airplanes fly through overcrowded airspace, heavy snowstorms and antiquated airports.