Comair Reducing fleet and jobs in effort to remain in business

Comair is ridding itself of half of its' fleet in its' latest effort to remain afloat and stay mindful of the bottom line. 
The small regional, a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta has been making cuts and has had a hiring freeze in place for certain positions for years. 
I happen to have a very warm place in my heart for Delta Comair. I interviewed with them a few years ago. I was selected to be a flight attendant (trainee, classes, etc)  with them, and had gotten the packet in the mail. Went to get all of the lab work done, and then there was the phone call. There was a hiring freeze. 


That interview is one that I  still cherish, though. Everything was so wonderful. We were treated fairly and well. The people were so very nice. The man who drove me back to the airport visited with me as we rode back in the newly fallen snow, talking about the weather, and how very much I loved Kentucky and the people there. We talked about my having lived in Kentucky as a child, and he knew all of the places that I had lived. We talked about my (now deceased) grandmother who lived in Tennessee, and he said "Well, you can go and see her if you got the job, it would not be forever away." We talked about making buttermilk and mayonnaise, and about what the best dressings were for different types of salads. I felt like I was talking to family. 


When I got the call saying that there was a hiring freeze, my world took a jolt. Seeing this latest news makes me feel really sad for the people there that I got to meet, as well as the people who I never met, because it seems to be a really fine organization. 


I hope that Comair is able to make a better go of it, because I really like them. 

Will Hurricane Earl Cause Flight delays to Airline travelers?

Airlines who fly east coast and Atlantic ocean routes are now posting to their sites and informing travelers that Hurricane Earl may cause travel delays. 
Already, cruise lines are rerouting ships around the storm, with as many as 20,000 aboard ships being affected. 
American and other major carriers are waiving the ticket change fees, attempting to avoid problems for travelers. 


If you are someone that has plans along the east coast of the United States, you may want to have a look at the weather and see if you need to change plans. If nothing else, plan out what you would do if you were stranded, and bring things in case you do meet that fate. 

Admittedly Rotund Writer Ired for being removed from Exit row due to seatbelt extension.

A writer who is based out of Detroit was denied access to being able to sit in a favored spot by him, the exit row, due to the size of his girth, and the fact that he was using a lapbelt/seatbelt extension device. 

 He wrote an article about his experience, which you can read about. But, kind reader, you can read my take on it right here. 

People who sit on the exit row are to be able bodied passengers. (ABP) Able bodied means that you are able to assist opening the exit door, and, further assist flight crew in the event of an emergency. An excellent article about ABP can be found here, and you really should look at the article, it is a good read. 

Flying millions of miles does not entitle you to sit on the emergency row. Although the emergency row seats do offer more leg room, it is for a very somber reason. In the event that the plane makes an unscheduled landing (crashes) those wide spaces are to facilitate getting as many people out of the plane as quickly as possible. 

ABPs may also be asked to help out. Hold the slide, help with the life rafts, and many more things. There are so many reasons that ABPs are a valuable tool that cabin and cockpit crew are trained on how to determine who becomes ABPs. 

The writer of the story that I am referring to says that the flight attendants "goose stepped" back to him after a conference in the front. I don't care if they cha-cha-ed, Samba-ed, goosestepped or simply walked back. If you are not seen as a safe person to place in a position that could be very important, then, for the safety of the crew, other passengers, and yourself, you should not be seated in the exit row. The exit row is an evacuation row, not a seat due you because of privilege.  

In a world where more people are large than ever before, comforts for them is something that I have written about on this very blog. I appreciate the sensitivities of the larger person, but not at the cost of my own safety. Complying with the directives of the flight and cabin crew is a Federal law. The fact that no other flight attendants have asked this gentleman to move from the exit row is not something I can speak on. The fact that he was asked to do so in order to place an ABP there is something I applaud. 

Bearskin Airlines is now hiring!

Bearskin Airlines (You read that right) is hiring for a number of positions for it's company! I had to post this one because the name of their company is just so cool! 

Check it out. If you meet the requirements and are so inclined, apply, and Good Luck!

Do you feel that power outlets are in short supply on a plane?

If you are flying coach on most planes in the United States, you are probably right. When I fly, I always go to Seat Guru and see if there is anyway that I can get a seat that has a power outlet. 
Most of the flights that I am on in coach, I am firmly out of luck.
This article does a great job of pointing out all of the seating differences....based on seat cost. Not shocking, but it does show that you do get more than a nice seat when you pay more for your seat. 

Making dangerous comments and threats on a plane is plain stupid.

I was in the airport about five years ago with a male friend of mine on the way to California from Dallas. We were very excited about the flight, happy to see some sights and have a little fun. 

There were some kids behind us, mid to late teens who were horsing about, joking with one another and shoving at each other. Occasionally, they would shove into us, and we would clear our throats, say "Excuse me" loudly, and turn back around. They were not our favorite people. 

As we got into the security clearance area, we did all of the things that you are supposed to do: Take off your shoes, remove your laptop from the case, etc. It was a no-brainer in light of the incidents of September 11, 2001. 

The kids behind us started joking to each other about having a bomb, about being a bomb, and about blowing one another up. It was irritating, but when they got to security, they were in for a rude awakening. The Department of Homeland Security took those boys aside for security reasons. I do not know what happened to them, but I do know that they were not on our flight to California. 

Airport Security is nothing to joke around about. We all know that it is a nuisance at times, but the security that is in place is there to help you, and to make sure that we are all safe in the skies. 

Here are a couple of tips to make your travels safer. (And mine.)

• This sounds like I am being funny, but I am not. If, for any reason, you carry a firearm on your person or in your belongings, remove it before you travel.  This lady flight attendant was treated the same as any other passenger when she went through security, and now, her bad choice kept her from working her flight, and she has some legal issues to deal with. 
• Do not make false comments or jokes about things you have on your person, on the plane, in your bags, in your checked luggage.  This man, aged 75 was treated the same as any person of any age who would make such comments. They are treated very seriously. 
• Report anything suspicious to someone appropriate. But do not make a false report. 
• Look on the internet for what is and what is not allowed to be brought with you on board or checked onto a plane. Pack accordingly. Don't break the rules. 
• You cannot board a US plane without proper identification. A list of that can be found on any US airline website as to what is accepted and what is not. 
• If you are traveling with people who are prone to jokes and pranks, explain the seriousness of airport security to them. 
• If you are traveling with someone who has a diminished mental capacity for any reason, let the ground crew (Gate Agent/Ticket Agent) know. You can sometimes note this to the airline via their toll-free numbers. Let the inflight crew know as well. A friend of mine has a mentally handicapped son who began screaming "Help Me! Help Me!" while seated on the plane. The flight attendant, thankfully, knew beforehand about his disability, and was able to assist wonderfully. 

The skies will never feel as safe to us as they did in the time before the September 11 terrorist attacks. Last year, at Christmas, a man tried to blow up a US plane. Thankfully, he was stopped. Air safety is something that is very important and cannot be taken for granted. 

Airline security is something that we, as Americans for the most part did not have to deal with before 09/11/2001. It is something that we should be honored to have now to keep us safe. 

British Airways on Strike!

I guess I am a little bit confused because I thought that BA had already gone on strike. It looks as though another strike is in the works. Hopefully, travelers will not be too inconvenienced by the strike. 

Airlines lose 25 million bags per year.

Airlines lose 25 million bags per year. Wow. 1 in 100 passengers globally will lose at least one of their bags. 

I have some tips that have greatly reduced the amount of bags that I have lost. 

My list is not all inclusive, I am merely telling you what works for me. 

1. Don't jam your bag too full. It heightens the liklihood that you will have a luggage failure. Those zippers and closures are meant to close the suitcase, not hold it like a pressurized capsule. I have seen MANY times as I wait for my luggage, the sad little plastic tubs containing pieces and items from the interior of someone's suitcase. 
2. Put labels in everything and on everything. Each pocket, throw a business card in. Does it have a number you can be reached at both where you are going to and where you are coming from? I write the flight numbers and itinerary down in a document, print it out, and put it in the top of all of the bags. 
3. Every individual bag inside your bag should also be labeled. A friend of mine who used to work in cargo told me that one time, a set of suitcases popped open, and a camera came tumbling out. But which of the suitcases did it come from? Easy to determine. The owner had put a luggage tag on the camera case. 
4. Get to the airport early. Running late? That luggage has to be checked, inspected, loaded onto some cargo thing, and then loaded onto the plane. There may be some steps that I do not even know about, too. But, be aware. All of that stuff takes time. 
5. Check all of the parts of your suitcase. Zippers or closures still work? Wheels still turn? Handles and all still hold? I found out in China that I brought the wrong suitcase with me when the wheel platform collapsed. Luckily, I knew about it before we boarded the plane, and I was able to buy a new one. 
6. Make sure that the information on your luggage tag (your contact information) is CURRENT and correct. My mom had a tag with a phone number and address on the tag....from over 20 years ago. It only takes a second to update. 
7. This is a big one....remove ALL of the old airline issued city/airport code travel tags when you get home. Yes. it may make you feel cool to see all of the hang tags from the places that you have been, but, to a baggage handler, they don't have time to sort through those tags and see which one corresponds to the trip that you are on.

If you DO lose your luggage, don't lose your cool. The people who deal with lost luggage deal with hateful people all day long. Keeping your cool will go a long way. Here is what I am told are some things that are asked of passengers who lose their bags. (Learn these things about yours!) : 

• What color is your bag? 
• What size is your bag? 
• What are some of the contents of your bag? 
• Who is the manufacturer of the bag? 
• Is there anything distinctive about your bag? 
• Are there any medications in your bag?

Remember, don't get huffy if you lose your bag. The poor agent at the desk is having a hard enough time already. Becoming angry is not going to get your bag found! 

Bombardier Conference Claimed a Success

Over 60 airlines convened at the Bombardier Conference  in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The conference brought in airlines from all over the world.

Taiwan Airline fined for discriminating against short people

Taiwan's China Airlines has been fined for discriminating against shorter people.