freskyk
By Tracy Stewart
Well, would you look at the time! It's nearly 2012. How the year does fly when you're stuck in an airport waiting out every conceivable form of natural disaster -- or waiting for your air traffic controller to wake up and give you the go-ahead to land.
It's a wonder we ever found a free moment to lose all those games of "Words With Friends," or ponder the fate our AAdvantage miles! Oh yes, 2011 was an action-packed year for us traveling folk. Let's remember together, shall we?
Photo Caption: Travelers hunker down at Tokyo's Narita International Airport just after the devastating March 2011 earthquake in Japan.
Six weeks of unusually nasty winter weather culminated in the Great Groundhog Day Blizzard of 2011, dumping ice and snow across North America. Flights were grounded and passengers were stranded from Albuquerque to Toronto.
But snow wasn't the only force of nature to bring air travel to a halt in 2011. Airlines suspended service to Japan after the devastating earthquake and tsunami in March. And in August, several airports along the East Coast briefly suspended service after a rare 5.9-magnitude earthquake shook buildings from D.C. to New York.
And just in time for the summer travel season, even Iceland chimed in with another volcanic eruption, Grimsvotn -- thankfully, it didn't come close to causing as big of a headache as Eyjafjallajökull did in 2010.
Photo Caption: A post-earthquake crew rappels down the Washington Monument to repair a crack.
Never mind the downgrade from nasty hurricane to ho-hum tropical storm. It was panic on the streets of New York as the city braced itself for Hurricane Irene. The real mess was at the airports, where thousands of canceled flights left passengers stranded and ticked off.
Photo Caption: A security line at Philadelphia International Airport after Hurricane Irene
Hot on the heels of last year's crackdown on ridiculously long tarmac delays, the DOT delivered another round of consumer protections in August. Such as? Any flight, be it domestic or foreign, will face fines of up to $27,500 per passenger for waits on the tarmac that exceed four hours.
Airlines must also now refund fees collected on baggage that is lost (makes sense), clearly disclose ancillary fees and service charges on their websites, and boost compensation for bumped passengers to $650 for small delays and to $1,300 for longer delays. Fuh-inally!
Look for more protections to kick in come January 2012.
Photo Caption: Luggage waiting to be loaded on an airplane
Long before planking, there was a two-week stretch in August when it seemed that peeing in planes was set to become all the rage. Robert "Sandy" Vietze, an 18-year-old member of the U.S. Ski Team, was busted after downing several beers and urinating on the floor beside his 11-year-old girl seatmate on board a JetBlue flight from Portland, Oregon, to New York.
The trend trickled into the following week, when French actor Gerard Depardieu oui-ouied in the cabin of an Air France flight from Paris to Dublin after crew refused him entry to the toilet. Next in-flight trend: Hazmat suits and UGGS? Sounds comfy!
Photo Caption: An Air France Boeing 777
Merger madness marched on in 2011, as Southwest Airlines' (www.southwest.com) acquisition of AirTran (www.airtran.com) become official in May. United (www.united.com) and Continental (www.continental.com) continue to work toward completing their own happy union, with joint reservations systems expected by Spring 2012.
Photo Caption: Southwest and AirTran planes on the runway at Orlando International Airport
Malaysia Airlines (www.malaysiaairlines.com) gave well-to-do babies something to really cry about back in January with the decision to ban infants from flying first class. The ban applies to Malaysia's 747-400 jets and will be extended to future deliveries of the Airbus A380 (all long-haul flights). The airline cites complaints from passengers who, for the price they've paid, expect to sleep uninterrupted and -- we guess -- have never heard of noise-canceling headphones, Ambien, and/or wine (pssst! They're all way cheaper!).
Photo Caption: A Malaysia Airlines 747
And in other baby news, a Virgin Blue attendant was given the sack back in March after shutting a 17-month-old boy inside the overhead bin. But only for about 10 seconds, according to reports. The incident occurred aboard a Sydney-bound flight during a heated game of peak-a-boo that was reportedly instigated by the child's father.
The boy was later treated for anxiety, and the family was refunded in full for the flight, said a Virgin Blue representative.
A few months later, Sir Richard Branson conveniently gave Virgin Blue a new name: Virgin Australia (www.virginaustralia.com).
Photo Caption: A Virgin Blue plane on the tarmac.
In April, after a string of reports of air traffic controllers asleep on the job, the FAA announced new rules to prevent controllers from operating alone during graveyard shifts. The rules included new scheduling methods to prevent exhaustion among employees. Maybe Malaysia Airlines can spare some crying babies from first class?
Photo Caption: Air traffic control tower at Heathrow International Airport.
After a series of controversial viral videos and public pressure, the TSA (www.tsa.gov) announced plans to reduce the number of child pat-downs. And complaints continue over the TSA's treatment of elderly passengers, including incidents of colostomy bag inspections and even the removal of a back brace. Something to think about the next time you gripe about having to untie your shoes.
Photo Caption: A customer receives a pat-down courtesy of the TSA.
A partisan standoff over funding caused a shutdown of the Federal Aviation Administration in July, leaving thousands of FAA employees without a paycheck and airlines without reason to collect federal taxes on fares.
In theory, that was supposed to lower ticket prices, but -- spoiler alert -- it didn't. Instead, airlines raised fares and pocketed the extra cash, with few exceptions (Spirit and Alaska Airlines did not).
Photo Caption: The security line at the Denver International Airport.
One topic that Congress couldn't agree on last summer? Subsidies to maintain air service for rural markets under the Essential Air Service program. Delta (www.delta.com) made news with service cuts to smaller -- and less profitable -- cities, such as Aberdeen, SD. The airline also sought government assistance to continue operations in places where Delta is the only game in town.
Meanwhile, AirTran (www.airtran.com) announced plans to cease operations in Asheville, Newport News, Atlantic City, and Moline. So if you're visiting Aunt Bea in 2012, you may need to gas up the car, or saddle up a burro.
Photo Caption: The Asheville Regional Airport in Asheville, North Carolina
Southwest (www.southwest.com) may be known as the LUV airline, but not for The L Word actress Leisha Hailey, who was given the boot for kissing her girlfriend in September. This isn't Southwest's first tangle with stars. Singer Billy Joe Armstrong of the band Green Day was removed from a Southwest flight after crew deemed his pants too saggy.
And most recently, Alec Baldwin exchanged words (probably four-letter ones) with American Airlines crew over a game of "Words With Friends" after a flight attendant's usual request to turn off all electronic items.
Each and every fiasco was documented on Twitter, making it all the more convenient to follow from your handheld electronic device on your own flight (and possibly perpetuating smaller, less glamorous debacles).
Photo Caption: A Southwest Airlines plane is about to take off. The airline faced PR disasters after booting celebs from their flights.
Suspicions were raised on the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks by a trio of passengers aboard a flight from Denver to Detroit. According to reports, two of the passengers spent an unusual amount of time in the lavatory. As a precaution, the plane was escorted by two F-16 jets, though it was later determined the passengers in question were simply suffering from air sickness.
It was a similar story on a flight from Los Angeles to New York. Fighter jets were again deployed and, upon landing, three passengers detained for questioning but found to pose no risk. Better safe than sorry.
Photo Caption: The memorial at the Sept. 11 site in New York City, 10 years later.
Boeing's new 787 Dreamliner made its first commercial flight in October, with All Nippon Airways (www.fly-ana.com), flying from Tokyo to Hong Kong. Boasting a fuselage and wings made of plastic composites, the plane is much lighter and requires less fuel than its aluminum counterparts. So far, so good -- minus a little landing gear snafu only two weeks after the inaugural flight.
Photo Caption: World's first Boeing 787 Dreamliner flight on ANA at Narita Airport, just outside Tokyo.
Well, would you look at the time! It's nearly 2012. How the year does fly when you're stuck in an airport waiting out every conceivable form of natural disaster -- or waiting for your air traffic controller to wake up and give you the go-ahead to land.
It's a wonder we ever found a free moment to lose all those games of "Words With Friends," or ponder the fate our AAdvantage miles! Oh yes, 2011 was an action-packed year for us traveling folk. Let's remember together, shall we?
Photo Caption: Travelers hunker down at Tokyo's Narita International Airport just after the devastating March 2011 earthquake in Japan.
But snow wasn't the only force of nature to bring air travel to a halt in 2011. Airlines suspended service to Japan after the devastating earthquake and tsunami in March. And in August, several airports along the East Coast briefly suspended service after a rare 5.9-magnitude earthquake shook buildings from D.C. to New York.
And just in time for the summer travel season, even Iceland chimed in with another volcanic eruption, Grimsvotn -- thankfully, it didn't come close to causing as big of a headache as Eyjafjallajökull did in 2010.
Photo Caption: A post-earthquake crew rappels down the Washington Monument to repair a crack.
Photo Caption: A security line at Philadelphia International Airport after Hurricane Irene
Airlines must also now refund fees collected on baggage that is lost (makes sense), clearly disclose ancillary fees and service charges on their websites, and boost compensation for bumped passengers to $650 for small delays and to $1,300 for longer delays. Fuh-inally!
Look for more protections to kick in come January 2012.
Photo Caption: Luggage waiting to be loaded on an airplane
The trend trickled into the following week, when French actor Gerard Depardieu oui-ouied in the cabin of an Air France flight from Paris to Dublin after crew refused him entry to the toilet. Next in-flight trend: Hazmat suits and UGGS? Sounds comfy!
Photo Caption: An Air France Boeing 777
Photo Caption: Southwest and AirTran planes on the runway at Orlando International Airport
Photo Caption: A Malaysia Airlines 747
The boy was later treated for anxiety, and the family was refunded in full for the flight, said a Virgin Blue representative.
A few months later, Sir Richard Branson conveniently gave Virgin Blue a new name: Virgin Australia (www.virginaustralia.com).
Photo Caption: A Virgin Blue plane on the tarmac.
Photo Caption: Air traffic control tower at Heathrow International Airport.
Photo Caption: A customer receives a pat-down courtesy of the TSA.
In theory, that was supposed to lower ticket prices, but -- spoiler alert -- it didn't. Instead, airlines raised fares and pocketed the extra cash, with few exceptions (Spirit and Alaska Airlines did not).
Photo Caption: The security line at the Denver International Airport.
Meanwhile, AirTran (www.airtran.com) announced plans to cease operations in Asheville, Newport News, Atlantic City, and Moline. So if you're visiting Aunt Bea in 2012, you may need to gas up the car, or saddle up a burro.
Photo Caption: The Asheville Regional Airport in Asheville, North Carolina
And most recently, Alec Baldwin exchanged words (probably four-letter ones) with American Airlines crew over a game of "Words With Friends" after a flight attendant's usual request to turn off all electronic items.
Each and every fiasco was documented on Twitter, making it all the more convenient to follow from your handheld electronic device on your own flight (and possibly perpetuating smaller, less glamorous debacles).
Photo Caption: A Southwest Airlines plane is about to take off. The airline faced PR disasters after booting celebs from their flights.
It was a similar story on a flight from Los Angeles to New York. Fighter jets were again deployed and, upon landing, three passengers detained for questioning but found to pose no risk. Better safe than sorry.
Photo Caption: The memorial at the Sept. 11 site in New York City, 10 years later.
Photo Caption: World's first Boeing 787 Dreamliner flight on ANA at Narita Airport, just outside Tokyo.