Tagged: airplane

Auf Wiedersehen, Airplane Mode! Europe Allows Smartphone Use on Flights

Passengers on flights within the European Union will soon be able to use their cell phones with no restrictions, thanks to a decision by the European Commission, the 27-nation bloc's…

Airplane Etiquette: Survey Names the Most Annoying Behavior in the Skies

What type of air traveler annoys you the most? Having recently taken a flight from Frankfurt to Boston during which I tried to watch The 40-Year-Old Virgin on a seat-back screen…

Walt Disney's Private Corporate Plane, "Mickey Mouse One," Goes on Public Display in Palm Springs

This unlikely homecoming was more than a half century in the making.The private corporate plane purchased by Walt Disney in 1963, has gone on public display at the Palm Springs Air…

How to Avoid Motion Sickness on an Airplane

Motion sickness on an airplane is caused by mixed signals reaching your brain from your inner ear, which senses you are moving, and your eyes, which counter that you are in fact…

Why Is It So Cold on Airplanes?

If you are one of the millions of travelers who boarded a flight during this summer’s heat waves, only to wish, minutes later, that you’d brought your winter parka, you’ve no doubt…

The FAA Wants Your Thoughts on Airplane Seat Sizes

If you think airplane seats are too small—and it's hard to imagine anyone this side of Smurf Village who wouldn't feel that way—the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) would…

Will the U.S. Government Finally Stop Airlines from Separating Kids and Parents?

We can all agree that kids should sit next to their parents on flights, right? And we can also agree that parents shouldn't have to pay an extra fee or higher fare to sit next to their…

The Dirtiest Surfaces in Planes and Hotels, According to Scientists

With the considerable rewards of travel come the inevitable risks of encountering crud. But some parts of hotels, airplanes, and airports are cruddier than others, according to…

European Union Dropping Mask Requirement for Air Travel

UPDATE, May 18: As explained below, the European Union has dropped its requirement that air travelers wear masks on planes and in airports across the 27-nation bloc. However,…

Why You Definitely Shouldn't Eat Pretzels on an Airplane

We know it's hard to imagine an airline doing anything that would cause passengers to experience physical discomfort in the skies, but trust us on this: Those free pretzels offered by…

Is Airplane Water Safe? What You Should (and Should Not) Drink Aboard a Flight

It should come as no surprise that the healthiest thing to drink on a plane is water, which also happens to be the healthiest thing to drink on land. Inside an airplane cabin, the air…

For Better or Worse, Booze Will Soon Flow Again on All Major U.S. Airlines

United Airlines has resumed selling hard liquor in the economy cabin on flights of at least 301 miles. Like many other carriers, United went dry during the early weeks of the pandemic…

How Soon Can You Fly with a Baby on an Airplane?

When it comes to deciding how soon is too soon to take a baby on an airplane, new parents have two big considerations to contend with: 1.) what airlines allow and 2.) what's safe for…

Why the U.S. Needs a Vaccine Requirement for Domestic Travel—and Is Unlikely to Get One

Should the United States require people who are traveling within the country to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19? Or, barring that, should passengers at least have to show that…

How to Pop Your Ears on an Airplane

Why do your ears get clogged on an airplane? It has to do with the air pressure outside of your head not matching the air pressure inside your middle ear. In ordinary circumstances…

Wait, a New Ranking Says the Best U.S. Airline Is . . . United?!

Lately, United Airlines has been experiencing something unusual for the Chicago-based company: good publicity. Just this week, United ranked higher than any other U.S. airline on the…

Vacation Sex Survey: Americans on the Mile High Club, One-Night Stands, and More

According to a newly released survey on the sex habits of vacationing Americans, almost a quarter of U.S. adults say they've gotten busy aboard some form of public transportation, be…

United Airlines Will Add Seatback Screens to All of Its Planes

Pretty soon, United Airlines will offer seatback entertainment at every seat on its planes. The Chicago-based carrier made the announcement while releasing the news of its order of…

Japanese Airline Installing Hands-Free Lavatory Doors

Touching an airplane bathroom's door has always been scary, whether there's a global pandemic raging or not. A clever solution has been devised in Japan, and, frankly, we'd like to…

Are You Allowed to Drink Your Own Alcohol on a Plane?

It's perfectly legal to bring alcohol onto airplanes, according to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), as long as the liquor is kept in containers of 3.4 ounces or less…

Airline Waives Mask Rule for Passengers in First and Business Class

First class and business class flyers getting special perks is not news. But it's a shocking development when airlines decide to bend science in an effort to attract big…

How Travelers with Disabilities Can Get Special Equipment for Air Travel—for Free

For travelers who use wheelchairs, airplane seats can present a special challenge—in getting into them and getting out of them, as well as maintaining a secure position during…

China: Flight Attendants Should Wear Diapers to Reduce Covid Risk

The regulatory agency that oversees civil aviation in China has issued new guidelines advising flight attendants to wear disposable diapers on flights to and from countries with high…

It's Official: Emotional Support Animals Can No Longer Fly Free

The days of getting free flights for your untrained emotional support Pomeranian are over. The government has closed the doggy door. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has…

For Flyers Who Want Vacant Middle Seats, Only One Airline Will Qualify Now

For Americans who would rather fly with an empty seat beside them, there is only one choice now. One by one, all the other airlines have peeled away from their commitment to leave…