Year: 2010

Airlines Are Getting Better At Being On-Time & Not Losing Baggage

Statistics, no one really likes reading them … well no, that’s not true, I am sure some people like reading statistics … OK, when it comes to airline information I like reading statistics (just don’t tell any of the teachers who taught my high school math classes, they’d never believe you).  Yesterday, the U.S. Bureau…

Why The TSA’s Carry-On Allowance For Photographers Is Irrelevant

One of the first topics I ever wrote about on Flying With Fish was the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) carry-on baggage allowance for photographers. This allowance specifically states that for Photographic Equipment “You may carry on one (1) bag of photographic equipment in addition to one (1) carry-on and one (1) personal item through the…

Reader Mail : Should American Airlines & US Airways Merge Next?

This week’s reader mail comes from Jaime, from Elk Grove, IL. Following the announcement this week that United Airlines and Continental Airlines will merge, Jamie asks “The United States will now be home to the two largest airlines in the world once United and Continental merge, should American Airlines and US Airways merge next?” Well…

Law Enforcement Got Lucky (Yes Lucky) Catching Terrorist Suspect On A Plane

Last night around 11:45pm law enforcement officials arrested Faisal Shahzad, the suspect in the most recent New York, Times Square, terrorism attempt after he had boarded Emirates Flight 202 for Dubai, from New York’s JFK Airport.  Law enforcement was quite close to missing Shahzad, in fact not only was Shahzad on board Emirates Flight 202,…

Ancillary Revenue Fees For U.S. Airlines Net US$7.8 Billion Last Year!

Back in May 2009 I wrote about how airlines were using ancillary revenue, primarily from checked baggage fees, as their financial salvation. At the time many travelers were astonished to find out that in the fourth-quarter of 2008 airlines in the United States had netted US$498,600,000. For those of you that thought US$498,600,000 in a…

United & Continental Airlines Merger & The New Airline Branding

Rather than be an analyst regarding the United Airlines & Continental Airlines merger, and address United Airlines’ failed merger talks with US Airways in an attempt to draw Continental Airlines into merger talks; the fluctuating stock values of both airlines; fleet commonality issues; the incompatibility between fleet engine types, the Department of Justice approval process…

The Volcanic Ash Cloud : It’s back and closing the airspace…again

Just when you thought the looming volcanic ash cloud looming over Europe that closed the airspace for days on end in mid-April had gone away … its back. Due to changes in atmospheric conditions and an increase in ash density in the air, the British Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will be closing portions of the…

How Far Would You Let a Heavy Metal Singer Push An Airbus’ Limits?

Iron Maiden’s lead singer Bruce Dickenson is a man of many talents, skilled vocalist, world-class fencer, BBC Radio 6 presenter … and commercial airline pilot. Yes, Iron Maiden’s lead singer is also a commercial airline captain, flying the Boeing 757-200 for Astraeus Airlines. In fact, in an unheard of move Bruce Dickenson worked with Astraeus…