The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has frequently found itself pushing the boundaries of its original mission and facing criticism for its actions. A few days ago however the TSA pushed a new boundary … that of publicly stating it was ignoring an Act of Congress. To make matters more complex, TSA Administrator John Pistole is…
Baggage is an annoyance on the road; even carry on baggage, especially short trips. Travel with bags slows travelers up at security check points, leaves traveler property at risk for theft or loss at security check points … and for day trips requires travelers to schlep their bags wherever they go. Yes, I admit, there…
During a rare moment of clarity in the creation of Public Law 107-71 (The Aviation and Transportation Security Act of 2001), which created the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), an often overlooked provision was included … the provision for airports to be allowed choose a private security contract firm, under the guidance of the TSA, called…
“Opt Out” is a popular term from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). For passengers ‘opting out’ means that they can avoid the advanced imaging technology (AIT) scanners in favour of a thorough pat down, for airports ‘opting out’ means that they have chosen to utilize a private security firm to handle their front line passenger…
As Egypt falls further into political unrest, the fallout for airlines may be substantial. However the impact we’re seeing on airlines today may be just the beginning. With the Egyptian government imposing a curfew from 6:00pm to 7:00am, as a result of riots and massive public anti-government demonstrations, EgyptAir has suspended its flights for twelve…
Bali … just the name of the Indonesian island, situated at the west end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, evokes visions of a vacation paradise. Visions of blue skies, endless beaches and volcanic ash belching into the sky … … no wait, I’m pretty sure volcanic ash belching into the sky was not in the…
Moscow’s Domodedovo International Airport (DME), 26 miles southeast of Moscow, was torn apart by a bomb blast earlier today at 4:37pm MSK, in the international arrivals lounge. The explosion is believed to be set off by at least one suicide bomber, although police believe the blast area is potentially from more than one bomb. The…
Klout.com has become the standard for social media rankings by the numbers, billing itself as “The Standard For Online and Internet Influence”. Klout scoring is based on a complex alogarithm that factors in nearly 40 variables to measure an online entity’s true reach, amplification probability and network score. Klout’s numbers fluctuate along the scale of…
In January 1991 I was in the 10th grade, living in my parents house just down the road from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. From my window growing up I watched all the airlines fly by, Pan Am, Braniff, TWA, National, Eastern, and woke up to both the British Airways and Air France…
In the infancy of Japan Airlines (JAL), in 1954, the company adopted the symbol of the red crane for its livery, playing on the symbolism of honour and loyalty in Japanese culture. Since the airline adopted the crane logo it became a worldwide symbol for the airline … until it was completely phased out in…
