Flying With Fish The Blog for Those Who Fly & Those Who Want to Fly Smarter

Earlier today Singapore Airline’s Facebook page posted an unusual warning on its Facebook page. Around 4:00pm Singapore time the airline posted the following:

North Korea is reportedly planning a rocket launch in the coming days. We wish to reassure our customers that none of our flights will be operating in airspace that may be affected by the planned launch.

Singapore Airlines’ warning is unusual for a number of reasons.  The first and foremost reason Singapore Airlines passengers have little reason to worry about North Korea’s rocket launch is that Singapore Airlines flies around North Korean airspace rather than through it, as do most airlines, except those flying into North Korea.

The airspace around North Korea is restricted and considered hostile, causing the majority of the airlines around the world, including Singapore Airlines, to create flight plans ensuring their aircraft stay out of North Korean airspace.

The second factor that stands out about Singapore Airlines warning is this … North Korea is launching a satellite into space atop a Unha (Galaxy) 3 rocket.  While the Unha 3 rocket based on the Taepoding 2 intercontinental ballistic missile, the rocket itself and its payload are of no danger to any airliners.   The only real risk to aircraft in the area … and there is not much air traffic in the vicinity of the Musudan-ri launch site, in the North Hamgyong Province, along the Sea of Japan … is the rocket coming down.   In North Korea’s last attempt to put a satellite into space, with Kwangmyŏngsŏng-2, the Unha rocket failed to reach orbit, with the rocket’s first stage falling into the Sea of Japan and the remainder of the rocket falling into the Pacific Ocean, roughly 2,390 miles from the launch site.

So … if you are planning to fly with Singapore Airlines this week, expect your flights to arrive and depart on time, likely with no diversions to avoid rocket parts falling from the sky.

If you are flying any airline from Japan, know that Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA) are adjusting their flight paths, and plan to operate normally, with no delay and no cause for alarm.

Happy Flying!

@flyingwithfish

At the west end of St. Maarten’ Princess Juliana International Airport’s (SXM) Runway 10/28 sits a tiny sliver of beach, Maho Beach, a tourist draw for sun bathers and airplane geeks to lay out on the sand as arriving aircraft as low as 25 feet cross over them on their way in, and blow sand all over them as they depart.

A popular tourist attraction on Maho Beach is standing along the airport’s fence line and holding on behind the jet-blast of commercial jet airliners as they take off, from ‘small’ regional jets all the way up to jumbo jets.   While this tourist attraction seems fun for many, and happens on a daily basis, it is quite dangerous as jet blast from aircraft have been known to flip cars over, much less the minuscule weight of a human.

On the 4th of April, 2012, as JetBlue flight 796, an Airbus A320-232, lined up on Runway 10 for its 4 hour 38 minute flight north to Boston thrill seekers lined up on the fence and held on as the aircraft powered up its two IAE V2527-A5 engines and a common occurrence was caught on video … the sight of a person losing their grip and being thrown back into the roadway barrier.

All along the fence line at SXM are fences warning of the dangers of jet blast, and while people tend to not be hurt on a daily basis, the dangers are very real. When an aircraft powers up its engines those standing behind it are at risk from not only being blown away, but also debris being thrown up by engines powerful enough to lift a jet airplane into the sky.

So … fair warning … if you love airplanes, Maho Beach may be the place to be, but beware of the perils of seeking thrills that put you in the hospital or even worse.

Below is the video, released by LiveLeak.com, of a woman being blown off the fence and thrown into a concrete barrier headfirst.

Happy Flying … as long as it isn’t flying off a fence head first into a wall!

@flyingwithfish

Airline frequent flyers expect a number of perks for their loyalty from the airlines they fly on, one of these perks at many airports is an ‘elite line’ at security check points allowing frequent flyers and first class passengers to skip the long queues of waiting passengers … but a new bill introduced on the U.S. Senate floor by Senator Ben Nelson (D-Neb) aims to shut these lines down.

Sen. Nelson’s claims his bill, the Air Passenger Fairness Act, “is about fairness,” stating “Regardless of whether you have a first-class ticket or have reached a certain frequent flier status, the purpose of the airport security screening line is to ensure traveler safety. Allowing a select few to cut in front of those who are waiting patiently, just in order to provide a perk, has nothing to do with safety.”

Sen. Nelson’s Air Passenger Fairness Act would allow the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) PreCheck fast track screening programs to continue, while barring airports and airlines from continuing to operate security lines restricted to top-tier frequent flyers and first class passengers.

The fee for registering for the TSA’s PreCheck is US$100 and requires passengers to undergo a security background check, where as airline ‘elite lines’ are typically reserved for travelers flying in excess of 50,000 miles annually and requires no additional fees or background checks.

Sen. Nelson’s bill primarily impacts business travelers, the bread-and-butter revenue travelers for airlines and airports.  While every passenger pays the same security fee on their airline tickets in the United States, making airline travel longer and more arduous for those who pump the most consistent money into the industry, and pay the aviation security fees most frequently, can only negatively impact airlines and airports.

Looking at the scope of everything a U.S. Senator should be focusing on domestically and globally … was anyone really bothered that people who fly in excess of 50,000 miles annually can get through an airport security checkpoint quicker?

Ultimately the Airline Passenger Fairness Act is not fair to frequent flyers, airlines or airports.

Happy Flying!

@flyingwithfish

In April 2010 Spirit Airlines announced the unthinkable … the airline would begin charging passengers for carry on bags, shocking the travel industry that any airline would charge for carry on bags before Ireland’s Ryanair.  Now, two years later Ryanair is still not charging passengers for carry on bags, however Las Vegas based low cost carrier Allegiant Air has announced that they will begin charging passengers for carry on bags for flights booked starting today, the 4th of April 2012.

Carry on fees for bringing a carry on bag on board an Allegiant Air flight will be a variable rate, with the airline intending to charge between US$15 and US$35 for bags stowed in the overhead bins. Passengers paying for their carry on bags online at the time of booking will pay between US$15 and US$30 depending on the route. Passengers paying for their carry on bags at the airport will pay a flat US$35 fee.

Allegiant Travel’s CEO Maurice Gallagher stated, “When it is all said and done and you get to the bottom line and hit the ‘pay’ button, and you can shop our fares against anybody else. We are typically 50% lower.” The airline justifies its new carry on baggage fee on the increasing and unstable cost of fuel.

While Allegiant Travel intends to pay attention to customer reaction to the new carry on baggage fee, Allegiant’s Director of Communications, Brian Davis, does not expected any long term backlash from the airline’s passengers.

Allegiant Air, like Spirit Airlines, will allow passengers to travel with one personal item that safely fits under the seat in front of them at no fee.

Passengers traveling on tickets booked prior to today with Allegiant Air will not be required to pay fees for their carry on baggage.

Happy Flying!

@flyingwithfish

Not all airline seats are the same, from spacious international first class suites to cramped commuter planes seats; passengers have different experiences depending on the seat they are in.   For many business travelers, the seat they are in is frequently a cramped regional jet … or in some cases a turbo prop (which are the only aircraft serving my home airport, Tweed New Haven Regional Airport).

As a user of the Apple iPad since May 2010 and the 11″ MacBook Air since January 2011, I have continually sought ways to use these two devices together effectively, and as a traveller have discovered that they are quite possibly the perfect mobile office on a flight … especially a commuter flight.  There is the old adage that time is money, for me it is more a matter of ‘time is productivity,’ and I detest when my quiet time doesn’t allow me to work in the manner I want to work … which leads back to the 11″ MacBook Air and iPad.

At home, sitting at a desk, many of us are accustomed to using two monitors for work, or two computers side by side.  Laying in bed working it is easy to use a laptop with a larger screen comfortable, but when we pack to travel everyone likes to carry less weight and reduce space, heck I often forgo a bag and just carry everything I need in a Scottevest vest or jacket, including my laptop and tablet.

This leads to why I began using the 11″ MacBook Air and iPad side by side. The two devices combined weigh less than my 13″ MacBook Pro and take up less space in my bag, so from the outset shedding the 13″ MacBook Pro when I travel made sense. Combined the 11” MacBook Air and iPad weigh just 3.84lbs, whereas the 13” MacBook Pro weighs 4.5lbs, not to mention the added benefits of using the two devices instead of just one.

When I work, I like to keep different data on different screens, which is something I had always lived without on the road, but the 11″ MacBook Air and iPad allow a light weight space saving solution that offers more work flexibility … heck the iPad can even be used as a second monitor for the MacBook Air … but this isn’t why these two devices are the perfect in-flight office.

So why are the 11″ MacBook Air and iPad the perfect in-flight office?  The two can be used side by side on the seat-back tray, even on a cramped regional jet.   My time on the road generally includes a significant amount of time on an airplane and not much time on the ground, so my work needs to get done during the downtime in flight. With many of my flights being flown on regional jets and turboprops, the ability to have the two screens, displaying different things, side by side is a perfect solution.  You can even watch a movie on one, while working on the other, just like you do at your desk (you know, if you do that kind of thing).

What makes using the 11″MacBook Air and iPad side by side even better when traveling?  Both devices offer significant battery life, My MacBook Air can be in use easily for five hours, especially if not using wifi in flight, and I have gotten 10+hrs of battery life from my 32gb iPad 3G, with the 3G and wifi switched off.

The combined battery lives, powerful processors and compact sizes of the 11″ MacBook Air and iPad allow any traveler to build their perfect in-flight office, and do it without intruding on their seat mates, such as those people who open their seat-back tray and pull out their 17” laptops.

Below is a photo of my 11″ MacBook Air and iPad side by side on board a US Airways Express Canadair Regional Jet … there is even room left on my tray for a candy bar.

Happy Flying!

@flyingwithfish

Travelers, airplane geeks and photographers tend to have one thing in common … they shoot a lot of photos.  If you’re a travel photographer or photo avgeek you probably shoot even more photos.   During the month of April, why not put your airplane photos to good use and take part in the #AvGeekPhoto Challenge?

Throughout the month of April, Stephanie Gehman, Harrisburg International Airport’s marketing manager, has come up with a great way to bring AvGeek’s together through photography. Each day this month Stephanie has come up with a new topic for AvGeek’s to tweet a photograph of, using the hashtag #AvGeekPhoto.

In order to participate you need to be on Twitter and use the hashtag #AvGeekPhoto with each photo you post.

If you love airplanes, and chances are you at least like them if you’re reading Flying With Fish, mark down the topics for each day of the #AvGeekPhoto challenge:

4/1 – your favorite airline

4/2 – fixed wing

4/3 – any favorite aircraft

4/4 – a pilot

4/5 – night time flight

4/6 – the cockpit

4/7 – aircraft engine

4/8 – wheels down

4/9 – wheels up

4/10 – contrails

4/11 - window seat view

4/12 – rotors

4/13 – tail art

4/14 - landing gear

4/15 – logos and livery

4/16 – wings

4/17 – an airport you love

4/18 – an airport you hate

4/19 – the frequent flyer lounge

4/20 – the fleet

4/21 – baggage handling

4/22 – on approach

4/23 – metal birds

4/24 – general aviation

4/25 – military aviation

4/26 – a piece of aviation history

4/27 – your aviation hero

4/28 – the birth of aviation

4/29 – experimental aircraft

4/30 – an #avgeek

Be sure to follow Stephanie on Twitter at @airport_girl and read her blog Levity & Irony : Discovering the Shades of Grey, where she launched the #AvGeekPhoto Challenge .  Stephanie is one my favourite Twittersteams to follow.

So what my entry for today, the first day of the #AvGeekPhoto challenge, “your favorite airline“? I chose a photo I shot of a Delta Airlines Boeing 767-432/ER on short final into New York’s JFK International Airport, over Terminal 3, formerly Pan Am’s Worldport. As a kid I grew up loving Pan Am’s Worldport and I grew up flying on Delta Air Lines, the first airline I ever flew on at just about 8 months old.  This photo shows two of my first loves of airlines.

My photo submission is below. I hope to see your submissions tweeted daily to #AvGeekPhoto … and be sure to drop @airport_girl a Tweet !

Happy Flying!

@flyingwithfish

PS: If you don’t know what AvGeek means … it is short for Aviation Geek

It is April Fools Day once again, and airlines around the world have launched their annual gags.   This year was a tough choice to make my decision, so I’ll start with the two that were nearly chosen as the best Airline April Fools Gag, both airlines with a Union Jack on their aircraft.

First up, in third place … Virgin Atlantic announced “Onboard Pet Therapy.”   This year’s April Fools Gag from Sir. Richard Branson’s crew focused on the airline’s commitment to the “Flying Without Fear” program, which helps nervous travelers get over their fear of flying.   For April Fools Day the airline announced they’d be rolling out in-flight therapy puppies and kittens, given the scientific studies showing that stroking a cat or dog can dramatically reduce a human’s anxiety level.   Along with therapy kittens and puppies, Onboard Pet Therapy would include “Comfort Blanket” service, where specially trained Flight Pets would curl up on the laps of nervous flyers during takeoff and landing.

Just slightly ahead of Virgin Atlantic is Air New Zealand.   The funny Kiwis introduced the StraitghtUpFare.  The StraightUpFare would pack an additional 69 passengers on board the airline’s Boeing 777-219/ER standing in the aisles, and elsewhere in the aircraft.   The whole faux campaign is hysterical … and is accompanied by Unicorn Meat.

But the winner of this year’s April Fools Gag Of The Year … for the second year in a row … it is those funny Canucks up in Calgary at WestJet.

This year WestJet introduced KargoKids and Child Free Cabins. KargoKids allows parents to check their children into “toboggans,” and then be loaded into the belly of the airline’s Boeing 737s to fun, scream and play with other kids.   The airline released the following this morning …

WestJet today introduced KargoKids, an exciting new program allowing guests to travel on select child-free flights, creating a quieter and more relaxing in-flight experience, while children travel in a “special VIP” area of the aircraft.

“As Canada’s low-cost airline, we are constantly looking for innovative and fun ways to enhance the guest experience,” continued Richard Bartrem. “The initial feedback on KargoKids has been quite positive and we’re looking forward to the peace and quiet while we get families where they need to be.”

The promotional video for KargoKids is flawlessly executed and brilliant!   I can’t wait to see what WestJet does next year!

Check out WestJet’s April Fools Gag below

Happy Laughing … err … Happy Flying!

@flyingwithfish

I am a commercial aviation guy, I can watch airport operations all day long, but there is not much more exciting to watch than U.S. Navy carrier operations.  From aircraft being launched off steam driven catapults to aircraft recovery by a hook catching a thin wire, everything is high intensity and spectacular.

If you’re entranced by carrier operations, of if you’d like to be, check out the video below shot primarily on the U.S.S. Carl Vinson, CVN-70.

Happy Flying!

@flyingwithfish

Fair Warning … Today’s Blog Post Is Completely Self Serving … and I’m OK with that …

The Travel Strategist Introduces TweetAFlight™ Instant Sales Channel for Airlines

Innovative Solution Monetizes Social Media Followers, Turning Airline Tweets into E-Commerce Transactions

New York, New York, USA – (29 March 2012) – The Travel Strategist, a social media consulting firm for the airline, aerospace and travel industries, today announced the release of TweetAFlight™, a managed e-commerce solution developed by Steven Frischling that leverages an innovative social media strategy to monetize Twitter followers.  The TweetAFlight solution transforms the real-time reach of Twitter into a self contained, one-step, instant sales channel for airlines.

TweetAFlight leverages the power of Chirpify (www.chirpify.com) and PayPal (www.paypal.com) to transform Twitter from a broadcast social media platform into a transactional one by removing all frictions of a traditional payments or e-commerce system. Once registered, TweetAFlight users need only tweet the simple command “buy” to complete a transaction.

As an example, an airline tweets a TweetAFlight tweet “Last Minute Instant Deal – $99 r/t #NYC to #Miami this weekend! Reply “BUY” to buy! #travel #deal.”  An interested follower of the airline, or someone following the embedded hashtags, simply replies “BUY” to the TweetAFlight tweet and the seat is sold, the passenger data is transmitted to the airline ticket system, and the payment instantly processed via PayPal.

Airlines and travel companies interested in learning more about the TweetAFlight solution may email fly@thetravelstrategist.com, call +1(646)530-8327 or +44(0)7092 384045, tweet @flyingwithfish, click www.tweetaflight.com  or visit www.facebook.com/tweetaflight for additional information.

About The Travel Strategist

Founded 2007 in by noted industry social media consultant and blogger Steven Frischling, The Travel Strategist specializes in the research, development and implementation of social media strategy for airline, aerospace and travel companies.

Happy Flying!

@flyingwithfish

Iran Air has masterfully kept an aging fleet in the air, despite economic and politics sanctions that prohibit the airline from dealing directly with Boeing and Airbus to maintain and update their aircraft.

With strict sanctions in place, Iran Air has previously found ways to update its fleet, most recently in October 2010 when it began replacing aging Soviet era Tupolev TU-154s, operated by Iran Air Tours, with Boeing MD-80s aircraft.  Iran Air Tour’s ‘new’ Boeing MD-80 aircraft were all acquired from China Southern Airlines, but indirectly through an intermediary in the Ukraine to get around economic and political roadblocks.

Now as Iran Air moves towards being a privatized airline, focused on modernization and profitability, the company is updating its fleet of nine aging Boeing 747SP, 747-100 and 747-200 aircraft.  Seven of Iran Air’s 747s were delivered directly from Boeing between October 1976 and January 1982, with two additional aircraft being purchased through intermediaries following sanctions against Iran being established.   An aging fleet, no matter how masterfully maintained, is problematic … especially when an airline is unable to acquire parts from the aircraft manufacturer, which has caused Iran Air to aggressively seek options to update its fleet.

Iran Air will begin replacing one Boeing 747-186B, first flying on February 8th 1979, and two 747-286B aircraft, first flying on March 14th 1977 and November 1st 1982, with three Boeing 747-338, all originally delivered to Australia’s Qantas Airways between March 1985 and April 1987.    These three aircraft have been acquired from Al Sayegh Airlines, a UAE owned airline, with no flight operations, that is based in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

The first Boeing 747-338 to join Iran Air first flew on the 19th of March 1986; the following two 747-338 aircraft will join the airline in May.

The arrival of the ‘new’ 747s into Iran Air’s fleet will come with some challenges. The airline is familiar with maintaining their 747 fleet’s Pratt & Whitney JT9D engines without support from Boeing or Pratt and Whitney, however these new aircraft are equipped with Rolls Royce RB-211 engines, an engine not found in Iran Air’s fleet.

For an airline that is cut off from primary technology, financial and support resources, Iran Air continually moves forward and establishes itself as a viable airline without signs of faltering.  It will be interesting to see how the airline advances forward next.

Happy Flying!

@flyingwithfish