It’s Saturday, so it’s time to pop your seat back into the upright position as AeroSur’s 747-300 safety video

More next week!

If you’re mad enough to go down to London tomorrow to watch the Royal Wedding (as opposed to watching it on a sofa in comfort) and get crushed in the crowds,  here is a mixture of travel advice for how to get there:

National Rail

Data: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/seasonal/index_custom.html 
Summary:  Check before you travel. Some services have changed.

London Underground and Buses

See http://www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/19808.aspx. A Saturday service on Tube is expected, with major bus diversions and Cycle Hire being part suspended in certain areas.

Driving:
Three words: AVOID CENTRAL LONDON. Simple Really.

If you’re planning to attend, have a good day. I’ll be enjoying the day… doing many other things!

All I can say is how tacky… and how Virgin Atlantic as there will be street parties in the sky in Virgin Economy and Premium Economy cabins tomorrow (29th April).

http://blog.vtravelled.com/virgin-atlantic-celebrate-the-royal-wedding-with-onboard-street-parties/

Almost makes you want to book a ticket on another carrier….

Well as the royal wedding is coming up, and is going to cause the most chaos in London there’s been for some time, it’s time to do some related posts.

And this is a good one, as it’s a freebie from Lonely Planet – a Walking Tour of the Royal Sights in London.

http://itunes.apple.com/app/royal-london-audio-walking/id431202355?mt=8

I road-tested this a few days ago, and again – whilst it may not be to everyone’s taste – it’s a reasonable guide to the Royal side of London.

And at the price, I’d grab it now, and listen to it later if you’re wise and visiting after the wedding.

It seems Southwest can’t keep out of the news, with the trouble it has with it’s 737 fleet.

Today WN1919 (operared with a Southwest 737-700, registered N799SW) flying from Denver to Chicago Midway (MDW) skidded off the runway on landing.

None of the 134 passengers or 5 crew were hurt in the indicent, with damage as yet not reported to the plane. All were bussed of the plane safely.

The plane landed in heavy rain and high crosswind conditions at Midway, and came to a rest at the end of it.

Picture – NBC 5 Chicago. 
 

Southwest Airlines is contacting passengers with a refund of the faares, and two roundtrip passes as a goodwill gesture.

The incident is now being handlded by the US National Transportation Safety Board. 

And the most important thing – whilst the aircraft may be dinged, everyone got out in one piece.

The UK Identity and Passport Service released it’s latest list of excuses for why people have lost their passport.

These latest reasons inculde:

•  Taxi attacked by gunman on way to airport in Brazil
•  Fell out of bag while snowboarding
•  Drunk boyfriend (now ex) destroyed it
•  Last seen in pocket of a coat donated to tramp
•  Wallet stolen at children’s party with passport inside
•  Passports stored in safe in Turkish villa, thieves stole safe
•  Put in bin by infant daughter; and
•  Put on a fire with clothes

Now, I’ve learned the hard way about loosing a passport whilst nowhere near home, and I can only suggest that whilst at home, you keep the passport in a safe place and not on the floor/on display on a shelf, and when travelling – only take it with you when you need to. Utilise hotel safes (or other safe points) where needed.

And keep a photocopy/scan of it safe.

See: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13164006 and http://ips.gov.uk/cps/rde/xchg/ips_live/hs.xsl/1991.htm

An intresting scientific report has been released on the BBC News site and published in the PNAS Journal in which they conculde it was right to shut the skies down for a period.

The senior author – Stipp, from Copenhagen University – states:

“I think the really important parts of it are: Number one, the aviation authorities were absolutely right in closing airspace.

“Then the data that are produced can be put into models to determine how far, how high and how wide the ash will spread that will be based more on fact than on guesswork.”

Good reading if you have the lunchtime for it today.

Well, it’s Easter Sunday, but in GhettoIFE land, it’s still time for some Airplane p0rn.

And for Easter Sunday, something a bit special – a take off sequence of an Air Canada Airbus A320.

More of course next week!

Yes, it’s time to put your seat back into the upright position as Starflyer of Japan is going to give us a safety demonstration…

More next week!

For those who need some Good Friday reading, head to http://money.cnn.com/2011/04/19/news/companies/jeff_smisek_united_continental.fortune/index.htm

Whilst semi-light on what more changes are happening going forward, it’s full of fun little facts like how much United spends on fuel… a day.

Happy reading!

Thomson Airways Flight TOM33 had to make an emergency landing after departing Orlando Stanford Airport.

The 767-300ER departed at 18:20 Wednesday, with a bird being injestested by an engine, resulting in a bang sound and smoke in the cabin. The Captain chose to return to Orlando-Stanford, where all 254 passengers and 12 crew disembarked safely 20 minutes after initial departure.

The aircraft has been grouned pending safety checks that are required for a bird strike of this nature

Thomson Airways state that passengers are being looked after and the aircraft is being assessed, with an incident investigation now open.


Good work to the Captain and First Officer for getting the plane down safely