The Gate debuts a new feature that highlights news about members of FlyerTalk. Please let us know what you think, as well as provide comments and suggestions. If there is news about — or are photographs taken by — a FlyerTalk member that you would like posted here at The Gate, please contact us.

Thank you.

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• From being worried to relieved, FlyerTalk member wsucougarchick05 asks if posting in the CommunityBuzz! forum is the RIght place? Don’t know…but positive thoughts and prayers are appreciated… about her ailing grandfather. Apparently, not only was the CommunityBuzz! forum the correct place to post, but all of the prayers and positive thoughts posted by fellow FlyerTalk members did the trick, as the health of her grandfather improved enough that he reportedly returned home from the hospital.
• Is FlyerTalk member violist stringing us along about retirement, or should we bow to violist with congratulations? You decide by attending the violist retirement concert July 4 Salem, Mass., complete with “fireworks and 1812 thing.” That is music to our ears.
• From now on, FlyerTalk member cepheid is to be addressed as Dr. cepheid, because as cepheid exclaims, “I’m back, baby, yeah! And yes, there _is_ a doctor in the house!” One can sense a degree of excitement about the degree cepheid just earned. By the way, you might also want to say “Happy Birthday, Doctor Cepheid!”

The answer as to whether or not a passenger drinking underage to europe — or to anywhere else, for that matter — is dependent on a number of criteria, including whether or not the laws of the home country of the airline apply to the flight, what type of alcoholic beverage one intends to drink, what are the laws of the destination location, and even whether or not enforcement of any such policy will be strict or lax.

A Seattle Post blog post on which airlines are the most generous with frequent flyer awards recommends Flyer Talk.

Christopher Elliott (syndicated on CNN and others) is sceptical about frequent flyer programs, and calls people on Flyer Talk the wrong crowd.  There is discussion on FT (eg here).

The Perrin Post has a series on frequent flyer tips and recommends FT for advice on award rules.

Tragedy suddenly struck today as an Air India Crash Kills More Than 160 passengers.

Developments are still occurring at this time as this breaking news story unfolds, but the following information is directly from the Air India Internet web site:

“Air India Express regrets to announce that a B737-800 aircraft operating as flight IX-812 from Dubai to Mangalore was involved in an accident early this morning, May 22, 2010. The accident occurred after the aircraft landed at Mangalore airport and overshot the runway. Air India is currently confirming the identities of the casualties.

Air India is deploying all its resources for assisting passengers and their families. Air India Express Dubai Airport Tel. Nos. 00971-4-2165828/29.”

We at The Gate mourn the loss of life that has occurred as a result of this horrific accident and pray for the family and friends of the passengers.

The news is still unfolding about what apparently rendered a JetBlue Pilot Unfit for Duty, including a story out of BOSTON: JetBlue Pilot Threatens to Crash Plane after take-off from Logan Airport, as well as unsubstantiated reports that the distraught pilot — allegedly jilted by a female acquaintance — had a gun confiscated. There is also speculation that the threats of suicide may be a rumor and the pilot was actually removed for health reasons.

An official spokesperson for jetBlue says that at no point were any customers or aircraft in danger.

FlyerTalk member caviarwire recently returned to the United States, and she says that a “CBP officer gave me a stern warning that my laptop shouldn’t have ripped DVD/Blu-ray”.

All caviarwire wanted to do was watch movies to pass the time and be entertained while traveling, which initially would seem to be a reasonable and harmless activity. The potential problem is that instead of carrying the original discs with her and inserting them into her laptop computer, she instead copied them onto its hard disk drive.

Several debates ultimately ensued, including but not limited to:

• Whether or not an individual has the right to copy a movie or other form of media, purchased via legal means, onto the hard disk drive of a laptop computer or other personal device, and
• Is it within the purview and jurisdiction of United States Customs and Border Patrol officers to enforce and sternly warn passengers about alleged violations of federal copyright laws?

What do Nice, Montego Bay, Denpasar, San Diego, Larnaca, Tobago, San Pedro and Geneva have in common?

They are only some of the many destinations where one can Walk to/from the Airport to save money, although some FlyerTalk members also suggest destinations where walking may not be much of an option but transportation to downtown from the airport is quite inexpensive.

Then again, what is considered a walkable distance is relative. Some FlyerTalk members suggest destinations where walking from the airport towards downtown can take as long as 90 minutes, if one is up to a brisk walk for some exercise. Of course, for these longer walks, toting baggage is not advised.

Toronto would be another destination to add to this list, if it were not for that pesky lake water separating Toronto City Centre Airport from downtown, but if there is a free shuttle service into downtown, does that count?!?

If you have a burning question you’d like to ask TalkBoard, some TalkBoard members will be on FT chat on 29 May 4pm EDT (for other timezones see here).

While there may not have been any physical altercation, profanity was used in a place where people normally go to retreat and relax because there was a Lounge Fight! Bad Behavior in the Executive Lounge apparent resulted from a difference in opinion on a matter as trivial as which news program to watch on the television in the executive lounge.

The story does not end here.

Additionally, the topic evolves from this specific incident to a general discussion about the apparent trend in questionable behavior witnessed in executive lounges.

An EyeForTravel interview with Rob Torres of Google Travel quotes him referring to Flyer Talk as being an example of a site where the travel industry can find out about consumer expectations.