Home
Samsonite

Newest Articles

  

Newsflash

Is airline bar-stool squatting the next cheap travel pain?

Mike O’Leary, CEO of Ryan Air, is known for his joking around. He was the first to suggest airlines put in pay toilets. Now he’s talking about offering cheaper fares to people willing to fly squatting on close-packed stools.

His theory, if he isn’t kidding, is that by using bar stools instead of regular airline seats, and he could jam another 50 percent more people onto each flight. O’Leary adds that if passengers accept the idea, and with a full aircraft, he can not only cut costs, but also reduce prices.

O’Leary, known for his often disturbing Irish wit, is suspected of joking on the bar stool idea, because he recently came up with the pay toilet in the air idea. He said passengers would use credit cards in slots to activate toilet doors, and be charged from one U.S. dollar on up to an English pound for each potty break. What's next? Airline straphanging?
Nightmare Flight: Screaming Kid Non-Stop For Seven Hours PDF Print E-mail


The recent report about a flight from Germany to Newark wasn’t anything new. All senior air travelers have been disrupted often by uncontrolled kids. And in some unhappy examples, drunken adults acting like kids.

When it happens, there are several options for you. If early in the flight and you fear the crying and screaming will continue throughout, ask the attendant to move you to another seat. If you’re flying coach and all those seats are occupied, ask to be moved to an available upper class seat. There should be no added charge, considering your discomfort. If the attendant balks, keep your temper, but insist on the change.

Another way to escape the noise and disruption is to have the right electronics with you on the flight. It could be a smartphone or other gear that has a video screen, radio, movies, books and other recorded materials. Instead of regular earphones, carry larger, more sophisticated sound-blocking ones. Then, if surrounded by noise, clamp on those big circula pads and enjoy your flight.
 
 
Stay in-the-know about the latest Sports, Life, Money, Tech, and Travel stories. You'll get your first 2 months of USA TODAY for $25 (charged monthly). All print subscribers receive the e-Newspaper included with their subscription.