airports - Blogs - Tripatini2024-03-29T15:05:13Zhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/airportsStanding Tall, Guiding All: A Look at Air-Traffic-Control Towershttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/airports-air-traffic-control-towers2022-10-28T16:40:00.000Z2022-10-28T16:40:00.000ZIberia Airlineshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberiaAirlines<div><p><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10843821096,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10843821096,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="10843821096?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Madrid_Airport_-_tower.jpg" target="_blank">Tiia Monto</a></em></span><br /> <br /> <br /> You’ve all no doubt noticed that building, at or near the airport, which resembles a lighthouse. In fact, air-traffic-control towers <em>are</em> lighthouses of a sort, albeit much more sophisticated and with many more functions. But what's inside an air traffic-control tower? Does is have more than one floor inside? Why is it so tall? Are they all the same? Here's a post to clarify a few things about one of the most complex buildings at any airport.</p>
<h3><span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>The Function of an Airport Control Tower</strong><br /> </span></h3>
<p>At the risk of seeming obvious, let's establish right off the bat that an ATC tower is the operations centre from which all taxiing, takeoffs, and approaches/landings of all aircraft at an airport are regulated. Air traffic is monitored - at some towers controllers are on duty 24/7 - to ensure maximum safety during all this, and it's separated into slots to avoid delays and any other incidents. The significant difference in the structure's height compared to the other surrounding buildings is essential, unsurprisingly, in order to be able to see, manually or mechanically, aircraft movement. Air traffic controllers issue takeoff and landing clearances and are extensively trained and are supported by a wealth of technology to ensure that the most common tasks, which do not require human involvement, are done with the utmost safety. The control tower not only observes arriving and departing aircraft but is also equipped with radio systems to direct them. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><img class="wp-image-21990 size-full aligncenter" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/torre-de-control-madrid-barajas-aeropuerto-t4-iberia-istock-939830436.jpg" alt="torre-de-control-madrid-barajas-aeropuerto-t4-iberia-" width="1183" height="887" /></p>
<h3><strong><br /> </strong><span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>How is an Air Traffic Control Tower Orientated?</strong></span></h3>
<p><br /> During operations, the priority for a control tower is to avoid aligning approaching aircraft with sunrise or sunset. This is one of the first factors considered when designing a tower. </p>
<p>By the way, did you know that they are not always located at the airport? Although this is the norm, they just need to have some essential services (telephone, electricity, water, etc.). It is also a regulation, in terms of accessibility, that they do not interfere with areas where aircraft operate.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><img class="aligncenter wp-image-23442 size-full" src="https://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/l2f-aug-22-pic-aviation-avgeek-airport-traffic-control-tower-interior-istock-471389711.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="835" /></p>
<p> </p>
<h3><span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>What Are They Like Inside?</strong></span></h3>
<p><br /> The tower's height doesn't serve only for getting up to the cab (the glass capsule that tops it) to see aircraft from the highest vantage point possible. Other aspects include:</p>
<p><span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>Cab</strong> </span></p>
<p>The highest part of the tower is of course the most readily identifiable because of its extensive windows, and it's where most air-traffic control tasks are carried out. There are a number of construction criteria that must be met: </p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Lighting</strong> - It’s best to have three types of lighting within the cab: workstation lighting, which is adjustable, focusable, and dimmable; general lighting; and floor-level lighting, which is low intensity and necessary for nighttime activity. </li>
<li><strong>Climate control</strong> - The tower's cooling and heating system of the control tower is installed at the junction level (see below), so that the noise and vibrations it generates do not hinder the work of the tower staff. It is essential for the optimum performance of the staff that the ambient temperature is uniform, and the same goes for the humidity level. Because of this, air traffic control towers have a secondary air-conditioning system housed in the cab itself, used only in emergencies. </li>
<li><strong>Visibility</strong> - Ideally the windows should be as close as possible to the workstations (i.e., all the equipment and technology that the controllers use to do their jobs). The angle of the glass should be optimal to avoid glare, and at eye level the controller should be able to distinguish aircraft from other vehicles at a glance.</li>
</ul>
<p><br /> <span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>Shaft</strong><br /> </span></p>
<p>This is the tall column on top of which the cab sits and is equipped with lifts, stairs, and hoists to allow access for personnel and equipment.</p>
<p><span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>Service Building</strong><br /> </span></p>
<p>This is the technical area, normally a low building attached to the shaft. Normally the technical offices (tower manager, operations, supervisor, etc.) and maintenance offices (i.e., staff such as operating engineers, maintenance manager) are located here. In addition, there's a workshop; storage spaces (including for archives and documentation); and rooms meetings, training, and the like. And of course it's also equipped with toilets and parking facilities. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><img class="wp-image-21992 size-full aligncenter" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/torre-de-control-madrid-barajas-aeropuerto-t4-iberia-istock-133719357.jpg" alt="torre-de-control-madrid-barajas-aeropuerto-t4-iberia-" width="1200" height="835" /></p>
<p><strong><br /> </strong><span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>Junction Level</strong></span></p>
<p>Finally, between shaft and the cab you'll find the widest part of the tower, and one which may occupy one or two floors, depending on the airport. The junction level consists of several rooms for communications equipment, beacons, air conditioning, and surface radar, if available. There is also a room for staff to rest and, of course, toilets. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<h6><em><span style="font-size:8pt;">Photos | <a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/es/portfolio/payamona?mediatype=photography">payamona</a>; <a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/es/portfolio/ToniFlap?mediatype=photography">ToniFlap</a>; interior <a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/es/foto/aeropuerto-tower-vista-del-interior-gm471389711-20092373?phrase=air%20traffic%20control%20tower" target="_blank">baranzdemir</a>; </span><a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/es/portfolio/ninjaMonkeyStudio?mediatype=photography"><span style="font-size:8pt;">ninjaMonkeyStudio</span></a></em></h6>
<p><br /> </p></div>The Hub System - a Great Innovation of Commercial Aviationhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/the-hub-system-a-great-innovation-of-commercial-aviation2022-01-12T08:55:00.000Z2022-01-12T08:55:00.000ZIberia Airlineshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberiaAirlines<div><p><a href="https://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/iberia-hub-me-gusta-volar-baja.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/iberia-hub-me-gusta-volar-baja.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" alt="iberia-hub-me-gusta-volar-baja.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" /></a> </p>
<p>Airline flights in much of the world are organised through a system called "hub-and-spoke," invented by U.S. airline <strong>Delta</strong> in 1955; made widespread in the <strong>USA</strong> after that country's deregulation of the airline industry in 1978; and commonplace in <strong>Europe</strong> as well since the <strong>European Union</strong> finally eliminated the last of its own air-industry restrictions in 1997. The model is named after the basic design of a traditional wheel, where the "hub" is a central airport and the spokes are the flights coming in and out (in the case of <strong>Iberia</strong>, of course, the hub being <strong>Madrid</strong>). </p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="https://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/iberia-hub-me-gusta-volar-embarque.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/iberia-hub-me-gusta-volar-embarque.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" alt="iberia-hub-me-gusta-volar-embarque.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" /></a> </p>
<p>Interestingly, it happened to be a Spanish airline, Iberia affiliate <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viva_Air" target="_blank"><strong>Viva Air</strong></a>, which set this reform in motion by appealing to the <strong>European Commission</strong> after the French government denied it permission to fly between Madrid and <strong>Paris</strong> based on an unpublished rule. <strong>Javier Gandara</strong>, president of the Spanish <strong><a href="https://www.alaspain.com/" target="_blank">Association of Airlines</a></strong> wrote in 2018, “The end result was an unprecedented increase in air traffic; in the number of routes; and, above all, in the level of competition. According to data from the Commission itself, between 1992 and 2015 the number of intra-European routes quadrupled to more than 3,500, and more importantly, the number of them served by three or more airlines increased sixfold. The consequence of all this has been an exponential increase in the accessibility by consumers to this mode of transport, democratising what until then was a luxury available to very few.”Little by little, with deregulation and liberalisation, the larger carriers gravitated toward the hub-and-spoke system, in which basically their aircraft operate in "waves." In the mornings, all the planes that overnight at the hub airport depart for the the various designated destinations, while a wave of planes that have spent the night at those destinations flies to the hub. The schedules are coordinated so that the planes arrive at the hub for between an hour and 90 minutes (this time may vary depending on the number of planes), and between a half hour and an hour after the arrival of the last one, they begin to take off in a new wave. In that time, passengers and their luggage will have disembarked from their arrival aircraft and embarked on those that will take them to their final destination. This operation is repeated two or three times a day. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="https://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/iberia-hub-barajas-baja.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/iberia-hub-barajas-baja.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" alt="iberia-hub-barajas-baja.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" /></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>The main advantage of this system is that it allows multiplying the offer of destinations without having to multiply the number of planes, since from each city it is possible to fly, through a stopover, to all the others served from the hub. In addition, it allows offering more frequencies as there are more passengers to each destination.In this way, Iberia, for example, in its Madrid hub adds passengers arriving from Europe to those arriving from various Spanish cities, as well as those who board in Madrid, and are traveling to <strong>Latin America</strong>, to which Iberia offers the greatest airlift from Europe, with many destinations having at least two daily flights. And of course in reverse from Latin America into Spain and the rest of Europe. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="https://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/iberia-colas-hub-me-gusta-volar-baja.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/iberia-colas-hub-me-gusta-volar-baja.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" alt="iberia-colas-hub-me-gusta-volar-baja.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" /></a> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The hub-and-spoke system can also have even greater multiplier effects when partner airlines with which codeshare or joint ventures are in place come into play. This in turn makes it possible to offer all the destinations that this other in turn offers from its hub, and makes routes commercially sustainable that with a simple origin-destination operation could not be profitable.Last but definitely not least, this all allows more attractive airfares for passengers, since the average occupancy of the planes is higher and the costs lower (as fewer planes are required to achieve the same offer of seats for each destination).</p>
<h6> </h6>
<h6><em>By guest blogger <a href="http://www.fly-news.es">Fly News</a></em></h6>
<p> </p></div>For Avgeeks Only: In Praise of the Lowly Airport Tarmac Tughttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/for-avgeeks-only-in-praise-of-the-lowly-airport-tarmac-tug2021-12-29T15:35:00.000Z2021-12-29T15:35:00.000ZIberia Airlineshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberiaAirlines<div><p><a href="https://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/ib_mgv_02_articulo_1980x800.png" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/ib_mgv_02_articulo_1980x800.png?profile=original" alt="ib_mgv_02_articulo_1980x800.png?profile=original" width="1200" /></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>In today’s commercial passenger aviation, understandably it’s the aircraft that get top billing and most of the attention. But the airport systems that make their operation possible include a complex array of equipment, much of which is unglamorous and goes largely unnoticed by the flying public. And one of the key contraptions along these lines is a low-slung vehicle called a pushback tug or tractor.</p>
<p>As the name implies, this doughty workhorse of the tarmac goes into action when it’s time to push an aircraft back from the gate at which it’s parked so that it can taxi out onto the runway. Now, if you known anything about modern aircraft, you’re aware that they can go into reverse on their own quite nicely, thank you very much, with a reverse-thrust mode called powerback. But there’s always the chance that this jet blast or propeller wash could cause damage to airport equipment or structures, so pushback using an external source is generally preferred.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><img class="aligncenter wp-image-15153 size-full" src="https://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/l2f-nov-21-pic-avgeeks-airport-mototok-pushback-tugs-1.jpg" alt="l2f-nov-21-pic-avgeeks-airport-mototok-pushback-tugs-1.jpg" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Pushback tugs comes in various shapes and sizes, and runs off either diesel fuel or battery-supplied electricity. Some are open-wheel, while others have enclosed cabs (especially at airports where the temperatures can get very cold). All are equipped with horn, lights (including turn signals), parking brake, and shifting gears. The driver sits at a large steering wheel, communicating with the pilots via headseat (either wireless or connected by cable to the communications box on the plane’s nose). Alternatively, some of the more recent, advanced tugs on the market are remote controlled by an operator who walks behind the tug as it tows the airplane.</p>
<p>(The tugs used by <strong>Iberia</strong>, manufactured by <strong>Germany</strong>’s <a href="https://www.mototok.com/"><strong>Mototok</strong></a> company, based northeast of <strong>Düsseldorf</strong>, are remotely controlled, as well as very compact and fully electric-battery driven. Operating at a speed of 5.4 kilometres (just over 3 miles) per hour, their dimensions are 2.6 metres (just over 8.5 feet) wide by 33m (a bit over 10.8 ft.) long, with a height of just .553m (about 1.8 ft.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p> <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/58HkU0QlzpY" width="1269" height="714" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>When the pilots request clearance from the control tower to push back from the gate, the tug operator will confirm that all systems are go from his or her end. Also playing an important role is a “wing walker,” who ensures prior to pushback that there are no vehicles, equipment, personnel, or other obstacles behind the plane.</p>
<p>Once everyone is on the same page, the pilot will affirm, "brakes released, clear to push"; the tug operator will clear him or her to start the plane's engines; and pushback will commence with the use of a towbar or (in the case of Mototok) a mechanism that actually encloses the aircraft’s front wheel and lifts it off the tarmac to guide it.</p>
<p>It’s a fairly simple maneuver, but without it, most planes would never get off the ground. So the next time you’re boarding a plane or looking out from an aircraft window while it’s sitting on the tarmac, keep an eye out for these mighty little machines, capable of moving jetliners weighing more than 78 tonnes (more than 171,000 pounds). They’re fascinating to watch!.</p>
<p> </p></div>New Study Ranks Best and Worst U.S. Airport Wi-Fi: Where to Avoid Using Ithttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/new-study-ranks-best-and-worst-u-s-airport-wi-fi-where-to-avoid2018-11-13T12:54:12.000Z2018-11-13T12:54:12.000ZLaura Tyrellhttps://tripatini.com/members/LauraTyrell<div><p><span style="font-weight:400;">A new study shows that San Diego International Airport is the most unsecure airport in the U.S. when it comes to cybersecurity, while Chicago-Midway is the one where travelers can feel the safest about their digital lives.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight:400;">According to the survey, which was conducted by Coronet, a cloud security company based in Israel, Wi-Fi security at U.S. airports is often sacrificed for consumer convenience, leaving networks unencrypted, unsecured or improperly configured.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight:400;">“It’s quite usual to pass the time while waiting for a flight on our smartphones or laptops. Nevertheless, in some airports, it might be not such a good idea,” says Daniel Markuson, Digital Privacy Expert at NordVPN. “It is an important issue, as cyber criminals might be using the airport Wi-Fi network weaknesses to get their hands onto sensitive personal or corporate data.”</span></p><p><a href="https://www.coro.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Coronet_Cyber-Insecure-Airports.pdf"><span style="font-weight:400;">Coronet’s Airport Threat Score</span></a> <span style="font-weight:400;">ranking collected data from more than 250,000 users, both private and business travelers, who traveled through the 45 busiest U.S. airports over the course of five months.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight:400;">As stated in the report, “even for those airports that do prioritize security, attack techniques such as the Key Reinstallation Attack (KRACK), which can break the WPA2 protocol to capture or expose information shared over public and private Wi-Fi, presents significant risk to passengers in transit.”</span></p><p><b>What can you do to stay safe?</b></p><p><span style="font-weight:400;">Daniel Markuson, Digital Privacy Expert at <a href="https://nordvpn.com/" target="_blank">NordVPN</a>, shares some tips on what you should</span> <span style="font-weight:400;">and shouldn’t do on an airport Wi-Fi.</span></p><p><b>Don’t connect to any Wi-Fi.</b> <span style="font-weight:400;">This is the most important one - if you see two similar Wi-Fi names at the airport, remember that one of them may be fake. The same rule applies to the networks with strange or unusual names. If in doubt, better double-check with the airport staff before joining any network.</span></p><p><b>Disable automatic connections, GPS, Bluetooth and file sharing.</b> <span style="font-weight:400;">This will prevent your computer or smartphone from automatically joining airport networks, unwillingly sharing your location or opening your device to other threats. If you are sharing your mobile data from your smartphone to computer, be sure to protect the connection with a password. Also, it’s always best to turn off file sharing on your computer while you’re on a public network. Do that to stay safe.</span></p><p><b>Don’t log into sensitive accounts or shop online.</b> <span style="font-weight:400;">If you’re on a public Wi-Fi of an airport, the safest advice is to simply avoid going into your bank and other sensitive accounts, like work email. These hold the most appeal to hackers. Alsos, avoid shopping or booking hotels while on an airport network.</span></p><p><b>Get a reliable VPN, firewall and other security solutions.</b> <span style="font-weight:400;">Don’t like the idea of someone snooping on your online activities while on airport Wi-Fi? Then buying yourself a reliable VPN, like</span> <a href="https://nordvpn.com/"><span style="font-weight:400;">NordVPN</span></a><span style="font-weight:400;">, is what you should be doing at this very moment. A VPN will encrypt your browsing activities and prevent various fraudsters from using your sensitive data for their own benefit. By the way, go ahead and check if your firewall is turned on. An easy step, but a crucial one.</span></p><p><b>According to Coronet, the most secure airports in the U.S. are:</b></p><ol><li><span style="font-weight:400;">Chicago-Midway International Airport</span></li><li><span style="font-weight:400;">Raleigh Durham International Airport</span></li><li><span style="font-weight:400;">Nashville International Airport</span></li><li><span style="font-weight:400;">Washington Dulles International Airport</span></li><li><span style="font-weight:400;">San Antonio International Airport</span></li><li><span style="font-weight:400;">Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport</span></li><li><span style="font-weight:400;">Kansas City International Airport</span></li><li><span style="font-weight:400;">Lambert St. Louis International Airport</span></li><li><span style="font-weight:400;">Miami International Airport</span></li><li><span style="font-weight:400;">Tampa International Airport</span></li></ol><p><b>The least secure airports, according to the study, are:</b></p><ol><li><span style="font-weight:400;">San Diego International Airport</span></li><li><span style="font-weight:400;">John Wayne Airport-Orange County Airport</span></li><li><span style="font-weight:400;">William P. Houston Hobby Airport</span></li><li><span style="font-weight:400;">Southwest Florida International Airport</span></li><li><span style="font-weight:400;">Newark Liberty International Airport</span></li><li><span style="font-weight:400;">Dallas Love Field</span></li><li><span style="font-weight:400;">Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport</span></li><li><span style="font-weight:400;">Charlotte Douglas International Airport</span></li><li><span style="font-weight:400;">Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport</span></li><li><span style="font-weight:400;">Boston Logan International Airport</span></li></ol></div>9 Foods to Avoid When Flyinghttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/9-foods-to-avoid-when-flying2015-12-01T19:30:00.000Z2015-12-01T19:30:00.000ZMax Peslinghttps://tripatini.com/members/MaxPesling<div><p style="background:#ffffff;font:13px/16px Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;border:0px;text-align:justify;color:#333333;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;clear:both;word-spacing:0px;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:normal;"><a href="http://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/foods-not-to-eat-before-flying.jpg" target="_blank"><img width="640" class="align-center" src="http://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/foods-not-to-eat-before-flying.jpg?width=640" alt="foods-not-to-eat-before-flying.jpg?width=640" /></a><br /> In this day and age, for every person who takes care about what he or she eats, it seems many more are still fairly careless about it. But even those who watch what they eat may not realize that conditions while flying in a commercial jetliner – especially longhaul – can present issues when it comes to certain foods. And so, there are some you really might want to avoid in order to make your flight as comfortable as possible. Some of these may seem like no-brainers, so consider this simply a reminder; others might very well surprise you. If you’re ever uncomfortable on flights, you might consider some of the following as potential culprits.<span id="more-7592" style="background:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;vertical-align:baseline;"></span></p><p style="background:#ffffff;font:13px/16px Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;border:0px;text-align:justify;color:#333333;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;clear:both;word-spacing:0px;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:normal;"><strong style="background:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-weight:bold;vertical-align:baseline;">Alcohol</strong></p><p style="background:#ffffff;font:13px/16px Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;border:0px;text-align:justify;color:#333333;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;clear:both;word-spacing:0px;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:normal;">Not surprisingly, this probably tops the list. Yes, beer, wine, and cocktails have become a time-honored part of the airport and inflight experience of millions. The problem arises with the dryer air in the typical airline cabin. Alcohol further dehydrates, and this can lead to discomfort both physical (such as headaches) and mental/emotional (heightened anxiety), even if your don’t over-indulge. And it’s an especially bad idea if you’re also taking medication.</p><p style="background:#ffffff;font:13px/16px Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;border:0px;text-align:justify;color:#333333;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;clear:both;word-spacing:0px;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:normal;"><strong style="background:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-weight:bold;vertical-align:baseline;">Coffee</strong></p><p style="background:#ffffff;font:13px/16px Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;border:0px;text-align:justify;color:#333333;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;clear:both;word-spacing:0px;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:normal;">Another libation that’s sloshed about liberally both at airports and onboard. But if you must have a cup of joe, make it decaffeinated, because caffeine can make you not only dehydrated but also jittery and needing to pee. In fact, for this reason, many flight attendants will serve passengers only decaf (bet you didn’t know that!).</p><p style="background:#ffffff;font:13px/16px Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;border:0px;text-align:justify;color:#333333;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;clear:both;word-spacing:0px;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:normal;"><strong style="background:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-weight:bold;vertical-align:baseline;">Beans and Certain Other Veggies</strong></p><p style="background:#ffffff;font:13px/16px Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;border:0px;text-align:justify;color:#333333;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;clear:both;word-spacing:0px;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:normal;">You know the old children’s rhyme, “beans, beans, the magical fruit – the more you eat, the more you toot!” Well, it’s not just flatulence you have to worry about – it’s the fact that the gas that builds in your stomach and gastrointestinal tract can also become uncomfortable (in fact, this phenomenon even has a name: “<strong>jetbloat</strong>”). It’s also not just beans – you’ll want to watch out for other normally healthy vegetables such as artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, onions, and peas.</p><p style="background:#ffffff;font:13px/16px Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;border:0px;text-align:justify;color:#333333;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;clear:both;word-spacing:0px;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:normal;"><strong style="background:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-weight:bold;vertical-align:baseline;">Carbonated Soft Drinks</strong></p><p style="background:#ffffff;font:13px/16px Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;border:0px;text-align:justify;color:#333333;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;clear:both;word-spacing:0px;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:normal;">Another no-brainer, I think you’d have to agree, considering the gas contained in soda’s carbonation (furthermore, a secondary effect can also be heartburn).</p><p style="background:#ffffff;font:13px/16px Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;border:0px;text-align:justify;color:#333333;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;clear:both;word-spacing:0px;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:normal;"><strong style="background:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-weight:bold;vertical-align:baseline;">Chewing Gum</strong></p><p style="background:#ffffff;font:13px/16px Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;border:0px;text-align:justify;color:#333333;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;clear:both;word-spacing:0px;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:normal;">More than a few travellers rely on gum to keep their ears from popping. But all that chewing brings a lot of air down to your stomach - contributing, again, to gas and bloating. As you swallow more air, gas builds up in your stomach, which can make you feel bloated.</p><p style="background:#ffffff;font:13px/16px Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;border:0px;text-align:justify;color:#333333;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;clear:both;word-spacing:0px;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:normal;"><strong style="background:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-weight:bold;vertical-align:baseline;">French Fries</strong></p><p style="background:#ffffff;font:13px/16px Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;border:0px;text-align:justify;color:#333333;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;clear:both;word-spacing:0px;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:normal;">Now we’re getting to another big bugaboo: grease, oils, and fat. Fried food and many kinds of fast food can contribute to heartburn up in the air (and when it’s high in salt and transfats, it can also make you retain fluid, with effects such as swollen feet).</p><p style="background:#ffffff;font:13px/16px Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;border:0px;text-align:justify;color:#333333;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;clear:both;word-spacing:0px;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:normal;"><strong style="background:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-weight:bold;vertical-align:baseline;">Apples and Certain Other Fruit</strong></p><p style="background:#ffffff;font:13px/16px Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;border:0px;text-align:justify;color:#333333;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;clear:both;word-spacing:0px;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:normal;">Again, normally as healthy as you please, but the especially high fiber in fruit like apples can crank up the gas, too. Others on this list include berries, guavas, kiwis, nectarines, papayas, peaches, and pears. You might also want to stay away from acidic juices like orange and grapefruit, which can lead to heartburn (not to mention the fact that vitamin C is a diuretic, if you get my drift).</p><p style="background:#ffffff;font:13px/16px Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;border:0px;text-align:justify;color:#333333;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;clear:both;word-spacing:0px;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:normal;"><strong style="background:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-weight:bold;vertical-align:baseline;">Meat, Especially High-Fat</strong></p><p style="background:#ffffff;font:13px/16px Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;border:0px;text-align:justify;color:#333333;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;clear:both;word-spacing:0px;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:normal;">This is a carnivorously mixed bag. Various meats can leave some people prone to indigestion, and many tempting airport options – gooey bacon cheeseburgers and the like – are also high in fat, salt, and transfats. Lean meat, fowl, seafood, and other protein are a better way to fly.</p><p style="background:#ffffff;font:13px/16px Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;border:0px;text-align:justify;color:#333333;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;clear:both;word-spacing:0px;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:normal;"><strong style="background:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-weight:bold;vertical-align:baseline;">Spicy Food</strong></p><p style="background:#ffffff;font:13px/16px Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;border:0px;text-align:justify;color:#333333;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;clear:both;word-spacing:0px;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:normal;">A touch of heat on the plate at the right time can be invigorating, but this is probably not the right time, otherwise you could set yourself up for stomach discomfort and bladder irritation (and do you really want a burning mouth at 35,000 feet?).</p><p style="background:#ffffff;font:13px/16px Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;border:0px;text-align:justify;color:#333333;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;clear:both;word-spacing:0px;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:normal;">Finally, do keep in mind that some things are not so much a matter of personal discomfort as of common courtesy – for the most part, fairly obvious choices such as garlic, curry, and other stinky food that can give you both bad breath and body odor.</p><p style="background:#ffffff;font:13px/16px Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;border:0px;text-align:justify;color:#333333;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;clear:both;word-spacing:0px;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:normal;"><em style="background:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-style:italic;vertical-align:baseline;"> </em></p><p style="background:#ffffff;font:13px/16px Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;border:0px;text-align:justify;color:#333333;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;clear:both;word-spacing:0px;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:normal;"></p></div>The World's Most Spectacular - and Dangerous - Airportshttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/the-world-s-most-spectacular-and-dangerous-airports2014-11-04T12:15:13.000Z2014-11-04T12:15:13.000ZIberia Airlineshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberiaAirlines<div><p><a href="http://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Thimphu-Bhutan-Claude-Florin-on-Flickr.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Thimphu-Bhutan-Claude-Florin-on-Flickr.jpg?width=1024" width="1024" class="align-center" alt="Thimphu-Bhutan-Claude-Florin-on-Flickr.jpg?width=1024" /></a></p><p><br /> <em>by José Miguel Rodriguez</em><br /> <br /> Most of the time we find ourselves passing through expansive <b>airports</b> with amenities and services galore, and nice, wide, long runways. And then, of course, there are the <em>other</em> airports. The ones that make for great cocktail-party tales of harrowing landings amid spectacular settings. Today we take you on a quick tour of some of the <strong>most dangerous airports in the world: <br /> <br /></strong> <b style="font-size:13px;">Courchevel, France<br /> <br /></b> <span style="font-size:13px;">Located at the renowned </span><b style="font-size:13px;">French Alps</b><span style="font-size:13px;"> </span><b style="font-size:13px;">ski resort</b><span style="font-size:13px;"> of the same name, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Courchevel" target="_blank" style="font-size:13px;"><b>Courchevel</b></a><b style="font-size:13px;"> </b><span style="font-size:13px;">possesses one of the world’s shortest runaways for commercial aircraft – just 525 metres (1,722 feet) and a slope of 18.5 percent, with one of its trickiest approaches. So much so, in fact, that pilots who fly in and out of here need special training.</span></p><p><iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/UCsQuVrmj1g?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque" frameborder="0"></iframe></p><p><b><br /> Lukla, Nepal<br /> <br /></b> <span style="font-size:13px;">Up 2,900 metres (9,514 feet) in the </span><b style="font-size:13px;">Himalayas</b><span style="font-size:13px;"> of northeast Nepal, Lukla has long been a favored gateway for those who would tackle </span><b style="font-size:13px;">Mount Everest</b><span style="font-size:13px;">. Literally boxed in between daunting peaks, the airstrip receives flights to and from capital </span><b style="font-size:13px;">Kathmandu</b><span style="font-size:13px;">, but only weather permitting (which is not always) and only by small aircraft with </span><a href="http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/STOL" target="_blank" style="font-size:13px;"><b>STOL</b></a><span style="font-size:13px;"> (short takeoff and landing) capability, such as some </span><b style="font-size:13px;">Dorniers</b><span style="font-size:13px;"> and </span><b style="font-size:13px;">Twin Otters</b><span style="font-size:13px;">.</span></p><p><iframe width="640" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/uDfI4tbMUvs?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque" frameborder="0"></iframe></p><p><b><br /> Thimphu, Bhutan<br /> <br /></b> <span style="font-size:13px;">It’s not just small airports for small planes that present challenging approaches. Bhutan’s national airport does receive larger aircraft (in this video, for example, an Airbus A319), but the maneuvers their pilots must make test anyone’s skill. This video is worth watching in its entirety, but the most compelling part comes as of minute 6:00.</span></p><p><iframe width="640" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/YsZqN-uEgQU?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque" frameborder="0"></iframe></p><p><b><br /> St. Barth, Caribbean<br /> <br /></b> <span style="font-size:13px;">Back to short runways in dreamy destinations, many would count few more desireable than the chic, petite French Caribbean island of </span><a href="http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Bartolom%C3%A9_(Francia)" target="_blank" style="font-size:13px;">Saint Barthélemy</a><span style="font-size:13px;">. As this video shows, landing here presents two primary challenges. Firstly, the pilots must practically scrape the ground as they descend along the flank of the small nearby mountain. Secondly, they must calibrate speed and altitude very carefully, because it’s all to easy to run out of runway and end up in the gorgeous turquoise waters.</span></p><p><iframe width="640" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/k0Dft5X5Q-Y?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque" frameborder="0"></iframe></p><p><b><br /> Hong Kong<br /> <br /></b> <span style="font-size:13px;">Yes, </span><b style="font-size:13px;">Kai-Tak Airport</b><span style="font-size:13px;"> is no longer in service, but I add it to this list because for many years it was legendary for its “checkerboard” approach and the truly incredible photos it yielded. Checkerboard because it was necessary to aim for a mountain with a structure marked with red and white squares, then make a sharp, difficult bank to the right. To make things even tougher – and more dangerous – the remainder of the approach had to be performed at very low altitude right over one of Hong Kong’s most populated areas (the images of this are truly unbelievable). Closed in 1998, it was replaced by </span><a href="http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeropuerto_Internacional_de_Hong_Kong" target="_blank" style="font-size:13px;">Hong Kong International Airport</a><span style="font-size:13px;">, one of the costliest and most ambitious construction projects in history, built on land reclaimed from the sea. Fortunately, we’ll always have those spectacular images.</span></p><p><iframe width="640" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3PCOcyt7BPI?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque" frameborder="0"></iframe></p><p><br /> <br /> <span class="font-size-1"><em>image | <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cflorin/" target="_blank">claude_florin</a></em></span></p><p></p><p><span class="font-size-1"><em>From our blog <a href="http://love2fly.iberia.com" target="_blank">Love2Fly</a></em></span></p><p></p><p></p></div>Airport Marshallers: Traffic Cops of the Tarmachttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/airports-marshallers-airlines-aviation2015-09-24T21:00:00.000Z2015-09-24T21:00:00.000ZIberia Airlineshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberiaAirlines<div><p><a href="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/se%C3%B1aleros.jpg" target="_blank"><img width="614" class="align-center" src="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/se%C3%B1aleros.jpg?width=614" alt="se%C3%B1aleros.jpg?width=614" /></a></p><p><br /> Today we hit the tarmac to learn more about the important role played by the ladies and gents you see outside your aircraft window gesticulating up a storm. They’re called<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><b>marshallers</b>(known as<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong><i>señaleros</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>in Spanish), and besides guiding planes whilst they’re on the ground, these individuals perform other less well known functions as well, such as cooperating with other airport authorities to monitor various vital technical procedures, and providing assistance in case of an unusual incident of any sort.<br /> <br /> These marshallers are of course the folks in the reflective vests and noise-blocking earmuffs we see guiding our planes in and out of parking positions, standing in front with paddles by day, flashlights by night, or in a vehicle with the words “Follow Me” on the back. They work day in and day out, in fair weather or foul (obviously including rain, snow, and freezing winter temperatures). Imagine what it’s like in summer, too, in many airports of the world where it can get intensely hot and either muggy or dry, and they must work long hours under the blazing sun.<br /></p><p><a href="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/Marshall.jpg" target="_blank"><img width="640" class="align-center" src="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/Marshall-640x426.jpg?width=640" alt="Marshall-640x426.jpg?width=640" /></a></p><p><br /> Other functions marshallers undertake include airfield inspections, emergency planning, accident/incident analysis, monitoring of security protocols, and even penalising lapses which affect the security of aircraft and others.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/00/Aircraft_hand_signal_all_clear.svg/79px-Aircraft_hand_signal_all_clear.svg.png" target="_blank"><img width="79" class="align-right" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/00/Aircraft_hand_signal_all_clear.svg/79px-Aircraft_hand_signal_all_clear.svg.png?width=79" alt="79px-Aircraft_hand_signal_all_clear.svg.png?width=79" /></a>Their work must at all times be coordinated with the operations centre and control tower; it’s that collaboration, as well as the marshallers’ experience and knowledge of the runways and tarmacs, that are so important to the success of this critical aspect of commercial flight. <br /> <br /> And since each aircraft they handle is different, the job of the marshall is anything but routine. Guiding a Fokker isn’t the same as bringing in an Airbus 340: the former occupies a parking stand with a capacity for larger planes, while the latter has to be placed in a stand where distances between stands are not as wide and any miscalculation could result in an accident. If in addition the 340 is parked at a gate with a jetway to connect, the precision in placement must be absolute, without any margin for error – this is one of the job’s most delicate moments.<br /> <br /> Much rests on the shoulders of these men and women – including our own safety as passengers. Do keep that in mind the next time you spot them gesticulating outside your window!</p><p></p></div>Landing Jetliners in Crosswindshttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/landing-jetliners-in-crosswinds2015-08-25T15:30:00.000Z2015-08-25T15:30:00.000ZIberia Airlineshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberiaAirlines<div><p><iframe width="853" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mMvLuUJFHYk?wmode=opaque" frameborder="0"></iframe></p><p><br /> <br /> <span class="font-size-1"><em>by José Miguel Rodriguez</em></span></p><p>Not long ago, this video went viral on YouTube, racking up more than 10 million views. Apart from the fact that the 1,200-millimetre telephoto lens thoroughly flattens both the foreground and background, making the airplanes seem suspended in midair, what on earth are these pilots up to? Specifically, what’s up with the bizarre landing technique<br /> <br /> Believe it or not this technique is standard, by-the-book practice when there are strong lateral winds present during landing – aka a <b>crosswind</b>.<br /> <br /> If wind is absent, or blowing parallel to the runway, aircraft are able to align themselves directly from many miles out. Pilots need to monitor altitude and minor lateral displacements, but the longitudinal axis of incoming aircraft basically coincides with the direction in which they are traveling.<br /> <br /> It’s quite a different matter when winds of significant speed are blowing in a lateral direction across a runway. In this case if pilots were to attempt landing in a normal manner, these winds would push the aircraft completely off the runway axis. Drift of this type can be corrected in two ways:<br /> <br /> The first, more commonly utilised in general aviation (that is, smaller planes), is to counter the wind’s effects by deploying the <b>ailerons</b> (hinged wing flaps), keeping the wing that’s toward the source of the wind down, and correcting the ensuing turn with the vertical aileron, controlled by the pedals. This operation is known as <b>sideslip</b>, as the plane is in effect slipping against the wind, and at a greater than normal rate of descent for a given speed. It’s a delicate (but not dangerous) maneuver which requires some practice. When the plane is about to touch ground, it’s necessary to level it out smoothly so as not to make contact with the tip of the wing, even while continuing to maintain a slight sideslip. And it’s even normal to touch down with just one wheel first. <br /> <br /> The second crosswind tactic is more common to larger aircraft such as commercial jets. This is called a “<b>crab landing</b>,” and that’s what you see in the above video. It’s performed by positioning an aircraft at a certain angle with respect to the flight trajectory so that the nose points in the direction of the wind, but the line it draws on the ground is exactly that of the axis of the runway. If the angle formed is less than 10 degrees, usually the landing is continued just like that, and any additional necessary course correction is performed once in contact with the runway. If greater than 10 degrees, however, it’s necessary to “<strong>de-crab</strong>,” or straighten out, just before touching down in order to prevent lateral stresses on the landing gear.<br /> <br /> The reason this type of landing technique, more complicated and requiring more training, is used with large aircraft is that almost all such planes have engines under the wings, proportionately much closer to the ground, and so lowering them in a sideslip maneuver is not really feasible.<em><br /> <br /></em> Although windless or parallel-wind landings are simpler, and the images these crosswind landings provide can be somewhat startling for the uninitiated, they involve little risk, and are part of all pilots’ standard training – above all if they fly for commercial airlines. You might say that for them it’s a piece of crab cake. ;)</p><p></p><p></p></div>Could You Hack It As An Air Traffic Controller?https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/could-you-hack-it-as-an-air-traffic-controller2015-05-28T13:50:02.000Z2015-05-28T13:50:02.000ZIberia Airlineshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberiaAirlines<div><p><a href="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2095948848_17f99d9de1_z.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2095948848_17f99d9de1_z.jpg?width=640" width="640" class="align-center" alt="2095948848_17f99d9de1_z.jpg?width=640" /></a></p><p><br /><em>by <span class="autorPost">José Miguel Rodríguez</span></em><br /><br />You think your job is stressful? Imagine, for just a moment, being an <strong>air traffic controller.</strong> Have trouble imagining? We invite you to read this quick overview through to the end and then tell us: Could this be a job for you<br /><br />Admittedly, <strong>air traffic control</strong> is not for the faint of heart. Though very much behind the scenes and (as it were) under the radar, this work has different aspects depending on the individual unit where it’s carried out. In a given tower there will be controllers dedicated to one particular type of specialised control rather than rotating through all of them, as one of the factors which most affects safety is each controller’s familiarity with his or her specific area of focus.<br /><br />The broadest area is <b>route control</b>, in which controllers direct aircraft transiting the air space within their jurisdiction. Normally (except in positions near an airport), their work is limited to separating air traffic by altitude and route and verifying that there is no possibility of close encounters between planes.<br /><br />On the other end of the spectrum are <b>ground control</b>, which deals with the ground movements of aircraft between their parking positions and the runway, and <strong>tower control</strong>, those in charge of the runway itself as well as airborne planes in a zone limited to within roughly 15 kilometres’ (9 miles’) radius of the airport.<br /><br />At especially large airports, within the category of ground and tower control there’s yet another specialisation: <strong>approach control</strong>, which requires perhaps the most experience, care, and intuition of all to keep airport operations as smooth as possible.<br /><br />When an approach controller is guiding an aircraft departing from his or her own airport, the task is fairly straightforward: to take it from the point where it’s left by tower control (usually just a few seconds after takeoff) and accompany it during ascent until the next control unit takes over, which may already be route control, or another intermediate control during the ascent.<br /><br />The matter is slightly more complicated when it’s an incoming aircraft, because then the task becomes more about sequencing the stream of arriving traffic in the most synchronised manner possible. At particularly large airports such as <strong><a title="Atlanta" href="http://www.atlanta-airport.com/" target="_blank">Hartsfield-Jackson</a></strong> in <strong>Atlanta</strong>,<strong>London</strong>’s <strong><a title="Heathrow" href="http://www.heathrowairport.com/es" target="_blank">Heathrow</a></strong>, <strong><a title="Charles de Gaulle" href="http://www.aeroportsdeparis.fr/ADP/fr-fr/Passagers/Accueil/" target="_blank">Charles de Gaulle</a> </strong>in <strong>Paris</strong> or <strong><a title="Aeropuerto Madrid Barajas" href="http://www.aena-aeropuertos.es/csee/Satellite/Aeropuerto-Madrid-Barajas/es/" target="_blank">Madrid-Barajas</a></strong>, this can mean at peak times of day more than one plane per minute.<br /><br />These aircraft arrive from different geographical coordinates, with different routes and at different velocities (although at least their altitudes tend to be similar, as the previous control unit and the pilots have seen to this), and the duty of the controller is to place them in proper landing order according to their relative weight, velocities, and other relevant factors.<br /><br />Landing-order placement according to velocity is a fairly obvious criterion; each plane has an ideal approach velocity which is not wise to unduly hamper, so a faster-flying aircraft should not be placed following a slower one. The issue with weight is that a heavier craft creates heavier air turbulence in their wake than a smaller one, therefore requiring a longer minimum distance behind so that the plane behind is not negatively affected by this turbulence.<br /><br />Recently a number of aeronautics blogs have shown the following time-lapse video showing an approach path at Heathrow, which besides its undeniably hypnotising beauty demonstrates some of the issues discussed above, particularly how aircraft are positioned into a coherent line from different positions in the air in order to land.<br /><br /></p><p><iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/fgHjVvqLXV8?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque" frameborder="0"></iframe></p><p><br />And for anyone who’s curious as to how this feels from the point of view of an air traffic controller, following is a video of one controller coordinating arrivals at Mexico City’s airport.<br /><br /></p><p><iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/uj8-mNNj0q4?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque" frameborder="0"></iframe></p><p><br />So what do you say? Could air traffic control be the new career direction you’ve been looking for? <img src="http://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":-)" class="wp-smiley" /></p><p><br /><br /></p><p></p><p><em><span class="font-size-1">image | <a id="yui_3_7_3_3_1358502618718_1090" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dgeezer/" name="yui_3_7_3_3_1358502618718_1090">diamond geezer</a></span></em></p><p></p><p></p></div>Airline Maintenance Secrets Revealedhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/airline-maintenance-secrets-revealed2014-12-05T11:59:19.000Z2014-12-05T11:59:19.000ZIberia Airlineshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberiaAirlines<div><p><a href="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_8524.jpg" target="_blank"><img width="640" class="align-center" src="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_8524.jpg?width=640" alt="IMG_8524.jpg?width=640" /></a></p><p><span style="font-size:16px;"><span class="font-size-2"><br /><span class="font-size-1"><em>by <a href="http://www.microsiervos.com/" target="_blank">Javier Pedreira</a></em><br /><br />That</span></span></span> <span style="font-size:16px;"><span class="font-size-2"><strong>air travel</strong> is the safest form of transportation going is not mere happenstance but rather due to rigourous maintenance of equipment and exhaustive training of personnel.</span><br /><br /></span>Although in 2010 Iberia added a major maintenance hangar at <strong>Barcelona airport</strong>, since the 1970s the primary maintenance facilities have been headquartered adjacent to <strong>Barajas Airport</strong> in a suburban Madrid industrial zone called <strong>La Muñoza.</strong> This 220,000-square metre (54-acre) is where aircraft engines constantly arrive for tuneups and repairs — whether after accumulating a standard number of flying hours or takeoffs/landings, or, much less commonly, due to malfunctions. Iberia’s own aircraft are brought directly in and their engines detached, while those of other airlines are trucked in from Barajas.<br /><br />Once the aircraft is inside the maintenance hangar, first off the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_fairing" target="_blank"><strong>fairing</strong></a> is immediately removed in three primary sections: the nucleus, the ventilator, and the accessories. These sections are dismantled in turn by company mechanics, and all their component parts (except those which have reached the end of their useful lives), are temporarily stored in bins according to the materials of which they are composed. These bins are put through a huge washing machine which cleans each type of component according to its specific materials and characteristics. Except for its size and scale, it is, interestingly enough, not dissimilar to a dishwasher.<br /><br /></p><p><a href="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/2011/02/la-munoza-itv-para-aviones-y-sus-motores/img_8547/" target="_blank"><img width="640" class="align-center" src="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_8547.jpg?width=640" alt="IMG_8547.jpg?width=640" /></a><br />Once they’ve been cleaned, the components are carefully inspected to ensure that they are still in optimal working order. Depending on the materials of which they are made, inspection methods may include visual; ultrasound; X-ray; ultraviolet light; and immersion in fluorescent liquids that reveal the tiniest of cracks.<br /><br /></p><p><a href="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/2011/02/la-munoza-itv-para-aviones-y-sus-motores/img_8554/" target="_blank"><img width="640" class="align-center" src="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_8554.jpg?width=640" alt="IMG_8554.jpg?width=640" /></a><br />The components which pass this initial inspection are submitted to a second round of measurement by sophisticated equipment installed in a climate-controlled room, to ensure that they are not unduly affected by heat or cold, and their dimensions can be established to a precision of ten thousandths of a millimeter. If they pass this final inspection, they are finally declared ready to be re-installed in one of our aircraft engines.<br /><br /></p><p><a href="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/2011/02/la-munoza-itv-para-aviones-y-sus-motores/img_8564/" target="_blank"><img width="640" class="align-center" src="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_8564.jpg?width=640" alt="IMG_8564.jpg?width=640" /></a><br />Those pieces which do not pass any of the above inspections undergo screening to determine whether they can possibly be repaired. Any repair procedures undergone by any aircraft component must be one approved by the manufacturer.<br /><br />One of the more spectacular repairs is <strong>plasma regeneration</strong>, in which layers of new material are ‘bombarded’ in plasma form onto the pieces. These pieces must then be rectified to eliminate any extra material and leave them at the exact size and shape required. For this, Iberia also use an advanced technique which allows the rectification of pieces that will go into the same engine. Another impressive technique is a robotic station for the treatment of turbine blades — those bladelike pieces we see when we look directly into an engine.<br /><br /></p><p><a href="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/2011/02/la-munoza-itv-para-aviones-y-sus-motores/img_8582/" target="_blank"><img width="640" class="align-center" src="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_8582.jpg?width=640" alt="IMG_8582.jpg?width=640" /></a></p><p><br />All of these procedures are exhaustively documented each step of the way, with each engine check generating thousands of computer records.<br /><br /></p><p><a href="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/2011/02/la-munoza-itv-para-aviones-y-sus-motores/img_8559/" target="_blank"><img width="640" class="align-center" src="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_8559.jpg?width=640" alt="IMG_8559.jpg?width=640" /></a></p><p><br />Once all the components have been screened, the engine is reassembled, with special care given to ensuring that they are all in balance, given that many of these are required to spin at a rate of thousands of times per minute. The reassembled engine is then submitted in its entirety to a final battery of tests in a facility adjacent to the engine shop; the engine is suspended from an adapter with the same hookups running from an aircraft wing – fuel lines, hydraulic circuits, control and signal lines, and so forth — and put in operation to verify that all parameters are correct with regard to vibrations, power output, temperature, and more.<br /><br /></p><p><a href="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/2011/02/la-munoza-itv-para-aviones-y-sus-motores/img_8625/" target="_blank"><img width="640" class="align-center" src="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_8602.jpg?width=640" alt="IMG_8602.jpg?width=640" /></a></p><p><br />Interestingly, testing in different parts of the world can yield different results in part because of differences that include altitude variations. It is a tribute to the work that is executed in Iberia’s facility at La Muñoza, that it is extremely rare that any engine that has passed through here be rejected by any test battery.<br /><br />In fact, far from representing a cost for Iberia, thanks to its capacity for processing more than 200 engines per year of the models CFM56, RB211 and JT8D, this facility is actually a major source of revenue, due to the fact that up to 70 percent of the engines processed here belong to up to 100 or so other carriers, paying between $2 and $4 million each for this service.<br /><br /></p><p><a href="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/2011/02/la-munoza-itv-para-aviones-y-sus-motores/img_8633/" target="_blank"><img width="640" class="align-center" src="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_8633.jpg?width=640" alt="IMG_8633.jpg?width=640" /></a><br />Let’s wind up our visit to the Iberia engine shop with a stop at Hangar 6, the one with the big yellow arch. This structure, which contained Europe’s largest translucent space when it debuted in the 1990s , is where Iberia’s maintenance crews conduct operations which go beyond the normal everyday. As in the engine shop, aircraft of other carriers are serviced here in addition to Iberia’s.<br /><br />These reviews and procedures can be minor maintenance (types A and C), or major maintenance (type D). During a type-A review, carried out after every 600 flight-hours, inspections are performed of the general systems, components, and aircraft interior and exterior structure to verify their integrity and that all equipment is functioning properly.<br /><br />A type-C review, performed every 18 months, is a complete and exhaustive interior and exterior inspection of an aircraft’s structure and all its systems. Type-D reviews, which take approximately a month to perform, require the nearly complete dismantling of an aircraft in order to reach and check areas not normally accessible, such engine wing supports, landing gear, flight controls, and other aircraft systems.<br /><br /></p><p><a href="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/2011/02/la-munoza-itv-para-aviones-y-sus-motores/img_8653/" target="_blank"><img width="640" class="align-center" src="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_8653.jpg?width=640" alt="IMG_8653.jpg?width=640" /></a><a href="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/2011/02/la-munoza-itv-para-aviones-y-sus-motores/img_8666/" target="_blank"><img width="640" class="align-center" src="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_8666.jpg?width=640" alt="IMG_8666.jpg?width=640" /></a><br />As with the engine shop, all these maintenance procedures are impeccably documented–although it’s obviously unavoidable that an aircraft may occasionally need unexpected maintenance. Finally, once all reviews are completed, all engines and aircraft are submitted to flight tests before being returned to regular passenger service, as safety is the number-one priority.</p><p></p><p></p></div>Narita and Sakura Cities – History and Culture in the Suburbs of Tokyohttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/narita-and-sakura-cities-history-and-culture-in-the-suburbs-of2014-04-08T18:11:00.000Z2014-04-08T18:11:00.000ZMarian Goldberghttps://tripatini.com/members/MarianGoldberg<div><p><a href="http://www.narita-airport.jp/en/index.html" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;">Narita International Airport</a><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;">, also known as Tokyo Narita Airport, is the most popular gateway to Japan,</span></p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008827279,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008827279,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="528" class="align-full" alt="9008827279?profile=original" /></a></span></p><p><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;font-size:12pt;">but in reality, it is not in Tokyo at all. It is a 60-minute express train ride (80-90 minute bus ride) outside of Tokyo</span></p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008827680,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="750" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008827680,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-left" alt="9008827680?profile=original" /></a></span></p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;">in Chiba Prefecture. Adjacent to the airport is Narita City, with a population of almost 129,000. This may be a pittance compared to Tokyo's 12 million, but there is much to do and see culturally in both</span> <a href="http://www.chiba-tour.jp/narita/" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;">Narita City</a></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008827469,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008827469,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="631" class="align-full" alt="9008827469?profile=original" /></a></p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;">and its next-door neighbor</span> <a href="http://www.chiba-tour.jp/eng/airport/sakura/top.html" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;">Sakura City</a> <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;">– population nearly</span> <font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">172,300,</font></font></font><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;font-size:12pt;">making both of these suburban cities worth</span></p><p><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;font-size:12pt;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008828468,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008828468,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="400" class="align-left" alt="9008828468?profile=original" /></a></span></p><p><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;font-size:12pt;">the visit. In fact, this is recommended, especially, at either the beginning of your Tokyo trip to detox from jetlag or at the end of your trip to relax before departure, especially if you have a very early morning flight.</span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-3"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font><b>Sakura City</b></font></font></span></p><p><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-3"><font color="#000000" style="font-size:medium;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;">Sakura City is a twenty-minute taxi or train ride (JR or Keisei lines) from Narita Airport. Overflowing in history, it is renowned for its well restored</font> <font color="#000000" style="font-size:medium;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;">former samurai residence</font><font color="#000000" style="font-size:medium;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;">s and the <a href="http://www.rekihaku.ac.jp/english/index.html">National Museum of Japanese History</a>, whose exhibits reveal the story of Japan from archaeological discoveries to modern times.</font></span></p><p><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-3"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008828278,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><font color="#000000" style="font-size:medium;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;"><img width="750" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008828278,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-full" alt="9008828278?profile=original" /></font></a></span></p><p></p><p><span class="font-size-3" style="font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font color="#000000" style="font-size:medium;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;">From an artistic perspective, Sakura boasts two distinctive art </font></span><font color="#000000" style="font-size:medium;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;">museums: <a href="http://www.city.sakura.lg.jp/sakura/museum/">Sakura City Museum of Art</a> and <a href="http://kawamura-museum.dic.co.jp/en/museum/index.html">Kawamura Memorial Museum of Art</a>. The former was previously the Sakura City branch of Kawasaki Bank and its entrance way is a prefectural cultural property.</font></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008829054,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><font color="#000000" style="font-size:medium;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008829054,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="722" class="align-left" alt="9008829054?profile=original" /></font></a></p><p></p><p></p><p><font color="#000000" style="font-size:medium;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;">It displays work by local artists from Sakura and Chiba's Boso Peninsula. The latter museum is h</font><font color="#000000" style="font-size:medium;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;">eralded for its rich collection of European masters, including: Rembrandt, Renoir, Monet, Chagall, Picasso and Braque, as well as 20</font><font color="#000000" style="font-size:medium;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;"><sup>th</sup></font> <font color="#000000" style="font-size:medium;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;">Century Japanese sensei, such as Korin Ogata.</font></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008829464,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="750" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008829464,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-full" alt="9008829464?profile=original" /></a></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-3"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3"><b>Samurai History and Residences</b></font></font></font></span></p><p><font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">In 1610, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doi_Toshikatsu">Doi Toshikatsu</a>, the</font></font></font> <font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3"><i>Roju</i></font></font></font> <font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">or Chief Advisor to the second shogun, Tokugawa Hidetada, began constructing <a href="http://www.jcastle.info/castle/profile/106-Sakura-Castle">Sakura Castle</a> and its surrounding town. Today the castle is in ruins, but its structural remains and its dry moat are the cornerstone of</font></font></font> <a href="http://www.city.sakura.lg.jp.e.dj.hp.transer.com/0000000987.html" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font color="#000066"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">Sakura Ca</font></font></font><font color="#000066"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">stle Park</font></font></font></a><font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">. The park is also famous for its June flowers – its magnificent</font></font></font> <font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3"><i>ajisai</i></font></font></font> <font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">or hydrangea and i</font></font></font><font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">ts nine-thousand irises in 46 varieties, which bloom around the main pond. </font></font></font></p><p><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-3"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008829891,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3"><img width="750" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008829891,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-full" alt="9008829891?profile=original" /></font></font></font></a></span></p><p><span style="font-size:medium;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;">East of the Castle Park is</span> <b style="font-size:medium;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;">Sakura Samurai Street</b><span style="font-size:medium;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;">. Here you will find five well-maintained Samurai residences -- the largest number collectively still-standing in Kanto, where the street view has not changed since the Edo Period. These houses have indicative thatched roofs and earthwork barriers for their defense. Three of them,</span> <b style="font-size:medium;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;">Kawara</b> <b style="font-size:medium;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;">House</b><span style="font-size:medium;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;">,</span> <b style="font-size:medium;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;">Tajima House</b><span style="font-size:medium;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;">, and</span> <b style="font-size:medium;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;">Takei House</b><span style="font-size:medium;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;">, are opened to the public. Because these three houses differed in rank and value of fief, you can get an idea of the variation of the lives of samurai by comparing them. Kawara House, built in the early 19</span><sup style="font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;">th</sup> <span style="font-size:medium;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;">Century, is the oldest of the three open houses, and it belonged to one of the highest ranking samurai of the time.</span></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008830262,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008830262,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="320" class="align-full" alt="9008830262?profile=original" /></a></p><p><font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">On a separate street,</font></font></font> <font color="#222222" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">Kaburagimachi, is</font></font></font> <a href="http://www.city.sakura.lg.jp.e.dj.hp.transer.com/0000000627.html"><font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">Hotta House</font></font></font></a> <font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">(10 am – 4:30 pm, Tues-Sun). It was built in1890 by Masamoto Hotta, the last feudal lord of Sakura, when he moved from Tokyo after the Meiji restoration. Made in traditional Japanese tatami-mat/shoji-screen style, it is a complex of five wooden buildings with tiled, hipped roofs, along with a storehouse and a gate-keeper's lodge. The complex is designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan. Its grounds, known as</font></font></font> <font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3"><b>Sakura Garden</b></font></font></font><font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">, were created by Ito Hikoemon, a famous Meiji Period gardener. The garden is acclaimed as one of the best scenic views in Chiba Prefecture, and is always open to the public.</font></font></font></p><p></p><p><a href="%3Ca%20rel%3Dnofollow%20href="><img alt="" src="http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/04/40/80/41/caption.jpg" /></a></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-3"><font color="#000000"><b>Museums</b></font></span></p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;">You will need three hours to fully appreciate the</span> <b style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;">National Museum of Japanese History</b><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;">. This is an excellent introduction to Japan before you set out on your grand national exploration. You will see more than 200,000 artifacts with your complimentary English-language audio guide (free only to foreigners), and you will learn about the emergence of Japanese culture from the Paleolithic age to the present.</span></p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008830301,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008830301,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="700" class="align-full" alt="9008830301?profile=original" /></a></span></p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;">The history of a nation and its people unfold through objects of daily life: from Jomon pottery (12000 to 300 BC)</span></p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008831261,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008831261,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="700" class="align-full" alt="9008831261?profile=original" /></a></span></p><p><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;">to painted Edo Period shoji screens, depicting Japan's relationship with foreign countries during the 18</span><sup style="font-family:'times new roman', times;">th</sup> <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;">Century; from replica masted ships, used in the Kashima nagashi ceremony in Akita Prefecture to banish misfortune to the spirit world; to a scale model of a real Western-style school house in Yamanashi Prefecture circa 1875, when the silk and iron industries began driving Japan's Meiji Period economic growth; to the “war and peace” life and culture of the 1930s to 1970s, as conveyed through real publications and video news footage of the day.</span></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008831086,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008831086,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="575" class="align-full" alt="9008831086?profile=original" /></a></p><p><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-3"><font color="#000000">If you have time go on to the Sakura area art museums, but if not, head over to Narita City.</font></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-3"><font color="#000000"><b>Narita City</b></font></span></p><p><font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">Aside from the airport, Narita is most well known for</font></font></font> <font face="Times New Roman, serif" style="font-size:12pt;"><font size="3"><a href="http://www.naritasan.or.jp/english/">Narita-san Shinshoji Temple</a>. This is the main temple of</font></font> <font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">the Shingon Sect of Chizan-ha esoteric Buddhism. Founded by Archbishop Kancho in the third year of Tenkei (940), the temple is dedicated to</font></font></font> <font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">Fudō</font></font></font><font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">-m</font></font></font><font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">yō-ō</font></font></font><font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">, the god of fire, whose image was carved and consecrated by the great monk Kukai also known as Kobo Daishi. Since its foundation, Shinshoji has attracted numerous followers of the Fud</font></font></font><font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">ō</font></font></font> <font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">faith as well as tourists. In fact, ten million people visit Shinshoji per year.</font></font></font></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9296585493,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9296585493,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="650" class="align-full" alt="9296585493?profile=original" /></font></font></font></a></p><p></p><p><font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">Since its inception, the temple has offered a special Goma fire ritual every day. Here, worshipers prayers are offered to</font></font></font> <font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">Fudō</font></font></font><font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">-m</font></font></font><font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">yō-ō</font></font></font> <font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">in front of a sacred fire.</font></font></font></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008831876,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008831876,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="600" class="align-full" alt="9008831876?profile=original" /></font></font></font></a></p><p><font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">In the Heian period, the war-ridden Kanto region was burned to the ground by a Goma prayer that had been performed by order of the Emperor. This is said to be the origin of Narita-san Shinshoji Temple.</font></font></font></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008832100,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="750" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008832100,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-full" alt="9008832100?profile=original" /></a></p><p><font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">The grounds of Narita-san are quite extensive and attractive. </font></font></font></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9296586052,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3"><img width="750" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9296586052,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-full" alt="9296586052?profile=original" /></font></font></font></a></p><p><font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">It is particularly worthwhile to visit Narita-san during one of its <a href="http://www.naritasan.or.jp/english/events.html">annual monthly festivals</a>, such as the taiko drum festival in April.<br /></font></font></font></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008832283,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008832283,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="740" class="align-full" alt="9008832283?profile=original" /></font></font></font></a></p><p><font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">Running a one kilometer route from the train station to Narita-san is the</font></font></font> <font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3"><i>machiya</i></font></font></font> <font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">(traditional style building) lined street known as</font></font></font> <font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3"><a href="http://www.nrtk.jp/lang/en/sightseeing/02_omote.html">Omotesando</a>.</font></font></font></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008833656,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3"><img width="750" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008833656,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-full" alt="9008833656?profile=original" /></font></font></font></a></p><p><font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">Here you'll find numerous restaurants – especially those featuring fresh</font></font></font> <font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3"><i>unagi</i></font></font></font> <font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">or eel, the local specialty, as well as</font></font></font></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008833860,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3"><img width="750" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008833860,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-full" alt="9008833860?profile=original" /></font></font></font></a></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008834884,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="750" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008834884,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-full" alt="9008834884?profile=original" /></a></p><p><font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">boutiques selling souvenirs, traditional crafts and street fare.</font></font></font></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008835680,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3"><img width="750" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008835680,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-full" alt="9008835680?profile=original" /></font></font></font></a></p><p><font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">Sample freshly charcoal toasted</font></font></font> <font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3"><i>sembei</i></font></font></font> <font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">or rice crackers,</font></font></font></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008835899,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008835899,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="500" class="align-full" alt="9008835899?profile=original" /></font></font></font></a></p><p><font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">and pick up some perfectly packaged gift foods, such as</font></font></font> <em style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">yokan</font></font></font></em><font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">, Narita's special sweet</font></font></font> <font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3"><i>azuki</i></font></font></font> <font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">bean jelly treat.</font></font></font></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008836480,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008836480,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="640" class="align-full" alt="9008836480?profile=original" /></font></font></font></a></p><p><font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">You can even learn more about this local dessert at the</font></font></font> <strong style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><a href="http://www.nagomi-yoneya.co.jp/"><font color="#000099"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">Nagomi-no- Yoneya</font></font></font></a></strong><strong style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">,</font></font></font></strong> <font color="#000000" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'times new roman', times;"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">a famous yokan shop and historical museum at the top of Omotesando that dates back to 1899.</font></font></font></p><p><a href="%3Ca%20rel%3Dnofollow%20href="><img alt="" src="http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/04/1f/ba/bc/caption.jpg" /></a></p><p><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-3"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">Also noteworthy among Omtesando shops is the sake store and brewery,</font></font></font> <a href="http://www.chomeisen.jp/" target="_blank"><font color="#000066"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3"><u>Takizawa Honten Brewery</u></font></font></font></a><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3"><u>,</u></font></font></font> <font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">founded in 1872.</font></font></font></span></p><p><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-3"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008837064,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008837064,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="720" class="align-full" alt="9008837064?profile=original" /></font></font></font></a></span></p><p><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-3"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">When I was there recently, I was fortunate that the amiable fifth-generation, brewer invited my friends and me in for not only a tasting but an explanation of his premium</font></font></font> <em><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">nihonshu</font></font></font></em> <font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">and a back-of-the-house inspection of his production facility (available December-February, reservations required). We observed how the rice is polished, fermented and then combined with a microorganism from the rice called</font></font></font> <font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3"><i>koji,</i></font></font></font> <font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">plus yeast and brewed for the right length of time at the right temperature to make the <a href="http://www.sake-world.com/html/types-of-sake.html">perfect grade</a>.</font></font></font> <font color="#333333"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">As sake is 80% water that is its essential</font></font></font> <font color="#333333"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3"><i>terroir.</i></font></font></font> <font color="#333333"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">Takezawa-san</font></font></font> <font color="#333333"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">uses spring water so pure that it was reportedly used by healers in the past to cure disease. With this in mind, T</font></font></font><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">akizawa-san named his sakes</font></font></font> <font color="#333333"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3"><i>Chomeisen</i></font></font></font><font color="#333333"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">, meaning “fountain of longevity.”</font></font></font></span></p><p><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-3"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008837467,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><font color="#333333"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008837467,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="712" class="align-full" alt="9008837467?profile=original" /></font></font></font></a></span></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008838254,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008838254,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="712" class="align-full" alt="9008838254?profile=original" /></a></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-3"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3"><b>Getting Around and Putting it all Together</b></font></font></span></p><p><a href="http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/" style="font-size:medium;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;">East Japan Railway</a> <span style="font-size:medium;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;">provides sample</span> <a href="http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/hiking/sakura/index.html" style="font-size:medium;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;">rail and walk/hike itineraries</a> <span style="font-size:medium;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;">and</span> <a href="https://www.jreast.co.jp/e/destinations/chiba_sample01.html" style="font-size:medium;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;">rail and bike itineraries</a> <span style="font-size:medium;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;">around Narita and Sakura cities, making it easy to spend a culturally rich and soft adventure filled day or overnight just a short distance from Narita Airport. You can use their itineraries and maps as a base, even if you plan to take taxis from one site to another. In addition, if you book in advance, it's easy to arrange volunteer guides of Narita and Sakura cities via links from</span> <a href="http://www.chiba-tour.jp/html/support_volunteer_en.html" style="font-size:medium;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;">Chiba Prefecture's website</a><span style="font-size:medium;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-3"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">Additionally, if you are just on an airport layover, but have at least four hours, there is a <a href="http://www.ck-taxi.com/foreign/brewery.html">new Narita area sake brewery taxi tour service</a> that will take you to Takazawa and one other sake brewery, as well as Narita-san and</font></font></font> <font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3"><a href="http://www.nrtk.jp/ndb/site/detail/163/?lang=en">Ryushoin Niomon-Gate</a>, an</font></font></font> <font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3"><span lang="en-us" xml:lang="en-us">Important Cultural Property.</span></font></font></font> <font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">Other tours visit other breweries in conjunction with</font></font></font> <font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">Shisui Premium Outlets for shopping or the</font></font></font> <a href="http://www.city.katori.lg.jp/museum/introduction.html"><font color="#333333"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">Ino Tadataka</font></font></font> <font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">Memorial Museum</font></font></font></a><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">, a homage to one of Japan's first surveyors/map-makers.</font></font></font></span></p><p><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-3"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008838275,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008838275,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="571" class="align-full" alt="9008838275?profile=original" /></font></font></font></a></span></p><p><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-3"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">Tour Fees range from 12,000 yen per group for four hours with a sedan to 27,000 yen for six hours with a mini-van.</font></font></font></span></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008838677,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008838677,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="300" class="align-full" alt="9008838677?profile=original" /></a></p><p><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-3"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008838895,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008838895,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="290" class="align-full" alt="9008838895?profile=original" /></font></font></font></a></span></p><p><span style="font-family:'times new roman', times;" class="font-size-3"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><font size="3">Finally, as of December 2013, <a href="http://flets.com/freewifi/step.html">NTT East</a> has activated over <a href="https://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/indepth/exotic/JapanesQue/special/ntteast002.html">40,000 wifi hot-spots in Japan available free to foreigners for 14 consecutive days from their initial free registration</a>. This includes most locations in and around Narita.</font></font></font></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size:medium;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;">For more information on Narita and Sakura cities, visit</span> <a href="http://www.chiba-tour.jp/" style="font-size:medium;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;">Chiba Prefecture's website</a><span style="font-size:medium;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;">, and find out more about the Gateway to Japan. </span></p></div>Flight Delays, Lovefests, and Salty Pretzelshttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/flight-delays-love-fests-and-salty-pretzels2013-02-01T14:47:45.000Z2013-02-01T14:47:45.000ZVoyages Groupe Idealhttps://tripatini.com/members/VoyagesGroupeIdeal<div><p></p><p><span style="font-size:13px;">Flight delays are frustrating and time consuming. They send stranded passengers on a mad cycle of phone calls, emails, texts, Facebook messages, overpriced bottled water, lots of Starbucks and Auntie Annie's salty pretzels.</span></p><div>But there is also something beautiful that comes out of a flight delay – people bond and form friendships – almost cult like – they unite, commiserate and share deep thoughts about the weather.</div><div>Before you know it you are telling all sorts of “Gate Strangers” where you are from and whether your favourite show is "Dragons Den", "Shark Tank" or "Honey Boo Boo".</div><div><br />The funny thing is that if your flight was not delayed chances are the only thing you would say to anyone on the plane would be “Excuse me – I just need to get to my seat” or a gesture that says “That’s my seat – right there – next to yours so can you please get up and let me by and whatever you do – don’t talk to me.”<br /> <br /><div class="separator"></div><div class="separator"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008752879,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008752879,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="275" class="align-center" alt="9008752879?profile=original" /></a></div><div class="separator"><i>This is George Clooney deciding whether he should have a caramel crunch hot airport pretzel or a honey mustard extra salty hot airport pretzel. Which one do you think he should have? </i></div></div><div><br /></div><div>I have experienced flight delays where people are sharing photos of their kids and husbands and wives (but not their mother-in-laws) and I’ve witnessed romances forming right there in those plastic metal seats that aren’t big enough for even the tiniest of people.</div><div><br />The exception to the rule is that one very angry passenger who spends their entire life being angry. Their faces turn red as they continuously verbally abuse the airline staff. They are in utter disbelief that no one is able to stop the wind from blowing or the snow and rain from falling.</div><div><br />They become the bully in the schoolyard (which is really an airport) until the flight delay ends and they board the plane with the "Love Fest" that has formed among the other passengers.<br /></div><div>I always wonder if these irritable, unhappy individuals ever calm down enough to realize they have gone too far.</div><div><br />The other thing about flight delays is that once we arrive at our destination we pretty much forget about the whole thing and switch into automatic going about our business and doing whatever it is we went there to do.</div><div><br />We do a lot of waiting in our lives. We wait to receive medical care. We wait for our turn at the ATM. We wait at the pharmacy. We wait at the grocery store. We wait at restaurants.</div><div><br />We wait for our lives to get better or worse. We wait for the right person to come along and tell us that they love us and really mean it. We wait for our children to grow and evolve and find their place in this crazy world.<br /> <br /> We wait for test results that may set our entire lives off course.<br /></div><div>We wait for the right time and the right place to say things we aren’t quite sure how we are going to say.</div><div>But mostly we wait for things to happen that we can’t make happen ourselves.<br /></div><div>Sooner or later the wait is over.<br /> <br /> We get what we waited for whether it's good or bad, happy or sad and then we chew on one of those hot airport pretzels...<br /> <br /> ...and we sit there and wait for whatever we are going to be waiting for next.<br /> <br /> <br />Voyages Groupe Ideal - Ideal Travel<br /> <br /> We are there for our clients if they have a flight delay - We are there for them all the way.<br /> <br /> Yours in Social Media & Travel lisacohen@groupeideal.ca<br /> <br /> We plan travel at <a href="http://www.groupeideal.ca/">www.groupeideal.ca <br /><br /><br /></a></div></div>Flying With A Wheelchair: A Few Steps to Smooth the Wayhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/flying-with-a-wheelchair-a-few2013-05-25T21:53:02.000Z2013-05-25T21:53:02.000ZDarryl Musickhttps://tripatini.com/members/DarrylMusick<div><p style="margin:0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Calibri">Flying with a wheelchair is a lot like playing the tables at Vegas. You throw the dice and hope for the best. Sometimes, it really does feel like a craps shoot.</font></p><p style="text-align:center;"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Calibri"><img style="width:304px;height:248px;" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/ATA_Airlines_757-200_at_PHX.jpg" width="706" height="512" alt="ATA_Airlines_757-200_at_PHX.jpg" /></font></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Calibri">Although U.S. airlines are generally required to accommodate you, it would not be in your best interest to just show up at the airport and put that to the test. Flying and airports are strenuous at best, throw in an unexpected accommodation request and you’re just asking for trouble.</font></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Calibri">There are recourses available to you when things go wrong, but most people just want to get on the plane and on with their journey…they don’t want to be on-the-spot lawyers and fight for their rights. They just want to go. With a little forward planning, wheelchair and disabled travelers can lower the odds of an airport fiasco.</font></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Calibri"><strong>Making the reservation</strong></font></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Calibri">Start off before you make the reservation. Do a Google search on airlines that are accommodating to disable fliers. Also search on airlines that are not…in fact, that’s the search that will reveal more. Other sites are good to check such as Chris Elliott’s troubleshooting blog, <a href="http://elliott.org">Elliott.org</a>; Candy Harrington’s <a href="http://barrierfreetravels.com/serendipity/">Barrier Free Travels</a> and <a href="http://emerginghorizons.com/">Emerging Horizons</a>; or even my corner of the travel blogosphere, <a href="http://wheelstraveler.blogspot.com">The World on Wheels</a>. These sites have good, hard information on just who will accommodate you…and who will give you a hard time.</font></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Calibri">Go ahead and make your reservation with your preferred method…travel agent, by phone, or online. It doesn’t really matter. Make sure you know how much extra you’ll pay by using an agent or the phone…many airlines charge a premium for that. Also, know what the penalty is for cancelling your flight. Be sure you can live with that penalty if needed. Otherwise, book a refundable (but more expensive) fare.</font></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Calibri">Once you make the reservation, call the airline’s customer service center a couple of weeks before your flight. Airlines publish these numbers on their web site (search for “Contact Us” or “special needs”). Inform them that you’re disabled and will need help. Examples are that you can walk but not climb stairs or you cannot walk at all and will need someone to get you to your seat. A good airline representative will walk you through the process and even bring up things you didn’t think about, such as what kind of equipment you’re bringing, how much you need it at the airport, where it will be stored on the plane or at what point it will be checked in.</font></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Calibri"><strong>At the airport</strong></font></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Calibri">You know how airlines like you to arrive an hour before domestic flights and two hours before international journeys? Add another hour if you’re disabled. The last thing you want is to be vying for attention when a couple of hundred other travelers are hording around you looking for that same attention. Arrive early, and make sure the counter agents know who you are and what you need.</font></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Calibri">Once past the arrivals counter, look for the handicapped line at security. Some airports have special lines for disabled passengers, some do not. It certainly doesn’t hurt to check.</font></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Calibri">Heard about all the controversy over the new enhanced screening procedures? Wheelchair passengers already have been subject to more thorough searches for years. Plan on that, too.</font></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font color="#000000"><font size="3"><font face="Calibri">Once past security, find your gate and then the nearest accessible restroom to it, preferably a “family restroom” where you can have more room and have an aide go with you easily. Make sure you visit it one more time about 45 minutes before departure.</font></font></font></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Calibri">Go to the podium at your gate where the airline staff is and inform them that you’ll be on that flight and need assistance (the word does not always make it back to the gate from the arrival hall). Make sure they tag your chair, if necessary, or confirm that you can stow it in the cabin. Now relax.</font></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Calibri">At boarding time, most airlines will board you first. Not every airline does this, but most will. If you have made it plain ahead of time that you cannot walk at all (if this is the case for you), the airline should have people waiting at the jetway to transfer you to an aisle chair and physically put you in your seat.</font></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Calibri">Be aware that many airlines, especially in Europe, will insist you sit by the window. This is to prevent an obstacle to evacuation should there be an emergency. If you sit in the aisle or middle seat, you could impede those sitting next to you. If everybody in your row is in your party, you can let the airline staff know and they’ll let you sit in one of the other seats.</font></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Calibri">One more hint…if you have someone strong enough to carry you a few feet, I’ve found that some airlines will be amenable to sitting you in the front row (the bulkhead seat) if you let them know that they won’t have to carry you on board. I can carry my son to the front row so many gate agents are more than happy to the exchange of the bulkhead seats when they find they won’t have to do the heavy lifting.</font></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Calibri">Now, buckle in and enjoy your flight. When you get to your desination, just relax. Let everybody else deplane…you’re going to be the last one off anyway. The airport staff will do this process in reverse to get you off of the plane and (if everything goes right) your wheelchair will be waiting at the plane’s door.</font></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Calibri">Have a nice trip!</font></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Calibri">For more advice and trip reports, visit our blog at</font> <a href="http://wheelstraveler.blogspot.com/"><font color="#800080" size="3" face="Calibri">http://wheelstraveler.blogspot.com</font></a></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Calibri">-Darryl</font></p></div>Frequent Flyers Should Not Board Firsthttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/frequent-flyers-should-not-board-first2012-10-19T13:28:49.000Z2012-10-19T13:28:49.000ZSmarterTravelhttps://tripatini.com/members/SmarterTravel<div><p>This year, United <span style="text-decoration:underline;"><a href="http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/today-in-travel/families-board-early-not-on-united.html?id=11440095" target="_blank">dropped its practice</a></span> of allowing families to board planes before other travelers. The legacy carrier joined the ranks of American and US Airways, which don't officially offer pre-boarding or early boarding of any kind for families. But a handful of other airlines still do, including Delta (the last legacy airline supporting family-friendly boarding), JetBlue, and Southwest.</p><p>The industry's approach to boarding is mixed, as is, ostensibly, popular opinion. In a <span style="text-decoration:underline;"><a href="http://i.slimg.com/sc/sl/photo/s/st/stm_infographic.jpg" target="_blank">recent poll</a></span> of more than 1,000 respondents, we asked our readers who should board planes first: disabled travelers, frequent flyers, families, or those who've paid extra. Seventy-seven percent of respondents answered that disabled flyers should board ahead of everyone else; this lines up with standard industry practice. But respondents' opinions about the three other groups were split: 9 percent said those who've paid extra should board first, 7 percent sided with families, and 7 percent voted for elite frequent flyers.</p><div class="mpu"><img src="http://mm.sitecompass.com/BurstingPipe/adServer.bs?cn=tf&c=19&mc=imp&pli=5407061&PluID=0&ord=289737948&rtu=-1" style="left:0px;top:0px;" height="0" width="0" alt="adServer.bs?cn=tf&c=19&mc=imp&pli=5407061&PluID=0&ord=289737948&rtu=-1" /></div><p>When we posed the same question on our <span style="text-decoration:underline;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/smartertravel" target="_blank">Facebook page</a></span>, reader Melissa Lory Smith commented, "We have two small children and I'd rather board last. Why would you want [to be] in your seat longer than you have to?"</p><p>Smith's assertion touches on the crux of the issue: Boarding should be arranged in such a way that everyone spends as little time on the plane as possible. This means we need to get strategic. According to <em>The New York Times</em>, aircraft boarding time has doubled over the past few decades. Airlines have experimented with different boarding procedures over the years, but they clearly haven't achieved a system that's efficient enough to revolutionize boarding and gain industry standardization as of yet. American West Airlines tried a <span style="text-decoration:underline;"><a href="http://www.seatguru.com/articles/boarding_procedures.php#Reverse_Pyramid" target="_blank">reverse-pyramid style</a></span> of boarding, which was developed by a team of industrial engineers. Yet after American West merged with US Airways in 2002, the reverse-pyramid model was axed. <span style="text-decoration:underline;"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/01/business/airlines-are-trying-to-cut-boarding-times-on-planes.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0" target="_blank">Reports</a></span> <em>The New York Times</em>, "US Airways dropped it in 2007 because some passengers without elite status sitting in the front could not find space for their bags."</p><p>Airline profits drive the boarding process. To please its most faithful customers (business- and first-class flyers, as well as everyone with elite, gold medallion, diamond or whatever plunder-worthy status that's been bestowed by an airline), most carriers board by groups with little or no regard to speed and efficiency. This ensures that frequent flyers get early access to precious overhead bin space, a hot commodity now that checked bags incur all kinds of extra charges.</p><p>Slow, hierarchical boarding processes also create more opportunity for airlines to generate revenue through passenger fees. So, in the end, many frustrated flyers pay priority-boarding costs in order to avoid checked-bag fees. (See a list of airlines that sell priority boarding on <span style="text-decoration:underline;"><a href="http://www.airfarewatchdog.com/blog/8477170/airlines-that-sell-priority-boarding-privileges-if-youre-willing-to-pay/">Airfarewatchdog</a></span>.) It's a me-first system in which airlines are corralling fees and passengers are grappling for the short-term benefit of bin space—and it's a system in which passengers ultimately lose.</p><p>Let's stop arguing over who gets to stand at the front of the line. Pre-boarding should be offered to passengers who need assistance, whether it's a traveler with mobility issues or a mom traveling with several strollers and a crew of antsy tots. But beyond that, we should dump the ridiculous pecking order and file on the plane in accordance with a well-tested, timesaving system set up by engineers. Then maybe we'll all get to spend a little less time on the plane. </p><p><strong>You Might Also Like:</strong></p><ul><li><span style="text-decoration:underline;"><a href="http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/today-in-travel/op-ed-don-care-what-you-wear-on-the-plane.html?id=12134824">OP-ED: I Don't Care What You Wear on the Plane</a></span></li><li><span style="text-decoration:underline;"><a href="http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/today-in-travel/op-ed-it-my-right-to-recline-my-seat.html?id=10799396">OP-ED: It's My Right to Recline My Seat</a></span></li><li><span style="text-decoration:underline;"><a href="http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/today-in-travel/my-dream-come-true-airline-offers-child-free-section-on-flights.html?id=10968270">OP-ED: Keep Your Kids Away from My Flight</a></span></li></ul><p>This article was originally posted on <span style="text-decoration:underline;"><a href="http://www.smartertravel.com/">SmarterTravel</a></span>, the largest online travel resource for unbiased travel news, deals, and timely expert advice</p></div>Madrid-Barajas Terminal 4 to Become World's Most User-Friendly Airport?https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/iberia-launches-ibhelp-revolutionising-customer-service-via2012-07-26T17:30:23.000Z2012-07-26T17:30:23.000ZIberia Airlineshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberiaAirlines<div><p><span class="font-size-3"><b>Iberia launches "IBHelp", revolutionising customer service via mobile devices</b></span></p><ul><li><strong>Original and innovative new in-house technology connects more than 100 iPads and PDAs to check-in kiosks, the new Quick Service Points and other devices that can issue the documents customers may need</strong></li><li><strong>IBHelp enables Iberia staff to deal with any incident or customer request at any point from check-in to boarding, making connections, retrieving luggage, etc.</strong></li><li><strong>The initiative is part of Iberia’s Ágora scheme to make its T4 hub the world’s most user-friendly airport terminal.</strong></li></ul><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>_________________________________________________________________________________________</strong></p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong> </strong></p><p style="text-align:left;"><strong><span><a href="http://grupo.iberia.es/content/GrupoIberia/Noticias/Sala%20de%20Prensa/2012/Fotos/IBHelp%20final.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://grupo.iberia.es/content/GrupoIberia/Noticias/Sala%20de%20Prensa/2012/Fotos/IBHelp%20final.jpg" class="align-left" alt="IBHelp%20final.jpg" /></a>Madrid, July 23, 2012</span><br /> <br /></strong></p><p align="justify">Iberia has launched IBHelp, an innovative new service revolutionising customer service at its <a href="http://www.iberia.com/viajar-con-iberia/aeropuerto-de-madrid/?language=en">T4 hub in Madrid airport</a>. More than 100 Iberia customer service agents will be equipped with <a href="http://grupo.iberia.es/portal/site/grupoiberia/menuitem.0ffaf48bc2c1f79bf75771fbf34e51ca/?ib_contentId=0394906adfd68310VgnVCM1000005ffe15acRCRD">iPads</a> and PDAs loaded with applications enabling them to deal with a wide range of customer incidents and requests in real time and from any location within the airport, making Iberia agents more proactive and mobile.</p><p align="justify">To implement IBHelp, the Spanish airline has developed an check-in platform called “DCS” (Departure Control System) to link the mobile devices to all check-in kiosks and <a href="http://grupo.iberia.es/portal/site/grupoiberia/menuitem.0ffaf48bc2c1f79bf75771fbf34e51ca/?ib_contentId=ea30c74150797310VgnVCM20000060fe15acRCRD">Quick Service Points</a> from which documents may be printed.</p><p align="justify">IBHelp is a unique and pioneering innovation which the airline plans to extend to all key airports in Spain and abroad.</p><p align="justify">In addition to making customer service more flexible and agile, IBHelp optimises customer service resources at peak times.</p><p align="justify"><strong>Iberia’s Ágora project</strong></p><p align="justify">IBHelp is part of Iberia’s strategic Ágora Project, aimed at streamlining every aspect of its operations at the airline’s T4 hub at Madrid-Barajas airport, to make it the world’s most efficient and user-friendly terminal, while also improving the punctuality of flights.</p><p align="justify">Other Ágora project initiatives to speed the transit of passengers through the airport have been recognised by <a href="http://www.iata.org/Pages/default.aspx">IATA</a> with its <a href="http://grupo.iberia.es/portal/site/grupoiberia/menuitem.0ffaf48bc2c1f79bf75771fbf34e51ca/?ib_contentId=690b8d8998ad7310VgnVCM1000005ffe15acRCRD">Gold Fast Travel Award</a>, held by only six airlines in the world.</p><p align="justify">To donwload the photos click <a href="http://grupo.iberia.es/portal/site/grupoiberia/menuitem.1c7e71cd496aeac6739ed8cdf34e51ca/">here</a>.</p><p align="justify"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/PT8Omy8Doro?feature=player_embedded&wmode=opaque" frameborder="0"></iframe></p></div>Guns 'n' Airports: What Is Georgia Thinking?https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/guns-n-airports-what-is2010-05-16T16:19:00.000Z2010-05-16T16:19:00.000ZKaleel Sakakeenyhttps://tripatini.com/members/KaleelSakakeeny<div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/nOOPeVV2njaCK5J0YdhwN_of0dzRa7ymPcRZ9zZ0Nsc?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_AnBusKXSA8o/S_AX76MiteI/AAAAAAAAB08/o9Mcsuqsw7o/s800/airport_guns_080701_mn.jpg" alt="airport_guns_080701_mn.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/travel.video/FromKaleel?authkey=Gv1sRgCIaWy9qJ5r_9WA&feat=embedwebsite">From Kaleel</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Guns ‘n Airports: What is Georgia Thinking? <br /><br />Last month Georgia lawmakers decided it would allow guns to be carried in those parts of the the state’s <a href="http://www.atlanta-airport.com">Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport</a>, not expressly controlled by the Federal government.<br />The airport is one of the worlds busiest.<br /><br />While Georgia Governor Sonny Perdu has not yet signed the bill into law, the legislation allows the carrying of firearms in the airport lobby, ticket counter and baggage claim areas, places not under specifically under Federal jurisdiction. <br />Under a 2008 Georgia law, it’s already alright for anyone with a firearms permit to bring a concealed weapon into any public transportation. The new bill is an extension of the law.<br /><br />But as <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2010-05-14-atlanta-airport-gun-change_N.htm">USA Today in the Sky</a> reports one U.S. Senator thinks the idea is outrageous and has filed federal legislation to make it illegal to carry a gun into non-federally regulated areas, like the lobby and baggage areas. <br />Law enforcement would be exempt, but <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/People/Politicians,+Government+Officials,+Strategists/U.S.+Senators/Frank+Lautenberg">Senator Frank Lautenberg</a> ( D-NJ) said that in the post 9/11 world it “simply defies common sense that it would be legal to carry a gun into an airport.” <br />The senator called it a recipe for disaster and said his legislation banning guns in airports would make the airports safer. <br /><br />Not surprisingly, the Georgia state representative who sponsored the bill, Tim Bearden, argued that the free gun zone would protect and restore second amendment rights, and stop the federal government from “trumping” state rights.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.georgiacarry.org">Georgiacarry.org</a> has been very vocal in its support of the measure. Its web site identifies the organization as “Georgia’s No-compromise voice for gun owners” and strongly urges resident to stop by the Georgia Capitol Building and personally ask the governor to sign the bill. If he’s not there, the web site offers suggestions as to the kinds of messages advocates can leave. <br /><br />Lautenberg’s legislation has the tacit support of U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder who pronounced the Georgia bill “very worrisome” in a recent senate subcommittee meeting.<br />It’s expected that Lautenberg’s bill, the Firearms-free <a href="http://www.mapping.com/airportcodes.html">Airport</a> Act will be met with strong opposition by guns rights activists.<br /><br /></div>The Corporate Road Warrior: Airport Lounge Mehttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/corporate-road-warrior-lounge-me2012-07-09T17:04:15.000Z2012-07-09T17:04:15.000ZVoyages Groupe Idealhttps://tripatini.com/members/VoyagesGroupeIdeal<div><p>Who doesn’t love an airline lounge when you have time on your hands and you need space from the swarms of people flocking around those tiny connected chairs in an airless waiting area of a gate?</p><p><br /> Corporate road warriors - Let us Unite and pay tribute to the holy "lounge."<br /> <br /> Those relaxing open spaces with giant TVs, cocktails (virgin and otherwise) and that great “hotel lobby” smell.<br /> <br /> Sidebar - reading - optional - Hotel Lobby Smell Defined: You know when you stay in a really nice hotel and you walk into the lobby and the air conditioning brushes against your skin and there’s this very pleasant scent that you can’t quite identify except you are sure you smelled the same scent in an outdoor sportswear store at Mont Tremblant or Whistler Blackcomb and the great thing is the scent stays on the clothes you buy for at least a few days so people think that you smell especially good – not that you don’t?</p><div class="separator"></div><div>As a matter of fact, I know a few corporate road warriors who would like to set up camp in the lounge and instead of going on their business trip, just stay there and enjoy the atmosphere. No one would know the difference because every time someone new came in, you would just look like you were waiting to get on a plane. Only you would know and let’s face it, the best secrets we keep in life are the ones that only we know (that’s deep).</div><div><div class="separator"> </div><br /><div class="separator"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008712688,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-full" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008712688,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="275" alt="9008712688?profile=original" /></a></div><br /> <br /> <br /> You could bring some work with you and send a few emails, create a slide presentation, connect on LinkedIn, tweet on Twitter, Check in on Foursquare (risky because they may wonder why you are checking in from the lounge for 3 days straight), watch YouTube videos, call a friend that lives in whatever city you are in and ask them to meet you for a bite or a cocktail before your plane leaves (even though you are not getting on a plane and you are really in your home city where – let’s face it – if you really wanted to see that person – you would have done so before you took this big voyage to the airport lounge).<br /></div><div>But there is one person you can share this adventure with … your travel agent – yes that loyal, supportive, compassionate and extremely well travel networked (made up that expression) individual who you tell all sorts of things to when you are on the road. They're sort of like therapists. They care about you so they listen when you speak and they do everything within their power to ensure you have a comfortable, well-oiled business trip. They also jump right in when you need to plan a family trip or a romantic couples weekend or when you miss your flight because you fell asleep in the airport lounge.<br /></div><div class="separator">So there are two great things happening in this post (other than the brilliant monologue). I will number them.</div><div><br /> 1 – You get to hang out in the airport lounge and you don’t have to go anywhere and it’s air conditioned and it smells good and there are cocktails and snacks.</div><div><br /> 2 – You can share your secret with your travel agent and they won’t tell anyone and if and when you do decide to get on a plane and head to that meeting you are missing while you hang out in the lounge, they will get you there.</div><div><br /> Voyages Groupe Ideal - Ideal Travel</div><div><br /> We share stories about corporate road warriors who like to lounge - We share travel.</div><div><br /> Yours in social media & travel, <br /> lisacohen@groupeideal.ca </div><div> </div></div>Passenger Strips Naked at PDX to protest TSAhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/passenger-strips-naked-at-pdx-to-protest-tsa2012-04-19T12:53:56.000Z2012-04-19T12:53:56.000ZWhen DoubleWides Flyhttps://tripatini.com/members/WhenDoubleWidesFly<div><p class="separator"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a_Rc64quHqQ/T4-AFKvUjXI/AAAAAAAAA1E/aMfkP3PUl7M/s1600/news-body-scanner.jpg"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></a></p><div><p>That's right! We've heard it all and we're all sick of the Nude-o-scope body scanners. However yesterday a passenger decided to reveal the FULL Monty for the TSA and surprisingly, since it wasn't a overly revealing computer image, the TSA didn't approve and instead the gentleman was <a href="http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2018007965_naked19m.html" target="_blank">arrested</a>.</p></div><p></p><p>The TSA demands either a nude computer image to be taken of every traveler or if you opt out, you're subjected to the standard metal detector and a full body rub down which includes a nice caressing of the gentiles (Believe me, my testis get rubbed every time I fly!). However, yesterday TSA agents in Portland received a live naked body (not on a screen) when a passenger traveling on Alaska Airlines from Portland to San Jose, California stripped naked in Portland to protest the TSA's security screening measures.</p><p></p><p>John E. Brennan, a 49-year-old high-tech worker, was charged with disorderly conduct and indecent exposure after he removed all his clothes and refused to put them back on. Brennan had passed through a regular metal detector (Not a nude-o-scope) and was then asked to step aside for an additional screening.</p><p></p><p>Brennan decided that the TSA crosses the line between privacy and security, so after being chosen for additional screening he decided to undress. He said "The most effective way to tell them I'm not carrying a bomb is take off my clothes...My body should not be illegal and I am not ashamed of my body. So I just took off my clothes."</p><p></p><p>Do you think what Brennan did was wrong? I’m tempted to strip naked I'm asked to go through a Nude-o-scope. After all, it would accomplish the same thing!</p><div><p></p></div><p>FYI: This is not the first time someone has been<a href="http://www.readthehook.com/65742/security-theater-cville-native-nets-airport-disorderly-charge" target="_blank"> arrested for protesting the TSA</a>, in December 2010, Aaron B. Tobey, a 21 year old student, was arrested at the Richmond International Airport for removing all his clothing but his shorts and writing the 4th amendment on his chest, "Amendment 4: The right of the people to be secure against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated." Tobey was charged with disordering conduct, despite being peaceful and was later released and was allowed to catch his flight.</p><p class="separator"></p><p class="separator">(Originally wrote on my <a href="http://www.whendoublewidesfly.com/2012/04/passenger-strips-naked-to-protest-tsa.html" target="_blank">blog</a>)</p></div>Top 5 Airports to Get Stranded Inhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/top-5-airports-to-get-stranded-in2016-06-28T22:30:00.000Z2016-06-28T22:30:00.000ZAuto Europehttps://tripatini.com/members/AutoEurope<div><p class="Publishwithline"></p><p class="Publishwithline"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008700278,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="400" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008700278,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="9008700278?profile=original" /></a><br /> The thought of a flight delay can fill any roving traveller with dread, but fear not, after much travelling we have found the best airports to get stranded in:<br /></p><p><b>1. Geneva Airport, Switzerland</b></p><p><br /> You have just returned a <a href="http://www.autoeurope.co.uk/go/car-hire-geneva/" target="_blank">car hire in Geneva</a> airport and you’re ready to check in for your return flight home when disaster strikes, they tell you your flight has been delayed for 4 hours! You should take this as a perfect opportunity to head for the airport shops and treat yourself, or buy those last minute gifts for the folks back home. The airport has shops selling chocolate, kid’s toys, perfumes, jewellery and they even have a hairdressers plus a place to get a spray tan!</p><p><b><br /> 2. Changi Airport, Singapore</b></p><p><br /> You may be mistaken for thinking this airport is just a huge shopping complex. Once you are inside it is very easy to forget the main reason you came here; to catch a plane! There are 4 terminals in total and you buy can everything from your usual duty free purchases to home furniture. The airport also has great facilities for those who wish to simply take it easy and maybe get a foot massage; and let’s not forget to the airport pool!</p><p><b><br /> 3. Jacksonville, Florida</b></p><p><br /> Who says that airports can’t be cultural? At this airport you are treated to a fantastic display of art from the Public Art Programme. The exhibitions focus on the city’s history and cultural background and showcase the local artists work.</p><p><b><br /> 4. London Heathrow, UK</b></p><p><br /> If you don’t fancy shopping or walking around the airport grounds that at Heathrow Terminal 3, after security, you can book a room at the Traveller’s Lodge. Spend your delay time watching TV or just sleeping it off. Just remember to set your alarm; you wouldn’t want to go and miss your flight!</p><p><b><br /> 5. Barcelona, Spain</b></p><p><br /> This airport is one for the kids. It has two good sized playing areas to keep them happy whilst you wait for your flight to be called. There are plenty of Wi-Fi spots also that will keep the older kids busy and for mum & dad there are plenty of shops, restaurants and bars. </p><p></p></div>Avoid Heathrow Airport If You Canhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/avoid-heathrow-airport-if-you-can2011-12-04T13:09:28.000Z2011-12-04T13:09:28.000ZForrest Walkerhttps://tripatini.com/members/ForrestWalker<div><p>In celebration of national Day here in the UAE we had a short holiday, so we decided to take a quick jaunt to London. I had never been there, and I am a history fanatic, where better than London! </p><p>I always fly Qatar Airways. Qatar flies into Heathrow. I did nor know anything about this airport, or i would have taken a different carrier and avoided this miserable excuse for an international airport.</p><p>We arrived at <a class="zem_slink" title="London Heathrow Airport" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=51.4775,-0.461388888889&spn=0.03,0.03&q=51.4775,-0.461388888889%20(London%20Heathrow%20Airport)&t=h">Heathrow airport</a> about noon. TWO HOURS later we were finally through immigration. Terminal 4 at Heathrow is where most of the truly foreign carriers arrive. BA and US carriers land at the other terminals. Heathrow terminal 4 is not a friendly nor an attractive place. Long walks without any people movers. Missing ceiling panels expose crude neon lighting. Poor signage which even in English left you wondering if the last 1/4 mile hike had been in the wrong direction. Then, we got to the immigration line. There were 35 booths available for use. Two or three were occupied. The officials would show up, process two or three people, then go away. Another might show up a few minutes later, then one of them would go back to their break room and presumably have tea and crumpets. I have been in immigration lines all over the world now and this truly was the rudest experience I have ever had. They profile everyone with questions starting with</p><p>“Why are you here?</p><p>“I am beginning to wonder that myself.”</p><p>“How long will you be here?”</p><p>“I have already spent half my holiday in this fookin line.”</p><p>“Where are you going after you leave?”</p><p>“Someplace that respects tourists.”</p><p>I am not kidding, this was almost verbatim what went down with me in my session at the desk. When I had the stamp in my passport I told the guy;</p><p>“I don’t see how you expect to handle the Olympics. People are going to be pole vaulting your booths in protest.”</p><p>He didn’t much like that and said “It takes 2 1/2 hours for me to get through JFK immigration.”</p><p>I mumbled something about payback being a bitch and walked away.</p><p>Coincidentally, as I write this on the 30th of November, England is experiencing a general strike against pension reforms imposed on workers in the public sector. That includes the immigration people. The tabloids in London were predicting 12 hour queues at the immigration lines. However, I have been watchng <a class="zem_slink" title="Sky News" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=51.487,-0.33&spn=0.01,0.01&q=51.487,-0.33%20(Sky%20News)&t=h">Sky News</a> out of London. The government has called out the army to man the desks, and to quote one airport manager “the lines are moving faster than normal.” Not a very high bar to pass, but ironic none the less.</p><p>After that we had a wonderful time in London, I will post a few blogs soon. In short; London YES!, Heathrow NO!</p><p></p></div>Billions Spent, But Are We Any Safer?https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/billions-spent-but-are-we-any-safer2011-11-16T12:13:15.000Z2011-11-16T12:13:15.000ZKaleel Sakakeenyhttps://tripatini.com/members/KaleelSakakeeny<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008667899,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-left" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008667899,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="180" alt="9008667899?profile=original" /></a></p><p><strong>Billions Spent, But Are We Any Safer?</strong><br /> <br /><br />In its usual witty, acerbic but always readable content, <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com" target="_blank">FastCompany</a> looks at the <a href="http://www.tsa.gov" target="_blank">Transportation Security Administration’s</a> huge expenditures on air travel since 9/11 in their efforts to keep us safe.<br /><br />How huge is huge?<br /><br />Fifty-six plus billion dollars spent on schemes and strategies that more of ten than not fall flat or never get off the ground.<br /><br />But as the publication asks, who’s getting the money? And what is working?<br /><br />On balance there seem to be more busts than successes; more wastes of money than strategies that work.<br /><br />Looking at the TSA’s efforts, FastCompany highlights the hits and the misses: :<br /><br />• Thirty million for machines that puffed air onto travelers to check for explosive residues. Remember those? Ended in 2006.<br />Verdict: Not worth it<br /><br />• 35 million to retrain human screeners because of so many traveler complaints. TSA’s advice to its workers: Smile, be pleasant. Did it work? Hardly.<br />Verdict: Not worth it<br /><br />• 103 million to breed and train dogs in TSA’s Puppy Program which, some say, would reduce the need for intrusive pat-downs.<br />Verdict: Maybe worth it<br /><br />• 2.8 billion for explosives detection equipment, a boon to supplying-companies like General Electric and L-3 Communications.<br />Reportedly the program has thwarted some would-be terrorists.<br />Verdict: Worth it<br /><br />• 122 million for full-body scanners from tech companies, including <a href="http://www.rapiscansystems.com" target="_blank">Rapiscan Systems</a>.<br />Several of the full-body x-ray images managed to find their ways onto the Internet, even though no images are supposed to be saved.<br />Verdict: Barely worth it.<br /><br />• 13.5 billion for for human screeners. Seems they have intercepted 50 million carry-on dangers from hacksaws to, alligators, since 2007.<br />Verdict: Worth it<br /><br />• 5.5 billion to train and employ air marshals.<br />How many are there? TSA isn’t saying. Doesn't want the bad guys to know the likelihood of encountering one.<br />Verdict: Maybe worth it<br /><br />• 1.2 billion to fund the <a href="https://www.fbo.gov/?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=025455c0a2eae0383cde8b5eb159554f&tab=core&_cview=0" target="_blank">Threat Assessment and Credentialing Program</a>.<br /><br />I’m not really sure what this does, except, to “work closely with intelligence and law enforcement entities, and other appropriate agencies to mitigate the threat posed by an identified individual.”<br /><br />FastCompany reports that although the program checks employees backgrounds, a couple of TSA agents were arrested fro stealing from checked bags.<br />Verdict: Still worth it. Maybe<br /><br />So, are we safer?<br />Verdict: Who really knows!</p></div>Bali: Paradise Buriedhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/bali-paradise-buried2016-09-03T21:48:42.000Z2016-09-03T21:48:42.000ZForrest Walkerhttps://tripatini.com/members/ForrestWalker<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008664886,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="291" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008664886,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-left" alt="9008664886?profile=original" /></a></p><p>If Bali is on your bucket list, scratch it off. I’ll save you the long plane ride and the money to get there by telling you that the romantic, idyllic paradise you have in your mind about Bali has been buried under tourists, traffic and trash. Our introduction to Bali might have jaded us. I know it jaded my wife. The line at immigration was not long, but the clerks were very slow. Directly in front of us were two grungy euro looking trekkers with dreads. I fully expected them to get seriously scrutinized and delay our entry even longer, but they sailed through like dignitaries.</p><p> </p><p>Then it was my wife's turn. Well dressed, polite, and the most honest looking face anywhere, I expected her to just pass through like a wind across the plains. However, the immigration man started seriously looking at her passport, page after page after page. We have residency permits from the UAE and Panama in our passports, along with stamps and visas from more countries than I can count. The immigration clerk took her passport and handed it to a supervisor. He took his time scrutinizing it. Then he called over a guard, and they whisked my wife off behind a grey metal windowless and closed door.</p><p><br />This is the reception you get at immigration in Bali. Well, at least it seemed like it to us.</p><p> </p><p>I figured I was heading for the same fate, I just had no idea why. Bali is part of Indonesia. Indonesia is a Muslim country, so I doubted the UAE residency permit was the problem. Neither of us has been to Israel, so what could it be? The first thing I did of course was politely demand to know where they had taken my wife. “To office” was all the clerk said. “Why” was my logical response.<br /> <br /> “No full page” he answered.<br /> <br /> “May I go back there and see her?” I asked, fully expecting a negative response.<br /> <br /> He finished putting my visa in my passport and just waved me away. So I walked over to the door they had taken her through not knowing if it was going to be full of hungry tigers, hot oils, dragons or what. I found her sitting on an industrial couch which was indented with the impressions of too many posteriors that had sat there for too long. I asked her what they told her. She shrugged her shoulders as if to say “hell if I know”. I told her what the clerk had told me “no full page”.</p><p> </p><p>The look of recognition crossed her face like a sunrise on the beach. “I told you I should have gone to the consulate and gotten the extra pages put in. But I have two blank pages. What is wrong?”</p><p> </p><p>Then they called her into the inner sanctum, just her. 15 minutes passed while I watched a 15 year old tourism highlight video. I began to think this was all I was ever going to see of Bali. It wasn’t even in English.</p><p> </p><p>She came out alone with a look of bewilderment and the attitude you see before surrender. She explained to me that the last two pages of the passport are for “Amendments and Endorsements” and that they could not put the Visa sticker on one of these pages, and all the other pages were full. Well, this is one of those problems that you feel lucky to have, but stupid to have to suffer through. A full passport is a beautiful thing, unless you are using it. I asked her what we could do, and she said we could “get on a flight to somewhere else <strong>Anywhere else</strong>.” She was saying just loud enough that the officials in the back bowels of the immigration bureaucracy enclave could hear it. These guys were all dressed like traffic cops, cheap white uniforms with tin badges. I expected to see a whistle.</p><p> </p><p>One of them came out to ask her to go to yet another cage full of dragons. He did not close the door behind them this time. I could hear my wife saying “OK, OK, we’ll just leave.” I had no idea where we would go. Thailand was underwater, we’ve done Hong Kong. Australia is too damn far. Besides all that, if there is no space in her passport, we’d probably end up in another colorless office with even less colorful mignons.</p><p> </p><p>Then she walked out of the office and told me to follow her. She said something I never thought I would hear my Jesuit schooled wife say. “We are going to have to bribe the guy.”</p><p> </p><p>So I went into this little office. The calendar on the wall was from the wrong month, and two years old. That calendar was probably the most modern thing in the office. If I remember correctly the phone on the desk actually had a dial on it. I was welcomed in like a sheep to slaughter. Little did he know that I was not exactly new to this. I lived in Latin America for too many years and dealt with too many petty men in uniforms of too many corrupt governments to let him bother me. This had never happened to me in Asia, but I knew it was just human nature.</p><p> </p><p>He started off by asking what I did for a living. I could have told him I was a writer for Conde’ Nast and that this story was going to go a long way to stopping the almighty tourist dollar. My mind which has read a thousand spy/adventure novels was telling me to say “Yeah, buddy, I’m a major in the USAF and if you don’t quit messing with my wife I’ll call in an airstrike on your grandfather’s fishing boat.”</p><p> </p><p>But I realized that he was in the right. He was being an asshole about it, BUT, my wife DID have a full passport.</p><p> </p><p>So it came to the transaction. “What is your policy?” I asked. He was at least honest enough to say, “This is only my policy, not the government’s.”<br /> <br /> OK, OK, the negotiation was on. This was his way of increasing his take home pay. In these situations, the objective is for neither party to lose face. I waited for him to make the first offer. When he did, I turned to Mary Ann and said simply, “Shall we go to Chiang Mai?”<br /> <br /> He showed a bit of vulnerability. I could tell he was counting on this American cash cow to make his day. I could have gotten rougher with him than I did, but he DID have us over a barrel.<br /> <br /> I then offered him ½ what he asked for. This was no different than buying a knock-off watch from a street vendor. He came back with half between that and his asking price. Knowing that all I had in my pocket was half that again, I agreed. He was a very happy little crook, until I emptied my pockets and said “oops, that is all I have.” The top bill was a US$100 bill, which works like gold nuggets in the modern third world.<br /> <br /> Then this slimeball opened up Mary Ann’s passport and found a very suitable little place for the visa, quite easily. The bastard.</p><p> </p><p>So now we were off to our pre-booked and pre-paid 5 star beach resort. (By the way, we would have lost that payment if we had not paid off the immigration man and he knew it.) We had to wait in a log line with dozens of other tourists to get an authorized taxi. I had to ignore, ignore, and ignore again a gypsy cab driver. We finally got to the front of the line after being pushed back in line by a group of Russians and bought our trip. Bali, being just one of the thousand islands that make up Indonesia, uses the Indonesian Rupea, which is one of those mostly worthless currencies. At the time of our trip it was about 8600 to $1. So the cab ride was like a 1,000,000, or something with a lot of zeroes. After 36 hours in Singapore, the first thing I noticed was the litter. As we drove out of the airport the next thing I noticed was the traffic. We were back in the land of motor scooters, but even that concession to the congestion did nothing to ease the pain. Nothing moved. It took us an hour to go the short distance to our resort.</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008665856,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="750" class="align-full" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008665856,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008665856?profile=original" /></a></p><p>This is just an example of the traffic in Bali. Traffic jams are everywhere, day and night. It takes hours to go miles. The narrow streets were not ready for the current population or tourism, and they are still building resorts.</p><p>Apparently there is nowhere to take the refuse other than the swamps along the road. This is Bali? This is the Bali of my paradise fantasies? It was my wife’s vacation so I stayed quiet. But I could see her, still affected by the rude official introduction to the country, having the same reaction I was. THIS is Bali? When we finally arrived at this 5 star joint we looked around for the normal reception party we have come to expect…a cool cloth to wipe off the tropical sweat and a cool drink to make you forget that you just spent 5 times as long in a cab as you should have, We barely got a hello, and our room was not ready. (It was already 2 p.m.)</p><p></p></div>Flying the Family-Unfriendly Airportshttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/flying-the-familyunfriendly2011-06-09T22:43:38.000Z2011-06-09T22:43:38.000ZKaleel Sakakeenyhttps://tripatini.com/members/KaleelSakakeeny<div><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008630467,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="275" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008630467,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-full" alt="9008630467?profile=original" /></a><br /><strong>Flying the Family Unfriendly Airports</strong><br /><br />Crying kids, stressed parents and unhappy families may not be exactly typical of families flying from our nation’s airports, but the scene is all too familiar.<br /><br />And it’s not the families’ faults.<br /><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://www.skyscanner.com">Skyscanner</a>, the flight comparison site, asked 1000 family travelers what they thought about their airports, and, unsurprisingly, about two-thirds said airports are not family-friendly places, lacking facilities for families and doing nothing that caters to their needs.<br /><br />Then <a target="_blank" href="http://www.traveldailynews.com/pages/show_page/43580?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=show_page/43580&utm_campaign=TravelDailyMainTitle">Travel Daily News</a> , a travel and tourism portal, noted that the stress caused by inadequate facilities affected the overall quality of the family vacation... even before the flying families got off the ground. <br /><br />Chief complaints: <br /><br />• Fifty-one percent of those responding said long lines “were the worst thing about the airport experience.” <br /><br />• Lack of entertainment was the second most frequent complaint (29 percent), followed by long walks to the departure gate and lack of adequate food.<br /><br />Mary Porter, Skyscanner PR manager, and mother of two, said that kids who have already endured long lines, delays, no entertainment “are prone to meltdowns by the time they board the aircraft, creating a negative family-travel experience before the trip begins.<br /><br />A significant majority of family travelers (60%) asked for soft playing areas at airports and a place where children could watch TV or suitable movies. <br /><br />The needs are pretty easy to fulfill and we wonder why airports haven’t caught on.<br /><br />How difficult can it be to provide, say, a storyteller or a kids cafe and bar with complimentary beverages?<br /><br />A secure play area with toys and books for kids under five would be a great help, according to many respondents, as would bottle-warming facilities.<br /><br />The wonder is that it took a poll to highlight airport shortcomings. <br /><br />All any airport manager would have to do is walk through his or her airport to get the picture of frustrated family travelers looking for help. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Are You Flying a Mean Airline?https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/are-you-flying-a-mean-airline2011-06-14T14:40:38.000Z2011-06-14T14:40:38.000ZKaleel Sakakeenyhttps://tripatini.com/members/KaleelSakakeeny<div><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008624485,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="500" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008624485,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-left" alt="9008624485?profile=original" /></a><br /><strong>Are You Flying a Mean Airline? </strong> <br /><br />It’s great that the airlines made money last year, all except American Airlines that is.<br /><br />And according the recently released 2011 Airline Quality Rating (AQR) report, the experience of flying has improved too.<br /><br />The <a target="_blank" href="http://aqr.aero/">AQR</a> is a touted as a “premier statistical study of major airline performances in the United States” conducted by a Wichita State and Purdue University professor.<br /><br />Still, outrageous baggage fees, elimination of food and other creature comforts, numerous add-on fees may well contribute to an airline’s healthy bottom line, but it leave us pretty disgruntled.<br /><br />And judging from last year’s dramatic exit from a JetBlue plane by an employee, airline workers are also pretty unhappy with the flying experience.<br /><br />So when <a target="_blank" href="http://travel.yahoo.com/p-interests-38962879">Yahoo Travel</a> came out with its “Meanest Airlines 2011” list, it seemed like all the airlines would qualify for the top spot, an ignominious list of 1.<br /><br />Turns out there are gradations of meanness.<br /><br />So, here are the best of the losers, the meanest of the mean, as Yahoo sees it:<br /><br />• Meanest Major Carrier<br />United Airlines, which came in last place. Its AQR score indicates the number of customer complaints exceeded those of all other airlines in its class.<br /><br />• Meanest Regional Carrier<br />American Eagle won hands-down here, largely due to an unacceptable number of mishandled bags and high rate of “involuntary denied boardings.”<br /><br />* The Most Complained About Airline<br />And the top prize goes to Delta with “the highest consumer complaint of all the carriers surveyed “ for the 2011 Airline Quality Survey Report.<br /><br />* Most Likely to be Late<br /><br />The top honors go to Comair, with the “worst on-time performance for all of the airlines surveyed for the report.” Nice<br /><br />There are more “Meanest Categories,” but we’re too depressed to list them.<br /><br />For more information, check out <a target="_blank" href="http://travel.yahoo.com/p-interests-38962879">Yahoo Travel</a> or give up flying! <br /><br /><br /></div>Should the TSA's Airport Pat-Downs be Outlawed?https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/should-the-tsas-airport2011-05-26T21:04:57.000Z2011-05-26T21:04:57.000ZNicholas Kontishttps://tripatini.com/members/NicholasKontis<div><div class="dek"> </div><div class="dek"><p><font face="Arial">A major showdown looms in Texas, where a law was approved banning invasive pat-downs at airport checkpoints. In response, the TSA has threatened to cancel all flights departing from any gateway in the state.</font></p><p><font face="Arial">Earlier in May, the Texas House of Representatives unanimously voted to pass an "anti-groping" bill, which would categorize any TSA pat-down that "touches the anus, sexual organ, buttocks, or breast of another person including through the clothing, or touches the other person in a manner that would be offensive to a reasonable person" as sexual harassment. According to Reuters, if the legislation took effect, a TSA agent that conducted such pat-downs could be fined as much as $4,000 and face one year in prison.</font></p><p><font face="Arial">The TSA then defended its practices on its blog by first stating that the Texas bill was unconstitutional (states can't regulate the federal government), and second, by reaffirming the usefulness of patdowns, stating: "The pat-down is a highly effective tool to resolve certain alarms and keep these dangerous items off of planes that could cause catastrophic damage."</font></p><p><font face="Arial">The TSA post has since received well over 850 comments (and counting), and the vast majority of travelers weighing in aren't taking the TSA's side. Much the opposite, actually. Far more often, the comments accuse the TSA of "propaganda," of "data spin," and of being "stupid" and "hypocritical."</font></p><p><font face="Arial">Now, in the most recent development (tip of the hat to The Consumerist), the TSA is threatening to cancel all flights from Texas airports. Texas Representative David Simpson responded by asking the TSA to prove its authority to "grope or ogle our private parts." Simpson also tried to clarify what is and isn't mandated in the recently approved bill:</font></p><p><font face="Arial">"We aren’t even prohibiting the pat-downs, per se. We’re just saying you can’t go straight to third base. You have to have a reason -- you have to have probable cause -- before groping someone’s sexual organs."<br /></font></p><p> </p></div></div>“T2,” A Stunningly Modern New SFO Terminal With Foursquarehttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/t2-a-stunningly-modern-new-sfo2011-04-18T14:57:03.000Z2011-04-18T14:57:03.000ZKaleel Sakakeenyhttps://tripatini.com/members/KaleelSakakeeny<div><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008609475,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-left" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008609475,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="245" alt="9008609475?profile=original" /></a><br /><p> </p><p>You have to see it to believe ii. <br /><br />The brand new, much touted new Terminal 2 that just opened at <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/San+Francisco+International+Airport" target="_blank">San Francisco’s International Airport</a>.<br /><br />The <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/video/sanfranciscocbs5-15751300/sfo-terminal-2-re-opens-after-renovation-24903957" target="_blank">video</a> news clip is interesting, but less so than the terminal itself.<br /><br />It may be one of the most modern, most chic, most green airport terminals in the country, if not the world.<br /><br /><a href="http://travel.usatoday.com/flights/story/2011/04/San-Francisco-airports-new-Terminal-2-T2-dazzles/46021636/1" target="_blank">USA Today Travel</a> report on such luxuries as 350 power outlets for the “laptop-tethered business traveler,” a “recomposure” zone for passengers once they have cleared security, featuring plush ottomans and bright, vivid, art exhibits, including smart phone narrations of the displays.<br /><br />There’s a play station for children, and even a rehydration oasis where travelers can fill their water bottles for free. <br /><br />The 383 million dollar construction of the outdated 1954 building was powered by American and Virgin American and the city of San Francisco as a bold move to carve out a leadership position in the competitive world of airport politics, as airports do what they must to woo airline traffic and revenue.<br /><br />And it’s not just the big airports that are competing for the bucks. Smaller, regional airlines, notes Tom Reich of Air Service Partners in Virginia, are a threat to the big guys too. Dallas/Fort Worth, Seattle or even San Diego are competitors.<br /><br />But for now, T2 is center stage. <br /><br />And so is Virgin’s Sir Richard Branson who is already employing Social Media to make passenger layover and waits a fun experience.<br /><br />As <a href="http://www.execdigital.com/lifestyle/entertainment/virgin-america-makes-layover-fun-foursquare-and-facebook" target="_blank">EXEC</a> reported, Newbies with one to four Foursquare or Facebook check-ins can earn a “ground crew badge,” while 50 check-ins or more get an upper-class badge like “Captain.”<br /><br />Checking in at the right time could randomly earn a passenger a Virgin T-shirt or bonus miles.<br /><br />The bet is that dazzling “T2” and its fun-loving airline partners may make flying fun again.<br /><br /></p></div>Airport Transport Tips for the Foreign Visitor Upon Arrival in Chilehttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/airport-transport-tips-for-the2010-10-10T21:00:00.000Z2010-10-10T21:00:00.000ZKrisztianhttps://tripatini.com/members/Krisztian<div><p>Hello people!</p><p></p><p>Chile is known worldwide for its beautiful landscapes, nice weather, culture diversity and many more. Some tourists fall into amazement when they realize they are just an hour-and-a-half ahead from either mountain or the beach, skiing or the sea... from it's capital: Santiago<br /> <br />But let me talk you about some important information you need to know when you arrive to SCL Airport, regading transportation from the terminal.</p><p><br /></p><p></p><p>When you clear customs and inmigration, and heading towards the exit, you'll be <strong>harrassed</strong> (specially when many international flights are arriving at the same time) by people offering you taxi service.</p><p><br />All of them hold "Official Taxi" signs and claim to be so. Beware of them. They usually charge you high prices for whatever destination you will go to (up to 10x!!) And they cheat. For instance, you can negociate a trip for <strong>seven thousand</strong> pesos (7.000) but later on, when it's time to pay they will tell you <strong>seventy thousand</strong> (70.000). Combine a poor english pronunciation and the lack of communication and <strong>you will feel</strong> that you listened wrongly.</p><p><br /></p><p></p><p>I strongly recommend to take an official means of transportation, you will find them inside the clearance area (before leaving customs) or, at the exit, within the terminal at established booths. <strong>NEVER TAKE A CAB FROM A GUY THAT'S HOLDING SOME CARD WITH A TAXI SIGN.</strong></p><p><strong><br /></strong></p><p></p><p>Same warning goes if you are going to take a cab in town (black cars with yellow painting at the top). They often try to cheat tourists with the price they charge. Use public transportation like buses or the subway, they have a fixed rate, so you won't have any surprises.</p><p><br /></p><p></p><p>To get into public transportation (a.k.a. Transantiago) you'll need a RFID card, called "Tarjeta BIP", it's a prepaid rechargeable card that serves as payment method. You can buy them at any subway station and refill it from there. Remember, cash is not accepted at bus stops.</p><p></p><p style="text-align:left;"><img style="width:221px;height:165px;" alt="" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008580897,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="177" height="165" /></p></div>Fun with TSAhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/fun-with-tsa2010-12-03T15:46:27.000Z2010-12-03T15:46:27.000ZForrest Walkerhttps://tripatini.com/members/ForrestWalker<div><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-size:9pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Arial, 'sans-serif';color:#222222;">I tend to have rather funny things happen to me when I travel. Perhaps it is because I travel<br /> for fun, usually. I don't mind much, except standing in line at immigration in<br />a place like Lima Peru. In Lima, at least three jumbos arrive within a half<br />hour of each other at night, about midnight. The immigration post has a dozen<br />or so stations, of which two or three are manned. The line snakes back outside<br />of the immigration room, into an adjoining hallway, where people crush and<br />elbow their way towards the official lines, only to stand there for another<br />hour.</span></span></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Arial, 'sans-serif';color:#222222;"><br /> <span class="apple-style-span">But onto something humorous.</span></span></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Arial, 'sans-serif';color:#222222;"><br /> <span class="apple-style-span">I had just arrived from Panama in Atlanta. I had<br /> to catch a plane to Los Angeles.</span><br /><span class="apple-style-span">Therefore, I had to pass through the</span> <span class="il"><span>#FFFFCC"">TSA</span></span> <span class="apple-style-span">security post to get into the domestic side of the<br />airport.</span><br /><span class="apple-style-span">I had been living on an island for over two years<br />at the time, and through no effort on my part, I had lost over twenty pounds.<br />This was not a problem, except that all my clothes, especially my Levis were<br />too big for me now.</span><br /><span class="apple-style-span">Also, I carry my cash/credit cards and passport in<br />a travel bag around my neck. Because it is both uncomfortable and unsightly to<br />wear it over my stomach, I wear it under one arm. This means that in order to<br />take it off, I must remove my shirt. More on that in a moment.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Arial, 'sans-serif';color:#222222;"><br /> <span class="apple-style-span">When it was my turn at the metal detector, the<br /> middle-aged, minimum waged and minimum trained</span> <span class="il"><span>#FFFFCC"">TSA</span></span> <span class="apple-style-span">guy told me to remove my belt.</span></span></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Arial, 'sans-serif';color:#222222;"><br /> <span class="apple-style-span">"Sir, I have lost 20 pounds living in Panama.<br /> If I remove my belt, my pants will fall down."</span></span></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Arial, 'sans-serif';color:#222222;"><br /> <span class="apple-style-span">Steely eyed and like a brainless automaton, he<br /> repeated "Remove your belt."</span></span></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Arial, 'sans-serif';color:#222222;"><br /> <span class="apple-style-span">So, having no alternative other than walking to<br /> Los Angeles, I removed my belt. I was now standing in line in front of a lot of<br />business travelers, holding my pants up with one hand. Mr.</span><span class="il"><span style="background:#FFFFCC;">TSA</span></span> <span class="apple-style-span">noticed<br />the travel bag and asked "What is that?"</span></span></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Arial, 'sans-serif';color:#222222;"><br /> <span class="apple-style-span">I replied as nicely as I could "My passport<br /> holder, sir." (perhaps the sir came out snidely, knowing me it did)</span></span></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Arial, 'sans-serif';color:#222222;"><br /> <span class="apple-style-span">"Take it off" he demanded.</span></span></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Arial, 'sans-serif';color:#222222;"><br /> <span class="apple-style-span">"Sir (snidely) to take it off I must take off<br /> my shirt. To take off my shirt, I have to let go of my pants, and I promise you<br />sir (very snidely) they will fall down."</span></span></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Arial, 'sans-serif';color:#222222;"><br /> <span class="apple-style-span">"Take it off" the man said.</span></span></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Arial, 'sans-serif';color:#222222;"><br /> <span class="apple-style-span">I let go of my pants. They fell to my knees. I<br /> unbuttoned my Hawaiian shirt and removed it so I could get the passport holder<br />off. I threw the shirt into the plastic bucket with my belt and other items. I<br />had been en-route for 9 hours, and I was very worried that my BVD's were in a<br />condition that would shame my mother, even though she was not there at the<br />time. I pulled up my pants, holding onto them like my pride depended on it,<br />which it did.</span></span></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Arial, 'sans-serif';color:#222222;"><br /> <span class="apple-style-span">The</span> <span class="il"><span style="background:#FFFFCC;">TSA</span></span> <span class="apple-style-span">man said,<br /> before I got to the metal detector "Hey, put your shirt back on".</span></span></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Arial, 'sans-serif';color:#222222;"><br /> <span class="apple-style-span">"Sir, (again, snidely) if I let go of my<br /> pants they will fall down again. Don't you think these people behind me have<br />seen enough of the behind of me?"</span></span></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Arial, 'sans-serif';color:#222222;"><br /> <span class="apple-style-span">"Put you shirt back on".</span></span></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Arial, 'sans-serif';color:#222222;"><br /> <span class="apple-style-span">"Yes SIR" (very snidely)</span></span></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Arial, 'sans-serif';color:#222222;"><br /> <span class="apple-style-span">I let my pants drop and slowly slipped into my<br /> Aloha shirt and buttoned it. I turned to watch the business travelers behind<br />me. Half were harried because I was their worst nightmare, that being someone<br />who cost them time, and the other half were smiling or laughing. I gave them<br />all a big smile and said "Hey, at least we are safe in the air!"</span></span></p></div>