They made us laugh, they made us roll our eyes and some even made us cringe. Wrap up your work week with fun travel news Friday #FTNF – a collection of weird stories that made headlines.
1. Flight attendant training is tougher than you’d expect
You may only see them smiling, delivering meals and relaying flight safety regulations, but your flight attendants are trained to do so much more than you could ever imagine.
News site, Jaunted has compiled a list of unique training – like jungle survival and karate – flight crew are put through before they get the uniform
South American airline, TAM requires its flight attendants to go through jungle survival training.
2. Not again: angry travellers open emergency door
Some travellers seem to have a major misunderstanding of when a plane’s emergency doors can and cannot be opened.
In less than two months three Chinese travellers have opened aircraft emergency exits for somewhat odd reasons.
It all started with a guy aboard Xiamen Air in December last year. He attempted to open the emergency doors just before the plane was due to takeoff.
The passenger’s excuse: ‘I needed fresh air’. Read more
A couple of days after that a passenger aboard a China Eastern flight deployed the emergency slide after the aircraft had arrived at its destination because ‘he wanted to get off the plane quicker’. Read more
Now, two angry travellers (also on a China Eastern flight) have been arrested for opening the emergency exit doors while the plane was taxiing.
According to Chinese police, the travellers had been complaining about delays (the flight was held up due to a snowstorm) and a lack of ventilation in the plane before they decided to take matters into their own hands.
A man with the surname Zhou allegedly opened two emergency exits, which prevented the plane from taking off and forcing it back to the gate.
He along with a man with the surname Li have been placed under 15-day ‘administrative detention’, The Australian reported.
3. If this airline could ban one thing it would be this
AirNorth says it wants to ban passengers who exploit ticket loopholes such as choosing the cheapest option available for flying between Darwin, Gove and Cairns.
Currently, the airline offers discounted flights from Darwin to Cairns via Gove. This was done in response to ‘aggressive competition’ on the route.
However, AirNorth has maintained higher prices from Darwin to Gove, where it is the only operator, News.com.au reported.
Travellers are bypassing the expensive ticket by purchasing the cheap full flight to Cairns but hopping off at Gove during the stopover.
Michael Bridge, AirNorth chief executive said the airline is keeping tabs on a number of passengers who are taking advantage of the loophole, which is against fare rules in the airline’s conditions of carriage.
He added that the airline is considering banning those passengers from flying with the airline to ensure the profitability of the Darwin to Gove service.
“(Taking advantage of the loophole) has the potential to not only impact a passenger’s future travel on Airnorth but will also have a wider impact on the ongoing viability of air services for Nhulunbuy residents and those in the surrounding communities.”
Michael Bridge, AirNorth chief executive
4. Meet the solo flyer! Literally, he was the only person on the plane – for a minute
They rebooked everyone but me on another flight to LGA, so I am literally the only person on this plane. pic.twitter.com/ZZNPACUOfR
— Chris O’Leary (@ohhleary) January 12, 2015
No one making noises next you, no one kicking your seat from behind and no babies crying from the front row.
It’s every travellers’ dream come true, an entire plane all to themselves (well aside from staff of course, cause how else will you get to your destination).
That’s exactly what happened to Brooklyn man, Chris O’Leary when he boarded his Delta plane on Monday to find he was the only passenger onboard.
His good luck came after a string of bad luck the day before, including the cancellation of his flight. Chris was finally rebooked on another Delta flight and when he boarded found he was the only one. That was until staff reconnected the jet to the bridge just before leaving the airport to let another passenger on.
The thrill is gone, you guys. Just as we were about to push back, they reconnected the jet bridge to let a second passenger on the flight.
Despite the company, O’Leary said it was a ‘peaceful’ flight and he barely spoke to the passenger.
5. Donald Trump sues Florida airport for $100 million
Forget celebrity apprentice, they should make a reality TV show about this.
One of the richest men in the world, Donald Trump is suing Palm Beach County in Florida for $100 million over claims that planes from the local airport have intentionally been redirecting to fly over his mansion and private club.
Trump says in the lawsuit filed on 6 January, that the airport’s director Bruce Pelly has deliberately sent air traffic over his property as a means of seeking revenge for a 20-year-old lawsuit.
“The county’s and Bruce Pelly’s efforts in this regard are both deliberate and malicious, and motivated by personal animosity towards Donald Trump.”
The lawsuit filed in Palm Beach County Court read
According to the lawsuit, Pelly is ‘attacking’ the mansion from the sky because of a suit lead by Trump in 1995 that blocked plans to expand the airport, CNN reported.
Trump dubbed the flights a ‘horrible injustice’ and said the private club is ‘susceptible to the corrosive bombardment’ from planes.
“The overflights of Mar-a-Lago have caused a direct and substantial invasion of the property by excessive, unreasonable, unwarranted and uninvited noise, vibrations, fumes, pollution and residue, which cause direct physical damage to Mar-a-Lago.”
Palm Beach County is yet to comment on the situation.
6. Megaphone stealing passenger kicked off flight
We’ve seen people kicked off flights for opening emergency exits, arguing with staff and even pulling a fellow passenger’s hair, but this has got to be the first for stealing a megaphone.
If you didn’t know – passenger flights are required to have battery-charged, portable megaphones on board for crewmembers to use during emergency evacuation.
Perhaps this 29-year-old passenger wasn’t aware of its importance, because he attempted to swipe the device on a recent WestJet flight from Toronto to Saskatoon.
According to a fellow passenger, staff announced they had lost something and no one came forward.
It wasn’t until police were called onboard and threatened to search everyone’s bag that the man, identified as Jake, stepped forward.
According to police he had stolen the megaphone from the kitchen.
He was pulled off the flight, arrested and now faces a fine of up to CA$5,000 for theft and a further CA$5,000 for interfering with a flight.
Could have saved himself around $10,000 and just picked up a megaphone from his local $2 shop