Something’s always up in the skies.
Have you realized that air travel is in the news more than ever before? It’s not just the Alaska Airlines door plug and the Boeing aftermath. There are countless accounts every week of diverted flights, interrupted travel plans, or tourist weirdness. We’ve rounded up some of these aviation-related stories from the past week to keep you apprised of the most strange, the most interesting, and the most surprising things happening in travel.
TAYLOR SWIFT TOOK OVER AVIATION
After Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce’s win on Sunday, a question being asked is how Taylor Swift will make it to the Las Vegas game on February 11 after her Eras Tour in Japan. The Super Bowl has always been a topic of conversation this time of the year, but Swifties are making it bigger by watching her attend the matches.
And now, airlines have caught Taylor fever. American Airlines and United Airlines have launched special flights to Las Vegas with a nod to her albums. From Kansas City, American Airlines and United are running flights 1989 to Las Vegas (a tribute to Taylor’s famous eponymous album). There are also other flights with Kelce and quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ jersey numbers.
FARTING PASSENGER REMOVED FROM FLIGHT
Over the past couple of years, unruly passengers have caused delays and disruptions more times than we can count. Many have been arrested, paid fines, or put on the No Fly list by airlines. But one incident that was reported this week was completely and utterly bizarre.
Recommended Fodor’s Video
In a Reddit post, a passenger on an American Airline flight discussed how a disgruntled co-passenger was removed from a flight for starting an argument after farting. This passenger was already angry about something when he said, “You thought that was rude? Well how about this smell?” And then he farted, much to the dismay of others in his orbit. He later also got into an argument about people eating on the plane, saying, “Yeah, everybody let’s just eat the smelliest food possible all at the same time.” Someone else responded to him by telling him to fly private.
Eventually, the plane, which was still taxiing to the runway, turned around and the passenger was asked to de-plane. He quietly exited and the trip was only delayed by 15 to 20 minutes, the Reddit user Glamgalatx said.
SMELLY CATHAY FLIGHT TURNED AROUND
Somehow, there was more than one odor incident on a flight over the last week. A Cathay Pacific flight enroute to Penang in Malaysia had to return to Hong Kong after an “unusual smell” was reported in the cabin. It was a precautionary measure and no one was injured. The passengers were given lounge access and meal coupons and flown out on a later flight.
VIRGIN ATLANTIC FLIGHT CANCELLED DUE TO MISSING BOLTS
It’s a nightmare when you find out that there’s something wrong with the aircraft you’re flying. And as an observant flyer, you absolutely must report anything you notice that may be off. That’s one of the reasons flight crew ask you to keep your windows open during takeoff and landing.
In a recent case, a flyer noticed missing bolts from a wing panel causing the cancellation of a Virgin Atlantic flight from Manchester to New York. An Airbus engineer told Business Insider that it was a secondary structure panel and the aircraft was safe to operate. “Each of these panels has 119 fasteners, so there was no impact to the structural integrity or load capability of the wing, and the aircraft was safe to operate.” However as a precautionary measure the airline ordered additional checks and the passengers were booked on other flights.
PASSENGERS LAUD MAN WHO OPENED EMERGENCY EXIT
Usually, a passenger opening an emergency exit is a controversial move. It can lead to an arrest and a placement on the dreaded No Fly list. However, one AeroMexico passenger earned applause from fellow flyers.
The flight from Mexico City to Guatemala was delayed by four hours when a man opened the emergency exit and walked out and re-entered. He was later arrested, but his co-passengers defended his act, saying “he saved their lives.”
The plane was on the tarmac for hours without ventilation and water, passengers said in a statement, and they showed support for his actions.
It is unknown if the man was charged for this offence.