A Reminder Why Air Travel Sucks

Whether or not his actions were justified, Steven Slater has become the poster boy for our collective disgust with air travel. The problem with air travel is not just the airlines, which is a given, but passengers, who demand too much for too little.

For me, anyway, air travel should be a simple affair: get me from point A to B safely and on time; don’t lose my luggage (especially if I pay for the privilege); no need to feed me or slake my thirst (airline food sucks anyway, and I can bring my own bottle of water); and no need to entertain me as I can either read a book or listen to my iPod.

Other than that, I will gladly pay the stated fare plus fees and taxes to fly wherever I want.

Biman Bangladesh: New Look

Biman Bangladesh is not only inducting a new aircraft type into its fleet (a Boeing 737-800), but a new color scheme as well. Check out the photo below:



Personally, I don't like it. Too much blue and not enough verdant green and red of the national flag.

Coming Soon: Up In the Air

Walter Kirn's delightful Up In the Air - about a "downsizing" expert (he fires people for a living) and his quest to be the ultimate frequent flier - is coming to the silver screen, starring George Clooney. Here's the trailer:



I'm so looking forward to this film.

Interesting Aviation Video

This is what an airplane landing on a windy day looks like:

Demand Media Video -- powered by demandmedia.com

MP Insults Pilot, Pilot Threatens To Sue

The problem with Indians, as I see it, is that we are thin-skinned and overly sensitive to slightest of slights. For example:

The row over an MP being asked to get off an aircraft by its pilot deepened on Sunday as the former refused to tender an apology and threatened the pilots' body to "do what it wants to do".

"There is no question of any apology from my side. I have done noting wrong," Indian Muslim League MP Abdul Wahab, who was accused of allegedly using foul language against an Indian Airlines pilot, said.

"Let the pilots association do what it wants to do," the Kerala MP said.

The Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) had said they would file a defamation suit against Wahab for allegedly calling the pilot a "glorified driver" and asked him to tender an unconditional apology.

Yes, MP Abdul Wahab is probably a jerk, but calling the pilot a "glorified driver" hardly merits a riposte let alone a defamation suit. In fact, the pilot should have just furnished an insult of his own. End of problem.

But in all honesty, the MP is not far off the mark when he called the pilot a "glorified driver", because it is true. A pilot's job is to pick up passengers, go from point A to point B, and disgorge passengers. Repeat. Aside from more skill involved, what's the difference between a pilot and a bus driver? And I'm not being insulting, but someone who loves aviation and even tried his hand at being a pilot. I had no allusions about being a pilot then, and I don't now. So the ICPA should just leave it alone.