A look back at 2000!
Jan 5, 2001 | 10:14 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Ontario
Posts: 2,394
A look back at 2000!
My apologizes if this has been posted elsewhere.
A look back at 2000!
THE EXPRESSION when pigs fly took on a whole new meaning when US Airways permitted a pig to accompany its owner in first class on a flight from Philadelphia to Seattle. There were reports the passenger had a note from her doctor requiring that she fly with the animal. Except US Airways said it was told the pig weighed about 13 pounds. It was actually closer to 150 pounds. We can confirm that the pig traveled, said US Airways spokesman David Castelveter, and we can confirm that it will never happen again. But that was merely one of the more publicized moments in travel this past year. Next time, why not book pig class: A man flew from Seattle to Memphis hidden in the cargo hold of a Northwest Airlines flight. He had the sense to stow away in the heated and pressurized front section of the cargo hold where pets are kept. Well, some pets. All pigs are created equal, but not all lost-luggage settlements are: When British Airways lost three bags belonging to singer Posh Spice of the Spice Girls, the airline paid her $150,000.
We cant remember Is it two monkeys as carry-on? A Spanish man walked through Bolivian and Miami airport security carrying three endangered monkeys he wanted to give his children as presents. They were confiscated at Madrids airport and donated to a safari park in Spain. Travel bargains
Thanks from a grateful airline: Air Canadas most frequent flier, an international lawyer who logs as many as 750,000 miles a year, got into a dispute with an airline executive who didnt like the passengers tone of voice during a phone conversation. Robert Lawrie was stripped of his miles, his Aeroplan Super Elite status, access to first-class lounges, and other privileges including upgrades on Air Canadas Star Alliance partners such as United and Lufthansa. Under threat of a lawsuit, Air Canada reinstated Lawries miles (he had an astounding 1,935,036 in his account), but the airline refused to reinstate his Super Elite status.
Quick, find this kid a three-card monte game: An Alaska Airlines flight attendant reached into a childs backpack to find some crayons and pulled out what looked like an explosive device. Turns out an Alaska security firm had been testing the airports security system using an identical backpack with the fake explosive device, and the child had apparently plucked the wrong one from the X-ray machines conveyor belt. Unaware the device was a fake, the pilot made an emergency landing in Seattle.
What did you bring me from your trip, dear: A retired Oregon businessman was startled to find a bomb in his garment bag after a flight from Seattle to Redmond, Ore. I thought it was all over, he said. I didnt know if it was a terrorist bomb or what. It turned out to be a training bomb that SkyWest Airlines placed in his bag to test security procedures. When the bag was lost in transit, no one remembered to remove the fake bomb before returning the bag to its owner.
A free press belongs to he who owns the ... airline: After the London Financial Times printed a report critical of Lufthansa based partly on internal airline documents, Lufthansa announced a one-day ban on distributing complimentary copies. The airlines CEO said if the paper published any more stories based on confidential information, it would ban the paper forever.
Is that a float in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me: A seaplane in north Queensland, Australia, sank when a frisky crocodile tried to mate with the planes float. When the croc mounted the float, its weight was too much for the light seaplane, and it sank to the bottom of a bay.
Isnt the first rule of investing to always set something aside for yourself? Singapore Airlines accountant Teo Cheng Kiat tweaked the airline books almost every day, siphoning off money to support an expensive lifestyle for 13 years. His total take before he was caught: $34.96 million.
More on the mysterious world of accounting: Air Botswana turned a record-breaking annual profit thanks to a disaster that destroyed three of its four aircraft. A disgruntled pilot sneaked into one of the airlines aircraft and destroyed three of them on a suicide mission. The insurance payment allowed the airline to double the previous years profits.
And each wing is a patio: An aircraft parts broker in Smyrna, Tenn., offered four former TWA 727s for use as homes. Measuring 153 feet from nose to tail, the fuselages had their lavatories, closets and overhead bins removed to create 1,210 square feet of living space.
Heres to a Mickey Mouse Christmas: US Airways sent its employees (via Federal Express) 4-pound blocks of cheese in December as a holiday gift. In an unofficial online newsletter written by a US Airways flight attendant, a top 10 list of uses for the cheese included, Send it to ground services so they can use it as cheese wheel-chocks for parked aircraft.
Honey, they sunk the airport: Built on an artificial island, Japans second-largest airport 6-year-old Osaka is sinking 44 years ahead of schedule. Experts estimated the airport, which serves 20 million passengers annually, would sink 38 feet over 50 years. It reached that point early in 2000. Officials want $252 million to build underground walls to keep water from seeping into terminals and refueling tanks.
Next time, if youre warm, please inform your flight attendant: A man aboard a US Airways flight last October undressed and strolled the aisles in the nude. He was restrained by flight attendants and covered with blankets because he refused to put his clothes back on. Police greeted him when the plane arrived in Pittsburgh.
Coffee, tea or a smack? In response to a growing number of so-called sex pests and unruly passengers Swissair said it would allow its flight attendants to slap passengers for boorish behavior. The airline will also allow its staff to restrain naughty passengers in their seats by using plastic handcuffs.
Next time, if youre running late, please take the next flight: A Greek executive running late for a flight to Brussels phoned in a bomb threat to delay the flight. Unfortunately, his secretary gave his name to an airline agent before patching his call through, so when the businessman made the bomb threat, the airline knew whom to blame. He was sentenced to seven months in jail. And missed his flight.
A look back at 2000!
THE EXPRESSION when pigs fly took on a whole new meaning when US Airways permitted a pig to accompany its owner in first class on a flight from Philadelphia to Seattle. There were reports the passenger had a note from her doctor requiring that she fly with the animal. Except US Airways said it was told the pig weighed about 13 pounds. It was actually closer to 150 pounds. We can confirm that the pig traveled, said US Airways spokesman David Castelveter, and we can confirm that it will never happen again. But that was merely one of the more publicized moments in travel this past year. Next time, why not book pig class: A man flew from Seattle to Memphis hidden in the cargo hold of a Northwest Airlines flight. He had the sense to stow away in the heated and pressurized front section of the cargo hold where pets are kept. Well, some pets. All pigs are created equal, but not all lost-luggage settlements are: When British Airways lost three bags belonging to singer Posh Spice of the Spice Girls, the airline paid her $150,000.
We cant remember Is it two monkeys as carry-on? A Spanish man walked through Bolivian and Miami airport security carrying three endangered monkeys he wanted to give his children as presents. They were confiscated at Madrids airport and donated to a safari park in Spain. Travel bargains
Thanks from a grateful airline: Air Canadas most frequent flier, an international lawyer who logs as many as 750,000 miles a year, got into a dispute with an airline executive who didnt like the passengers tone of voice during a phone conversation. Robert Lawrie was stripped of his miles, his Aeroplan Super Elite status, access to first-class lounges, and other privileges including upgrades on Air Canadas Star Alliance partners such as United and Lufthansa. Under threat of a lawsuit, Air Canada reinstated Lawries miles (he had an astounding 1,935,036 in his account), but the airline refused to reinstate his Super Elite status.
Quick, find this kid a three-card monte game: An Alaska Airlines flight attendant reached into a childs backpack to find some crayons and pulled out what looked like an explosive device. Turns out an Alaska security firm had been testing the airports security system using an identical backpack with the fake explosive device, and the child had apparently plucked the wrong one from the X-ray machines conveyor belt. Unaware the device was a fake, the pilot made an emergency landing in Seattle.
What did you bring me from your trip, dear: A retired Oregon businessman was startled to find a bomb in his garment bag after a flight from Seattle to Redmond, Ore. I thought it was all over, he said. I didnt know if it was a terrorist bomb or what. It turned out to be a training bomb that SkyWest Airlines placed in his bag to test security procedures. When the bag was lost in transit, no one remembered to remove the fake bomb before returning the bag to its owner.
A free press belongs to he who owns the ... airline: After the London Financial Times printed a report critical of Lufthansa based partly on internal airline documents, Lufthansa announced a one-day ban on distributing complimentary copies. The airlines CEO said if the paper published any more stories based on confidential information, it would ban the paper forever.
Is that a float in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me: A seaplane in north Queensland, Australia, sank when a frisky crocodile tried to mate with the planes float. When the croc mounted the float, its weight was too much for the light seaplane, and it sank to the bottom of a bay.
Isnt the first rule of investing to always set something aside for yourself? Singapore Airlines accountant Teo Cheng Kiat tweaked the airline books almost every day, siphoning off money to support an expensive lifestyle for 13 years. His total take before he was caught: $34.96 million.
More on the mysterious world of accounting: Air Botswana turned a record-breaking annual profit thanks to a disaster that destroyed three of its four aircraft. A disgruntled pilot sneaked into one of the airlines aircraft and destroyed three of them on a suicide mission. The insurance payment allowed the airline to double the previous years profits.
And each wing is a patio: An aircraft parts broker in Smyrna, Tenn., offered four former TWA 727s for use as homes. Measuring 153 feet from nose to tail, the fuselages had their lavatories, closets and overhead bins removed to create 1,210 square feet of living space.
Heres to a Mickey Mouse Christmas: US Airways sent its employees (via Federal Express) 4-pound blocks of cheese in December as a holiday gift. In an unofficial online newsletter written by a US Airways flight attendant, a top 10 list of uses for the cheese included, Send it to ground services so they can use it as cheese wheel-chocks for parked aircraft.
Honey, they sunk the airport: Built on an artificial island, Japans second-largest airport 6-year-old Osaka is sinking 44 years ahead of schedule. Experts estimated the airport, which serves 20 million passengers annually, would sink 38 feet over 50 years. It reached that point early in 2000. Officials want $252 million to build underground walls to keep water from seeping into terminals and refueling tanks.
Next time, if youre warm, please inform your flight attendant: A man aboard a US Airways flight last October undressed and strolled the aisles in the nude. He was restrained by flight attendants and covered with blankets because he refused to put his clothes back on. Police greeted him when the plane arrived in Pittsburgh.
Coffee, tea or a smack? In response to a growing number of so-called sex pests and unruly passengers Swissair said it would allow its flight attendants to slap passengers for boorish behavior. The airline will also allow its staff to restrain naughty passengers in their seats by using plastic handcuffs.
Next time, if youre running late, please take the next flight: A Greek executive running late for a flight to Brussels phoned in a bomb threat to delay the flight. Unfortunately, his secretary gave his name to an airline agent before patching his call through, so when the businessman made the bomb threat, the airline knew whom to blame. He was sentenced to seven months in jail. And missed his flight.
