Tag: airports

Orlando International Airport encourages flyers to air grievances on Festivus, the fictional ‘Seinfeld’ holiday

It’s Festivus for fed-up flyers as long as they keep their moves PG.

The Orlando International Airport (MCO) set up a comment box with a pen and paper where annoyed travelers could submit “airing of grievances” Saturday alongside a traditional Festivus pole inspired by an episode of “Seinfeld.”

“For those that celebrate today’s date, please join us for the ‘Festivus for the rest of us,’” read the poster set up in the airport on Dec. 23 – the annual day for the unofficial holiday.

“Please use the comment box for the Airing of Grievances,” it stated, in reference to one of the main traditions associated with the non-secular, fictitious holiday.

The bustling Florida terminal only asked patrons to please not bust a move on the unadorned metal pole — the anti-commercial alternative to a Christmas tree in Festivus lore — noting it was not for pole dancing.

“Please do not climb on the Festivus Pole,” the message read. “The Festivus Pole is not a Dancing Pole.”

The Orlando International Airport (MCO) set the comment box for the tradition called the “airing of grievances” inspired by an episode of “Seinfeld.” Orlando International Airport

Festivus has grown in popularity after it was introduced on a Dec. 18, 1997 episode of the sitcom “Seinfeld.” In the episode titled “The Stike,” George Costanza’s (Jason Alexander) father, Frank, (the late Jerry Stiller) created the unusual observance with its own specific set of traditions in a fight against Christmas commercialization.  

One tradition is called the “feats of strength” and involves a wrestling match with the head of the household.

The airport requested travelers refrain from that holiday activity in its note.

Jerry Stiller (L), who played Frank Costanza on the hit sitcom, created the unusual observance with its own specific set of traditions in a fight against Christmas commercialization.   Orlando International Airport

And MCO insisted travelers not take a swing on the pole that appropriately lacked tinsel because as Frank would say, it’s “distracting.”

“It’s got a very high strength-to-weight ratio and no tinsel!” the airport tweeted in a nod to the metal beam used by the elder Costanza in lieu of a Christmas tree.  

Social media users voiced compliments as well as tongue-in-cheek complaints over the single-day fixture.

Festivus has grown in popularity after it was introduced on a Dec. 18, 1997 episode of the sitcom “Seinfeld.” Orlando International Airport

“I got a lot of problems with you people … and you’re gonna hear about it!!.”one user tweeted. “(Not actually you, @MCO).”

“My grievance is that I missed,” another user wrote with the crying face emoji.

In the fine print of a poster, the airport made clear the celebration was a “source of homage, parody, satire, and humor.”

“If you’re still reading this, we hope your day is full of Festivus Miracles!” the signage concluded. 



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Japan flight returns to Tokyo after destination airport closed

A Japan Airlines plane was forced to return to Tokyo this week after being refused at a regional airport for arriving 10 minutes after the cut-off time.

Flight JAL 331 left Tokyo’s Haneda Airport at 8 p.m. on February 19 – over an hour after its planned departure. 

The plane, which was expected at 8:30 p.m., did not arrive at Fukuoka until around 10:10 p.m.

But because Fukuoka Airport enforces a strict 10 p.m. cut-off time, JAL 331 was not cleared to land and was forced to make a nearly 5-hour journey back to Tokyo.

Fukuoka’s curfew is intended to curb noise pollution. JAL 331 also had to stop at Osaka’s Kansai Airport to refuel, adding to passengers’ and crew members’ misfortune.

According to Asahi Shimbun, a Japanese newspaper, there were reportedly 335 passengers on the Japan Airlines plane.

Japan Airlines arranged for the passengers to stay in a hotel after they returned to Tokyo. The passengers boarded a flight the next morning and eventually landed at Fukuoka Airport on Monday.


A Japanese Airlines passenger jet takes off at Tokyo International Airport at Haneda on Feb. 2, 2023.
Getty Images

Fukuoka and Tokyo are located on opposite sides of Japan. The cities are over 550 miles apart.

It is unknown why JAL 331 departed from Tokyo late on Sunday evening. According to Asahi Shimbun, officials say that planes that land late due to “unavoidable” circumstances, such as stormy weather or congestion, are usually allowed to land past 10 p.m.

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Tampa TSA finds ’emotional support’ boa constrictor in luggage

The Transportation Security Administration says that a traveler attempted to bring an “emotional support pet” boa constrictor snake through security.

A spokesperson for the agency tweeted that the incident happened at Tampa International Airport in December when a woman had the snake, named “Bartholomew,” in her carry-on bag. The snake was detected when the bag went through an x-ray machine.

The spokesperson said that TSA contacted the airline, which said that she couldn’t bring the snake aboard the aircraft.

According to the agency, the snake is four feet in length.

“There’s a danger noodle in that bag… Our officers at Tampa International Airport didn’t find this hyssssssterical! Coiled up in a passenger’s carry-on was a 4’ boa constrictor! We really have no adder-ation for discovering any pet going through an x-ray machine,” the TSA said in an Instagram post.

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Worker dies after being sucked into jet engine at Alabama airport

A ground worker who was fatally injured on the ramp of a regional airport in Alabama was “ingested into the engine” of an American Airlines jetliner parked at the gate, officials said.

The worker was sucked into the Embraer 170’s engine about 3 p.m. Saturday at Montgomery Regional Airport, where it had its parking brake set, the National Transportation Safety Board told Insider.

The flight from Dallas was operated by Envoy Air, a wholly-owned subsidiary of American Airlines Group.

The airport said the victim worked for Piedmont Airlines, another American regional subsidiary, but did not provide further details.

“We are saddened to hear about the tragic loss of a team member of the AA/Piedmont Airlines,” the airport’s executive director, Wade Davis, said in a statement.

A ground worker was killed after being sucked into the engine of an American Airlines Embraer 170 at Montgomery Regional Airport in Alabama.
REUTERS
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are conducting an investigation.
WSFA

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this difficult time,” he added.

In a statement, American Airlines said it was devastated by the incident.

“We are focused on ensuring that all involved have the support they need during this difficult time,” the company said, declining further comment during the ongoing investigation.

The NTSB and the Federal Aviation Administration are conducting the probe.

When a jet engine is operating, the air getting sucked into the intake can cause a low air pressure area that can pull nearby people into the rotating blades.

When parked, cones are placed near the engines to mark the boundaries of the hazard areas, the exact sizes of which are provided in the plane’s operating manual, according to High Sky Flying.

For example, the hazard area for an Airbus A320 is 14 feet in front of and on the sides of the engine inlet, according to the site.

It is rare for ground personnel to be sucked into engines because they are trained about the dangers and how to stand clear of them.

The dead ground worker has not been identified and details of the accident have not been released.

The NTSB did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Scorching temperatures, rain could bring sad end to summer

It was bound to happen, America. Summer is coming to a close. But not before we get one more celebration in to hold onto the dog days of summer.

Millions of people will be hitting the roads and taking to the skies to celebrate Labor Day. But for millions of Americans, scorching temperatures and the risk of rain and thunderstorms could dampen those last cookouts, clambakes and afternoons at the beach.

Here’s a closer look at the Labor Day holiday forecast from the FOX Forecast center.

Sunday

Heading into Sunday, the threat of rain and thunderstorms will shift a bit to the east.

The threat will linger for the Lone Star State and along the Gulf Coast, but chances for showers extend north through the Mississippi and Kentucky valleys, as well as the Great Lakes and into the Northeast.

Rain chances will also be seen in the mid-Atlantic and Southeast.

Temperature-wise, the FOX Forecast Center is seeing another day of triple-digit temperatures in parts of the West and Southwest, while places around Atlanta will reach the 80s.

From the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, temperatures will also be in the mid- to upper 80s.

Seattle will again hover around the 80-degree mark as well, and Billings will be “slightly cooler” than Saturday with a forecast high of about 97 degrees.

Heading into Sunday, the threat of rain and thunderstorms will shift a bit to the east.

And heads up, this has also been the summer of the shark along East Coast beaches.

Several shark attacks were reported in New Jersey and New York, putting beachgoers on edge.

And on Cape Cod in Massachusetts, at least 20 sharks were spotted in the water over the course of a week.

Rain chances will also be seen in the mid-Atlantic and Southeast.

If you’re going to the airport on Sunday, you may need to prepare for delays and cancelations depending on where you’re catching a flight.

The FOX Forecast Center is expecting some issues at airports in Boston due to weather, and major airports in the South and Southeast are also at-risk of seeing some problems.

Dallas, Houston, New Orleans, Memphis, Atlanta and Orlando could all see some issues, so check with your airline directly for the latest information.

If you’re going to the airport on Sunday, you may need to prepare for delays and cancelations depending on where you’re catching a flight.

Monday

Monday – Labor Day. The unofficial end to summer.

The threat of sub-par weather will continue across the eastern half of the United States, with more chances of rain and thunderstorms across places from the Southwest, Midwest and Northeast.

There’s a chance of rain from Norfolk, Virginia, north through the Big Apple and New England, but temperatures will range from the low to mid-80s across much of the region.

If you’re looking for sunshine (like most people), you’ll want to head west.

Denver will be very hot at 95 degrees with plenty of sun, and the heat will extend to Billings, where the area will likely see a high temperature of around 97 degrees.

Temperatures get hotter the further west you go, so places like Reno will see a high temperature of about 100 degrees on Labor Day.

Temperatures will remain on the cool side in the Seattle area, where the Emerald City will likely remain in the mid-70s.

If you’ve been meaning to get out to one of our country’s beautiful national parks before the end of summer, you’ve got a lot of catching up to do if you want to be like this grandma-grandson duo.

Grandma Joy Ryan and her 41-year-old grandson have been crisscrossing the country on a mission to visit every single national park in the country, and they’ve only got one left to visit.

Their ambitious quest began with a road trip to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2015. In the past seven years, these intergenerational travelers have driven more than 50,000 miles to visit 62 out of 63 parks on their bucket lists.

In terms of issues at the airports in the country, most of the problems will likely be in the same locations that could see delays and cancellations over the course of Labor Day weekend.

Houston, New Orleans, Memphis, Atlanta and Orlando will likely see more issues, and passengers should arrive at the airport with plenty of time to space in order to get through security and check bags.

But, again, don’t waste a trip to the airport if you don’t have to – reach out to the airline directly to make sure things remain on the up and up.

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