After-hours in an Airport: Laughable, or security-risk? - 531

A video making the rounds on the internet (via sites Buzzfeed and Jalopnik) have some chortling at the after-hours antics of two friends stranded in Dallas Fort Worth Airport, while others are chagrined at the lax security in an airport terminal.

Photographer Joe Ayala and friend Larry Chen videotaped their shenanigans at an empty DFW when their connecting flight was canceled. The video shows the two racing wheelchairs through the terminal, pouring a brewskie in an airport bar and otherwise partaking in the kind of overnight prankery many of us wish we had the guts to do when given an opportunity. The shocker? There was no security stopping them, at all.

The video, which has since been switched to “private” on Vimeo, has caused a buzz, not all of which is positive. For obvious reasons, security concerns are being raised regarding the access the men were afforded after hours. According to a CBS Dallas affiliate, the airport says it is too soon to tell if criminal charges will be filed, but:

DFW airport board member Betty Culbreath says while it may have been a prank, it sent the wrong message. “It’s not funny. It’s not going to happen again as far as I’m concerned. It should not have happened because it gives the perception the airport is sitting out there unguarded and that’s why I was concerned, and am still concerned.”

While the Vimeo video is now blocked, parts of the CBS report below features video footage—including planking the escalator—plus traveler comments.

100 Students Removed from Ryanair Flight - 485

Photo by bigpresh We’re only surprised this didn’t happen sooner.

Spanish police on the Canary Islands reportedly removed 100 Belgian students off a Ryanair flight to Belgium. The (notoriously) budget airline called the authorities after students became disruptive, according to the BBC. 

The fracas was a result of some students objecting to being charged additional fees for extra baggage. In a statement, Ryanair said “Lanzarote police required the entire aircraft be offloaded, each passenger identified. Following further disruptive behaviour, the police required for security reasons that this enitre group be refused travel.” Both the airline and a spokesman from the Spanish Ministry of Interior said only 66 of the original 168 on board were allowed to continue on, while some of the students were placed on later flights.

Just another day with Ryanair, it seems.

'Round the Webz: Delta loses cat and dog; Expedia and American Airlines break-up; new scanners; consumer protections; how-to video - 467

Photo by maybemissions [1] What’s going on, Delta? First you lose a dog, then a cat. What next, a llama? Who’s in charge? [Source: AOL News and MSNBC]

[2] Expedia and American Airlines officially break-up. [Source: CNN]

[3] A team at the University of Manchester has developed a new scanner which combines CT and x-ray scans, producing a 3D image of a bag’s contents, detecting dangerous explosives and weapons. The technology has been tested by the US government and the Manchester airport. Just think: a quicker security process (hopefully). [Source: Manchester Evening News]

[4] Air travelers will see new consumer protections in 2011. Yippee! Highlights: increased compensation for bumped flights, no penalty for cancellations within 24 hours of flight and reimbursement for luggage fees for lost/delayed baggage. [Source: Daily Finance]

[5] This is by far one of the most useful “how-to pack” videos out there:



Report Addresses Cancer Risk from Full Body Scanners - 359

Photo by evawistenConcerns about airport security full body scanners are moving beyond privacy and on to health and safety. Cancer-causing radiation is the main issue off concern, and according to Breaking Travel News a new report rates the risk as extremely low.

The Inter-Agency Committee on Radiation Safety which includes the European Commission, International Atomic Energy Agency, Nuclear Energy Agency and the World Health Organization, released a report stating that pregnant women and children should not be scanned. However, it

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Forms4Travel: Offering Parents Peace of Mind - 343

Forms4Travel was developed by single mom and New York attorney Linda Kagan to help give parents peace of mind when they travel or when their children are traveling. In light of the recent international custody battle between a US father and a Brazilian step-father, many parents may be asking themselves how they can protect their children when traveling. 

Forms4Travel covers a variety of travel situations including domestic & international travel, babysitter forms, and traveling parent forms. These forms answer questions like “Who can pick your child

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