Lobby Bar – May 19: Sedating Passengers, Parachute Connections, and In-Flight Hammocks

The Lobby Bar – A Curious Concoction of Travel News and Reviews, Extra Salty

Fly to fly. Join Jonathan Spira in Delta One’s business class cabin from Los Angeles to New York. Mr. Spira’s connecting flight from Kona, Hawaii was delayed an hour, but he still made the flight to JFK thanks to the help of a Delta flight attendant, a quick parachute descent over LAX, and the strong arms of a burly gentleman in row 17, who “took an exit row seat and was willing to assist in the event of an emergency.”

Calm down. Maybe it’s just the news recently, but do you get the feeling that the skies are not so friendly anymore? Have no fear, the news isn’t actually representative of the current flying atmosphere, and airlines are making strides to make passengers happy, including putting a small dose of sedatives into the now mandatory pre-departure tomato juice.

What flyers like. The results of our GlobeRunner Insights AirTravel2017 customer satisfaction survey are in, and fliers have spoken loudly. Topping the list for best in-flight experience is, of course, World Global Air, thanks to its creative use of in-flight hammocks and a Pac-Man arcade in the first-class cabin.

Shaken, not stirred. Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport is gaining an additional runway. Originally, the airport planned to tear down an adjacent hotel to make room for the runway, but upon further calculations, it appears that the length of the hotel roof will be sufficient to accommodate take-offs and landings, and the only consequence may be some minor noise and tremors in the upper floors.

The tax man. Wow Air will be offering flights from select East Coast cities to Tel Aviv this fall. Keep in mind that Wow Air is an ultra low cost carrier, so you will be charged extra for online booking, seat selection, early arrival, late arrival, on-time arrival, any steps you take while on the aircraft, and each article of clothing you wear during the flight.

Crime, meet punishment. A speeding car struck nearly two dozen pedestrians in New York’s Times Square this week. The tragic event will end in some justice: the drunk driver shall be sentenced to two years of standing inside an Iron Man costume in the middle of the square.

(Photo: Accura Media Group)