Weird Airline Stories

Security: Please Do Not Bring Holy Water on the Plane

Aug 29th, 2007 | By Jared Blank

Passengers flying on the Vatican’s new charter flights are being told to leave their holy water at home (basically).  Officials France’s Tarbes-Lourdes Airport told a passenger who was carrying 8 Madonna-shaped bottles filled with holy water that she couldn’t take them on the plane because they were a security threat.  They said this with a [...]

Read the Rest of the Story: Security: Please Do Not Bring Holy Water on the Plane


Child Thrown Off Plane For Saying “Bye Bye”

Jul 13th, 2007 | By Jared Blank

A Continental Express flight attendant had a 1 1/2 year old child and his mother removed from a flight from Houston to Oklahoma City because the baby repeatedly said, "bye bye plane" during the flight attendant’s safety speech.  The flight attendant was annoyed that the baby was talking during her spiel, and told the mother, [...]

Read the Rest of the Story: Child Thrown Off Plane For Saying “Bye Bye”


Clay Aiken Involved in Minor Dispute on Continental Flight

Jul 9th, 2007 | By Jared Blank

American Idol star (?) Clay Aiken was involved in a dispute with another passenger on a Continental flight to Tulsa over the weekend. Details are sketchy, but he may have put his foot on the armrest of the passenger in front of him, which led to said passenger (a woman) giving him a bit of [...]

Read the Rest of the Story: Clay Aiken Involved in Minor Dispute on Continental Flight


Stuck on Delayed Plane, Passenger Uses Police to Get Him Taken Off

Jun 26th, 2007 | By Jared Blank

The NY Times has an interesting story about yet another flight stranding passengers on a plane for 5 hours.  A passenger on the Comair flight from JFK to Detroit was fed up after spending 5 hours on the aircraft, which had no air conditioning.  After being told by the pilot that the long delay meant [...]

Read the Rest of the Story: Stuck on Delayed Plane, Passenger Uses Police to Get Him Taken Off


Did a Passenger Cause a Ruckus Over a Sippy Cup

Jun 18th, 2007 | By Jared Blank

A story is making the rounds about a former secret service officer getting into a bit of a tiff with TSA staff at Washington National Airport.  The former officer was flying with her small child and was said to have gotten into a disagreement with security staff over whether she could bring her son’s sippy [...]

Read the Rest of the Story: Did a Passenger Cause a Ruckus Over a Sippy Cup


Two Airport Security Dogs Fired for Sexual Harassment

Jun 11th, 2007 | By Jared Blank

Two drug-sniffing dogs that worked in Thailand’s Chang Mai airport were fired for sexual harassment and urinating on passengers’ luggage.  I know, that sentence doesn’t make any sense.  But apparently it happened.  Passengers were complaining about the dogs’ behavior.  An airport spokesman said of Mok, one of the dogs, "Mok liked to pee on luggage [...]

Read the Rest of the Story: Two Airport Security Dogs Fired for Sexual Harassment


Guy Buys 787 Because of Underwear

Jun 6th, 2007 | By Jared Blank

(thanks to UpgradeTravelBetter):
A Hong Kong based tycoon has purchased his very own Boeing 787 because he was embarrassed after seeing a fellow first class passenger in his underwear.  This embarrassment led to him purchasing six private jets for himself, including the 787.  I’m not sure what to make of this.

Read the Rest of the Story: Guy Buys 787 Because of Underwear


Does Mike Figgis Want to Shoot a Pilot?

May 30th, 2007 | By Jared Blank

(Editor’s Note: I’m calling bullshit on this one, but I’m printing it anyway:)
A number of places are reporting that director Mike Figgis was detained at LAX because he told screeners he was in LA to "shoot a pilot."  (that would be a TV show pilot, not an airplane pilot).  I believe this is too good [...]

Read the Rest of the Story: Does Mike Figgis Want to Shoot a Pilot?


Bees on a Plane

May 30th, 2007 | By Jared Blank

You can read the article for the details, but just know that a swarm of bees forced a plane to make an emergency landing…
Don’t see that every day…

Read the Rest of the Story: Bees on a Plane


Fog Causes Near Riot Over Duty Free

May 16th, 2007 | By Jared Blank

(Thanks to reader Scott for the heads up):
A United Airlines flight from LA to Sydney was diverted to Brisbane because of fog. So far, so good.  Passengers were told, though, that after flying 14 hours, they would have to stay on board for another 9 hours because, and this is where it gets odd, if [...]

Read the Rest of the Story: Fog Causes Near Riot Over Duty Free