Airline News

Cribbed from the Vanguards' newsletter for November, 2008. Vanguards is the retirement club of a Major American Airline (MAA.)

In 2009, American Airliens plans to "unbundle" passenger services. They will offer a lower base fare with the option of paying for extras such as: checked baggage, a blanket, beverage (does this include water?) or an aisle seat.

Back in the day ... LaGuardia (LGA) is one of the few airports in this country where pilots go by landmarks (on the ground) rather than instruments to land on Runway 31. Pilots are told, "follow the Long Island Expressway to the eastern side of Shea Stadium (which is said to look like a giant blue donut with a green center from the air) bank the plane left around the outfield wall and go straight to Runway 31."

But: Shea is going to be replaced by a new stadium to be built in Shea's old parking lot. The report said, "Pilots will have to go through a bit of trial and error before figuring out just when to bank with this new landmark." Cheery news indeed, eh?

Get Your Flu Shot and Get On! Last year O'Hare offered flu shots to passengers and 5,000 passengers took them up on it. About two dozen airports plan to offer the shots this year at kiosks set up near the gates.

TSA expects to be able to lift restrictions on 3-oz. bottles of liquids, gels and aerosols by Fall, 2009. Equipment has been up-graded to recognize the difference between a harmless liquid and explosives. Nice to know... that they can't do that today!