Travel Tips

Airline News Roundup: Buffalo Crash Probe, Inflight Internet Wi-Fi and a Big Oops at LAX

Locations in this article:  Buffalo, NY Denver, CO Los Angeles, CA Tokyo, Japan

747 landingThe swine flu headlines may have subsided, but airline news abounds. (And it’s only Tuesday!)

Check out some of the top stories in airlines today, from crash hearings to Wi-Fi in the sky to what happens when a baggage cart gets a little too close to a 747.

Buffalo Crash Probe Commences

The National Transportation Safety Board convened a three-day hearing today to explore the reasons for the crash of a Continental Connection flight in Buffalo last February in which 50 people were killed.

Discussion is expected to center around the issues of training and fatigue. The pilot, Captain Marvin Renslow, reportedly didn’t have adequate training in how to recover from a low-altitude stall, which is what occurred in Buffalo and what ultimately caused the Dash 8 Q400 to crash.

Colgan Air, the operator of the plane, countered that the FAA does not require pilots to be trained in that particular procedure, though it has now been added to its training curriculum. Renslow also failed several simulator tests during his career and only had 100 hours flight time in the Dash 8, which is below industry standards.

In addition, the co-pilot, Rebecca Shaw, was heard on the flight recording system complaining about congestion and fatigue, which raises questions of whether she was fit to fly that day. She and the pilot were also criticized for engaging in excessive banter during the final critical phase of the flight, when the crew is supposed to be paying close attention to the plane.

Plane landing purple skyAirTran Gets Wi-Fi

AirTran announced today that it will become the latest airline to offer wireless Internet service, and the first carrier to offer it on every plane in its fleet.

By July AirTran, which is partnering with Aircell, plans to have the necessary cellular equipment retrofitted to all 136 of its Boeing 737 and 717 jets. Service will be accessible via laptop computer or PDA for between $7.95 and $12.95 per flight, depending on the length of the trip.

CEO Bob Fornaro would not disclose what it was costing AirTran to install the service, nor how much revenue it is expected to generate. But analysts say that it will give the airline a competitive edge in a tight market and will help the airline’s bottom line in an environment where á la carte fees are becoming a surefire way to boost income.

Other airlines such as Delta, Virgin America, American Airlines, United, and Air Canada are in various stages of rolling out Wi-Fi service, which more and more air travelers are demanding as society becomes increasingly dependent on electronic communications.

Baggage moverBaggage Container Mishap at LAX

Passengers heading to Tokyo Monday on a Japan Airlines flight from Los Angeles International Airport were forced to make other arrangements at the last minute, after their jet had a run-in with an empty baggage container.

The 5-foot-by-5-foot metal container was accidentally sucked into one of the 747’s engines as it backed away from the gate. Airport officials say that a baggage truck that the container was on was being driven too close to the aircraft.

The empty container became stuck in the engine, forcing the plane to be taken out of service and towed to a hangar for possible repairs. No one was injured, and the 245 passengers were put onto alternate flights.

By Karen Elowitt for PeterGreenberg.com.

Related links: Associated Press, Biz Journals, Los Angeles Times

Related links on PeterGreenberg.com: