Travel News

Icarus Award: Check Once for Failure

Locations in this article:  Houston, TX Nashville, TN Toronto, Canada

Check your pockets, check your pet carrier, check your taxes, and check the fine print. This week’s travel failures hammer home the importance of precision on the road. Find out the missteps and oversights that landed these nominees in the Icarus Awards and vote for the worst offender.

Rand Pat-And-Run Paul
Traveling from Nashville back to Washington, D.C., Senator Rand Paul had a run in with the TSA. Senator Paul tripped the alarm when passing through security resulting in Paul being kept in a glass cubicle waiting area for an agent to come and pat him down. Instead of submitting to his pat down, Paul first asked to walk through the scanner again. However, TSA protocol require a pat down. The senator refused and was then escorted from the airport.  Paul appears to be taking a stand for people’s right to go through the scanner a second time. In a statement he said, “It would be so simple and people would be less offended by the pat-downs if they were given the chance to go back through the screener.”

Cat in the Cabin
Ripples, a 10-year-old cat from Halifax, delayed an Air Canada flight for several hours. Having freed himself from his carrying case this Wednesday, Ripples was missing on the aircraft. First he headed into the cockpit and then burrowed further into the plane’s avionics. While searching for the cat, the plane’s power was turned off and passengers were removed. A maintenance crew was even called in to dissemble the avionics since the crew was unable to coax the pet out. After a 4-hour delay, Ripples was freed, the plane was rechecked and passengers were back on route to Toronto.

Taxable Rewards
We all know that frequent-flier miles can be a losing proposition, but soon you might be taxed for the insult. Citibank is asking their customers to declare the miles earned from their “Thank You” rewards program. As reported in the LA Times, the 1099-Misc form asks about the use of “prizes and awards” and miles could be considered that. However, the 1099 form is only required when total compensation during the year exceeds $600. Thought the IRS has yet to comment, one accountant theorized that including non-income money on a 1099 MISC is a big red flag and Citibank is increasing their tax deductions while making their clients more likely to be audited.

Bad News Brochure
American Express probably wishes that the USPS has a recall option right about now. Clients are now receiving a travel brochure inviting them to be immersed in a Mediterranean cruise vacation aboard the Costa Concordia. One ill-timed line boasted, “When you choose Costa cruises…you don’t just see Europe — you live it.” American Express noted that it was too late to pull the brochure and the offer itself is, of course, no longer available.

Lit Up, Kicked Off
On Tuesday night a Continental flight from Houston to Ontario, California was diverted after a passenger lit a cigarette midair. The unidentified man, who arrested and taken into FBI custody, refused to put out his smoke and then fought with the flight attendant. The passenger could be facing federal charges for his nic fit.

He Must Be Trippin’ won last week’s Icarus Award. Check out more nominees in our Icarus Award section.  Vote for this week’s worst offender in our poll.

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By Lily J. Kosner for PeterGreenberg.com

Related links: Huffington Post, Jaunted,Business Insider, Huffington Post, Washington Post