TresSugar

Front Page: Severe Turbulence Injures 26, 4 Seriously

TresSugar — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 08:00:39 -0700

At least 26 people were injured, four seriously, after a Continental Airlines jet headed from Brazil to Texas hit extreme turbulence this morning. The jet was forced to land in Miami, FL. - CNN
An Australian girl is suing Kentucky Fried Chicken for millions, claiming she was left crippled after eating contaminated food from the chain. - Times
An ad blasting Lou Dobbs is set to appear on CNN. - Huffington Post
The US is considering moving prisoners from Guantanamo Bay to a new prison in the US with its own courtrooms for military and civilian tribunals. - Voice of America
A lack of volunteers willing to participate in clinical trials may slow the fight against cancer. - NY Times

Indian Airline Fires Overweight Flight Attendants

CitizenSugar — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:07:58 -0800

India's government-run Air India airline has dumped 10 female fight attendants who were grounded last year for being overweight. A report says the firings occurred after the cabin crew was warned about meeting minimum physical fitness standards (as in, not being thin enough, apparently) and given "sufficient time to lose weight." The report also says the flight attendants were offered alternative ground assignments, which they understandably refused.

Last year, the airline won the right to prevent attendants from taking flight for carrying on extra weight after Air India cited contract clauses that barred stewardesses from flight duties if they put on too much weight. The company is up against private airlines (who don't clothe their employees in saris) and seems to focus their competitive efforts on their employees' looks. At a recent recruitment drive the airline refused applicants with acne or bad teeth.

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Front Page: Spanish Plane Crash Possible Cause, Pakistan Suicide Attack Kills 60, Rice Surprise Visit to Iraq

CitizenSugar — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 06:56:58 -0700

Spanish Plane Crash Possible Cause:
The plane that crashed in Madrid yesterday and killed 153 people, including two babies and 20 children, had reported an overheated air intake valve before the first attempt at takeoff. The problem was reported and the equipment turned off to fix it. It's not known if this is the only factor in Spain's worst air disaster in almost 25 years.

Pakistan Suicide Attack Kills 60:
Killing 60 and wounding dozens more, a suicide bomber attacked Pakistan's largest military munitions plant. The Pakistan Taliban has claimed responsibility. The violence comes amid political uncertainty in the country following the resignation of President Pervez Musharraf earlier this week.

Rice Surprise Visit to Iraq:
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice surprised Baghdad with a visit to discuss the future of US forces in Iraq. Amid negotiations over the timing of the final withdrawal of US forces, reports suggest that a compromise draft agreement of the plan is being considered by both governments. RIce will meet with Prime Minister Nouri Maliki during her visit.

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85 Percent Want Kids-Only Sections on Airplanes - Do You?

CitizenSugar — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 10:00:43 -0700

Could "Kids or non?" be the new query akin to the smoking section question hitting airplanes soon? Judging by these results, lots would like that. In a survey of more than 10,000 travelers, 85 percent were in favor of special sections for parents traveling with babies or small kids. Oh man, maybe they should remake Snakes on a Plane with kids instead of snakes!

Will it happen? Probably not. A spokesman for the Air Transport Association said kids-only sections would be "logistically difficult" to implement, and could result in an "adults-only" (not the XXX kind) passenger being bumped to the kids section in cases of overcrowding, which given the cutbacks in seats is increasingly common.

The folks behind the survey, AirfareWatchdog, give some tips to cope in the mixed-age skies, including this one, which seems a little mean even if it is practical: "Take very early morning flights (5 a.m. or 6 a.m., if they're available). Parents can rarely manage to dress, feed, wash, and otherwise organize infants and toddlers in time to catch flights that early in the day." But the ultimate retaliation is a taste of their own medicine: "Just grin and bear it. Or start wailing, kicking and screaming yourself."

Is the thought that kids are the ones causing problems an unfair assessment? After all, tons of famous (Naomi Campbell, Courtney Love, et al.) and otherwise adults are removed from airplanes for unruly behavior all the time.

Do you avoid kids on planes? Is this a perfect solution, or does it make flying the skies less-than-friendly?

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How Low Can They Go? Pilots Fly Without Enough Fuel

LibertySugar — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 00:00:59 -0700

The gas crisis has dangerous consequences, according to pilots who claim that airlines restrict airplane fuel to uncomfortably low amounts. Aggressive policies enacted by the financially struggling airline companies, attempt to reduce consumption and cost.

Three years ago NASA set up a confidential Aviation Safety Reporting System, which allows workers to anonymously report concerns. Some have reported that the airlines rank captains according to who can land using the least amount of gas.

Despite warnings from aviation workers, the FAA does not want to order airlines to keep fuel loads above the minimum required: enough for the trip, plus 45 minutes extra. The agency's spokesman says that the FAA can't "dabble in the business policies or the personnel policies of an airline." Thankfully, there hasn't been a low-fuel-related accident since the early '90s; but, do you think airline companies should listen to the pilots' growing concerns that the bottom line might compromise safety?

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TSA Loses Laptop Containing All Data in Clear-to-Fly Program

CitizenSugar — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:45:55 -0700

The Transportation "Security" Administration might have to rethink its name after it misplaced a laptop containing all of the unencrypted data from 33,000 people who've enrolled in the TSA Clear program for over a week. The info in question includes names and passport, driver's license, and green card numbers - you know, the important stuff.

The laptop belonged to the private company Verified Identity Pass, which runs the program that allows passengers to pay a fee and register to clear security faster in 17 different states. The computer went missing on July 26, but the TSA wasn't notified until Sunday. All of the applicants have to be notified of the security breach. Obviously. The laptop has now been mysteriously recovered, hidden in a "not obvious" location. An investigation is underway as to whether the laptop was stolen and returned, or just misplaced.

Though they might have lost track of that data, they found a whole new (and personal) place to search. To see where, read more.

Meanwhile, the TSA has been given the new power to poke around in our laptops during screening. The grab-the-computer policy has been in place for a while, but they've only just disclosed it officially under pressure from civil liberties groups. TSA can peek through cell phones, iPods, pagers, and hard drives to their hearts' content. Maybe they'll find the data they misplaced?

Have you enrolled in this program? Does the missing info say anything about TSA's ability to keep us safe?

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Front Page: Huge Hole Forces Plane Landing, Nepal Police Detain 125 Tibetans, HIV Drugs Add 13 Years

CitizenSugar — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 07:00:43 -0700

Huge Hole Forces Plane Landing:
A Qantas passenger plane from London to Melbourne made an emergency landing in Manila after a giant hole was ripped in its underside. The emergency landing left all 346 passengers safe, but the nine-foot wide hole led to a loss of cabin pressure and a rough landing amid emergency preparations. Once safe on the ground, reactions of the passengers ranged from vomit to tears.

Nepal Police Detain 125 Tibetans:
Nepali police have detained 125 Tibetan refugees for attempting to storm a Chinese consular office in Kathmandu. Over 20,000 Tibetans live in Nepal and many regularly protest for the freedom of Tibet. Human Rights Watch said yesterday that Nepal was responding to pressure from China without regard for human rights with unexplained arrests and abuse in detention.
HIV Drugs Add 13 Years:
A study of 43,000 patients shows that life expectancy for people with HIV has increased by about 13 years since the last decade because of HIV treatments. Researchers liken HIV now to a chronic condition like diabetes instead of a fatal disease. The study found that a person diagnosed at 20 could expect to live for another 49 years. Meanwhile, the US House passed a bill tripling the money spent on fighting AIDS worldwide.

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Front Page: A Perfect Rescue Operation, Mandela Not a Terrorist, Jobs and Airlines in Trouble

CitizenSugar — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 07:00:22 -0700

A Perfect Rescue Operation:
French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt and 14 other hostages freed from FARC rebels in a daring rescue mission has called her release after more than 6 years, a "miracle." She says, "there is no historical precedent for such a perfect operation." The mission was accomplished without a shot fired after the Colombian military penetrated the highest level of FARC and tricked them into handing over the hostages. Among those rescued were three American military contractors and 11 members of the Colombian security forces, all said to be in relatively good health. FARC has been trying to overthrow the Colombian government for 40 years, and still holds over 40 high-profile hostages, among up to 700 other captives.

Mandela Not a Terrorist:
US President George W Bush signed a bill removing Nelson Mandela and South African leaders from the US terror watch list. Mandela and ANC party members will now be able to travel to the US without a waiver from the secretary of state. The African National Congress (ANC) was labeled as a terrorist organization by South Africa's former apartheid regime.
Jobs and Airlines in Trouble:
The number of former workers signing up for unemployment insurance rose sharply last week. According to a Labor Department report, new applications jumped by 16,000 to 404,000, the highest level since late March. Meanwhile, the airline industry is predicting a $6.5 billion loss for the year, having been hit harder by fuel costs than expected.

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Muslim Travelers May Avoid Sniffer Dog Checks Citing Religion

CitizenSugar — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 13:00:51 -0700

Transportation police in the UK might be losing a safety tool: Muslim passengers are objecting to the use of danger-sniffing dogs, saying that the practice is against Islam. According to the religion, dogs are considered to be spiritually “unclean."

Though the animals may be able to touch passengers’ luggage as a more acceptable alternative, the ban may hinder the effectiveness of dogs who've been trained to identify terrorists. Though a police spokesman said sniffer dogs would still be used regardless of faith, but handlers will be vigilant of “cultural sensitivities.” The chairman of the Islamic Human Rights Commission disagrees that the measure is enough, saying that even dogs touching baggage would be an issue for a Muslim preparing to pray. He stressed the importance of finding a method to allow dogs to check passengers without physical contact.

Are machines an alternative? Perhaps not. In a trial following the 2005 London bombings, some Muslim women said the use of a body scanner was also unacceptable because it was the equivalent of being forced to strip. Should religious beliefs trump safety practices? Where should the line be?

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Air India Attendants Too Fat (Ugly) to Fly? Court Says A-OK

CitizenSugar — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 10:00:23 -0700

India's state-owned airline, Air India, has just won the right to prevent attendants from taking flight for carrying on extra weight. The Delhi high court ruled on a case filed by five flight attendants protesting the fact that they'd been grounded by the airline for being too fat to fly. They're expected to appeal.

The judges sided with the airlines, saying a chubby crew presents a safety hazard - but then there's this addition to the judgment - in the highly competitive airline industry, flight attendant's physical condition and appearance play an important role in her overall personality. (Emphasis, mine.) How can someone's appearance dictate her personality? I buy that flight attendants have to be in a physical condition good enough to save people from a burning plane, but the beauty factor of the ruling is not so pretty.

The government-run airline is up against private airlines who don't clothe their employees in traditional saris, opting for Western get-ups, and they've pinpointed the crux of being competitive with their employees' looks. At a recent recruitment drive the airline refused applicants with acne or bad teeth.

Can a court rule that the attractiveness of an employee has business ramifications? OK, some industries - modeling, and the like - depend on appearance, but maintaining safety on an aircraft? Is the ruling fair justice, or just pretty ugly?

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