Latest news with #ViewfromtheWing
Vancouver Sun
a day ago
- Vancouver Sun
Why a Toronto-bound flight from Amsterdam turned back after five hours in the air
A flight this week from Amsterdam to Toronto spent more than five hours in the air before landing — in Amsterdam. The cause was a missed scheduled maintenance that was discovered while the plane was over the Atlantic Ocean, requiring it to do a U-turn and return home. The aircraft, an Airbus A330-303, had already been delayed 90 minutes from its original departure time of 11:20 a.m. local time, for what should have been an eight-hour flight from Schiphol airport to Toronto. That was due to a last-minute change of plane because the air conditioning on the original one wasn't working. But the new plane had its own issues. As reported on the website View from the Wing and elsewhere, the crew realized only en route that there was required maintenance for the aircraft that had not been performed. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. KLM confirmed to Business Insider magazine that the U-turn was caused by the aircraft reaching what it called a 'maintenance deadline.' 'During flight KL691 from Amsterdam to Toronto, it was decided to return to Schiphol as a precaution after it became apparent during the flight that the replacement aircraft (PH-AKA) would reach its maintenance deadline,' the airline said in a statement. 'The aircraft was fully airworthy at the time of departure,' it added. 'To prevent the license from expiring during the flight, it was decided to return to perform the maintenance in the Netherlands.' The delay — more than three hours on a flight of more than 3,500 kms — means that, due to European laws , each passenger is entitled to 600 euros in compensation, as well as rebooking by the airline. 'Although all passengers were rebooked upon arrival, we naturally find it very unfortunate for the passengers who were affected by this,' KLM said in its statement. Flight data from shows that the aircraft was south of Iceland and nearly midway across the Atlantic when it turned around. Last-minute aircraft swaps have caused issues in the past. View from the Wing details how, earlier this month, American Airlines swapped out a Boeing 787-8 for a similar 787-9, then sent the latter on a flight from Philadelphia to Naples, Italy. But the runway at Naples wasn't certified for the 787-9, so it had to be diverted to Rome, 200 kms to the north. National Post has reached out to KLM for further comment. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our newsletters here .
Calgary Herald
a day ago
- Calgary Herald
Why a Toronto-bound flight from Amsterdam turned back after five hours in the air
A flight this week from Amsterdam to Toronto spent more than five hours in the air before landing — in Amsterdam. The cause was a missed scheduled maintenance that was discovered while the plane was over the Atlantic Ocean, requiring it to do a U-turn and return home. Article content The aircraft, an Airbus A330-303, had already been delayed 90 minutes from its original departure time of 11:20 a.m. local time, for what should have been an eight-hour flight from Schiphol airport to Toronto. That was due to a last-minute change of plane because the air conditioning on the original one wasn't working. Article content Article content Article content But the new plane had its own issues. As reported on the website View from the Wing and elsewhere, the crew realized only en route that there was required maintenance for the aircraft that had not been performed. Article content Article content 'During flight KL691 from Amsterdam to Toronto, it was decided to return to Schiphol as a precaution after it became apparent during the flight that the replacement aircraft (PH-AKA) would reach its maintenance deadline,' the airline said in a statement. Article content 'The aircraft was fully airworthy at the time of departure,' it added. 'To prevent the license from expiring during the flight, it was decided to return to perform the maintenance in the Netherlands.' Article content The delay — more than three hours on a flight of more than 3,500 kms — means that, due to European laws, each passenger is entitled to 600 euros in compensation, as well as rebooking by the airline. Article content Article content 'Although all passengers were rebooked upon arrival, we naturally find it very unfortunate for the passengers who were affected by this,' KLM said in its statement. Article content Article content Flight data from shows that the aircraft was south of Iceland and nearly midway across the Atlantic when it turned around. Article content Last-minute aircraft swaps have caused issues in the past. View from the Wing details how, earlier this month, American Airlines swapped out a Boeing 787-8 for a similar 787-9, then sent the latter on a flight from Philadelphia to Naples, Italy. But the runway at Naples wasn't certified for the 787-9, so it had to be diverted to Rome, 200 kms to the north. Article content
Ottawa Citizen
a day ago
- Ottawa Citizen
Why a Toronto-bound flight from Amsterdam turned back after five hours in the air
A flight this week from Amsterdam to Toronto spent more than five hours in the air before landing — in Amsterdam. The cause was a missed scheduled maintenance that was discovered while the plane was over the Atlantic Ocean, requiring it to do a U-turn and return home. Article content The aircraft, an Airbus A330-303, had already been delayed 90 minutes from its original departure time of 11:20 a.m. local time, for what should have been an eight-hour flight from Schiphol airport to Toronto. That was due to a last-minute change of plane because the air conditioning on the original one wasn't working. Article content Article content Article content But the new plane had its own issues. As reported on the website View from the Wing and elsewhere, the crew realized only en route that there was required maintenance for the aircraft that had not been performed. Article content Article content 'During flight KL691 from Amsterdam to Toronto, it was decided to return to Schiphol as a precaution after it became apparent during the flight that the replacement aircraft (PH-AKA) would reach its maintenance deadline,' the airline said in a statement. Article content 'The aircraft was fully airworthy at the time of departure,' it added. 'To prevent the license from expiring during the flight, it was decided to return to perform the maintenance in the Netherlands.' Article content The delay — more than three hours on a flight of more than 3,500 kms — means that, due to European laws, each passenger is entitled to 600 euros in compensation, as well as rebooking by the airline. Article content Article content 'Although all passengers were rebooked upon arrival, we naturally find it very unfortunate for the passengers who were affected by this,' KLM said in its statement. Article content Article content Flight data from shows that the aircraft was south of Iceland and nearly midway across the Atlantic when it turned around. Article content Last-minute aircraft swaps have caused issues in the past. View from the Wing details how, earlier this month, American Airlines swapped out a Boeing 787-8 for a similar 787-9, then sent the latter on a flight from Philadelphia to Naples, Italy. But the runway at Naples wasn't certified for the 787-9, so it had to be diverted to Rome, 200 kms to the north. Article content
New York Times
01-05-2025
- New York Times
How to Save Time and Money at the Airport
From long lines to overpriced food and scarce seating, airports are rife with pitfalls. For some people, said Katy Nastro, a travel expert at Going, an app for cheap flights, 'airports are like travel purgatory: You're neither here nor there.' But technology, advance planning and a few creative strategies can help you parry airport problems. Your airport journey can begin as early as 24 hours before departure, when you should check in, pay checked bags fees, which will expedite bag drop, and sign up for flight notifications by text to keep up with scheduling. Next, determine when you should leave for the airport. The rule of thumb is to arrive two hours before departure for domestic flights (three for international), allowing yourself plenty of time to check bags, get through security (especially if you don't have expedited clearance) and board. 'The biggest challenge with airports is the variability in how long it may take to get there, and to get from curb to gate,' said Gary Leff, the author of the aviation blog View from the Wing. Use a map app to get a sense of travel time to the airport a week or a few days before departure. Airline websites commonly include security wait times. If you're checking a bag, you may need to do so no less than 45 minutes before domestic departures (check your carrier for cutoff times). Add this to your transit time, along with a comfortable cushion. The quickest way through security is to sign up for expedited clearance. Travelers enrolled in TSA PreCheck usually wait 10 minutes or less at security, according to the Transportation Security Administration. Membership, which costs between $76.75 and $85, depending on the enrollment provider, is good for five years. Global Entry, which speeds travelers through customs screening when they return to the United States, includes enrollment in TSA PreCheck. It costs $120 and is good for five years. CLEAR allows members to use its lanes in 59 airports around the country to get to the front of the security lines ($199 a year). If you do breeze through traffic and security, try to fly standby on an earlier flight, recommends Brian Sumers, who writes the newsletter The Airline Observer. 'Since the pandemic, free standby is back,' Mr. Sumers said, noting that even Southwest Airlines, which previously prohibited the practice, offers standby if space is available. Airports are notorious for inflated food prices. A sandwich that might cost $5 at a grocery store can easily run twice that at the airport. So bring your own meals and snacks. Just make sure they can clear security (for instance, yogurt is considered a liquid, and containers over three ounces can be confiscated.) Also, bring an empty water bottle to refill after clearing security. If you can't B.Y.O., Harriet Baskas, a Seattle-based author who writes the travel blog Stuck at the Airport, recommends browsing food courts and ordering appetizers or kid-size portions to keep costs down. Many airports have vastly expanded the availability of electrical outlets to charge devices. But nabbing one can be competitive, and sometimes the outlets don't work. 'I've merrily worked away while believing my laptop or phone was charging only to discover that the entire bank of powered chairs was unplugged,' Ms. Baskas said. 'I've learned to check first before settling in.' She recommends taking a multi-outlet cord so you can share a plug with other travelers. Get around the issue with your own external battery. George Hobica, who founded the flight search engine Airfarewatchdog, takes one powerful enough to charge several devices at once. Use wait time to stretch your legs. Exercise delivers both physical and mental benefits, and long airport concourses offer convenient walking tracks. Colleen Lanin, who writes the travel blog Colleen Travels Between and has been covering family travel for 16 years, suggests tiring the kids out with exercise before boarding. 'When my children were young, I paid them a small amount of money for each lap they ran around our backyard before we headed out, and they could spend their earnings on an item at the airport gift shop,' she said. During layovers, she encourages parents to find a quiet area and play a game of Red Light Green Light or Simon Says. As long as you are monitoring the flight boarding call on an app, there's no reason to be at a crowded gate where seats are scarce. Find a convenient unoccupied gate and wait there. Airport websites will help you find yoga rooms (San Francisco), art exhibits (Philadelphia), live music schedules (Austin-Bergstrom), outdoor terraces (Denver) or a butterfly garden (Singapore Changi). Or ask an airport employee for recommendations. 'The folks at the information booths are usually happy to share favorite spots, and you don't need to be a kid to ask them for crayons and a coloring book or a collectible airport trading card,' said Ms. Baskas. When a flight is delayed or canceled, passengers inevitably start lining up to talk to the gate agent. But log in while you're waiting. With the airline's app; you can usually get information more efficiently. 'Typically, customers will have the same access to seats on the app as agents at the desk can see,' Mr. Sumers said. With storms or cascading delays, seat availability can be fluid. 'If you're vigilant on the app, you may find seats that weren't available just one minute before,' Mr. Sumers added. You may not be able to escape an airport, especially during a delay, but you can treat yourself to a break. Ms. Baskas keeps $30 in her wallet to buy a treat like a special dessert or a hardcover book. 'That makes me feel better at the moment and won't show up on the credit card bill later to remind me of a stressful time,' she said.
Daily Mail
30-04-2025
- Daily Mail
Major airline under fire for cutting plate sizes in its lounges so flyers eat less
American Airlines travelers are undergoing portion control when they visit one of its famous Admirals Clubs, customers are claiming. Travel expert Gary Leff claimed the airline is offering small plates with all foods to save money at its lounges. 'They want to make sure that customers eat less, or at least take less, in order to control food costs. And they do this with very small plates,' he wrote on his blog View from the Wing - Thought Leader in Travel. Already believing the Admirals Clubs 'lags the offerings of Delta and United,' Leff said the small plates also create a mess in lounges. 'They don't hold much food, and they don't do a great job of holding it in. 'If you pick up food using tongs and place it in the plates, some items like salad invariably fall onto the ground,' he wrote. Leff also slammed the quality of the Club food, but noted it could be a reason why some locations aren't busy. Admiral Club members are required to adhere to rules, including paying for certain foods and not taking items away from clubs. Leff slammed American Airlines' Admirals Clubs and claims its features 'lags the offerings of Delta and United' A reader provided an example of full-sized bratwurst in an Admirals Club at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) in North Carolina. The smaller-sized dishes were the only plates at the Club, and the bratwurst didn't fit. Leff used the 'awkward' moment to give a tongue-in-cheek explanation of the basic purposes of a plate. The travel expert explained that dishes are used to help keep food off surfaces, spilling or dropping on the ground, prevent it from spreading food everywhere, and serve as a barrier between food and dirty tables. They can also provide a 'flat, often decorative space to arrange food attractively,' he said. Leff believes American mainly uses the small plates for portion control. 'I suppose if the lack of proper plates for Admirals Club food is a stopper, you could always just limit yourself to the Snack Tower of Sadness,' he joked, referring to a selection of snacks presented in tall plastic tubes. 'Or, American could take seriously the idea of their premium pivot and invest in dishware, not just food.' Reddit users were just as frustrated, and a few travelers claimed they watched Admirals Club attendees often ' dropping food from tiny plates.' Travelers interested in visiting a lounge must be Admirals Club members, Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard holders, purchasing a day pass, or traveling in premium cabins on qualifying flights Admirals Club lounges are a hotspot for American Airlines fliers worldwide. One of the airline's newer locations opened in 2023 at Denver International Airport in Colorado. Travelers interested in visiting a lounge must be Admirals Club members, Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard holders, purchasing a day pass, or traveling in premium cabins on qualifying flights. Besides American, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines are known for offering high quality services through their lounges. Delta Sky Clubs are hot commodities in the eyes of flyers - especially its new first class lounge inside JFK. United offers three types of airport lounges, opened its newest United Club Fly location in February, reopened a Polaris lounge this week, and is scheduled to open a revamped club in June.
