Flying Commercial

On 911 the perpetrators were ordinary people who did not even illicit a second look form any of the fellow passengers. The Christmas day bomber was the same. Every person that got on board with intent to do harm, was never given a second look because we just do not know what to look for. And by getting on a commercial airliner where we do not know who the person in the plane with us is, we put our selves, our family and our future in jeopardy.

Flying Private

When you get on board a private jet, the only unknown is the Captain and his crew. By extension, you know that the company you chartered the flight from has vetted this pilot thoroughly before entrusting a twenty million dollar aircraft to him. This should give you sufficient comfort of the safety as far as the crew is concerned. On board, every passenger is known to you and there is no unknown. The bags on board are known to you and there is no chance of a hijack or any security issue.

Mechanical Safety

As far as passenger risk, flying private is definitely advantageous. However, in terms of mechanical safety, is flying commercial, safer? It is safe, but not safer, as the charter jets under FAA part 135 undergo rigorous mechanical inspections and certifications, not unlike the Part 121 Airlines. It seems more common to hear about an airline having mechanical problems, like the  recent Qantas problems and the SIA crack in the wing spar of the new A380, but you hardly hear any issue with a Gulfstream or a Challenger or even a Learjet for that matter.

As far as flying commercial, it makes sense, financially, when you are flying alone. In fact, if you are flying alone and its a two hour flight, maybe you should just take the train or  drive. It takes up less fuel and it takes not a lot of difference in time. To get from Washington to New York is an hour flight. If you include the time it takes to check in, get through security, board the aircraft, the flight time to new your then the time it takes to get a cab and into the city, it will be the same to drive it up I95 in three hours. And it will be a lot cheaper and you would have left a smaller carbon foot print.

Your author Linda Evans enjoys travelling as one of her hobbies. A private Jet hire makes her travels enjoyable and pleasurable.

There has long been a compromise between the level of security aboard aircraft and therefore public safety and the levels of inconvenience endured due to extensive airport security checks. These security checks go beyond what the general public can see with new technologies being continually introduced.

Luggage security checks

Those who fly frequently will be all too familiar with hand-luggage security checks as they progress through airport security. X-ray machines are used to examine the contents of hand-luggage and any suspicious items are inspected more closely through a thorough search of the bag.

However, what many passengers may not realise is that their hold-luggage is examined in a similar way. X-ray machines are operated by baggage handling staff in the bowels of the airport. However, this luggage is generally not searched by hand unless something exceptionally suspect is found.

Personal security checks

Personal security checks begin when the passenger first arrives at the airport and presents themselves at the check-in desk. Their passport is electronically analysed and compared against the governments ‘no-fly’ list to ensure that the passenger does not pose a known security threat.

Security checks continue as the passenger progresses through airport security. Metal detectors are used to ensure that the passenger is not carrying any prohibited metallic items. In recent years more and more items have been added to the list of prohibited items including significant quantities of fluid due to the threat posed by liquid explosives.

In some airports full body scanners have been introduced which are much more thorough than metal detectors. Instead of detecting only metallic items, full body scanners will detect any suspect material, irrespective of the material from which it is constructed. Passengers enter a chamber with their progress blocked by a set of security doors while they are scanned. Once they are cleared to proceed the automatic doors in front of them will open to allow them to exit.

If a person is found to be carrying prohibitive items in either instance a closer inspection can be carried out using a handheld metal detector or a hand search. In more extreme circumstances a full strip search may be required.

Airport Security versus Personal Freedoms

There has long been a conflict between the need for enhanced airport security and the personal freedoms of the passengers who fly. Many of the necessary security checks carried out by airport staff can be invasive.

However, such checks are essential to the safety of all of those who fly. Unfortunately, the tactics of those who wish to do harm are constantly evolving and airport security measures tend to be reactive, always one step behind the latest threat until it is revealed in one way or another.

This post was written by James Harper on behalf of Automatic Access who provide security doors and automatic doors in use in airports and public buildings. Photo: MJ/TR

An introduction to flight attendant careers

How do you begin your career as a professional flight attendant? The first step is to know the industry and how you can contribute to it. The airline industry is one of the most competitive fields in business, and only applicants who have thoroughly prepared for the job will progress beyond the initial interviews.

The Bureau of Labor reported that cabin crew such as flight attendants are expected to see typical or average growth in job openings in comparison to other jobs in the next several years. There should be increases in the number of passengers travelling by air as the population of the United States continues to grow and the economy begins to improve. As a result, airlines will increase their handling capacities for increased numbers of passengers by adding to the numbers and sizes of planes they have in the air. This in turn will result in a need for more flight attendants. However, in the next several years, the need for cabin crew such as flight attendants will increase and decrease depending how many people want to travel by air, which itself depends greatly on the ups and down-swings of the economy. During periods of economic decline, as fewer people elect to fly by air, fewer flight attendants might be hired, which might also lead to some more experienced attendants being laid off until the demand for air travel increases.

Future projections for flight attendant occupations

Flight attendant vacancies in the next decade are expected to occur from the need to bring new people into the field to replace existing flight attendants who choose to leave the flight industry or transfer into other fields. Such transfers are likely to occur by flight attendants seeking a more stable lifestyle or the potential for greater earnings. It is important to note that there will still be a considerable amount of competition for flight attendant jobs because in most cases, more people are interested in working as cabin crew than there are available positions. As a result, only the most qualified applicants are typically hired.

However, as more people these days have come to view working as a flight attendant as a stable profession, fewer people are interested in leaving the job prematurely, and the rate of job turnover has decreased in recent years compared to in the past. The current average length during which people are employed as flight attendants is slightly more than 7 years and continues to increase, suggesting more people are seeing the position as a viable career for extended periods of time.

The job application process for flight attendants

There are numerous ways a person can apply for a job as a flight attendant. In the past, applicants had to go to their local ticket counters to pick up applications, then return home to complete them, mail them in, and wait patiently for interviews. These days, the application process is simpler, but there is more competition to contend with. Typically these days, applicants can mail their resumes directly to airlines they are interested in working for. As technology continues to increase, the process of applying for jobs has become more streamlined to address the needs of both the human resource departments in airports and the applicants themselves. Today, it is possible for screening to take place directly through the internet. It has become increasingly common for people to apply for positions as flight attendants through the websites of airlines. Telephone interviews have also become more common, as well as questions presented over telephone for applicants to demonstrate their knowledge of customer service scenarios.

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Kulula Airlines are a low budget, no-frills airline based in South Africa.  This new livery was designed in-house for their fleet of Boeing 737-800s and the design is entitled" Flying 101."

Click each image to enlarge.  I particularly like the arrow pointing at the loo!

Here's the press release they broadcasted earlier this year.

kulula’s 'Flying 101' plane design achieves global fame

Jo'burg, 08 February 2010 kulula's latest plane design has been a worldwide hit after being seen by plane-spotters en-route to South Africa. Photos of the new livery dubbed 'Flying 101' have since been viewed by millions having appeared on some of the world’s leading blogs, spurring a frenzy of online comments. All this before it even touched down in South Africa.

The design covers the planes exterior in a tongue-in-cheek guide to the various parts of the planes interior, such as the 'Mile-high initiation chamber'. The plane is just one of a fleet expansion of eight state-of-the-art Boeing 737-800s (each with a unique livery). As these planes will be replacing the 737-400's currently used in kulula's fleet, South Africans can look forward to spotting the new 800's during this year.

"The 'Flying 101' was conceptualised and designed by kulula's in-house design department. This branding idea is a result of our 2010 strategy to demystify air travel for our fans," comments Nadine Damen, kulula Marketing Manager.

"Initially spotted by plane-spotters across the globe, our 'Flying 101' plane has become famous on the world wide web before touching South African soil," continues Damen. "We'’ve been amazed by the number of blogs that have posted 'Flying 101' images as well as the large number of people talking about the new branding on Twitter."

The first Boeing, branded with the 'Flying 101,' landed in Johannesburg on Monday, 8th February 2010 and will start operating from 13th February 2010. The second Boeing is currently undergoing its transformation and will appear to kulula fans much like an oversized container box, with the words 'this way up' printed on its side, is scheduled to start operating on the 8th February 2010.

The show, called Fly Girls, will follow the lives of five “beautiful Virgin America flight attendants jet from one glamorous location to the next … while pursuing good times, great parties, adventures and love” in eight 30 minute episodes.

Kristen Vadas, who oversees reality programming at CW, the television station that is broadcasting the show, says the programme reflects the real lives of the flight attendants.

Handsome Strangers

“This show is about real, down-to-earth young women who happen to have landed in an exceptionally glamorous, high-flying career filled with exotic locations and handsome strangers,” she said.

She said their personal lives are filled with “romance, family, friendships and more than a few roommate conflicts”.

The programme features flight attendants:

* Louise Nguyen
* Farrah Williams, who has flown with Virgin America as a flight attendant since its inaugural flight.
* Tasha Dunnigan
* Mandalay Roberts, who has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show promoting WiFi services available to customers of Virgin America.
* Nikole Rubyn

The program will also deal with their work lives including demanding and fascinating passengers, long hours in the air and layovers.

Exotic Locations

“We’re thrilled to be working with Virgin America for this unique peek into a whirlwind lifestyle that shows how tough it is to be grounded when you work 35,000 feet in the air,” Porter Gale, Vice President of Marketing at Virgin America, said.

The show will be filmed at various US locations including Las Vegas, South Beach, Las Angeles and New York City.

Fly Girls is due to premiere early next year.