Latest news with #flying
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Plane Passenger Holds Stranger's Hand During Takeoff After He Notices She's 'Visibly Shaken' (Exclusive)
Chad Savage tells PEOPLE it just felt "natural" to comfort the person next to him during her first flight alone As Chad Savage's flight began to take off, he felt a soft touch on his hand.'I looked up and I could see her hand was trembling a bit,' he tells PEOPLE of the woman sitting across the aisle. 'I could see her body language [was] really anxious, and then I just grabbed her hand.' 'It just felt natural to do,' he adds. Savage admits he hardly knows anything about the woman. They didn't even exchange names. But he did overhear her anxieties about flying alone for the first time. For about five minutes, the complete strangers held hands during takeoff. But it never felt awkward or like a hassle. Instead, Savage says he thinks he got more out of the experience than the nervous flyer — something he never expected. 'At first, I was there for her. Now we're just here for each other,' he explains. 'It was really powerful for me.' As her worries began to quell, the strangers released their grip. Afterwards, the woman turned to Savage to thank him. 'She told me how much she appreciated that, how much it meant to her,' he says. 'She also told me that I should tell my parents that they raised me right, which is really, really nice.' Savage shared a clip of the experience to TikTok. The viral video, with just under a half a million views, led commenters to share their own experiences of comforting strangers. 'I was 14 flying alone and I was sat next to this mom and her kids,' one user wrote. 'I was in the window and she held my hand and treated me like her own. I'll never forget her.' 'I first started driving a semi truck and my first time in the Smokey Mountains it was dark and raining and I was scared,' another comment with over 5,000 likes said. 'On my CB radio I hear the driver behind call my truck because I was driving slow. Told him I was nervous. This UPS driver said 'I'm going to pass you, follow me, I'll talk you through this.' He talked me through the process and kept me calm. That was in 1995, I remember it to this day. We all need comfort sometimes.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Others shared words of encouragement and admiration for Savage. 'The fact that she felt okay to ask you says a lot about how you present yourself in public,' wrote one user. 'It's been really cool and inspiring,' Savage tells PEOPLE of the outpouring of support. 'It makes you feel so happy because that's the kind of platform that I want to build and that's what I want to be a part of.' For Savage, the experience has given him a new outlook on life. 'It really has refreshed my mindset and just in knowing what I feel like my purpose is, which is just to connect with people and spread kindness,' he says. 'If I can inspire anyone through this video to just go out of the way, just a little bit more each day, I promise the return would be something that they never expected.' Read the original article on People Solve the daily Crossword
Times
2 days ago
- Times
It's last orders for the onboard bar. Flying is no fun any more
Flying used to go something like this. Turn up at the airport, perhaps slurp a cheeky beer at Gatwick's Red Lion before you board. Switch your smartphone to flight mode, knowing you have a few hours' reprieve to watch something brain-dead like Mission: Impossible without being pestered. Listen intently for the rattle of the in-flight trolley, which still has the ability to reduce me to a panting Pavlovian dog (just me?). And if I'm flying in premium, a discreet slope off to the onboard bar once the seatbelt sign has been switched off. This long-conditioned ritual at 37,000ft skidded to a halt this month. Virgin Atlantic — our 'fun' airline to the more sensible British Airways — said it would axe its beloved bars by 2028; the space will instead be used for more premium seating called 'retreat suites'. It also said it would introduce free Starlink wi-fi across its fleet by the end of 2027. Blame sober Gen Z obsessed with wellness, blame squeezed airline margins, blame our hyperconnected world. I'm dismayed — and thirsty. I have fond, and squiffy, memories of in-flight bars. One of the most ridiculous flights I've been on was — no surprise — a Virgin service to New York for 2019's World Pride, staffed entirely by LGBT crew. The DJ Jodie Harsh took over the bar on the Airbus A330 and we passengers, giddy on gin miniatures and mini pretzels, jumped around to Spice Up Your Life somewhere over Newfoundland. It's hard to imagine that kind of stunt today. Other times it's more prosaic. These extra social spaces — installed on all Virgin aircraft at great expense — are an escape valve from your seat, particularly if you're flying long haul. That there are gin and tonics and delicious little bags of crisps and sweets on tap is neither here nor there. 'We have loved the bar, but we have a new vision for social spaces: the retreat suites, the private space built for sharing and socialising,' Virgin Atlantic said. Meh. Onboard bars still do exist, but increasingly limply. The Gulfies, including Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad, all offer social spaces only on their monstrous Airbus A380s, but on the few times I've sneaked in they have been pin-drop quiet. When I flew on the weird Global Airlines inaugural flight in May — the founder's aim being to take the airline back to the golden age of flying — I spent a lot of it propping up the SkyPub on the upper deck of the A380. Qantas's A350 aircraft, which it uses for ultra-long-haul flights from London to Australia, instead have a 'wellbeing zone' for stretching and hydrating … and not the fun kind. The advent of free onboard wi-fi is a further dent to the in-flight experience, forcing us to stay connected to the ground. Lots of airlines, like British Airways, offer free wi-fi to their premium passengers and members of their loyalty schemes. Others, like JetBlue and Air New Zealand, offer it to everyone, regardless of cabin. Other carriers are trialling streaming entertainment straight to your phone — which I guess is fine and perfectly logical. But, but, but. I spend my life looking at my phone — is it too much to ask to stare at a slightly bigger screen to watch some mindless guff for a few hours? The sky is the last sanctuary we have. Rhys Jones, aviation editor of the frequent-flyer website Head for Points, agrees that 'it's a shame to see the bar go'. He adds: 'It was part of what set Virgin Atlantic apart. Without it, Virgin will lose a little bit of its sparkle. That said, I understand why it has made this decision: attitudes have changed and competition has become cut-throat. Increasingly we are seeing airlines maximise every square foot of space on board planes and, unfortunately, the bar just simply didn't pay its way.' I think I speak for a lot of frequent flyers when I say: one for the road?
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
I'm Never Getting On A Plane Again After Reading These 22 Disgusting Things People Have Actually Witnessed Others Do Mid-Flight
Flying is stressful enough all on its own, but if you're stuck next to someone who apparently doesn't know how to behave in public, it can turn into a full-fledged nightmare. Recently, we asked members of the BuzzFeed Community to share the grossest thing they've seen someone do on a plane, and I sincerely hope you're not eating anything right now. Here's what they had to say: 1."Resting their nasty, sweaty bare feet on the armrests of the person in front of them (me)." —monicat436c2560a 2."I opened the bathroom door, and from a quick glance, I saw a lady looking at her butt mole in the mirror. Then we both screamed, and I shut the door. The flight attendant told me it wasn't my fault; the lady should have locked the door." —mushroom_gurl_ 3."The kid sitting next to me was picking both boogers and earwax, then showing me how big they were before eating them. Their mom giggled about it." —sassycrocodile178 4."Once someone had the shits on the plane, and when I finally got to use the bathroom, hell, it was just torture, ultimately the grossest thing ever! Considering plane bathrooms are already disgusting." —pinkjellyfish654 5."A woman was licking the hair of a man who was sitting by her!" —om6962 6."I saw a man in the seat diagonally in front of me pull lice out of his hair, look at them, and then squish them the entire flight. I felt like bugs were all over me by the time the flight ended." —glitterycactus476 7."There was something that looked like poop in the barf bag. I thought they changed those bags, but not that time." —wildchild4ever 8."He took off his socks and started rubbing his feet, loudly talking to his companion (who didn't seem bothered by this public behavior) about how much lint they were covered in, as all his foot sock lint floated down on the floor under him. Saying he'd need to keep the socks off for a bit since his feet were still so wet. I was luckily far enough away not to smell anything, but close enough to watch this all unfold." "Comically watching the woman across the aisle with her dramatically twisted face, trying to get her husband to notice foot man as well. Horrified faces on other people who noticed, yet no one said anything. Gross." —dogdadof2 9."My son was on a flight to China from L.A. The man sitting next to him proceeded to remove his socks and shoes. He then began to peel dead skin off his toes, strip by strip. Each piece of skin he flicked away into the aisle, sideways at people sitting across from him, or over the heads of people sitting in front of him. Apparently, the smell was horrendous." —babycapricorn129 10."A gentleman who was on the row parallel to mine, opposite side, was clearly sick, sneezing, coughing, and frequently using the restroom. Well, mid-flight, only about an hour and a half in, he hawked up a nasty piece of phlegm, green mucus. Straight from a scientist's lab. He spit it in his clear water bottle that he brought, left it on his tray, on display for everyone to see. YUCK. I can only imagine the feeling of being the passenger beside him." —honeyymx2 11."Not someone, but myself, unfortunately. The last flight I was on was my first time leaving town without my kids. The anxiety I got from leaving them and being a day's worth of traveling away made me feel physically sick. I knew we'd miss them and I knew it would be hard, but I'd generally been strong about it and despite that aspect, very excited. Once we got as far as boarding the plane, I was nauseous from anxiety." "We got seated and by the time we were buckled, instructed to stay seated and about to take off, I was fighting back vomiting in a big way. The plane took off, and it got worse and worse the more we elevated. Before we got fully in the air and able to use the restroom, it happened. I puked VIOLENTLY, but I stopped it with my mouth. My face looked and felt like a chipmunk storing nuts, except it was a day's worth of meals and bile. I had to SWALLOW it, because remember, we couldn't get up yet. This happened three more times, where each time I swallowed it, because it was coming right back up. The fourth time, my mouth couldn't stop it. It blew out with a FORCE. This happened yet another three times, all actually leaving my body. I puked all over my husband and my lap, and still had to wait a few minutes before getting up to go to the restroom. I felt so bad for my husband and the people sitting around us, because the smell was atrocious. I had to ask for a bag to put my jacket in, a barf bag (just in case anything else was left), and some paper towels for my husband. Still shocked that happened." —asherd402 12."Saw a woman who was eating a salty pretzel. It dropped salt all over the tray table, and then she licked the salt from the tray table." —bedonkawho 13."Changing their baby's crappy diaper on the seat and then placing the crappy diaper under the seat in front of them. The whole plane smelled like shit the entire flight." —shopoholic66 14."An older guy in the row in front of me vomited in his sleep. I think he'd been drinking. The staff cleaned everything up with impressive timing, but that plane never smelled fresh again for the rest of that flight." —batmanofbuzzfeed 15."This woman on the plane sitting next to me was on the phone, on speaker FULL VOLUME while clipping her toenails on the tray. It was absolutely horrifying and disgusting." —kaliiiiiuchiisssssfannnn 16."They ate some salad with funky ass, gross-smelling cheese. And being up in the air, there was no escape from the stench! It was horrible! I was trapped!" —savannahg4e56476eb 17."I saw a guy picking crusty skin off his cruddy-looking feet with his fingers, and then he ate a Subway sandwich right afterwards without washing his hands." —grilledcheese93 18."The guy in front of me had open seats next to him and fell asleep on multiple packets of mayonnaise. They broke open. Kind of felt sorry for the guy until I realized he was drunk." —musecubeart 19."A mother picked apart a sandwich, ate a few random pieces, and put the rest inside of a magazine(??) and SHOVED the magazine back into the pocket of the chair in front of her!!!! She LEFT the magazine in the pocket when leaving the plane, so I took it and threw it away at the gate. I was so mad." —bellagavelin 20."A woman next to me ate a tuna sandwich. With mustard. I was gagging. She continued anyway. It was 8:30 a.m." —dazzlingcrocodile831 21."I saw someone go into the bathroom barefoot." —pepperopigeon 22."I had to catch a last-minute flight and was sitting between two of the smelliest human beings. One would have nonstop raunchy farts (actually tilted his butt in my direction), and the other had rank body odor (he was so shiny from oil). When the flight attendant walked past, she got a whiff, grabbed the seat, jerked back, and asked me to come to the back of the plane. There were no other seats to be had, but she allowed me to stay in the kitchen until it was time to land. God bless that woman." —heroictree78 Have you suffered through someone else's gross behavior on a plane? Share your tale of woe in the comments or via the anonymous form below: Solve the daily Crossword
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Travel + Leisure
6 days ago
- Travel + Leisure
I'm a Frequent Flier, and This Is Secretly the Best Place to Sit on the Plane—and It's Not First Class
I know it's a controversial take among frequent flyers, but I genuinely love sitting in the bulkhead row (it's been called everything from the "least favorite seat" and the row you should "never sit in" down to one of the "worst seats in Economy"). Sure, it comes with a few trade-offs—mainly no underseat storage—but the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks for me. The extra legroom is a game-changer, especially on long-haul flights, and with no seat directly in front, it feels less claustrophobic and more open. That said, flying bulkhead requires a bit of strategy. You must be deliberate about what you'll want within easy reach and come prepared to build your comfort zone, especially since you often won't have a seatback screen or a handy spot to stash your belongings. Over time, I've perfected my go-to setup, from the lightweight wearable bag I keep my essentials in to the sleep mask and noise-canceling earbuds that help me truly relax into that coveted legroom. Here's exactly what I pack (and how I use it) to make the bulkhead seat feel like the best seat on the plane. If I'm flying in a bulkhead seat, I plan ahead to take advantage of the extra legroom—the main perk of this seating, which often means trying to snag as much quality sleep as possible. The Manta Pro is the sleep mask I use at home and on every trip, and Travel + Leisure editors voted it their No. 1 favorite sleep mask roundup. It offers a full blackout experience with zero pressure on your eyes and even comes with its own zippered carrying case and matching earplugs to boot. I love how it fits snugly without being too tight (thanks to a fully adjustable velcro strap and eye cups), and the breathable design keeps me from overheating in stuffy cabins. It's a splurge compared to alternatives, but easily the best eye mask I've ever used. If you are looking for budget-friendly options, more than 65,000 Amazon shoppers have given the Mzoo Eye Mask, $29, a five-star rating. One major drawback of the bulkhead row is the lack of underseat storage, meaning carry-ons must go in the overhead bin for takeoff and landing. That's why having a smart way to keep essentials close is key—enter the fanny pack or crossbody. I rely on this small-but-mighty Dagne Dover Micah Crossbody, which I either keep on my lap or by my side during the flight. It fits all my must-haves—phone, earbuds, lip balm, hand sanitizer, and passport—while the sleek neoprene material feels durable and chic. The adjustable strap easily switches between fanny-pack and shoulder bag styles. I've taken it everywhere, and it's held up beautifully every time. Fortunately for travelers, plenty of equally functional and spacious bags exist: Athleta's Diem Crossbody Bag, on sale for $42, Amazon's top-rated Maxtop Crossbody Belt Bag, $15, and even Quince's Italian Leather Handwoven Mini Satchel. With all that glorious bulkhead legroom, I like to get creative, starting with a DIY footrest. While you can buy inflatable options, I prefer a lightweight, packable duffel for its versatility. This one from Eddie Bauer folds flat in your suitcase, then can be easily filled with soft items like sweaters or travel blankets to create a comfy perch for your feet on long flights. It's roomy enough to double as a carry-on or an extra bag for souvenirs, and the water-repellent fabric plus separate compartment make it ideal for stashing dirty laundry or wet swimsuits once you land. Flying in the bulkhead row means you'll need to be extra intentional about what stays within arm's reach. Enter this overachieving set of mesh zipper pouches. It includes 24 bags in eight sizes, so you can organize your in-flight essentials by category—tech, skincare, snacks, and medications—before you even board. I stash the must-haves in my crossbody or seatback pocket and leave the rest in the overhead bin. They also double as packing cubes and are surprisingly clutch for everyday use (think cords, kids' stuff, or on-the-go organizing). Whether it's crying babies or galley clatter, bulkhead seats are prime real estate for mid-flight noise, which is why I never fly without some kind of audio buffer. These sleepbuds, which are on sale thanks to a nifty on-site coupon, are my gold standard. They block noise like over-ear headphones, but in a way that's actually comfortable to sleep in. No slipping out mid-nap, no digging through the dark to find a missing pod. I use them solo with their built-in soundscapes or pair them with the Calm app for sleep stories. They're tiny, powerful, and have completely changed how I rest in the air. If you're on the lookout for sleep-friendly earbuds that do double duty, travelers also love the Soundcore by Anker A20i True Wireless Earbuds, $30, for their comfy fit, nine-hour battery life, and impressive noise cancellation. One downside of the bulkhead row? No seatback screen. The fix: a compact tablet like the iPad Mini, preloaded with movies, books, shows, and games. It's light enough to hold for hours but big enough to actually enjoy your screen time (pair it with this portable tablet stand and you won't even notice you're missing a TV). I also download the airline's app ahead of time to access its in-flight entertainment—many carriers let you stream straight to your own device with onboard Wi-Fi. It's the ultimate boredom blocker that barely takes up space in your carry-on. Love a great deal? Sign up for our T+L Recommends newsletter and we'll send you our favorite travel products each week.
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Yahoo
Ever Heard A Barking Noise On An Airbus Plane? Here's What It Is
In a March 2025 poll commissioned by travel website The Points Guy, 65% of Americans surveyed indicated they're more nervous about flying in light of recent incidents. In fact, 36% of those polled said that flying fears resulted in modified travel plans, like taking alternative transportation or canceling a journey altogether. Fresh events include a military helicopter colliding with an American Airlines jet in January, killing all 60 passengers; two of the airline's jets clipping wings in a minor April collision on the ground at Reagan National Airport in Washington; and the tragic Air India Boeing 787 crash in June that killed at least 270, both inside the plane and on the ground. The fact is, the odds of perishing in a plane crash are a staggeringly hopeful 1 in 11 million annually, according to PBS's "Nova" series. You're far more likely to be involved in a fatal car accident, which carries a 1 in 5,000 chance of occurring. Still, any unexpected noise from an aircraft, either on the ground or mid-air, is likely to set already jittery passengers on edge. As it happens, most Airbus jets make a very strange noise indeed. One that sounds exactly like a dog barking. Assuming there aren't any actual service dogs in the vicinity of your seat, that barking sound belongs to the aircraft's Power Transfer Unit (PTU), a noisy hydraulic pump. Read more: These Are The Dumbest Looking Cars Of All Time, According To You The PTU's function is to maintain a minimum pressure in the aircraft's hydraulic systems. To hear one in action is perfectly normal and is more likely to occur on the ground, when taxiing to or from the boarding gate. It's near the plane's wings, so passengers seated close to them, like in exit rows, are more likely to hear its barking noise, which has also been compared to the sound of a power saw. According to Airbus, the normal source of hydraulic pressure — which controls the aircraft's slats, flaps, rudder, landing gear, and more — is the engine-driven pump. The PTU is a auxiliary source that activates when there's a pressure difference of 500 pounds per square inch, or more, between those hydraulic circuits. Since the PTU tests itself when the engines are started and again upon landing, those are the two most likely times you'll hear the barking noise, though it's not totally unusual to hear it even after both engines are started. Airbus' single-aisle A320 jet and its shorter and longer variants like the A319 and A321 are immensely popular among both international and domestic carriers, including financially troubled Spirit Airlines. Ditto for the widebody A330, which has a successful record operating long-haul flights. As updated version of these jets are released, the PTU will eventually be discontinued. But for now, rest assured that the unique vocal stylings of the Airbus fleet are nothing to be afraid of. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.
