Posts by Diane Clarkson (bio)

Diane Clarkson | September 03, 2008, 02:35 PM
United Airlines retreats on eliminating transatlantic meals

Earlier this summer, United Airlines announced plans to stop providing meals to coach passengers on its transatlantic flights. Today, the airline emailed its customers to advise that they had changed their mind based on the feedback they’d received.

United Airlines is positioning this as responding to what travelers value. You may not be a fan a airline food. But if your flying from San Francisco to Frankfurt, a box of microwaved chicken looks a lot better than the Starbucks egg salad sandwich that has been in your carry-on for 10 hours.

I don’t blame United for trying to eliminate transatlantic meals. Cost cutting is essential right now. I don't know if they had any focus groups prior to the initial announcement. But it is somehow reassuring to know that passengers out cried and United listened.

Diane Clarkson | September 02, 2008, 06:22 PM
Starwood Preferred Guest Takes To the Skies

Starwood’s loyalty program, Starwood Preferred Guest, has allowed members to transfer SPG to airline loyalty programs, which has been useful if not occasionally cumbersome benefit. However, now the program has gotten even better – SPG points can be used to book flights directly on www.spg.com/flights.

It gets better: there are no black out dates. On my first try comparing SPG Flights to an airline site, I found SPG offered several loyalty point options while the identical route on the airline's Web site indicated there were no loyalty point flights available.

And, it gets better still: While airline redemption programs impose fees on airline mile redemption flights, SPG Flights redemption includes taxes and booking fees in the price of the flight.

This is great news for travelers, the savviest of whom should be signing up for Starwood American Express cards from their desks in the Sheraton. It is also interesting for the travel industry – the most competitive loyalty program to book flights is now run by a hotel.

Diane Clarkson | August 12, 2008, 12:31 PM
Kayak arms travelers with information to avoid pain points

Kayak has launched information tools to provide travelers with details on some of the greatest pain points in travel:

Airline fees are extensive, vary between carriers, and change frequently. In response, Kayak has posted a Fees Chart which is particularly handy when comparison shopping includes checked bags fees.

The quality of some flights is, well, let’s say “less than ideal”. Kayak has launched a “Flight Quality Warning” which serves as a filter helping travelers identify short connections, long layovers, few seats remaining, turbo prop planes and those flights with an on-time record of 75% or less.

In response to record high gas prices, Kayak has launched a Miles Per Gallon (MPG) filter and Fuel Cost Calculator on the results page of its rental car search.

We talk a lot about how user generated content has redistributed power to travelers. It is true: social marketing has had a massive impact on online travel planning.

But sometimes, the power is simply in information. Kayak has given this to travelers by providing information tools that are timely, relevant, and easy to find.

Diane Clarkson | August 07, 2008, 08:07 PM
Southwest: I'm ready for my close-up Mr. Kelly

In a report I wrote earlier this year called “Travel Blogs: Aligning Marketing Objectives with Blog Strategy”, I talked about the potential of corporate blogs as a branding opportunity and the importance of allowing readers to post comments to maintain a conversational dynamic.

Today, Southwest Airlines launched an online casting call to find their next “Blog-o-spondent” for its corporate blog “Nuts About Southwest”.

Readers are invited to create a one minute video explaining why they should get the position. Blog readers will vote for the top three entries who will compete at the 2008 BlogWorld Expo in Las Vegas.

This is a great example of how a corporate blog can be an interactive community builder and branding tactic.

Nuttiness will surely ensue… if you’re interested in demonstrating yours, check it out.

Diane Clarkson | August 05, 2008, 02:45 PM
Kayak and American Airlines part ways

Kayak has pulled AA fares from its website. Or AA has withdrawn itself from Kayak. Depending on which headlines you read.

American Airlines and Kayak disagreed about how AA fares would be displayed on Kayak – specifically if fares would be displayed via AA.com or through Orbitz or other partners.

The “CEO of a competing travel site” leaked information to TechCrunch last week suggesting that American Airlines would have to pay a double fee for its fares sold on Orbitz via Kayak. This doesn’t makes sense as far as I understand it: Orbitz would pay Kayak for the lead, and American would pay Orbitz for the sale. This is a surprisingly oft-quoted comment given it doesn’t make sense and unnamed sources from competing sites aren’t exactly unbiased credible sources.

According to an American Airlines’ spokesman, the airline wants to retain control over its distribution and it requests from Kayak the same linking policy as it has with Mobissimo and Farecast.

From Kayak’s perspective, they can’t offer exclusive listings to airlines and maintain relationships with online travel agencies who provide access to carriers with whom Kayak doesn’t have relationships as well as cross carrier airfares.
Rock, meet Hard Place.

I think the essential missing piece of information behind this dispute is how many people selected the American fare through an online travel agency that, in all likelihood, had a higher price point that included a service fee.

According to Compete, Sidestep and Kayak directed 1.3 percent of traffic to AA.com. AA has launched an email campaign to passengers who have booked an American flight through Kayak or Sidestep in the last year, offering 1000 bonus AAdvantage points to return directly American next time.

So the question is: what proportion of that 1.3 percent will be driven directly to AA.com by the 1000 bonus points? And, at 1 cent a mile, will American end up ahead?

Diane Clarkson | July 28, 2008, 02:56 PM
Flight crews “part of the labor puzzle”

After a couple of weeks away traveling for both holidays and work, I’m now back in San Francisco. Thankfully.

To a large extent, I have now surrendered to the chaos of air travel. My flights were all delayed, the longest by over four hours. One delay was caused by a labor contract requiring the pilots who’d arrived an hour late the night before now leave an hour later the next morning. My annoyed air travel reflex wondered why I received the delay alert shortly before scheduled departure when I was already at the airport instead of the night before. I suppressed that thought. And I noticed that other passengers helped me several times as in-flight crew watched me struggle with bags, stroller and a one year old. I must confess to casting an irritated glance at the flight attendant who told me she wasn’t allowed to store my son’s bottle in the fridge and gave me a bucket of ice.

Joe Sharkey has written a good article in the NY Times about passenger hostility and its impact on flight crews. The pilot interviewed describes the flight crew as part of the "labor puzzle".

Mr Sharkey's article follows the Miami-New York flight cancelation a couple of weeks ago after the crew arrived 75 minutes late and passengers booed (or were unruly, depending on the source).

After we have run the gauntlet to get to the gate, most air travelers are nerves are frayed. Passenger frustration will not be abating any time soon. This could be a good opportunity for airlines to turn the negative around, by offering welcome smiles and a bit of extra assistance.

This was a missed opportunity when I flew across the country with a bucket of ice balanced between my feet. Maybe next time. Deep sigh.

Diane Clarkson | July 07, 2008, 02:13 PM
Virgin America's negative into positive

One of my colleagues received an email from Virgin American for an upcoming flight advising that delays in modifying their new planes means that the in-flight entertainment system will not be functioning on her flight. Here is a portion of that email:

Due to delays in the modification of our new planes, the inflight entertainment and select other in-seat services will not be available on your upcoming Virgin America flight. This includes the Red Inflight Entertainment system, which normally features satellite TV, movies, games, Google Maps and a food ordering system. In addition, the plugs at every seat for electronic gear will not be operational for the flight. Why are we sending you this message? We want you to be prepared to have your laptop or iPod fully charged, and ensure you have the latest magazines or newspapers to read while onboard your flight. Weʼll do our best to provide some reading material onboard in case you forget.
The Guest Services Team

Certainly Virgin America realizes its in-flight entertainment is an important brand differentiator. But this email turns a negative into a positive, simply by being upfront and considerate.

Thank you Virgin America. I needed that boost in my faith that there is some care out there.

Diane Clarkson | July 02, 2008, 01:55 PM
Online Travel Agencies: Time for Creative Marketing

These may not be easy times for online travel agency marketers, but they are certainly creative times.

Priceline announced today that they are lowering hotel booking fees and eliminating change and cancellation fees.

Last month, Orbitz launched its Price Assurance program to give passengers cash back if another traveler books the same flight itinerary at a lower rate.

Expedia is offering $50 in free gas to travelers booking three or more nights on its site in a MasterCard cross-promotion.
According to BusinessWeek, May saw an 8% increase in visitors to online travel agencies which is consistent with price-sensitive comparison shoppers.

This figure doesn’t tell where travelers purchased.

At this point, it is too early to tell is dipping into their margins will pay off.

But, as a marketer told me last week at the Eye For Travel Marketing conference in Chicago, “It’s not easy. But I’d rather be trying to sell travel than Fords.”

Diane Clarkson | June 16, 2008, 05:03 PM
Orbitz's "Price Assurance"

Orbitz has launched a policy called “Price Assurance” whereby they will refund customers who purchase an airline ticket and then see the price fall.

Orbitz will foot the bill for amounts between $5 to $250.

How popular will this be? According to Expedia, only about 6% of air travelers purchase the qualifying identical itineraries. The Wall St Journal quotes an Orbitz spokesperson as saying "We expect to be sending out thousands of checks per month."

The skeptic in me notes how the possibility that Expedia is underestimating while Orbitz overestimates.

At first glance, one has to wonder how sending out “thousands of checks” per month can be a good idea, particularly for an online travel agency that has been struggling with market share.

A couple of thoughts here:

Firstly, if you accept the premise that concern ticket prices may fall is an obstacle towards early flight booking, then this program will assuage these fears – presumably resulting in a booking at Orbitz.

Secondly, Orbitz’s risk is minimized by the trajectory we’ve seen in airfare prices in the last year.

Other online travel agencies will have the opportunity to watch as Orbitz goes first in this experiment and judge if they want to duplicate it (not the first time that’s happened).

Diane Clarkson | June 12, 2008, 08:36 PM
How many nickels in $2.3 billion?

United Airlines announced today that they will follow American Airlines and introduce $15 baggage fees for each direction for the first checked bag. Not to be left behind, US Airways followed suit hours later.

You can link here to United’s statement about rising oil prices (self-evident) and how they are trying to meet what consumer value most (somewhat less evident).

The airline industry is in crisis. That fact is increasingly apparent with the seemingly daily reports of reduced capacity, layoffs, fare increases, and fees fees fees. Today US Airways also announced a $2 charge for soda and non-alcoholic beverages (now we all knew the free pop couldn’t last forever).

At its simplest, airlines need to raise fares dramatically. AA went first on the $15 baggage fee. But no one wants to go first on a major fare hike. Instead, the airline industry will continue to nickel and dime in the hopes of staying alive longer then their competitors, thereby surviving to a day when there will be less capacity and fares can be raised.

According to IATA, the airline industry will lose $2.3 billion this year. That’s a lot of nickels and dimes.

Diane Clarkson | June 10, 2008, 02:38 PM
Musing about TravelMuse

While the online travel agency has expertly translated the transaction element of booking travel online, it has never truly been able to duplicate the brochure rack browsing in a traditional travel agency. Not all travelers begin their research process with definitive dates and destinations in mind.

In fact, in a report we published a few months ago called “Online Destination Planning: Influencing Undecided Travel Researchers”, we found that 39 percent of online travel researchers had not decided on exact dates when they begin researching travel online, and 15 percent have not decided on a specific destination.

Reshaping the booking process from its predominantly destination- or date-based navigation is one of the great challenges facing the online travel agency. Yesterday, a new Web site called TravelMuse launched its public beta promising to be the travel industry’s first “inspiration finder”.

While there are other travel Web sites that offer destination guidance and inspiration, I’ve not yet seen one that considers the multiple dimensions that TravelMuse looks at, including budget, travelers’ ages, maximum hours in flying time, and preferred vacation activities. The site blends this personalization with collaboration tools, travel guides, photos and original editorial content. Definitely worth checking out.

Diane Clarkson | June 06, 2008, 01:12 PM
OTA's losing online hotel share

Comscore has released information indicating consumers are increasingly shifting from online travel agencies to supplier sites. According the Comscore’s data, supplier Web sites accounted for 72% of online hotel spending during Q1 of 2008. That's a three-percentage point increase in dollar share from last year.

This trend is certainly consistent with JupiterResearch’s travel forecast. We looked at this trend specifically among online leisure and unmanaged business travelers, and forecast that hotel Web sites will account for 54 percent of online leisure and unmanaged business travel revenue in 2007, a share that will grow to 57 percent by 2012. This trend is further fueled by managed business travelers who go outside their companies’ preferred booking partners and prefer supplier sites, frequent travelers who are notably more likely to book their accommodation at supplier Web sites, and the leisure travelers shifting from telephone reservations to hotel Web sites.

This shift to supplier Web sites adds up to a challenging situation for the online travel agencies. After 9/11, online travel agencies were able to leverage the travel slowdown into opaque pricing and vacation packages. This will likely happen again as there are fewer heads in beds and hotels need the distribution partnerships. However, in 2001, the online travel agencies were more likely to be a first stop in travel research. They will have to fight for that position now.

Diane Clarkson | June 04, 2008, 04:46 PM
Weight based airfares generates weighty responses

Bloomberg published a story yesterday quoting an aviation consultant who suggested that charging airline passengers by weight “may be a logical step” in combating rising fuel prices. Another consultant quoted in the article called the idea “unrealistic”. But that hasn’t stopped bloggers from adding their two cents, mostly concerned about the embarrassment weight pricing would create - and with sufficient expletives to prevent my linking from this blog.

I agree that the idea is unrealistic. I can’t imagine any airline going forward with weight pricing. But I find it interesting that the airlines’ ongoing array of fees has created a situation where the idea of weight pricing has actually generated concern among travelers and been picked up by some media.

I hope I’m right about this. I had a big lunch.

Diane Clarkson | May 28, 2008, 05:19 PM
A few questions for AA about $15

It has been one week since American Airlines launched the $15 fee to check a piece of luggage.

In that week, I’ve had numerous conversations with colleagues, journalists, friends and family on the subject. Here are some of the discussion points:

- How much is this going to slow down security since there will be more bags to be screened?

- Won’t this slow down departures if more people are bringing carry-on bags and trying to find a place to put them? Then even more time when there is no space left and baggage crew have to take the bag.

- If you bring a carry-on and there is no space for it on the plane, do you have to pay the $15. Will the people taking your bag at the gate carry change if passengers don’t have the right amount (similarly, will gate check in include currency conversions and/or credit card processing)?

- Will there put a premium on early group boarding so you can be sure to get a storage space for your bag?

- Will the airlines start forcing people to put their coats on their laps - storage is at a premium and it wouldn’t be fair to make someone else pay because you’re coat is bulky and takes up overhead space?

- Will they have an exception for seniors or disabled people who can’t manage a carry-on bag through the airport?

- If the airline loses your bag, do you get a refund?

- How much revenue will this generate after all these costs are factored in?

I don’t have the answers to all these questions. Regrettably, I’m not sure AA does either.

Diane Clarkson | May 27, 2008, 06:18 PM
A bright spot in US tourism

It has been so many months of dismal news in the tourism industry that this bright spot deserves notice:

Inbound tourism has seen some record numbers so far this year. According to Commerce Department stats published in the NY Times, there was a 13.2 percent increase in inbound international travelers in January and February. This includes 18% more Canadians, with double-digit increases from Germany, France, Brazil, China and Italy.

It is too early to know what impact higher airfares may have on inbound travel over the coming summer months. But right now, let’s just savour this small bright spot in tourism.

Diane Clarkson | May 23, 2008, 02:25 PM
Happy Memorial Day Determined Travelers

News coverage today is filled with stories about the projected decline in Memorial Day travel this year. And it is true: this year will be the first since 2001 that has seen a decline in the number of Memorial Day travelers.

AAA estimates 37.9 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday, a decrease of almost 360,000 travelers, or nearly 1 percent, from last year's total of 38.2 million.
About 83 percent of holiday travelers are expected to go by automobile, down 1 percent from last year. Eleven percent plan to fly this holiday weekend, a decrease of 0.5 percent from last year.

I’m looking at the numbers; Gas is roughly 18% more per gallon this year at $4 a gallon. And I’ve lost track of the number of airfare increases since 2008 (let alone the ongoing a’la carte costs associated with air travel).

I have no doubt that American travel plans will be changing this summer due to high fuel prices. But with only 1% fewer are flying and driving this weekend, the important indicator isn’t volume. I suspect there will be fewer dollars spent along the way and retail and hospitality will feel the crunch. But American’s are determined to travel this Memorial Day weekend.

And with that, I wish you all a very happy Memorial Day.

Diane Clarkson | May 21, 2008, 01:05 PM
AA cuts domestic capacity and increases fees

American Airlines announced major reductions this morning, planning to cut mainline domestic capacity by between 10 – 12% in the fourth quarter this year and to lay off an undisclosed number of employees.

These are the painful, practical realities of record high fuel prices.

American Airlines is also introducing a $15 one way fee for the first bag checked starting June 15, applied to all travelers not elite members of AAdvantage, full-fare or international. Fees are also increasing by $5 to $50 for services ranging from reservations services to pet and oversized bags.

Ironically, AA’s announcement comes the day after a University of Michigan’s American Customer Satisfaction Index finds customer satisfaction with airlines in the United States has fallen to its lowest level since 2001.

Scott McCartney at the Wall St Journal describes airline fees as “essentially fare increases that airlines hope won't choke demand.” I agree. Fees will choke demand. And stab any brand efforts to appear customer-centric. Demand will find a new equilibrium. Brand will be harder to rebalance.

American Airline’s announcement today reflects the hard reality of the airline industry. It is very likely the first of more announcements about fare and fee increases, and capacity reduction.

Diane Clarkson | May 09, 2008, 12:43 PM
Lamenting Air Canada's "new era"

It is a New Era in Travel, at least according to the subject line in an email I received yesterday from Air Canada. Air Canada has launched On My Way, which they advise is the “new name for peace of mind”.

This program gives access to 24/7 customer service to rebook on the first available flight and arrange complimentary hotel, car rental, ground transport or meals in the event of a flight delay.

As an added bonus, Air Canada offers “automatic flight information updates sent to you by SMS and email.”

The price of this “New Era” is not mentioned in the email, nor is it mentioned in first page of the website promotion. So three clicks in, I learn the “New Era” costs $25 for short haul (under 1000 miles) and $35 for long haul (over 1000 miles).

Air Canada, of course, understands travelers are frustrated by “unpredictable weather conditions, airport and air traffic delays”, a legitimate list for which they are blameless (though I find it somewhat incomplete since I’ve had flights delayed on the airline for reasons including needing to siphon off fuel when too much was mistakenly loaded, and waiting for a new flight crew due to union regulations)

I’ve been a big fan of Air Canada’s marketing, their well-branded flight classes and website features. I’ve defended their a’la carte pricing as one of the earlier carriers to introduce fees for second bags.

Entrepreneurial, perhaps. But this fee for service offends me on principle.

Flight delays top the list of travelers concerns, as is addressed in our recent report called “Airlines and Leisure Travelers: Understanding Issues and Opportunities”. Some airlines are trying strategies based on the premise that their customers deserve a level of customer service. According to the Boston Globe, American Airlines Inc. is testing out a gate-side customer service center and a phone bank at Logan intended to help passengers get rebooked on alternate flights faster while US Airways plans to have several agents dedicated to tracking flights that will arrive late and rebooking passengers who will miss their connections.

Regrettably, Air Canada now considers customer service to be an opt-in a’la carte revenue generator.

Yet I fear they are correct: this, sadly, could be a new era in travel.

Diane Clarkson | May 02, 2008, 05:09 PM
Airline crisis deepens

This is no doubt that the US airline industry is in crisis caused in large part to the current record-breaking fuel prices. This crisis isn’t something that $25 second bag fee and slowing flight speed a few km/hr will resolve. Airline execs know this.

Extreme fare increases and dramatic cutbacks in flights will be required. This will, as outlined very well in a USA Today article, reshape air travel across the USA. The fallout could be enormous: decreased flights will affect accommodation, attractions, car rentals.

The USA Today article quotes Tom Horton, American Airline’s chief financial officer, saying “Air travel has been one of the incredible bargains for U.S. consumers.” The challenge is that consumers have become accustomed – perhaps even feeling entitled – to lower airfares.

Airlines have raised fares ten times in the last six months, and more increases will follow. Extreme increases need to follow. The critical question is, after the initial shock causes a dip in demand, what price will the market bear?

Diane Clarkson | April 22, 2008, 05:30 PM
Going Green

Many providers within the travel industry are trying to facilitate travel decisions for environmentally concerned travelers. Check out Orbitz’s section on energy-efficient hotels and Expedia’s “Going Green” store.

Hybrid car rentals, volunteer vacations and carbon offset programs are all a part of the travel industry’s efforts to go green. There are varying levels of cynicism about the travel industry’s “green”; on one hand, it may be facilitating travel booking in ways that will be less harmful to our environment and, on the other hand, the number of people who will stay at an eco-lodge is pretty small and cynics would ask if this is all a marketing ploy.

We will have a report coming up soon looking at US online travelers’ attitudes and behaviours around “green” travel. We’ll address the pendulum of cynicism in that report. Until then, happy Earth Day.

Diane Clarkson | April 18, 2008, 02:35 PM
Do Travel Writers Go To Hell?

Do Travel Writers Go To Hell? This is the title of a new book by Thomas Kohnstamm, a former Lonely Planet travel writer who has admitted that he did not always visit the places he reviewed for Lonely Planet.

Mr. Kohnstamm blasts the venerable Lonely Planet for its unrealistic deadlines, lack of money and lack of support to authors while on the road.

The scandal is troubling for the Lonely Planet - a brand travelers around the world hold with high trust.

The explosion of user generated content has rattled the world of old fashioned travel publishing, where content is stale by the time it hits the shelves. Our upcoming “Travel Consumer Survey 2008” looks are the growing segments of travelers relying on UGC in their decision-making process.

I don’t know enough to comment on Lonely Planet’s culpability or the voracity of Mr Kohnstamm’s complaints. Nor have I read the book so I don’t know to what extent this is a cautionary tale versus an expose by a disgruntled employee. But it is shameful to misrepresent travel advice as coming from experience when in truth it is not. This controversy isn’t in the same scale as James Frey/Oprah Winfrey “Million Little Pieces”. But while Mr Frey may have bamboozled his readers with a partially fictitious memoir, travelers acted upon Mr. Kohnstamm’s advice in how they spent their precious money and travel time. And that is not something to take lightly.

Diane Clarkson | April 17, 2008, 02:14 PM
Delta and Northwest: Fasten your seatbelts, there will be turbulence

If you’ve picked up a newspaper in the past week, you’ve likely read that Delta and Northwest have agreed to merge in a $3.1 billion deal that would create the world’s largest airline.

Skepticism abounds within the industry and among travelers. We can’t be blamed – there isn’t a history of seamless airline mergers.

Delta and Northwest CEOs, Richard Anderson and Doug Steenland, have written an opinion piece in the Wall St Journal offering the perspective that this merger will save jobs and protect customers from cutbacks.

The merger is based on the proposition that significant cost reductions can be achieved and the benefits of non-overlapping routes.

Maybe I’m missing something. I don’t see how larger route maps will create more demand and can’t understand how they can achieve major cost reduction without the major changes they are assuring won’t happen. Further, the costs of the merger alone could negate any savings (see Scott McCartney’s article in the Wall St Journal looking at the history of several mergers and associated costs)

In these times where airlines need to do something more drastic than charge us for checking a second bag, I want to believe Mr. Anderson and Mr Steenland. I’m afraid I remain among the skeptics.

Diane Clarkson | April 08, 2008, 05:46 PM
Orbitz Live Destination Specialists

It has been my long held belief that the travel industry has been missing opportunities by approaching destination content from the wrong direction – assuming people have decided on a specific destination rather than mimicking traditional travel agents and offering counseling in destination decisions.

We published a report at the end of last year on this subject called “Online Destination Planning: Influencing Undecided Travel Researchers” that concluded travel Web sites’ destination- and date-based format is inappropriate for a significant proportion of online travel researchers.

Enter Orbitz and two new initiatives.

The first is myidealbeach.com - a stylish offering that gives guidance on beach destinations, personalized by lifestyle, interests, and hotel options.

And today Orbitz announced the introduction of Live Destination Specialists to assist travelers in travel planning. These travel specialists are intensively trained and have spent time in their locations.

Travelers will be introduced to the destination specialists with a message appearing during sessions browsing vacation packages in Hawaii and parts of Mexico. Travelers can enter their phone number and have a specialist call them right away to answer questions and offer advice.

They say everything old is new again. Live advice with robust online content and booking functionality… at the risk of sounding like a CPG label, sometimes it’s new and improved.

Diane Clarkson | March 28, 2008, 05:58 PM
Gun shots, nipple rings and falling wings

I read the travel news every day and some days’ headlines are more provocative than others.

Today is a banner day.

A US Airways pilot accidentally shot his cockpit when his gun discharged mid-flight, a Texas woman is calling for a civil rights investigation into the forced removal of her nipple ring prior to boarding a flight, and U.S. safety investigators are trying to find out why the panel from the wing of a US Airways jetliner fell off in flight over Maryland last week.

Honestly, I’m not making this up. Look at USA Today’s travel section .