You know how sometimes you don’t even know that something exists and then, all of a sudden, it’s everywhere?

On New Year’s Day I looked out the window and saw this shark flying by:

I ran outside, snapped this photo and learned that my young neighbor had received this Air Swimmer shark as a present.

“You fill it with helium and it flies by remote control,” he told me, “I’m bringing it over to show my friend.”

Cool, right?

Well, it seems like my neighbor wasn’t the only one to get a flying shark for Christmas.

Consider this report, found in the New Zealand Herald, about a flying shark spotted way off course:

“….[F]rom a pilot on the Wings Over New Zealand Aviation Forum: ‘There I was, just cruising around at about 1500 feet above Hamilton …when I see an object that looks like a helicopter off in the distance. However, without getting much bigger (i.e. closer) it suddenly whizzes past my left wing … and although it has the same general shape as a chopper, this thing has fins and a tail instead of rotors. Despite the warning on the box of the Air Swimmer Shark (for indoor use only) someone’s $80 Christmas present (with $50 worth of helium) is drifting gently southwest over Hamilton city, climbing at about 200 feet a minute. I did my civic duty and reported it …as a hazard.”

Categories: Air Travel, Fun Stuff
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If you’re heading to Toronto Pearson International Airport, you have one more day to take advantage of their “tweet-a-carol” program.

Anyone with family or friends traveling on a flight within Canada though December 24 can send a tweet to @torontopearson with the passengers’ first name and flight number and airport carolers will greet them with a holiday song on arrival.

At Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, travelers might be able to spot Santa Claus through December 26 and encounter the white Wish Fairies, the Xmas Skate Girls and other performers.

And through the end of January, 2012, Jan Dellaertplein, the square in front of the terminal, remains transformed into a winter wonderland complete with an ice-skating rink and complimentary skate rentals.

And, of course, NORAD , the U.S.-Canadian military organization that spends the rest of the year focused on the aerospace and maritime defense of the United States and Canada, is using a wide variety of sophisticated methods to track Santa’s progress around the world.

Here’s a tracking map to see where Santa is now:

Have a great holiday!

Categories: Air Travel, Fun Stuff, Holidays
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I spend a lot of my time interviewing other people for the stories I write for various outlets and it always feels a bit strange when people turn the tables and ask to interview me.

But probably because this is the hectic holiday travel season, I’ve answered questions posed by Travelocity’s Roaming Gnome, Travergence, Rudy Maxa’s radio show (the podcast should be posted shortly) and, now, the Moodie Report’s Foodie Report. (Go to pages 24 & 25 to hear the audio clips, or read the story below.)

Categories: Air Travel, Airport shops, Airports, Food, Free Stuff, Fun Stuff, Uncategorized
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Looking for an ecological, aviation-themed gift for your favorite airplane geek or road warrior?

Then consider placing some of these items under the tree.

Tierra Ideas of Raleigh, N.C., turns decommissioned (and thoroughly dry-cleaned) aircraft seat back covers and curtains from Delta Air Lines airplanes into business card holders, wallets, laptop covers and a wide variety of travel bags that sell for $15 to $175.

About once a year, company founder Matt Mahler flies down to Delta’s Reclamation Center in Atlanta and drives home in a rented 24-foot U-Haul truck filled with worn fabrics consisting of blue wool blends, navy wool blends, and blue and gray leather.

“I store the fabric in our warehouse and sew the bags using a 1970s-era Singer industrial sewing machine I bought used from the factory floor of a furniture manufacturing company that went out of business near High Point, North Carolina,” said Mahler.

In addition to wallets, the line includes an overnight duffle bag, a laptop bag, a messenger bag, a small shoulder bag (The Concourse) and the Aero Drawstring Bag, all made with an average of 85 percent recycled materials and many sporting fabric patterns that will be familiar to Delta Air Lines frequent fliers. As part of a fundraising Kickstarter Project, Tierra Ideas is also making the Air Bag, which has 90 percent recycled content and is based on a bag commissioned by Recycle Runway for their Environmental Stewardess Exhibition. Cost: $150.

For something flashier and more obviously once part of an airplane, consider the large and shiny objects that MotoArt makes out of recycled commercial and vintage airplane parts in El Segundo, Calif.

MotoArt managing partner Dave Hall haunts airplane boneyards for materials he and his crew transform into lighting fixtures, beds, bars, desks, lamps, conference tables and other furniture for prices that start at $250 and soar to more than $30,000.

“We turn large cowlings into reception desks, rear stabilizers into executive desks and fuselage into office dividers. For those that like that stuff, it’s an expensive hobby, but we also take airplane windows frames and turn them into picture frames.”

(This article originally appeared on msnbc.com’s Overhead Bin)

Categories: Air Travel, Airplanes, Fun Stuff, Shopping
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Free Wi-Fi on Delta Air Lines

From now till January 2, 2012 passengers on Wi-Fi equipped Delta airplanes will be able to use the in-flight Gogo Wi-Fi for free for 30 minutes each flight.

It is a partnership with eBay, so you can continue shopping on that one site for the entire flight.

More info on free Wi-Fi on Delta Air Lines here.

Holiday music at JFK and LGA airports

Jazz trios, quartets and quintets from the New York Pops orchestra and up to 25 members of the performance choir from the Choir Academy of Harlem will entertain American Airlines passengers with holiday music at LaGuardia and JFK International Airports during the next few weeks.

In LaGuardia Airport, performances will be in the Central Terminal Building, American Airlines Concourse D, Gate D5.

• Dec. 14, 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The New York Pops Jazz Trio
• Dec. 20, 12:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. The New York Pops Jazz Trio
• Dec. 22, 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The New York Pops Jazz Quartet

At JFK International Airport, the concerts will be held in American Airlines Terminal 8, Concourse B Lobby by Gates 14 and 16.

• Dec. 16, 2:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The New York Pops Jazz Quintet
• Dec. 19, 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Choir Academy of Harlem Performance Choir
• Dec. 20, 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Choir Academy of Harlem Performance Choir
• Dec. 22, 2:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The New York Pops Jazz Quintet
• Dec. 23, 2:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The New York Pops Jazz Quintet

During their performances, The New York Pops will offer travelers an opportunity to win tickets to an upcoming concert at Carnegie Hall.

Photos with Santa

Southwest Airlines, Clear Channel Airports and Microsoft Windows are teaming up to offer free holiday photos with Santa at 19 airports around the country through December 24th.

Look for the holiday-themed kiosks , Santa and a “Windows 7 Elf” at some of the Southwest Airlines gates at these airports:

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS)
Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)
Denver International Airport (DEN)
Detroit Metro Airport (DTW)
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL)
General Mitchell International Airport (MKE)
Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (STL)
Logan International Airport (BOS)
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY)
Nashville International Airport (BNA)
Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC)
Oakland International Airport (OAK)
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
Sacramento International Airport (SMF)
San Antonio International Airport (SAT)
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
Tampa International Airport (TPA)

Categories: Airlines, Environment, Events, free Wi-Fi, Fun Stuff, Music, Wi-Fi
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