Posts in the category "Safety":

It may not be pretty or high fashion, but the protective clothing worn by many people who work at airports can guard against injury and illness.

At least that was the message last week at Kelowna International Airport (YLW) in British Columbia, Canada, at the second annual Safety Fashion Show.

Here are few of the models that appeared on the red carpet:

This is the airport’s wildlife control contractor, in charge of the catch and release program.

An officer from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Firefighter in gear

(Photos courtesy YLW Airport)

Categories: Safety
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I should know better.

After being marooned on the 14th floor of a Honolulu hotel after an earthquake and having to find alternate lodging in 2 degree weather at 11 p.m. in Fort Wayne, Indiana after a hotel power outage, you’d think I’d remember to pack a flashlight along with a gadget to recharge my phone on the go.

But I had neither flashlight nor fully charged cell phone when I showed up at my Los Angeles airport hotel the other day to find all the electricity out, strong winds blowing through the lobby and the hotel staff in an unhelpful tizzy.

According to which staff member was making the rounds power was either out in “just isolated blocks” or “the entire city.”

Guests were being given flashlights (while supplies lasted) and encouraged to walk up the stairs to their rooms.

When the flashlights ran out, glow sticks were offered.

Trudging up seven flights of stairs to a dark room that may have stayed completely dark till sunrise didn’t sound appealing, so I took my glow sticks and headed to the hotel bar, where – for about a hour – drinks were being poured for free.

“No electricity; no security cameras,” said the bartender, pouring himself a stiff drink as well.

Ultimately, I bailed. Unwilling to hang around in case the power returned, and getting now help from the darkened hotel in finding other lodging, I hopped the shuttle back to the airport and picked out another hotel from the info board.

And glow sticks and a flashlight are once again part of my travel kit.

What emergency supplies are in YOUR travel kit?

Categories: Safety
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Not everyone is happy about the TSA’s decision to take small knives and sports equipment – including golf clubs (2 per person), pool cues, lacrosse sticks, hockey sticks, ski poles – and small novelty/souvenir bats off the list of items that passengers are prohibited to take on planes as part of their allowable carry-on items.

The new rules go into effect on April 25, but many flight attendants and their unions aren’t happy. The Flight Attendants Union Coalition released a statement blasting the TSA’s decision. and Ian Funderburg, who identifies himself as a flight attendant, has started an on-line petition asking the President of the United States to reverse the TSA’s Decision.

A TSA spokesperson told me on Wednesday that the agency worked closely with airlines on this latest revision of the prohibited items list and that airlines were comfortable with the action.

I was also reminded that while the TSA has said it’s OK for hockey sticks and other sports equipment to go through the security checkpoint and taken onto planes, that doesn’t mean that an airline must allow that stick or that equipment onto the plane. If an item is deemed too big for the overhead bin, or if the item exceeds the number of carry-on items a passengers is allowed, an airline still has the right to ask a passenger to check an item that will not fit an overhead bin.

And if passengers are asked to check – and pay baggage fees for – sports equipment that TSA says is allowable past the security checkpoint, you can bet there are going to be dust ups and debate.

I had the pleasure of talking about this topic on National Public Radio’s All Things Considered on Wednesday evening. You can hear that four minute story here.

Categories: Safety, Security, TSA
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Another fun safety video from the folks at Air New Zealand. And a chance to win a trip for two to New Zealand.

Categories: Fun Stuff, Safety
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This new Delta Air Lines in-flight safety video is fun. And the pop-up version is educational. And look – there’s Deltalina.

Categories: Fun Stuff, Safety
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