WestJet

WestJet’s Disney planes retiring. But stand by for a new Hello Kitty livery from Eva Air

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West Jet will retire the Walt Disney “Frozen” and “Magic Plane” liveries

This week we’ve been poking around for cool airplane liveries and learned from Calgary-based WestJet that the carrier is getting ready to retire the Walt Disney World Resort livery on the popular “Frozen”-themed plane and on the “Magic Plane” that features Sorcerer Mickey on the tail.

According to a WestJet spokesperon, “later this year,” the airline will be repainting these planes to match the existing WestJet fleet.

Good news for Hello Kitty livery fans

If you’re a Hello Kitty fan, there’s some good news.

Tawain-based Eva Air, which currently operates four Hello Kitty-themed jets – Travel Fun, Celebration Flight, Joyful Dream and Shining Star – says it is “working hard to create designs for our next generation Hello Kitty Jets” and will share news about those new special liveries when they’re ready to go.

In the meantime, the carrier says it’s using the four current Hello Kitty jets on flights to Clark (in the Philippines), Bali and Sapporo but not on specific schedules. 

“We are using them just as we operate other aircraft in our fleet. A passenger on one of these routes could end up on an EVA Hello Kitty Jet or on another aircraft.”

 

How did airports & airlines celebrate April Fools’ Day?

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Did you get pranked on April Fools’ Day? Or did you just have some fun?

These airports, airlines and travel companies did.

(Let me know if you spotted something fun that I missed.)

MIA Airport is working on its own beach!

London’s Heathrow Airport renames terminals

London Heathrow Airport shared a press release announcing that, in anticipation of the arrival of a new royal baby, it was going to be renaming its four terminals.

“…Terminal 2, previously known as the Queen’s Terminal will be christened with its new name following the baby’s arrival,” the release said, and “In preparation for the most significant re-branding exercise in the airport’s history, road signs will be changed, taxi drivers briefings are being arranged and satellite navigation systems will be updated.”

Terminal 5 will be renamed the ‘Prince George Terminal; Terminal 4 will be dubbed the ‘Princess Charlotte Terminal; and Terminal 3 will have its name changed to the ‘Prince Louis Terminal’, the airport announced.

Best of all, “Runway slots at the capacity constrained airport will be allocated in order of succession to the throne.”

WestJet and the Flyre Festival

Canadian low-cost carrier WestJet, which has a history of great April Fools’ campaigns, did it again with its take on the debacle that was the Fyre Festival.

WestJet’s FlyreFestival promises models, more models and a swimming pig.

WestJet’s ultra-low-cost carrier, Swoop, offered this “Recline-for-a-dime” product.

For those who missed it, here is WestJet’s April Fools’ Day winner – Kargo Kids – from a few years back:

Emirates Airport Transfer – by drones

Emirates offered this teaser for 2020:

Virgin Voyages- arrive by air

Virgin Voyages announced a cool way for cruisers – uh, sailors – to arrive on board for their RockStar Suites.

“Inspired by The Runway, the red running track that sits atop of the ship like a halo, on Scarlet Lady, Virgin Voyages will soon give its Sailors the runway they deserve on its second ship. All Sailors staying in RockStar Suites will now arrive and depart via private jet transfer,” a press release announced.

Did you spot some other fun April Fools’ items from airports, airline or travel-related companies? Let us know your favorites and we’ll add them here.

For inspiration, here is our April Fools’ Day round-up from last year.

Westjet & others celebrate April Fools’ Day

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In the spirit of the April Fools’ Day holiday, yesterday Virgin America shared its “new” logo.

https://youtu.be/vGCUp_FduKc

Today, WestJet and others join the fun with RALFH – a replacement for airplane food carts:

Cheapflights brings up Hipster Air , an airline “for those who badly want to be in the know – but who don’t want others to know it. It guarantees that no airline will try so hard to not look like it is trying so hard.”

Hipster air

And Seattle’s Museum of Flight once again rolls out a unique April Fools exhibit. This year – it’s the Sopwith Camel airplane flown by World War I flying ace, Snoopy.

Museum of Flight snoopy

“The famous aircraft has never been seen in public, and until recently, historians have believed it among the thousands of fighter aircraft lost forever in combat over France nearly one hundred years ago,” the museum said in a statement that refers to the aircraft as “one of the greatest finds of the century.”

More fun to follow…

Travel tidbits for April 1

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So much “news” today – April 1 …

WetJet has introduced Smart Seats – which let you take a seat in the airport and board the plane in that same seat..

Richard Branson announced that the Virgin Group’s U.S. operations will be moving to Branson, Missouri

There’s a report out of Florida that the Transportation Security Administration is testing a new program to help seniors make their way through airport security. The program is dubbed “Moses.”

“Unlike PreCheck, TSA-MOSES requires no pre-registration. Travelers 65 or older should look for a large wooden cane with a curved handle near checkpoints, signifying a MOSES representative is available to guide them through security.”

And – finally – Denver International Airport has revealed all the details about the long whispered-about bunker underneath the airport grounds.

DIA BUNKER

More April 1 news to come…

Note left on plane suggests cockpit is “no place for a woman.”

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westjet note

With International Women’s Day (March 8) around the corner comes a reminder – written on an airplane cocktail napkin – that the struggle for women’s equality continues.

“The cockpit of an airliner is no place for a woman,” began a note scrawled on a napkin and left behind by a passenger on a recent WestJet flight from Calgary to Victoria, B.C.

“Were (sic) short mothers, not pilots” continued the note, in which a passenger who signed his named as David also referenced a bible verse and said he wished the airline would tell him when “a fair lady is at the helm” so he can be sure to “book another flight.”

The plane’s pilot, Carey Steacy, shared the note on her Facebook page with a response that said in part, “…I have heard many comments from people throughout my 17 year career as a pilot. Most of them positive….. You were more than welcome to deplane when you heard I was a “fair lady.” You have that right…”

Steacy’s Facebook post has since been removed, but many news outlets and individuals have re-posted the note.

“My first reaction was shock, Steacy told CTV Vancouver, “I have to think that that’s very much not a common feeling among the general public.”

Canadian carrier WestJet currently has 1,111 male pilots and 58 female pilots. Its subsidiary regional airline, WestJet Encore, has 87 male and 10 female pilots.

“We are enormously proud of the professionalism, skills and expertise of our pilots, and we find this note very disappointing,” the airline said in a statement.

Women in the aviation industry have rallied behind Steacy and commended her for responding to the sexist note with dignity and class.

“Some might say the crude note did not deserve a response, but it is important to do so,” said Barbara Williams, Interim Executive Director at the International Women’s Air and Space Museum in Cleveland, Ohio. If only “to remind us all that women continue to achieve and play an important part in the aviation world’s history.”

“Most women pilots would just say that the airplane does not know whether or not the pilot is a woman, so it does not behave any differently,” said Martha Phillips, president of The Ninety-Nines, the International Organization of Women Pilots.

More April Fools’ Day hijinks from airlines

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In addition to early arrivals from Virgin Atlantic (glass-bottomed planes) and WestJet (all-animals welcome; no carriers needed), these April Fools antics from airlines are making the rounds:

Delta Air Lines has a new double-decker arm rest available for those in the middle seat.

Double decker Delta Arm rest

Virgin America has a new Main Canine Select class offering intriguing perks, such as in-flight fire-hydrants designed by Frank Gehry.

Virgin America hydrants

VIRGIN AMERICA PETS

And JetBlue has announced three new – unusual – destinations.

To the moon or to the center of the earth

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I’m sure I’ll have to update this come Sunday morning, but long before April 1, 2012 rolled around in my time zone, I made a few April Fools’ Day sightings.

From the Republic of Vanuatu comes word that Richard Branson has launched “Virgin Volacanic” in order to take travelers to the center of the earth

“Using patented carbon-carbon materials pioneered for deep space exploration, Virgin is proud to announce a revolutionary new vehicle, VVS1, which will be capable of plunging three people into the molten lava core of an active volcano.”

First up (or should I say down) is Etna – Sicily, Italy, followed by:
• Stromboli – Aeolian Islands
• Yasur – Republic of Vanuatu
• Ambrym – Republic of Vanuatu
• Tinakula – Solomon Islands

The first trips are scheduled for 2015. More details here.

Also, we have news from WestJet about a kids-free flying experience:

Details of Kargo Kids, including booking information and a simple, easy-to-understand demonstration video, is available on the WestJet website

Air New Zealand announced “STRAIGHTUP Fares” for those willing to fly while standing in the aisle holding onto a hand bar.

And Spirit Airlines, ever the prankster, announced $9 (each way) flights to the moon.