by José Miguel Rodriguez

Most of the time we find ourselves passing through expansive airports with amenities and services galore, and nice, wide, long runways. And then, of course, there are the other airports. The ones that make for great cocktail-party tales of harrowing landings amid spectacular settings. Today we take you on a quick tour of some of the most dangerous airports in the world: 

Courchevel, France

Located at the renowned French Alps ski resort of the same name, Courchevel po

One of the safest things you could be doing right now is flying. According to solid research, 3 miles on an Interstate highway puts you at the same risk of fatality as does a coast-to-coast flight. Every time you drive 3 miles on an Interstate highway (or about 1.5 miles urban) you have placed yourself at the same risk as taking a flight.

This statistical analysis was developed when traffic deaths rose sharply after 9/11, as people switched from flying to driving. Researchers Michael Sivak and Mi

by José Miguel Rodríguez

You think your job is stressful? Imagine, for just a moment, being an air traffic controller. Have trouble imagining? We invite you to read this quick overview through to the end and then tell us: Could this be a job for you

Admittedly, air traffic control is not for the faint of heart. Though very much behind the scenes and (as it were) under the radar, this work has different aspects depending on the individual unit where it’s carried out. In a given tower there will be

You’ve got your flight to Costa Rica booked, your hotel reservations or tour itinerary set. Now what about getting around?

There are many choices, from in-country flights to renting a car, hopping a local bus or hiring a private shuttle or tour bus complete with bilingual driver. It all depends on how fast you want to get somewhere, how many places you want to visit, what you want to see and, of course, how much money you want to spend.

While Costa Rica is small, comparable in size to West Virg

by Javier Pedreira

That air travel is the safest form of transportation going is not mere happenstance but rather due to rigourous maintenance of equipment and exhaustive training of personnel.

Although in 2010 Iberia added a major maintenance hangar at Barcelona airport, since the 1970s the primary maintenance facilities have been headquartered adjacent to Barajas Airport in a suburban Madrid industrial zone called La Muñoza. This 220,000-square metre (54-acre) is where aircraft engines constantl

For an industry in which everything seems to be getting smaller, at least one thing is bucking the trend: the overhead bin. The AP reports that major U.S. airlines are making overhead bins larger in order to accommodate bulkier luggage and an influx of carry-on bags.

United, American, US, and Delta are all jumping on the bigger-bin bandwagon. Some carriers are outfitting bins with tougher latches; others are replacing overhead-bin doors with ones that curve out, allowing for more space for passen

by Jorge Guardia/VaDeAviones

Spectacular aircraft photos abound all over the Web these days–shots taken on runways, in hangars, taking off/landing, at cruising altitude. And many of us who glance at them, sometimes think, “how cool,” and move on.

And then… there are the planespotters, along with their closely related–and sometimes overlapping–cousins, aviation geeks (aka “avgeeks”). These gloriously obsessed souls are a dedicated breed in love with aviation and airlines, follow industry news an

Want to visit Asia?  Book the cheapest ticket you can find. Try getting low season tickets to either Paris or London, spend a day or two, and then hop on Air Asia for about $400 to Bangkok.  Air Asia has been voted the best budget airline for several years in a row.  It is only 10 years old and growing fast.  Yes, it is a budget airline but they do it nicely.  Meals are good and reasonable. They can be preordered at a reduced cost.  The best part is the cost. Once in Asia it is possible to fly

With UK based budget airline easyJet offering service to Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, more visitors from Europe have an opportunity to visit this exciting country, which today's New York Times Travelsection includes among its list of 45-places to visit in 2012.

When I saw Jordan on the listit stirred memories of my trip there a few years ago. I had less than a week so I did a quick hit of three important sites.

The River Jordan - There’s not much water left in the Jordan River and wh

Would you sedate your child on a flight? 
Are parents who do so wrong?


Not long ago, a Wall Street Journal  article  reported that many parents "drug" or sedate their kids on planes so they'll be less bothersome for the parents, flight attendants and fellow passengers.


The drug of choice seems to be Benadryl, and while it does calm kids, often putting them out for hours, it has awakened others to what might be an abusive practice.


The testy responses to an About.com (and other) postings on t

Over the past year, I've visited 8 different countries, half of which I paid for my flights using airmiles. Here are a few useful tips for building up your air mileage for free.

There are many ways to earn air miles for free, and some of the best ways don’t require you to change your buying habits at all. So let’s start off with the most lucrative option, credit cards.

#1 Airline credit cards

The quickest way to build a massive portfolio of air miles is to open credit cards that offer an airmiles b

I'm not a travel hacker, not really. I enjoy the places, not the interfaces. And traveling in coach is just fine with me, thanks. As a matter of fact, I do much of my traveling BY coach—bus, that is. I went all over Mexico and Central America before I ever crossed an ocean thirty-five years ago. And the only time I've ever flown first class was when they bumped me up for free. Now don't get me wrong: I'm an avid collector of frequent-flyer miles, but I'd have to have an awful lot before I'd wast

Consider the following:

>> Small companies operate the majority of business aircraft. Most companies with business aircraft have fewer than 500 employees.

>> Business aircraft users have a major presence in the business world. On average 92% are amongst the most innovative

>> Charter operators and general aviation serve over 5,000 airports in the USA. Commercial carriers serve about 400 which number is declining fast!

>> The business traveler saves up to three weeks per year by avoiding long lines

Everybody knows about ‘dynamic pricing’ by now, that internet-era phenomenon of everybody paying a different price for the same flight.  It’s a whole lot like haggling with a rug merchant in… well, just about anywhere.  Actually it’s mostly about tailoring certain prices to certain markets at certain times based on certain criteria, and as long as you know some basic principles, it can work to either party’s advantage.  It only gets creepy when it seems like the robots at Google know more about