Airline Questions

Nurenberg Paris Aviation Lawyers

1. Can I take action if my bag is lost and not recovered?

2. Can I get my pilot’s license if I have a criminal record or DUI?

3. What is the safest part of an airplane?

4. Are people randomly searched going through airport security?

5. What are my rights when going through airport security?

6. Is turbulence dangerous?

7. What is the safest airline to fly?

8. What are regular day-to-day items I cannot bring on an airplane?

9. When is the best time to buy an airplane ticket?

10. What do I need to know if I am traveling with a disability or medical condition?

11. How do I know if I was unfairly questioned in the airport?

12. Can I take my prescription drugs on my flight?

13. Is an airport luggage search legal?

14. How many people survived the 1937 Hindenburg disaster and how?

15. Could I ever be sucked out through an airplane window?

16. What happened to Amelia Earhart?

17. What should I not wear to the airport?

18. What would happen if a bird got sucked into an airplane engine?

19. Is airplane food bad for you?

20. What shouldn’t you say at an airport?

21. How much does an airline pilot earn a year?

22. How much does it cost to fill up an airplane?

23. What does the "X" mean in "LAX"?

24. How much schooling does it take to be a pilot?

25. Why can’t I use my cell phone on an airplane?

26. Why do airplanes use recirculated air?

27. Do airlines always over-book their flights?

28. Which airline has the best first class?

29. Is flying getting safer or worse compared to the past?

30. Why can't airplanes be as strong as black boxes?

Can I take action if my bag is lost and not recovered?

Different airlines have different policies. In general, it will almost always take more than a week for your bag to be considered lost, and that time period could stretch as long as a month.

The amount of compensation you can get from the airline for lost luggage varies depending on whether you were on a domestic U.S. flight, an international flight, or a domestic flight somewhere else in the world. You will need to offer an itemized list of everything in your bag, including the piece of luggage itself. And typically airlines will only reimburse you for the depreciated value of your possessions, not the replacement value. Also, check with your insurance company to see if your loss is covered by an insurance policy.

By the way, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s October 2009 Air Travel Consumer Report (which tracked baggage complaints for domestic airlines between August 2008 and August 2009), the overall number of travelers reporting mishandled luggage dropped from the previous year. Of roughly 51 million air travelers who flew during the reporting period, close to 208,000 filed baggage complaints (relating to lost, damaged, or delayed baggage, charges for excess baggage, carry-on problems, and difficulties with airline claims procedures). In the previous year, almost 270,000 travelers reported problems.

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Can I get my pilot’s license if I have a criminal record or DUI?

A criminal record or DUI will not necessarily preclude you from getting a pilot’s license. Either will probably eliminate you from flying commercial airlines, however. Different types of pilot certifications are available. The most common, a private pilot’s license, requires that you must:

• be at least 17 years
• have a current FAA third-class medical certificate
• log at least 40 hours of flight
• have at least 20 hours of flight with an instructor
• have at least 10 hours of solo flight
• pass the FAA Private Pilot Airmen Knowledge written test
• pass a FAA Private Pilot flight exam

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What is the safest part of an airplane?

According to a study done by Popular Mechanics, the farther back you sit, the better your odds of survival. "Passengers near the tail of a plane are about 40 percent more likely to survive a crash than those in the first few rows up front," the study said.

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Are people randomly searched going through airport security?

According to the Transportation Security Administration, random searches are common. The screening can include checking passenger identification and boarding passes, conducting physical searches of carry-on luggage, using handheld explosive detection units and screening of individuals. These checks are not announced in advance and can occur at any gate, at any time.

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What are my rights when going through airport security?

Your exact rights are somewhat vague. The Transportation Security Administration says the public it serves is to be treated in a fair, lawful, and nondiscriminatory manner. That’s open to an array of interpretation. It also says it will comply with all applicable Federal laws and Executive Orders regarding civil rights protections. For more on travelers’ rights, visit this link:
http://www.tsa.gov/research/civilrights/civilrights_travelers.shtm

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Is turbulence dangerous?

Yes. It is typically not the cause of aviation crashes, as airplanes are designed to ride out turbulence, but people on board can easily lose their balance if they're standing or walking down the aisle when turbulence occurs.

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What is the safest airline to fly?

Of the major U.S. carriers (at least 10 million total flights), Southwest has the best record in regard to passenger fatalities—0. But lots of airlines have never had passenger fatalities. Check here for a full list.
http://www.planecrashinfo.com/noaccident.htm

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What are regular day-to-day items I cannot bring on an airplane?

Actually a lot of items can be brought on a plane in checked baggage that cannot be brought on as carry-on, including baseball bats, golf clubs, saws, martial arts weapons, and an array of other things. It’s best to check out the TSA list of prohibited items, though, before you pack your bags and head to the airport.
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm

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When is the best time to buy an airplane ticket?

The answer is complicated. The best general rule is to buy early, but not too early. That’s not to say you might not get lucky and find a very inexpensive ticket at the last minute, but do you really want to take that gamble of a ticket still being available?

A March 2008 ABC News article, "The Best Time to Buy Airline Tickets," says to "start shopping (not buying) early; typically, airlines start actively managing their cheapest seats about four months before departure. Look for trends, and use technology to help you see when your destination normally has the cheapest airfare available."

The story goes on to say, "Don't buy too early; tickets purchased before this four month window will generally be priced at a midtier level. An exception: shopping for busy holiday times (Thanksgiving, Christmas); due to current price hikes and ever-increasing fuel surcharges, you may want to purchase these tickets earlier than usual, to lock in the price."

And finally, the story says that airfare sales tend to occur early in the week and increases tend to occur at the end of the week.
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/BusinessTravel/story?id=4519704&page=1

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What do I need to know if I am traveling with a disability or medical condition?

It’s always best to check with your airline before traveling to make sure you understand all of the requirements. The Air Carrier Access Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in air travel. The Department of Transportation has a rule defining the rights of passengers and the obligations of airlines under this law. This rule applies to all flights of U.S. airlines, and to flights to or from the United States by foreign airlines. The following to links can offer more answers.
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/specialneeds/index.shtm
http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/publications/disabled.htm

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How do I know if I was unfairly questioned in the airport?

If questioning touches on subjects such as race, color, national origin, religion, age, sex, disability, sexual orientation, status as a parent, or protected genetic information, then that’s discrimination. Also, questioning shouldn’t he harassing in nature.

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Can I take my prescription drugs on my flight?

Yes, but remember that medication and related supplies that are carried through a checkpoint are normally X-rayed. However, as a customer service, TSA now allows you the option of requesting a visual inspection of your medication and associated supplies. Any medication and/or associated supplies that cannot be cleared visually must be submitted for X-ray screening. If you refuse, you will not be permitted to carry your medications and related supplies into the sterile area.

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Is an airport luggage search legal?

In the name of safety, all baggage is screened by the Transportation Security Administration. Refrain from locking your checked baggage or use a TSA Accepted & Recognized Lock. TSA is mandated by Federal law to screen 100 percent of checked baggage. If your baggage alarms and TSA cannot gain access to your checked bag, unrecognized locks may be broken. TSA will not reimburse passengers for unrecognized locks broken as a result of the security screening process.

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How many people survived the 1937 Hindenburg disaster and how?

62 of the 97 people aboard the Hindenburg survived.

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Could I ever be sucked out through an airplane window?

Actually, as the guys on Mythbusters would say, this theory is plausible. Read this story to see how it could really happen.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003772225_fogg03m.html

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What happened to Amelia Earhart?

As Earhart neared her 40th birthday, she made an attempt become the first woman to fly around the world. On July 2, 1937, radio contact was lost and it was assumed that Earhart and her navigator went down in the Pacific Ocean. A rescue attempt commenced immediately and became the most extensive air and sea search in naval history thus far but the search yielded no results.

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What should I not wear to the airport?

Obviously anything with a lot of metal (jewelry, belt buckles, etc.) could cause problems. Shoes that are difficult to take off and put on will be problematic. Tight or restrictive clothing will be uncomfortable.

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What would happen if a bird got sucked into an airplane engine?

Birds can definitely cause an engine failure. Take a look at a few of these links:
http://www.livescience.com/technology/090115-jet-engine-bird-strikes.html
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/world/birds-sucked-into-jets-engines/story-e6frev00-1225781047351
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/21/AR2009012100638.html

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Is airplane food bad for you?

First of all, it’s tough to get a meal on an airplane anymore. Remember when a free in-flight meal was the standard? But no, it’s not bad for you. In fact, the quality has increased. In an article from The Wall Street Journal, Jeff Miller, senior vice president at LSG Sky Chefs, a major airline catering company, said, "Airline food today is totally different than it was when they wanted the cheapest turkey and cheapest bread to mass-produce free food."

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What shouldn’t you say at an airport?

Well, for this one you just need to use common sense and remember that the airport security folks don’t have much of a sense of humor. Any comments about terrorism, hijacking, weapons, or bombs should definitely be avoided.

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How much does an airline pilot earn a year?

Obviously, there is a fairly substantial range depending on experience, airline, aircraft flown, and other factors. FltOps.com, FltOps.com, an information source for pilots, recently released a salary survey. On average, starting pay at major airlines is $36,283. FltOps said on average, captains top out at minimum salaries of $165,278. Check here for a full pay comparison:
http://www.fltops.com/content.asp?ID=57

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How much does it cost to fill up an airplane?

Fuel prices for airplanes, just like prices at the gas pumps for our personal vehicles vary. But an MSNBC story from 2008 said that at the market price then of roughly $3.85 a gallon, it costs about $77,000 to top off a Boeing 767.

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What does the "X" mean in "LAX"?

Nothing. Before the 1930s, existing airports used a two-letter abbreviation based on the weather station at the airports. So, at that time, LA served as the designation for Los Angeles International Airport. But with the rapid growth in the aviation industry, the designations expanded to three letters, and LA became LAX. The letter "X" does not otherwise have any specific meaning in this identifier.

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How much schooling does it take to be a pilot?

It’s more about training than a specific degree. For a commercial pilot, for instance, here are the requirements.
http://www.thaviation.com/Comreq.html

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Why can’t I use my cell phone on an airplane?

Cell phones transmit signals at roughly the same frequencies as aircraft communications. Pilot radios and radar range from below 100 to 2,000 MHz, and many phones operate at 850 MHz or 1,900 MHz. Your cell phone could theoretically interfere with navigation.

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Why do airplanes use recirculated air?

Actually airplanes do not use exclusively recirculated air. Approximately 50 percent of the supply air is outside air and 50 percent is filtered recirculation air. And ventilation is continuous. Air is constantly flowing in and out of the cabin.

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Do airlines always over-book their flights?

No, but many airlines will overbook their flights, sometimes by as much as 50 percent.

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Which airline has the best first class?

We’ll just say that it’s none of the major U.S. carriers. According to Forbes, it’s Qatar Airways. Check out the Forbes.com top 10 in pictures.
http://www.forbes.com/2007/08/08/travel-airlines-firstclass-forbeslife-cx_sv_0809firstclass_slide_2.html?thisSpeed=15000
But if you have to travel U.S. domestic, for the fourth consecutive year, the readers of Global Traveler magazine have bestowed the honor of "Best Domestic First Class Airline" upon American Airlines. Global Traveler's annual GT Tested Awards program surveyed more than 25,000 business and leisure travelers to determine the best in business and luxury travel for 2009.

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Is flying getting safer or worse compared to the past?

Statistically, the numbers from the past 15 years have remained pretty similar.

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Why can't airplanes be as strong as black boxes?

They could, but then they would be too heavy to get off the ground.

Black boxes are made of steel so they can survive the impact of a crash as well as fire and immersion in water. Steel is much too heavy for an airplane, which mostly is made of aluminum and various lightweight composite materials.

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Aviation Attorney

If you were injured in an airplane accident or you simply have aviation accident questions and would like to speak to an attorney, give us a call. Our firms’ experience both in and out of the courtroom has provided our aviation attorneys with the knowledge they need to answer any airline accident questions or concerns you may have. We’re here to help.