With crowded flights on the mind of many travelers this week, as well as gluttony, one airline passenger's seven-hour flight on US Airways has struck a chord: Arthur Berkowitz says he had to stand for the flight from Alaska to Philadelphia because a morbidly obese passenger made nearly impossible for him to sit in his own seat. more ›

Passengers on a U.S. Airways flight bound for NYC were evacuated from the aircraft before takeoff Monday after maggots crawled out of an overheard compartment. As the plane was taxiing, passenger Donna Adamo heard another passenger behind her causing a commotion and refusing to take her seat. "Then I heard the word 'maggot' and that kind of got everybody creeped out," she tells the AP. "The maggots, they started to drip out of the bin in row 15... All of a sudden, I felt somebody flick the back of my hair and on the front of me came a maggot, which I flicked off me." Let's go to the videotape! more ›

The airline that diverted a flight when a Jewish passenger started praying said it was forced to treat the incident as a bomb scare because the teen didn't clearly explain why he had strapped his tefillin — two small black boxes worn by Orthodox Jews during weekday morning prayers — to his head and arm. According to Chautauqua Airlines, which was operating the US Airways Flight from LaGuardia to Kentucky, "[w]hen our crew tried to discuss the issue with the passenger, they did not receive a clear response." more ›

An eagle-eyed reader noticed that Google Maps has placed US Airways Flight 1549 at West 42nd Street and 10th Avenue. Not only is Google's version of Sullenberger's landing a much more tragic one, blocks from the real watery landing spot in the Hudson... it's also listed as an eatery! more ›

Some 2 million pets and other animals travel by commercial airline each year, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. And considering how much airlines charge for the service, it all amounts to big business for the industry. But how much should it cost to take your pet with you on a flight? One area woman is up in arms after realizing that her cat's ticket to fly from New York to Virginia actually cost more than her own ticket! more ›

Senator Chuck Schumer is doing damage control today after he was overheard calling a flight attendant a bitch. The Pool Party lover was sitting next to Senator Kirsten Gillibrand aboard a US Airways shuttle as the crew prepared to begin a flight from New York to Washington on Sunday. Both senators were talking on their cell phones when an unidentified flight attendant approached and told them to terminate their calls. Can you believe the nerve of this woman, telling famous ruling class elites to follow the rules? more ›

Flight 1549 captain Chesley Sullenberger has opened up about his life after his heroic landing of a US Airways plane into the Hudson way back in January. But are we ready to know all the details of his personal life? In an NBC "People of the Year" TV special, his wife Laurie tells Matt Lauer, "He doesn't know I'm going to say this, but I had joked the other day that ... the hero sex really helps a 20-year-old marriage." Sully clarified, "Rock star sex." more ›

With Miracle on the Hudson pilot Captain Chesley Sullenberger back in the air, of course there's some grumbling. The Post suggests, "Wimpy US Airways bosses feared... Sullenberger might not be able to hack the media glare of what they billed as his 'return to the air' yesterday," so they had him fly three other flights for prep. A US Airways spokesman explained, "We didn't want to put too much pressure on the guy." Of course, the Post probably has sour grapes since the Daily News was included on one of the earlier flights. more ›

Captain Chesley Sullenberger arrived in NYC this morning and declared, "It feels good to be back in New York. It feels good to be back at work." Even jaded folks at the news conference, held at Laguardia, clapped for Sullenberger as well as his co-pilot Jeffrey Skiles, who were scheduled to make another flight from NYC to Charlotte, NC—just one with a less dramatic ending than Flight 1549. more ›

With all the hubbub about Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger making his long-awaited return to the skies after his miraculous splash landing of Flight 1549 by flying from Laguardia to Charlotte, North Carolina this afternoon, it turns out that Sully had to get to NYC some how. And that was by flying Flight 1050 from Charlotte to LGA at 7:55 a.m! The Daily News had a reporter and photographer onboard for the scoop. more ›

Get ready for the Sully media blitz! The US Airways pilot who landed Flight 1549 into the Hudson River safely will be in New York tomorrow: TMZ reports that Chesley Sullenberger's first flight back in the cockpit "will take off from LaGuardia Airport tomorrow and take the same route that would have landed him in Charlotte, North Carolina ... were if it not for those pesky geese." And his co-pilot will be the same as that January 15th flight—Jeffrey Skiles. And we say media blitz because Sully's book comes out on October 13. more ›

Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, who captured the hearts of many when he safely landed US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River, says that he's ready to fly planes once again. He said yesterday, in a statement from US Airways, "The months since January 15 have been very full, and my family and I have had some unforgettable experiences. However, I have missed working with my colleagues at US Airways and I am eager to get back in the cockpit with my fellow pilots in the months ahead. In my new role, I will continue to be the same kind of advocate for aviation safety that I have been for several decades." more ›

An unidentified man from the boogie down Bronx just streaked half of America! The 50-year-old became naked as a jaybird for no apparent reason during a US Airways flight last night. One passenger says the 50-year-old appeared to fall asleep, but then started taking his clothes off. (Could a bad Ambien reaction be involved?) He refused to cooperate with flight attendants and threw off a blanket that was placed over him. Is it some kind of crime to fly au naturale? Probably, right? An off-duty police officer on board helped restrain the man, and the flight, which originated in Charlotte and was bound for LA, made a pit stop in Albuquerque to eject the mile-high streaker. WABC 7 says he may be transported "to an FBI facility. He will likely be taken to a local detention center in the meantime." Meanwhile, everyone who landed in California will be enjoying life naked in a hot tub. more ›

As long as he lives, U.S. Airways Captain Chesley Sullenberger will travel the land to tell the amazing story of his successful emergency landing on the Hudson River in January; this morning found him in Washington to testify during hearings held by the National Transportation Safety Board on air safety and the growing threat of bird strikes. (According to the Times, researchers counted 229 people killed and 210 aircraft destroyed as a result of bird strikes in the last 20 years.) And yesterday the Smithsonian Institution announced that isotopic analysis of goose remains found in Flight 1549's engines confirmed that the birds were migratory, thus suggesting that habitat destruction would not have prevented the accident. more ›

Evening Update: Scroll down for additional video footage of the landing. more ›

As everyone continues to marvel how all 155 passengers and crew members were rescued from the U.S. Airways Flight 1549 that landed in the Hudson River, they are ready to call Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger a hero. more ›

Reports are coming in that a plane has crashed in the Hudson River, between Piers 88 and 92 (West 48th-West 52nd Streets; U.S.S. Intrepid is at Pier 86). The newscasts are reporting that it's a US Airways (twin-engine) flight. more ›

The Daily News and NY Times both look at the life of Carol Anne Gotbaum, the New Yorker who died while in police custody at Phoenix's Sky Harbor airport over a week ago. She is portrayed as a vibrant woman and loving mother to three children who had become depressed in recent years. more ›

The family of Manhattan resident who died while in police custody at Phoenix's Sky Harbor International Friday night is awaiting more details about her death. US Airways and airport police say that Carol Anne Gotbaum, who was married to the stepson of NYC Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum, had been acting irately and would not calm down, so she was handcuffed and left in an airport holding cell. more ›

Manhattan resident Carol Ann Gotbaum, who is married to the stepson of Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum, died in a Phoenix airport holding cell while in police custody. Phoenix authorities believe she may have died while trying to get out of her handcuffs. more ›

- Some equipment is up to 30 years old. Schumer is looking for Senate funding for a new $60 million tower, before things go terribly wrong. more ›

On Sunday, the NY Times said that many New Yorkers are taking flights out of Philadelphia to save money, because the NYC area airports are really expensive. The cheaper fares are mainly coming from US Airways, which slashed its fares. While this may be true, Gothamist is still really surprised. Mainly because it takes about two hours to get to Philly (it's not like choosing between Oakland and San Francisco if you're in the Bay Area), then tack on the extra time you need to get through security and screening, and you've basically put half a day into your travel time - is a deal that's $100 cheaper worth the emotional hassle? If you live in NJ, or you're traveling in a huge pack of people, Gothamist would understand why taking flights from Philly would be attractive, but it still seems like a lot of work. The Chinatown buses we get, this not so much, but we'll be looking into it the next time we plan a trip. more ›