Fancy a little more leg rooom?

Fancy some extra leg space and other benefits next time you fly?

Virgin Australia is giving travellers a chance at an upgraded experience starting from $8.

The airline has launched a flash sale offering premium extra legroom Economy X seating, with upgrades from just $8 per person, per sector, across its domestic network. That's 30% off the regular starting upgrade price.

Virgin Australia Chief Marketing and Customer Operations Officer, Libby Minogue, said the sale offers exceptional value for travellers looking to add extra comfort to their journey.

“We know Australians are looking for great value, and this sale delivers exactly that,” said Minogue.

“From as low as $8 per person, guests can upgrade to Economy X and enjoy extra legroom, priority boarding and dedicated overhead locker space on their next Virgin Australia flight.

“For many guests, a little extra space can make a big difference, particularly on longer journeys, and we're pleased to make that experience available from just $8.

“As the first airline in Australia to introduce a dedicated extra-legroom Economy X product, we're proud to continue giving travellers more choice, comfort and value every time they fly,” she said.

Just a word on that "dedicated overhead locker space". On a lot sectors I have flown, the air crew usurp this Economy X lockers as their own personal baggage space. Call them out on it. 

No you cannot bring your gun onto the plane

In the good old US of A, many people regard it as their God-given right to travel everywhere with their gun/s. Even on planes.

It was revealed recently that the Transportation Security Administration has seized more than 1,500 guns at airports since the beginning of the year.

A total of 1,508 firearms were found by TSA officers at airport security checks during the first quarter of 2023 - a 10.3% increase over the same period last year, Travel Mole reported.

Even more remarkably, more than 93% of the weapons were loaded.

“Firearms at TSA security checkpoints present an unacceptable safety risk to other passengers and I am deeply concerned that the majority of these firearms our TSOs catch are loaded,” TSA Administrator David Pekoske said in a brilliant example of stating the obvious.

“If you carry a firearm, our TSOs will see it and there will be significant penalties.”

The civil penalty for firearms violations was recently increased to nearly $US15,000 but is apparently having little effect as a deterrent to these freedom-loving folk.

Officers confiscated 6,542 firearms at 262 different US airports last year.

Even the politicians are at it.

Just last year Republican (of course!) Madison Cawthorn from North Carolina was cited at a South Carolina airport for bringing a loaded gun through a checkpoint.

Image: Haymar Santibanez, Scop.io

Rats! Flight delayed by rodent on board

The late arrival of the incoming aircraft. Staffing issues. A mechanical fault. 

There are myriad reasons why a light might be delayed but an Air India flight bound from Srinigar to Jammu was this week delayed by two hours after a rat was sighted in the cabin. 

India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation has ordered an investigation, Travel Mole reported.

The flight was able to depart from Srinagar Airport after rat was removed from the plane, airport officials told the news agency Press Trust of India.

Air India, under new management, did not respond to PTI’s request for a statement. Bad form. 

he Tata Group took over the operations of Air India on January 27. The Indian government sold the airline last year after a bidding process. 

It is not known how the rat got on board, or whether it survived.