Travel News – Brain Scans, What Hijacking? Jet Sucks, AA Gets Flexible, Granted Travel

The first story is either very very cool or very very creepy… probably both. Just don’t react when the security screen whispers ‘Jihad’ in your ear.

EU tests brain scanning to catch terrorists

The EU has been testing new ways to catch terrorists, and a method of brain scanning could be the way to weed them out.

Developed via the Humabio (Human Monitoring and Authentication using Biodynamic Indicators and Behaviourial Analysis) projects based in Greece, the scans would search for distinctive brain patterns as people pass through checks.

Oops. When I screw up at work usually the air force does not get involved.

Plane’s hijacking alarm flub forces jet escort

Authorities say a cockpit hijacking alarm was mistakenly tripped on an American Airlines flight carrying more than 150 people, forcing fighter jets to escort the plane onto the tarmac.

Oops. Remember that awesome opening minute of the pilot for the TV show LOST when someone learned that you don’t stand in front of a jet engine. A baggage handler at LAX must have missed that episode.

Baggage container sucked into Boeing 747 engine at LAX

A metal baggage container was sucked into an engine of a Boeing 747 as it was leaving a terminal gate Monday at Los Angeles International Airport, authorities said. No one was injured.

In a move that show might show some desire to get people to travel more, American Airlines is offering its frequent flyers more flexibility.

AAdvantage One-Way Flex Awards

Introducing AAdvantage One-Way Flex Awards – a whole new approach to frequent flyer travel – PLUS an enhanced award booking tool on AA.com.

We’ve enhanced award travel by making MileSAAver® and AAnytime® awards One-Way Flex Awards – a brand new way to use your AAdvantage miles.

Use your miles in a variety of award combinations to book a one-way trip, a round trip, or a multi-city trip. New One-Way Flex Awards are offered at a one-way mileage rate – exactly half of the round-trip rate.

Could you get paid to travel for free? Maybe.

Travel Grants Can Be the Secret to Free Travel

Are you a new travel writer looking for travel writing jobs? Would you like free travel? There is a way that few writers know about to help them get the funds they need – funds that could take you to a destination that you’ve always wanted to write about. The same way that many high-school graduates get funding for college, and many start up business get funding to help them open the doors and put up the shingle – it’s grants! Yep, good old-fashioned grants.

Airlines, which granted need the money, made hundreds of millions of dollars on baggage fees last year. Surprise, here is a new one.

United Matches US Airways’ Baggage Fee Hike

United will now charge an extra $5 for bags checked at the airport, meaning passengers will have to pony up $20 for the first bag and $30 for the second unless they check their bags online. The rule is effective May 14 for travel before June 10. If you book your ticket prior to May 14, you will not have to pay the new fee.

Other stories that are worth a mention:

• 7 Ways to Annoy a Flight Attendant
• Six Tips for Introverted Travelers
• 10 Things I Wish I’d Known Before Studying Abroad