19 weird airline rules we bet you’ve never heard of
Flying always comes with bizarre behaviours, interesting rules, and plenty of ‘please remove your shoes before going through security’.
But ‘growing companies’ magazine, Inc, has revealed 19 truly odd airline rules that even the savviest of travellers and industry geniuses usually haven’t heard of.
From not being allowed to fly American Airlines when you’ve got offensive body odour, to bizarre rules about baggage, there’s something for everyone.
Thanks to Inc, who did the legwork and rounded up all the different wacky rules you could encounter when flying, you can now bask in the bizarreness of this list:
1. American Airlines has a rule “which states the carrier can refuse to transport a passenger (and pull him/her off the plane) if the individual ‘has an offensive odor.'” —Fox News
2. Here’s a rule about checked bags and carry-ons: “Human remains [are allowed] as long as they are cremated and are stored in a wood, cardboard or plastic container.” —Ahoy
3. On Hawaiian Airlines, “unacceptable hairstyles include, but are not limited to, extreme or unnatural colors (e.g., pink, purple), top-knots, dreadlocks, cornrows and Mohawks.” —Trip Hobo
4. “I was allowed to take a frozen bottle of Fuji water through security at the Tampa airport…Who knew? You can. As long as your liquid is frozen solid, the TSA allows it. Just suck out any liquid that is slushy or melted before sticking it in the bin to go through the screening machine.” —USA Today
5. “All four of the largest airlines–American, Delta, Southwest and United–have contracts of carriage with similar provisions that allow for denial of boarding to passengers who are unable to sit in a single seat with the seat belt properly secured or are unable to put down armrests between seats for an entire flight.” —USA Today
6. “The ‘flat tire rule,’ as it’s so affectionately known, gives check-in agents some flexibility to accommodate passengers who missed a flight because, well, maybe they got a flat tire on the way to the airport.
“Realise it doesn’t need to be an actual flat tire and it doesn’t require any ridiculous documentation–it’s mostly supposed to account for any traffic and road issues that passengers might encounter.” —Mashable
7. “In the case of extraordinary events that result in very lengthy on-board delays, American will make every reasonable effort to ensure that essential needs of food (snack bar such as Nutri-Grain) are met.” —American Airlines
8. “United does not accept infants in incubation (except as permitted under Rule 15C) or infants under seven days old.” —United Airlines
9. “United Airlines shall have the right to refuse to transport or shall have the right to remove from the aircraft at any point, any passenger for the force majeure and other unforeseeable conditions whenever such action is necessary or advisable by reason of weather or other conditions beyond UA’s control including, but not limited to, acts of God, force majeure, strikes, civil commotions, embargoes, wars, hostilities, terrorist activities, or disturbances, whether actual, threatened, or reported.” —United Airlines
10. “United Airlines will accept one piece of carry-on baggage free of charge … The following items do not count toward the one carry-on plus one personal item: An overcoat or wrap, an umbrella, a camera, a diaper bag, or a breast pump.” —United Airlines
11. “Thai Airways cabin crew are required to wear separate uniforms on land and in the air. They change into traditional Thai dresses in the air, while on the ground they wear a corporate purple suit. Any crew of a nationality other than Thai are not allowed to wear the dress.” —Confessions of Trolley Dolly
12. “The newest UK flight rules ban large electronic devices from cabin baggage on passenger flights to the UK from six countries. This includes large phones, all laptops and all tablets and e-readers taken onto planes.
“The government said that passengers will be restricted from taking the banned items onto flights from Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Tunisia.” —The Sun
13. “British Airways has upgraded its policy for the event of a passenger death–instead of putting the dead body in the restroom, they now move them to a first-class seat.” —Bustle
14. “A person who has their tonsils removed cannot fly with Qantas for three weeks.” —Herald Sun
15. “Jamaica’s customs and immigration policies expressly prohibit ‘all articles made of goatskin (still bearing fur), e.g. drums, handbags and rugs.'” —Holidaze
16. “If the officer prohibits your item, remember that surrendering it isn’t your only option. You can mail it back home (some airports have on-site postal facilities), hand it off to a non-traveling friend, stick it in your car or send it in a checked bag.” —The Washington Post
17. “According to TSA guidelines, “gellin'” passengers will not be allowed to pass through airport security. Gel shoe inserts–which help alleviate back and foot pain by providing more support to your soles–exceed the 3.4-ounce limit on carry-on liquids.” —The Huffington Post
18. “If you fly Korean Air, careful! CNN reports the airline’s employees are now allowed to use tasers on you–if you get unruly, that is.” —FareCompare
19. “Many airport workers–including some baggage handlers, mechanics and others with access to secure areas and planes–aren’t required to routinely go through metal detectors or body scanners.
“The TSA says it pre-screens some of these employees before they’re hired, and vets many of them afterward with random checks. But critics say the system leaves serious vulnerabilities.” —New York Post
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