All posts tagged: airports

A 6-Hour Time-Stretched Version of Brian Eno’s Music For Airports: Meditate, Relax, Study

A 6-Hour Time-Stretched Version of Brian Eno’s Music For Airports: Meditate, Relax, Study

Published by José

Writ­ing in his 1995 diary about his sem­i­nal ambi­ent album Music for Air­ports, Eno remem­bered his ini­tial thoughts going into it: “I want to make a kind of music that pre­pares you for dying–that doesn’t get all bright and cheer­ful and pre­tend you’re not a lit­tle appre­hen­sive, but which makes you say to your­self, ‘Actu­al­ly, it’s not that big a deal if I die.’” Cre­at­ed in 1978 from sec­onds-long tape loops from a much longer improv ses­sion with musi­cians includ­ing Robert Wyatt, Music for Air­ports start­ed the idea of slow, med­i­ta­tive music that aban­doned typ­i­cal major and minor scales, brought in melod­ic ambi­gu­i­ty, and began the explo­ration of sounds that were designed to exist some­where in the back­ground, beyond the scope of full atten­tion. For those who think 50 min­utes is too short and those piano notes too rec­og­niz­able, may we sug­gest this 6‑hour, time-stretched ver­sion of the album, cre­at­ed by YouTube user “Slow Motion TV.” The tonal field is the same, but now the notes are no attack, all decay. It’s gran­u­lar as hell, …

The weird psychology of airports

The weird psychology of airports

Published by skeptic

Many of us have witnessed unusual and even anti-social behaviour at an airport or on a flight. These may range from benign acts such as sleeping on the floor or doing yoga in front of the flight information display system to serious incidents like early morning drunken arguments or even trying to open the aeroplane doors mid-flight. These more sinister problems appear to have worsened over recent years, with increasing air rage incidents and flight diversions. Such incidents have led to calls to reduce or even ban the sale of alcohol at airports and on planes. RyanAir, for example, has called for a two-drink limit at airport bars to stop drunken incidents on planes. But what is it about airports that make us behave differently? Let’s take a look at the psychology. Many holidaymakers feel that the adventure begins at the airport, putting them in a different frame of mind to normal. They are eager to begin their one or two weeks’ of relaxed hedonism with a flourish. Others, however, are anxious about flying, which …

The Near Misses at Airports Have Been Telling Us Something

The Near Misses at Airports Have Been Telling Us Something

Published by skeptic

The deadly crash over the Potomac River is the culmination of an alarming pattern. Illustration by The Atlantic January 30, 2025, 11:26 AM ET Until just moments before an American Airlines regional plane and an Army helicopter collided over the Potomac River last night, nothing in particular seemed amiss. Conditions were clear, Sean Duffy, the new secretary of transportation, noted in a press conference this morning. The passenger jet, coming from Wichita, Kansas, was about to arrive at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport—one in a succession of airliners landing about two minutes apart. The Black Hawk helicopter was on a training mission from Virginia’s Fort Belvoir. Both aircraft were in a “standard flight pattern,” Duffy said. Referring to the crowded and shared air space around D.C., he added, “This was not unusual.” And that may turn out to be the problem. The precise immediate cause of the crash—which killed all 64 passengers and crew members aboard the airliner and all three people in the helicopter—will not become clear until investigators fully analyze recordings of air-traffic-control …

Far-right Portugal politician faces luggage-theft charges – POLITICO

Far-right Portugal politician faces luggage-theft charges – POLITICO

Published by Sam

Portuguese politician Miguel Arruda is out of the far-right Chega party after being accused of stealing suitcases from airport luggage carousels in a bizarre case that includes widely aired video footage and charges of AI manipulation. Arruda said he decided to stay in the parliament as an independent MP, leaving Chega, a populist, far-right party that has grown to become Portugal’s third-largest political force.  Police on Tuesday charged Arruda with luggage theft after missing suitcases were allegedly found at his home, several Portuguese news outlets reported. One outlet, Expresso, said police found 17 suitcases in his home. Source link

Nigeria keeps building airports – but where are the passengers? | Nigeria

Nigeria keeps building airports – but where are the passengers? | Nigeria

Published by skeptic

Last Thursday the governor of Zamfara, one of Nigeria’s poorest states, held a ceremony to mark the start of construction on an international airport in the state capital Gusau. “The economic benefits and multiplier effects … are quite enormous,” Dauda Lawal said. “The airport will have a tremendous impact on the ease of doing business and other social interactions [here].” Barely a month before, Alex Otti, the governor of Abia state in the south-east, had thanked federal officials for approving an airstrip project and said he would be lobbying for an upgrade to a full airport in the near future. “A journey of a thousand miles starts with one step,” Otti said. Airports have been springing up around the country in recent years; for the most part absent are any concerns about the environmental impact of air travel. Nigeria already has 33 airports – all but two entirely owned by the federal or state governments – as well as 13 airstrips, four military airfields and 128 sites with helipads. Despite the proliferation in projects, the …

Row breaks out over 100ml U-turn as passengers told to arrive an hour early for flights

Row breaks out over 100ml U-turn as passengers told to arrive an hour early for flights

Published by Sam

Airport passengers have been told arrive three hours early to clear security queues amid a row over the Government’s U-turn on 100ml limits for liquids in hand luggage. EasyJet is advising its passengers to turn up an extra hour early for flights from Birmingham Airport after growing security queues left passengers lining up outside the building. Travellers should arrive an hour earlier than if they were flying from another British airport, the airline said. The advice comes as the Airport Operators’ Association (AOA) hit out at the Government for its surprise U-turn, in a highly unusual move for the travel industry, which normally shies away from being seen to criticise officials. Rules were expected to change at the start of June, letting passengers carry bottles of up to two litres, but last Friday the Government announced that the 100ml limit would remain in force, saying that new security scanners were not ready. Countries across Europe have successfully eased the 100ml rule, with several using scanners made by the same firms approved by the Department for …

‘No indication of malicious activity’ as e-gates back working at UK airports after travel chaos | UK News

‘No indication of malicious activity’ as e-gates back working at UK airports after travel chaos | UK News

Published by skeptic

A “nationwide issue” with e-gates at airports has been resolved after causing travel chaos across the country, the Home Office has said. It said the system was back up and running and there was “no indication of malicious cyber activity”. Social media images and footage showed long queues at the passport scanning gates at several airports overnight. Passengers also reported being held on planes after they landed, while others said the delays caused them to miss trains. Image: Queues at Gatwick Airport. Pic: Paul Curievici/PA Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports were affected, as well as Manchester, Bristol and Southampton, along with Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen. One passenger at Stansted Airport told Sky News they had missed several coaches to central London because of the issues, and only cleared the airport after nearly three hours in line. “Not much info given. No water handed out. Babies crying,” they said. Another at Luton Airport said it took around 80 minutes from leaving their flight from Amsterdam to get through border control. One traveller said they were held …

Travel chaos at airports across UK – as London and Manchester confirm nationwide border issue | UK News

Travel chaos at airports across UK – as London and Manchester confirm nationwide border issue | UK News

Published by skeptic

Chaos has been reported at airports across the UK – as several airports have confirmed a nationwide border issue. Both Stansted and Gatwick airports said the issue was related to e-gates at passport control. A Heathrow spokesperson said: “Border Force is currently experiencing a nationwide issue which is impacting passengers being processed through the border. “Our teams are supporting Border Force with their contingency plans to help resolve the problem as quickly as possible and are on hand to provide passenger welfare. We apologise for any impact this is having to passenger journeys.” Image: Queues at Gatwick Airport Image: Queues at Gatwick Airport Manchester Airport also confirmed that the UK Border System is down as part of a nationwide outage. A spokesperson for AGS Airports which operates Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton airports has told Sky News they are impacted by the nationwide outage of the UK Border system. A London Gatwick spokesperson said: “Some passengers may experience delays at immigration due to a nationwide issue with UK Border Force e-gates. “Our staff are working with …

Park 2 days at LAX, Seattle International, and more major airports for only

Park 2 days at LAX, Seattle International, and more major airports for only $10

Published by skeptic

We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more › Long-term airport parking isn’t new, but it’s not always convenient or budget-friendly. The Parking Spot is a parking service that keeps your car in a secure location near airports around the country. It even shuttles you directly to the airport once you’re parked, among other convenient services. If you’re planning a trip soon, then join the Spot club and get two days of parking at The Parking Spot for only $9.99 (reg. $32).  How to find parking at the airport Whether you’re a frequent flyer or planning the vacation of a lifetime, you can make it easier to find parking next time you’re at the airport. With the Spot Club app, you can select your departing airport, reserve a spot, and request other car care services. All Spot Club parking spots are covered, fenced, and available to you 24/7.  Once you’re parked, a Spot shuttle will pick you up at your car and take you to …

Estonia blames Russia for GPS interference that forces Finnair to suspend flights – POLITICO

Estonia blames Russia for GPS interference that forces Finnair to suspend flights – POLITICO

Published by skeptic

“The GPS interference in Tartu forces us to suspend flights until alternative solutions have been established,” Finnair said today. The suspension will last until May 31. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna called the GPS jamming a “hybrid attack” and blamed Russia — saying he intends to raise the issue at the EU and NATO. “Russia knows very well that the interference they are causing is very dangerous for our air traffic,” Tsahkna told Estonian public broadcaster ERR. He called it “a deliberate action that is disrupting our lives, putting people’s lives at risk.”  GPS jamming has been a regular occurrence in the Baltic region since the start of the war in Ukraine in 2022, and Russia is considered the most likely culprit, although its responsibility has not been proven. Planes can still fly safely without a GPS signal, but the jamming deprives pilots of an important source of geolocation. “Most airports use alternative approach methods, but some airports, such as Tartu, only use methods that require a GPS signal to support them,” Jari Paajanen, Finnair’s …