Darius Cappille Exposes Himself, Punches Seatmate, Gets Naked on Airplane

People: They're the worst. That Seinfeld line runs through my brain every time I sit down in an airplane. And I've never had the "pleasure" of sitting next to Darius Cappille either.

Mr. Cappille -- although extending any sort of gentlemanly title to his name seems like at this point -- pulled off the remarkable "nightmare passenger on an airplane" trifecta recently, as he managed to expose himself, punch his female seatmate in the face and then strip naked while on a Southwest flight from Oakland to Las Vegas.

Now, I'm not entirely sure where to go with this -- after all, someone did get punched. So it seems a bit inappropriate to make a "Donkey Punch" joke (although, any reasonable amount of foresight would probably tell me that's highly inappropriate anyway). And it doesn't seem fair to do what Gadling did and point out that passengers are worse than terrorists these days (because, after all, that would mean that the terrorists have won, no?) Instead, I'll just assume that he really, really hates rapping flight attendants and doesn't know how to focus his anger.

Photo Via

New Southwest Commercial Makes a Subtle, Valid Point

I don't find the following commercial (via Nuts About Southwest) all that funny. At all. In fact, it's kind of lame. But, it does make a valid (and very awesome) point: Southwest Airlines doesn't charge consumers for checking baggage, one of my biggest beefs with any member of the airline industry. So, yeah, that alone makes it worth posting/discussing/applauding, regardless of the humor present.

Southwest Airlines Hole in Airplane Forces Emergency Landing [Photo]

A hole in a Southwest Airlines' Flight 2294 -- apparently the size of a football -- caused the passenger jet, headed for Baltimore, Maryland, to make an emergency landing in West Virginia just under an hour after it left Nashville, Tennessee.

Just to clarify: this was a freaking FOOTBALL SIZED HOLE (you can see in the picture above, via Airline Biz at the DMN, who scored it from a passenger on the plane) in the freaking fuselage of the freaking airplane where the freaking passengers sit. Or, less dramatically:

"Nothing like this has ever happened before," airline spokeswoman Marilee McInnis said.

Okay, maybe that wasn't so much less dramatic, but still: you get what's going on here, right? In the middle of a flight, a big chunk of the airplane (I consider "big chunk" to equal "anything that causes the cabin to lose pressure immediately and require an emergency landing") ripped off.

Now, I won't go all Joe Biden on you and tell you not to think about traveling -- Southwest is always diligent with their customer service and remains one of my favorite airlines -- but I would caution against willy-nilly hopping aboard any of their 300 series 737's, which is what Flight 2294 was. At least until they go back through and inspect them all (which, apparently, they are going to do).

Rapping Flight Attendant Opens Southwest LaGuardia Terminal

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee's baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack. (Of course he is, right?) The "Rapping Flight Attendant," David Holmes, made famous by such national websites as CNN and PTG, was on hand to open up Southwest's new terminal in LaGuardia Sunday. Naturally, what ensued was good ole' fashioned hilarity and confused-looking, elderly CEO-types clapping to a beat they don't really understand. Good times! Seriously, shouldn't this guy have a record deal at this point? Or is Southwest just paying him so much money that he can't leave? I'm going with the latter.

Rapping Flight Attendant Explains Generally Acceptable Accounting Principles to Southwest Shareholders

No. The title is not a mistake. Southwest's upper management people decided that they should bring David Holmes, the famous rapping flight attendant, to the shareholders' meeting in the role of "rhythmic ambassador" to explain actually what "Generally Acceptable Accounting Practices" are. As the CEO explained, "Now GAAP is fun!



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Southwest Airlines Flight Catches Fire on Runway

Landing on a runway, for those that are scared of flying, means one thing: safety. Typically speaking, once your plane's wheels hit terra firma, you're safe. And that ended up being the case for the passengers in the video below, although they got quite a scare when their Southwest Airlines flight caught fire as the plane landed.

Southwest Mystery City Sale: Bay Area

On the final day of Southwest Airlines' Mystery City Sale, the low-cost carrier provides you with not one, but three cities to choose from.

The San Francisco-Bay Area and its three airports -- San Francisco International, Oakland International and Mineta San Jose International -- are the focus of the final day of Southwest's four-day Mystery City Sale.

Like the other days, you must book your flights today and fly between May 4 and June 10. The only blackout dates are May 21-25 (Memorial Day Weekend).

Over the course of the four-day sale, Southwest has offered 50% off flights to Philadelphia, Nashville and Albuquerque, so it wasn't a stretch to think that it would head to the West Coast for the final day. But to provide three airports for their half-off sale? Kudos to Southwest for providing four days of great savings.

Southwest Mystery City Sale: Albuquerque

First Philadelphia, then Nashville. Now, Southwest Airlines' Mystery City Sale heads west of the Mississippi to Albuquerque.

That's right. Home to BioPark, Sandia Crest and Route 66, Albuquerque flights are 50% off today at Southwest.com. Today is the third stop on the airline's Mystery City Sale Tour, which will end tomorrow. Based on the trend, we might see someplace on the West Coast (Burbank, anyone?) end up as the final destination.

Come back tomorrow for the final destination. 

Southwest Mystery City Sale: Nashville

Yesterday, Southwest Airlines brought you to Philly for 50% off. Today, they're taking you to Music City.

Nashville, TN, is the second stop on Southwest Airlines' Mystery City Sale. Just book today for travel between May 2 and June 10 using promo code LUVBNA to receive half-off your flight. That means, for example, a four-day trip from Baltimore to Music City at the end of May (Thursday through Sunday) costs around $136 including taxes.

One note we didn't mention yesterday -- none of the Mystery City Sale fares are valid during Memorial Day weekend travel (May 21-25). But other than that, every day is fair game. 

Philadelphia Southwest Fare Special -- Wanna Get Away Sale with Southwest

Fans of Southwest Airlines already know what a great deal it is. Now there's even more of a reason to love the multi-colored and recognizable airliner.

Starting today, Southwest is running a four-day Mystery City Sale, where they'll discount airfares up to 50% off for one city, each day. Today's city's Philly, with fares half-off for people flying to and from the City of Brotherly Love between May 1 through June 10.

We'll keep you posted about what other cities Southwest plans to unveil as they are announced. In the meantime, get booking!

Justin Timberlake Gives Southwest Accidental Advertising

When we think of celebrities traveling, we think of giant private jets, stretch limousines, and hovercrafts. They are, after all, celebrities, so why would they ever roll with the common folk?

Justin Timberlake made an exception of this rule recently, as found by TMZ (via Jaunted), when he hopped aboard a Southwest Airlines flight from Burbank to Las Vegas ... coach style!

According to a TMZ spy who happened to be on the same flight, JT and his
bodyguard were allowed to board the plane first -- but somehow the massive bodyguard got stuck in the dreaded middle seat anyway. We're told the bodyguard tried to shoo away a passenger who asked for an autograph after the flight, but Justin happily signed anyway.

Um, yeah, "surprising" doesn't do this revelation justice -- Timberlake's one of the most recognizable celebs in the entire universe, and it's completely shocking that he only got one signature request.

The real thing to focus on here, though, is that Southwest should be jumping all over Timberlake for advertising; I would think that normal folks would be 150% more likely to purchase a Southwest flight out of Burbank (or in/out of Las Vegas) if they thought there was a chance for a celebrity sighting, and Timberlake could pick up some free tickets in the process. Or, you know, enough money to avoid flying coach next time.

Photo via TMZ

FareFinder: Thursday, April 2

Time sensitive special from JetBlue: $14 flights from San Fran to JFK or Long Beach. Today only, so act quick. If you miss that deal, then check out their Spring Sale, which also ends today.

InterContinental Chicago offering a baseball lover's special that includes accommodations, rooftop seating across from Wrigley Field and an open bar for $249 per night, per couple. That and other specials available online.

Southwest Airlines redesigns its Special Offers page. And by the way, it has really good specials through Monday.

Luxe Hotel Sunset Boulevard in L.A. offering a "Doggy & Me" package that includes accommodations in a Junior Executive Suite on the Spa Level, in-room massage for guest and their four-legged loved one, dog treats specially created by OnSunset restaurant’s Executive Chef and more for $575 a night.

Rapping Flight Attendant Takes World by Storm

Flight attendants, God bless their souls, are incredibly annoying. They don't seem to understand that we all hate the pre-flight instructions that we're wrung through every flight we take. David Holmes, Southwest Airlines steward, puts a different spin on things by rapping the entire pre-flight takeoff spiel. It's rather awesome.

FareFinder: Tuesday, February 24

47 last-minute airfare deals from Continental hubs in Newark Liberty, Houston and Cleveland

Apple Vacations offering three night, all inclusive values from $599.

Discount airline Southwest to begin Boston flights into Logan this fall

MSC Cruises offering 60% off Transatlantic sailings from Ft. Lauderdale on MSC Orchestra and MSC Lirica

Divi Resorts in the Caribbean offering up to 40% off vacation packages, as well as food & beverage credit

Vantage Travel offering 16-day South American tour, including hotels, meals, airfare and sightseeing, for $3,999

Carnival Cruise Lines' one-day sale is this Thursday

Free Southwest Wifi During Beta Testing

In case you didn't need another awesome reason to get out of your chair and hop on an airplane, Southwest announced today that their in-flight wireless internet connection will be FREE during their beta testing (via Gizmodo).

Operated by Westlake Village, Calif.-based technology firm Row 44, the new Wi-Fi system will be tested for "the next few months," the company said. 

"Internet connectivity has been high on our list of priorities for quite some time," says Dave Ridley, senior vice president of marketing for Southwest Airlines, in a statement. 

As it should be -- it's amazing to me how we've come so far, technologically speaking (we put a man on the moon, man!), yet wireless internet is not easily accessible on airplanes yet. 

But hey, one small step for mankind, right? At least this one's free.

Southwest Buys $7.5 Mil Worth of LaGuardia Landing Spots, Which Is Called 'Making a Statement'

It's no secret at all that the economy is currently "not good". Such circumstances make it tough for businesses to break even -- I feel like driving down the road I see 'Going Out of Business Sale!' signs littering the curbs -- much less prosper.

And the airline business has been hit up a little bit too. But apparently, that's not stopping Southwest Airlines, who announced today that they have purchased $7.5 million worth of landing spots at LaGuardia Airport in New York City from ATA Airlines.

"It is our intent, with the successful conclusion of the transaction, to make plans to initiate service from LaGuardia," said Southwest CEO Gary Kelly. "Even in this volatile environment, we have said we must monitor the competitive landscape and take advantage of prudent market opportunities."

And yes, technically Southwest did purchase ATA (now bankrupt) as a whole. But they seem to have zero interest in actually acquiring anything other than the landing spots, which says something pretty stout about their play in this tough market.

Southwest has clearly been marketing themselves as an airline that doesn't tack on surcharges to customers for baggage check-in, reservations by phone, non-refundable ticket refunds or curbside check-in.

So, yeah, couple their "consumer-first" attitude with this strong financial push to wedge themselves in a major market means that SW understands people are going to keep flying -- there's no better time to travel than now, actually. And by locking themselves into a major spot in one of the world's biggest airports, they appear at least poised to take a run at the "Big Three" of Delta, U.S. Airways and American.