Cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana were allowed to pass security checkpoints at LAX in a bribery scheme that led to the arrests of two former and two current Transportation Security Administration employees, according to authorities.

The screeners were accused of allowing large amounts of cocaine and other drugs to pass through X-ray machines at security checkpoints in exchange for payments of up to $2,400, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Read the original report on NBCLosAngeles.com

"The allegations in this case describe a significant breakdown of the screening system through the conduct of individuals who placed greed above the nation's security needs,'' said U.S. Attorney Andre Birotte Jr.

The indictment cites five incidents in which the employees allowed suitcases filled with drugs to pass X-ray machines at security checkpoints. The scheme occurred over a six-month period last year,  according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

One drug courier is already in custody in connection with the case, according to authorities. Another courier suspect is expected to surrender Thursday.

One of the courier suspects, identified as Downey resident Duane Eleby, allegedly attempted to bring nearly five kilograms of cocaine through a security checkpoint. The drugs were seized when he went through a checkpoint that was not staffed by someone involved in the scheme, authorities said.

TSA employees who were not involved in the scheme seized Eleby's bag and found the cocaine, according to investigators.

Among those arrested and charged are Naral Richardson, 30, of Los Angeles, who was fired by TSA in 2010 and accused of orchestrating the scheme; John Whitfield, 23, of Los Angeles, a current TSA screener; Joy White, 27, of Compton, who was terminated last year; and Capeline McKinney, 25, of Los Angeles, also a current screener.

"While these arrests are a disappointment, TSA is committed to holding our employees to the highest standards," said Randy Parsons, TSA Federal Security Director at LAX.

If convicted, all four employees face a minimum of 10 years in federal prison.

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A Delta Airlines flight from John F. Kennedy Airport to Los Angeles returned 10 minutes after takeoff Thursday because of a bird strike to the engine. 

The pilot of Delta Flight 1063 reported an engine-related problem and landed the Boeing 757 safely at the New York airport from which it had departed at 3 p.m., said a spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration. 

Read the original reports on NBCNewYork.com.

Delta spokesman Anthony Black said flight 1063 encountered a bird strike on the right side engine. As a precaution, he said, the captain returned the plane to JFK.

"The flight landed without incident and they are currently inspecting the engine and working to re-accommodate the passengers," Black said

There were no injuries reported. 

It was not clear how many birds or what kind of birds were involved. 

In January 2009, a US Airways plane piloted by Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger landed in the Hudson River after it struck a flock of geese just after take-off at New York's LaGuardia Airport and lost power in both engines. 

All 155 passengers and crew survived the splash-landing that came to be dubbed "Miracle on the Hudson." 

Such strikes are not uncommon. The FAA maintains a page on its website dedicated to wildlife strikes and said there were 121,000 strikes, mostly birds, between 1990 and 2010, averaging 26 strikes a day in recent years.

Information from Reuters was included in this report.

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Mark Wagner / Courtesy Airport Chatter

This screenshot from Airport Chatter shows a listing of eateries at Philadelphia International Airport.

Airports can be confusing places, especially large ones that travelers are experiencing for the first time, so knowing where to find that great cup of coffee or figuring out if there is a place near your departure gate to fit in a quick massage before boarding can often be a daunting task.

And that’s the logic behind Airport Chatter, a new website launched several weeks ago designed to take the hassle out of getting around airports.

The idea is the brain child of Mark Wagner and Izzy Kirsh, two 20-somethings working in the technology field and currently living in Toronto and Miami respectively.

“I’m a real aviation fan,” said Wagner. “I love travel and I love airports.” But every time he travels, he said, the same problems and challenges persist. “The more we talked, the more we saw the need to make air travel easier to navigate and to be more social,” Wagner said.

The average airport has three terminals, 18 airlines, 40 eateries, 30 shops, 25 services, three lounges, public transportation, taxis, limos, shuttles, long-term parking, short-term parking and an array of hotels nearby, according to Airport Chatter, which hopes to help travelers quickly locate what they are looking for and display where the venue is located.

The site currently features detailed profiles for some of the busiest airports in the United States and includes every eatery, shop, service and lounge at those airports — more than 6,000 venues in total at 53 airports — helping travelers learn about which restaurants there are after security is cleared or what the costs are for long-term parking.

The site also has a community platform where venues and services can be rated, reviewed and shared with fellow travelers.

The site is available to search at no cost, but to post reviews, users must either log in through Facebook or Twitter, or register with Airport Chatter directly. Reviews are monitored in real time, Wagner said.

Here's a recent one posted by Nephro31 about Cibo Express, a food venue at John F. Kennedy International Airport:

“Has Kosher food but very expensive and not fresh. Good to know though if your in rush.”

The venue also bears a 4.2 star rating, based on a possible five stars, which is an average of the ratings posted. Users can also give a thumbs up or a thumbs down to denote how useful the rating is, Wagner said.

Wagner said individual airports typically have much of the same information on their websites as Airport Chatter, but travelers typically have to visit more than one site and it takes time to sort through everything; other commercial sites are frequently not updated with any regularity. Airport Chatter aims to create one site that allows travelers to access detailed airport information all in one place, easily and quickly, he said.

“The goal is really turning Airport Chatter into a global airport platform for travelers,” Wagner said, that will include everything they need — before, during and when departing the airport.

Expansion plans include adding the larger airports of Latin America and Asia next. Eventually all international and domestic airports will be included, he said. In addition, he and colleagues plan to roll in more robust features in coming months, like social profiles and gaming mechanics, similar to Four Square offerings. And based on research that touts their success, he said, the site plans to eventually include rewards, both real and virtual.

Henry H. Harteveldt, co-founder of the Atmosphere Research Group, a market research company, said there are a number of commercial sites currently offering services similar to what Airport Chatter provides.

“There is definitely no clear winner in this space yet,” he said. It’s early in the game, but Airport Chatter will need to create a site different enough to draw in more users, he said. “The challenge will be to make it so useful, people go to it first.”

And that won’t be easy, he said. “People don’t think about airports all that much” unless on the way to or already at them. Also critical to Airport Chatter's ultimate success will be to eventually offer the service on a smartphone or a tablet.

But even then it will be tough, he said. A recent study done by the Atmosphere Research Group found that few of the 5,058 adults surveyed even used airport apps. Of survey participants who owned smartphones, 63 percent had no airport app at all, and only eight percent of those surveyed had and regularly used them, he said.

And for the social media piece to be successful, the capability to easily find other travelers similar to the users will be very important.

“But the good news is, I think there is an opportunity for someone to come in to really help travelers,” Harteveldt said.

Wagner is quick to say Airport Chatter is still in its infancy, and would not say how much traffic it has received, though it is beginning to get some traction. Overall, he and colleagues have been pleased with the initial response, noting most users have searched the site, and less have posted reviews, which he expects will change as it takes hold.

“Obviously, the site still really needs tweaking,” Wagner said, noting that technological issues have been particularly challenging. “This is not it. It’s all about the future,” Wagner said, adding that he and co-workers are hard at work on version 2.0.

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Security measures will be increased at Maho Beach on the Caribbean island of St. Maarten in response to a viral video showing a woman being injured by jet blast from a JetBlue airplane.

The beach is just steps from Princess Juliana International Airport, where airplanes take off and land so low over the beach that the area has become a popular attraction for plane spotters and tourists. The St. Maarten Tourism Bureau even markets Maho Beach as a tourist attraction.

But despite posted signs warning that a blast from a jet's engines can cause “extreme bodily harm and/or death,” thrill seekers often gather by the fence at the end of the runway and try to hold on through the jet blast of a departing plane.

YouTube videos show beachgoers seemingly enjoying being buffeted by airplane blowback, but in a video posted April 6 and viewed so far more than 4.7 million times, a woman is shown being blown from the fence and tumbling head first toward a concrete barrier.

In a statement released Thursday by Princess Juliana International Airport, officials say the woman’s injuries “were reportedly not debilitating,” but that in response to this and other incidents, heightened security measures at the airport and on the beach are now being considered.  

"Incidents such as this unfortunate one emphasize the need for all our visitors to heed the clear warnings — about the dangers of jet blast — posted along the airport fence," the statement said.

Measures currently in place include double fencing, warning signs, and brightly painted guardrails, the statement said, “all of which have been implemented in consultation with the government to deter dangerous activity.”

The airport also plans to work with the St. Maarten government on stricter enforcement of the warnings posted along the fence.

While it acknowledges the obvious attraction of planes landing so close to the beach and knows that this has added to the popularity of the destination, the airport said in the statement that “no amount of excitement or thrill can justify putting one's life in danger.”

Find more by Harriet Baskas on StuckatTheAirport.com and follow her on Twitter. 

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A United Airlines flight blew two rear tires Monday morning at Reagan National Airport, but landed safely.

United Airlines Flight 1075 from Houston arrived at Reagan just after 11 a.m.

Read the original report on NBCWashington.com.

No injuries were reported. After landing, the Boeing 737-700 was towed to a gate.

The runway re-opened at 11:30 a.m.

There were 122 passengers and five crew members on board, according to the Associated Press.

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Chicago Department of Aviation

Chicago O'Hare International Airport has two play areas designed by the Chicago Children's Museum.

Airports may not be your idea of a place you'd prefer to spend time, but delays and cancellations can cause extended wait. Fortunately, if you're stuck at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, the country's second busiest, you can at least take advantage of restaurants, exhibits and other features where you can while away time.

Besides the Chicago Department of Aviation’s website listing of food and beverage outlets in each terminal, also consider downloading one of the many mobile apps available that provide detailed airport information. My favorite is GateGuru as it provides not only lists of food, shopping and services found in each terminal with customer reviews, but also provides security wait time information, updated throughout the day.

Terminals 1, 2 and 3 are interconnected, so if you’ve passed through security and have a lot of time to kill, you can easily get from one end of the airport to the other. Terminal 5, the international terminal, can be accessed by using the Airport Transit System (ATS), a free, 24-hour rail system linking all three domestic terminals with the international terminal, and continuing to long-term parking and the Metra & PACE stations.

Here are some of the top locations based on user reviews in each terminal.

Terminal 1:

• Garrett’s Popcorn near gate B8 — A Chicago favorite with just about everyone recommending the Chicago Mix (cheese and caramel).
• Eli’s Cheesecake near gate B10.
• Vienna Beef near gates C8, C17 and C22 — Enjoy a Chicago-style hot dog.

Terminal 2:

• Kids On The Fly – A 2,000-square-foot children’s play area, featuring a play helicopter, airplane and check-in counter along with an assortment of giant Legos for making towers.
• La Tapenade Mediterranean near gate F12.
• Wicker Park Seafood near the main lobby.

Terminal 3:

• Argo Tea near gate H1 — Serves all natural teas and blended drinks.
• Cibo Express near gate H1 — Gourmet, vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free selections.
• Macaroni Grill near gate H3 — The only one of the chain's found at O’Hare.

Terminal 5: (Note: There are extremely limited options beyond security)

• Gold Coast Dogs upper level, pre-security.
• Haagen-Dazs upper level, pre-security.
• Windy City Yogurt arrivals level, pre-security

If you want to stay put at your departure gate, consider downloading the “B4 You Board” app and have food delivered to you right at your gate. Currently, only Chili’s and Stefani’s Tuscany Café offer the service in Terminal 1. Stanley’s Kitchen & Top in Terminal 2, and Chili’s and Wolfgang Puck in Terminal 3. Delivery is free.

Finally, consider purchasing a day pass to one of the many airline lounges in each terminal. Visit your airline’s website for current pricing, or simply enter the lounge to inquire about rates. All lounges at O’Hare include free Wi-Fi, unlike the main terminal, and offer an oasis away from crowded gates with free snacks, comfortable seating and complimentary bar drinks. Also, should you require re-booking assistance, the lines inside the lounge for customer service are far shorter than those found on the concourses — often making the price of admission pay for itself.

This article, "Delayed: Chicago O’Hare International Airport," first appeared on CNBC.com.

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A security screener at John F. Kennedy International Airport was arrested recently after allegedly throwing a cup of hot coffee at an off-duty American Airlines pilot.

Pilot Steven Trivett, 54, was exiting the secure area of the terminal on March 28 around 5 a.m. when he told a Transportation Security Administration agent and her colleagues to tone down a profanity-laced conversation.

“He was walking though the screening area and overheard a conversation where he thought they were speaking unprofessionally,” Al Della Fave, press officer for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, told msnbc.com.

Trivett reportedly told them that they should "conduct themselves more professionally in uniform and not use profanity or the n-word," the New York Post reported.

One screener apparently then told Trivett to mind his own business, and that's when he identified himself. He reportedly tried to grab the ID tags of screener Lateisha El, 30, and that's when she tossed a full cup of hot coffee on him, according to the Post.

TSA spokesman Greg Soule offered this explanation to msnbc.com:

"TSA holds our employees to the highest professional standards and has a zero-tolerance policy for inappropriate behavior at airport checkpoints. TSA is looking into this incident and will take swift and appropriate action. The unacceptable behavior of a few individuals in no way reflects the dedication of our nearly 50,000 Transportation Security Officers who work tirelessly to keep our skies safe." 

But Della Fave told msnbc.com that El told authorities she spilled the coffee accidentally, while Trivett said he believed she threw it at him.

“He charged her with assault, she charged him with harassment,” Della Fave said.

Now it's up to the courts to decide. 

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A JetBlue flight from John F. Kennedy Airport to Las Vegas was diverted after the pilot began behaving erratically, pounding on the door of the cockpit and yelling about threats from Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan, authorities and passengers said.

Flight 191 left New York City at about 7:30 a.m. Tuesday with 135 passengers on board, and at about 10 a.m. the plane was diverted to Amarillo, Texas.

Read the original report on NBCNewYork.com.

JetBlue said in a statement that the plane was diverted "for a medical situation involving the captain."

Tony Antolino, a 40-year-old executive for a security firm, said the captain walked to the back of the plane, that he seemed disoriented and agitated, then began yelling about an unspecified threat linked to Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan.

"They're going to take us down, they're taking us down, they're going to take us down. Say the Lord's prayer, say the Lord's prayer," the captain screamed, according to Antolino.

"He was irate," said passenger Josh Redick. "He was spouting off about Afghanistan and souls and al-Qaida."

The Federal Aviation Administration said the co-pilot became concerned about the captain's "erratic behavior during the flight" and locked the cockpit door while the pilot was outside.

Antolino, who said he sat in the 10th row, said he and three others tackled the captain as he ran for the cockpit door, pinned him and held him down while the plane landed.

"That's how we landed," he said. "There were four of us on top of him. ... Everybody else kind of took a seat and that's how we landed."

He was taken to a medical facility after the plane landed. 

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