Image courtesy of saechang on Flickr

They have created a simulation aircraft in this cow pasture, equipped with fake cabin pressure, turbulence, and just about every other condition to make you feel like you’re actually at 35,000 feet (including air filters to weed out the potentially-noxious scents of their four-legged neighbors). In this environment, they are able to test how different flavors taste in the air. Their findings show that salts and sugars get dulled at 35,000, while spices tend to hold their flavor. They also discovered that wines with higher alcohol content test better and have lesser affect than if consumed on the ground; the dryness of the air in the cabin makes normal full-bodied wine taste bland.

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Virgin America announced (again) that it would like to begin service from Chicago if it can get access to O’Hare, part of its recently public plan to expand by 60 planes. Continental announced this week that it won’t be making merger-related staff cuts until March 2011, although some bigwig announcements were made on Tuesday, while American Airlines and Delta plan to expand in Brazil.

It was discovered this week that the FAA failed in its oversight of safety orders at Northwest, an Allegiant Air flight made an emergency landing in Arizona, and a Lufthansa Cargo plane had a crash landing in Riyadh, Saudi’s capital airport (thankfully all are OK). Sadly, Pakistani airline, Airblue, crashed due to bad weather conditions and all 152 people on board were killed.

Japan Airlines asked its pilots to take pay cuts as its only option to survival, while AirTran says it will be bringing 100 new pilot jobs to Orlando, and someone didn’t help 9-year old Julien make his connection in Chicago to get home to his mom in Ottawa.

Another airline, meanwhile, booted a thin lady with standby status to make room for a not-as-thin teen who required two seats, Continental will be the first U.S. airline to test self-boarding (can Americans cut it?), and Lufthansa tests tastes in the sky.

American launched a new iPhone application with a travel guide, there’s word on the street that Lufthansa will name a new CEO, United won approval from the EU to buy Continental, Air Berlin hopes to join Oneworld airline alliance by early 2012, and the Middle East is increasingly becoming a hub for cross-world travel.

We had a good week, with news of a fabulous fall fare sale, Sarah McLachlan playing at T5, and shout-outs in Airline Business, The Chicago Tribune and on CNBC. Most importantly, perhaps, is that Hollywood legend, 90-year old Mickey Rooney, jetted with us!

As always, safe travels and have a great weekend. Thanks for reading!

In 2010, the Lindos Sueños participants — 10 American teens and 10 Dominican teens — will visit Futuro Vivo, a school located in the town of Guerra, which focuses on the education of children and families in the poorest communities. While at Futuro Vivo, the children will refurbish a baseball field, paint and repair outdoor furniture, and spend time with the children from the school. Futuro Vivo was created 20 years ago and today serves over 900 children in need from towns neighboring the Red Sox Dominican Academy.

Each afternoon, the program participants will play baseball together at the Red Sox Dominican Academy. The teens will practice on professional baseball fields, and will compete together against teams from neighboring towns in the Dominican. The participants’ instruction will be overseen by Red Sox Director of Dominican Academy, Jesus Alou. Alou, a native of the Dominican Republic, played 15 seasons in the major leagues with the Giants, Astros, Athletics, and Mets, and at one time played in the same major league outfield alongside his brothers Felipe and Matty.

Similar to the six previous trips, the program will be primarily funded by a donation to the Red Sox Foundation and from the Charles Engelhard Foundation. JetBlue, Banco BHD, the official bank of Major League Baseball and the Boston Red Sox in the Dominican Republic, and David and Tiffany Ortiz contributed to this year’s program.

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“After getting a pair of headphones on my first #JetBlue flight to Utah in 2008, their time has finally come. #dead_duct_taped_headphones“

-@JayHalePal

Check back regularly for more fun tweets, fresh from our Twitter page!

Celebrating her new album release, “Laws Of Illusion,” and Lilith Fair 2010, Sarah’s concert will kick off our second annual Live from T5 concert series, a unique live entertainment experience for Customers on the ground. The concert will take place post-security in the Marketplace at T5 and is not available for public purchase.

Loving her is easy!

The Dollar-JetBlue Getaways partnership is designed to provide customers with an additional opportunity to save even more time and money. In August, value-conscious JetBlue Getaway customers will have access to Dollar’s budget-friendly deals at cities throughout the U.S.

Customers may book JetBlue Getaways vacation packages, inclusive of car rentals from Dollar Rent A Car at www.jetblue.com/vacations. To learn more about Dollar, please visit www.dollar.com.

The Advertising Club conducted its 114th Annual Meeting of Members on Tuesday, where they announced the five newly-inducted 2010-2011 Board of Directors and nine recipients of the Club’s prestigious President’s Award. The reception was held at the Helen Mills Event Space in New York City.

The Advertising Club is the premier organization for all communications professionals in New York. The Club, founded in 1896, offers its members a forum to exchange ideas, make connections and honor excellence. The Club’s Foundation provides students numerous educational outreach programs that give back to build a stronger and more diverse advertising and marketing community. The Club is the facilitating sponsor of the International ANDY Awards, which acknowledge outstanding creative achievement around the world in the field of advertising.

Hi, we’re decked out in JetBlue gear at the blue wall on 14th and broadway (south end of Union Square). The first 15 fans to meet us will win a pair of tickets to see Sarah McLachlan perform live at JetBlue’s Terminal 5 at JFK on Thursday July 29 at 7 p.m. and Lilith Fair 2010 on July 31 at PNC Bank Arts Center. See you soon.

Manager Station Operations Duty Ray points out that Boston Logan International Airport opened in 1919, and is one of the oldest airports in continual use in the world! Ray also suggests you do the Freedom Trail; you can do it on foot and he’s never heard a traveler say they didn’t get something out of it. Don’t waste time on Cheers, he says!

Boston is famous as one of the twin birthplaces of the United States. Although the

Image courtesy of mituldesai on Flickr

Declaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia, the Minutemen, Paul Revere, John Adams and many of the other founding fathers were from Boston. The original shots of the Revolution were fired here, and a good deal of the stubborn independence that has come to be part and parcel of the American character were endemic to New England and specifically Boston over a hundred years before we became a nation.

Boston combines the hipness of NYC at a scale that a person can manage without feeling overwhelmed, Ray relates. The city has world class orchestras, bands, museums, universities, parks, and more in an area that’s only 30 minutes from the rolling New England countryside. It’s no wonder travelers come from all over Europe and Asia to access America through the lens of Boston, a timeless, hip, cultured place that you can actually get your brain around (and manage your wallet at the same time!) in just a couple of days. Don’t miss the Duck Tours (Quack, Quack)!

First Officer Joseph says for those who are interested in sailing or a tour of the Boston waterfront, you should check out the sailing ship Liberty Clipper.  She departs at the Aquarium dock three times daily for a two-hour cruises around the harbor.  The dock is easily reachable from the T, just get off at the Aquarium stop.  It’s a great way to see the city from a different angle.  And for those aviation enthusiasts (Joseph knows there are a few), it’s a great way to see Logan airport.

First Officer Scott says that without a doubt, Santarpios Pizza in East Boston and Mike’s

Image courtesy of the-o on Flickr

Pastries in the North End are easy to get to and unforgettable experiences. Not surprisingly, the pizza at Santarpios is to die for! With thin crust,  lots of garlic and Durgin Park style ‘in your face’ service, everything is great as long as you want pepperoni or sausage toppings (tip: don’t expect Hawaiian pizza!). No need to pay for transportation, Scott offers, just take the airport bus from Terminal C to the airport T (Blue Line station) and walk through the
park to Chelsea street. Best of all, both of these spots are within 20 minutes of the airport if your timing is good (caution: the crowds can be HUGE at both shops — go early).

Inflight Crewmember Patty recommends the North End for some of the best Italian food and pastries. Also, a walk on the Boston waterfront is a must do! Patty posits that Boston is a great walking city with lots of good music, food and culture.

Airport Operations Crewmember Desiree points out that in Copley Square, the 50th floor of the Prudential Tower, has a great view of the city. You can grab drinks or a meal on the 52nd floor at the Top of the Hub restaurant. Museums worth visiting include the Isabella Gardner, Museum of Fine Arts, and the Museum of Science.

Ray says the Union Oyster House is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, eating

Ok, so this isn't a place to visit in Boston, but these little guys were first created in Boston by mixing the English Bulldog with the English Terrier

establishments in the country, and is a great authentic New England restaurant. Most people think of Legal Sea Foods, and it’s a good chain, but it’s a chain. Union is a quaint, single building establishment in the same place it has been for nearly 200 years (it opened as a restaurant in 1826 — the building has been in use since 1704 as far as researchers can determine). It’s just a block from another tourist attraction Quincy Market, near Government Center and convenient to both the Green, Blue, and Red lines of the MBTA.

The Atlantic Fish Co on Boylston Street near the Prudential Center is a terrific, and very Bostonian, restaurant without being outrageously priced or requiring formal attire. Symphony Hall at Mass and Huntington Avenues is home to one of the country’s best orchestras. Right down the street are the New England Conservatory of Music, where Jordan Hall features nightly recitals, and the Berklee College of Music, a hotbed of upcoming jazz musicians and home to concerts and recitals by the country’s best and hottest musicians. The Mapparium at the Mary Baker Eddy Library in the Christian Science Center on Mass Ave is an absolute treasure. You’d have to see it to understand, Ray says, but it’s an amazing exhibit of a globe from the inside.

The Gardiner Museum in “the Fens” is a wonderful museum similar to the Frick Collection by

Image courtesy of alaig on Flickr

New York’s Fifth Avenue, showcasing incredible works of art in a garden setting. If you like jazz, Scullers is a club in the Doubletree Guest Suites in Brighton and gets some of the top acts in Jazz including Branford Marsalis, Manhattan Transfer and more — you can put it together with a dinner and a room package that make a great night. Across the river at the Charles Hotel in Harvard Square is the Regattabar, with great internationally famous acts night after night. Finally, in downtown Cambridge is Ryles, another world class Jazz club. The TD Boston Garden will get the great pop acts, and a couple of times a year, historic Fenway Park will get a group like the Stones (last year’s big concert) or Paul McCartney; Fenway has a local baseball team too, but NYC doesn’t acknowledge its existence, Ray comments. Bank of America Pavilion on the Fan Pier near the site of the Boston Tea Party has nightly big time pop and rock concerts in a beautiful ambiance, covered by a tent, where you still get the outdoor feeling and some magical nights.

Inflight Crewmember Laura points out a little known fact, that one of our very own Boston flight attendant’s actually runs a walking tour in Boston.  It begins with a water taxi from Boston and traces a path through East Boston visiting restaurants for samples of food.  It’s off-the-beaten-path, fun, and a great way to learn a little history. Plus it makes your stomach happy! Feel free to offer the discount code “Jetblue” valid for $10 dollars off up to two tickets!

Do you have any great Boston travel tips to share? Leave them in the comments below, or Tweet them using the hashtag #TTBOS.

Image courtesy of dno1967 on Flickr

Fall sale fares for flights from New York (JFK) to Syracuse (SYR) and L.A./Long Beach (LGB) to San Francisco (SFO) start at $49 each way.  Flights as low as $59 are available from Orlando (MCO) to San Juan (SJU), $79 from New York (JFK) to Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and $89 from Boston (BOS) to Orlando (MCO).

Customers looking for great deals on transcontinental routes can jet between New York (JFK) and Las Vegas (LAS), Los Angeles (LAX) or San Francisco (SFO) for $149 (a) each way.  Transcontinental fares from $149 (a) are also available between Boston (BOS) and Long Beach (LGB), San Francisco (SFO) or Los Angeles (LAX).

Sale fares must be purchased by 11:59 p.m. ET on Friday, July 30, 2010, and some cities require up to a 14-day advance purchase.  Fares are most often found on midweek travel dates.  Blackout dates and other restrictions apply. For more information please visit www.jetblue.com.

We hope you’ll fall in love with our falling Fall fares!

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