by admin on March 10, 2010
This question comes up a lot, and if you ask the cabin crew, the answer you will get is that it is to do with the weight distribution. By forcing people to closer to the centre of the aircraft makes it less likely that there will be a massive discrepancy of weight towards the front or rear.
In theory of course, that is fine, but in practice, there is no way of viewing the weight distribution. As passengers are not weighed before boarding, the airline will assign each passenger (and bag) an average weight to get a rough estimate of the weight on board. In real terms, blocking off the front and back wouldn’t affect it too much as people would sit to the front and rear. In the very worst case scenario, let’s say a rugby team of 20 players of 100kg each (2 tons) sat at the front, perhaps this would have an effect (the 737 weighs about 60 tons). Of course, safety is paramount and it’s far easier to close off the seats rather than asking said rugby team to move.
The seats are only closed off if there are under 132 passengers on the flight. If you take flights during the week, there is a good chance you’ll see this, and also after take-off, if you ask the cabin crew (or not), it is possible to take an entire row of seats for yourself.
Of course, there are other benefits to this for the airline. Having passengers penned in closer means less rows to count, meaning a quicker and less error-prone passenger check, and it is easier to serve refreshments.
by admin on March 10, 2010
Full Name: Cuneo Levaldigi Airport
IATA Code: CUF
Address: Strada Regionale 20 n.1 -
12038 Levaldigi
Terminal Guide: Here
Distance from City: 16km
Day Trip Possible: No
Overview: Situated close to the French and Italian borders, Cuneo enjoys a good position, sandwiched inbetween Nice, Torino, Genova and only roughly 100km from Marseille and Milan. Perhaps this is why the airport only enjoys limited passenger numbers but it’s location close to the Alps and the Piemonte region allows for some traffic particularly in the summer, and for the ski season.
Getting there: Can offer some problems depending on your destination. There is a bus service which connects the airport but to different cities. Although the timetable is designed to connect with flights, it’s best to check it before you arrive. For a better choice there is a train station nearby connected via shuttle for your choice. Car hire and taxi are available at the airport and should be available on landing.
General Tips: The terminal has been mostly rebuilt after a fire and is modern-ish with a pleasant exterior. Inside, there is not much to do and has the potential to get busy, especially during ski season. There are only three gates but it’s unlikely more than one will be used at one go due to the flight spacing out. There is a cafe upstairs but all in all, pretty nondescript.
Budget Travellers Guide: With no destination having any daily flights – London is only twice a week, and with a 7-10 Euro fee for onward transit, this can be quite expensive. Doesn’t really feature in the sales as there are only two destinations – Cagliari and Stansted, although there are some reasonable fares to Cagliari. Precious few other destinations available but one interesting development in WizzAir which now offers flights to Bucharest and Cluj.
