Something strange is happening in the travelsphere, as there are a bunch of really weird stories to share:

--An Air-India pilot slapped his co-pilot in the cockpit, while the aircraft was taxiing on the Dubai runway. The pilot was upset with the co-pilot, and lost his temper. The flight was delayed for three hours, till another pilot could arrive

--A Midwest Airlines employee was loading baggage into the cargo hold of a plane and somehow got locked in there as the flight took off for Philadelphia.

--A drunk passenger punched a Qantas pilot while the plane was still on the runway, after the pilot asked the man to settle down. The hostile passenger was dragged kicking and screaming from the plane.

--The British Airline Pilots' Association is complaining that polluted cabin air is making pilots sick. So, on your next flight if you smell something funny (besides your neighboring passenger) consider telling an attendant.

--As of April 14th, air travelers in the United States can no longer carry lighters on planes or in secure areas, but matches are still allowed.

--And finally... A Cubana IL-18 (that's a Russian commercial airliner) slid off the runway in Caracas yesterday, injuring 13 during the aborted takeoff. My question is, if an old Russian plane skids of a Venezuelan runway, does anyone show up to investigate?

If you've seen some strange behavior, please feel free to post a comment.