Inspired, no doubt, by protests across the Middle East and North Africa, more than 100 students reportedly "mutinied" over baggage fees onboard a Ryanair flight from the Canary Islands. Alas, their revolution was quashed, and the students were removed.

According to a new study, the country lost $32.9 billion in 2007 from delayed flights, including $8.3 billion in added expenses for airlines. Maybe airlines could save cash making their flights run on schedule before charging us $25 a bag?

Finally, so-called "scientists" have gotten their act together, and figured out something important: Why it is that airline food is so terrible and bland. Weirdly enough, it's your fault.

In the wake of its most infamous employee's dramatic job walk-off in August, JetBlue's passenger traffic increased by 15 percent in September compared to last year. Maybe Steven Slater was good PR, after all?

Six passengers on a Russian airline were forced to stand in the aisles for their entire flight after the wrong airplane—one with too few seats—showed up at the airport. And no, it wasn't Southwest.

Charging for carry-ons and soft drinks is paying off: Airlines are set to profit $9 billion this year.

A new airplane passenger seat called SkyRider could revolutionize the way airlines rip travelers off, by installing "saddle" seats that offer just 27 inches of legroom, or seven inches less than the average airplane seat. That sounds awful.

American hero Steven Slater, whose beer swilling, chute sliding antics on the tarmac at JFK airport made him an overnight celebrity, has officially been fired by JetBlue. The company gave no further details, but it's not exactly a surprise.

What could go wrong with a Pakistani military delegation flying from D.C. to Tampa for a meeting with the U.S. Central Command? How about getting kicked off a flight after being mistaken for terrorists by a scared passenger?

You know when you get a seat on an airplane that's closer to the door and it's awesome when you're deboarding? American Airlines has now named those seats "Express Seats" and will charge you more money for them. Happy flying.

Spirit, the airline known for charging $45 for carry-on bags, has created the world's most brilliant Steven Slater spoof ad: a man, sliding down a chute, with beers. Nobel Prize for Advertising as well as Flight, to Spirit Airlines. [Consumerist]

As a reminder that sometimes air travel can be fun and freak-out free, here's a video of a Lufthansa flight attendant playfully pillow fighting with her passengers, somewhere between Tel Aviv and Frankfurt. Everyone laughs! No one disembarks! Peace.

According to an internal memo, JetBlue hates hero flight attendant Steven Slater for being awesome. But Steven Slater still wants to work for them. How does Slater not realize that this is never, ever going to happen?

Have you flown lately? You don't remember, do you? You were too drunk. That's not just a troubling sign of your creeping alcoholism; it's also a business plan for the entire airline industry!

Michael O'Leary, the chief executive of discount airline Ryanair, says he'd like to sell five-pound tickets for "vertical seats," which is a not-very-fancy way of saying, "standing up on the plane the whole damn time." [Telegraph]

What is the deal with airline food? Good question! Turns out, the deal with airline food is that it is made at facilities containing roach carcasses "too numerous to count." And that's just one of the FDA reports!

An Arkansas coroner is holding a box of human heads an airline employee found. They were en route to a Texas medical facility, but weren't labeled or anything. Officials are ensuring it's not a black market shipment—or worse!

The Way We Live Now: Searching for scapegoats. You can't indict someone as a villain based purely upon the ravings of the populists, you know. Congressmen are not the enemy. Nor are airlines, or free Kiehls samples. Nor is sex!

Continental and United Airlines have agreed to merge, creating the world's largest carrier.

It is a sad day when this is something to be celebrated — but five airlines have pledged not to follow the lead of Spirit, who now demand $45 for use of their overhead bins. [AP]