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The slang “red-eye” flight began being used widely in the 1960s; when the Etymology Dictionary defined it as an “airplane flight which deprives travelers of sleep.” But red-eye’s remain extremely popular in most world capitals because they transport passengers to their destinations with a full day ahead.
For others, red-eye’s are attractive because of the price. That said, there is the downside of possible sleeplessness, particularly for those who struggle to fall asleep to the sound of a jet engine several feet away.
“This [red-eye] flight is a really good attribute to expand the airport's footprint, get people out to one … well, one of the busiest airports in the world, Atlanta,” said Brad Birkinbine, who helps oversee TSA operations at the Boise Airport. “People are connecting to other flights to go, goodness knows where throughout the world.”
When Morning Edition host George Prentice visited the Boise Airport recently to chat with outbound red-eye passengers, the list of their destinations was nearly as long as the flight’s manifest.
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