When JetBlue came up with its "All-You-Can-Jet Pass" last month, an Austin man became infected with the buzz.
The pass offers unlimited travel for 30 days at a cost of $600.
Brendan Ross, 28, wanted the pass, but didn't have the money. So, he posted an ad on Craigslist.com, and found a company willing to sponsor him. Now he's Wired.com's "Terminal Man".
"I am headed to Oakland by Long Beach. They start to blend together, you know," Ross said as he checked in at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport Tuesday.
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Terminal Man
News 8's Heidi Zhou was at the airport this week to see Ross take his first flight out.
 
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Ross will hit about 40 airports in 30 days.
"We want to hit the big places and small places on this trip. Places like Burlington, Vermont, Buffalo airport," he said.
This may be Ross's last adventure before becoming an air traffic controller and settling down with his wife, but adventure doesn't mean vacation.
"I'm supposed to be living out this as if I were a passenger who is stranded," Ross said.
That means he only has a carry-on bag containing a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, underwear, socks and a few toiletries. Overnight lodgings are the airport benches, and showers simply won't be happening.
"I'll have some little detergent sheets to make it more pleasant for people flying next to me in a couple of weeks," Ross said.
The only sightseeing for Ross will be of airport terminals.
"[JetBlue's] hub is in JFK. I hear it's a real nice place, a real iconic sea gull shaped building," he said.
Ross pledges not to set foot outside of an airport for all 30 days, hence the nickname "Terminal Man."
"A little bit of pain, that's what makes travel stories interesting, I think," he said.
Ross is blogging about those stories on Wired.com, and readers from all corners are invited to meet him upon his arrivals.
"There'll be some relying on what strangers bring me," he said.
Ross said some relief from airport food will be nice, but he'll be happy with new friendships and new memories to bring home.
Ross was a youth minister and a waiter before pursuing a career in air traffic control. His wife said she's not surprised by this undertaking because he's always loved aviation.
You can read Ross's blog at wired.com/terminalman, or follow his tweets at Twitter.com-/Flyered.
