In the next few months, the TSA will implement new security procedures for fliers under 12, DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano told the Senate. They can still get patted down, although it will be by a different method, and they no longer have to remove their shoes. Even if they have velcro straps and are super easy to take on and off anyway. [More]
Drop In Euro Means A Good Time For Fall European Vacations
By September 12, 2011
As the Euro drops to its lowest level against the American dollar in months, you might want to check out deals to head to Europe for a cheaper fall vacation. [More]
TSA Will Phase Out Making You Take Your Shoes Off
By September 8, 2011
At some currently unspecified point down the road, you’ll be able to go through airport security without taking your shoes or belt off. The policy easement was announced by U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano during a forum hosted by Politico Playbook in DC. [More]
Sorry A Guy Died Next To You, Here's A Coupon
By September 7, 2011
An Australian airline is giving money off coupons to passengers who sat near a man as he died while eating the in-flight meal. [More]
Cheap Flights Are A Lie, Hai-Diddly-Ai
By September 6, 2011
This little ditty lampoons the whole dirt-cheap flight industry that attracts flyers with super low fares and then adds on fee after fee. It’s sung by the British comedy singing group Fascinating Aïda in the style of an Irish folk song and is clearly a dig at Ryan Air. It’s also pretty amusing, and true. [More]
VIP Airline Treatment For Sale
By September 6, 2011
If you’ve ever said, man, I would pay good money to go to the front of this airport security line, your time has come. [More]
American Airlines Disputes Survey Saying It Had Crappiest Call Wait Times During Irene
By September 1, 2011
American Airlines issued a statement disagreeing with a STELLAservice survey that placed its average customer service hold times in last place during Hurricane Irene. During the eight calls placed by the survey team, the average hold time they experienced was 1hr and 32 minutes, while American Airlines say their internal metrics showed an average hold time of 21 minutes. [More]
Science Tells You How To Book So You Avoid Airport Delays And Missed Flights
By September 1, 2011
Harvard and MIT scientists have used statistical modeling techniques and figured out what are the best things you can do to avoid airport delays and missed connections. [More]
American Airlines Had Crappiest Call Wait Times During Irene
By August 31, 2011
The already not known for being similar to Speedy Gonzalez airline phone lines were put to the test during Hurricane Irene when travelers tried to reschedule canceled flights en masse. The call centers were also put to the test by STELLAService, which “mystery shopped” the airlines’ customer service lines to see which had the shortest hold times. American Airlines came in dead last, beating out the second-to-last place Delta by almost an hour. [More]
North Korean Airline Tells Facebook Users To Like It
By August 30, 2011
Unless you live in North Korea, Russia or China, chances are you’ve never flown on North Korea’s Air Koryo. But thanks to the power of Facebook, you can now choose to like the airline and comment on its wall. But be careful what you say. The airline recently had to scold a group of “South Korean false fans” whose “spam had engulfed much of the fan-pages’ posts and pictures.” [More]
Swanky Brooklyn Hotel Jacked Up Room Rates To $999 For Irene Shelter Seekers
By August 30, 2011
As Hurricane Irene bore down on Brooklyn, the posh Hotel Le Bleu in Park Slope raised up its rates from $250 a night to $999. [More]
Particle Physicist Discovers Fastest Way For Airlines To Board Passengers
By August 30, 2011
As a scientist at Fermilab, Dr. Jason Steffen normally thinks about smashing particles together at great speeds. Great energy and speed are not usually associated with the airline boarding process, so it might seem odd that an insight into making how we get on planes would occur to someone who works next to a 3.9 mile particle accelerator. But occur it did, and now the first real-world test of his theory shows that it cuts boarding time in half. [More]
How It Took 15 Hours To Use My $309 Virgin America Credit Through Expedia
By August 22, 2011
It’s wonderfully easy to book a flight using travel mega-sites like Expedia, but even easier for the buck to be passed and companies to refuse to communicate when things go wrong. That’s what happened to Sara when she had to cancel and rebook a flight reservation originally made on Virgin America via Expedia. [More]
National Rents You Car At Non-Existent Turkish Office
By August 18, 2011
NYT’s Frugal Traveler has a funny story about how he reserved a car from the National car rental company for while traveling through Turkey. When he showed up at the rental office, there was no office and the address was non-existent. [More]
JetBlue Selling "Boston All" Passes Through Thursday
By August 17, 2011
If you fly frequently through Boston, here’s a deal for you. Now through Thursday night, JetBlue is selling $1,999 passes that give you three months of unlimited travel, as long as you fly to and from Boston. When offered earlier this month, the “Boston All” passes sold out within a week. [More]
Bat Ejected For Refusing To Sit Down On Airplane
By August 10, 2011
On Friday, a Delta pilot was forced to return to the airport when a bat began flying around the cabin 15 minutes after takeoff and ignored instructions from the crew and his fellow passengers. [More]
Don't Get Ripped Off By Your Cellphone When Overseas
By August 9, 2011
Tales abound of cellphone bills in the double-digit thousands from customers who got snagged when traveling overseas. But there’s a bunch of easy ways to make sure that your cellphone bill doesn’t outpace your airplane ticket when gallivanting internationally. [More]
Frequent-Flying, And Complaining, Rabbi Can Sue Delta
By August 8, 2011
A lawsuit by a rabbi, who says that Northwest Airlines booted him from its frequent flyer program for complaining too much, can go forward. The case had initially been dismissed by a lower court that said federal deregulation law pre-empted the man’s claim, but the 9th circuit reversed that decision on Friday. [More]
