When there’s a misunderstanding with your Uber driver, there are ways to calmly resolve the situation. Definitely don’t do what Sig Hansen — one of the stars of Discovery’s reality hit Deadliest Catch — did. The crab boat captain was recently arrested for allegedly spitting on an Uber driver who refused to accept cash. [More]
Transportation & Infrastructure
Dog Goes On 3,600 Mile Journey After United Puts Him On Wrong Flight
By 5.19.17
In just a few days, one puppy did more flying than many adults will do in a year, traveling on four different planes for a total of 3,600 miles — all because United Airlines put him on the wrong flight. [More]
Toyota, Subaru, Mazda, BMW To Pay $553M To Owners Of Vehicles With Potentially Lethal Takata Airbags
By 5.18.17 — Updated: 5.25.17
Owners of Toyota, Subaru, Mazda, and BMW vehicles affected by the massive shrapnel-shooting Takata airbag defect could soon receive compensation for past repairs and other economic losses, as the automakers agreed today to pay $553 million to compensate owners and create programs intended to repair defective airbags more quickly. [More]
National Guardsman Says United Wrongly Charged Him $200 For Checked Bag
By 5.18.17
A National Guardsman returning home to Texas following nearly two years in Afghanistan says United Airlines broke its own policy by charging him $200 to check a bag full of gear. [More]
Justice Dept. May Go After Fiat Chrysler For Skirting Emissions Standards
By 5.18.17
Now that both the Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) have accused Fiat Chrysler of using “defeat device” software to skirt emission standards in more than 100,000 vehicles, the Department of Justice is expected to file a lawsuit against carmaker. [More]
You Can Now Earn Delta Miles During Lyft Rides
By 5.18.17 — Updated: 5.25.17
After teaming up with JetBlue last year to allow Lyft passengers to earn airline miles on their way to the airport, the ride-hailing service is jumping into a new partnership with Delta Air Lines that will give riders airline miles whenever they take a trip. [More]
Airline Bumpings Were Up, But Complaints Went Down In First Months Of 2017
By 5.17.17 — Updated: 5.25.17
The first few months of 2017 haven’t exactly been great for airlines, what with system outages, bumped passengers being dragged off planes, and other customer service fiascos. In fact, new federal data shows that bumpings were slightly up during the first quarter of 2017, while complaints filed against airlines actually dropped 19%. [More]
Commuters Get Free Show When Train Station Ad Screen Starts Playing Porn
By 5.16.17
The evening rush hour proved to be a bit more titillating than usual for commuters at Washington, D.C.’s Union Station on Monday, when an advertising screen suddenly started showing explicit porn videos. [More]
Delivery Man Brings Pizza To “Hangry” Passengers On Stalled Amtrak Train
By 5.16.17
In an act of pizza heroism that earned him $32 in tips, a delivery man brought grub to hangry — hungry and angry — passengers stuck on a stalled Amtrak train. But while his move was met with cheers from Amtrak riders, the train operator is warning against walking that close to the tracks. [More]
Waymo And Lyft Teaming Up To Work On Self-Driving Cars
By 5.15.17
If Uber and Google haven’t already stopped wearing the Best Friends Forever necklaces they exchanged way back when, well, they’re definitely chucking those things in the garbage now: Google’s Waymo is partnering up with Uber’s sworn enemy, Lyft, to collaborate on autonomous vehicles. [More]
Family Claims They Were Kicked Off JetBlue Flight Over A Birthday Cake
By 5.15.17
Another day, and yet another story of airline customers claiming they were treated poorly while traveling: This time it’s a New Jersey family who says they were kicked off a recent JetBlue flight after a mixup about where to stow a birthday cake. [More]
Airlines Already Freaking Out About Possible Laptop Ban On Flights From Europe
By 5.12.17
Back in March, the Department of Homeland Security announced a new policy, which banned passengers from 10 airports in eight countries in the Middle East and Africa from having computers and some other electronics with them in the plane cabin on direct flights into the United States. Now DHS may expand the ban to flights from Europe as well, and airlines are freaking out about it. [More]
1.25 Million Ram Trucks Recalled For Software Error Linked To Fatal Crash
By 5.12.17
If you own a Ram pickup truck, pay attention: Fiat Chrysler is recalling more than one million Rams to address a software error that can affect the truck’s safety systems, and has already been linked to one crash-related death and two injuries. [More]
BMW Owners Say Their Parked Cars Are Going Up In Flames
By 5.11.17
When you park your car, turn the engine off, and walk away, you have a reasonable expectation that when you return the vehicle will be in the same spot and in the same condition as when you left. But some BMW owners say they’ve returned only to find their car in flames. Now, these owners and fire officials from across the country are asking why. [More]
The Real Problem With Self-Driving Cars: They Actually Follow Traffic Laws
By 5.11.17
In the century or so that people have been driving, two different sets of rules have developed: The official laws that we’re supposed to obey, and the unofficial code of the road that bends and often breaks those laws. For example, we all know — whether we like it or not — that many highway drivers are going to exceed the speed limit. But what happens when you introduce self-driving cars that are designed to always follow the rules and don’t understand why other drivers are extending their middle fingers in their direction? [More]
United Passenger Says She Was Forced To Pee In Cup; Airline Has Different Story
By 5.10.17
A passenger on a recent United/Mesa Airlines flight claims that the plane’s cabin crew refused to let her use the restroom, forcing her to urinate in a cup. However, the airline contends that staff never made this demand. [More]
United Apologizes After Agent Cancels Passenger’s Ticket For Recording Her
By 5.9.17
Another day, another story of United Airlines being horrible to its customers. Thankfully, this incident doesn’t involve anyone being dragged forcibly off a plane or being flown to the wrong continent. This time, United is apologizing to a passenger whose ticket was canceled after he used his phone to record his interaction with airline employees. [More]
In-Flight Electronics Ban Could Be Expanded To Include Flights From Europe
By 5.9.17
Transatlantic travel may soon require you to pack a few good books. The federal government may expand its limited ban on carry-on electronics to include some flights coming from airports in Europe. [More]
