While its competitors have been nickle/diming travelers for years with checked-bag fees, Southwest has done its best to equate its brand with the slogan “bags fly free.” But the airline’s CEO now says that he’s not completely averse to the whole notion of making a mountain of cash off baggage fees. [More]
air travel
Sony Sues United Airlines For Polluting The In-Flight Air With Copyrighted Music
By 10.24.13
Have you been on a United Airlines flight and soothed your nerves by listening to a Britney Spears or Michael Jackson provided by the plane’s in-flight system? According to a new lawsuit from Sony Music, that music was being played without permission. [More]
Mayors Beg DOJ To Pretty Please Let US Airways/American Airlines Merger Happen
By 10.23.13
While US Airways and American Airlines have had to indefinitely postpone their nuptials because the Justice Dept. decided the union might result in problems for consumers and the airline industry, the mayors of those cities that would be most positively affected by the merger are now pleading with Attorney General Eric Holder to see that these two companies obviously love each other and should be allowed to be together. [More]
Did An Airport Employee Place Dry Ice Bombs At LAX?
By 10.15.13
Police in Los Angeles say that the dry ice bombs found in supposedly secure areas of Los Angeles International Airport earlier this week may have been set by a disgruntled employee, though the exact reason for placing the devices is still unclear. [More]
Another United Glitch Leads To Super-Cheap Airfares; Tickets Will Not Be Honored
By 10.15.13
Remember last month, when a glitch in United Airlines’ booking system allowed people to score cheap (and sometimes free) tickets? Well, it’s happened again. [More]
If An Airline Passenger Must Buy Two Seats, Don’t Put Them In Different Rows
By 10.15.13
It’s understandable when airlines force passengers to buy two seats if they can’t fit in a single one. It’s less understandable when the airline puts those two seats in different rows. That just means extra embarrassment for the passenger when front-line employees don’t understand the company’s own policies. Yet this is what a man from Wales claims happened to him during a flight to Ireland. [More]
United Airlines Hoping Thinner Seats Will Pack Even More Passengers Onto Planes
By 10.4.13
For the last few years, many of the larger airlines were tearing out rows of boring old coach seats and replacing them with slightly more expensive, slightly roomier seats. But these apparently never caught on with passengers on a number of United’s regional routes, as the airline now plans to reduce the number of Economy Plus seats on hundreds of planes and cram in even more coach seats with the aid of skinnier seats. [More]
Delta Passenger Pleads Guilty To Slapping Baby During Flight
By 10.3.13
You may remember the story from February of the 60-year-old man who was accused of getting really drunk on a Delta flight from Minneapolis to Atlanta and smacking a toddler and allegedly saying “shut that ni**er baby up” to the child’s mother. Yesterday, he agreed to a plea deal that could result with him serving up to six months behind bars. [More]
FAA Panel: You Should Be Able To Use Smartphone On Planes, As Long As You Don’t Use The ‘Phone’ Part
By 10.1.13
Travelers were hopeful last week when news came down that an FAA panel would soon be recommending that the use of smartphones be allowed during takeoffs and landings of commercial flights. Those recommendations have finally come through, but don’t get all excited and think that you’ll be using your phone to text or chat through the flight. [More]
United Flight Makes Emergency Landing After Pilot Suffers Fatal Heart Attack
By 9.27.13
A United Airlines flight from Houston to Seattle was diverted to Boise last night after the pilot suffered a fatal heart attack. [More]
Qantas Flight Grounded Due To Actual Snake On Actual Plane
By 9.23.13
At this point, there have surely been more “Snakes on a Plane” jokes made on the Internet than there were actual ticket sales to the 2006 film. Even if we weren’t able to make that joke, it’s probably still newsworthy that a snake as narrow as a ballpoint pen has the power to ground an international flight and all of its passengers. [More]
We Hope You Didn’t Book Your Weekend Getaway On Allegiant
By 9.20.13
Allegiant isn’t the biggest name in travel, but for some people, it’s an affordable lifeline to connect them to bigger airlines and airports. Unfortunately, there’s a bit of a snag at the airline right now, as it has grounded about half of its fleet for a “compliance issue.” [More]
Passenger Sues US Airways For Allegedly Misplacing Her Husband’s Ashes
By 9.20.13
It’s been two years since the ashes of a Philadelphia-area woman’s late husband went missing during a US Airways flight to England, and she says the airline has been ignoring her ever since. We first told you about her story back in January, but that didn’t turn up the ashes or an explanation. Now she’s filed a lawsuit in the hopes of getting the airline’s attention. [More]
Airlines Adding ‘Flying Nannies’ And Lactation Stations
By 9.5.13
Rather than banishing kids to a create a child-free zone on its planes or removing an entire family from the aircraft because of an upset youngster, one airline has decided to train its cabin crew as “onboard nannies,” while another carrier is carving out a small section for traveling moms who need a few moments of privacy. [More]
JetBlue Not Looking To Get Married To Another Airline Anytime Soon
By 9.4.13
With the impending nuptials of US Airways and American Airlines on hold because the Dept. of Justice started banging on the window at the back of the church, all eyes in the room have looked toward the next most eligible unmarried airline, Jetblue. But the CEO of that carrier says his company is perfectly happy being single. [More]
DOT Fines United Airlines For Delaying Refunds To 9,000 Passengers
By 9.3.13
Thanks to the merger with Continental, United Airlines is now the nation’s largest commercial carrier, but has the airline been able to keep up with its increased customer base? On Friday, the Dept. of Transportation fined United $350,000 because it failed to provide prompt refunds to thousands of customers in 2012. [More]
American Strands Wheelchair-Using Passenger Without Meds, Charges Her For First Class Seat
By 8.26.13
While many travelers experience a minor annoyance during their trip, one American Airlines passenger was left helpless, without her medication or anyone to assist her when she was bumped from a flight, only to be booked into and charged for a first class seat. Now the airline can’t be bothered to respond. [More]
