A U.S. Airways flight en route from Paris to North Carolina had to be rerouted to Bangor, Maine, where an allegedly unruly passenger was arrested because she reportedly told a member of the cabin crew she had a “surgically implanted device” inside of her body. [More]
air travel
U.S. Airways Passenger Arrested After Saying She Has "Surgically Implanted Device" Inside Her
By 5.22.12
Survey Finds Best & Worst Airlines For Redeeming Rewards Miles
By 5.17.12
It’s incredibly easy to pile up airline miles. I think I just earned 400 miles for merely mentioning this fact. But as you may have already discovered, it’s not always so simple to actually redeem those miles. A new survey looked at dozens of domestic and international carriers to find which ones were more likely to have seats available for rewards travel. [More]
Delayed Air Canada Passengers Pass Time With Free In-Plane Concert
By 5.16.12
Being stuck on a delayed, crowded plane — even for a short period of time — can be an ordeal. But for Air Canada passengers waiting on the tarmac to take off for their flight to Bucharest, they were lucky (or perhaps unlucky, depending on your taste in music) to be traveling with members of the Lemon Bucket Orkestra. [More]
Virgin Atlantic To Allow Some In-Air Mobile Phone Calls
By 5.16.12
If you are fan of the relatively chatter-free ambiance of the airplane cabin, this will probably not come as good news. On the other hand, if you’re someone who finds the whole “no cell phone calls from the plane” thing tiresome, this may brighten your day a bit. [More]
Family Pulled From JetBlue Flight Because 18-Month-Old Daughter Is On "No-Fly List"
By 5.10.12
As we’ve already seen from the hug-happy 4-year-old, the 7-year-old on crutches, and the baby who caused the evacuation of an entire airport terminal, terror threats are getting younger and younger. The latest: An 18-month-old little girl who somehow allegedly ended up on a no-fly list. [More]
Petition Gets United To Remove Ban On Pit Bulls, 8 Other Breeds
By 5.8.12
After United Airlines merged with Continental, it adopted its new spouse’s PetSafe program, which includes perks like climate-controlled transport and cargo holds, and the ability to track your pets’ whereabouts. But it also meant that nine breeds of dog, including pit bulls, were no longer allowed to fly United. Following customer backlash in the form of nearly 46,000 signatures on a petition, the airline has changed its tune. [More]
Are Heavier Airline Passengers At Greater Risk For Harm?
By 5.8.12
Usually when we bring up the topic of weight and air travel it involves either passenger comfort or controversial airline policies regarding “customers of size.” But some worry that outdated safety standards are actually putting people at risk while flying. [More]
United Airlines' Phone System Is Just Being Nostalgic About Refunds
By 5.7.12
The honeymoon may be over for recently wed United and Continental, and the merged company’s phone system is already daydreaming about its days as a swinging single, when customers could just call it up and ask for a refund on 30,000 unused miles. [More]
Stuck In Mexico Without Any Bags Thanks To Gate-Checked Carryon
By 5.7.12
Edwin’s wife flew to Mexico last week, toting only her carry-on luggage. United Airlines personnel made her gate-check the suitcase, telling her that it was too big and that she would definitely get it back when she landed. She hasn’t seen her suitcase since, and suspects it might have been stolen. United, as of yesterday, refused to give Edwin or Mrs. Edwin any answers. [More]
Spirit Decides It Doesn't Want To Be So Reviled After All, Refunds Dying Man's Ticket
By 5.4.12
More than a week after a man with terminal cancer took his gripe with Spirit Airlines public — and after several stern statements by Spirit that it would not, under any condition, bow to public pressure and refund the man his $197 — the airline has bowed to public pressure and is refunding his $197. [More]
US Airways Now Offering Priority Boarding For A Fee
By 5.4.12
Add another airline to the list of carriers that sells upgrades to priority boarding and the use of the speedier security checkpoint lanes, to passengers not flying in first class. [More]
Woman Sues Southwest To Clarify "Customers Of Size" Policy
By 5.4.12
You may remember the story from last year about a woman who was not allowed on a Southwest Airlines flight after allegedly being told she was “too fat to fly.” The airline apologized for the incident, but the woman is filing a lawsuit in an attempt to get Southwest to clearly define its “Customers of Size” policy. [More]
Three Delta Employees Charged With Smuggling At Least $600K In Drugs
By 5.3.12
Even though it could result in a life sentence and millions of dollars in fines, airline and airport staff continue to think that smuggling drugs is a good way to earn a few extra bucks on the side. [More]
Spirit To Start Charging Up To $100 For Some Carry-On Bags
By 5.2.12
Spirit Airlines continues to demonstrate why Consumerist readers nominated the bottom-dollar carrier for the Worst Company In America 2012 tournament. The airline, only one of two U.S. carriers to charge for carry-on bags, has announced it will be jacking up its baggage fees, meaning some people could end up paying $100 per carry-on. [More]
FAA Scolds Passenger For Using iPad To Shoot Video Of Bird Strike
By 5.2.12
Remember that bird strike in April that forced a Delta flight to make an emergency landing? The actual incident was caught on video by author Grant Cardone, who is now on some FAA “you’re a troublemaker” list because he shot that video when his iPad was supposed to be turned off. [More]
What Are The Worst Airports In The U.S.?
By 5.2.12
Though La Guardia Airport is by far the least-busy of the three major airports in the NYC area, it managed to put a bad taste into enough travelers’ mouths to end up on the top of a new survey of the worst airports in the nation. [More]
Fight Discriminatory TSA Profiling With Your Smartphone
By 5.1.12
It’s hard to find any travelers with nice things to say about the Transportation Safety Administration, but members of the Sikh faith really have a grievance. They claim that they’re singled out for secondary screening at airport security to an extent that’s discriminatory, and frequently ordered to allow inspections or removal of their turbans. So they’re fighting back in 21st century fashion: with a smartphone app. [More]
Why Has United Airlines Taken A Month To Not Process My Ticket Vouchers?
By 4.30.12
Back in July 2011, Consumerist reader Mary and her husband were awarded a total of $800 worth of ticket vouchers from United after they were bumped from a flight. Problem is, now that she’s trying to actually use those vouchers, no one at United seems to have any idea what to do with them. [More]
