Even though regulators approved the merger of American Airlines and US Airways in late 2013, the two carriers have continued to operate separate websites with separate systems for booking travel. That will soon begin to change, with the merged mega-airline announcing an October deadline for operating as a single carrier. [More]
air travel
Delaware Becomes The Only State Without Commercial Air Travel After Frontier Airlines Flies Away
By 6.30.15
While flying is often the easiest and quickest way for travelers to get from one place to another, the nearly one million residents in Delaware will have to find a different mode of transportation in their home state — unless they want to fly privately. That’s because the state’s lone commercial airline servicer quietly exited the market last week. [More]
Passengers On Diverted United Airlines Flight Recall Sleeping On Cots At A Canadian Military Base
By 6.15.15
From time to time a fight is delayed, canceled or diverted for unforeseen reasons, leading to often annoying and unanticipated disruptions for travelers. Such was the case over the weekend when a United Airlines flight was diverted to a Canadian military base. But it wasn’t the unplanned change of course that left passengers unhappy with the airline, it was their only option for accommodations: a cold military base. [More]
Profits Are Up In The Global Airline Industry With Carriers Making An Average Of $8.27 Per Passenger
By 6.8.15
As airlines make room on planes so they can pack in more passengers, North America’s carriers are showing that such efforts are paying off, literally, with a new report that gives North America the lead in profits compared to the rest of industry worldwide. [More]
Does Booking Direct With The Airline Actually Offer You The Lowest Price?
By 6.8.15
It’s no secret that some airlines have little love for online travel-booking sites. Southwest only lets travelers book fares directly through the airline and Delta has cut ties with a number of booking/listing sites, including TripAdvisor. The airline industry claims that booking directly will get consumers the lowest prices on airfare, but is that true? [More]
There Might Be Fewer Available Seats On Your Next Delta Or United Flight
By 6.5.15
At least two major U.S. airlines are looking at the possibility of cutting the number of seats offered on flights later this year; a move that could make it more difficult and more expensive for travelers to get to and fro. [More]
Computer Glitch Grounded All United Airlines Flights Tuesday Morning
By 6.2.15
For the second time in two months technology proved to be a formidable foe for major U.S. airlines; this time grounding all United Airlines flights for a short period on Tuesday. [More]
Warrant: Researcher Claims He Commandeered Flight Through In-Flight Entertainment System
By 5.18.15
Nearly a month after a government report identified security weaknesses within the airline industry, including the possibility that newer airplanes with interconnected WiFi systems could be hacked, a recently obtained Federal Bureau of Investigation search warrant shows a security researcher claims he briefly took control of an aircraft after hacking into the plane’s in-flight entertainment system. [More]
What Are The Best And Worst Airlines For Using Rewards Travel?
By 5.14.15
So you’ve racked up a bunch of frequent flier miles or loyalty points or whatever your preferred airline calls them, but can you actually use those rewards to book free travel when you want? For some U.S.-based carriers, the answer ranges from “almost definitely” to “good luck.” [More]
Fewer Airlines Does Not Mean Fewer Flight Delays
By 5.13.15
Airlines merge because it makes them more efficient: at least, that’s what they say. Does all of that cost-cutting behind the scenes translate to efficiencies on the runways and in getting planes in the air in a timely fashion? Well…no, not really. Sometimes two airlines merging has meant that they end up with a lower percentage of on-time flights than each of the two airlines originally did together. [More]
Family Claims They Were Escorted Off United Airlines Flight After Autistic Daughter Deemed Disruptive
By 5.11.15
A trip home from the most magical place on earth was anything but magical for an Oregon family after they claim their United Airlines flight made an emergency landing and they were escorted from the flight because of their autistic daughter. [More]
In Which An $8 In-Flight Video Charge Led To A $5M Class Action Lawsuit Against United Airlines
By 5.7.15
When buckling in for an hours-long flight, travelers might choose to pass the time by reading a book, listening to music or enjoying a few television shows or a movie via the in-flight services connection. While those are all viable options, the latter is typically only available under certain circumstances. But one woman says that wasn’t made clear, and now she’s suing United Airlines for $5 million. [More]
Cancer Patient Says American Airlines Ticket Agent Refused To Provide Her A Wheelchair
By 5.5.15
Just because someone looks healthy on the outside doesn’t necessarily mean they actually are. That’s the lesson a Texas woman hopes to pass on to others after she says a ticket agent with American Airlines declined to provide her with a wheelchair despite the fact she had just receiving cancer treatment. [More]
Judge Throws Out United’s Lawsuit Against “Hidden City” Airfare Site Skiplagged.com
By 5.1.15
Last fall, both United Airlines and Orbitz sued travel-booking startup Skiplagged.com, which helped travelers find so-called “hidden city” tickets where you book a multi-stop itinerary with the intention of not flying all the way to the end. Orbitz settled its part of the case in February, but the United suit continued — until yesterday, when a federal judge dismissed the airline’s complaint, but not because the airline didn’t have a case. [More]
Dozens Of American Airlines Flights Delayed Over Pilot iPad Glitch
By 4.29.15
Flights get delayed for any number of reasons: bad weather, crew members running late, mechanical problems and trouble with pilots’ iPads. Okay, that last one doesn’t seem routine, but American Airlines says that was exactly the reason why dozens of the airline’s flights were delayed Tuesday night. [More]
Upcoming Online Airfare Comparison Changes Raise Privacy, Discrimination Concerns
By 4.28.15
A group of senators raised concerns Tuesday that a new airfare comparison shopping system currently being developed could lead to unfair discrimination practices based on information the airlines receive from customers. [More]
Southwest Airlines Sued Over Death Of Passenger
By 4.21.15
The widow of a California man who died hours after experiencing a medical emergency onboard a Southwest Airlines flight last year filed a lawsuit against the airline claiming the crew members failed to provide adequate medical attention after the man collapsed in the plane’s lavatory. [More]
Spirit Airlines Brings Up Rear In Latest Airline Customer-Satisfaction Scores
By 4.20.15
Time Warner Cable and merger-partner Comcast have very little company among the lowest-scoring companies on the American Customer Satisfaction Index, but now that ACSI has added Spirit and Frontier to its airline rankings, TWC can no longer claim the honor of having the lowest survey score of all U.S. companies in the Index. [More]
