As long as airlines continue to squeeze more seats on planes with less room per passenger, and as long as there are people out there who believe everyone in the cabin wants to smell their tuna fish sandwich, air travel is going to be annoying. Someone has to be the most annoying of all however, and according to a new survey, that person could be sitting behind you on your next flight. [More]
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Lawmaker Urges Airlines To Drop Holiday Baggage Surcharges
By 11.6.15
With two airlines set to show their bah humbug by increasing baggage fees just in time for the holidays, one lawmaker is asking them to rethink that plan, you know, in the spirit of the season and all. [More]
American Airlines Offering Some Travelers Free Flights To China After Glitch
By 11.5.15
For five hours in mid-March world travelers were able to book American Airlines flights from select U.S. cities to China for bargain prices because of a glitch. While the carrier honored tickets that had been paid for in full, it canceled hundreds of trips that were placed on a 24-hour price hold. Now, as part of an agreement with the Department of Transportation, those passengers are eligible for a free – or significantly discounted – trip to China. [More]
More Than 25M Travelers Expected To Hit The Skies This Thanksgiving
By 11.5.15
If you’re planning to fly the friendly skies in order to visit family and friends this upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, you’ll have plenty of company in the form of nearly 25.3 million other travelers. [More]
Airlines Once Again Introducing Baggage Surcharges For Holiday Travelers
By 11.4.15
Last year, Spirit Airlines showed passengers that it didn’t quite get the concept that holidays – especially those that fall in late December and early January – are meant to spread cheer and goodwill toward fellow humans, by increasing baggage fees for merry travelers. This year, the budget airline is once again utilizing those surcharges, and this time, it has company in Frontier Airlines. [More]
Some American Airlines Passengers Can Now Put 7-Day Hold On Ticket Purchase (For A Fee)
By 11.3.15
While other U.S. commercial carriers let customers cancel their reservations within 24 hours of purchase, American Airlines allows travelers to put a free 24-hour hold on their ticket purchases. Now American is testing additional options that let travelers put holds of three, five, or seven days on their tickets — for a fee, of course. [More]
American Airlines Flight Diverted After Passenger Allegedly Made “Alarming Statements,” Refused To Sit
By 10.30.15
Every day, millions of people manage to board airplanes, sit quietly for the duration of the flight and make it to their destination with relative ease. We don’t usually hear about those folks, however. Instead, unruly, disruptive passengers — whether they act that way on purpose or not — are the ones who keep making it into our news cycle. To wit: an American Airlines flight had to be diverted recently when a passenger allegedly made “alarming statements” and refused to take his seat. [More]
Dynamic Airways Plane Catches Fire On Florida Runway
By 10.29.15
Seven people were injured and three taken to the hospital after an airplane caught fire on a Florida runway Thursday afternoon. The incident marks the third time in two months that an aircraft has caught fire before takeoff. [More]
Emirates Passenger Says She Was Sexually Assaulted By Fellow Traveler While She Slept On Flight To NYC
By 10.29.15
We’ve asked this before, and apparently we have to ask again: what is wrong with some people? Unfortunately we have to yet again report on an incident involving a passenger accused of molesting a fellow traveler during a flight. This should go without being said, but just because someone is asleep, that does not mean they’re giving you permission to touch them. [More]
Alaska Airlines Suffers Technical Glitch, Delays Nearly Two Dozen Flights
By 10.29.15
UPDATE: Alaska Airlines says the computer issue that delayed about 20 flights late Wednesday and early Thursday has been resolved. All of the carrier’s flights are back to normal and no residual delays are expected. [More]
Police: United Airlines Passenger Walked Onto Plane, Claimed He Had A Bomb In His Bag
By 10.29.15
Whether you’re lying or telling the truth, the thing about saying you have a bomb in your bag on an airplane is you’ll get in trouble either way: a Massachusetts man has a court date this morning after walking onto a United Airlines flight last night out of Boston and allegedly announcing that he was carrying an explosive device. [More]
Feds Once Again Increase Scrutiny Of Allegiant Airlines After Repairs For Unsecured Bolts
By 10.28.15
When an Allegiant Airlines flight from Las Vegas to Peoria was speeding down the runway and the nose lifted too soon, pilots aborted the takeoff. That August incident – in which a bolt was found to be insecure – led the budget carrier to inspect all of its aircraft. While the company deemed its planes were in working order, a new report suggests that might not be the case. [More]
United Airlines Apologizes To Disabled Passenger Who Crawled Off Flight
By 10.26.15
United Airlines has issued an apology to a disabled passenger who ended up crawling off the plane after he was told he’d have to wait another 15 to 20 minutes for a wheelchair, on top of the 15 minutes he waited for the other passengers to deplane and 15 minutes he’d already spent expecting his wheels. [More]
United Airlines Revamping Boarding Process, Coffee Options
By 10.22.15
With a newly appointed interim CEO at the helm, United Airlines is moving forward with plans to win back customers’ trust: testing a new boarding procedure and revamping one part of its beverage menu. [More]
Flight Diversions For Unruly Passengers Can Cost Airlines A Hefty Chunk Of Change
By 10.22.15
As we were reminded just yesterday, unruly, aggressive passengers leading to plane diversions has become an unwelcome trend in the air. While those situations are no doubt scary and disruptive for fellow travelers and crew members, they’re also costly. [More]
United Names Interim CEO While Oscar Munoz Recovers From Heart Attack
By 10.20.15
For the second time in just over two months, the United Airlines board of directors has announced a new leader as its recently appointed CEO, Oscar Munoz recovers from a heart attack. [More]
Final US Airways Flight On Roundtrip Journey Between San Francisco And Philadelphia Today
By 10.16.15
The last US Airways flight ever took to the skies this morning in Philadelphia for a roundtrip journey to San Francisco and back again: Flight 1939 — named for the airline’s founding year — left 31 minutes late at 10:36 a.m. and will be making scheduled stops in Charlotte, North Carolina, Phoenix and San Francisco before returning to Philly as a red-eye flight on Saturday. [More]
Passengers Boo American Airlines As Woman Is Kicked Off Flight For No Apparent Reason
By 10.15.15
When an unruly, obnoxious or otherwise disruptive person deserves to be booted off a flight, that’s one thing. But American Airlines passengers were pretty ticked off recently when a woman who says she did nothing wrong was ordered off the plane. And they let the crew know — booing and voicing support for their fellow traveler. [More]
