When looking to book a flight, many consumers find it easier to peruse third-party comparison sites such as Kayak, Orbitz or Expedia where airfare can be easily compared among different airlines. While airlines have had their share of issues with sites that often lead to some fares disappearing, one legislator is calling for a federal investigation over allegations that some carriers completely withhold information from such travel sites in an attempt to block passengers from finding the best price possible. [More]
airlines
Airline Apologizes After Repeatedly Mistreating Traveler In Wheelchair
By 7.16.15
A US Airways passenger with muscular dystrophy says he was dropped by crew members, had his shoe knocked off, was left in the aisle, and then twice left at the wrong gate. Now the airline’s new owners have some apologizing to do. [More]
FAA Investigating Cluster Of 11 Laser Hits On Planes Flying Near Newark Airport
By 7.16.15
They might seem like harmless flashes of light to those of us on the ground, but lasers can seriously disrupt planes in flight, most notably when they hit pilots in the eyes, potentially causing injuries. That’s why the Federal Aviation Administration is taking reports of 11 separate laser incidents near Newark Liberty International Airport in one night very seriously. [More]
Spirit The Latest Airline To Suffer Delays, Cancellations Because Of Computer Glitch
By 7.15.15
Customers flying Spirit Airlines to or from O’Hare International Airport in Chicago faced a few hiccups today, as the company reportedly suffered a computer glitch, which has since been fixed. [More]
FAA Hits SkyWest With Speed, Altitude Restrictions After A Plane Allegedly Stalled During Descent
By 7.15.15
SkyWest Airlines will have to adjust the speed and altitude of some of its aircraft, after the Federal Aviation Administration says one of the airline’s planes stalled during descent last April. [More]
United Pilot Allegedly Threw Bullets In Plane’s Trash, Flushed Them Down Toilet
By 7.10.15
While it’s perfectly legal to transport ammunition on airplanes in checked luggage if it’s in a wooden or cardboard box specifically made for the purpose of transporting bullets, bringing those items in a carry-on and trying to dispose of them by throwing them in a trash can or down the toilet on an airplane is a big no-no. Just ask the United Airlines pilot accused of doing so. [More]
Just Looking At This Airplane Seat Design Patent Makes Us Uncomfortable
By 7.9.15
Airlines and aircraft manufactures are continuously looking for new ways to pack passengers into planes like sardines. From installing narrower seats to exploring the idea of bicycle-like perches , there appears to be no end to what might be considered to maximize capacity on flights. The latest concept: a seating design that takes the already awful experience of being stuck in the middle seat and makes it worse… so much worse. [More]
Delta, American, United & Southwest Face Passenger Lawsuits Over Alleged Collusion For Higher Airfares
By 7.7.15
Following news that the Department of Justice opened an investigation into alleged collusion between major airlines to keep ticket prices high, it was only a matter of time before consumers began filing lawsuit against the major U.S. carriers. [More]
American Airlines CEO Denies Claims Of Industry Collusion
By 7.6.15
While the Department of Justice investigates the possibility that airlines colluded to keep ticket prices high, the top executive at American Airlines is trying to assure his employees that the company did nothing wrong. [More]
United Airlines Invests In Alternative Fuel Company, Plans To Use Biofuel In Trips This Summer
By 6.30.15
Last year, Southwest Airlines announced it would start using biofuels created from forest remnants to power some flights beginning in 2016. Today, United Airlines raised the stakes in the alternative jet fuel game, announcing plans to fly a plane this summer using fuel generated from farm waste and oils derived from animal fats, while also investing millions of dollars in other alternative fuel processes. [More]
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]
Today’s The Day: JetBlue’s Checked Bag Fees Are Now In Effect
By 6.30.15
Say goodbye to that free checked bag when flying on JetBlue: The company announced last November that it was going to start charging passengers who fly with checked bags at some point, and that point is today. [More]
Senator Pushes FAA To Require That Airlines Drop Seat Change Fees For Parents
By 6.29.15
Nowadays, airlines charge a fee for just about everything – even when it comes to travelers trying to ensure they’re seated next to their children. But that extra cost could be a thing of the past if one legislator has anything to do about it. [More]
You Can Add Wasps To The List Of Things That Can Divert Flights
By 6.26.15
Time and again we’ve reported on incidents in which an unruly passenger diverts a plane. But what about an unruly insect? Apparently it’s possible, as Allegiant Airlines says a recent flight had to make an unscheduled landing because of an unticketed wasp. [More]
Allegiant Air Pilots Once Again Raise Concerns With Airline’s Safety Practices
By 6.23.15
Pilots of Nevada-based budget carrier Allegiant Air are once again expressing their concerns that the airline’s bare minimum approach to maintenance and operations comes at the cost of passenger safety, this time in a letter to the company’s board of directors. [More]
Senator Calls For Investigation Into Alleged Anti-Competitive Airline Behavior
By 6.19.15
American Airlines and US Airways, Southwest Airlines and AirTran, Continental and United. These are just a few of the major mergers to hit the airline industry in the last several decades. While airlines contend that such combinations have created more streamlined processes for customers, some legislators are concerned that a shrinking airline industry has perpetrated potential anti-competitive behavior, leading to a request for a federal investigation. [More]
Airline Group Backs Away From That Whole “Carry-On Bags Should Be Smaller” Thing
By 6.17.15
You might recall a recent suggestion from the International Air Transport Association that airlines should adopt a smaller carry-on bag standard, at which time the industry group showed off the “optimal” design to meet that purpose. But amid consumer outcry, the IATA says it’s taking a time out from the campaign to reconsider. [More]
Airline Industry Proposes Ideal Bag Size For Overhead Bins
By 6.9.15
Line up to board a plane, and you will see a wide array of carry-on bags in a variety of shapes, colors and, unfortunately for the airline staff, many different sizes. While some of those oversized bags immediately get the boot, the assortment of sizes can still make it tough to maximize overhead bin space. That struggle could be a thing of the past, if carriers sign on with the industry’s new specifications for the “perfect” carry-on. [More]
