It’s not every day you see a dog flying first class – for free – on an airplane. But that’s exactly what passengers on a flight from Iowa to Louisiana witnessed Wednesday, as United Airlines footed the bill to reunite a dog with his family after going missing four years ago. [More]
airlines
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]
SkyWest Officials: Flight Made Emergency Landing After Passenger Lost Consciousness
By 4.22.15
A SkyWest Airlines flight from Chicago heading toward Hartford, CT reportedly made an emergency landing in Buffalo today because of a sick passenger, the airline said. [More]
FBI, TSA Issue Warning To Airlines Over Possible Flight Hackings
By 4.22.15
A week after a government report identified security weaknesses within the airline industry including the possibility that newer airplanes with interconnected WiFi systems could be hacked, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Transportation Security Administration issued an alert warning airlines to be vigilant about monitoring for such threats. [More]
Could A JetBlue Hotel Be Part Of Your Future Travel Plans?
By 4.17.15
Forget about the Marriott, Hilton or any other number of hotel chains scattered around U.S. airports, the next big name in lodging could be an airline. JetBlue Airways is reportedly in advanced negations to turn a landmark terminal at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport into a hotel. [More]
Lawmaker Behind Pro-Airline Legislation Admits To Dating Top Airline Lobbyist
By 4.16.15
Congressman Bill Shuster from Pennsylvania, the Chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the lawmaker behind pro-airline legislation like this 2014 bill to remove any transparency from advertised airfares — and whose top campaign contributors are United and American Airlines — has admitted today to being in a romantic relationship with a top lobbyist for the airline industry. [More]
Delta Cutting Some International Flights Later This Year
By 4.16.15
If you were planning to fly Delta Air Lines for an overseas trip this holiday season, you might want to start making other plans. The airline aims to cut its international flights by about 3% during the last three months of 2015. [More]
Airline Performance Slips; Virgin America Named No. 1 For Third Time In Annual Airline Survey
By 4.13.15
Many consumers have a love-hate relationship with airlines: We love that they get us from point A to point B faster than a car, but we hate all the little fees, the inevitable delays and the occasional lost bag. It looks like all that hate once again won out, as this year’s Airline Quality Rating Survey found performance declined across all customer-focused categories just a year after the industry’s best scores in 25 years. The only carryover from the hopeful 2013 report was Virgin America’s ranking as top airline for the third consecutive year. [More]
Visa Unveils Plan To Breakdown Airline Fees Separately On Statements
By 4.8.15
With all the extra fees tacked on by airlines – bag fees, WiFi fees, seat upgrade fees – it can be hard to remember exactly what you paid for each of these add-on charges. Visa customers won’t have to worry about keeping things straight anymore, as the credit card company now plans to breakdown airline charges on monthly statement. [More]
Woman Suing Spirit Airlines Over Husband’s Death Claims Flight Attendants Weren’t Trained Properly
By 4.3.15
A woman whose husband died after having a medical crisis onboard a Spirit Airlines flight has filed a lawsuit against the airline and two of its flight attendants, claiming the airline was negligent in its training of staff. [More]
JetBlue System-Wide Computer Failure Leads To Long Lines, Delays
By 3.30.15
If you’re stuck in a long line at the airport right now, you’re not alone: JetBlue’s computer system failed this morning, forcing the airline to check all its passengers in manually. [More]
Southwest Airlines Kicks Passenger Off Flight For “Broad F****ing City” T-Shirt
By 3.24.15
For those unfamiliar with the Comedy Central show Broad City, the two main characters are a pair of unapologetically potty-mouthed friends with a penchant for using colorful language to describe any and all situations. But in showing his fandom with a T-shirt bearing the word “F***ing” between “Broad” and “City,” a Southwest Airlines passenger was reportedly kicked off his flight after refusing to cover up during an unscheduled stopover. [More]
Airports Propose Increasing Facility Fees To Pay For Infrastructure Improvements
By 3.24.15
With airlines introducing new fees for just about everything from reserved seats, carry on bags and even water, it appears that the actual airports are looking to get a piece of the action with a proposed increase to the passenger facility fee. [More]
Frontier Increasing Checked Baggage Fees By $5 To $10 Starting May 1
By 3.19.15
A year after Frontier Airlines unveiled an “ultra-low-cost” fare structure including new fees for bags, the airline is once again revising those costs. [More]
Cheapo Euro Airline Ryanair Denies Plans To Launch Transatlantic Flights To The U.S.
By 3.19.15
Maybe April Fool’s Day comes early in Ireland? Just four days after European budget airline Ryanair announced its board approved plans to launch transatlantic flights, the company backtracked, saying no such plans have ever been in the works. [More]
United Airlines Flight Forced To Turn Around After Passenger Reportedly Makes Run For Cockpit Door
By 3.17.15
A United Airways flight bound for Denver was forced to turn back to Washington Dulles Airport after a passenger reportedly made a rush for the cockpit door, and had to be restrained. An airline spokesman says the passenger “failed to comply with crew instructions” last night. [More]
Cheapo Euro Airline Ryanair Plans To Offer U.S. Flights Within 5 Years
By 3.16.15
Flying to Europe may become significantly cheaper in the next five years, after budget airline Ryanair announced announced that its board has approved plans to eventually expand into the U.S. market with its first transatlantic flights. [More]
No, Qantas Isn’t Giving Away Free First Class Tickets For Liking A Post On Facebook
By 3.16.15
It’s a Facebook post in which the company name is misspelled. It contends that an underwhelming number of passengers is reason to celebrate. It states that all you have to do to get free first class seats is to “Like” the post, and that “winner’s will be inbox’d on March 17.” Nothing about this seems legitimate, and yet more than 85,000 people thought it was worth a shot. [More]
