Each time I check my suitcase before hopping a flight, I say a little prayer that my things will make to my final destination. Luckily for me, I’ve had few issues with checked baggage (knock on wood), but thousands of other passengers haven’t been so fortunate. In fact, a new report from the U.S. Department of Transportation reveals that more than 1.6 million consumers have filed mishandled baggage reports in the first nine months of 2014. So, is there one airline that’s more apt to lose your luggage? Probably. [More]
airlines
Report: Envoy Air, ExpressJet More Likely To Lose Your Bags; Virgin, Frontier Least Likely
By 12.18.14
Reminder: TSA Has Magic Machines That Will Find Gun Parts Hidden In A PlayStation 2
By 12.18.14
This just in: X-ray machines used by the Transportation Security Administration have the power to see through plastic — yes, even the plastic used in gaming consoles! — and will be able to detect the presence of things that should not be in your carry-on bag. One traveler recently foiled by the TSA apparently thought all the camouflage needed to hide gun parts was a Playstation 2. [More]
Airline Baggage Fees Bring In Nearly $1B In Three Months, Ticket Sales Still Top Revenue-Maker
By 12.16.14
All those baggage fees added so far this year appear to be bringing in the big bucks for U.S. airlines. A new report found that airlines brought in nearly $1 billion last quarter by charging customers for hauling their belongings. And while that seems like a lot of dough, it’s just a drop in the bucket for the industry. [More]
Senator Calls For Investigation Into Why Airfares Increase While Costs Sink
By 12.15.14
Oil prices are down, airlines are profitable, but ticket prices aren’t going down and some carriers are still adding fuel surcharges. Thus, New York Senator Chuck Schumer has called for a federal investigation into why we’re all paying so dang much for air travel. [More]
Thai AirAsia Flight Diverted Because Throwing Scalding-Hot Water On A Flight Attendant Is Not Okay
By 12.12.14
There has been no shortage of stories about airline passengers’ bad behavior resulting in planes being diverted in 2014: from travelers arguing about reclining seats to those attempting to open doors mid-flight. And as the year draws to a close, we can add one more incident to the the disturbingly long list of passengers behaving badly after a traveler on a Thai AirAsia threw hot water on a flight attendant. [More]
Delta Revamps Seating Options; Offers Complimentary Alcohol To Main Cabin On Select Flights
By 12.9.14
Purchasing a plane ticket used to be a pretty straightforward endeavor with consumers having to choose between first-class or economy seating. If wasn’t apparent that those days were long gone, it might be now that Delta Air Lines has turned the whole airplane seating arrangement and offerings on its head with five options to choose from. [More]
Is This Simple Device The Peacemaker For The Armrest Wars?
By 12.8.14
Until now, the best available solution for ending the war over shared armrests involved a complete redesign of theater seats. It’s a novel, but impractical idea that also fails to address the armrest jockeying that goes on every day on plains and trains. One new, elegantly simple idea, aims to end this war by equally divvying up the forearm real estate. [More]
Disgustingly Rich People Charter Jets Just For Their Pets
By 12.2.14
When a companion animal has to get from one place to another, there aren’t many options. After the demise of the former Pet Airways in 2012, pets either need to be driven from place to place, or travel by commercial air tucked under a seat or in the cargo hold. Or you could do what very, very rich people do: shuttle your pets from place to place using chartered luxury jets. [More]
Some Airlines Prepare For Thanksgiving Snow Storm, Waive Flight Change Fees
By 11.25.14
With the first major travel day of the 2014 holiday season upon us and weather forecasters predicting significant snow across the Midwest and Northeast, some airlines are taking a proactive approach by waiving change fees for Thanksgiving travelers. [More]
Why Do Airfares Keep Going Up While Airlines’ Fuel Costs Go Down?
By 11.17.14
The bad news: While the price of jet fuel is dropping, planes are still packed full of people and airfares are still on the rise. But is there a silver lining of good news for travelers, or are airline bosses just rolling around on beds made of money and laughing at us as we grumble about a ticket home for the holidays? [More]
Group Representing U.S. Airlines Sues To Block Planned Seattle Airport Workers’ Wage Increases
By 11.12.14
An airline group, representing six major airlines and parcel services, filed a lawsuit aiming to block the Port of Seattle from implementing a pay increase that would make Seattle-Tacoma airport workers some of the highest paid in the country. [More]
Spirit’s Own Survey Confirms What We Already Knew: People Hate The Airline
By 11.5.14
Back in July, Spirit Airlines announced its “hug the haters” campaign which included an invitation for consumers to share just what they hate about flying with the airline and others operating in the United States. And, as it turns out, travelers don’t exactly want to hug Spirit back. [More]
Forget Everything You’ve Been Told: Buy Your Plane Tickets On Sunday
By 10.23.14
That sound you hear is yourself throwing every thought you had in your brain about buying plane tickets on a certain day out the window. As the window shatters, so can your mind break free from former apparent misconceptions regarding the best day to purchase air fares. It’s not the day you thought it was, it’s Sunday. [More]
Report: Despite Lower Fuel Costs And Ebola Fears, Many Airlines Just Raised Base Fares
By 10.21.14
The good news for airlines — fuel prices are down for once. But while that’s all well and great, that doesn’t mean consumers are going to have those savings passed down by way of cheaper air fares. Instead, many of the major airlines have recently raised their base fares by a few dollars across the board, according to a new report. Just in time for the holidays, of course. [More]
Fake Travel Agent Allegedly Scammed Customers Out Of $130,000
By 10.16.14
People instinctively trust others more if we have something in common with them, and that instinct led some people of Fijian origin who live near Modesto, California to a scammer. A man who was originally from Fiji set himself up as a travel agent and accepted money to book flights, then gave customers phony paperwork without making reservations, or canceling return tickets while travelers were out of the country. [More]
Which Airlines Have The Most Comfortable Coach Seats?
By 10.3.14
“Oh, goodie! I get to sit in coach for X amount of hours! I can’t wait to stretch out and relax,” said no one ever before flying, because in economy class, luxurious leg room and a sweet ratio of cushion to rump comfort is not what you’re paying for. That being said, some airlines are better at pleasing our behinds than others, according to a new poll released this week. [More]
Passenger Who Used Seat Jammer “Ashamed And Embarrassed” — But Would Use It Again
By 9.3.14
Over the past week there have been three incidents of flights being diverted because of passengers arguing over reclining seats. Now the man who renewed public debate over reclining etiquette says he regrets his behavior, but that doesn’t mean he plans to stop using the device that led to the argument. [More]
Can’t We Just Get Along? Yet Another Flight Diverted Because Passengers Argue Over Reclining Seat
By 8.29.14
There appears to be a new trend taking over the skies, and it’s one we certainly can not get behind. For the second time this week a U.S. operated flight was diverted because of a disruption over reclining seats. [More]
