Airlines have tacked on more and more fees over the years as a way to recoup costs without having to raise their base fares as much, but Frontier has broke with these seemingly relentless upward tradition and actually reduced some fees this week. Thunderclap! [More]
airlines
How Can I Prepare In Advance In Case My Flights Are Canceled?
By 4.26.11
Mrgrammarperson has an upcoming airline trip planned, and he’s nervous that one of his flights will be canceled and throw his entire travel itinerary off. He asks the seasoned travelers of the Consumerist Hive Mind: what should he do if his flights are canceled to reach his destination on time? [More]
Car Seats Fly Free, So Pack Other Stuff In There To Avoid Bag Fees
By 4.25.11
It’s sort of sneaky, but you can take advantage of the fact that a few items, like strollers, car seats and some medical items, never get a fee for getting checked in order to avoid checked bag fees on your other stuff, writes the Money Crashers blog. [More]
Delta Introduces Online Tracking For Baggage
By 4.22.11
Next time you’re getting off a Delta flight, you should have a better idea of how long you’ll be waiting for your checked luggage at baggage claim. The airline has introduced a new tracking system that lets users plug in their luggage tag number for up-to-date tracking info. [More]
Delta Warned About Mice Feces On Plane
By 4.21.11
Most people are worried about a seatmate that takes up more than their fair share of the seats, but on one Delta plane they should be more concerned about a far tinier co-passenger. CNN reports the FDA has sent Delta a warning letter (read it here) about mouse droppings “too numerous to count” onboard one of its planes. [More]
Airlines Now Actually Have To Return Bag Fees If They Lose Your Bag
By 4.20.11
It’s sort of sad that the Department of Transportation actually had to force airlines to refund bag fees if they lose your baggage — but whatever, let’s not dwell. [More]
Another Day, Another Air Traffic Controller Asleep On The Job
By 4.14.11
The Air Traffic Controller Sleeping Epidemic of 2011 continues. Yet another worker responsible for keeping planes from crashing into one another has fallen asleep on the job, with the FAA investigating yet again. [More]
The Airlines That Make Us Hate to Fly
By 4.12.11
Air travelers all have and use their own horror stories to determine which airline is the worst one around. But which U.S. carrier is statistically the worst company flying? American Eagle. [More]
2nd Air Traffic Controller Could Be Fired For Snoozing On The Job
By 4.7.11
The second air traffic controller in a month could lose his job for catching some z’s up in the tower. FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt told Congress that the controller was “found intentionally sleeping.” What defines “intentional sleeping?” He had cushions and a blanket, meaning he brought materials to work with him to help him sleep. [More]
Check Out Your Airline's Safety Records Online Before You Fly
By 4.6.11
Are you tired of waiting for those scary headlines to hit detailing safety failures to find out about an airline’s safety records? For those spooked by Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-300 forced to make an emergency landing when a hole torn open in its fuselage mid-flight, there are a few things you can do to check things out before booking and boarding. [More]
Sad In-Flight Meals Are Enough To Make Us Lose Our Appetites
By 4.4.11
There has been a lot of shouting and complaining in recent years as major airlines like Continental and United have done away with free food on domestic flights. But the folks at Jaunted.com have put together a gallery of craptastic airline meals that will make you glad you don’t have the option of chowing down for free. [More]
Ryanair Launches "Child Free Flights"
By 4.1.11
Most proclamations by RyanAir, the Irish “jet strapped to a metal pole” low-cost airline, sound like April Fool’s jokes anyway but at least their attempt today is right on message. RyanAir announced they are introducing “child free flights” starting late this year. “When it comes to children we all love our own but would clearly prefer to avoid other people’s little monsters when travelling,” said RyanAir’s head of communications Stephen McNamara in a press release. Staying classy is not what this airline is selling. [More]
Jetblue And American Increase Fees, Airlines Dream Up More
By 3.14.11
The airline fees just keep edging up. Jetblue has increased the 2nd checked bag fee to $35 from $30. They have also increased the fee for their “Even More Legroom” seats by $5. Not wanting to be left out, American is increasing the fee for making a reservation by phone to $25 from $20. With fuel costs rising, airlines are looking for ways to increase revenue without increasing airfare, as they’ve already done that six times this year already. They use fuel costs as the reason, but you know if the price of fuel drops, they’re not going to cut back on fees. And according to the Journal, airlines are looking for more ways to add fees, like a surcharge for a chair that reclines more, a champagne brunch fee, or blizzard insurance. [More]
Allegiant: Let's Let Travelers Gamble On Airfare
By 3.14.11
Allegiant Air has come up with an idea for a new kind of airfare whose final price would rise or fall with the price of jet fuel. Passengers could choose between a traditional ticket, or one that has a discounted up-front cost, but whose final price is variable. If gas is cheaper the day you fly, you pay less. If higher, you pay more. It sounds a little crazy, until you realize where Allegiant is based out of: Las Vegas! [More]
21 Airlines Fined $1.7 Billion In Price-Fixing Scheme
By 3.11.11
The Justice Department has fined 21 airlines in a massive global price-fixing scheme. British Airways, Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic were among the airlines indicted. Even four executives have gone to jail. What did they do? The JD charges that the airlines colluded to artificially inflate fuel surcharges for passengers industry-wide, as well as cargo surcharges. The case probably wouldn’t have been broken if Luthansa and Virgin Atlantic hadn’t come forward and confessed under the Justice Department’s amnesty program that provides leniency for finking. In an interesting turn, the scheme was so codified that various airlines had entire committees and sub-committees devoted to managing it. [More]
FAA Orders O2 Masks Removed From Airplane Bathrooms
By 3.11.11
Airlines are removing the emergency oxygen generators from airplane bathrooms by order of FAA directive, reports KPRC. The concern is that someone could go in there, rip the supply out, and rig it into an explosive device. [More]
Continental Flight Delayed 3 Hours By Broken Toilet In First Class
By 3.7.11
A malfunction in the toilet in first-class caused a Continental flight to leave three hours behind schedule this morning. It was initially reported by that the toilet was backed up and no plunger could be found, but an airline spokeswoman later refuted that. Plungers aren’t used to repair toilets, she said. “It’s not a toilet like you have at your home. It’s a mechanical process to repair the lavatory.” The earlier report had said that no plunger could be found at the airport and someone had to be sent off grounds. [More]
10 Ways To Make The TSA Crotch Grabbers Profitable
By 3.7.11
Last week, the the Director of Homeland Security suggested to Congress that the TSA get a cut of airline baggage fees. The fees encourage travelers to carry on their bags, and this in turn leads to more bags that have to be inspected by hand at security checkpoints. Should taxpayers keep picking up the tab, or should airlines give the TSA a piece of the baggage fees? How about neither? What if instead the TSA looked for more creative ways to offset costs and even increase revenue? Here are 10 modest proposals: [More]
