The Department of Transportation smacked Delta with a $375,000 fine for ignoring federal laws that require airlines to offer bumped passengers adequate compensation and an explanation of their rights. Inside, a listing of your options if an airline tries to bump you off their flight…
airlines
Dave Carroll Says No To Guitar Hush Money From United
By 7.10.09
We officially love Dave Carroll now. Not only is he cute and a good singer, but he’s classy (check out how he defends the United employee in this video response) and has principles. The best part is at the end he encourages us to stay tuned for song #2. United hoped it could pay for the guitar and put an end to the bad publicity—but it looks like you’re not getting off that easily, United. Check out the full video response below.
Which Airlines Are The Most Pet Friendly?
By 7.9.09
Petfinder.com compared airlines to see which ones are the best choices if you’re traveling with pets. You may remember our post a while back on Pet Airways, about which Petfinder says, “While Pet Airways didn’t make the rankings because they haven’t ‘hit the air’ yet, [we are] excited to see the promising airline take off.”
By 7.8.09
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Dave Carroll’s “United Breaks Guitars” song and video EECB appears to be having the desired effect. Check out this tweet from United. [Twitter] (Thanks to Chris!) Update: Dave Carroll responds.
United Breaks Guitars
By 7.7.09
When United Airlines broke Dave Carroll’s $3500 Taylor guitar in the the spring of 2008, he contacted them to ask for compensation. After all, he and other passengers watched from the plane as United baggage handlers actually threw his guitar around on the tarmac. United said they wouldn’t pay for the damages, so Carroll wrote this catchy song about how much United sucks. We think it should go in United’s next ad campaign.
Chinese Discount Airline To Sell Standing Room Tickets
By 7.5.09
Spring Airlines, a discount Chinese carrier, plans to ask the government for permission to sell standing room tickets. The plan will likely win approval, since Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang was recently quoted as saying: “for a lower price, passengers should be able to get on a plane like catching a bus, with no seat, no luggage consignment, no food, no water, but very convenient.”
Get The Best Seat When Flying Coach
By 7.4.09
Snagging the best plane seat doesn’t always require an upgrade, thanks to a few handy tips from Condé Nast Traveler. Inside, how to avoid the dreaded middle seat and keep yourself entertained on the flight…
Never Pack Your Jewelry In Checked Baggage
By 7.3.09
My suitcase had been opened, my jewelry bag unzipped, and my fine jewelry (gold, diamonds, sapphires) had been hand picked out of the jewelry bag and the inexpensive jewelry (plastic, glass, metal) left strewn across my belongings inside my suitcase.
RyanAir: Bye Bye, Checked Bags And Airport Check-In. Hello, Gambling!
By 6.28.09
RyanAir this week announced that they will soon eliminate all airport check-in counters and require passengers to carry-on their luggage. Starting early next year, passengers will need to schlep their bags through airport security and drop them at the steps of the plane for checking into plane’s cargo hold. Once aboard though, there will be gambling!
Southwest Is Coming To LaGuardia. Hello, Price War!
By 6.27.09
Starting tomorrow, Southwest will fly out of New York‘s LaGuardia airport, which hopefully means that flying between New York, Boston, Chicago, and Washington is about to get a whole lot cheaper.
Southwest Apologizes To The Frequent Flyer Who Was Suddenly Too Big To Fly
By 6.26.09
Southwest Airlines has apologized to Chip, the frequent business traveler who was denied boarding because he was too big to fly. If you recall, Chip, a self-described “big guy,” does not use a seat belt extender and says he has no trouble fitting into a standard airline seat.
Southwest Suddenly Decides Frequent Flyer Is Too Big To Fly
By 6.22.09
This is reader Chip. He’s 6’1″ and says he flies twice a week for business, without incident, on Southwest Airlines. He is a self-described “big guy” but says he doesn’t have any problem sitting in an airplane seat — and doesn’t need a seat belt extender to do so. So, why did he suddenly get stopped at the gate and told he needed to buy a second ticket?
Persistence Convinces Continental To Abandon Impossible Itinerary
By 6.21.09
Continental thought 82 minutes was plenty of time for Chris to catch a flight connecting in Newark from Washington to Delhi. It might be, but Continental’s own data show that the Washington flight arrives late 96% of the time by 103 minutes on average. Chris wanted to switch to an earlier flight so he could make the once-daily plane to Delhi, but Continental wouldn’t let him switch unless he paid a $250 change fee. Unsatisfied with the answer, Chris hung up and kept calling back until he got the answer he wanted.
You Can't Bend Your Knee? Here, We're Bumping You To Coach
By 6.18.09
What does it take for an airline to retain customers these days? Here’s a tip: given the graying of America, try not treating elderly people with medical emergencies like crap. Livejournal user urzepatriz details how American Airlines added insult to his or her grandfather’s injury. Literally. By bumping him to coach on a cross-country flight after an injury sustained during the trip required major surgery and left him unable to bend his knee.
Man Leaves Camera In Airport, Then Actually Gets It Back
By 6.18.09
Reader Mike cc’d us on a complimentary email to Southwest Airlines, which is something that usually doesn’t happen when the words “lost and found” are involved. Long story short— he lost his camera and the airline lost his bags — but he managed to get everything back with a minimum of effort. Lucky guy!
Continental Takes 2nd Child To Wrong Airport
By 6.17.09
…both incidents occurred when flights with different destinations were loaded simultaneously from the same doorway and that “miscommunication among staff members resulted in the child being boarded on the wrong aircraft.”
Continental Puts 10-Year-Old Child On The Wrong Plane
By 6.15.09
Sure, airlines misroute luggage all the time. But how about misrouting a ten-year-old girl to the wrong state?
Delta Is Going To Flip Out If You Wear A Neck Brace In The Emergency Exit Aisle
By 6.14.09
Ned wears a neck brace when he flies, not because he’s injured or disabled, but because he prefers it to one of those floofy neck pillows. This didn’t sit well with a Delta flight attendant who was intent on keeping disabled-looking folks out of the emergency exit aisle. The attendant wouldn’t leave Ned alone, even after Ned demonstrated his range of mobility and explained that the brace was from a minor car accident thirty-three years ago. Ned managed to hold onto his seat after a chat with the senior flight attendant, but the original flight attendant later came back, “got in [Ned’s] face ñ literally, just inches away” and complained that Ned had “bucked his authority.”
