Here at Consumerist we get a lot of complaints that go something like this:
airlines
Delta Changes Rules, Charges Up $70 For Same Day Flight Change
By 9.12.07
I travel a lot on business. I’m on travel right now, in Orlando. Luckily for me, my business this morning was completed ahead of schedule, and as I left my vendor’s office, I phoned Delta Air Lines to move up my return flight time a few hours.
Airlines Sacrifice All-Mighty Dollar To Combat Congestion
By 9.10.07
Taking a lesson from this summer’s royal clusterfuck of delays, cancellations, and passengers stranded for hours on the tarmac, airlines have decided to tweak things a bit for the better. Here’s some of the proposed measures:
Fewer Delays On The Horizon
By 9.9.07
Several airlines are taking small steps to reduce the infuriating delays that have plagued carriers during their no-holds-barred fight to remain profitable. Airlines are still cramming their planes full of paying consumers, but they are hoping that building more ground time into schedules and changing the way flights are diverted will alleviate some complaints.
United Airlines Says It Will Deliver Your Luggage Within 25 Minutes
By 9.7.07
United is already one of our more entertaining airlines when it comes to stories—they’ve rerouted direct flights without telling ticket holders, given us duct tape heroics, and hire Disney executives to improve customer service (we hope that means pilots dressed up as giant huggable pilots). Now comes news that they’re pledging to reduce waiting times for baggage from nigh-infinity to 25 minutes, as part of a comprehensive new “Customer Commitment” pledge to improve customer service and avoid Federal intervention.
By 9.7.07
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American Airlines announced that beginning next week, they will begin testing credit card only flights out of San Francisco. Jet Blue has said that it will stop accepting cash on flights next quarter. Other airlines that already don’t accept cash: AirTran, Frontier Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Midwest, ATA Airlines, Virgin America and Hawaiian Airlines. [Kansas City Star]
Too Sexy For Southwest Airlines Woman Appears On The Today Show
By 9.7.07
The woman who was too sexy for Southwest Airlines appeared on the Today Show this morning in the outfit she was wearing on the flight.
British Airways Sued For Chronically Losing Luggage
By 9.7.07
Three travelers claim British Airways acted recklessly in losing their luggage, and have filed a class action lawsuit against the airline, Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports. [More]
Virgin America Helping Pop Transcontinental Air Fare Prices
By 9.6.07
As we read in their e-newsletter this morning, a top airline analyst told Farecompare.com, “because of the debut of Virgin America, watch for many airlines to lower the air fares on their transcontinental flights for the foreseeable future.” Wow, look at that, increased competition means lower prices for consumer. Who would have ever have thunk it? And yes, that’s a view inside one of their planes.
By 9.6.07
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Did you know you don’t have to show your ID to TSA employees when flying? Did you know that refusing to do so can get you bumped to the head of the line? [NewsBlog]
Southwest Airlines Thinks Your Outfit Is Inappropriate
By 9.5.07
According to the Union-Tribune, Southwest airlines objected to an outfit worn by a 23 year-old Hooters waitress.
8 Airlines Raise Fares
By 9.5.07
Despite what may be the most frustrating summer ever for airline travelers, 8 airlines have decided to raise their fares. Why? Jet fuel prices are up 24% this year.
Flight Delays Will Only Get Worse, Say Experts
By 9.4.07
The New York Times looks at the country’s most consistently late airplane—American Airlines Flight 1659, from Newark to Chicago—and asks industry professionals about the rapidly deteriorating quality of air travel in the United States. The short answer: it will take at least a decade to upgrade air traffic control systems to handle the new super-busy runways, so unless airlines stop “maximizing” their profits by scheduling flights so closely together or we build more airports, this is the new modern way to travel.
EECB Forces US Air To Help Stranded Marine With Dying Grandmother, But Not In Time To Say Goodbye
By 9.4.07
subject Distressing travel not yet completed
By 8.31.07
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The Vatican has opened a special airline to shuttle pilgrims to holy spots around the globe, but not even their holy water is exempt from the 100 ml liquid carry-on limit. Man, those are going to be some well-anointed security checkpoints. [Telegraph via BoingBoing]
American Airlines Blames Being The Crappiest On The Weather
By 8.30.07
But a ray of hope is peaking over the edge of the wing, Arpey says the airline is exploring making it possible for passengers to deboard if they’ve been waiting on the tarmac for over four hours. How generous!
American Airlines Flight Grounded After Passengers Complain About Men Speaking Arabic
By 8.30.07
According to the Associated Press, an American Airlines flight was grounded after passengers complained about 6 men who were speaking Arabic. The men had been hired by a company called Defense Training Systems to train Marines at Camp Pendleton.
Are Airline Lounge Day Passes Worth It?
By 8.30.07
The Wall Street Journal bought day passes for several US airline lounges and reviewed each one to see if the lounges were really worth the hefty price of admission. Here is a summary of the results:
