Nearly two months after United Airlines said it would turn back the clock and start providing passengers with free nibbles, American Airlines is also jumping on the snack bandwagon, once again offering complimentary treats — and, on some flights, free meals — to economy-class travelers. [More]
travel
Alaska Airlines Apologizes After “Meet Our Eskimo” Branding Effort Offends
By 1.29.16
When you’ve gone and repainted your planes with a new logo, we can understand the desire to show it off to everyone. But maybe consider running your new ad slogan by a few people before it goes public.
[More]
JetBlue Will Also Refund Tickets For Travel To Areas Hit By Zika Virus
By 1.28.16
JetBlue is joining the list of airlines allowing refunds for customers who are traveling to certain regions hit by the Zika virus, a mosquito-borne illness that has been linked to birth defects in thousands of babies. Travelers can either get their tickets refunded or rebook flights for free, a spokesman said Thursday. [via Reuters] [More]
American Airlines Flight Bound For L.A. Turns Around After Mystery Illness Spreads Through Cabin
By 1.28.16
It sounds like something out of a movie: a plane full of people and a sudden, mysterious illness that spreads through the cabin, taking down flight attendants and passengers alike. Except there was a real, puzzling malady afflicting people on an American Airlines flight last night, one that forced the pilot to turn the plane around and is still stumping officials. [More]
Customs Officials Arrest Traveler With 9 Live Birds Hidden In His Pants, Fanny Pack At Miami Airport
By 1.27.16
As the saying goes: three birds in the pants are worth six in the fanny pack. Maybe that’s not quite the expression you’ve always heard, but it does pair nicely with a story out of Miami, where customs officials say a traveler was busted trying to smuggle nine live birds into the country. [More]
Airlines Allowing Travelers To Zika Virus-Affected Countries To Cancel, Postpone Trips At No Cost
By 1.27.16
UPDATE: JetBlue is also offering refunds for travelers with tickets to regions affected by the Zika virus. [More]
Study: American Travelers Are More Frugal On Short Flights
By 1.25.16
We all know what it’s like to get hungry on a trip or need a bit of extra space, but a new study says travelers are less likely to dip into their wallets on short flights, and would rather spend on airline food, drinks, and roomier seats if we’ll be in the air longer. [More]
Severe Turbulence During American Airlines Flight Sends 7 Passengers To The Hospital
By 1.25.16
Seven passengers on an American Airlines flight from Miami to Milan were injured Sunday night after the plane encountered severe turbulence, and had to make an emergency landing in Newfoundland. [More]
Over 5,100 Flights Across Two Days Already Cancelled Due To Winter Storm
By 1.22.16
Did you have plans to fly, er, anywhere involving the eastern half of U.S. this weekend? If you’re not already in the air, and you you didn’t already rebook with a travel waiver, now’s the time to get on that, because cancellations are rolling in. [More]
TSA: More Guns Seized In 2015 Than Ever Before, Most Were Loaded
By 1.21.16
News flash: you can’t carry guns — unloaded or loaded — onto airplanes. And yet last year, Americans packed more firearms in their carry-ons than ever before, the Transportation Safety Administration says, most of which were loaded. [More]
Flying On United Could Soon Mean More Legroom For Travelers With Airline’s New Plane Plans
By 1.21.16
If you’re sick of folding yourself into a seat on one of United Airline’s 50-seater planes, relief is in sight in the somewhat near future. The Chicago-based carrier says it’s going to ditch many of those smaller aircraft, while planning to buy a bunch of larger planes for its fleet. [More]
Traveling This Weekend? Airlines Offering Travel Waivers Ahead Of Winter Storm
By 1.21.16
Planning on traveling by plane in the next few days? The winter storm rolling across the country this weekend might have something to say about that. Ahead of the storm’s arrival, most U.S. airlines are issuing travel advisories and weather waivers for customers in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic who might find their plans ruined by snow, ice, sleet, wind, etc. [More]
JetBlue Site Experiencing “Intermittent System Outages” That’s Messing With Travel Plans
By 1.14.16
UPDATE: JetBlue says its online booking feature is now up and running again, and that crew members are communicating flight status to passengers in airport terminals. [More]
Chicago Proposes Extra Tax, Looser Regulations For Short-Term Rentals And B&Bs
By 1.14.16
Direct lodging companies like Airbnb or HomeAway compete with hotels for tourist dollars (even if hotel rooms are sometimes listed on the sites) yet at first didn’t impose lodging taxes on guests. Now some cities require it, and the listing sites collect and remit those taxes to cities. In Chicago, though, mayor Rahm Emanuel has proposed an additional tax on top of that for online short-term rentals, vacation rentals, and traditional bed and breakfasts. [More]
American Airlines Admits Crew Shouldn’t Have Refused To Allow Safety Harness, Will Modify Pre-Flight Manual
By 1.13.16
Remember John and his family, who wanted to use a child safety harness approved by the Federal Aviation Administration on a recent American Airlines flight, but were told they couldn’t? American has now admitted the pilot and crew were wrong for telling the family the device couldn’t be used during taxi and takeoff, and told John the airline will update its pre-flight manuals. [More]
Delta Moves Past United To Snag No. 2 U.S. Airline Spot By Traffic
By 1.12.16
When you’re a major U.S. airline, there’s only one direction you want to go, and that’s up. Which is why Delta Air Lines is likely in a celebratory mood and United Airlines is perhaps a bit down in the dumps today, upon hearing the news that the former has passed the latter to become the No. 2 carrier based on traffic for 2015, behind American Airlines. [More]
American Airlines Should Not Have Told Family They Couldn’t Use FAA-Approved Safety Harness
By 1.11.16 — Updated: 5.23.17
Consumerist reader John and his wife were traveling with their two-and-a-half-year-old daughter on an American Airlines flight from New York to San Diego, and they’d brought along a special device to help keep their toddler safe, a CARES (Child Aviation Safety Restraint System) harness. Despite the fact that it’s approved by the Federal Aviation Administration, John says the flight’s pilot refused to take off while his daughter was using it in her seat. [More]
Shuttle America Flight Diverted After Passenger Allegedly Became Violent Toward Flight Attendants, Others
By 1.8.16
We get it, sometimes you want to shove your seatmate’s elbow off the armrest, or maybe wish evil upon the person taking up all the overhead space. But cooler heads should prevail, lest you find your flight making an unscheduled stop. A Shuttle America flight yesterday had to be diverted after a passenger allegedly attacked a flight attendant and her fellow travelers. [More]
