Are you traveling by air this week in order to celebrate Thanksgiving where you belong…or at least where you feel obligated to be. USA Today published a list of holiday travel tips…they’re all good general travel tips, but especially helpful when airports are crowded and stress is high. [More]
travel
Broken FAA Computer Causing Delays Across The US
By 11.19.09
USAToday is reporting that a broken FAA computer in Atlanta is causing widespread delays across the country. In particular, “Washington National, Baltimore/Washington and Newark Liberty are all listed as having severe flight delays, according to the FAA.”
US Airways Pilot Pulls Plane Over To Kick Off Unruly Passenger
By 11.17.09
A 49-year-old Scottish man with an injured arm grew angry at the crew on his US Airways flight to London last night, so he demanded they turn the plane around and take him back to Philadelphia. Instead, the pilot, who has had it up to here with you kids, landed the plane at Logan International Airport in Boston and had him removed.
American Airlines Fires Web Designer For Helping Customer
By 11.17.09
Dustin Curtis complained to American Airlines about its poor website user interface. A designer within the company reached out to him to apologize, say how it was hard sometime to design well at a large company, but that better designs were coming down the pike. American Airlines then fired the designer. Authenticity can be a hazard to your job health.
When Traveling, Beware The Snow Globe Terrorist Menace
By 11.15.09
Beware the snow globe menace! The TSA has decreed that since they can’t determine how much liquid is in a snow globe, passengers are not allowed to bring them in their carry-on luggage on planes.
Family Kicked Off Flight For Misbehaving Kids, No Refund
By 11.13.09
An Arizona mom says she was flying to Billings, Montana for her birthday — but never got off the ground because the airline kicked her — and her unruly kids off the flight. They were told they could take another flight — if they paid for it. The airline says it’s their policy not to offer refunds.
Bank of America Cancels Solo India Traveler's Debit Card, Shrugs
By 11.11.09
Does “Bank of America” actually mean “Bank of America Only”? After pulling another reader’s debit card access back in August even though she had explicitly notified the überbank about her travels, BoA has apparently done it again. Reader Bristol tells us that she has been penniless in India for the last week after the bank’s mysterious computers canceled her debit card.
American Airlines And The Tale Of The $100 "Prepaid Baggage Fee"
By 11.10.09
Reader Jeremy says that his attempts to be polite and have everything taken care of for someone who was doing his organization a big favor were made more difficult by a secret, unpublished “prepaid baggage fee” that American Airlines attempted to charge him.
Expedia Drops Fee For Booking By Phone
By 11.5.09
This morning, travel service Expedia announced it will abandon its book by phone fee, which it first implemented last May. This makes it the only major online travel agency to not ding customers with a fee for booking flights over the phone, notes consumer travel advocate Christopher Elliott.
Photographer Says US Airways Soaked $17,850 Worth Of Camera Equipment
By 11.4.09
Reader Steve points us to a posting on a photography forum by a professional photographer who says his camera bag didn’t fit in the overhead compartment or under the seat of his US Airways flight — and when he got the bag back after checking it — it was soaking wet. He says the employees he spoke with didn’t believe him… do you?
Airlines Could Start Charging Extra For Credit Cards
By 11.2.09
Could extra fees for using a credit card to pay become the airline industry’s hot new trend?
Rent Someone's Home On Your Next Vacation
By 10.30.09
The next time you travel to another city, it might be cheaper, or at least more interesting, to rent directly from a local homeowner. Cool Tools says Vacation Rentals By Owner (VRBO.com) is a great way to find rental opportunities when you travel.
US Airways Shrinks
By 10.28.09
US Airways has announced it plans to lay off a thousand employees, about 3% of its workforce, and will cut flights and focus mostly on four hubs: Charlotte, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Washington, DC.
Pilots Who Missed Minnesota Were Too Engrossed In Laptops To Land The Plane
By 10.27.09
There is a reason that I am not a pilot and the reason is this: I am afraid I would get bored, start messing around with my laptop and miss Minnesota. Unfortunately for Northwest Airlines, they don’t hire people who utilize my rigorous program of self-doubt.
4 Questions That Will Fix The Travel Industry
By 10.27.09
When will we see an airline passenger bill of rights? Why aren’t there 5-star and 2-star airlines? How do you deal with hotels filling review sites with fake testimonials? These questions came up in a conversation about the travel industry I had the other night. Here’s some possible answers:
Northwest Air Pilot Misses Airport By 150 Miles
By 10.23.09
If you’re an airplane pilot, it’s important to try and land in the state customers paid you to fly toward.
FAA Continues To Investigate American Airlines, May Charge Individual Mechanics
By 10.19.09
The FAA has been investigating American Airlines for a while now over allegations that it wasn’t repairing its planes properly, and yesterday the Wall Street Journal reported that the agency may widen its investigation, and even bring charges against individual employees who signed off on substandard repairs.
Expect Airlines To Keep Hiking Ticket Prices As Holidays Approach
By 10.16.09
This year it’s a seller’s market when it comes to buying airline tickets, reports the New York Times, so if you must travel via plane, buy early and try to be as flexible as possible.
