The itchy saga of American Airlines flight attendants who have had problems with the company’s new uniforms has turned a corner, though it might not be the resolution that makes everyone totally happy: The carrier has tapped another vendor to make a polyester alternative to the woolen outfits that have allegedly been causing rashes, hives, and headaches. [More]
travel
Married People Ruin British Airways Promos By Flooding Dating Sites For Singles
By 3.23.17 — Updated: 3.24.17
Not content to let the unmarrieds of the world have all the free frequent flier miles, a veritable flood of married travelers overwhelmed a pair of British Airways promotions on dating sites Match.com and eHarmony. [More]
Say Goodbye To Virgin America: Company Name, Logo To Retire In 2019
By 3.23.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
Now that Alaska Airlines and Virgin America have officially gained approval for their $4 billion marriage, the couple is working out of all the little details of married life, including which airline will be taking the other’s name. To that end: The Virgin America name and logo will disappear, but not right away. [More]
United Airlines Opening Fully Automated Airport Screening Lanes
By 3.22.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
In an effort to ease congestion at security checkpoints — like last year’s unholy traffic jams during the busiest season for travel — United Airlines has outfitted an entire airport terminal in New Jersey with automated screening lanes. [More]
DHS Bans Laptops, Other Electronic Devices From Airplane Cabins For Flights From 10 Airports
By 3.21.17
If you’re doing any travel to or from the Middle East, northern Africa, or Turkey in the coming months, you may not be able to work or watch videos on your laptop or tablet. A new Department of Homeland Security rule bans all electronic devices “larger than a smartphone” from the cabins of all flights coming to the U.S. from ten international airports. [More]
Southwest Airlines Finally Doing Away With Pneumatic Tubes, Paper Tickets
By 3.17.17
As part of an $800 million effort to modernize its reservations system and other operations, Southwest Airlines is saying goodbye to a handful of antiquated practices, including paper tickets and the use of pneumatic tubes to send messages at airports. [More]
Blind Woman “Humiliated” After American Airlines Removes Her & Guide Dog From Flight
By 3.15.17
A blind woman who says she’s never had an issue flying with her guide dog in 30 years claims she was “humiliated and traumatized” after American Airlines kicked her and her guide dog off a flight recently. [More]
American Airlines CEO: Uniform Crisis A “Difficult” Issue, But There Won’t Be A Recall
By 3.14.17
Almost six months after American Airlines flight attendants started complaining that their new uniforms were giving them hives, headaches, and rashes, the carrier’s CEO is admitting that it’s a major problem, while insisting that American won’t issue the recall of the clothing that employees have asked for. [More]
Two Airlines Dropping Cuba Routes Amid Lower Than Expected Demand
By 3.14.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
When U.S. airlines were fighting it out last year to win approval for flights to Cuba, they were no doubt expecting Americans would be rushing to airports under recently-loosened rules for personal travel to the island nation. But that demand hasn’t been as robust as expected, prompting two domestic carriers to drop a few routes to Cuba. [More]
Stephen Colbert Puts Romantic Spin On New TSA Pat-Downs; Talks Spying With Former CIA Chief
By 3.8.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
Earlier this week, the Transportation Security Administration advised that we may see more “comprehensive” pat-downs at airports. Last night, Stephen Colbert’s Late Show team placed these new security checks in a romantic context. [More]
TSA Introducing New, More Invasive Pat-Down Method
By 3.6.17
The next time you go through a pat-down at airport security, things might be a bit different: The Transportation Security Administration has a new, more invasive pat-down procedure that some travelers might find unusual. To that end, the agency is warning local police departments that they may see an uptick in reports related to these up close and personal examinations. [More]
Airport Worker Accused Of Stealing Guns From Travelers, Trading Them For Pot
By 3.2.17 — Updated: 5.9.17
Whenever you check your bag before a flight, you’re putting a high degree of trust in airport staff that they won’t help themselves to the things inside. Yet another baggage handler has been accused of violating that trust, allegedly stealing guns out of travelers’ bags to trade for drugs. [More]
SpaceX Planning To Send Tourists On A Trip Around The Moon In 2018
By 2.28.17
Who knew all you’d have to do to get a lift into space is ask Elon Musk for a ride? ride? The CEO of SpaceX (and Tesla) says two private citizens approached the company — ostensibly wearing trench coats and carrying suitcases of cash — and asked to go on a trip around the moon. He’s planning to take them there in 2018. [More]
NASA Testing New Super Quiet, Supersonic Passenger Jet Design
By 2.27.17
Eleven months after NASA said it was working on a quieter, “low boom” supersonic passenger jet that could travelers around the world in a matter of hours, the agency says it has started testing the plane with Lockheed Martin. [More]
Norwegian Air Will Sell Tickets For Flights To Europe Starting At $65
By 2.23.17
Is that thunder we hear? Because Norwegian Air Shuttle is bringing the rain it promised back in 2015, by way of flights between the U.S. and Europe starting at only $65.
[More]
Tech Industry Comes Out Against Possible DHS Collection Of Visitors’ Passwords
By 2.21.17
Earlier this month, newly confirmed Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly told a Congressional committee that one of the possible forms of “extreme vetting” for visitors to the U.S. could include requiring them to hand over their login information for websites they visit. Today, a coalition made up of human rights organizations, consumer advocates, and the tech industry penned an open letter to Kelly, calling on DHS to not go down this path. [More]
American Airlines Unveils Routes For Basic Economy Fares
By 2.21.17
A few weeks back, American Airlines said it would soon begin offering a new “Basic Economy” fare that offers discounts in exchange for travelers giving up their ability to choose a seat or use the overhead bins. Now the airline has begun selling these lower-cost tickets on certain routes, at a savings of around $20 per leg of a flight. [More]
11 Passengers Walk Through TSA Checkpoint Without Screening At JFK Airport
By 2.21.17
One does not simply walk into Mordor, mostly because of the ever-watchful burning eye of Sauron. The Transportation Security Administration might need some of that juice after eleven people strolled right through a security checkpoint at John F. Kennedy airport in New York. [More]
