../../../..//2008/01/24/travel-site-jaunted-suspects-that/
Travel site Jaunted suspects that United Airlines is blocking their employees from reading the site. Muahahahaha! [Jaunted]
travel
Make Your Own Passport Photos
By 1.24.08
If you have a computer and a digital camera, there’s no reason to ever pay a drugstore $8 for a couple of crummy passport photos and lousy customer service. This blogger discovered that he couldn’t even get an in-focus photo from a local CVS: “When we pointed that out, he was like ‘Oh really? don’t worry all photos printed here look like that and no one ever came back because a photo was not accepted.'” If you’re not Photoshop-savvy, just use the free epassportphoto.com website.
By 1.24.08
../../../..//2008/01/24/hi-youre-not-going-to/
“Hi, you’re not going to believe this,” the caller said “but I am calling from Fort Worth, Texas, and I accidentally picked up your husband’s luggage. When I opened the luggage, a cat jumped out.” [NY Daily News]
Top 10 Airports With Worst On-Time Departures
By 1.23.08
Rank / Airport / On-time departure percentage
Passengers Sue United Airlines Over Being Denied Food And Threatened With Arrest
By 1.23.08
According to court documents, the Patels boarded United Airlines Flight 836 from Shanghai to Chicago on July 17. The tickets came with an airline pledge to furnish the Patels and other members of their group with Hindu meals.
Delta Steals Cremated Remains From Passenger's Luggage
By 1.21.08
A North Carolina man says that his son’s cremated remains are missing from his suitcase. When he got his luggage at the Raleigh-Durham International Airport after a trip to Orlando, he found his bag was unzipped. Inside, some gadgets items and a box with some of his son’s ashen remains was gone. The family says it has filed complaints with Delta Airlines, the Transportation Security Administration and Orlando International Airport. They should also file a police report, but more importantly, if they have the electronic item’s serial numbers, they should check to see if the gadgets have shown up on eBay. One guy did that, found a guy listing his camera stolen from his luggage, and the thief ended up getting caught and prosecuted.
United Airlines: Sorry, Your 200,000 Frequent Flier Miles Have Expired
By 1.18.08
Ouch this one really hurts.
$40 Airline Surcharge Rolls Forward After $50 Surcharge Rolls Back
By 1.18.08
Seeing that a $50 fuel surcharge wouldn’t stick, airlines backed down from it, only for most of them to roll out a $40 surcharge. As of now, of the legacy carriers, only Northwest and US Airways have yet to match the increases. Based on how these things trend, airfare bloodhound Rick Seaney expects Northwest and US Airways to pricematch over the weekend. So, if you like flying either of those two airlines as opposed to the budget airlines, buy your tickets now.
By 1.17.08
../../../..//2008/01/17/american-airlines-flight-attendant-throws/
American Airlines flight attendant throws two snack bags at a passenger’s head, then dumps water on his head, dripping down onto his cashmere sweater. By way of apology, AA gave him 5,000 bonus miles. [Elliot.org]
American Airline's Weather Delay Excuse Successfully Debunked
By 1.17.08
You don’t need to hire a forensic meteorologist to dispute an airline’s so-called weather delay and get the compensation or rebooking you’re deserved, sometimes you just need the internets! Here’s how Jasmine did just that with a recent flight on American Airlines:
My last canceled flight was blamed on the weather. I called a friend with the internet, had them look up the weather at my destination and en route (which was fine). I went back to the desk and said, “The weather is fine. You sure there aren’t other problems?” That’s when then he said that it was the weather AND technical problems with the plane…
JFK Airport Is Notoriously Corrupt: Baggage Handlers Caught Stealing $250,000 In Diamonds
By 1.17.08
Queens prosecutors said Monday that a 51-year-old worker and his 39-year-old supervisor are charged with grand larceny and possession of stolen property. They say the jewelry was stolen last week from a container marked “high value” that was being shipped from Switzerland to Brazil.
We won’t lie, corrupt baggage handlers piss us off. These two specimens broke open the container and stole the jewelry, hiding it in a locker at the American Airlines terminal.
Dispute An Airline's So-Called "Weather Delay"
By 1.16.08
Unless it’s due to the weather, if there’s a flight delay or cancellation, passengers are entitled to some kind of refund, unless of course it’s due to the weather, but are flight delays as due to the weather as often as airlines say they are? And how would you go about proving otherwise? Well, as a fascinating interview posted over at airline blog Elliot.org informs us, you could always hire the services of a forensic meteorologist.
Expect Airfare To Include Airport Congestion Fees
By 1.15.08
In a move meant to promote reducing congestion, the DOT yesterday announced that airports can now charge airlines landing fees based on time and overall airplane volume, rather than simply their weight. Critics charge the previous policy allowed airlines to schedule flights on smaller and more regional jets during busy times, when what were needed were fewer and larger jets.The move would allow airports to schedule their flights throughout the day. Most likely the fees will be passed on to consumers, as they should. A good way to increase in a system is to make those who want to use its resources when they’re in short supply pay a premium. Airlines are expected to lobby fiercely against the measure.
Everyone But Northwest Matches $50 Fuel Surcharge
By 1.14.08
All of the legacy airlines, with the exception of Northwest, have matched United Airlines $50 roundtrip fuel surcharge announced Friday. Airfare maven Rick Seaney says that Northwest is usually the last one in when it comes to price increases, but if they don’t follow suit by tomorrow, then the other airline could begin to wobble and drop the surcharge.
American Airlines Ex-CEO Bob Crandall Shares His Crazy Cost-Saving Strategy
By 1.12.08
Former American Airlines CEO Bob Crandall fired a guard dog at a Caribbean outpost to keep costs down. Just look at the self-satisfied gleam in Crandall’s eye. This is no mere cocktail party story, but a defining act of corporate leadership for his grandkids to cherish.
United Increases Fuel Surcharge To $50
By 1.12.08
United Airlines will increase the fuel surcharge on roundtrip tickets to $50, a new industry high. “Every penny increase in a gallon of jet fuel costs our industry $195 million annually, and while we operate more efficiently, we must be able to pass commodity costs on to customers, as other industries do,” said UAL spokeswoman Robin Urbanski. The new surcharge is more than double the previous charge. Other airlines haven’t yet commented on whether they will match the move. Just another reason to not fly United.
JetBlue: You're 4 Years Old, Would You Like An Amex?
By 1.11.08
Thought you might enjoy this: We got an application for a jetBlue-branded American Express card in the mail today for our oldest daughter. She is four. We flew on JetBlue about four months ago, so I suppose they sent their entire passenger manifest over to AmEx.
Marriott Fails: Hotel Still Under Construction, Leaves Your Door Wide Open, No Hot Water
By 1.10.08
Reader Allan stays at Marriott hotels a lot. He has platinum status, meaning that he stays at Marriott hotels for more than 75 days a year. One might think this level of loyalty would mean that he’d get a response to his complaint letter.
