A 5-year-old boy was detained as “security risk” because he had the same name of someone on the TSA “No-Fly” list. The TSA had to conduct a full search of their persons and belongings. When his mother went to pick him up and hug him and comfort him during the proceedings, she was told not to touch him because he was a national security risk. They also had to frisk her again to make sure the little Dillinger hadn’t passed anything dangerous weapons or materials to his mother when she hugged him. Pretty insane. If you’re ever mistakenly on the No-Fly list, here’s how to get off it.
travel
Passengers Claim They Were "Held Hostage" For 33 Hours On United Airlines
By 1.9.08
Passengers on a flight from Puerto Rico to Chicago claim that they were delayed for 33 hours while United Airlines loaded them on and off two broken planes. One passenger compared the ordeal to being “held hostage,” says FOX Chicago.
Mice Found On United Airlines Flight
By 1.9.08
United Airlines Flight UA897 from Washington to Beijing landed in China with a mice infestation onboard, reported a Chinese state official on Monday: “Eight mice, dead and (alive), were found at last … hidden in pillows.” An “emergency team” boarded the craft and “put rat poison and mouse traps at every possible corner on the aircraft, including the cockpit… the surviving mice were sent to labs for testing.”
By 1.8.08
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If you have problems getting an exit seat from Midwest Airlines ticket agent Ramone at LGA, it’s possible he will tell Roger to go up to you on the flight and boom, “I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS SEAT AND WANT OFF THIS FLIGHT.” [Click Here Technology Columns]
American Airlines Doesn't Care If You Were Rushed To The ER With Appendicitis. You Are A No Show, And Will Receive No Refund.
By 1.6.08
“What is ya’lls experience with dealing with AA when the passenger has a case of appendicitis? My sister is going under the knife in London right now, and was admitted to the ER 6hrs before her scheduled flight back to Seattle. We’ve called AA and they say no chance of getting any sort of re-booking, rebate, coupon, or whatever because she was listed as a “No Show” for the flight. We called the airline before the flight to inform them of the situation.”
Royal Farms Gas Pump Charges You Even After The Gas Stops Flowing
By 1.5.08
Royal Farms refuses to fix a broken gas pump that charges customers even after the gas stops flowing. The pump in Abingdon, Maryland has overcharged Tom on five separate occasions, and Royal Farms refuses to issue a promised refund.
American Airlines India-to-U.S. Flight May Have Spread Tuberculosis
By 1.5.08
A woman infected with multidrug-resistent tuberculosis, or MDR TB, “traveled from New Delhi to Chicago on American Airlines Flight 293 on December 13, and then to California on a domestic flight,” say officials with the Centers for Disease Control. They’re now trying to locate 44 passengers who sat near the woman as well as crewmembers who worked in the same cabin.
By 1.4.08
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New Jersey, Rhode Island and Connecticut are preparing legislation similar to New York State’s airline passenger’s bill of rights. [San Francisco Chronicle via ConsumerWorldBlog]
5 Most Complained About Airlines In November
By 1.4.08
Wow, you guys really hated airlines in November. Complaints against airlines jumped 37% in November as compared to last year. Here are the five airlines pulling in the most gripes:
WestJet Is Taking Child Endangerment Seriously
By 1.3.08
THE QUOTE: “The situation is of utmost concern for WestJet and we are taking this matter very seriously. We have apologized to the parents of the child and are doing all that we can to ensure that this does not happen in the future.”
Death By Overbooking?
By 1.3.08
Here’s an interesting lawsuit. The widow of an Air France passenger is suing that airline, claiming that their decision to bump her husband “caused him to miss a life-saving dialysis treatment at home.” The lawsuit charges Air France with breach of contract, negligence and wrongful death.
By 1.3.08
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Last year was the safest year to fly in more than four decades, says the private Aircraft Crashes Record Office (ACRO). Hmm—maybe United has just been trying to take the record for safest flights by cancellng them all. [Reuters]
Tarmac Stranding Lawsuit Against American Airlines Seeks Class Action Status
By 1.2.08
If we had an award for most pissed-off consumer ever, it might go to Kate Hanni. After being stranded on the tarmac by American Airlines in 2006, she started a group called “The Coalition For An Airline Passengers’ Bill Of Rights,” which, since we first reported on it, has grown from a blogspot blog to a full blown lobbying group that has a tipline and issues press releases.
Cathay Pacific Thinks Your Kid's Car Seat Is A Security Threat
By 1.2.08
James writes:
We were kicked off the 747-400 because they refused to allow a car seat on board and my two year old son was incapable of staying in his coffin-like seat. We were told we were a security threat, threatened to be left behind and accused of not following crew instructions.
New York's Passenger Bill Of Rights Goes Into Effect
By 1.2.08
Back in those lazy summer days of August, New York Governor Eliot Spitzer signed a “passenger bill of rights” into law—requiring airlines who keep passengers on a grounded airplane more than 3 hours to provide water, snacks, fresh air and a working toilet.
Turns Out Skybus Might Actually Be Overpriced For What You Get
By 1.2.08
This past July, I decided to try out Skybus on their run from the “Seattle are”, where I live, to Columbus, Ohio, their hub and (as it just so happens) a place I visit several times a year. Now don’t get me wrong – I travel a LOT, so I’m used to delays, gruff employees and all manner of shenanigans, and trying out a brand-new airline that had only been flying for two weeks was a bit daunting. But I figured what he hell, I got a great price on two one-way tickets (the only way you CAN buy tickets on Skybust) so I threw in and figured I’d give them a shot.
Reach US Airways Executive Customer Service
By 1.2.08
877-369-6512 is the number for the US Airways Executive Office.
