The long list of hotels operating under the Hilton brand will be growing by one this year: joining the likes of Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Inn, Homewood Suites, and Home2 Suites is new, budget- and millennial-focused Tru. [More]
travelers
Flight Diversions For Unruly Passengers Can Cost Airlines A Hefty Chunk Of Change
By 10.22.15
As we were reminded just yesterday, unruly, aggressive passengers leading to plane diversions has become an unwelcome trend in the air. While those situations are no doubt scary and disruptive for fellow travelers and crew members, they’re also costly. [More]
Passenger Rights Group Calls For Cap To Airline Change Fees For International Flights
By 2.23.15
Under certain circumstances – like significant weather events – airlines allow passengers to change their travel plans at no extra cost.But generally travelers can expect to pay upwards of hundreds of dollars to revise their travel plans. Now a group of passenger rights advocates are asking U.S. regulators to adopt a more reasonable change fee cap of $100 for international flights. [More]
U.S. Airports Ditching Customs Forms For Travelers To Speed Things Up
By 2.13.15
The millions of passengers flying into U.S. airports will have one fewer hassle to deal with after those often long flights, as the White House said it’s doing away with customs forms by the end of 2016. [More]
United Airlines Expands In-Flight Entertainment To Android Devices
By 11.24.14
Travelers who use Android devices hoping to catch a movie on their next United Airlines flight finally have the same opportunity already afforded to their Apple counterparts. [More]
The 26 Top CEOs Who Made More Than Their Companies Paid In Federal Taxes
By 8.16.12
Once again, it’s time for the annual Institute for Policy Studies report on which top CEOs are earning more money than the companies they work for are paying out to federal government in taxes. [More]
Passengers Removed From Orlando-Bound Flight For Watching 9/11 Clips Before Takeoff
By 7.27.10
A father and his son were removed from an Air Canada flight in Toronto last Tuesday after another passenger saw the boy watching footage of the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks on his iPod, reports Canoe News. The airline says the pair were determined not to be a security risk, just people with a really bad sense of tact, and it cleared them for a following flight. [More]
Are You Ready To Go Shopping On Your Next Flight?
By 11.17.09
American Airlines is beginning to experiment with turning flights into shopping opportunities, reports the New York Times. We’re not just talking about in-flight purchases of Sky Mall schwag, either: the paper reports that limousine services, tickets to theme parks and Broadway shows, and train tickets are some of the offerings being considered or currently being tested.
Couchsurfing Can Help You Save Money And Make Friends While Traveling
By 8.11.09
CouchSurfing is an online community of friendly hosts who are ready and eager to throw their convertible couches open to travelers from across the world. The service offers more than a free place to crash; it connects travelers with like-minded people who are excited to share their enthusiasm for their hometown. But aren’t you going to be immediately robbed and stabbed by the opportunistic lechers lurking on the internet, you ask?
Woman Removes Bra To Get Through TSA
By 8.26.08
Nancy Kates’s large underwire bra set off the metal detector in the Oakland, California airport. A TSA agent pulled her aside and patted her down, which set off Kates’ personal privacy alarm. “I said, ‘You can’t do that.’ She said, ‘We have to pat you down.’ I said, ‘You can’t treat me as a criminal for wearing a bra.'” Kates was given the option to “submit to a pat-down in a private room” or not fly. Instead, she took off her bra and passed through security just fine. Hooray for personal freedom!
AirTran Agent Screams, Curses At Travelers While Supervisor Looks On
By 8.25.08
Forget about those dowdy old-school Olympics. What we need is an international competition to see which airline can suck the most, since everyone is getting so good at it. In the category of Random Rudeness, this AirTran agent and her equally hostile supervisor would have a good shot at the gold—especially since they aimed their hostility at a honeymooning couple.
Airlines Have Bumped 343,000 Passengers This Year
By 8.23.08
Over a quarter-million passengers were bumped from flights in the past eight months, a number that is set to grow as airlines try to boost anemic profits by slashing fleets. The Department of Transportation requires airlines to compensate bumped passengers with cash or vouchers, but savvy passengers can leverage their situation to negotiate heftier payments…
Passengers Stuck Overnight At Dulles—First On Plane, Then In Luggage Area
By 7.14.08
Here’s further proof you should never get on an airplane these days without a handful of energy bars and one of these: over 100 passengers of an American Airlines flight out of Miami were diverted to Dulles after it had pretty much closed up for the night, and consequently they were stuck for almost two and a half hours on the tarmac, then had to wait until after 4 a.m. to get their luggage this morning. The flight was supposed to land a little before midnight last night. “We regret the inconvenience, but the decision has to be safety first,” an AA spokesman told WTOP News.
United To Require Minimum Stays Starting In October
By 6.21.08
Sorry travelers, as expected, United Airlines will require minimum stays on all flights starting in October. Gone are the halcyon days of jetting away for a business meeting after breakfast with time to spare before returning for dinner. Most United fares will now require a three-night or weekend stay, but it “will depend on the destinations involved, the price of the ticket and the length of the flight.” And, yes, you will still be charged $15 to check your first bag.
Lost Luggage Found In Dumpster
By 12.27.06
The dumpster near the George Bush Intercontinental Airport contained dozens upon dozens of suitcases. Many were rifled through and missing valuables, including presents, camcorders and computers.
