Browsing: Travel Insight

Under a new rule by the Department of Transportation that took effect this week, US airlines are required to give automatic refunds for canceled flights and other significant flight changes.  This new DOT rule comes ahead of the peak holiday season. This rule allows consumers to get their money back without the paperwork. According to DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg, automatic refunds incentivize airlines to minimize disruptions.  He said, “When an airline knows that all — instead of just a few of the passengers on a canceled flight — are likely to actually get their money back, it gives them a…

A San Francisco man filed a lawsuit against Alaska Airlines, claiming his move from first class to coach, resulted in the death of his 3-year-old French bulldog. Michael Contillo bought first-class tickets to give his French bulldog, Ash more space and fewer people on a February 1 flight. Contillo was flying from New York to San Francisco. However, the airline asked Contillo to transfer to coach, causing Ash to get anxious. According to the complaint, this led to health issues that culminated in the dog’s death.  French Bulldog Died After Suffering Emotional Distress On October 16, the pet owner filed …

American Airlines won a lawsuit against travel website Skiplagged on October 15. The airline is set to receive $9.4 million after a federal jury in Fort Worth found the website promoting “skiplagging.”  Skiplagging is a travel hack where passengers book connecting flights with the intention of skipping the final leg to reach their destination at a lower cost. By doing so, travelers exploit fare differences between direct and multi-leg routes to save money on airfare. American Airline sued Skiplagged last fall, claiming that passengers were deceived into thinking they had bought valid tickets. The airline also claimed that the travel…

The Food and Drug Administration discovered “food safety issues” in a Delta Air Lines meal service on October 11. According to the airline, this FDA routine inspection resulted in the closure of its meal service facility.  The indefinite shutdown led to a significant number of flights out of Detroit Metropolitan Airport with no meal service.  The number is estimated to be over 200 flights.  The flight crew announced during an October 11 flight that first class meals couldn’t be loaded because of “an unforeseen supply chain issue.” Instead, passengers received extra snacks.  Food Safety Issues and An Abundance of Caution…

In a report published Wednesday, the Federal Aviation Administration revealed that Boeing employees felt pressured to prioritize speed over the quality of their work. The investigation also discovered that Boeing workers didn’t receive enough training to perform their jobs.  This report could put more pressure on Boeing while it already deals with numerous issues. This includes questions regarding the safety of its aircraft and an ongoing strike by 33,000 unionized Boeing workers.  Door Plug Blew Mid-Flight In January, a door plug on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max blew off mid-flight, triggering multiple federal investigations. It was later revealed that…

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a cabin pressure incident on a Delta Air Lines flight last September 15. The cabin pressure issue caused passengers to bleed from their noses and ears. The Delta flight flew from Salt Lake City to Portland, Oregon, aboard a Boeing 737-900ER aircraft. Delta said that medical personnel were on standby at the gate and identified 10  passengers needing medical attention.  Speaking to local news station KSL-TV, passengers said that they’d noticed something was wrong. Passenger Caryn Allen said, “I looked over at my husband, and he had both of his hands over his ears,…

Alaska Airlines completed the acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines on Wednesday, a day after it cleared the final regulatory hurdle. The acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines was worth $1.9 billion. This will give travelers access to 141 direct destinations and more than 1,200 destinations worldwide.  In August, the Justice Department decided to allow the deal, which was initially announced by Alaska in December. Alaska CEO Ben Minicucci said in an interview that this will be good for competition and will ultimately benefit customers. He said, “It’s just a few more arrows in our quiver on how we deploy airplanes across our entire…

United Airlines announced on Friday that its passengers will soon enjoy free satellite-based WiFi service from Starlink.  The deal with Elon Musk’s SpaceX will equip all United Ailrines aircraft with free WiFi, allowing passengers to work and even watch movies during flights. United Airlines will start testing the service early next year, with some flights offering it by late 2025. The financial details surrounding the deal weren’t publicized.  WiFi Access From Boarding to Deplaning This is an attempt by the airline to stand out against competition, offering more amenities to its passengers. The airline’s goal is to make flights feel…

US airlines’ hiring spree has begun to slow after adding 194,000 employees since 2021. The industry, which was forced to lay off staff during the pandemic, faced significant manpower shortages as demand for air travel surged post-Covid.  Challenges for US Airlines Airlines are now close to meeting their staffing needs, and the industry is facing a slew of challenges. This includes an oversupply of flights to the US, coupled by a slower demand growth, that has pushed down fares .   Expenses to operate US carriers have spiked by double-digit percentages since 2019. At American Airlines, expenses are running about 20%…

The Biden administration is currently looking closely at US airlines’  frequent-flyer programs. These programs are under federal scrutiny regarding how airlines devalue points travelers have earned.  Transport Secretary, Pete Buttigieg, wrote a letter to the chief executives of American, United, Southwest, and Delta on Thursday. In this letter, the transport secretary is inquiring about features of these loyalty programs. This includes policies and fees related to these frequent-flyer programs. Information from this inquiry could result in future policy changes.  Passengers have often complained about airlines hiking the necessary points for free flights. Some airlines, on the other hand, limit the…