Steven Slater Airline Meltdown Hardly a Surprise
Mitch Albom

In the case of JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater who went ballistic recently, had a 'take this job and shove it' moment, then grabbed a beer, pulled the chute and went slip-sliding away, the only question I have is this: Why didn't the passengers follow him?

If It's Called Secure Flight, Why Do I Feel So Insecure?
Christopher Elliott

You probably know Secure Flight as the pesky requirement that the name on your passport or driver's license be an exact match with the name on your airline ticket. But the program is much more than that. With the extra passenger data, the agency promises to improve the travel experience for all airline passengers. I think it's worth asking how the data is being used

Ticket? Check. Bag? Check. Insurance? Pre-check
Christopher Elliott

Forcing travelers to opt out of a purchase when they're buying a ticket or a hotel room isn't new. But the volume of complaints I've received about pre-checking is on the rise, as is the number of well-known travel companies engaged in this questionable e-commerce practice

Airline Alliances: Benefit or Plague?
Ed Perkins

You hear a lot about alliances among the world's giant airlines these days. Many industry financial analysts claim that they're necessary for the older 'legacy' lines to survive in a world increasingly driven by low-cost competitors. And consumer advocates say they're thinly disguised attempts to stifle competition and hike prices. Who's right? In my view, all of them are partly right

Flying to Europe? It Pays to Know EU 261
Christopher Elliott

EU 261 is a five-year-old law that establishes common rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of denied boarding and of cancellation or long delay of flights.

When Finding the 'Best' Airport Matters
Ed Perkins

I've sometimes scoffed at those surveys that rank the 'best' airports -- after all, if I'm headed to Portland, what do I care if the Portland airport scores below Hong Kong? There are times, however, when choosing an airport matters

Airline Round-up: Re-Bundling Satisfaction
Ed Perkins

American Airlines is the latest convert to the airlines' current gimmick du jour: new 'bundles' of formerly 'free' features that it thinks it can sell you. Similar deals are available from two other big lines

Airline Fees: The $7.8 Billion Question
Christopher Elliott

It's a wildly successful scheme: Domestic airlines collected an astounding $7.8 billion in ancillary fees last year, up 42 percent from 2008, while keeping their base fares artificially low. (Legacy airlines still managed to lose $2.8 billion, somehow.) But passengers are confused and angry about being nickel-and-dimed. Finally, help is on the way

New Airline Bumping Rules Less Than What They Seem
Ed Perkins

'Bumping' is the popular name for what airlines call 'denied boarding' or inability to honor a firm reservation. Airlines bump travelers for several reasons, most often 'overbooking' to offset inevitable no-shows. About the only time you'll benefit from the new limits is on a long intercontinental flight. Other proposed changes will help you more in the real world

Confessions of a Frequent-Flier Program Skeptic
Christopher Elliott

Call me a frequent-flier program skeptic. I take a dim view of any scheme that promises you the world in exchange for all your business. Not that I don't like sitting in first class, staying in a suite or being treated like a movie star. I mean, who doesn't? Having covered the travel industry for most of my career, I just don't believe in 'win-win' propositions. Here's why

Airlines Annoyances -- Can You Avoid Them?
Ed Perkins

The biggest gripe among airline travelers today is luggage charges. An interesting take is to see who is responsible for the various gripes. Out of the top 12 tabulated annoyances, nine are fully or partially the direct result of airline policies and practices

Frequent Flyer Payout -- Great to Lousy
Ed Perkins

How likely are you to find a 'free' seat with your miles when and where you want to go? That depends, says a recent study, on the airline you fly. Among the 22 programs in the study, the range of success rates runs from 'almost every time' to 'hardly ever.' The following results provide some useful conclusions and guidance

Continental - United Airlines Merger: the Consumer View
Ed Perkins

By now you've seen the news that Continental and United airlines have agreed to merge. This isn't a done deal yet as this merger will get a close look by the Departments of Justice and Transportation, and anti-trust concerns could derail it. But most industry mavens believe the climate is right for this merger. And, I'd bet that the fallout for consumers will be more negative than positive

Will the United - Continental Merger Raise Airfares
Ben Baden

If regulators approve the merger of United Airlines and Continental Airlines, it will create the world's largest carrier. Although it's early, many experts agree that there will probably be a push for higher fares.

Air Travel: Buying Extra Legroom
Ed Perkins

If you don't want to pay the exorbitant price for a first-class ticket, your only chance to avoid the bone-crunching crowding of the airlines' coach/economy cabins is to wangle a coach seat with extra legroom. Rather than dole out those choice seats first come, first served, more and more airlines have taken to selling access to them.

Low Airfares That Vanish in a Click
Christopher Elliott

When you find a fare online, it isn't actually there -- it's cached on the site. Caching, or storing a copy of the fare information, is cheaper and makes everything run faster. But there's a price to be paid for the speed and convenience: A small number of fares -- usually less than 5 percent -- may no longer be available when you try to book them.

Good Airline Fees? Some Are Worth the Money
Christopher Elliott

This isn't another story about airlines and their misguided fees. It's about the surcharges that are worth paying -- and why you should consider saying, 'yes' to them. That's right, I said 'worth it.' While many fees are outrageous, some aren't entirely out of line.

Improved DOT 'Air Consumer' Website
Ed Perkins

The U.S. Department of Transportation's recently updated 'Aviation Consumer Protection and Enforcement' Website provides easy access to information available on your 'rights' as an air passenger. And although the content is generally the same as before, it's more accessible. Of the six main options in the opening menu, three are of greatest use to most travelers.

Airfare Deals: Look for the 'Secret' Code
Ed Perkins

In an ongoing effort to keep you tied to their own booking sites, some of the big airlines give out special promotional codes for fare deals they don't advertise openly. These deals aren't available at all to the general public, and especially not to those 'aggregator' sites that are supposed to search everywhere for the lowest fares.

Hotel Fees That Must Die and How to Kill Them
Christopher Elliott

Resort fees. Mandatory tips. Concierge surcharges. If you've stayed at a hotel in the last few years, you've become accustomed -- if not anesthetized -- to these annoying extras. You expect them. You're indifferent to them when they appear on your bill. You shouldn't be.

Should Airlines Honor Fares That Are Obvious Mistakes
Christopher Elliott

I've run across travelers who feel that a company should honor any fare error, no matter how outrageous, and who don't think twice about booking blocks of rooms or several tickets at a wrong price. Not only do I find that ethically problematic, but it also makes matters more difficult for passengers

'People Movers' Ease Airport Hassles
Ed Perkins

Dulles inaugurated its new billion-dollar 'people mover,' and it should make life a lot easier for you whether you live in the area, visit the area, or have to change planes there. Dulles joins a number of other airports around the United States -- and the world -- that offer an easier and more convenient alternative to trekking through endless corridors or schlepping on and off buses

'Couches' in Economy Class -- For Real
Ed Perkins

Air New Zealand generated a lot of ink (and pixels) with the announcement that it was installing 'Skycouches' in a few rows of seats in the economy cabins of its long-haul 777s. Couches -- really? Yes, starting later this year, the line really will be offering a sort of flat seating option, but it will be a far cry from what most of us would consider lie-down seating.

Canceled Flight ... So Where's My Refund
Christopher Elliott

I recently booked a flight through Expedia from Orlando to Hyderabad, India. The flights were on Continental Airlines and Jet Airways. After I made the reservation and received a confirmation, I got an e-mail from Expedia that one leg of my flight had been canceled. I have been trying to get a refund for that canceled flight since then

5 Easy Ways to Avoid a la Carte Anarchy When You Fly
Christopher Elliott

It used to be so simple: The price you were quoted for an airline ticket, rental car or cruise used to be the price you actually paid. Ah, the good old days. Today, the rate you're given is almost never the final price. It's considerably more.

Transportation Department Steps Up Efforts in Aviation Consumer Protection
Christopher Elliott

Aviation consumer protection is a top priority for Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. And air travelers are impressed with the 'new' Department of Transportation, which, if you listen to the buzz, appears to be protecting consumers for the first time in years.

Flying Under the Influence of the TSA
Christopher Elliott

I won't insult you by repeating the obvious advice being dispensed by the so-called experts, such as arriving at the airport early or packing light. Instead, I'd like to take a longer view on traveling while under the influence of the TSA. Assuming that only half of the awful things people are saying about the agency are true, how do you fly?

Poof! There Go My SkyMiles
Christopher Elliott

Kenneth Miller's Delta SkyMiles are gone -- all 101,000 of them, and without so much as a warning. They were never supposed to expire, but the airline changed its rules without telling him. Does he have any chance of getting them back?

Flying in the Snow: 6 Lessons for Coping With Winter-Weather Delays
Christopher Elliott

Winter is only starting, and when bad weather moves in, your flight schedule isn't worth the paper it's printed on. What to do when your flight is delayed or cancelled due to winter weather

Gifts From Above: 7 Presents We Wish Airlines Would Give Us
Christopher Elliott

The airline industry is a popular target. The University of Michigan's authoritative American Customer Satisfaction Index gives the overall industry a failing grade of 64. Here's seven ways airlines can improve service and their image

TSA to Conduct Full Review After Sensitive Information Leak
Alex Kingsbury

TSA officials say that a full review is underway to determine how a 2008 copy of its standard operating procedures for all airport security checkpoints was released in its entirety on the Internet.

Washington Trade Groups Want Their Piece of Pie in the Sky
Christopher Elliott

No one would claim that any of the new travel-related laws scheduled to take effect in 2010 are game-changers for travelers. They're relatively minor. An overwhelming majority of the organizations I spoke with said that reauthorizing the Federal Aviation Administration would be in our best interests.

Frequent Flyer Miles: Currency, not Loyalty
Ed Perkins

Frequent flyer miles no longer have much if anything to do with loyalty: Instead, they've become a strange sort of currency that you don't really own and has value that is at the whim of the airline. Unless you fly a lot, it's time to re-think your frequent flyer plans.

New Airline Ideas, Good and Bad
Ed Perkins

Not all airline ideas are bad -- every once in a while, an airline comes up with something that actually helps consumers. On the other hand, the bad ones keep coming, as well, and, as I've noted before about the airline business, nothing gets copied faster then a bad idea.

Buying Airline Tickets Offshore
Ed Perkins

Can I still cut airfare costs by buying a return ticket overseas? The quick answer is, Not as much as last year. Here are three basic rules apply to buying airline tickets anywhere in the world

Air France Adds Premium Economy
Ed Perkins

Add Air France to the small list of airlines that offer a class between regular economy and business. The upside is that you'll be able to buy a relatively comfortable seat for a lot less than you'd pay for opulent but exorbitant business class. The downside is that Air France is apparently downgrading its regular economy

Allowing Cellphones In-Flight Would Make Air Travel Even Worse
Peter DeFazio

With airline customer satisfaction at an all-time low, this is not the moment to consider making airplane travel even more torturous by allowing in-flight cellphone conversations. After arriving hours early at the airport and often after waiting for a delayed, or even canceled, flight, what could make air travel worse?

If Europe Can Handle In-Flight Cellphone Use, So Can America
Carl Biersack

Despite predictions that in-flight cellphone usage would lead to Armageddon, the global rollout has been just the opposite. In 20 months of global usage, there has not been one reported incident or problem. In fact, 93 percent of passengers who flew on an in-flight communication-equipped aircraft want all jets so equipped. So why not U.S. carriers?

Airfares via Twitter

United, JetBlue Offer Twitter Airfare Deals
Ed Perkins

Airfares by Twitter - the latest gimmick. As if you didn't already have enough different places to look for airfare deals, United and Jet Blue have added yet another base to touch. And their new Twitter products - United's 'Tware' and JetBlue's 'Cheeps' airfares - offer another way to find good deals.

Pet Airways

Pet Airways - Flying with Fido and Fifi
Ed Perkins

All the recent publicity about the start of Pet Airways raises the question of exactly how to transport pets when you're flying. My basic advice -- as a dog owner for nearly 40 years -- is, 'Unless you can't avoid it, don't.' But you sometimes can't avoid it, so here are your options.

WiFi - The 'Next Big Thing' in Air Travel
Ed Perkins

Onboard WiFi is the new 'hot' feature. Settle into your seat, open your laptop, notebook computer or high-tech phone, and spend the remaining flight hours sorting your email, keeping up with the news and most of the other things you do online. That's an increasingly likely scenario as the domestic airlines scramble to find 'value added' features for their dreary and uncomfortable coach product -- especially features that bring in more revenue

What's Going on with the Airlines
Ed Perkins on Travel

The combination of a lousy economy, increasing fuel prices, and intense competition is creating unprecedented turmoil in the airline marketplace. Although no single event warrants a full column, several are important enough to cover.

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Ad - www.InsiderOnlineSecrets.com Sep 2 2010 4:44PM GMT

American Airlines Brings Barbados to DFW
Airport Business Sep 2 2010 4:44PM GMT

Timbers Announce Alaska Airlines as Official Jersey Sponsor and Airline of MLS Club
Stockwatch Sep 2 2010 4:44PM GMT

Simulator flaws tied to airline crashes
Airport Business Sep 2 2010 4:44PM GMT

4 years after Comair crash, fixes not made
Airport Business Sep 2 2010 4:43PM GMT

JAL submits rehabilitation plan to Tokyo court
Airport Business Sep 2 2010 4:43PM GMT

American Airlines Keeps Customers in Mind by Introducing More Customer-Friendly Enhancements to AA.com
St Louis Business Journal Sep 2 2010 4:43PM GMT

Oberstar Calls United-Continental Decision 'Regrettable'
Airport Business Sep 2 2010 4:41PM GMT

American and American Eagle Help Customers Affected by Mexicana Suspension
Airport Business Sep 2 2010 4:41PM GMT

JetBlue to Waive Change Fees and Fare Differences to Assist Customers Affected by Hurricane Earl
Sys-Con Media Sep 2 2010 4:41PM GMT

JetBlue to Waive Change Fees and Fare Differences to Assist Customers Affected by Hurricane Earl
Sys-Con Media Sep 2 2010 4:40PM GMT

News: Air France lauches A380 on Tokyo service
BreakingTravelNews Sep 2 2010 4:39PM GMT

As American seeks talks, TWU rejects imminent strike
SmartBrief Sep 2 2010 4:39PM GMT

MassDOT aeronautics: runway repairs
Mass.gov Sep 2 2010 4:39PM GMT

Ryanair: Germany routes may be closed because of new departure tax
Earthtimes.org Sep 2 2010 4:39PM GMT

News: Korean Air launches global ad campaign
BreakingTravelNews Sep 2 2010 4:39PM GMT

News: Continental reports record load factors
BreakingTravelNews Sep 2 2010 4:39PM GMT

News: Lufthansa launches A380 flights to Beijing
BreakingTravelNews Sep 2 2010 4:38PM GMT

CMA CGM to Launch Direct Service From Asia to South America West Coast
Global Logistics & Supply Chain Strategies Sep 2 2010 4:38PM GMT

News: Airbus A380 arrives at Manchester Airport
BreakingTravelNews Sep 2 2010 4:38PM GMT

News: Ryanair opens new Spanish base
BreakingTravelNews Sep 2 2010 4:37PM GMT

Southampton airport gets solar-powered runway lights
London Wired Sep 2 2010 4:36PM GMT

News: German aviation tax comes into force
BreakingTravelNews Sep 2 2010 4:36PM GMT

Pakistan military delegation detained at US airport
IndiaPost Sep 2 2010 4:36PM GMT

Balfour Beatty Construction Awarded Gate Replacement Project at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport
Street Insider Sep 2 2010 4:34PM GMT

Alaska Air gets Timbers jersey deal
Biz Journals Sep 2 2010 4:34PM GMT

RBS Aviation hires Burtz
Janes Defence Weekly Sep 2 2010 4:33PM GMT

American Gives Back
American Eagle Latitudes Sep 2 2010 4:33PM GMT

Balfour Beatty Construction Awarded Gate Replacement Project at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport
TradingMarkets Sep 2 2010 4:33PM GMT

The Great Big BA Sale Is Now On
MyNewsDesk Sep 2 2010 4:31PM GMT

American Airlines Pilot Cleared of Alcohol
ABC News Sep 2 2010 4:31PM GMT