The Associated Press reports that a woman has filed a wrongful death suit against Jetblue, claiming that an in-flight crew ignored her husband after he suffered a fatal heart attack during a flight nearly two years ago. The timing of the claim seems rather suspicious to us, as the incident occurred on Febuary 16, 2005,…
Yearly Archives: 2006
Star Alliance Expels Varig
As of January 31st, Varig will be removed from the Star Alliance because it no longer operates a major global network, which is one of the membership requirements. The Brazilian carrier has had a bad year and has greatly reduced its network. For the Star Alliance, that means it will be the only one of…
US Airways takes Delivery of E190 Aircraft
The Embraer 190, popular as the second aircraft model used by low-cost carrier Jetblue, has recently been added to the US Airways fleet. The 190 will be operated as a mainline jet, with 11 first class seats and 88 in coach. It will be serving niche markets too large for a regional jet and that…
China Tells Fliers: Stop Complaining
And people say that air service in the United States is bad…Reuters reports that China’s civil aviation authority is asking fliers to stop complaining about domestic air travel there. They hope to “increase consumers’ understanding about the special nature of the civil aviation industry, so that together we can create a cosier, more harmonious aviation…
Seat Guru
Seat Guru is a website that shows maps of the airplane configuration of many different airlines. It provides advice on the best seats and features of various aircraft. It is much more detailed than the websites of the various carriers its references. Thus, it is a very useful resource.
Orbitz is the Workshop of Satan
We just love that title, which is the title of a blog entry on cosmicvariance.com. Cosmic Variance is a blog by four physicists with their perspective on not just their jobs, but their time outside them. We also have no love for Orbitz and the other online consolidators. They are not interested in helping the…
Airline Flaws Revealed in DOT Review
USAToday reported last month on the results of a DOT study that was the first review of airline customer service since 2001. The report acknowledges improved performance by the airlines, and a partial recovery from the problems created in a post 9/11 environment. Auditors for the Inspect General spent the last year examining how airlines…
Frequent Flyer Roundup
There has been a lot of talk about Frequent Flyer programs of late…especially considering the issues in redeeming, since more and more people are accumulating mileage through credit cards, and the airlines are offering fewer seats and raising the amount of miles needed to acquire them. First of all, a frequent flyer ticket isn’t actually…
Airline Rebooks – Passenger Forced to Buy New Ticket
The Consumerist brought to our attention a story of schedule changes. in this case, American contacted the passenger to rebook due to a schedule change. The new itinerary caused a change of airline from Swiss to SN Brussels. The passenger asked if they needed new paper tickets and were told no. When they arrived for…
FAA Plans to Optimize Use at LaGuardia
Reuters reports that airlines can no longer hold but not use takeoff and landing slots at New York’s LaGuardia Airport. The FAA released a temporary plan effective in 2007 that continues strict limits until a permanent plan is implemented. Under the temporary plan, the FAA will maintain the hourly limit of seventy-five takeoffs and landings…
Delta to Expand Boston Service
Delta announced today they have signed a memo of understanding for Montana-based Big Sky Airlines to operate Delta Connection service beginning next year. Big Sky, a subsidiary of MAIR Holdings, which also owns Northwest Airlink carrier Mesaba, will begin by operating eight 19-seat Beechcraft 1900D turboprops on short-haul routes. The routes will be announced sometime…
American Airlines Increasing Jet Service to St. Louis
American Airlines announced today it would be adding more mainline service to its St. Louis focus city. American took over focus operations in the city when it absorbed TWA, which maintained a hub there. Beginning April 10th, service to Austin will feature round trips with one mainline jet and one regional jet. Service to Raleigh-Durham…
Travel Costs to Rise in 2007
The San Francisco Chronicle predicts that while airlines are upgrading seats and in-flight services…higher fares, hotel rates, and car rental rates will mark the year ahead in travel. The Travel Industry of America predicts only a half a percent of growth in domestic airline passenger traffic, and 5.5 percent growth for international traffic. U.S. Airlines,…
Customer of Size sues Air France
Today in the Sky reports that Air France is being sued by a passenger who says he was “shocked” and “humiliated” after the airline told him he was too big to fit in one seat and would have to purchase another. Many airlines have policies for overweight passengers that require the purchase of such a…
Airports Closed – Flights Cancelled
Denver International Airport was closed Wednesday night due to severe winter conditions, forcing a thousand travellers to stay there overnight, USA Today reports. Airport officials provided several hundred cots and blankets as airport hotels were booked and the main road to downtown Denver was closed. Most airlines canceled their flights in and out of Denver.…
Terror Charge Dropped
The BBC reports that a Pakistani judge has ruled there is not enough evidence to try a key suspect in an alleged airline bomb plot. The arrest of Rashid Rauf in Pakistan triggered the arrests of subjects in the United Kingdom and set off the liquid terror scare this past August. His lawyer says police…
Jetblue’s Gift for the Holidays
Jetblue announced in a press release today that, in honor of the holidays, from December 21 through January 3, it will waive excess bag fees for bags weighing up to sixty pounds, an additional ten pounds per bag for no additional charge. In addition, TrueBlue members will get two extra points through the 4th checking…
Baby Goes Through X-Ray Machine
A passenger at Los Angeles International Airport sent her month-old grandson through the X-ray machine. We are unsure of what the woman was thinking…she apparently didn’t understand English. The TSA commented that they do not have enough workers to coach passengers on what to do at security checkpoints. The baby was not exposed to dangerous…
Travelocity Joins the Blogosphere
We have blasted Travelocity in the past, along with their online competitors over customer service issues. Travelocity now has its own blog…The Window Seat. We appreciate the name. There is much one can see from the window seat of an airplane…So have a look at their blog…we’ll certainly check it to see if there is…
Menorahs Light Up Hawaiian Airports
This year is the first year of menorahs in the common areas of Hawaii’s airports, the Associated Press comments. Six-foot menorahs can be found in each major island, except Oahu where there are two. Unlike Seattle, there has been no complaint or outcry over the display of religious symbols. The display of Christmas decorations are…
Boeing Delivers 600th 777 Jet
Last week, Boeing delivered its 600th 777 aircraft. The 777 aircraft has been in production for eleven years, and Boeing has produced these planes faster than any previous twin aisle aircraft production. Singapore Airlines took delivery of the aircraft, adding to the sixty it already had, with an additional sixteen due to be delivered.
Stewart Airport to Welcome Jetblue
As the Times Herald Record reports, at 7:30 Tuesday morning, the first Jetblue flight will depart Stewart International Airport in Newburgh, NY. The first inbound flight, at 1:45PM, there will be speeches, coffee, and a ribbon cutting…even a traditional water cannon salute. Self-service kiosks are in full working order and Jetblue has twelve employees at…
Chinese Airlines Fined for Selling Tickets too Cheap
The Associated Press reports that a subsidiary of Shanghai based Spring Airlines, the Jinan Spring Holiday Travel Agency sold 400 tickets on flights between Shanghai and Jinan for 1 yuan…about 13 cents. A regular one-way ticket on that flight costs 910 yuan…$116. Chinese airlines are barred from offering discounts of more than forty-five percent of…
American announces Austin to Seattle Route
American announced today that it would inaugurate once daily service between Austin, Texas and Seattle, WA on an MD80 aircraft with 16 First Class seats and 120 Coach seats. The route will begin April 10, 2007 and adds to American’s west coast offerings out of Austin, TX. They currently offer Austin to Los Angeles and…
South African offers Two For One for the Winter
South African Airways issued a press release today offering a winter fare of $1350 for two people traveling in between New York-JFK or Washington Dulles to Johannesburg or Capetown. Taxes and fuel surcharges are additional on both tickets(Which is illegal in the US…fuel surcharges must be quoted as an add-on to the fare in any…