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	<title>Business &#38; MoneyCategory: Airlines &#124; Business &#38; Money &#124; TIME.com</title>
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		<title>Business &#38; MoneyCategory: Airlines &#124; Business &#38; Money &#124; TIME.com</title>
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		<title>Airline Baggage Fees: On the Rise &#8212; Yet More Passengers Deem Them &#8216;Reasonable&#8217;</title>
		<link>http://business.time.com/2013/05/16/airline-baggage-fees-on-the-rise-yet-more-passengers-deem-them-reasonable/</link>
		<comments>http://business.time.com/2013/05/16/airline-baggage-fees-on-the-rise-yet-more-passengers-deem-them-reasonable/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 16 May 2013 09:45:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Brad Tuttle</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies & Industries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Saving & Spending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Smart Spending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Transportation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[airfare]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[airline fees]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Alaska Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ancillary fees]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[baggage fees]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Delta]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Frontier Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[JetBlue]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Southwest Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spirit Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ticket change fees]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://business.time.com/?p=80091</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Even as overall baggage fees have increased, some of the nation&#8217;s biggest airlines aren&#8217;t collecting as much as they did a couple of years ago. Perhaps even more surprisingly, there&#8217;s been a sharp rise in travelers who aren&#8217;t bothered by the idea of paying extra for checked luggage. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics just released airline revenue data for 2012, and guess what? We paid more in fees than the year before. The Associated Press and other outlets highlighted how the nation&#8217;s 15 largest airlines collected baggage fees totaling $3.5 billion and $2.6 billion worth of ticket change fees, representing increases of 3.8% and 7.3%, respectively, compared to 2011. The numbers probably aren&#8217;t surprising to the average traveler. Airline fees have been rising for years, and the idea that baggage fees crept up by merely a few percentage points may even come as somewhat of a relief. A closer look at the BTS&#8217;s figures, however, offers some data that is a bit of a surprise. Delta tops the list of baggage fee collectors, with $866 million in 2012. Yet Delta barely increased its baggage fee revenues last year; they reached roughly the same level ($864 million) in 2011. What&#8217;s more, the totals of both years are down significantly from 2010, when Delta reaped $952 million in baggage fees alone. (MORE: One Airline That Stubbornly Refuses to Pile on Fees &#8212; For Now) So believe it or not, the $866 million in baggage fees collected by Delta probably comes as a disappointment to the airline. Insiders said last summer that Delta had plans to collect an extra $1 billion in passenger fees—all kinds, not just baggage—annually by 2014. Delta isn&#8217;t the only major carrier struggling to siphon more baggage fee money from customers. American Airlines has also seen a falloff in baggage fees: $580 million in 2010, $593 million in 2011, and &#8220;just&#8221; $557 million in 2012. Meanwhile, Spirit Airlines, the country&#8217;s most fee-crazed carrier, managed to crank up baggage fee tallies to $168 million last year, more than the double<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=business.time.com&#038;blog=31173800&#038;post=80091&#038;subd=timebusinessblog&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
	<primary_category>Airlines</primary_category><primary_category_link>http://business.time.com/category/companies-industries/airlines-big-companies/</primary_category_link><featured_image>http://timebusinessblog.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/luggage1.jpg?w=240</featured_image>
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			<media:title type="html">Luggage</media:title>
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			<media:title type="html">bradtuttle</media:title>
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		<title>Airlines Collected Record Baggage Fees in 2012</title>
		<link>http://business.time.com/2013/05/14/airlines-collected-record-baggage-fees-in-2012/</link>
		<comments>http://business.time.com/2013/05/14/airlines-collected-record-baggage-fees-in-2012/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 14 May 2013 15:48:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Scott Mayerowitz</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies & Industries]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://business.time.com/?p=79969</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[NEW YORK — U.S. airlines collected more than $6 billion in baggage and reservation change fees from passengers last year — the highest amount since the fees became common five years ago. These fees — along with charges for boarding early or picking prime seats — have helped return the industry to profitability. (MORE: One Airline Stubbornly Refuses to Pile on the Fees (For Now)) Airlines started charging for a first checked suitcase in 2008 and the fees have climbed since. Airlines typically charge $25 each way for the first checked bag, $35 for the second bag and then various extra amounts for overweight or oversized bags. The nation&#8217;s 15 largest carriers collected a combined $3.5 billion in bag fees in 2012, up 3.8 percent from 2011, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Reservation change fees totaled $2.6 billion, up 7.3 percent.<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=business.time.com&#038;blog=31173800&#038;post=79969&#038;subd=timebusinessblog&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
	<primary_category>Airlines</primary_category><primary_category_link>http://business.time.com/category/companies-industries/airlines-big-companies/</primary_category_link>
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			<media:title type="html">timeassociatedpress</media:title>
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		<title>One Airline That Stubbornly Refuses to Pile on the Fees (For Now)</title>
		<link>http://business.time.com/2013/05/07/one-airline-that-stubbornly-refuses-to-pile-on-the-fees-for-now/</link>
		<comments>http://business.time.com/2013/05/07/one-airline-that-stubbornly-refuses-to-pile-on-the-fees-for-now/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 07 May 2013 15:06:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Brad Tuttle</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies & Industries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Saving & Spending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Smart Spending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Transportation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[airline fees]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[baggage fees]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[carry-on bag]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[carryons]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[checked baggage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[checked luggage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Delta]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Frontier Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gary Kelly]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Southwest]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Southwest Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[united airlines]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://business.time.com/?p=79198</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Most airlines view fees for baggage and ticket changes as easy, highly lucrative revenue streams. Southwest Airlines views them quite differently: If it added baggage fees on par with other carriers, Southwest says it would lose roughly $1 billion. When United Airlines increased ticket change fees to $200 (up from $150), the assumption was that competitors would follow suit. Well, airlines are just so predictable. To almost no one&#8217;s surprise, American, US Airways, and Delta are now also charging a $200 fee to any passenger hoping to change flight plans within the U.S. (International fees are higher.) In other airline fee news, Denver-based Frontier Airlines just tweaked its fee structure. Starting on July 1, passengers traveling on the cheapest tickets will have to pay $1.99 and up for in-flight beverages, while certain customers who are members of the airline&#8217;s loyalty program and/or who have booked pricier flights will continue to get non-alcoholic drinks for free. More confusingly, very soon, some Frontier passengers will have to pay $25 to $100 for the privilege of bringing a carry-on bag onto the plane. As the Denver Post reported, only customers who book Frontier flights through third-party sites such as Expedia and Travelocity are subject to the carry-on baggage fee. The exact amount a passenger is charged will be determined by how and when the customer checks in for the flight. The purpose of Frontier&#8217;s new carry-on fee is obviously to entice passengers to book tickets directly with the airline&#8217;s website—do so and a carry-on is allowed for free. Frontier is trying to get more revenues upfront (by not passing along a portion of sales to a middleman booking site), and if that&#8217;s not possible, to collect more money per passenger later on (from drinks and checked baggage fees). (MORE: End of New Airline Fees? Nation&#8217;s Most Fee-Crazy Airline Is Tapped Out of Ideas) For that matter, Frontier&#8217;s unique fare structure also forces customers to consider whether they&#8217;d prefer to pay now or pay later. Passengers select among four kinds of tickets, and while<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=business.time.com&#038;blog=31173800&#038;post=79198&#038;subd=timebusinessblog&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
	<primary_category>Airlines</primary_category><primary_category_link>http://business.time.com/category/companies-industries/airlines-big-companies/</primary_category_link><featured_image>http://timebusinessblog.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/139622344-e1358871769164.jpg?w=240</featured_image>
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			<media:title type="html">Southwest jet aircraft departing, Orlando International Airport</media:title>
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			<media:title type="html">bradtuttle</media:title>
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		<title>Oof! Airline Fees Rise Yet Again: At Least $200 to Change a Flight</title>
		<link>http://business.time.com/2013/04/24/oof-airline-fees-rise-yet-again-at-least-200-to-change-a-flight/</link>
		<comments>http://business.time.com/2013/04/24/oof-airline-fees-rise-yet-again-at-least-200-to-change-a-flight/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 24 Apr 2013 17:11:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Brad Tuttle</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies & Industries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Saving & Spending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Smart Spending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[airline fees]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[change fees]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[flights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[JetBlue]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Southwest Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spirit Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[united airlines]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://business.time.com/?p=78446</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This week, United Airlines jacked up fees on passengers who need to adjust travel plans. For flights within the U.S., customers must fork over at least $200 (up from $150) for changing tickets. The carrier raised the change fee on certain international flights as well, from $250 to $300 for many routes to South America. In reality, passengers can wind up paying much more to change a flight itinerary. That&#8217;s because on top of the fee, a customer must pay the fare difference of the original flight price compared to the going rate of the new itinerary being booked. Say you purchased a round trip on United from Chicago to Phoenix for $300, and then needed to change the travel dates to a week later. At the time you made the change, a flight for the new dates was selling for $500. To switch to that flight, United would charge a $200 change fee, plus another $200 for the fare difference ($500 minus $300). So the change would cost $400 overall—or more than the original ticket cost! And that&#8217;s on top of the $300 spent on the initial booking. (MORE: End of New Airline Fees? Nation&#8217;s Most Fee-Crazy Carrier Is Tapped Out of Ideas) So-called legacy airlines have assessed change fees in this manner for years, but the fee itself has risen swiftly. The standard was $50, then $75, then $100. In 2008, United raised its change fee from $100 to $150, curiously citing &#8220;high fuel costs&#8221; as the reason. (It&#8217;s not like gas gets any more expensive when passengers change flights.) The Wall Street Journal noted that Delta and United collected $1.1 billion in reservation change fees just in the first nine months of 2012. And why would United need to hike fees further? &#8220;We carefully manage our seat inventory and incur costs when a traveler elects not to fly in a reserved seat,&#8221; a United spokesperson said in a released statement. &#8220;We adjusted this fee to better compensate us for those costs.&#8221; Consumer advocates view the situation differently:<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=business.time.com&#038;blog=31173800&#038;post=78446&#038;subd=timebusinessblog&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
	<primary_category>Travel</primary_category><primary_category_link>http://business.time.com/category/companies-industries/travel-companies-industries/</primary_category_link><featured_image>http://timebusinessblog.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/14280759211.jpg?w=240</featured_image>
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			<media:title type="html">United Airlines</media:title>
		</media:content>

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			<media:title type="html">bradtuttle</media:title>
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		<title>Air Travel by the Pound and Other Odd Airline Pricing Schemes</title>
		<link>http://business.time.com/2013/04/08/air-travel-by-the-pound-and-other-odd-airline-pricing-schemes/</link>
		<comments>http://business.time.com/2013/04/08/air-travel-by-the-pound-and-other-odd-airline-pricing-schemes/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 08 Apr 2013 09:45:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Brad Tuttle</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies & Industries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Saving & Spending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tourism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Transportation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[a la carte]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[airline fees]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[baggage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bundled]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[obesity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ryanair]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Samoa Air]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Southwest Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spirit Air]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spirit Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[travel fees]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[weight]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://business.time.com/?p=76575</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[After tiny upstart carrier Samoa Air announced it would start charging passengers based on how much they weigh, travelers reacted by calling the pricing model wacky, impractical, even discriminatory. But it&#8217;s only one of several weird, possibly unwelcomed ways that flights might be priced down the line. Samoa Air&#8217;s announcement of a &#8220;pay-by-the-pound&#8221; model didn&#8217;t come completely out of the blue. Ryanair, the notoriously fee-happy European carrier, floated the possibility of a &#8220;fat tax&#8221; on overweight passengers a few years ago, though the main point may have been to generate publicity. Southwest Airlines has periodically drawn attention over the years due to its policy of forcing larger passengers to purchase two seats. Just days before Samoa Air introduced its new pricing policy, a professor from Norway published a report making the case that charging passengers based on total weight—person and baggage combined—is a policy that all airlines should consider, in order to cut weight on planes and also to price flights fairly. “Many passengers ask why airlines only charge for overweight baggage but not for overweight passengers, if weight is the key concern for an airplane operation and more weight results in more fuel consumption,&#8221; Bharat Bhatta wrote in the March issue of Journal of Revenue and Pricing Management. A &#8220;pay-as-you-weigh&#8221; structure &#8220;may provide significant benefits to airlines, passengers and society at large,” Bhatta says. (MORE: Southwest Airlines New Image: Not Really About Cheap Flights Anymore) Samoa Air CEO Chris Langton seems to agree. After news spread of the airline&#8217;s pricing change, Langton defended the model in a Reuters story, and said he expected other airlines to follow suit: &#8220;Aeroplanes always run on weight, irrespective of seats. There is no doubt in my mind that this is the concept of the future. This is the fairest way of you travelling with your family, or yourself.&#8221; While it&#8217;s possible that the practice of charging passengers by the pound could one day be commonplace, it&#8217;s unlikely to happen anytime soon on a large scale. Samoa Air flies very small planes (12-seaters), and<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=business.time.com&#038;blog=31173800&#038;post=76575&#038;subd=timebusinessblog&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
	<primary_category>Airlines</primary_category><primary_category_link>http://business.time.com/category/companies-industries/airlines-big-companies/</primary_category_link>
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			<media:title type="html">bradtuttle</media:title>
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		<item>
		<title>Flight Prices to Get Personal? Airfares Could Vary Depending on Who Is Traveling</title>
		<link>http://business.time.com/2013/03/05/flight-prices-to-get-personal-airfares-could-vary-depending-on-who-is-traveling/</link>
		<comments>http://business.time.com/2013/03/05/flight-prices-to-get-personal-airfares-could-vary-depending-on-who-is-traveling/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 05 Mar 2013 14:42:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Brad Tuttle</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies & Industries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Saving & Spending]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[customized pricing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Delta]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[personalized pricing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Resolution 787]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Staples]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://business.time.com/?p=73751</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Travelers are annoyed by the very real possibility that they&#8217;ll sit down on a plane next to someone who paid much less for the same flight. Potential changes to how flights are priced in the future could be even more annoying. Consumers like the idea of an even playing field: Everyone gets the same opportunity to snag a good price on a product or service. Getting a deal is generally a matter of perseverance and timing. The price is the price, and the dollar figure one sees has nothing to do with who you are or your history of purchases. A system that functions otherwise—with &#8220;personalized&#8221; prices, causing some to pay more and others less for the same item, purchased at the same exact time—strikes many as unfair. Consumers have had reactions ranging from outrage to mild &#8220;they&#8217;re-screwing-us-again&#8221; aggravation when news has broken of such &#8220;personalized&#8221; or &#8220;customized&#8221; pricing. Three recent examples: Delta was apparently overcharging frequent fliers last year; Orbitz showed higher-priced hotels to Mac users; and the Wall Street Journal reported that Staples&#8217; website varied in-store and online prices based on how close the shopper was to an Office Depot or OfficeMax. (MORE: What Can Consumers Expect from the American-US Air Merger? Nothing Good) Now, according to a New York Times&#8217; editorial, most of the world&#8217;s big airlines have OK&#8217;d a new pricing system, and the result is that passengers could be offered different fares depending on &#8220;how regularly they fly, where they live and the kind of trip they are taking.&#8221; Instead of fares rising or falling based on when the ticket is being purchased or whether the seat is in coach or business class, other more &#8220;personalized&#8221; factors will be incorporated, so that the results of your flight search could be much different than your business traveler neighbor. Such &#8220;personalized&#8221; shopping options are always presented merely as a way to give consumers what they want. The Times notes that industry officials say the system is &#8220;simply a way for airlines to better tailor their services to<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=business.time.com&#038;blog=31173800&#038;post=73751&#038;subd=timebusinessblog&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://business.time.com/2013/03/05/flight-prices-to-get-personal-airfares-could-vary-depending-on-who-is-traveling/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
	<primary_category>Travel</primary_category><primary_category_link>http://business.time.com/category/companies-industries/travel-companies-industries/</primary_category_link>
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		<title>Is $500 Enough for Enduring the Cruise from Hell?</title>
		<link>http://business.time.com/2013/02/19/is-500-enough-for-enduring-the-cruise-from-hell/</link>
		<comments>http://business.time.com/2013/02/19/is-500-enough-for-enduring-the-cruise-from-hell/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 19 Feb 2013 13:00:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Brad Tuttle</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies & Industries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Saving & Spending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Smart Spending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tourism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Carnival]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Carnival Cruises]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Carnival Triumph]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[compensation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Costa Concordia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cruise line]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cruises]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[disasters]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[public relations]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://business.time.com/?p=72308</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[So you&#8217;ve survived for five days stranded at sea aboard the Carnival Triumph. The ship had no working toilets, sewage dripped from walls, and the whole place smelled &#8220;like a hot port-o-potty.&#8221; Here&#8217;s $500 for your troubles. Last week, after the Triumph was finally tugged into Alabama and passengers kissed solid ground in relief, Carnival announced that all passengers on the ship—which was hit with a fire in an engine room and left without power in the Gulf of Mexico—would receive some compensation. The offer included a full refund for the cruise and travel expenses, reimbursement for nearly everything they spent on board the ship, a credit good toward a future cruise, plus a check for $500. To some, the offer didn&#8217;t exactly seem generous. &#8220;I would have expected more really,&#8221; said travel expert George Hobica, who runs the deal-finding site AirfareWatchdog.com. &#8220;I think giving them their money back and $500 is pretty cheap.&#8221; Carolyn Spencer Brown, editor of CruiseCritic.com, had basically the same reaction. &#8220;What these people went through was worth more than $500,&#8221; she said. &#8220;It&#8217;s a little bit insulting. It&#8217;s almost as if Carnival would have been better off offering nothing than to go so low.&#8221; (MORE: Why Didn&#8217;t Carnival Evacuate Passengers from Its Stricken Cruise Ship?) So where did Carnival come up with the $500 figure to begin with? The cruise line didn&#8217;t explain. In situations involving refunds and compensation for travelers, there usually isn&#8217;t much explanation other than that the policies and dollar figures somehow seem about right. &#8220;It&#8217;s all about PR,&#8221; said Brown. &#8220;This was probably determined by the marketing department more than anybody.&#8221; Calamities like the Triumph can obviously be bad for the cruise line at the center of the storm. They can also damage the cruise industry as a whole. In the aftermath of the sinking of the Costa Concordia—which just &#8220;celebrated&#8221; its one-year anniversary last month—cruise prices decreased by 12%. To minimize the public-relations damage, to salvage some sort of goodwill with affected customers, and also to cut off lawsuits before<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=business.time.com&#038;blog=31173800&#038;post=72308&#038;subd=timebusinessblog&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
	<primary_category>Travel</primary_category><primary_category_link>http://business.time.com/category/saving-spending/travel-saving-spending/</primary_category_link><featured_image>http://timebusinessblog.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/03584796.jpg?w=240</featured_image>
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			<media:title type="html">Carnival Triumph cruise ship arrives in Mobile, Alabama, USA</media:title>
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			<media:title type="html">bradtuttle</media:title>
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		<title>What Can Consumers Expect from the American-US Air Merger? Nothing Good</title>
		<link>http://business.time.com/2013/02/14/what-can-consumers-expect-from-the-american-us-air-merger-nothing-good/</link>
		<comments>http://business.time.com/2013/02/14/what-can-consumers-expect-from-the-american-us-air-merger-nothing-good/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 14 Feb 2013 21:06:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Brad Tuttle</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies & Industries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tourism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[airfare]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[consolidation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Consumer Travel Alliance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hubs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[JoeSentMe]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[merger]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[us airways]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://business.time.com/?p=70576</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[American Airlines and US Airways have agreed to merge, and it looks like the result will be a mega-carrier that&#8217;s the world&#8217;s largest airline in terms of passenger traffic. Consumers groups say this is one marriage travelers should not be celebrating. Before the merger announcement was official, the Consumer Travel Alliance, an advocacy group for travelers, published an op-ed stating that there would be &#8220;no compelling consumer benefits&#8221; if US Airways and American Airlines were combined. In fact, it would directly impact consumers in a bad way, via higher fares all around: Competition will suffer. There will be just three major network airlines. All-in prices (airfares plus extra fees) will go up, and services will be reduced — all for a merger that is unnecessary for the long-term survival of either airline. In a longer press release, the CTA&#8217;s Charlie Leocha wrote that previous consolidation in the industry squeezed certain gateways, resulting in fewer flights offered in many cities: St. Louis is a ghost town compared to when it was a hub for TWA. Reno, Nevada, was abandoned by AA. Cincinnati has shut down several of its terminals because of cutbacks from Delta. Cleveland was forced to negotiate a separate agreement with Continental/United to keep its hub operating temporarily. (MORE: When Airfare Is So Cheap It&#8217;s a Steal &#8212; Literally) Airline service at Charlotte and Phoenix is likely to suffer with an American/US Airways merger, Leocha stated. Business travelers also see little to no upside with the proposed merger. &#8220;From a consumer standpoint – individual traveler or corporate travel department &#8211; there are few benefits to offset the negative impacts of this proposed merger that include reduced competition, higher fares and fees and diminished service to small and mid-size communities,&#8221; reads a statement from the Business Travel Coalition. It goes on: To be clear, there is benefit in a financially viable air transportation system. However, previous mergers have already enabled seat capacity cuts, higher fares and billions of dollars in fees for ancillary services resulting in a financially strengthening industry.<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=business.time.com&#038;blog=31173800&#038;post=70576&#038;subd=timebusinessblog&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
	<primary_category>Travel</primary_category><primary_category_link>http://business.time.com/category/companies-industries/travel-companies-industries/</primary_category_link><featured_image>http://timebusinessblog.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/aaus.jpg?w=240</featured_image>
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			<media:title type="html">aaus</media:title>
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			<media:title type="html">bradtuttle</media:title>
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		<title>When Airfare Is So Cheap It&#8217;s a Steal – Literally</title>
		<link>http://business.time.com/2013/02/08/when-airfare-is-so-cheap-its-a-steal-literally/</link>
		<comments>http://business.time.com/2013/02/08/when-airfare-is-so-cheap-its-a-steal-literally/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 08 Feb 2013 17:00:23 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Brad Tuttle</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies & Industries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Odd Spending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Saving]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Saving & Spending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Smart Spending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tourism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[business ethics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christopher Elliott]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ethics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FlyerTalk]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[online forums]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://business.time.com/?p=69724</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Sometimes, flights are so cheap that they&#8217;re obviously not just terrific sale prices, but mistakes. While everybody loves a deal, is booking a secret, mispriced fare tantamount to stealing? Experienced travelers love to swap insider tips—the location of a secret dinner club in Paris, thoughts on up-and-coming &#8220;next Prague&#8221; destinations, and, yes, the best deals on airfare all over the world. What happens, though, when an airline&#8217;s reservation system makes a mistake, and a flight halfway around the world that should cost, say, $1,800 is suddenly available to book online for just $20? Well, what sometimes happens is that word spreads quickly about these fares at popular forums like FlyerTalk, and many travelers try to snag the flights at rock-bottom prices before the airline catches the mistake. Consumer advocate Christopher Elliott, who has made a name for himself by helping people to avoid getting ripped off by airlines, hotels, and other travel companies, says that travelers who behave this way aren&#8217;t merely unethical, they&#8217;re thieves. In a recent post on his blog, Elliott wrote: Pointing out a fare error online and urging people to book one is like saying someone’s house isn’t locked and urging everyone to steal from it. The presence of these opportunists gives all of these sites a bad name, and in my opinion, they should be quickly expelled from the group. (MORE: End of New Airline Fees? Nation&#8217;s Most Fee-Craze Airline Is Tapped Out of Ideas) Not all travelers agree. Some say Elliott is dead wrong, in fact. In the post, Elliott asked readers to answer the blunt question &#8220;Is it ever acceptable to steal from an airline?&#8221; Nearly 4 in 10 answered &#8220;yes.&#8221; Dozens of commenters essentially said that airlines should be forced to honor all flights sold, regardless if a mistake occurred, and regardless of whether travelers booking the flights knew a mistake occurred. One commenter gave this justification: If a fare can be voided for being an &#8220;incorrect price&#8221; there&#8217;s nothing to prevent an airline from overbooking with higher last minute fares, then<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=business.time.com&#038;blog=31173800&#038;post=69724&#038;subd=timebusinessblog&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
	<primary_category>Airlines</primary_category><primary_category_link>http://business.time.com/category/companies-industries/airlines-big-companies/</primary_category_link><featured_image>http://timebusinessblog.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/ml_airlines_0603_blog.jpg?w=240</featured_image>
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			<media:title type="html">ml_airlines_0603_blog</media:title>
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			<media:title type="html">bradtuttle</media:title>
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		<title>End of New Airline Fees? Nation&#8217;s Most Fee-Crazy Airline Is Tapped Out of Ideas</title>
		<link>http://business.time.com/2013/01/28/end-of-new-airline-fees-nations-most-fee-crazy-airline-is-tapped-out-of-ideas/</link>
		<comments>http://business.time.com/2013/01/28/end-of-new-airline-fees-nations-most-fee-crazy-airline-is-tapped-out-of-ideas/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 28 Jan 2013 19:15:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Brad Tuttle</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies & Industries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Saving & Spending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Smart Spending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tourism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[airline fees]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ben Baldanza]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[checked luggage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[seat reservations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spirit Airlines]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://business.time.com/?p=68728</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[For years, airlines have rolled out new fees to foist onto passengers like clockwork—see American Airlines and Southwest Airlines as the two latest examples. There is somewhat of a silver lining, though: With every new fee added, it becomes harder for airlines to come up with new things to charge for. Around the globe, airlines charged an estimated $36 billion in ancillary fees last year — &#8220;ancillary&#8221; being the industry term for anything above the base flight cost, including charges for baggage, meals, seat reservations, and so forth. The $36 billion figure represents an increase of 11% globally compared to the 2011 total. In North America, the fee total paid by passengers rose &#8220;just&#8221; around 5%. Compared to the fee increase from 2010 to 2011—roughly 50% globally—last year&#8217;s hike in fees almost comes as a relief. What&#8217;s more, there&#8217;s been sign that U.S. flier are paying slightly fewer baggage fees as more passengers grow accustomed to packing less and flying only with carry-on luggage. Of course, just because the overall pace at which fees are rising has decreased doesn&#8217;t mean that airlines are falling out of love with them. What it appears to mean, though, is that carriers are slowly but surely running out of ideas for new fees to pass along to their customers. (MORE: Ugh, More Airline Fees: Want a Decent Seat on Southwest? Pay Up) This seems to be the case for the nation&#8217;s most fee-crazed carrier, Spirit Airlines. By one estimate, the average Spirit passenger pays an extra $103 in fees for every round trip with the airline. And that estimate was announced in mid-2012—before (of course) Spirit bumped up the cost of a few of its fees. For every $3 collected by Spirit, only $2 comes as a result of payment for flights; the other one-third of total revenues comes from Spirit customers paying for fees including carry-on luggage, seat assignments, bottled water, and more. But in an interview with American Public Media Marketplace, Spirit CEO Ben Baldanza said that &#8220;we probably are almost at<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=business.time.com&#038;blog=31173800&#038;post=68728&#038;subd=timebusinessblog&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
	<primary_category>Airlines</primary_category><primary_category_link>http://business.time.com/category/companies-industries/airlines-big-companies/</primary_category_link><featured_image>http://timebusinessblog.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/spirit.jpg?w=240</featured_image>
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			<media:title type="html">Spirit</media:title>
		</media:content>

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			<media:title type="html">bradtuttle</media:title>
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		<title>Ugh, More Airline Fees: Want a Decent Seat on Southwest? Pay Up</title>
		<link>http://business.time.com/2013/01/23/ugh-more-airline-fees-want-a-decent-seat-on-southwest-pay-up/</link>
		<comments>http://business.time.com/2013/01/23/ugh-more-airline-fees-want-a-decent-seat-on-southwest-pay-up/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 23 Jan 2013 16:09:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Brad Tuttle</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies & Industries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Saving & Spending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tourism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[airline boarding]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[airline check-in]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[airline fees]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[boarding]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[checked baggage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Southwest]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Southwest Airlines]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://business.time.com/?p=67586</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Et tu, Southwest? A relative absence of fees and an overall nonelitist, democratic approach to airline travel are among the reasons Southwest Airlines has been so successful. A new fee — $40 to be among the first on the plane — could cancel out some of the goodwill built up by the carrier over the years. By now, flyers probably shouldn&#8217;t be surprised by any new airline fee. These fees hit a record high last year (after hitting a record high the year before that), and what with the regular release of new fees — excuse me, &#8220;enhancements,&#8221; to use American Airlines&#8217; Big Brother–like marketing lingo — it&#8217;s likely even more fees will be collected by carriers this year. Even so, the perception has been that Southwest Airlines was different. While nearly every carrier has added fees for checked baggage (and sometimes for carry-on luggage as well), Southwest has pumped up its complimentary service with a ubiquitous &#8220;Bags Fly Free&#8221; ad campaign. The airline&#8217;s generous baggage policies have regularly helped put Southwest among the top customer-rated airlines in the U.S. (MORE: Why an Airline That Travelers Love Is Failing: The Virgin America Story) Southwest&#8217;s approach to seating has also set it apart from the crowd. Southwest doesn&#8217;t have reserved seating. Instead, passengers pick out seats when they board, according to a specified boarding order. Some flyers love the system; for others, it drives them batty with anxiety that they&#8217;ll be stuck in the worst seat on the plane. Love or hate the system, though, most found it to be (mostly) democratic and (mostly) fair — and at least more reasonable than the airlines adding fees for seat reservations. Slowly, however, Southwest seems to be embracing the approach of other airlines, in that clearly better service goes to customers who pay for it. For years, Southwest has offered an Early Bird Check-in: for $10 each way, passengers were ensured they&#8217;d be in the first or second boarding group, meaning they would have a decent selection of empty seats to choose from.<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=business.time.com&#038;blog=31173800&#038;post=67586&#038;subd=timebusinessblog&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
	<primary_category>Travel</primary_category><primary_category_link>http://business.time.com/category/saving-spending/travel-saving-spending/</primary_category_link><featured_image>http://timebusinessblog.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/139622344-e1358871769164.jpg?w=240</featured_image>
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			<media:title type="html">Southwest jet aircraft departing, Orlando International Airport</media:title>
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			<media:title type="html">bradtuttle</media:title>
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		<title>Is the Dreamliner Becoming a Financial Nightmare for Boeing?</title>
		<link>http://business.time.com/2013/01/17/is-the-dreamliner-becoming-a-financial-nightmare-for-boeing/</link>
		<comments>http://business.time.com/2013/01/17/is-the-dreamliner-becoming-a-financial-nightmare-for-boeing/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 17 Jan 2013 15:59:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Martha C. White</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies & Industries]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://business.time.com/?p=67069</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Federal Aviation Administration issued an “emergency airworthiness directive” late Wednesday following a string of incidents with Boeing’s precocious problem child, the 787, grounding the plane indefinitely until the reason behind two recent fires — attributed to faulty batteries — could be determined and the problem solved. The 787, also called the Dreamliner, is already a hugely expensive project for Boeing. The F.A.A.&#8217;s action increases the challenges that the manufacturer faces in trying to recoup its investment. Following an unscheduled landing in New Orleans in December and a fire in Boston earlier this month, an All Nippon Airways flight had to make an emergency landing yesterday after a battery malfunction and reports of smoke in the cabin. Both ANA and Japan Airlines, the other carrier that has the most 787s in service, grounded their fleets voluntarily on Thursday ahead of the F.A.A. action while they attempt to figure out what went wrong. Industry analysts and watchers &#8212; including TIME&#8217;s Bill Saporito in this article &#8212; have been quick to point out that there are always hiccups when rolling out new plane models. But as the mishaps continue to multiply, some are starting to wonder if this time is different.“This is in a class by itself,” says Richard Aboulafia, vice president at aerospace and defense industry market analysis firm the Teal Group. &#8220;We will be taking every necessary step in the coming days to assure our customers and the traveling public of the 787&#8242;s safety and to return the airplanes to service,&#8221; Boeing president and CEO Jim McNerney said in a statement Wednesday evening. (MORE: How Safe Is the Boeing 787?) Still, experts say the F.A.A.&#8217;s review could take months. Hans Weber, president of aviation consulting firm TECOP International Inc., says that if the agency requires replacing the batteries, resolving the issue &#8220;could take upwards of a year.&#8221; It wasn&#8217;t supposed to go down like this. The Dreamliner was supposed to be Boeing’s iPhone: an innovative game changer that customers would line up to get their hands on. An they did line up. The<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=business.time.com&#038;blog=31173800&#038;post=67069&#038;subd=timebusinessblog&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
	<primary_category>Airlines</primary_category><primary_category_link>http://business.time.com/category/companies-industries/airlines-big-companies/</primary_category_link><featured_image>http://timebusinessblog.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/boeing.jpg?w=240</featured_image>
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			<media:title type="html">Boeing 787 Makes Emergency Landing</media:title>
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		<media:content url="http://0.gravatar.com/avatar/9a5a9e4f28beb5afb59b1202632d219a?s=96&#38;d=http%3A%2F%2F0.gravatar.com%2Favatar%2Fad516503a11cd5ca435acc9bb6523536%3Fs%3D96&#38;r=G" medium="image">
			<media:title type="html">marthacwhite</media:title>
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		<title>How Safe is the Boeing 787?</title>
		<link>http://business.time.com/2013/01/11/how-safe-is-the-boeing-787/</link>
		<comments>http://business.time.com/2013/01/11/how-safe-is-the-boeing-787/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 11 Jan 2013 13:00:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bill Saporito</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies & Industries]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://business.time.com/?p=66480</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[An engine blew up, in flight; the backup brakes didn’t work right; cracks were discovered in the wing, and there were questions related to a new design, new technology, and a three-year delay in the product launch. No, it’s not the Boeing Dreamliner. We’re talking about the Airbus A380, whose introduction into the world’s airline fleets was punctuated by an engine disintegrating midflight on a Qantas Airlines jet in November 2010. Qantas promptly grounded its fleet of big birds, but other airlines did not. Instead they worked through the problem with Airbus and the engine maker, Rolls Royce. Early operational problems are the way of all new aircraft and ― at this point― it’s likely the same thing is happening to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The new jet, delayed a couple of years by design and production issues, has suffered a variety of glitches. This week, a fire broke out in an auxiliary power unit (APU) on a Japan Airlines 787 at a gate in Boston. The APU powers the jet on the ground. There were no injuries. Another JAL Dreamliner flight from Boston was delayed after a fuel leak was discovered. It was traced to a faulty valve. And United Airlines discovered faulty wiring on one of its six new Dreamliners. None of these seem to be potentially catastrophic failures, and Mike Sinnett, the jet’s chief project engineer, told a press conference:  &#8221;I am 100% convinced that the airplane is safe to fly. I fly on it myself all the time.&#8221; Nevertheless, the Federal Aviation Administration announced Friday that it would begin conducting a comprehensive review of the 787&#8242;s critical systems. (MORE: Is Most Personal Finance Advice Useless?) The Dreamliner is a mid-sized, twin-aisle, twin engine, three compartment 250-seat aircraft that uses 20% less fuel than comparable jets because of its next generation design. Composite materials are used instead of aluminum in 50% of the fuselage, making the jet lighter, with fewer parts.  This allows it to fly long distances, a key selling point for carriers such as JAL. It’s also<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=business.time.com&#038;blog=31173800&#038;post=66480&#038;subd=timebusinessblog&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
	<primary_category>Airlines</primary_category><primary_category_link>http://business.time.com/category/companies-industries/airlines-big-companies/</primary_category_link><featured_image>http://timebusinessblog.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/143330369.jpg?w=240</featured_image>
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			<media:title type="html">The New Boeing Dreamliner Touches Down At Manchester Airport</media:title>
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		<media:content url="http://1.gravatar.com/avatar/d265de6cca36c6ff0b8e5cb3addbca4f?s=96&#38;d=http%3A%2F%2F1.gravatar.com%2Favatar%2Fad516503a11cd5ca435acc9bb6523536%3Fs%3D96&#38;r=G" medium="image">
			<media:title type="html">bilsap</media:title>
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		<title>American Airlines: Forget About Fees, These Are &#8216;Enhancements&#8217;</title>
		<link>http://business.time.com/2012/12/17/american-airlines-forget-about-fees-these-are-enhancements/</link>
		<comments>http://business.time.com/2012/12/17/american-airlines-forget-about-fees-these-are-enhancements/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 17 Dec 2012 14:00:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Brad Tuttle</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies & Industries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Saving & Spending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Smart Spending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[baggage fees]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fees]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[luggage fees]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[priority boarding]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ryanair]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spirit Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[travel fees]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[upsell]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://business.time.com/?p=64143</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Struggling American Airlines, which has been forced to enter bankruptcy protection and recently suffered high-profile black eyes such as seats coming loose on planes in mid-flight, is hoping that customers will like the idea of paying more fees upfront—so that they won&#8217;t have to pay these fees down the line. Wait, did I use the word &#8220;fees&#8221;? The American Airlines website page explaining the changes makes pains to avoid using the &#8220;F&#8221; word much. The site takes the approach of highlighting &#8220;new enhancements&#8221; that result in &#8220;Booking Made Simple.&#8221; Instead of just offering the usual roster of fees in piecemeal fashion—one fee for a checked bag, another for priority boarding, and so on—American has altered its fare structure. Now, there are three coach class tickets to choose from. With the most basic option, called Choice, customers (if they&#8217;re so inclined) pay for all extra services out of pocket, like we&#8217;ve grown accustomed to doing. By paying $68 extra, though, the traveler is upgraded to a Choice Essential ticket, which includes one checked bag and priority boarding at no additional charge, and also waives the usual fee if the passenger must change a flight. (MORE: As Airline Fees Top $36 Billion, Is Relief in Sight?) The third option, Choice Plus, runs $88 over the basic Choice ticket. For this sum, the passenger gets everything that&#8217;s included in the Choice Essential package, as well as a free drink on the flight, double miles on bookings, and the option of flying standby at no extra charge. These new options might be thought of as upsells or &#8220;Super Size&#8221; tickets, which may be fine so long as travelers see themselves getting good value for the added cost. So are the pricier tickets worth the money? One travel expert puts things in perspective when talking to the Associated Press: &#8220;A checked bag costs $50 anyway, so for $18 more you get protection against change fees,&#8221; said George Hobica, co-founder of travel website airfarewatchdog.com. &#8220;If I had to check a bag anyway, I&#8217;d do it.&#8221; (MORE:<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=business.time.com&#038;blog=31173800&#038;post=64143&#038;subd=timebusinessblog&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
	<primary_category>Airlines</primary_category><primary_category_link>http://business.time.com/category/companies-industries/airlines-big-companies/</primary_category_link>
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			<media:title type="html">bradtuttle</media:title>
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		<title>Virgin Finally Hooks Up: Why Richard Branson Cut a Deal With Delta</title>
		<link>http://business.time.com/2012/12/13/virgin-finally-hooks-up-why-richard-branson-made-a-deal-with-delta/</link>
		<comments>http://business.time.com/2012/12/13/virgin-finally-hooks-up-why-richard-branson-made-a-deal-with-delta/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 13 Dec 2012 13:00:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bill Saporito</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies & Industries]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://business.time.com/?p=64045</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Look up flights to London Heathrow from New York City airports on Kayak or Travelocity for departure next week and there appear to be about 400 non-stops daily, with most round trips in the $1,300 to $1,700 range. The number of flights is deceiving, though, and so is idea that there’s that much competition, because most of the departures are code-shares. A British Air flight is the same one offered by American Air and Iberia; Delta, Air France and KLM cohabit another listing, while United teams with Lufthansa. It’s the kind of market cooperation/collusion that has driven Virgin Atlantic founder Sir Richard Branson up the wall for decades. But it’s also the driver behind’s Delta’s $360 million deal to acquire the 49% stake in Virgin Atlantic currently held by Singapore Airlines. Branson, the prankster-in-chief at Virgin Atlantic and myriad other businesses, has railed against BA and American in particular for trying to control competition on the valuable New York-Heathrow route, given that Heathrow is the gateway to everywhere. And Branson had been reasonably successful in steering his stylish, insouciant airline through the industry’s frequent turbulence. (MORE: What Mario Monti&#8217;s Exit Tells Us About Europe&#8217;s Debt Crisis) Branson has started and stopped, bought and sold dozens of businesses, though, and he knows better than to go against the tide of market forces. And market forces have very much moved against Virgin Atlantic. That’s why he pushed Singapore Airlines, which owned 49% of Virgin Atlantic, to sell out to Delta. It’s difficult to be a lovable renegade in an industry that has been relentlessly consolidating. Passengers may like Virgin Atlantic, but the emergence of large global networks such as One World and Star Alliance have increasingly put the carrier at a disadvantage. “We have always been known for our innovation and service and have punched above our weight for 28 years,” Branson said in a statement. “That is why our customers love us so much. We will retain that independent spirit but move forward in a strengthened partnership with Delta.” The Delta<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=business.time.com&#038;blog=31173800&#038;post=64045&#038;subd=timebusinessblog&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
	<primary_category>Airlines</primary_category><primary_category_link>http://business.time.com/category/companies-industries/airlines-big-companies/</primary_category_link><featured_image>http://timebusinessblog.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/158208894.jpg?w=240</featured_image>
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			<media:title type="html">Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic To Form Joint Venture</media:title>
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			<media:title type="html">bilsap</media:title>
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		<title>Is Airline-Style Variable Pricing Coming to Theme Park Tickets?</title>
		<link>http://business.time.com/2012/12/05/is-airline-style-variable-pricing-coming-to-theme-park-tickets/</link>
		<comments>http://business.time.com/2012/12/05/is-airline-style-variable-pricing-coming-to-theme-park-tickets/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 05 Dec 2012 16:00:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Brad Tuttle</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies & Industries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Saving & Spending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tourism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Disney]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dynamic pricing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pro sports]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ski resorts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[skiing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sports]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sports tickets]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[theme parks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Universal]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Universal Studios]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[variable pricing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Walt Disney World]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://business.time.com/?p=62980</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[At the start of last summer, Walt Disney World raised the ticket prices at its theme parks to $89. There&#8217;s a case to be made that, at least on certain days, Disney should be charging a whole lot more. While some theme parks have prices that change with the seasons, the big players tend to pick one admissions price and stick with it—at least until it&#8217;s time to raise prices again. At Disney World in Orlando, for instance, an adult one-day ticket runs $89 no matter if the visitor strolls up to the gate on the packed day after Christmas or when the park is relatively empty two weeks prior. Economists would say that this sort of flat pricing is flawed &#8212; a missed opportunity. In the same way that gouging consumers with high gas prices during shortages makes perfect business (if not ethical) sense, some say that theme parks should offer discounted admissions to stir up business during slow periods (weekdays, autumn) and perhaps even jack up prices to the heights during the most in-demand weeks. (MORE: At Long Last, Booze Comes to Walt Disney World) The Orlando Sentinel reported that at a recent industry convention, a panel of experts discussed what seems like the very real possibility that the cost of admission during lulls (when school is in session for youngsters) could be a fraction of what tickets run around New Year&#8217;s or during the middle of summer. Weekends could cost more than weekdays too: &#8220;Day-of-the-week pricing, where you price cheaper during the week and more expensive on the weekends, is extremely uncommon. I think there&#8217;s a gold mine right there,&#8221; said Martin Lewison, an assistant professor at Farmingdale State College in New York who studies attraction pricing. &#8220;More parks are using seasonal pricing — high season, low season, shoulder-seasons pricing,&#8221; Lewison said. &#8220;Remember, this is an industry that used to be, &#8216;Set it and forget it.&#8217; The price was set for the season, and nobody thought about it again.&#8221; Dynamic pricing has already crept into the world<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=business.time.com&#038;blog=31173800&#038;post=62980&#038;subd=timebusinessblog&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
	<primary_category>Travel</primary_category><primary_category_link>http://business.time.com/category/saving-spending/travel-saving-spending/</primary_category_link><featured_image>http://timebusinessblog.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/disneyworld1.jpg?w=240</featured_image>
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			<media:title type="html">disneyworld</media:title>
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			<media:title type="html">bradtuttle</media:title>
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		<title>New Low for Flying? Standing-Room-Only Flights Possible</title>
		<link>http://business.time.com/2012/11/12/new-low-for-flying-standing-room-only/</link>
		<comments>http://business.time.com/2012/11/12/new-low-for-flying-standing-room-only/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 12 Nov 2012 18:54:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Brad Tuttle</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies & Industries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Saving & Spending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tourism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[airline fees]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[checked luggage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[europe]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fees]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Michael O'Leary]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ryanair]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[standing room only]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://business.time.com/?p=60804</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The term jet-setter is still applied to travelers heading to chic, exciting places. But by now, after years of enduring countless fees, painfully long airport waits and humiliation by way of clothing removal and body scans, travelers should know that the era when flying equated to glamour is long gone. But if you&#8217;re not thoroughly disillusioned with the modern-day flying experience, Michael O&#8217;Leary, the blunt-speaking CEO of cheapo European carrier Ryanair, would like to have a word. O&#8217;Leary is known for saying and doing outrageous things — calling his customers &#8220;idiots,&#8221; for instance, and considering the introduction of pay toilets on planes and in-flight porn as moneymakers for the airline. (MORE: While Airlines Add More Fees, One Travel Freebie Becomes Standard) He is also known for speaking the truth boldly, sometimes harshly, in situations when prudent businessmen would hold their tongues. O&#8217;Leary&#8217;s latest truth-telling is quoted in the Telegraph: &#8220;The problem with aviation is that for 50 years it&#8217;s been populated by people who think it&#8217;s this wondrous sexual experience; that it&#8217;s like James Bond and wonderful and we&#8217;ll all be flying first class when really it&#8217;s just a bloody bus with wings. &#8220;Most people just want to get from A to B. You don&#8217;t want to pay £500 for a flight. “You want to spend that money on a nice hotel, apartment or restaurant &#8230; You don&#8217;t want to piss it all away at the airport or on the airline.&#8221; Here&#8217;s one more thing that you probably never expected an airline executive to say: “If there ever was a crash on an aircraft, God forbid, a seatbelt won’t save you.” (MORE: Why an Airline That Travelers Love Is Failing) Because O&#8217;Leary believes &#8220;seatbelts don&#8217;t matter,&#8221; and because airline passengers seem to be proving O&#8217;Leary&#8217;s point by choosing the cheapest form of transportation possible regardless of service or comfort, Ryanair is currently trying to launch a standing-room-only section on its airplanes, where fares on short-haul flights within Europe would start at £1, around $1.50. Does this idea have, well, a leg to<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=business.time.com&#038;blog=31173800&#038;post=60804&#038;subd=timebusinessblog&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
	<primary_category>Airlines</primary_category><primary_category_link>http://business.time.com/category/companies-industries/airlines-big-companies/</primary_category_link>
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			<media:title type="html">bradtuttle</media:title>
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		<title>As Airline Fees Top $36 Billion, Is Relief in Sight for Fee-Weary Travelers?</title>
		<link>http://business.time.com/2012/10/31/as-airline-fees-top-36-billion-is-relief-in-sight-for-fee-weary-travelers/</link>
		<comments>http://business.time.com/2012/10/31/as-airline-fees-top-36-billion-is-relief-in-sight-for-fee-weary-travelers/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 31 Oct 2012 12:00:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Brad Tuttle</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies & Industries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Saving & Spending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[airline fees]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[baggage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bottled water]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[carryons]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[checked baggage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fees]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[IdeaWorks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[meals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ryanair]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spirit Airlines]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://business.time.com/?p=59371</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A new study estimates that airlines around the globe will charge $36.1 billion in fees for things like checked luggage, seat reservations, and in-flight meals this year. That&#8217;s an all-time high, and an 11% increase over the 2011 total. The figures, courtesy of the Wisconsin-based firm IdeaWorks, are confusing not only because they&#8217;re so big it&#8217;s impossible to truly wrap one&#8217;s brain around them, but because they seem to contradict other data in circulation. Earlier this year, the same company released a study stating the airlines worldwide collected $22.6 billion in fees in 2011. But that study didn&#8217;t give the full picture. It was based on numbers gathered from 50 airlines. In the more recent study, IdeaWorks looked at ancillary fee revenues from 176 airlines around the globe and estimated that the 2011 total was actually $32.5 billion. For 2012, the fee pile is expected to grow by another 11%, hitting $36.1 billion. In 2010, meanwhile, fees totaled &#8220;just&#8221; $22.6 billion according to the more comprehensive study. Fees rose nearly 50% from 2010 to 2011, so the 11% increase expected for 2012 actually represents a slowdown in growth for fees, as mind-boggling as that may seem. For airlines in North America, fee totals are expected to creep up 4.6% this year, from $14.9 billion to $15.6 billion. That&#8217;s the smallest increase of any region; in Latin America and the Caribbean, by contrast, fees will be up 30%. (MORE: 11 Weirdest Election-Themed Products for Sale) Don&#8217;t think for a second that the mild rise in airline fees in North America is an indication that carriers are scaling back on fees. It&#8217;s just that airlines may be running out of things to charge for. A USA Today story explained how things have been evolving: Experts say airlines have just about exhausted the fees they can introduce for services they used to offer for free, such as choosing seats and getting a snack on board. Airlines have taken on a new role: They&#8217;re becoming retailers by devising new services and products to sell.<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=business.time.com&#038;blog=31173800&#038;post=59371&#038;subd=timebusinessblog&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://business.time.com/2012/10/31/as-airline-fees-top-36-billion-is-relief-in-sight-for-fee-weary-travelers/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
	<primary_category>Travel</primary_category><primary_category_link>http://business.time.com/category/saving-spending/travel-saving-spending/</primary_category_link><featured_image>http://timebusinessblog.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/94502434-e1351540971530.jpg?w=240</featured_image>
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			<media:title type="html">Travelers at airport</media:title>
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		<title>Why an Airline That Travelers Love Is Failing</title>
		<link>http://business.time.com/2012/10/25/why-an-airline-that-travelers-love-is-failing/</link>
		<comments>http://business.time.com/2012/10/25/why-an-airline-that-travelers-love-is-failing/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 25 Oct 2012 12:00:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Brad Tuttle</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies & Industries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Saving & Spending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tourism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Alaska Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Richard Branson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[San Francisco]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Southwest]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spirit Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Virgin]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Virgin America]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://business.time.com/?p=58938</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Virgin America is the equivalent of a TV show that&#8217;s a hit with critics but risks being canceled because of failing to attract enough viewers. The San Francisco–based carrier is regularly voted to the top of &#8220;best airline&#8221; lists. But it is far from the best in the business at making money. On its website, Virgin America proudly displays the long list of travel awards it&#8217;s won over the past few years — best in-flight entertainment, best cabin staff, best cabin ambience, best overall passenger experience and so on. In the latest Conde Nast Traveler Readers&#8217; Choice survey, it&#8217;s no surprise which carrier was named the top overall airline in the U.S. Yep, it&#8217;s the child of British billionaire Richard Branson, five-year-old Virgin America. For the uninitiated, the San Francisco Chronicle offered a portrait of what makes the airline so special: Boarding a Virgin America flight, bathed in 12 alternating shades of mood lighting and awash in globalized dance/trance music, is not unlike rolling into a late-night club, cocktail in hand. Unlike low-cost carriers that fly with single-class seats and service, Virgin America offers first class, premium economy and economy. (MORE: Popularity and Pay: Was Willy Loman Right About Being Well Liked?) Virgin American stands out especially because the industry is dominated with trends pushing for more fees, fewer perks and an overall degrading and deglamorizing of the flying experience. Years ago — O.K., decades ago — it was laughable to compare buses with planes. But nowadays, the concept of a plane being little more than a &#8220;bus in the sky&#8221; is the industry standard. It&#8217;s fairly remarkable than any airline can generate positive feelings among customers in today&#8217;s travel scene. But while Virgin America may be well liked, it may not be well suited to compete. Reporting in August, the Chronicle noted that, despite all its rewards and glowing reviews, since 2007, Virgin America has posted a net loss of $671 million and an operating loss of $447 million. More recently, Bloomberg News reported that after large net losses in<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=business.time.com&#038;blog=31173800&#038;post=58938&#038;subd=timebusinessblog&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://business.time.com/2012/10/25/why-an-airline-that-travelers-love-is-failing/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
	<primary_category>Airlines</primary_category><primary_category_link>http://business.time.com/category/companies-industries/airlines-big-companies/</primary_category_link><featured_image>http://timebusinessblog.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/ap750670873497.jpg?w=240</featured_image>
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			<media:title type="html">image: VIRGIN AMERICA IN FLIGHT PLANE</media:title>
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			<media:title type="html">bradtuttle</media:title>
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		<title>More Turbulence for American Airlines</title>
		<link>http://business.time.com/2012/10/03/more-turbulence-for-american-airlines/</link>
		<comments>http://business.time.com/2012/10/03/more-turbulence-for-american-airlines/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 03 Oct 2012 12:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bill Saporito</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies & Industries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American Airlines]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://business.time.com/?p=50826</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Seat malfunctions in the cabins of some American Airlines jets are causing the beleaguered company even more headaches. <img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=business.time.com&#038;blog=31173800&#038;post=50826&#038;subd=timebusinessblog&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://business.time.com/2012/10/03/more-turbulence-for-american-airlines/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>6</slash:comments>
	<primary_category>Airlines</primary_category><primary_category_link>http://business.time.com/category/companies-industries/airlines-big-companies/</primary_category_link><featured_image>http://timebusinessblog.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/americanairlines.jpg?w=240</featured_image>
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			<media:title type="html">americanairlines</media:title>
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