Travelers are annoyed by the very real possibility that they’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.
Airlines
Is $500 Enough for Enduring the Cruise from Hell?
So you’ve survived for five days stranded at sea aboard the Carnival Triumph. Here’s $500 for your troubles.
What Can Consumers Expect from the American-US Air Merger? Nothing Good
American Airlines and US Airways have agreed to merge, and it looks like the result will be a mega-carrier that’s the world’s largest airline in terms of passenger traffic. Consumers groups say this is one marriage travelers …
When Airfare Is So Cheap It’s a Steal – Literally
Sometimes, flights are so cheap that they’re obviously not just terrific sale prices, but mistakes. While everybody loves a deal, is booking a secret, mispriced fare tantamount to stealing?
End of New Airline Fees? Nation’s Most Fee-Crazy Airline Is Tapped Out of Ideas
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 …
Ugh, More Airline Fees: Want a Decent Seat on Southwest? Pay Up
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 …
Is the Dreamliner Becoming a Financial Nightmare for Boeing?
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
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How Safe is the Boeing 787?
The new Boeing 787 Dreamliner has suffered from a few headline-grabbing engine problems. Are the planes safe to ride on?
American Airlines: Forget About Fees, These Are ‘Enhancements’
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’t have to pay these fees down the line.
Virgin Finally Hooks Up: Why Richard Branson Cut a Deal With Delta
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 …
Is Airline-Style Variable Pricing Coming to Theme Park Tickets?
At the start of last summer, Walt Disney World raised the ticket prices at its theme parks to $89. There’s a case to be made that, at least on certain days, Disney should be charging a whole lot more.
New Low for Flying? Standing-Room-Only Flights Possible
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.