airline industry

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What Is a 'Canceled' Flight? Rule Spells It Out for First Time

It's part of new federal protections for air travelers

(Newser) - Most air travelers would seem to know the definition of a "canceled" flight, but as Quartz points out, the term can get a little squishy for airlines when it comes time to issue refunds. To counter that, the Department of Transportation has spelled out for the first time what...

Many Flight Attendants Barely Make a Livable Wage
Many Flight Attendants
'Are Barely Surviving'
longform
Aug 31, 2024 5:00 PM CDT

Many Flight Attendants 'Are Barely Surviving'

Washington Post looks at the pay struggles, especially among new hires

(Newser) - One thing is clear after reading a Washington Post deep dive into the occupation of flight attendant: The harsh realities of the job are a world apart from the often glamorized public perception of it. And no, the piece by Natalie B. Compton isn't talking merely about the joy...

Airline CEO Calls Out Fliers' 'Massive' Abuse of Wheelchairs

Passengers are requesting them just to get priority boarding, says Frontier's Barry Biffle

(Newser) - Frontier Airlines CEO Barry Biffle joked Thursday that his company is "healing so many people" who require wheelchairs at boarding, yet walk off the plane just fine. "There is massive, rampant abuse of special services. There are people using wheelchair assistance who don't need it at all,...

Frontier Airlines Announces 'New Era'

Airline says it will nix change/cancellation fees, offer more transparency in traveling options

(Newser) - "Today marks the beginning of a new era for Frontier," Frontier chief Barry Biffle said in a Friday statement, announcing an overhaul likely to go over well with customers. Key among those shifts, per Quartz : the elimination of most fees for changing or canceling flights. Under the previous...

Report: This Airline Is Giving Workers 8 Months' Extra Pay

Singapore Airlines is handing out a big bonus after record annual profit, insiders say

(Newser) - Singapore Airlines had an excellent year and insiders say employees will be getting a bumper payday as a result. The airline reported a record annual profit of almost $2 billion this week. Sources tell Bloomberg and CNN that the airline plans to give employees a profit-sharing bonus worth nearly 8...

Merger Quashed, JetBlue Announces New Cuts

Struggling airline will leave Kansas City, trim service elsewhere

(Newser) - JetBlue is making more route cuts, its second set so far this year. The airline, struggling financially in the post-pandemic era, was counting on a merger with Spirit Airlines and an ongoing relationship as a partner with American Airlines, but a federal judge struck down the former and the Department...

When Planes Crash, We Don't Place Blame. Here's Why

How the 'blameless postmortem' has made air travel safer in the US

(Newser) - Robin Lee Wascher was working as an air traffic controller at LAX in February 1991 when she made a simple mistake—one anyone could have made—and USAir flight 1493 collided with a commuter plane on the runway when it landed, killing all 12 people on the smaller plane and...

Southwest Takes Big Hit From DOT for 2022 Holiday Fiasco

Agency levies $140M fine; airline says it's 'grateful to have reached a consumer-friendly settlement'

(Newser) - If you were caught up in Southwest's holiday chaos last year and found yourself at any point muttering, "Someone's got to pay for this," your wish has been granted. The Department of Transportation on Monday announced it's hitting the airline with a $140 million fine,...

Alaska Air Agrees to Buy Hawaiian Airlines

Carriers will keep their names after $1.9B acquisition

(Newser) - Alaska Air announced Sunday that it has reached a deal to buy Hawaiian Airlines for $18 a share, making the deal worth about $1.9 billion. Both companies' boards already have agreed on the terms of the sale, CBS News reports, which is on track to close within 18 months....

Passengers Sue Alaska Airlines Over Midair Scare

Filing criticizes screening procedures for crews after off-duty pilot had to be subdued

(Newser) - The off-duty pilot who prosecutors say tried to crash an Alaska Airlines flight faces attempted murder charges , and the airline is now being taken to court, as well. Three people who were passengers on Flight 2059 from Everett, Washington, to San Francisco filed a class-action suit on Thursday saying they...

Suit: United Staffs Dodgers' Charters With Young, White Blondes

2 longtime flight attendants accuse airline of race, age discrimination

(Newser) - Two United Airlines flight attendants are suing their longtime employer, whom they allege discriminates against employees based on race, national origin, religion, and age. The plaintiffs claim they were demoted from the airline's sports team charter program—a highly coveted position in which flight attendants can earn double or...

United Airlines Is Making a Big Boarding Change
United Airlines Is Making
a Big Boarding Change
in case you missed it
Oct 22, 2023 7:45 AM CDT

United Airlines Is Making a Big Boarding Change

Those in window seats will board first, followed by middle, then aisle

(Newser) - In what some might see as an obvious move , United Airlines is making what media outlets are painting as a big change to its boarding process: Passengers with window seats will board first. Well, they'll still board after everyone who is allowed to pre-board, plus all the fancy passengers...

Cost of Flying Drops, for Now
Cost of Flying Drops, for Now
Aug 9, 2023 1:28 PM CDT

Cost of Flying Drops, for Now

Domestic flight capacity is back at pre-pandemic levels

(Newser) - The cost of flying has come down considerably in recent weeks but the bargains aren't going to stick around forever, travel industry experts say. According to flight-booking app Hopper, the average round-trip airfare in the US dipped to $257 in the last week of July—lower than in the...

Administration Wins End to JetBlue-American Alliance
JetBlue Gives Up
on American Alliance
updated
Jul 5, 2023 6:45 PM CDT

JetBlue Gives Up on American Alliance

Former partner is still appealing ruling against the arrangement in Northeast

(Newser) - JetBlue will abandon its partnership in the Northeast with American Airlines, accepting a judge's ruling though its former partner is appealing it. JetBlue said Wednesday it will instead concentrate on acquiring Spirit Airlines, CNBC reports, after a court found that the deal with American hurts competition. American confirmed Wednesday...

Buttigieg Warns 5G Change Could Delay Flights

All airlines won't meet July 1 deadline

(Newser) - Airlines and industry groups have warned the federal government that some carriers are having trouble being ready for a 5G switchover by the July 1 deadline, and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is in turn warning travelers they could run into snags this summer. "There's a real risk of...

White House Is Cracking Down on Airline Cancellations

Airlines would have to reimburse customers for delays that were within their control

(Newser) - The Biden administration is proposing new regulations that would require airlines to compensate passengers and cover their meals and hotels if they are stranded for reasons within the airline's control. As the AP reports, President Biden and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg were unveiling the plan on Monday. It continues...

Last Year, Frontier Was the Most Complained-About US Airline

Overall, complaints were more than 5 times higher than in 2019

(Newser) - Airline passengers complained a lot last year—and they had a lot to complain about, according to a report from the Public Interest Research Group . The group says complaints against US and foreign airlines, travel agents, and tour operators hit 77,656 in 2022, more than five times the number...

5 of 8 Toilets Broke on Long-Haul Flight

Austrian Airlines flight from Vienna to New York had to turn back 2 hours in

(Newser) - If being stuck in a tiny box with 300 strangers at 35,000 feet isn't your cup of tea, being stuck with 300 strangers at 35,000 feet with only three functioning bathrooms is probably less so. As AFP reports, such was the case of an Austrian Airlines flight...

Southwest Resumes Flying After Nationwide Grounding

Tech glitch briefly kept planes from flying, but now many flights are delayed

(Newser) - Southwest has resumed flights after all were briefly grounded Tuesday morning because of a tech glitch. Those flying on the airline can expect delays, however: Roughly 40% were behind schedule as of noon, reports USA Today . The company's explanation for the snafu: "Early this morning, a vendor-supplied firewall...

American, Southwest Post Drastically Different Q4 Stats

American sees a profit of $803M; Southwest takes $220M loss after a chaotic December

(Newser) - American Airlines offered more proof Thursday of the recovery in air travel, posting a better-than-expected profit for the fourth quarter, while Southwest Airlines lost money because of massive flight cancellations last month. Southwest said it also expects another loss in the first quarter, though it added it was encouraged by...

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