Archive for Category: "Airlines & Airports"
Travel Detective Blog: What the Foiled Underwear Bomb Plot Means for Our Security
With the most recent bomb plot splashed across the headlines, it’s important to look beyond the facts and see what we can take away from this episode. Are we safer now than we were in 2009? Is airport security sufficient? Peter turns to his Travel Detective blog to parse the lessons of this incident. It [...]
Spirit Air’s PR Scandal and the Solution to Nonrefundable Tickets
Earlier this month, Spirit Airlines initially refused to refund a $197 ticket to a dying veteran. After an explosive backlash, chairman Ben Baldanza issued a statement apologizing for his insensitivity and announcing that he would personally refund the money to the veteran and the airline would make a $5,000 donation to Wounded Warrior Project. Peter [...]
Icarus Award: In the Spirit of Failing
For the past few weeks trouble has been at the airport, but now it’s back up in the sky. Have airlines lost the spirit of customer service? From cartoon-theme planes, to megalomaniac ice cubes, Lily J. Kosner looks at the week in airline failures. And remember to vote for the worst offender in our poll. [...]
Travel Detective Blog: Why I Don’t Follow Hotel & Airline Ratings
Every week it seems that a hotel or airline is bragging about a different ranking and reward. Are these listing any more than PR fluff or should they be considered when planning a vacation? The Travel Detective doesn’t follow these rankings, instead he has some new criteria for you to use. Every time an airline [...]
How to Beat the Summer Airfare Hike: A CBS This Morning Report
Airfares rose three times this year and as we head into the summer travel season, experts are anticipating another 3 percent jump. There are two main forces driving the fare hike besides the seasonal increase in fuel: With fewer planes and fewer routes, decreased capacity is a key factor, which will only be exacerbated if [...]
Icarus Award: You Don’t Have Ebola & Other Fake Threats
Last week, the Icarus Award was stalled at security and this week we’re not going much farther. Trouble remains at the airport and on the airplane. There are three high-profile issues of TSA misconduct, as well as some suspicious airport behavior. Lily J. Kosner rounds up the week in travel failures. And remember to vote [...]
The Travel Detective Reviews the Boeing 787 Dreamliner
After a decade of delays, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, once jokingly referred to as the 7-late-7, is in flight. Peter went on board one of the first trips with ANA Airways going from Tokyo to Frankfurt to report back on the plane’s new amenities and overall flying experience. Watch as Peter breaks out his favorite [...]
What a US Airways & American Airlines Merger Would Mean
On Friday, it was announced that US Airways made deals with three American Airlines unions. Today, American Airlines started bankruptcy proceedings where they are looking to trim union expenses by $1.25 billion. The Travel Detective takes to his blog to offer a little history on US Airways and American Airlines as well as his thoughts [...]
COMMENTS