Europe has been a model citizen for protecting consumer rights when it comes to air travel. The US led the world in protecting customers just a couple of years ago but has since gone away from recent reforms. With...
Beware of the Basic Economy “Gate Service Fee”
Delta Basic Economy fares permit a larger carry-on bag, so the focus of this story is on American Airlines and United. If you think you can slip by undetected with you rollerboard, be prepared to pay up and lose...
The Transatlantic Low-Cost Carrier Invasion
Sir Freddie Laker tried, but failed. Now a new crop of low-cost startups is trying to make a permanent mark on transatlantic air travel. Look for the invasion to continue. A day does not go by without at least a handful of headlines...
Why Are We Seeing So Many Cheap Business Class Tickets?
We’ve seen a steady stream of cheap business class fares of late, and it is not unreasonable to question why this fundamental change is occurring. The bean counters have figured something out – leisure and business travelers at the...
U.S. House Shamefully Passes Transparent Airfares Act of 2014
In a bipartisan vote yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Transparent Airfares Act of 2014 which would roll back 2012 legislation requiring that the full fare be displayed at all steps of the airline ticket booking processing. We’ve...
New Numbers Show the Route Network is Not Saving United Airlines
United Airlines has released its 2014 Quarter One investor guidance and the figures are ugly. United blames the weather, the late Easter holiday, and the reduction of its regional jet fleet, but the signs point to a more ominous...
Why I Am Keeping my American Express Platinum Card
When I took advantage of a 100,000 point sign-up offer to obtain an American Express Platinum Card last year, I planned to collect the sign-up bonus, use it for a year, take advantage of the $200 in airline credit...
Massive Fare Mistake Leads to $0 Domestic Tickets on United Airlines
Someone must be sweating tonight, as United Airlines has confirmed (though it was quite obvious) that human error led to a widespread “fare sale” today in which domestic trips ranging from shorthaul flights from Minneapolis to Houston to longhauls...
The Afghanistan Dilemma
It was a brisk winter day, but heat from a black wood-burning stove warmed the room. Sunlight streamed in from outside and the sound of the rushing Panjshir River outside was audible over the din of voices inside. Faded...
United Airlines Undermines Star Alliance
United Airlines’ decision to count spending on partner flights only on tickets issued by United for purposes of earning elite status marks a fundamental blow to the concept of airline alliances, undermining its Star Alliance partners and begging the question, will...
Minimum Spend Requirements for Elite Status Coming to United in 2014
United Airlines has announced minimum spend requirements in order to achieve elite status starting in the 2014 program year. Similar to Delta, there will be a waiver from this requirement for those who place at least $25,000 on a MileagePlus...
Captain Weighs In on My Removal from United Airlines Flight for Taking Seat Photo
James Fallows offers a piece in The Atlantic today following up on the family who was removed from a United flight for complaining about the in-flight movie and also following up on my own expulsion from United flight a...
The 2013 Freddie Awards: Winners and Reflections
Some look forward to the Oscars. Others the Emmies. But I look forward to the Freddies. Named for the late Sir Freddie Laker, the pioneer of low-cost air travel across the Atlantic in the 1970s, the 25th annual Freddie Awards ceremony...
Five Steps to Fix the TSA
You haven’t heard me talk much about the TSA lately and the nationwide fervor over the agency has seemingly died down. One reason is Pre✓, a “trusted traveler” program that allows passengers who submit to background checks to bypass...
Sequester: Travel Disruptions and the Politics of Fear and Intimidation
As the threat of sequester looms large, I must underscore the absurdity of the FAA’s contention that it has no choice but to inconvenience the traveling public if Congress cannot reach an eleventh hour settlement today. Gary argued this...
The Lawyer Behind the AA-US Merger
Never underestimate the capacity of one man to make a difference. The pages of history make that clear and as the dust settles around the almost certain merger of American Airlines and US Airways next week, we are now...
Why United Airlines Will Have Trouble Winning Back Business Travelers
United Airlines announced a new push today to win back business travelers who have been leaving the carrier in droves for the competition. United will have to do more than plead to get these corporate accounts back– Is it...
United Waited Too Long to Cancel the 4-Mile Hong Kong Award Tickets
A few days ago, I wrote about the uneasy tension I was experiencing over United Airlines’ 4-mile round-trip deal to China. After taking advantage of nearly every major “mistake” fare over the last several years, I suddenly found myself...
United Airlines’ 4-Mile First Class Fares: The Spirit Versus the Letter of the Law
A flurry of commentary has poured forth today over the 4-mile United Airlines First Class award redemptions to China available briefly yesterday on united.com. As a frequent traveler who has cashed in on many “mistake” fares in the past...
