President Trump’s new Qatari 747-8 has entered service as Air Force One, but a sudden switch back to the older presidential 747 after the NATO summit in Turkey has raised fresh questions about safety, transparency, and now press freedom....
Delta Air Lines Will Launch New Los Angeles–Manila Flights
UPDATE: Delta is moving forward with its new Los Angeles – Manila route and plans to formally announce it next week. The route will operate daily with an Airbus A350-900 and begin in summer 2027. Meanwhile, Philippine Airlines will...
Airfare Prices Could Get More Confusing If DOT Weakens All-In Pricing Rule
Airfare pricing may soon become a bit less transparent if the Department of Transportation moves forward with a proposal to weaken the way airlines must display the full price of a ticket. Airfare Pricing May Get More Confusing If...
Democratic Nominee Wants To Abolish TSA PreCheck And Nationalize Airlines
A Democratic congressional nominee in New York says her “hot take” is to abolish TSA PreCheck and ultimately nationalize the airline industry. What an efficient politicians: two bad ideas in one soundbite… Democratic Socialist Congressional Nominee Wants To Abolish...
Trump’s “Welcome, But Be Good” Passport Is A Sad 250th Birthday Gift To America
President Trump says America’s new limited-edition 250th anniversary passport says, “Welcome, but be good!” I assume he does not literally mean that phrase will appear in the passport, but the fact that we even have to ask says plenty....
Europe’s New “Free” Hand Baggage Rules Could Make Cheap Flights More Expensive
European lawmakers may think they are helping passengers by requiring airfares displayed by default to include a full-size carry-on bag, but this strikes me as a consumer protection that risks making travel needlessly more expensive for many travelers. Europe...
U.S. Eases Conviasa Sanctions, Opening Door For Venezuela’s State Airline To Return
The U.S. Treasury Department has issued a new general license involving Conviasa, Venezuela’s state-owned airline, creating a path for U.S. persons to provide aircraft maintenance and airworthiness-related support to the sanctioned carrier. Does that mean Conviasa is suddenly returning...
Woman Arrested At Marrakech Airport After Posting Negative TikTok About Morocco
A French-Algerian content creator was arrested at Marrakech Menara Airport after posting a critical video about Morocco, including allegations about unsafe roads and police conduct. The arrest is certainly attention-grabbing, but I am not ready to jump to conclusions...
Official: European Union Moves To Strengthen EU261 Flight Compensation, Not Gut It
An agreement to update EU261/2004 has been reached and much to my delight (and contrary to months of rumors), Europe is not gutting passenger compensation. Quite the opposite: the core compensation scheme is set to remain largely intact, while...
British Airways Denies Disabled Model Boarding Over Bathroom Assistance Concerns
A disabled model says British Airways refused to let her fly from New York to London because cabin crew could not help her use the bathroom or evacuate her in an emergency. This is a difficult story where dignity,...
Travel Vlogger’s Meta AI Glasses Spark Airport Showdown Over Privacy In “Third World” Spain
A travel vlogger claims Volotea staff abandoned their desk after she refused to stop recording them with Meta AI glasses, but the bigger lesson here is a reminder that privacy laws in Europe are very different than in the...
Delta Flight Diverts After Passenger Slaps Flight Attendant’s Butt Over Missed Drink
A Delta Air Lines flight from Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles diverted to Atlanta after a passenger allegedly slapped a flight attendant on the buttocks because she skipped him during beverage service. He now faces a federal charge. Butt...
United Airlines Values My Time At Less Than Minimum Wage (Delay Compensation)
United values my time at…$15.91/hour or if you calculate the final routing I took home after a flight cancellation in San Francisco, $10.29. This is why people harp on a passenger compensation scheme in the USA similar to EU261/2004....
DHS Threatens To Shut Down Customs At Newark, Putting United Airlines’ Global Hub At Risk
DHS is reportedly warning United Airlines to prepare for the potential shutdown of Customs processing at Newark Liberty International Airport, a move that would create aviation chaos in order to score political points. This is another foolish idea from...
United Airlines Pilots Fired After “VIP” Passenger Enters Cockpit During Flight, But The Problem Goes Deeper
A United Airlines charter flight incident involving a Colorado Rockies coach in the flight deck raises two uncomfortable truths: the cockpit door rule on Part 121 flights is clear….but United’s sports charter culture may not have been. United Charter...
Trump’s Sanctuary City Airport Threat Would Devastate International Travel
The Trump administration is reportedly considering reducing Customs and Border Protection staffing at airports serving so-called sanctuary jurisdictions, a move that could cripple international flights at some of the busiest airports in the United States. Trump Administration Threat To...
Wet Airstairs, Two Hospitals, And A Flight Diversion: Elderly Passenger’s Lufthansa Lawsuit
An elderly passenger is suing Lufthansa after she says a flight attendant rushed her down wet airstairs in Frankfurt, causing her to fall, suffer serious injuries, and spend weeks hospitalized in Germany and Ireland. Elderly Passenger Says Flight Attendant...
“He Bit The Flight Attendant!” Qantas 787 Diverts To Tahiti After Passenger Meltdown
A Qantas Boeing 787-9 flying from Melbourne to Dallas diverted to Tahiti after a belligerent passenger allegedly bit a flight attendant, threatened crew, and became so disruptive that continuing the ultra-longhaul flight was no longer a reasonable option. Qantas...
Pete Buttigieg Is Right: Sean Duffy’s Road Trip Is Tone-Deaf, And Its Sponsors Are Conflicted
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s family road trip is not offensive because road trips are bad. Quite the opposite. The problem is that a Cabinet secretary is promoting a travel project funded by companies his own department regulates and during...
Trump Administration Backs Off $15,000 Visa Bond For Some Foreign Visitors
The Trump administration is waiving visa bonds of up to $15,000 for certain World Cup ticket holders, a sensible carveout that underscores a much broader travel problem: the United States cannot host the world while making it needlessly expensive...
