How did firing two FAs for “not doing their jobs” become a civil rights lawsuit in which United Airlines stands to lose $1.5MN? Ruben Lee and Jeanne Stroup had been United flight attendants for over 35 years. But in...
Senators Propose New Bill to Regulate Onboard Pet Storage
As I mentioned on Wednesday, there is technically no rule or law prohibiting the placement of pets in overhead bins. That may be a spirit/letter of the law issue, but at least two U.S. Senators want to fix that....
What Does the United Flight Attendant Manual Say About Dogs?
In light of the horrific dog death aboard a United Airlines flight earlier this week, I reached out to a United FA to see what the rulebook actually says about stowage of pets in-flight. She provided me sections of...
Brilliant: Why A Man Sued Southwest for One Penny Less
Southwest Airlines flew a 737 to the wrong airport in Branson, Missouri. One man sued for damages, but for the seemingly odd amount of $74,999.99 instead of an even $75,000. But his reasoning is sound and his strategy brilliant....
American Airlines’ Pilot Attacks Ground Agent, But Did She Attack First?
A veteran American Airlines’ pilot is in deep trouble, now facing prison time in Brazil for assaulting a gate agent during a petty disagreement. But was it just self-defense? The name of the captain has not been released, but...
Should Airlines Offer Bus Service During Bad Weather?
A tragic story of two Chinese tourists critically injured enroute from Baltimore to New York on a bus chartered by American Airlines is a perfect example of why airlines should not offer bus service. The Washington Post nicely tells...
Analysis: Delta’s Tax Break (Subsidies) Threatened by NRA Stance
See what happens when you wade into politics… Yesterday, I wrote about the backlash Delta was facing over its convoluted stance on the National Rifle Association. In response to the recent Florida school shooting, Delta removed its group discount...
Sisters Sue Airline for “Guilt by Association” Fart Removal
Two sisters are suing a Dutch budget airline after their removal from a recent flight. That flight diverted after a passenger proved unable or unwilling to control his flatulence. The sisters claim they never farted and did not know the...
Prosecutors Allege Alaska Airlines Pilot Flew Drunk for 20 Years
A former Alaska Airlines pilot will plead guilty and serve one year in prison for flying a plane while under the influence of alcohol. But prosecutors paint a grim picture of what could have happened. David Hans Arntson, 62, flew...
Did Spirit Airlines Really Advise a Woman to Flush Her Emotional Support Hamster Down Toilet?
Now that emotional support animals are at the center of a public discussion balancing the comfort of passengers with the safety of others, more stories are emerging. But does the latest hamster story pass the smell test? Belen Aldecosea,...
Six Consumer Protections Airlines Hope to Eliminate
Per the Wall Street Journal, the U.S. Department of Transportation has asked airline for “suggestions” as it reviews passenger protections in light of President Donald Trump’s mandate to cut “red tape”. Not surprisingly, airlines are foaming at the mouth...
Update: SWISS Sends Second, Nasty Letter Blaming Bloggers
My ongoing battle over cancelled first class tickets on SWISS is a two-front war: one with with SWISS and the U.S. Department of Transportation, the second with Aeroplan. In the case of SWISS, recall that I filed a DOT...
University Professor Arrested for Calling German “Nazi” at Frankfurt Airport
A Georgetown University professor was arrested for calling a German Federal Police Officer “Nazi” (among other choice words) at Frankfurt International Airport. Word of warning: that’s a bad idea anywhere, but especially in Germany. I lived in Germany for...
Flight Attendants Ordered to Pay Model $100K for Spilling Soup on Her
Nearly four years later, a fashion model has prevailed in her battle for restitution from Asiana Airlines and the FAs who scalded her with soup. It was March 17, 2014 and the model, who is only known as Chang, was...
Bravo! Delta Restricts Emotional Support Animals
I’ve written before about emotional support animals…and how some airline passengers routinely abuse federal law to avoid pet fees. Now Delta Air Lines is saying enough is enough. Complaints over animal defecation, urination, and biting have risen 84% over...
Air France Writes Me, Issues Refund
Last week I noted that it had been more than 18 days since Air France cancelled my first class ticket and 1.) I still had not been notified and 2.) my money was still being held. Well, Air France...
Cathay Dragon Pilot Scams $29K in Flights from Air Canada
A Cathay Dragon pilot has been ordered to repay over $29,000 and perform 20 hours of community service in punishment for scamming free flights from Air Canada. Marc Anthony Tacchi is Canadian but lives in Hong Kong and flies...
Chinese Cyber Police Block Marriott’s Website for Disrespecting China
Cyber Police from the city of Shanghai have blocked Marriott’s website and mobile app for one week, punishing the hotel chain for “disrespecting” Chinese Sovereignty. Marriott sent out a Mandarin-language survey to Chinese consumers which listed Hong Kong, Macau, Tibet,...
Passengers Threatened with Arrest for Taking Cell Phone Videos
Let’s start with the bottom line: when airline personnel threaten you with arrest for taking pictures or video, ignore them. It won’t happen. It has been a cold week in the Northeast and that has led to many weather-related...
Air France Holding My Money, Hasn’t Reached Out…22 Days Later
It has been 22 days since I booked a suspiciously cheap Air France first class fare. While Air France cancelled the ticket four days after booking, it still has not refunded my money or even reached out to me...
