The State of Wyoming, in the western USA, finds itself between a rock and hard place. Without perpetual generous subsidies, it cannot sustain commercial air service to smaller airports. But a lack of air access to international hubs hurts...
The Airport Lounge with a Swimming Pool
Airport lounges have become more innovate over the years in response to growing public concern over health. For example, the Finnair lounge in Helsinki has a sauna, the Thai lounge in Bangkok has a world-class spa, and Etihad’s first...
Retro Concept: Boarding Pass No Longer Required at PIT to Clear Security
Starting next week you will not need a boarding pass to access the secure gate areas at Pittsburgh International Airport. I think that is a great thing. When I was young, flying was a big deal in my house....
Airline Call Center Agents Mobilize to Keep Jobs in the USA
I spent 90 minutes on the phone with United’s overseas call center in the Philippines yesterday…to make an award ticket change that should have taken two minutes. It underscores the importance of airline call center agents joining forces in...
Air Berlin Bailed Out by German Government
Air Berlin filed for bankruptcy protection today after Etihad Airways pulled the plug on future funding. The German government quickly stepped in to provide a bridge loan so that Air Berlin can continue operations as it searches for a...
United Returns to Historic Airport it Abandoned Decades Ago
78 years ago United Airlines launched commercial service from Paine Field (PAE) just north of Seattle. After decades without commercial flights, a new terminal is opening and United will resume commercial service to two hubs. Paine Field was a...
The Dao Effect? Airlines are Bumping Fewer Passengers
Airlines are bumping passengers at the lowest rate on record according to a new report by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The agency, which first began tracking involuntary denied boarding rates in 1995, reported that U.S. carriers denied boarding...
FAA Grounds Air India 777 Due to Missing Seat Belt Tags!
An Air India 777 booked to capacity was delayed for more than eight hours in Chicago after a surprise safety inspection by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) discovered something sinister…missing seat belt tags! Apparently the flight was preparing to...
Would You Turn In Your Seatmate to the Cops?
A lady was sitting on a Southwest flight from Seattle to San Jose, CA and started looking over the shoulder of the man in front of her. What she saw on his cell phone dismayed her so much she...
Amazing: Pilot Lands Plane “Blind” After Hail Destroys Windshield and Nose
A pilot is being heralded as a hero after landing a badly-damaged Airbus A320 in Istanbul. Imagine this. A plane takes off in Istanbul just as a hailstorm begins. The aircraft climbs to about 4,000 feet and then is...
Delta, Air France, Iberia, and Avianca Suspend Service to Venezuela
Amid growing civil unrest and social fissures so deep it may take a revolution to restore order, four more airlines are suspending service to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. On Sunday, a sham election will take place in which President Nicolás...
Virgin Atlantic to Join Air France-KLM + Delta Joint Venture
Delta currently has a joint venture with Virgin Atlantic and a separate joint venture with Air France-KLM (and Alitalia). Today, the carriers announced the two JVs would merge into one. China Eastern and Delta also get a seat at...
United Airlines Adds New London Service from Denver
As United faces mounting competition from Frontier and soon Norwegian in Denver, it is embracing the fight rather than abandoning it. Today the carrier announced new seasonal service to London starting next spring. United has tried service between Denver and...
Another Near-Miss: Emirates A380 and Air Seychelles A330
On the heels of a near-miss at San Francisco International Airport by an Air Canada A320 that could have been the “worst disaster in aviation history”, an Emirates A380 came dangerously close to an Air Seychelles A330 just north of Mauritius. The...
Emergency Landing at Denver as United Aircraft Catches Flames
Scary moments today as the left engine of a United Express aircraft caught fire, forcing an emergency landing and hasty evacuation. United 5869, enroute from Aspen to Denver, encountered fire upon descent. The SkyWest-operated Bombardier CRJ-700 was met by fire officials upon...
Disabled Passenger Forced by Japanese Airline to Crawl Onto Plane
Sometimes rules get in the way of common sense. But sometimes rules exist for a valid reason, even if they appear inhumane. This sad story, however, demonstrates that sometimes there is just no right answer. Hideto Kijima is head of the Japan...
New DHS Security Directive on All US-Bound Flights
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has announced an “enhanced security directive” on all commercial flights to the USA. From its Fact Sheet, the following changes will take place, effective immediately (though obviously compliance will take time): Enhancing overall...
ANA Adds Third Daily Flight Between Los Angeles and Tokyo
ANA has announced a third daily service on its Los Angeles – Tokyo route starting on October 29, 2017. Presently, ANA operates one flight per day to Tokyo Haneda and one to Tokyo Narita. The new daily service will...
Dubious: Why Does Congress Want You to Pay More for Airfare?
The U.S. House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee just voted to raise your airfare by making foreign competition more difficult. The provision allows the secretary of transportation to block foreign airlines from serving the U.S. after finding a...
