Is it ever ethical to walk away with amenities from business and first class that airlines do not intend for you to take? The Wall Street Journal covers this topic in-depth. It’s a great read. The last paragraphs of...
$500 Fine Dropped Against Delta Passenger Who Carried Apple Into USA
A $500 fine has been dropped against a traveler who attempted to bring in an apple to the USA she was given as part of a Delta pre-arrival snack. As I wrote about in April, Crystal Tadlock was on a Delta...
Why Airlines DON’T Want Doctors Onboard
When a medical emergency occurs onboard a flight, what do airlines do if there is no doctor onboard? As it turns out, often the same thing they do when there is a doctor onboard: consult with professionals on the...
China Threatens U.S. Airlines
As Marriott can already attest, tensions over China’s sovereignty can hurt business. Now U.S. airlines are under threat. In one corner: China, stating that any business operating within its borders must respect its sovereignty. In the the other corner:...
Jail Time for Publishing a Mistake Fare?
A German court has ruled that websites can be fined and owners jailed for publishing so-called “mistake” fares. The ruling comes out of Bavaria, a more conservative and business-friendly region of the German Republic. Lufthansa sued a travel website...
Passenger Who Survived Fatal Flight is Now Suing Southwest
One passenger onboard Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 has wasted no time in suing the airline. Lilia Chavez was was sitting three rows behind the smashed window. Per NPR: The lawsuit alleges that the traumatic events of Flight 1380 left...
A Novel Way to Collect Compensation from Airlines
Here’s a novel way to collect compensation from an airline. One thing I’ve learned about the law is this: enforcement is often no easy feat. Think about it. EU law, for example, states that passengers are due compensation for...
Airline Defends Strip Searches of its Flight Attendants
Indian carrier SpiceJet is facing harsh criticism for the way it strip-searched flight attendants suspected of stealing cash from onboard. SpiceJet collects cash for buy-on-board sales and suspected that FAs were pilfering this money. But it did more than...
British Airways Tells Passenger to File Police Report, Not Baggage Claim
A disturbing new trend at British Airways: refer passengers to the police when their checked baggage is lost. This is not the way it is supposed to work… Let’s start with this in big bold type: If an airline...
United Loses $1.5MN in Lawsuit Over FAs Who Watched iPads During Flight
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....
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....
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...
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...
Fascinating: Foul Play and Intrigue Onboard ANA Flight to Nowhere
Turns out there may have been a very good reason to turn an ANA flight around over four hours into its journey…a genuine stowaway onboard. > Read More: Supermodel’s Account of the 8hr ANA Flight from LAX to LAX I...
