Do Frequent Flyer Programs Feel Like A Scam? The Feds Are Investigating Because They Just Might Be

Do Frequent Flyer Programs Feel Like A Scam? The Feds Are Investigating Because They Just Might Be

Photo: Kevin Carter (Getty Images) Frequent flyer miles are meant to serve as a reward for loyalty toward a specific airline but have evolved into a quasi-currency unilaterally regulated by the whims of airline executives. The U.S. Department of Transportation launched an inquiry into the miles programs of the country’s four major carriers: American Airlines, … Read more

Here’s Why Budget Airlines Don’t Feel So Budget Anymore

Here’s Why Budget Airlines Don’t Feel So Budget Anymore

The U.S. doesn’t have the kinds of true budget airlines seen in Europe, but for years, flights on Spirit, Frontier, Southwest and other low-cost airlines have been a godsend for people who need to fly on a budget. More recently, though, tickets from those budget carriers have been getting more expensive, and previously profitable airlines … Read more

Southwest Airlines Drops Open Seating

Southwest Airlines Drops Open Seating

Southwest Airlines is about to start assigning seats on flights and sell some with extra legroom. The changes are being made in an effort to appeal to more passengers who skip it for other airlines like Delta, United and American. Additionally, the plan will serve as a way to fend off an activist investor who … Read more

Southwest Flight Comes Within 150 Feet Of Crashing Into The Ocean

Southwest Flight Comes Within 150 Feet Of Crashing Into The Ocean

Image: Kevin Carter (Getty Images) Another Southwest flight flew dangerously close to the ocean this month and now the Federal Aviation Administration wants to know what the heck is going on at the airline. ‘Twister’ Remains The Greatest Car Commercial Of All Time The Florida flight is one of three similar incidents that have happened … Read more

Delta Is Still Canceling Hundreds Of Flights And The Feds Want To Know Why

Delta Is Still Canceling Hundreds Of Flights And The Feds Want To Know Why

Delta Air Lines is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection on the heels of it canceling hundreds of flights for a fifth straight day after a software update bug from CrowdStrike crashed Microsoft systems around the globe. Airlines Have to Pay Up for Poor Service Transportation Secretary Mayor … Read more

Watch Air Traffic Disintegrate In Real Time From The CrowdStrike Outage

Watch Air Traffic Disintegrate In Real Time From The CrowdStrike Outage

Air travel in the U.S. is a busy business, one that sees 45,000 flights serving 2.9 million each day, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Our frenzied skies got a little calmer early Friday morning however, as the CrowdStrike software outage impacted United, Delta and American Airlines—the three largest airlines in the U.S. Airlines Have … Read more

JetBlue adds back perk for basic economy passengers: ‘It’s about time’

JetBlue adds back perk for basic economy passengers: ‘It’s about time’

(NEXSTAR) — JetBlue will soon allow the airline’s basic economy passengers to bring a single carry-on bag in addition to a smaller personal item, free of charge. The policy change, which takes effect Sept. 6, is intended to keep JetBlue “competitive” in the airline industry, the carrier announced in a news release Tuesday. “Carry-on bags … Read more

American Airlines Blamed 9-Year-Old For Being Recorded In Airplane Bathroom

American Airlines Blamed 9-Year-Old For Being Recorded In Airplane Bathroom

Photo: Angus Mordant/Bloomberg American Airlines is under fire for blaming a 9-year-old girl for using the airplane bathroom when she was allegedly recorded by a former flight attendant in January 2023. The airline initially argued in court on Monday that “she knew or should have known [the lavatory] contained a visible and illuminated recording device,” … Read more

Airlines Now Have To Pay You For Their Screwups

Airlines Now Have To Pay You For Their Screwups

Photo: Rebecca Noble (Getty Images) The Department of Transportation announced a final rule mandating that airlines automatically give cash refunds to passengers and inform passengers of their right to a refund on Wednesday. The policy change highlights the Biden Administration’s continued hardline support of consumer rights in the skies. The USDOT forced airlines to pay … Read more

Broken Bridges, The Enduring Legacy Of The School Bus And A Solar Eclipse In This Week’s Beyond Cars Roundup

Broken Bridges, The Enduring Legacy Of The School Bus And A Solar Eclipse In This Week’s Beyond Cars Roundup

School District of Philadelphia buses parked in a lot while public schools remain temporarily closed for in-person learning in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., on Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022.Photo: Hannah Beier/Bloomberg (Getty Images) While car design has changed radically over the decades, school buses look almost the same as they did nearly 100 years ago. Sure, they … Read more