Many passenger blunders on Delta Flight 4819 last week were made evacuating from the plane after it crashed in Toronto. It could have cost them their lives. Last Monday, February 17, Delta flight 4819 left Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport uneventfully. The...
These places are where what TSA confiscates and you lose on flights ends up. I have often wondered what happens to lost and confiscated belongings left by passengers on planes and checkpoint lines. The TSA confiscates thousands of small pen knives, AirPods, iPads,...
What happens when travelers don’t follow the middle-name rule with international reservations? When making reservations for a trip to Europe, I had an opportunity to purchase a flash sale airfare for myself and a friend. The normal price of $1,000 was reduced to...
Passing a bill through Congress is not enough — passengers need delayed checked-bag-fee refund rules from DOT, too. Most Americans don’t realize that getting a bill passed through Congress (already a major accomplishment) is not enough. The executive department...
Travel today means crowds of first-time travelers, the older and slower passengers, and the inexperienced — just like the old holiday travel days. Over the years I’ve written more than one post about the difficulties of holiday air travel — the crowds, airport...
Deplaning etiquette: Some passengers need to be the first to exit the plane. If possible, they’ll push and shove their way to the front to exit. There’s never an excuse for violence anywhere. I call them Aisle lice. In December, we flew from the east coast...
The best domestic airline is Delta Air Lines and oh-so-close is Southwest Airlines. The Wall Street Journal rated all the domestic airlines in the US about a month ago. They rated all domestic airlines from first to worst based on their performance in the twelve...
Not enough airlines are competing. Airline competition is going to be a big issue this coming year. It is already, but the big airlines are making moves that beg for pushback from those who want to keep them in check and keep a competitive marketplace operating. Here...
Airline sexual assaults have increased by 66 percent! The FBI documents sexual assaults on planes while toddlers are seated apart from family. Meanwhile, the FBI has announced that sexual assaults are increasing yearly, and on airplanes at an alarming rate — from...
Online booking mistakes can happen easily and are hard to undo Thanks to technology, travel can be booked with a few quick swipes and clicks. For most people, it means the process is much faster. It also means more online booking mistakes. Any reader of this site will...
These accomplishments have been achieved by working closely with our members, national media, the travel industry, the Department of Transportation (DOT), Congress and many other agencies.
– Removal of restaurant fees from DC area eateries — this is an ongoing project
– Creation of DOT Dashboard to outline consumer rights after cancellation of a flight
– Bi-partisan bill to eliminate hotel resort fees introduced into House of Representatives
– Creation of the Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protections
– Advertised airfares now include airfare plus, mandatory taxes and fees
– Lost/damaged/delayed luggage compensation limit increased to $3,800
– Passengers have 24 hours to change or cancel their nonrefundable tickets without penalty
– Once an airfare is purchased, that airfare and ancillary fees cannot be increased
– Families flying together act passed by Congress that requires family members 13 years of age and younger to sit with other family members at no additional cost.
