Less airline seat pitch means more passengers on planes, slower emergency evacuations, and more medical inflight issues. Airlines started their “Basic Coach” or “Basic Economy” configurations, with fewer amenities and less legroom. Now they...
These 15 rules of what not to do with checked luggage can prevent checked luggage problems if you follow them. I had dinner with a friend recently who told me that on a recent trip to Des Moines, when he checked his bag, he grabbed his receipt and stuffed it into his...
The FAA must overhaul its aircraft flight data collection to preserve flight data. Make it available even if the black boxes are damaged, unrecoverable, or erased. The NTSB can still fully investigate incidents and accidents. In recent months, we’ve read about...
Would you break a rule for a cheaper airline ticket? Susan Stevens did when she booked a hacker fare from Vienna to Frankfurt. A round-trip ticket costs hundreds of dollars less than a one-way ticket. So she bought a round-trip fare.“After I landed, I threw the return...
Foreign carriers are insulting consumers worse than US carriers. For all that Americans in the travel industry and frequent travelers regularly complain about US carriers, the fact remains that sometimes foreign carriers are insulting consumers with everything from...
After a series of mishaps, United Airlines CEO Kirby claims, “planes are safe.” United Airlines planes are safe, according to Scott Kirby, the Chief Executive Officer of the airline. He told customers, pilots, and investors after a series of safety...
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.
