President Joe Biden plans to announce new rules on Monday that would require airlines and online travel agencies to disclose fees for seat selection, checked baggage and other add-ons along with fares, the administration’s latest effort to bolster passenger protections after a rocky summer travel season. Airlines charge travelers for …
Read More »Idle barges in drought-starved Mississippi River disrupt travel for cruise ships and recreational boaters
The unusually low water level in the lower Mississippi River is causing barges to get stuck in mud and sand, disrupting river travel for shippers, recreational boaters and even passengers on a cruise line. Lack of rainfall in recent weeks has left the Mississippi River approaching record low levels in some areas …
Read More »Some U.S. travel websites knocked offline after Russian hacker group calls for attack
At least 13 U.S. air travel websites, including those for Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport — two of the busiest airports in the country — were inaccessible Monday morning after a Russian hacktivist group named them as targets for cyberattacks. There is no indication that any …
Read More »Spirit shareholders approve takeover by JetBlue after a long battle for discount airline
Spirit Airlines shareholders have approved a takeover by JetBlue Airways after a six-month battle to create the country’s fifth-largest carrier, a deal that now faces a high hurdle with federal regulators. Spirit announced the results of the vote after a special shareholder meeting on Wednesday. In April, JetBlue made a $3.8 billion all-cash offer for Spirit, derailing Spirit’s …
Read More »As holiday travel season nears, Delta pilots threaten to strike
One day after Delta Air Lines pilots authorized a potential strike, United Airlines pilots rejected a tentative contract agreement, setting the stage for possible work stoppages as the busy holiday travel season approaches. Delta pilots voted Monday for a strike if necessary in order to secure a new contract with …
Read More »Delta flight makes emergency landing over engine issues after smoke fills cabin
A Delta Air Lines flight from Atlanta to Los Angeles was forced to make an emergency landing in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Tuesday after the plane’s cabin appeared to fill with smoke, the airline said. Smoke fills the cabin of Delta Flight 2846 from Atlanta to Los Angeles on Tuesday.Mason …
Read More »Flights into Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport disrupted by fuel pump fire
A fuel pump caught fire at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport on Friday, forcing a ground stop and hundreds of flight delays at one of the nation’s busiest hubs, officials said. By 4 p.m. CST, there had been at least 755 delays of flights into or out of DFW, which accounted …
Read More »Airline passengers to receive more than $600 million in refunds
The U.S. Department of Transportation has ordered six airlines to pay a total of more than $600 million in refunds to customers who had their travel plans canceled or delayed during what has been a challenging year for carriers in the U.S. and abroad. Frontier Airlines leads the list of …
Read More »Thanksgiving travelers are changing up their strategies this year
More people are expected on airplanes and highways over Thanksgiving than last year, but changing habits around work and play might spread out the crowds and reduce the usual amount of holiday travel stress. Travel experts say the pandemic and the ability of many people to work remotely has blurred …
Read More »X-ray shows live cat trapped in checked luggage at JFK airport
A TSA agent in New York City spotted a live feline trapped inside checked luggage at John F. Kennedy International Airport — but safely got the cat out of the bag, authorities said Tuesday. The orange tabby’s brush with potential tragedy happened on Nov. 16 when the bag was checked …
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