Most airline reviews posted in the mainstream media are traveler-based specifically focusing on the opinions of the end-user. Earlier this month, Business Travel News published the results from its 14th annual Airline Survey of 716 corporate travel managers and buyers, of which 406 represent or manage the accounts of companies who spend in excess of…
Airlines (General)
Category Archives for Airlines (General).
The future of airline flight paths: V-shaped “flocks” of aircraft in formation
Here’s an incredible video showing how flight paths might be arranged in the future. The Institution of Mechanical Engineers in the UK proposes that aircraft enroute to their destinations fly as if they were a flock of birds in a V-shaped formation to reduce drag and improve lift. The organization states flying in such a…
The painful inconsistency of airline call center agents
I’ve briefly touched on this subject in previous posts, but having just freshly ended another call with the United Airlines “elite” 1K Desk, I feel compelled to make a unique post about the matter. My experiences have ranged from incredible – clone this agent – to – why did I bother calling. The tried &…
United optimistic, pilots union not; American fears recession; mileage runners; ridiculous lawsuit; hotels rejoice; DOT changes and Australia’s woes
In other airline, hotel and travel industry news this week… United Airlines CEO Jeff Smisek claims he doesn’t see any signs of an “imminent recession” when looking at advance bookings. A combination of capacity discipline and fare increases has kept the carrier in the black. Smisek remarked, “We’re not seeing it in our bookings [or]…
Travel tips from an expert murderer: Showtime’s Dexter Morgan
I’m a huge fan of Dexter on Showtime and when I saw an article this week entitled “Travel Tips From Dexter Morgan,†I had to find out how the author linked the gruesomeness of the character with travel tips. If you watch the show you know Dexter follows a code to avoid having his “dark…
Booking airline tickets online: Easy or irritatingly difficult?
As a blogger I bookmark and follow a huge amount of travel-related websites that feature news and reviews in the airline and travel industry. One of them is Tnooz.com whose tagline is “Talking Travel Tech.” It really is a fantastic site and they frequently cover global distribution system (GDS) issues and stories for which I…
Trusted travelers, antiquated ATC, rising airfares, American’s troubles, ads everywhere, Qantas’ woes and Expedia gets fined
In other airline, hotel and travel industry news this week… The Transportation Security Administration has officially started a “trusted traveler” program this week. According to the TSA, “This pilot program will help assess measures designed to enhance security by placing more focus on pre-screening individuals who volunteer information about themselves prior to flying in order…
Bereavement airfares still exist, but policies vary widely by airline
When a family member or loved one is seriously ill, possibly near death or has already passed, airlines used to have very generous bereavement airfares back in the 1980s and 1990s. They have generally disappeared and I believe when I worked for United Airlines in the 1990s such airfares no longer existed. During a recent…
How mobile technology is advancing our air travel experience
I listened in to another Air Transport World webinar last week discussing how mobile technology will transform the future of air travel, and I offer up some of my notes below. The full presentation, including audio and slides, can be found here. The advent of smartphones has created a world where we can literally search,…
The reality of flying today and what pundits expect of the DOT and airlines
The Department of Transportation has been taking a much more active interest in how airlines sell tickets and deal with passengers during delays and cancellations. The next round of passenger protections goes live January 24, 2012 and will require airlines to advertise all-in prices inclusive of taxes and fees, allow 24-hour holds or refunds and…