US Airways this morning officially withdrew its offer for Delta Air Lines after a last-ditch effort to persuade its creditors to say “yes” by sweetening its offer by an extra billion. The pundits had long predicted this merger would go down in flames, but there is no doubt that US Airways will remain on the prowl for its next vict … er, I mean, acquisition target.
From the monthly archives:
January 2007
ELLIOTT’S E-MAIL
Travel tips, news and information
January 31, 2007
Do air travelers need a bill of rights? Duh! But this week, it looks as if passengers have their best shot at getting one in years — maybe even since airline deregulation. So what should you do about it? Let your representatives know how you feel about the [...]
Even though an airline passenger bill of rights is an idea whose time has finally come, the legislation that’s about to be introduced by Rep. Mike Thompson and backed by the Coalition for Airline Passenger’s Bill of Rights, faces some formidable obstacles.
The advertised price of a one-way airline ticket from Boston to Moscow is $644 on OneTravel.com. But after one passenger buys the ticket, the fare jumps to $2,000. And when the passenger refuses to pay the difference, the online agency balks at his request for a refund. What should he do?
Nothing gives your principles a workout like a business trip. Taking a stand for your beliefs isn’t easy when you’re outside of your comfort zone, but the rewards can be significant.
I just got off the phone with Kate Hanni of the Coalition for Airline Passenger’s Bill of Rights, and she told me that a press conference is planned for Wednesday with Rep. Mike Thompson in Washington at which a passenger’s bill of rights will be introduced.
Ever since the Carter administration deregulated the U.S. airline industry, there’s been a push to reregulate the nation’s carriers. All have failed — until now.
Kate Hanni was just another Jane Q. Public when she boarded American Airlines Flight 1348 on New Year’s weekend. But after enduring what’s been called the “flight from hell” with her husband and two children – a 57-hour odyssey that included nearly nine grueling hours on the tarmac in Austin, Texas — Ms. Hanni has become the poster girl for the passenger rights movement. Christopher Elliott recently spoke with her to find out how an unassuming real estate broker from Napa, Calif., became the nation’s best hope for passing meaningful passenger-rights legislation.
I’ve been on the receiving end of several emails from American Airlines frequent fliers who are steamed that effective March 1, a nonrefundable “co-payment” of $150 will be required to claim upgrade awards used with some economy-class fares when traveling between North America and Hawaii.
There’s more fallout from the AirtTran-kicks-family-off-plane incident, which has galvanized the traveling public like nothing since the TSA’s silly liquid-and-gel ban. To recap: AirTran recently removed a Massachusetts couple from a flight after their crying three-year-old daughter refused to take her seat before takeoff.
ELLIOTT’S E-MAIL
Travel tips, news and information
January 24, 2007
Big news! No, I’m not forming a presidential exploratory committee — although some of you though a “let’s-clean-up-the-travel-industry” platform might take me all the way to the White House in ‘08, after I hinted last week that a major announcement was imminent. I’m hosting a new TV show! [...]
Two years ago, Orville Duggan and his wife volunteered to give up their seats on an overbooked United Airlines flight. But after they redeem their vouchers, Hurricane Katrina strikes, forcing them to cancel their vacation. Should the airline cut them a little slack when it comes to rebooking their flights?
In a few weeks, you’ll probably start seeing promos for a new show on the Fine Living Network — a spinoff of the popular What You Get For The Money series about travel. And you’ll probably say to yourself, “Hey, that host looks familiar.” He should. That’s me.
A lot has been written by travel bloggers and journalists about how to complain about trip that’s gone wrong and to get the airline, car rental agency, cruise line, or hotel to fork over some compensation. Less has been written about how to not complain. But in the last few weeks, I’ve received more than few emails from readers that are textbook examples of what not to say, that I just can’t resist.
On a train from Dublin to Shannon recently, I struck up a conversation with an elderly man sitting across from me.
“What do you do?” he asked, recognizing my American accent.
“I’m a chef.”
“What kind of food.”
“Mexican,” I replied.
“Mexican?”
He chewed on that for a few seconds. A Yankee making Mexican food? How could I pretend to know [...]
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