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In this issue …
• Unbelievable! American Airlines charges $15 for first checked bag
• 4 tips for avoid new airline luggage fees
• The biggest losers: airlines, hotels — and you
• More American fees
• How to reach yours truly
• Support this site
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FIRST | Random thoughts about the week in travel
Fee me! That’s all I can say this week. The stories speak for themselves.
Burning question … regional airline strangeness? Have you flown on a regional carrier recently? You know, the ones with the turboprop aircraft and pilots that are about the same age as Doogie Howser? Notice anything unusual — and policies or rules that were dramatically different from the big airlines? Send me a note and please don’t forget to include your full name, city and occupation.
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BLAZIN’ HOT BLOG POST | What’s burning up my bandwidth this week?
Unbelievable! American Airlines charges $15 for first checked bag — That’s no misprint. It’s a sad footnote to the decline of America’s once-legendary airline industry. American Airlines this morning slapped a $15 fee on the first checked bag, a move the rest of the industry is all but certain to follow. (From Elliott Blog) JOIN THE DISCUSSION — leave your comment!
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SIGHTINGS | Noted Elliott appearances online and offline
Lost luggage in Las Vegas — On a nonstop flight to Las Vegas, Spirit Airlines loses Michael Germano’s checked luggage. He files a missing luggage report and a lost luggage claim, but the airline is ignoring his requests for compensation. What’s going on, and how can Germano get Spirit to respond? (From The Troubleshooter)
4 tips for avoid new airline luggage fees — American Airlines’ decision to slap a $15 fee on the first checked bag — that’s right, the first checked bag — isn’t the airline industry’s first attempt to squeeze more money from passengers through a sneaky surcharge. And it won’t be its last. (From MSNBC.com)
How travelers can get through natural disasters — Talk about adding insult to injury. When a natural disaster strikes — like the recent earthquake in China or Myanmar’s devastating cyclone — travel companies like to play the God card. Unless everyone is looking.(From MSNBC.com)
Who will be first to file? An airline bankruptcy oddsmaker — As the airline industry braces for the worst year in the history of modern aviation, it’s time to ask which of the major airlines will be the first to run to bankruptcy court. Airline deathwatches may be amusing, but let’s be honest — do you think the federal government will let a big airline die? Nah. (From Tripso)
“If anyone is going to die tonight it’ll be you” — Krista Bauer finally had her day in court. The California woman who drunkenly assaulted a flight attendant while traveling to her sister’s funeral has been sentenced to time served and 200 hours of community service. (From Tripso)
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BLOGGED | New posts on Elliott’s Blog
The biggest losers: airlines, hotels — and you — We didn’t need another survey to tell us that customer satisfaction had fallen to a new low in the travel industry. But we got one, anyway. (From Elliott Blog)
5 airline fees that make absolutely no sense whatsoever — TPaying extra for a better seat, a meal, or to offset higher fuel costs — we get that. But other airline fees make absolutely no sense. Here are the top five. (From Elliott Blog)
Who gives a hoot about 14 CFR Part 234? You should — Five people. That’s how many bothered to comment on the Transportation Department’s latest rulemaking proposal that would force airlines to report more details about delays. If you’re not shocked – no, outraged – by that number, read on. You will be. (From Elliott Blog)
You call that a perk? The truth about airline buddy passes — As anyone with a pulse knows by now, a passenger flying on a so-called “buddy pass” is suing JetBlue for forcing him to spend most of a flight on the toilet. The JetBlue spin machine is just getting warmed up (I note some pro-blue comments on our sister blog, Tripso that appear to be the work of bluewashers). But there’s a lot more to this story. (From Elliott Blog)
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FLASHBACK | A retrospective from the Elliott archives
American Airlines. More fee stories.
A surprise fee for Fido — The fee to check in Kurt Low’s dog is $100 on American Airlines — at least according to its Web site. But on Low’s return flight, an agent insists he pay $80 more to transport his pet. Low pays the fee, but then asks the airline for a refund. Two refusals later, is Low out of luck? (From The Troubleshooter)
A ticketing fee that’s “deception at its worst” — Ticketing fees are an endless source of frustration to air travelers. And I’m not necessarily talking about Delta Air Lines’ hugely unpopular move to institute fees on award tickets booked through partner airlines (come on, last time I checked an award didn’t cost anything). (From Elliott Blog)
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TALKBACK | How to sound off about this site
Read something you disagree with? Got a story idea or a gripe? Here’s how to be heard:
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