Airlines: Let us advertise less than full cost
Airlines tried and failed to block a federal rule making them tell passengers up front the full cost of airfare, including government taxes and fees.
After 50 years, it’s retirement time for DC-9
MINNEAPOLIS — Delta Air Lines is retiring its last DC-9s, the oldest passenger plane in the fleet of the big U.S. airlines. The final passenger flight was planned for Minneapolis to Atlanta on Monday evening. McDonnell Douglas delivered the first DC-9s in 1965 and eventually built 976 of them. The plane was noteworthy at the […]
Southwest adds BWI service to Portland, Oakland
LINTHICUM — Southwest Airlines is adding two new nonstop flights to Portland, Ore., and Oakland, Calif., from Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. The seasonal service announced Monday will begin on June 8. The new destinations from BWI Airport were part of the airline’s June 2014 schedule update. Portland is a new market for BWI travelers. […]
Get ready for cellphone yak attack on your flight
NEW YORK — Airline passengers have already been stripped of their legroom, hot meals and personal space. Now, they might also lose their silence. The Federal Communications Commission is considering lifting its longtime prohibition on making cellphone calls on airplanes, saying it is time “to review our outdated and restrictive rules.” But for many passengers, […]
Southwest Airlines begins enforcing no-show policy
DALLAS — Passengers who fail to cancel bookings on Southwest now face loss of the ticket’s value if they don’t show up. The new policy took effect with Friday’s flights. Customers who buy nonrefundable tickets such as Wanna Get Away fares must cancel at least 10 minutes before scheduled departure or forfeit the ticket’s value. […]
Airlines’ on-time performance falls, U.S. says
The nation’s airlines struggled to stay on schedule in April, with nearly one in four flights arriving late, according to new government figures. The airlines blamed furloughs of federal air traffic controllers and bad weather. A nationwide computer outage at American Airlines added to the slowdown. The Transportation Department said Thursday that among the 16 […]
Airlines’ on-time rating falls below 80 percent
WASHINGTON — The Transportation Department says fewer flights arrived on time and more were canceled in March than a year ago. On the other hand, fewer passengers are lodging formal complaints against the airlines. The government said Wednesday that 79.8 percent of flights arrived within 14 minutes of schedule in March. That’s down from 82.2 […]
Flight delays pile up Monday after FAA budget cuts
NEW YORK — It was a tough start to the week for many air travelers. Flight delays piled up all along the East Coast Monday as thousands of air traffic controllers were forced to take an unpaid day off because of federal budget cuts. Some flights into New York, Baltimore and Washington were delayed by […]
Airlines lagging in on-time performance
NEW YORK — Airlines are struggling this year to get planes to the gate on time. The government said Thursday that 80.3 percent of flights by U.S. carriers arrived on time in January and February. That’s down from a record 84.9 percent during last year’s storm-free winter. Mother Nature hasn’t been as cooperative. The percent […]
Spirit plans new flights between BWI and Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS — Spirit Airlines has announced new budget flights between Las Vegas and the East Coast. The company says Wednesday that it will launch daily nonstop service April 25 between McCarran International Airport and Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. It’s also starting daily nonstop flights between Las Vegas and the Philadelphia International Airport. Officia[...]
Southwest offers $40 early-boarding option
DALLAS — Southwest Airlines has added a $40 pay-at-the-gate option for travelers with cheaper tickets who want to be among the first to group to board. Dallas-based Southwest doesn’t offer assigned seats and the carrier Monday announced the latest option for coveted group “A” boarding. The boarding slots for cheaper tickets are assigned based on […]
Busier airports, full planes seen on Thanksgiving
NEW YORK — The recipe for Thanksgiving travel is likely to make travelers a little bitter this year. Americans can expect airports to be busier and planes to be fuller than ever, according to a forecast by the main trade association for U.S. airlines two weeks ahead of the holiday. And fares are already more […]