Airline Roundup: Top Headlines From September

01.10.2024 - 20:45 / travelpulse.com / North America / Robert Jordan / Air Canada / Rich Thomaselli

The month of September can usually be characterized in one word: wet. This month was no exception.

In 2024, the Atlantic hurricane season heated up, and airlines and airports had to scramble to work around its effects. That included a travel disruption at Atlanta’s busiest airport.

Perhaps the biggest news, however, did not happen in the air, but rather in a boardroom. The Department of Transportation approved the merger between Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines.

The month started off with a bang as the Labor Day holiday set all kinds of aviation records.

In what has become an almost weekly problem, there was another unruly passenger.

Perhaps adding more fuel to the fire about overworked air traffic controllers, a pair of Delta planes collided on a taxiway.

At the risk of stranding several million passengers who aren't ready, the government delayed the implementation of the Real ID program.

At one point, Air Canada said it would seek government assistance in its strike with the pilots.

Sometimes it doesn’t pay to do the morally correct thing, as a United Airlines whistleblower was allegedly harassed and called a snitch for her actions.

The Airlines Reporting Corporation released figures from the previous month and said airline ticket sales hit a whopping $8 billion.

In another development that bears watching, Southwest Airlines continues to struggle financially and has had to change some routes and cut some employees. One frustrated investment group even called for a special meeting at the airline to discuss replacing CEO Robert Jordan.

There has also been an unfortunate rise in the number of sexual assault cases on airplanes.

Boeing is facing a new problem with its best-selling model.

And after just one week, the labor strike is already taking its toll on the airplane manufacturer.

And finally, a United States Senator will introduce a proposal to Congress that revolutionizes the way we collect points and miles in the airline industry.

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