Airlines travel tips

Travel advisor Betty Villani was at a trade show in 2022 when she discovered Go-Be Sleeves, covers for airplane tray tables, being displayed by Barbara Booth, the product's developer.

An Australian airline's frequent flyers were left puzzled after a technical glitch with its app logged users into the wrong accounts.

April was another busy month for airline network planners — both at home and abroad.

The Madras High Court has made it mandatory for all motor vehicles seeking to enter the Nilgiris and Kodaikanal between May 7 and June 30 to obtain electronic passes. The aim is to collect data on the number of tourists visiting and the number and types of vehicles that are entering these hill stations.

Spirit Airlines is once again adding a slew of new routes that double down on the airline's recent strategy of boosting service in entrenched hubs of network carriers.

Last week, Southwest’s CEO Bob Jordan ignited a flurry of headlines when he suggested that the struggling airline could make changes to some of its long-standing policies in an attempt to increase ancillary revenue.

A record 4.7 billion people are expected to travel by air this summer and several factors may converge to create chaos at the country’s airports. A recent report from global travel technology company Amadeus found that “flight disruption remains above historical norms,” and the situation isn’t going to get better any time soon. According to the report, the global airline industry is still struggling with the rapid increase in demand for air travel.

Southwest Airlines' settlement terms with the Department of Transportation (DOT) are kicking in — leading to future customers receiving compensation if they experience a significant flight delay. As part of the settlement sparked from the airline’s 2022 holiday meltdown, Southwest has agreed to award $75 or more in transferrable vouchers to travelers who reach their destination at least three hours late due to an airline-caused disruption or cancellation, according to the DOT.

Last week saw big travel brands come together in a variety of ways.

A retired judge has alleged that she was subject to racial discrimination while flying first class with American Airlines.

Dubai is no stranger to building things and tearing them down, and one day, its global airport could meet the same fate.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) issued a new rule last week detailing when airlines owe travelers a refund and how they have to pay. But like all good things, it comes with a few caveats.

Buying a Delta gift card just got more rewarding with the airline’s latest promotion. “Enjoy giving the gift of travel this Mother’s Day with the Delta Gift Card,” the airline shared about the promotion in an email. “For a limited time, buy $300 or more in Delta Gift Cards to earn a $20 Starbucks eGift.” This deal ends on Monday, May 13, at 11:59 p.m. EST, but may be taken down sooner as the offer is only available to the first 7,000 buyers. It's also worth noting that travelers will only receive a $20 Starbucks eGift when purchasing gift cards directly through Delta, not a third-party site. 

On Monday, lawmakers revealed a bipartisan Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization deal that includes measures to address the nation’s shortage of air traffic controllers and the recent spate of runway near-misses. Lawmakers also agreed to prohibit airlines from charging extra for families to sit together, and they tripled the maximum fines imposable on airlines that violate consumer laws.

There’s a fairly high chance that you’ve never heard of Volotea. But it’s one of the quirkiest budget airlines anywhere on the planet. It’s also (usually) pretty profitable.

The future of Australia’s newest low-cost airline is in the balance. On Tuesday, Bonza suddenly canceled its entire flying program and entered voluntary administration, a form of protection from creditors.

Chinese efforts to break the Airbus and Boeing duopoly took another step forward on Monday as one of the nation’s largest airlines agreed a major order.

India’s largest bank State Bank of India (SBI) has launched its first-ever travel focused credit card. ‘SBI Card MILES’ has been launched in three variants to cater to different types of travelers, from beginners to frequent flyers. 

When Southwest Airlines reported larger than expected financial losses in its most recent quarterly earnings call on April 25,the airline also announced that it will be cutting service to four airports airports as of August 4, 2024. Additionally, Southwest is planning to reduce capacity at two other major destinations. The goal of these cuts is to “improve unit revenue performance and operating margin,” according to the earnings call. The airline has not ruled out further cuts to its network, adding to the uncertainty plaguing the airline industry in recent months.

The airline industry is betting big on sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF—a fuel alternative made from renewable biomass and waste products. Dozens of airlines around the globe are experimenting with it; in November, headlines buzzed following the first fully SAF-powered transatlantic flight on a commercial airline (British carrier Virgin Atlantic). But while the emissions-heavy airline sector is heralding SAF as a silver bullet to its decarbonization goals, experts say environmental pitfalls and other obstacles abound.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) on Wednesday took one of its strongest stances to date to protect the traveling consumer. The agency issued new rules mandating that all airlines flying to, through, or from the United States provide travelers with immediate cash refunds in the event of a cancellation or significant delay.