Jun 24th, 2011 at 8:00AM: I'm getting on a plane next week, and I'm not looking forward to it. This will be yet another long, painful flight this year – and I've already had more than I have in a while. Though I'm getting used to this sort of business travel again, I can't say that I like it. All the time spent in transit, quite frankly, blows.
It isn't unusual at this point to lament the state of customer service ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
airlineindustry posts
Five reasons the airlines don't need to care about you
Jun 24th, 2011 at 8:00AM: I'm getting on a plane next week, and I'm not looking forward to it. This will be yet another long, painful flight this year – and I've already had more than I have in a while. Though I'm getting used to this sort of business travel again, I can't say that I like it. All the time spent in transit, quite frankly, blows.
It isn't unusual at this point to lament the state of customer service ...Airline fuel costs up almost a third since last year
Jun 14th, 2011 at 1:00PM: So, how expensive is fuel for the airline industry? Brace yourself: the situation is pretty ugly. In April 2011, airlines in the United States dropped an average of $2.99 a gallon on fuel. That number sounds a lot better than what you're seeing at the pump, right? How can it be that bad?
Well, this is yet another month-over-month increase. In March, the airlines spent an average of only $2.80 a ...Airline fees are worth more than Facebook
Jun 13th, 2011 at 3:30PM:
Outside the travel world, everyone's marveling at the prospect of a Facebook IPO, which could be valued at as much as $100 billion. So, what are we missing while we fawn over Mark Zuckerberg's creation? How about the slow, stodgy, ugly airline industry. Known for a painful user experience and a steady decline of free features, the likes of Delta and American Airlines are outdoing the hottest ...Airline industry best and worst of April 2011
Jun 8th, 2011 at 8:00AM: The most recent U.S. Department of Transportation data is out, and it's time for the airlines to brace themselves. The good, the bad and the ugly can be discerned from the data, and numbers are notoriously poor at showing excuses (I mean, "underlying reasons").
So, let's start with what looks good. Hawaiian Airlines is most likely to get you to your destination on time, leading U.S. carriers ...Airline tarmac delays: the first full year of results is in!
Jun 7th, 2011 at 1:30PM: We're now looking back on a full year of limited tarmac delays. In April 2010, the airline industry seemed like it was begging and pleading with the American public not to accept the insanity that the government was forcing upon them. Mayhem would rule, the industry claimed, as standards for performance would prevent everyone from getting anywhere. It would be ugly ... far uglier than the service ...No long tarmac delays in March 2011
May 11th, 2011 at 8:00AM: Good news! For the past six months, there have been no tarmac delays of greater than three hours, says the latest Air Travel Consumer Report. There were none in March 2011, a drastic change from the 25 reported by the U.S. Department of Transportation in March 2010. Year over year, for March, there was also a decline in the rate of canceled flights.
And, despite airline industry concerns, the ...Airlines offer in-flight menu items at food trucks, pop-ups
May 7th, 2011 at 12:00PM: In a marketing move best described as "ironic," a handful of airlines are now offering land-bound folk a taste of the finest of what they serve in the air. The New York Times reports that Air France, Austrian Airlines, Southwest, and Delta are trying to lure potential passengers by tempting them with samples of in-flight meals "from" celebrity-chefs.
The modus operandi are primarily roving food ...Delta Air Lines announces Delta Assist for Facebook
Mar 3rd, 2011 at 4:30PM: Delta Assist on Twitter has been a winning investment for the nation's largest carrier. By utilizing the social networking site, Delta has been able to cater a niche customer service product to a vociferous audience -- a product well lauded by the travel community.
Now, they're taking that success to Facebook. With the program that launches today, Delta plans to be the world's first mover in ...Mixed Bag: Six stats about airline performance in 2010
Feb 11th, 2011 at 9:00AM: Last year was a good one for the airline industry in the United States. In addition to posting record profits, carriers also showed some improvement in other areas, such as on-time arrivals. The latest data from the U.S. Department of Transportation shows a slight improvement in getting from Point A to Point B on time, edging from 79.5 percent in 2009 to 79.8 percent in 2010.
December was a ...Not knowing wife's name gets her stuck in China
Feb 10th, 2011 at 3:30PM: When you take the SAT, you get 200 points for spelling your name right. Ever wonder why? Well, you should ask Wen Ling Lian and her husband, Robert Schlund. Lian left Wayne, Michigan for China, on a trip to visit her family. While in flight, she saw that her name had an "e" stuck on the end of it. Though not a problem in the United States, she knew it would be when she tried to leave China later. ...US Airways increases baggage fees
Feb 10th, 2011 at 12:30PM: Here we go again. On the heels of greatly improved profits, US Airways has announced an increase of up to 80% on the charge for overweight bags.
In addition to the base price for checked bags of $25 for the first bag and $35 for the second, the additional fees for overweight bags are increasing. Overweight bags that weigh between 50 and 70 pounds will see the price increase from $50 to $90. ...Shocking: Airlines have no long tarmac delays, world doesn't end
Jan 15th, 2011 at 9:00AM: For the second month in a row, the world hasn't ended. The threat of heavy fines has ensured that the airlines haven't kept passengers trapped in the cabin on the tarmac for more than three hours at a time, according to data from the U.S. Department of Transportation. October and November were good months for passengers, now that airlines are being held accountable. These are the only two months ...Australia floods leave tourist industry in peril
Jan 12th, 2011 at 7:30AM:
The terrible floods in Queensland, Australia, have destroyed thousands of homes, done billions of dollars of damage, and have left at least a dozen people dead. Queensland is a major coal exporter, and with the rising waters hampering shipments and flooding mines, world coal prices have risen. A major consumer of Queensland coal are Asian steel mills, which are already feeling the pinch. This ...Judge blocks Sabre, gives American Airlines a break
Jan 11th, 2011 at 8:00AM: I guess it would make sense for American Airlines to turn to litigation. After all, this approach worked well against Orbitz.
Here's the situation: the battle between airlines and online travel agencies escalated from the beginning of November – with American's announcement that it would pull out of Orbitz – through the new year. The latest move was by global distribution system ...Five airline fees you haven't thought about (but they have!)
Jan 10th, 2011 at 8:00AM: Over the past two years, the fees that airlines have figured out have been seemingly endless. Baggage and cancellations are just the tip of the iceberg. Now, passengers are stuck with a healthy dose of fee fatigue, but the good news is that there doesn't seem to be anything left for which to charge – except maybe access to the flotation devices in the event of an emergency.
Well, don't ...Five reasons why you're wrong about American Airlines and the booking battle
Jan 7th, 2011 at 11:00AM: Everyone seems to think this is about the passengers. It's not. In true airline industry fashion, nobody cares about the customer.
Okay, now that I have your attention, an analyst note from Avondale Partners was sent to me last night. While most people don't get excited about this sort of thing, I have to admit that I still do. Nerdy, maybe. Insightful ... in this case, it definitely is.
The ...Sabre tells clients of American Airlines drop, booking war is scorching
Jan 7th, 2011 at 9:00AM: Okay, we all saw this coming. The battle that was expected between airlines and online travel agencies as a result of improving market conditions has reached a high level of intensity, centered on American Airlines (with Delta playing a supporting role).
The situation is running deep, as both American and Delta have stepped back from online travel agencies (though for slightly different ...Sabre pushes American Airlines down, "all out war" [BREAKING]
Jan 5th, 2011 at 3:00PM: And, the developments just keep coming. The latest in the airline booking battle is that global distribution service Sabre has given American Airlines a bit of a shove nudge. According to a statement from the Business Travel Coalition, "Sabre took steps to protect the interests of an independent travel distribution system from American Airlines' (AA) attempt to impose a new model that heaps huge ...Can travel booking sites endure the airline onslaught?
Jan 4th, 2011 at 12:00PM: American Airlines wanted out of Orbitz ... and then it was bounced by Expedia (preemptively, it seems). Delta wanted out of CheapOair ... and OneTravel ... and BookIt. Nobody knows what's next, but it appears that something is on the horizon, given the magnitude of change in the airline/online travel agency landscape over the past few weeks. I wrote a month ago that a "brand war" was brewing, a ...Airlines celebrate record profits with new fees
Jan 4th, 2011 at 11:00AM: If you were running a business that just pulled in record profits after two years of business hell, what would you do? Some companies would show their customers some appreciation. Others would find new lines of business or products in which to invest. The airlines, however, seem poised to jack up their fees.
Let's face it: ancillary fees have been good to the airlines. Paying extra for food, ...
