Dec 22nd, 2010 at 8:00AM: As you've read here on Gadling, the battle between airlines and online travel agencies is poised to heat up. For the past few years, a dismal economy has sent many bargain-hunters to online travel sites with the hopes of finding fantastic deals and minimizing the pain in their wallets. Yet, with the travel market and the broader economy showing signs of recovery, airlines' brand power will gain ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
americanairlines posts
Which BIG airline just pulled out of three booking sites?
Dec 22nd, 2010 at 8:00AM: As you've read here on Gadling, the battle between airlines and online travel agencies is poised to heat up. For the past few years, a dismal economy has sent many bargain-hunters to online travel sites with the hopes of finding fantastic deals and minimizing the pain in their wallets. Yet, with the travel market and the broader economy showing signs of recovery, airlines' brand power will gain ...Orbitz weighs in on American Airlines ruling [BREAKING]
![Orbitz weighs in on American Airlines ruling [BREAKING]](http://www.blogcdn.com/www.gadling.com/media/2010/12/orbitz_thumbnail.gif)
Dec 21st, 2010 at 7:00PM: American Airlines is out of Orbitz as of today. This ends a legal tangle with Travelport that was initiated back in November when the airline announced its intention. According to a statement from Orbitz, "It is unfortunate that as of December 21, American Airline flights will no longer be available on our Orbitz.com and Orbitz for Business sites. We are confident that our consumer value ...Judge sides with American Airlines in Orbitz pullout [BREAKING]
![Judge sides with American Airlines in Orbitz pullout [BREAKING]](http://www.blogcdn.com/www.gadling.com/media/2010/12/americanairlines_thumbnail.jpg)
Dec 21st, 2010 at 5:30PM: The verdict is in! In the legal battle between Travelport and American Airlines over the latter's decision to pull its inventory out of Orbitz, Judge Martin Agran decided in favor of American Airlines. Orbitz has been ordered to stop selling the airline's tickets and displaying its fares.
American announced last month that it would be withdrawing its inventory from Orbitz as early as December ...Airlines have best quarter ever ... thanks baggage fees!
Dec 20th, 2010 at 3:30PM: Every time you pay to check an extra bag you're making someone's life better. The latest data from the U.S. Department of Transportation reveals that the third quarter of 2010 was the most profitable for the U.S. airline industry since the department began keeping score in 2002. The industry's operating profit margin hit 10.5 percent in aggregate. Low-cost carriers, as a class, had an operating ...Which airline charged more than $500 million in cancellation fees?
Dec 14th, 2010 at 8:00AM:
There isn't as much money in cancellations as there is in baggage fees, it seems. So far, close to $2.6 billion has been charged for bags this year (with three quarters measured), and U.S. airlines have only racked up $1.7 billion in cancellation fees. And, as usual, there's one culprit that consumes around 30 percent of this, with the top five airlines accounting for more than 80 percent of ...Which airline made the most money on baggage fees?
Dec 13th, 2010 at 2:30PM: Last year, baggage fees were used by airlines to make up for lost fare revenue, as the recession kept people on the ground. This year, it's just been a great source of extra revenue, as passenger traffic and fares are up – and the fees haven't gone away. Almost all airlines are getting in on the action, some more egregious than others.
Well, data for the third quarter of 2010 is in, and ...Airlines, airports and passengers: nothing but gains this year [INFOGRAPHICS]
![Airlines, airports and passengers: nothing but gains this year [INFOGRAPHICS]](http://www.blogcdn.com/www.gadling.com/media/2010/12/airportlounge_thumbnail.jpg)
Dec 10th, 2010 at 12:00PM: There are a whole lot more of us flying this year: 4.3 percent more, to be exact. That's the increase in domestic air traffic from September 2009 to September 2010, according to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Transportation. In that month, U.S. airlines had 57.3 million passengers, leading to the largest year-over-year gain since September 2007. Meanwhile, international passenger ...Federal judge will decide on your right to relax, not airlines
Dec 9th, 2010 at 5:00PM: Nobody likes it when the passenger in front of him reclines. I can't fathom any circumstance in which having the person's seatback on your lap is enjoyable. I have numerous tactics I use to prevent the person in front of me from reclining, and I suspect I'm not alone (in fairness to the person behind me, I rarely recline, and if I do, it's never more than half way).
So, when you drive your ...Inside Virgin America's mid-continent arrival
Dec 6th, 2010 at 5:00PM:
I don't think I actually understood the implications of Virgin America's launch into "fortress-hub" Dallas/Fort Worth until we touched down on the tarmac.
As we taxied to our gate, I could see nothing but a endless row of silver fuselages; all adorned with the iconic blue & red "AA" logo. It felt almost as if we were silently making our way through the front gates of a modern-day Troy. ...Are airlines bad for your health? Five perspectives on plane food
Nov 30th, 2010 at 3:30PM:
Lately, it seems like the easiest way to lose weight is to fly regularly. There isn't much to munch on in the skies, as airlines have cut back on just about anything that looks like an amenity. Fatty foods have been replaced by none at all, which is great for your waistline, right?
It turns out that you can still pork up on a plane, even if you think the dismal state of customer service ...American Airlines launches promotions to compete with new Virgin America route at DFW
Nov 30th, 2010 at 12:30PM: Move over, American - there's a new dog and pony show in town. American Airlines has launched a new promotional series they propose will "surprise and delight customers" who fly between their hub at Dallas/Fort Worth and LAX or SFO between now and February 28, 2011.
Cooincidentally, this promotion comes just as Virgin America begins competing service to the same two cities. Still, we're never ...Four American Airlines baggage handlers charged with theft
Nov 9th, 2010 at 11:30AM: If you recently passed through Philadelphia International airport, and arrived at your destination with items missing from your luggage, then you may have one of the fine gentlemen on the right to thank.
The four were arrested and charged last week with "multiple counts of criminal conspiracy, theft, unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, and attempted theft". The men were part time ...American Airlines and Orbitz tangle over fees and booking process
Nov 6th, 2010 at 3:00PM: Do you use Orbitz to book flights on American Airlines? Well, your online travel buying habits may have to change. American is getting tough with Orbitz – and other online travel agencies – about how they do business together. For now, you can keep buying tickets on American via Orbitz, but a change could come as early as December 1, 2010.
The rhetoric is already high, as you can ...Airlines not alone in poor customer service studies
Oct 30th, 2010 at 3:00PM:
The Airline Quality Rating report was released last week, exposing the five worst airlines in the United States. It's fun to beat up on the airlines ... as it is to beat up on other companies and industries notorious for poor customer service. So, this made me wonder just how the airlines stack up against everyone else.
Back in August, the American Customer Satisfaction Index rated hundreds of ..."America's Meanest Airlines" exposed
Oct 27th, 2010 at 4:45PM:
Today on Yahoo Travel, "America's Meanest Airlines" were revealed. The story, "based on the Airline Quality Rating (AQR) Report, which covers 18 domestic carriers," lambasts American Airlines, United, Delta and several other airlines, including four regional carriers.
The Airline Quality Rating Report is conducted jointly by professors at Wichita State University and Purdue University. The ...Airline profits may mean more elbow room for a little while
Oct 24th, 2010 at 10:00AM: The airline industry wants to thank you. Last year, it was mired in despair. The post-financial crisis recession left the carriers beleaguered and desperate for a turn of fortune. Corporate and leisure travel had fallen precipitously, and doubling down on extra fees, though prudent for profits, alienated both those considering a flight and the passengers with little choice but to hit the road. The ...Airline fees never going away, $1.2 billion in first half
Oct 19th, 2010 at 11:00AM: In the first six months of 2010, U.S. airlines raked in $1.2 billion – and that's just from change and cancellation fees. The industry is on track to see $2 billion in revenue just on ticket-related fees this year.
According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, here's where the money's going:
Delta had the most at $347.1 million in the first half of 2010
American Airlines was ...Delta to flight attendants: come back!
Oct 17th, 2010 at 8:00AM: Delta's looking for 1,000 flight attendants, some of whom will be furloughed workers recalled for international assignments. Some will be new hires. But, it's going to take some time get them in the door: they'll be working the aisles by the middle of 2011. In particular, the airline is looking for flight attendants fluent in Japanese and Mandarin, which narrows the field a bit.
Delta already ...Photo of the day (10.14.10)
Oct 14th, 2010 at 5:00PM:
For many of us, dreaming about travel and planning a trip is a favorite part of a travel process. Those early days of discovering a destination and imagining the delights it may hold, before the reality of long airport security lines, bad hotel rooms, and jet lag spoil the fun, are some of the sweetest. This photo by Flickr user Chris Maki titled "Wanderlust" recalls the immense possibilities ...Fallen American Airlines could be next to merge ... with JetBlue?
Oct 12th, 2010 at 12:00PM: American Airlines used to be the largest airline in the industry – now it's third. Merger activity has narrowed the field, with Southwest-AirTran and United-Continental the latest deals that hit the sector. So, all eyes are on who will succumb to the urge to merge next, and American is being eyed as the next player.
According to a Forbes blog post, analysts from Morningstar believe that ...
