Airlines

Flight Overbooked? Perfect: These Frequent Flyers Want To Get Bumped

7:09pm April 27, 2017

by Yuki Noguchi

A select group of travelers spends considerable effort trying to get bumped from overbooked flights. The payoff: vouchers that can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars.

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The fiasco with a United passenger being dragged off a plane illustrates the problem of enticing people to voluntarily give up their seats.

Economy

The United Airlines Fiasco: How Game Theory Could Help

3:13pm April 13, 2017

by Chris Arnold

The fiasco with United dragging a passenger off its plane illustrates the problem of enticing people to voluntarily give up their seats. We talk to game theorists about some options.

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Passengers at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport wait in line for security screening in May 2016. A study released Monday found that U.S. airline quality is higher than ever, but air travelers may disagree.

Have An Airline Complaint? Don't Call The Airline — Tell The Dept. of Transportation

5:58pm April 10, 2017

by Laurel Wamsley

An annual study gives airlines the highest scores for quality in the 26 years the ratings have been compiled. But the ratings don't fully reflect the experience of the American air traveler.

Passengers check in for flights with United Airlines at Chicago O'Hare International Airport. United, American and Delta now offer no-frills "basic economy" fares.

New 'Basic Economy' Airfares May Not Be As Cheap As You Think

12:24pm March 20, 2017

by David Schaper

All three of the biggest U.S. airlines now offer no-frills, discounted fares called "basic economy." Now there's evidence that it's not any cheaper, but is a way to raise standard economy fares.

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President Trump's executive order is particularly difficult for airlines based in the Middle East, which have to check the birthplaces of all their crew members.

After Travel Ban, Airlines Scramble To Reroute Crew Members

3:34pm February 01, 2017

by David Schaper

Airlines employ people from all over the world, including staff from countries barred by Trump's immigration order. Now they're hurrying to reroute flight attendants who could be affected.

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The Obama administration is proposing new rules to address passenger complaints about airline service.

National

New Rules Would Require Airlines To Refund Baggage Fees For Delayed Luggage

3:39pm October 19, 2016

by Mark Katkov

The White House is announcing proposed rules intended to address common passenger complaints about airline customer service.

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'The Travel Detective' Explains How Airlines Became A 'Mafia'

8:57am August 13, 2016

Airlines are making record profits, but more fees and flight cancellations haven't made air travel great recently. Travel journalist Peter Greenberg talks about the reasons why.

Passengers wait at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport after a computer systems failure on Monday caused Delta to delay or cancel hundreds of flights.

National

Why The Airline Industry Could Keep Suffering System Failures Like Delta's

8:47am August 10, 2016

by Laura Sydell

Delta's massive outage wasn't the first malfunction to wreak havoc on an airline. The industry's systems are complex and require high security, which can make them more prone to shutdowns.

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Smoke rises after an Emirates plane made an emergency landing at Dubai International Airport on Wednesday.

World News

Emirates Plane Makes Emergency Landing, Bursts Into Flames In Dubai

1:28pm August 03, 2016

by Merrit Kennedy

All 300 passengers and crew survived, but a firefighter died during rescue operations. Video on social media shows the plane with black smoke rising. Then a massive fireball erupts from the aircraft.

Passengers walk across the tarmac at Jose Marti International Airport after arriving on a charter plane operated by American Airlines January 19, 2015, in Havana, Cuba. The Department of Transportation has approved scheduled flights from the U.S. to Cuba,

Scheduled Flights To Cuba Approved For As Early As This Fall

1:46pm June 10, 2016

by Camila Domonoske

The Department of Transportation has authorized six U.S. airlines to schedule round-trip flights from the U.S to some cities in Cuba. The DOT has not yet approved any flights to Havana.