Buffalo Crash Puts Pilot Fatigue Under Microscope

Find tickets, new flights, even lounges

(NEWSER) - Every air traveler armed with a smartphone should load up on these five apps, says the Travel section of USA Today:

• SkyScanner (Free): This app will hunt down the best price for your ticket. It scans not only all of the airlines' websites but all of the online travel agencies (Expedia, Priceline) as well.
• Next Flight ($2.99): Yeah, it's relatively pricey, but worth the cost when needed. If your flight is canceled or delayed, or you just plain miss it, the app provides a list of all available flights from all carriers over the next two days. If none are there, it searches for hotels and car rentals.
• Priority Pass (Free): This app supplies a list of all the lounges at your airport. You can look through photos and amenities before deciding whether to shell out money for a pass.

But experts warn that we must keep working on safety

(NEWSER) - Assuming nothing terrible happens between now and Saturday, 2011 will close as the safest year ever for commercial aviation. For every 7.1 million fliers around the globe, there was about one passenger death, which will break the previous record of one per 6.4 million, set in 2004. But experts warn that we must continue to improve safety around the world, rather than be lulled into complacency by this year's numbers. Ground safety and pilot training are two areas to focus on, as well as increasing awareness of flight hazards in certain developing countries, the Wall Street Journal notes. More»

With skies safe, officials turn their attention to 'surface threats' on runways

(NEWSER) - "America's skies are the safest they have ever been," Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told reporters this week, and the stats back him up: Deaths from accidents in US commercial aviation have plummeted over the last 15 years, with none registered at all in 2011. Aviation officials say they are now turning their attention toward somewhere potentially much deadlier than the skies for commercial aircraft: the ground, and specifically, the runway. More»

Series of deadly crashes blamed on lax regulation

(NEWSER) - Russia is now, mile for mile, the deadliest place in the world to fly, the Wall Street Journal finds. Nine fatal crashes—including one that killed an entire professional hockey team —have claimed a total of 140 lives. While eight of the crashes involved old Soviet-era aircraft, experts say the real problem in the former aerospace superpower is the sloppiness, risk-taking, and ineffective regulation more commonly associated with aviation basket cases like the Congo. More»

Don't check luggage, don't select your seat, and BYO pillow

(NEWSER) - As if things weren't financially miserable enough, it's gradually becoming even more expensive to travel. Domestic airfare prices spiked 8% from last year, and airlines are pulling out every stop to eke out more revenue. Here are some steps you can take to avoid unnecessary flying fees, courtesy of FoxBusiness : More»