air travel

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Frontier Offers New Option for Seatmate-Averse Fliers

Keep the middle seat next to you empty by paying for UpFront Plus fee

(Newser) - Let's be honest: Most of us have hoped that the seat next to us on the plane remains empty, with some even going so far as to place personal items on nearby seats to discourage way-too-close neighbors. Now, one budget airline will allow you to pay for that privilege...

Delta Flight Returns to Airport After Strange, Smelly Mess

Maggots fell from overhead compartment onto a passenger heading to Detroit from Amsterdam

(Newser) - A Delta Air Lines flight en route from Amsterdam to Detroit had to turn back to the airport about two hours into its flight for a bizarre—and gross—reason: maggots. Fox2 Detroit reports that the slimy creatures fell onto a female passenger, seemingly out of nowhere. Flight attendants soon...

After Boeing Mishap, Talk Turns to Infant Safety

FAA recommends, but does not require, they be in a separate seat

(Newser) - As we continue to digest the story of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282's mid-air blowout , people are wondering about the wisdom of letting babies sit on a parent's lap during flights. To recap, a piece of the Boeing 737 Max 9's bodywork detached while airborne, and nearby passengers...

Passenger Opens Cabin Door, Falls to Tarmac

Incident delays boarding of Air Canada plane by six hours

(Newser) - It's another scary moment involving a commercial jet , though this time a single passenger is being blamed. After a man boarded an Air Canada jet at Toronto's Pearson airport, he proceeded to open a cabin door at the opposite end of the plane and fall onto the tarmac,...

Missing Piece of Boeing Jet Found in Backyard
Plane That Lost Door Plug
Had Previous Issues
the rundown

Plane That Lost Door Plug Had Previous Issues

Alaska Airlines restricted its use over water because of pressurization warnings

(Newser) - The missing piece of a Boeing 737 Max 9 passenger jet has turned up in a backyard near Portland, Oregon. Sunday's discovery of the large piece, called a door plug, should help investigators better understand the stunning incident on Friday in which it blew off mid-flight, endangering an Alaska...

Airline Puts Unaccompanied Child on Wrong Plane
Agent Who Put Child
on Wrong Plane Loses Job
UPDATED

Agent Who Put Child on Wrong Plane Loses Job

All ended well for 6-year-old after Spirit Airlines gaffe

(Newser) - The gate agent who escorted an unaccompanied 6-year-old onto the wrong flight is no longer working for Spirit Airlines. The airline says it discovered the Philadelphia gate agent's mistake during an investigation of how the child ended up in Orlando instead of Fort Myers, Florida, CNN reports. "Any...

It's Looking Like a Record Year for US Airline Complaints

Consumer complaints doubled in first 5 months of 2023 compared to same period in 2022

(Newser) - Early data suggests this could be another record year for consumer complaints against US airlines. A report from the US Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), based on data from the Department of Transportation, finds complaints against US airlines more than doubled in the first five months of 2023 compared with...

New Airport Etiquette: Get Your Own Ride Home
Don't Make Anyone
Pick You Up at the Airport
in case you missed it

Don't Make Anyone Pick You Up at the Airport

Nikki Waller makes the case in the 'Wall Street Journal'

(Newser) - It's going to be a busy holiday travel week , which means lots of people are going to need a ride from the airport. In the Wall Street Journal , Nikki Waller writes that they should figure it out for themselves rather than call in a loved one. "The airport...

Couple Gets Refund Over Stinky Dog on Flight

New Zealand pair say they had to move from premium to economy over the smell

(Newser) - A New Zealand couple who say they were subjected to a drooling, snorting, and farting dog on a long flight have gotten a $1,400 refund for their trouble, reports Insider . Gill and Warren Press say they asked to switch their premium seats midflight from Paris to Singapore because the...

11 Sent to Hospital After Turbulent Delta Flight

'Severe turbulence' struck as the plane approached Atlanta on Tuesday

(Newser) - Delta Air Lines Flight 175 landed safely in Atlanta on Tuesday, but with many injured people on board. At least 11 passengers and crew members were taken to the hospital after the flight, which set out from Milan, Italy, "experienced severe turbulence" in its approach to Atlanta, the airline...

US Airlines Are Having Lots of Close Calls

'New York Times' investigation discoverers nearly 50 last month alone

(Newser) - On the bright side, no US airline has had a fatal air crash since 2009, the longest such streak on record, reports the New York Times . The flip side? Close calls are happening with what the newspaper calls "alarming" regularity. The newspaper's investigation, based on a review of...

Here's Why United Jet Came Close to Hitting the Ocean

NTSB report blames 'miscommunication' between pilot, co-pilot

(Newser) - The National Transportation Safety Board has completed its investigation into a 2022 United Airlines flight that came within 748 feet of crashing into the Pacific Ocean, and NTSB investigators say pilot error was to blame, CNN reports. The incident started when the captain called for the Boeing 777's flaps,...

Friday Was the Busiest Day in TSA History

Passenger numbers broke record set in 2019

(Newser) - The Transportation Security Administration says Friday was the busiest day in its history, breaking a record that had stood since the Sunday after Thanksgiving in 2019. The agency tweeted that it screened 2,883,595 individuals on June 30, beating the Dec. 1, 2019, record of 2,882,915 by...

United CEO Apologizes After Hopping on Private Jet

Scott Kirby did so as thousands of United customers were stranded

(Newser) - The CEO of United Airlines got a lesson in bad optics this week: As thousands of his company's customers were stranded at airports because of cancellations, Scott Kirby hopped on a private plane that flew him from New Jersey to Denver on Wednesday, reports CNN . In fact, the bulk...

'Ominous Sign' for Those Who Plan to Fly This Holiday Weekend

With flights already being canceled, July 4 weekend is a big test for airlines

(Newser) - Travelers waited out widespread delays at US airports on Tuesday, an ominous sign heading into the long July 4 holiday weekend, which is shaping up as the biggest test yet for airlines that are struggling to keep up with surging numbers of passengers, the AP reports. In some cases, delays...

Chili and Chocolate May Help Travelers Avoid Jet Lag

Australian airline Qantas found that adjustments to environment and diet could help

(Newser) - Good news for anyone who has ever confronted the unique exhaustion that comes with enduring long plane rides across multiple time zones. A new study suggests that stimulating food like chilis or relaxing foods such as chocolate—and carbs in general—can aid in recovering quickly from jet lag. Business...

Marlon Wayans Cited at Airport
Marlon Wayans Cited at Airport

Marlon Wayans Cited at Airport

Comedian accuses airline of mistreatment over luggage issue

(Newser) - Marlon Wayans has accused an airline of racism after he received a citation for disturbing the peace in a clash over luggage. The comedian and United Airlines agree the problem began Friday when an employee told Wayans at a gate at the Denver airport that he had too many bags...

Authorities Explain How Exit Door Was Opened Mid-Flight

The plane was low enough that he was able to open emergency exit, say South Korean authorities

(Newser) - The story seemed hard to fathom for anyone who's been on airplane: A passenger jet in South Korea landed with one of its emergency exits wide open on Friday. Authorities say a 33-year-old man forced it open during the flight. New details have emerged to explain what happened, reports...

10 Busiest Airports in the World
10 Busiest Airports in the World

10 Busiest Airports in the World

Atlanta stays on top

(Newser) - Atlanta's airport is the busiest in the world for the second straight year and third of the last four, reports the Wall Street Journal . Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport lost its title briefly during the weird travel days of the pandemic but has since returned to the top. The new...

Passenger on Business Jet Killed in Severe Turbulence
Passenger Killed in
Turbulence Is Identified
UPDATED

Passenger Killed in Turbulence Is Identified

Attorney Dana Hyde, 55, served in Obama and Clinton administrations

(Newser) - The passenger of a business jet who died after the plane hit turbulence last week has been identified as a prominent DC lawyer who served in the Clinton and Obama administrations, reports NBC News . Dana Hyde, 55, served as a senior adviser to the deputy secretary of state under President...

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