Pricey tickets hold back leisure, but business travelers getting back on planes

by Tom Johansmeyer on

The past two years have been nothing short of severe for the travel business, especially the airlines. Fortunately, it looks like luck is turning. Barney Harford, President and CEO of Orbitz Worldwide, says that the airline sector appears to be on the mend, at least for business travel. Consumers, on the other hand, aren’t buying back in as aggressively, as high fares are battling with continued economic constraints for wallet share.

The average airfare for domestic travel is up 10 percent, according to Hartford, with international fares surging 17 percent. He notes to CNBC:

“We are seeing … a moderation in the increases in air tickets that we were seeing in perhaps May and June, where we saw some really stronger increases in air tickets,” Harford went on to say. “We’re hopeful that we’ll see an increase in capacity in the airline sector, which will drive some moderation in (the price of) airline tickets.”

Nonetheless, you can still find some bargains out there, according to Hartford. Look for the best values in Caribbean destinations.

[photo by emrank via Flickr]

Delta Airlines passenger kicked off plane for questioning pilot sobriety

by Scott Carmichael on

A Passenger on a Delta Airlines flight was asked to leave the plane, and had to take a different flight, because she voiced her concern that she smelled alcohol when chatting with the captain of her plane. The lady was not alone in thinking she smelled alcohol, as another passenger witnessed the same thing.

When she asked the flight attendant for the correct protocol in reporting her suspicions, she was asked to come to the cockpit where she talked with the pilot. After he assured her he had not had any alcohol, she was satisfied with his answer, and went back to her seat. In the meantime, the pilot had to take a breathalyzer test, where he proved he had not been drinking.

The story doesn’t end there though – because of the incident, the passenger was told she was not welcome on the plane, and was forced to collect her belongings and spend the night waiting for the next flight.

The whole incident is obviously embarrassing for the pilot, but I do agree that if a passenger suspects the pilot has been drinking, that they mention it. What I don’t agree with is removing the passenger from the plane. Over at The Consumerist, a pilot posted his own opinion of the matter, and claims it is perfectly logical to fly without the passenger claiming it is to avoid taking the risk of flying with a troublesome passenger.

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JetBlue flight attendant hiring: police and firefighters preferred

by Tom Johansmeyer on

“Turn off your electronic devices” may soon be followed by “Up against the wall!” on JetBlue flights. The airline is looking for flight attendants who have real backgrounds in safety: it’s targeting former police officers and firefighters for flight attendant jobs. JetBlue has reportedly hired “several hundred” of New York‘s finest over the past decade, and up to 10 percent of the cabin crew has had experience in emergency response work.

The first JetBlue flight attendant class included a former New York City firefighter, which caused the airline to think more about this talent pool. After all, police and firefighters are trained in dealing with emergencies, making them inherently more qualified than the flight attendant candidates airlines pull off the street.

So, I need to know: what’s next? Will American scrap its existing hiring model and look for green berets?

[photo by See ming-Lee via Flickr]

Wheelchair kid stranded by Air Canada after tweet-a-thon

by Tom Johansmeyer on


An eight-year-old kid suffering from muscular dystrophy had a simple dream: to race through Central Park in a tutu surrounded by a group of supporters. After a tweet-a-thon, anchored on the hashtag #TutusForTanner (the kid’s name is Tanner) resulted in $25,000, he hopped a plane for New York. The trip ended with the discovery that his $15,000 wheelchair had been ruined during the flight.

Tanner was stranded. He couldn’t go anywhere without a replacement.

Air Canada promised an immediate remedy – who wouldn’t? – but hours passed and no wheelchair materialized at LaGuardia. And, the airline has said it can’t fix the situation until Monday. Tanner is not in Central Park. Rather, he’s stuck in a hotel bed, possibly for up to five days. Until Air Canada comes through, Tanner isn’t going anywhere.

Also, wheelchairs. But fingers crossed that’s sorted properly. Delirious. Going to curl up & cry, & sleep. Love to you all #tutusfortannerless than a minute ago via TweetDeckCatherine Connors
herbadmother


Needless to say, Twitter is upset – well, specifically the people on Twitter. The folks who tweeted to send Tanner to Manhattan are now livid that Air Canada, according to TechEye.net, “has dashed the hopes of a dying child and ruined what could have been a joyous moment in his last remaining days.”Fortunately, the Twitter-verse seems to be focused on getting a replacement wheelchair for the kid, though it appears that the situation hasn’t been fixed yet. Notes the article, “The #TutusForTanner campaign is still ongoing, growing, and welcoming more support.” Meanwhile, Air Canada still hasn’t done anything, according to the report.

American Airlines kills puppies

by Andrew Evans on

Seven out of 14 young puppies died yesterday after flying American Airlines flight #851 from Tulsa, Oklahoma to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. High temperatures and long flight delays were likely contributing factors, though further investigation is necessary to determine the exact cause of death.

American Airlines says they ship over 100,000 live animals a year. Some airlines refuse to ship dogs in the summer months due to the likelihood of heat exhaustion. American Airlines claims to adhere to temperature restrictions of 86° F when shipping live animals, which in this particular case, were overlooked. News reports put yesterday’s morning temperatures in Tulsa at 87° F and climbing, while the plane spent over an hour waiting on the tarmac.

The Humane Society of the United States highly recommends against ever shipping animals by air unless absolutely necessary. The following guidelines specify that pets should not travel during the summer months or during any busy holiday travel season.

(Photo: Flickr/Richard Stowey)