Archive: Air Travel
Airline Deals Are Getting Rare
Less than five years ago, you could fly to Europe for $298 round trip off season, including taxes. And, in 1977, I flew the now defunct Peoples Express, one of the first post-deregulation discount carriers, for $99 each way from New York to Los Angeles: I paid a similar price...
By Carol Sottili | July 22, 2008; 06:23 AM ET | Comments (7)
Net Gains? American Adding Internet, for a Price
Starting today, some American Airlines passengers can test out the airline's new internet service on flights from New York to L.A. The broadband service, provided by Aircell, will offer free access to AA.com and a few other sites. American says it plans to install Aircell in 15 of its Boeing...
By Christina Talcott | June 25, 2008; 06:12 AM ET | Comments (7)
Insta-CoGo: Is It Fair?
As CoGo reported in the Travel section's Coming and Going column Sunday, travelers can start signing up this week for a new, $100-a-year program that will allow them access to a special lane to get through U.S. customs quickly. It's similar to the already existing "registered traveler" program. For $128,...
By Cindy Loose | May 13, 2008; 06:08 AM ET | Comments (14)
Insta-CoGo: Even Higher Airfares?!?
Shopping for summer airfares, shocked at the prices, and wondering if you should wait for a sale? You could do that, and maybe you'd get lucky, but the experts aren't betting on it. Big reason: jet fuel prices. You may be thinking, "But they've already added some hefty fuel surcharges,...
By Cindy Loose | May 8, 2008; 06:18 AM ET | Comments (3)
Insta-CoGo: Skycaps, Tipping and You
The income of skycaps who check bags at curbside is said to have dropped drastically when many airlines began charging $2 a bag for checking at curbside. The workers depend on tips, with salaries generally at minimum wage or less. According to testimony in a recent lawsuit, many passengers stopped...
By Cindy Loose | May 6, 2008; 06:36 AM ET | Comments (14)
Travel Alert: Heading to Reagan National?
Garage construction at Reagan National will likely cause traffic backups, especially during peak times, as of Monday. The left lane of the airport entrance road will be closed for the duration of the two-year, $54 million project. Motorists coming from Washington on the southbound George Washington Parkway are advised to...
By Cindy Loose | May 2, 2008; 12:12 PM ET | Email a Comment
Insta-CoGo: The Dulles Rail Extension and You
In an unexpected reverse move, the Feds announced today that they're funding the Dulles rail extension, which we all but left for dead a few months back. Now that things are back on track (so to speak), it's looking up for Dulles, which is considered Washington's international hub (never mind...
By Christina Talcott | April 30, 2008; 01:30 PM ET | Comments (28)
Delta/Northwest Marriage: What Does It Mean?
Should the Delta/Northwest merger go through, the jury is still out on what type of effects it will have on the regular schmoe trying to make his way back home. Will frequent-flier mile programs change? Will more fees be charged? Will there be less competiton and higher fares out of...
By Carol Sottili | April 15, 2008; 11:12 AM ET | Comments (7)
The Monday Rant: Air Wars, Part II
Let me see if I've got this straight. Airport security lines are longer than ever, flights are more expensive than ever, planes are more crowded than ever and more often delayed than ever. Meanwhile, a second checked bag costs more, food costs more, legroom costs more. And best of all,...
By Scott Vogel | April 14, 2008; 06:45 AM ET | Comments (15)
Insta-CoGo: Flight Cancellation Rights
If you're one of the tens of thousands of passengers whose plans are being disrupted because of American Airlines' flight cancellations, you're probably wondering exactly what the airline owes you -- since, after all, the disruptions were caused by the airline as it scrambled to make sure its planes met...
By K.C. Summers | April 10, 2008; 12:14 PM ET | Comments (6)
Your Turn: Cell Phones in the Air?
The EU is finally doing it: It has decided to allow passengers to use cellphones on airplanes. Hmmmmm. The Associated Press reports reports that phone calls will be routed through "an onboard base station -- like a miniature cellphone tower -- linked to a satellite and then to ground networks,"...
By Christina Talcott | April 8, 2008; 12:46 PM ET | Comments (31)
Clear Lane: A Clarification (and Apology)
We published a contribution from a reader last week complaining about inefficiency and bad signage at the new Clear security lanes at Dulles Airport -- a contribution that we've since learned was in error. The reader implied that he tried to use the Clear lane the weekend after it opened...
By K.C. Summers | March 31, 2008; 01:22 PM ET | Comments (5)
The Monday Rant: You Pierced What?!?
Should you have to remove body piercings to pass through security? Well, now you apparently don't, but not before an ugly incident in Texas. According to an Associated Press story, Mandi Hamlin, 37, of Texas says she wasn't given a patdown option when her nipple piercings set off alarms last...
By Cindy Loose | March 31, 2008; 06:31 AM ET | Comments (17)
In the News: What's Going on in the Skies?
It's turning out to be a particularly difficult week if you're an air traveler, though isn't every week particularly bad these days? In case you missed it, some developments: * Today, American Airlines has canceled about 200 flights, according to a report by the Associated Press, "so its crews can...
By John Deiner | March 26, 2008; 01:18 PM ET | Comments (4)
First Look: The Clear Lexus Lane? Not So Much
Last week we reported on the new Clear security lanes debuting at National and Dulles airports, and how officials touted them as time-saving boons to humanity. For $128 a year, frequent travelers can bypass the regular security lanes, enjoying the services of special "concierges" who help them with bins and...
By K.C. Summers | March 26, 2008; 06:43 AM ET | Comments (7)
What's the Deal?: What You Need to Know About Summer Airfares
Farecast, a Web site that analyzes airfare trends and offers predictions and pricing, has issued its summer forecast, concluding (no surprise here) that summer fares to Europe are 10 percent higher this year. But the analysis also concludes that there are ways around paying sky-high fares, as long as you're...
By Carol Sottili | March 21, 2008; 10:32 AM ET | Comments (1)
Insta-CoGo: Delta to Charge $25 for Second Checked Bag
Delta is the latest carrier to add a $25 fee for a second piece of checked luggage. The carrier hasn't made a formal announcement (and Delta's Web site still says that you're allowed two pieces of checked baggage), but Delta spokeswoman Susan Elliott confirmed today that the fee will go...
By Cindy Loose | March 20, 2008; 02:25 PM ET | Comments (13)
Insta-CoGo: Clear Security Lanes Debut at DCA
When did being special get ... special-er? First there were HOV lanes on the highway, then came EZPass for tolls. Denver and Salt Lake City airports just got separate security lanes for casual, family and "expert" travelers. And as of today, Reagan National has Clear lanes for registered travelers, courtesy...
By Christina Talcott | March 19, 2008; 02:50 PM ET | Comments (10)
The Monday Rant: Who Owns The Window?
Window Dictators, you know who you are! And if you don't, I am going to tell you. On airplanes, I am an aisle person by choice, because I cannot stand to be squeezed in. Plus, I hate to bother others with my constant need to stretch my legs, visit the...
By Andrea Sachs | March 17, 2008; 07:13 AM ET | Comments (39)
Insta-Cogo: Southwest Airlines' 'Pretty' Incident
Oh, Southwest, you never fail to entertain. The airline seems to have a knack for attracting interesting, if not exactly bad, press. Last summer, several female passengers complained that the airline imposed a dress code on them, asking them to cover up their skimpy attire. Now, two college coeds claim...
By John Deiner | March 3, 2008; 01:11 PM ET | Comments (9)
Insta-CoGo: Frequent-Flier Changes at US Airways
In response to a recent post on the Travel Log, CoGo did a little research on changes in US Airways' frequent-flier program, and this is what we found. If you earn U.S. Airways Dividend Miles on short hops, you won't be earning as many miles as before on tickets purchased...
By Cindy Loose | February 29, 2008; 12:27 PM ET | Comments (2)
Travel Health: That Water on the Plane
A few days after I returned from South Africa, I got sick -- really sick. At first I wondered if I was suffering from drinking bad water, from, say, the ice cubes at that cute café in Jo'burg. But that's unlikely: Unlike many African countries, South Africa's drinking water is...
By Christina Talcott | February 20, 2008; 12:41 PM ET | Comments (8)
What's the Deal: An Airfare Crystal Ball?
Farecast has been on the leading edge of geeky, yet incredibly useful, analysis of airfares for a few years. But up until yesterday morning, the site's claim to fame -- predicting whether a specific airfare would go up, down or stay the same -- was restricted to certain domestic cities...
By Carol Sottili | February 8, 2008; 07:52 AM ET | Comments (3)
Insta-CoGo: You're Bumped, and Out of Luck
This just in: Not only was 2007 the second worst year ever for flights being late, but airlines bumped passengers at the highest rate in 11 years. The 18 largest airlines last year found 621,717 people willing to switch to other flights voluntarily; they typically offer incentives like a voucher...
By Cindy Loose | February 7, 2008; 09:51 AM ET | Comments (17)
It Came From the Chat: Cats on a Plane!
Boy, we didn't know what we were getting into last week on our Internet chat when we answered a reader's question about taking her cat on a plane. The fur hasn't stopped flying since. The poor woman was innocently inquiring about flying with her cat to Texas. We told her...
By K.C. Summers | February 6, 2008; 07:36 AM ET | Comments (60)
Insta-CoGo: Secure Your Shoes
Knowing my shoes and my sandals have no metal in them, I'm irritated every time I have to take them off to go through security. What is the point? Yeah, I know about that nutcase Richard Reid, who put plastic explosives in his shoes and tried to set them off....
By Cindy Loose | February 5, 2008; 07:42 AM ET | Comments (16)
Insta-CoGo: Direct Flights vs. Nonstop
CoGo recently received a letter from a reader apoplectic about US Airways. When calling the airline three times about a ticket from Phoenix to BWI, she wrote, she was distinctly told three times that the flight from Phoenix to BWI was "direct" -- which she assumed meant, well, direct, as...
By Cindy Loose | January 31, 2008; 01:06 PM ET | Comments (19)
The Monday Rant: Getting Groped in the Air
Today we inaugurate a new weekly feature on the Travel Log: The Monday Rant. And as anyone who travels knows, we won't be lacking for material. The process of getting from here to there ain't exactly a walk in the park these days -- it's more like running from a...
By K.C. Summers | January 7, 2008; 07:26 AM ET | Comments (20)
It's Showtime: In-Flight Movies and Oscar
It's the most wonderful time of the year: awards season. It all starts with the Golden Globes nominations, which were announced last week, and ends with Oscar Sunday. In between -- for me anyway -- is a frenzied schedule of watching as many of the nominated films as is humanly...
By Christina Talcott | December 20, 2007; 07:12 AM ET | Comments (3)
Holiday Air Travel
The special attention given to air travel by top officials, including President Bush, seems to have paid off. The big question: Will the same measures be instituted over the Christmas holidays? It looks like YES. First, Thanksgiving travel. Major measures included the opening of military air space for commercial flights,...
By Cindy Loose | December 4, 2007; 07:04 AM ET | Comments (1)
Unclogging the Airways: A Modest Proposal
The three New York airports take the three bottom slots on the list of airports with the worst on-time arrivals and departures, and the delays there ripple throughout the country. In fact, an astounding 75 percent of delays nationwide originate in New York, according to a study by the Business...
By Cindy Loose | November 28, 2007; 11:07 AM ET | Comments (5)
Park and Cry
Hourly: "Closed" Express: "Closed" Long Term: "Closed" Overflow: "Closed" (Okay, so Overflow is never open, but it still freaked me out.) This was the Thanksgiving greeting I received when I drove to BWI last Thursday at noon, looking for a cozy spot for my car. I felt fairly confident that...
By Andrea Sachs | November 26, 2007; 08:27 AM ET | Comments (8)
The Local Airports: Zagat Weighs In
Is Dulles the new BWI? Just a few years ago, ranting about BWI was a common practice, but since it's multi-quadrillion-dollar makeover, many of the complaints have gone away. And now comes the 2007 Zagat Survey on airports, in which BWI and Reagan National are clear favorites over Dulles. According...
By John Deiner | November 23, 2007; 07:23 AM ET | Comments (22)
Boarding Card Scare on Southwest
This weekend, I thought my mother was going to disown me, and I was ready to blame Southwest for my being orphaned. But, alas, Southwest was completely innocent; I was the misinformed culprit. I arrived at BWI Friday at 12:27 p.m. for a 1:35 fllght, allowing myself what I thought...
By Andrea Sachs | November 20, 2007; 06:54 AM ET | Email a Comment
More on the Carol Gotbaum Case
For those who've been following the case of Carol Gotbaum, the New York woman who died in police custody at the Phoenix airport after being denied boarding on her connecting flight to Tucson, here's more. The Post Outlook section, if you recall, carried a piece by freelancer A.L. Bardach that...
By K.C. Summers | November 1, 2007; 12:28 PM ET | Comments (6)
Food Tester at Cruising Altitude
Flight Attendant: "Welcome to American Airlines. Care to hear our specials of the day?" Me (playing a passenger): "Why, of course. I have only eaten an Annie's pretzel in the terminal and am ravished." F.A.: "We have three new sandwiches that will rinse that salty party mix taste right out...
By Andrea Sachs | October 30, 2007; 06:55 AM ET | Comments (12)
The Gotbaum-US Airways Case, Cont'd
If you've been following the case of Carol Anne Gotbaum, the US Airways passenger who died while in police custody at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport on Sept. 28, here's an update. First, the undisputed facts: Gotbaum became distraught after not getting on her connecting flight. The police were called. She...
By K.C. Summers | October 18, 2007; 02:45 PM ET | Comments (6)
Should There Be Mercy?
A recent email raises again the question: When there are rules, should airlines just stick with them, or should mercy ever be shown? The email was from a woman who took her family of four from Washington on British Airways to visit relatives in India. On past visits, all flights...
By Cindy Loose | October 17, 2007; 10:02 AM ET | Comments (16)
When Flying Kills
If you haven't seen it, take a look at yesterday's Outlook story on the death of Carol Anne Gotbaum, the US Airways passenger who died shackled to a bench in the Phoenix airport. It's distressing on several levels. Gotbaum was flying US Airways and its subcontractor, Mesa Airlines, from New...
By K.C. Summers | October 15, 2007; 01:10 PM ET | Comments (19)
Security Lines for Early Flights: A Rude Awakening
When I have a 6 a.m. international flight from Dulles, I expect: 1. No traffic. 2. Easy parking in the airport lot. 3. No security lines. 4. Hot coffee at the concession stand. I was right on three of four accounts; I totally miscalculated on No. 3. Last Friday, I...
By Andrea Sachs | October 11, 2007; 09:44 AM ET | Comments (7)
Overbooked Flights: What's It Worth to You?
Airlines routinely overbook flights, figuring from experience and no doubt complicated computer programs that there will be a certain number of no-shows. But what happens when they guess wrong, and what do you think they should pay you if you're the guy who doesn't get a seat due to their...
By Cindy Loose | October 3, 2007; 10:26 AM ET | Comments (19)
Columbus, Ohio, for $10?!
Got $10 to spare? If so, and you don't mind driving to Richmond, you can fly to Columbus, Ohio, on Skybus, a new low-fare carrier that recently started service between the Old Dominion and the Buckeye State. On every flight, the carrier sells 10 seats for $10 (not including taxes)...
By Andrea Sachs | September 28, 2007; 10:45 AM ET | Comments (3)
Reclining Seat Wars
There are two types of airline passengers in the world: those who think it's their God-given right to recline their seats all the way back because they paid for their space, and if that's going to make the poor slob behind them uncomfortable, that's just too bad; and those who...
By K.C. Summers | September 14, 2007; 09:42 AM ET | Comments (41)
Cutting in Line
Last time I checked, many months ago, authorities at Reagan National, Dulles and BWI airports were considering a Registered Travelers program -- the mechanism by which you pay about $100, agree to provide info like fingerprints or eye scans, then go through an expedited security line at the airport. Called...
By Cindy Loose | September 12, 2007; 07:04 AM ET | Comments (15)
Southwest's Revealing Incident
Another flying conundrum has been cast upon us: How revealing is too revealing when it comes to air travel? Southwest Airlines recently tried to evict passenger Kyla Ebbert from a San Diego-to-Tucson flight because she was "dressed inappropriately," Ebbert told the "Today" show's Matt Lauer on Friday. Ebbert, a Hooters...
By John Deiner | September 10, 2007; 01:12 PM ET | Comments (26)
Air Travel Gripe No. 1,234: Loud DVDs
Those airline complaints just keep coming and coming. Each Monday during our weekly 2 p.m. chat at www.washingtonpost.com/travel, we garner our share of vents from troubled fliers (which is just about all of us, no?). This week a lot of folks were complaining about long waits for baggage once they...
By John Deiner | August 21, 2007; 01:14 PM ET | Comments (12)
