airline industry

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Toxic Cabin Air Is Causing Brain Injuries: Report

Airline industry slow to act as incidents and illnesses rise, WSJ reports

(Newser) - Passengers and crew on commercial flights are increasingly being sickened by toxic fumes leaking into airplane cabins—a hidden hazard that industry leaders have downplayed for years despite mounting reports of serious health effects, according to a Wall Street Journal investigation. The issue is linked to "bleed air,...

In Survey, 93% of Pilots Admit to Naps on the Job

Though the naps are controlled, the fatigue triggering them raises safety concerns

(Newser) - There's a new norm in the skies: snoozing pilots. A survey from Vereinigung Cockpit, a German pilots union, reveals that nearly all participating German pilots have dozed off during flights in recent months—a habit the union calls a "worrying reality" amid mounting fatigue in the aviation...

Strike Over: Air Canada Reaches Deal With Union

Impasse had affected 130K travelers per day

(Newser) - The union for Air Canada's 10,000 flight attendants said early Tuesday that it has reached a tentative agreement to end a strike. Air Canada and the union resumed talks late Monday for the first time since the strike began over the weekend, reports the AP . The strike is...

Cops: Unruly Flier Hurled Racial Slurs, Swung Skateboard

Breeze Airways says passenger caused LA-bound plane to divert to Colorado

(Newser) - There are unruly passengers , and then there's what happened here. Breeze Airways says it had to divert a flight Wednesday because a passenger got into an altercation with fellow fliers and flight attendants, shouted racial slurs, waved around a skateboard, hit people with his belt , and then managed to...

Spirit Airlines Warns It Might Go Under

Company continues to struggle after emerging from bankruptcy

(Newser) - Spirit Airlines, once a leader in budget travel, is warning it may not survive another year. In a quarterly report issued Monday, the carrier said its dwindling cash reserves, combined with weak domestic demand for flights, threatens its existence as a business, reports CNBC . Spirit emerged from bankruptcy in...

Plunge to Avoid Another Plane Sets Off Panic, Screaming

Passenger says pilot announced Southwest jet had just missed a midair collision

(Newser) - Passengers on a Southwest Airline jet that took a dramatic plunge said they were told by the pilot that they had nearly struck another plane before landing safely in Las Vegas. The Boeing 737 jet dropped hundreds of feet in a little over 30 seconds on Friday, according to a...

US Airlines, Ranked
US Airlines, Ranked
Jun 20, 2025 2:20 PM CDT

US Airlines, Ranked

Delta is No. 1 in the eyes of The Points Guy

(Newser) - Delta Air Lines retained its spot atop the annual ranking of US airlines by The Points Guy . The ranking takes into account factors such as reliability, cost, loyalty programs, flight availability, and other metrics, and Delta has come out on top for seven straight years now, reports USA Today . The...

Florida-Based Airline Abruptly Shuts Down, Strands Passengers

Silver Airways had tried a Chapter 11 restructuring

(Newser) - Regional carrier Silver Airways announced Wednesday it is shutting down operations after a failed attempt at restructuring through bankruptcy, leaving some passengers stranded at airports in Florida, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean. "Please do not go to the airport," the Hollywood, Florida-based company posted to customers on its...

United, JetBlue to Share Frequent-Flier Benefits

Travelers on one airline can earn and redeem points on the other as well

(Newser) - JetBlue and United are partnering up on a few initiatives, but the one with the most tangible impact on travelers is this: People will be able to share frequent-filer benefits between the two airlines. Any they earn on one airline can be spent on the other, and vice versa,...

Airlines Are Making a Mint on Your Checked Bags

As in, $7B-plus

(Newser) - As Southwest Airlines—one of the last holdouts—finally joins the masses and starts charging passengers for checked bags, CBS News looks at the eye-popping amount of money such charges bring in for airlines. Last year, revenue from checked bags totaled around $7.27 billion for Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Air,...

Final Call for Free Bags at Southwest
Last Day for
Free Bags at
Southwest
May 27, 2025 10:50 AM CDT

Last Day for Free Bags at Southwest

Airline is abandoning a cherished perk for flights booked after Tuesday

(Newser) - It's the last day to book a flight on Southwest Airlines without being hit with a fee to check bags after the airline abandoned a decades-long luggage policy that executives once described as key to differentiating the budget carrier from its rivals. The airline announced the change in March...

American Finally Caves, Will Give You Free WiFi

Free WiFi is coming in 2026 to most passengers who sign up for airline's free AAdvantage program

(Newser) - Next year will feel a lot more connected for passengers on American Airlines. Starting in 2026, flights on AA will now include WiFi for people who sign up for its free AAdvantage loyalty program, with the complimentary access provided by AT&T, reports USA Today . Currently, American Airlines passengers had...

Frontier: 'File for Divorce' From Other Airlines With Free Bags

Just after Southwest ditched its free checked bags program, Frontier starts its own

(Newser) - The airline industry—and passengers—are still getting acclimated to Southwest's "stunning reversal" earlier this month on its checked-bag policy, in which it ditched its allowance for two free bags and announced it would make customers pay for the honor. Now, Frontier Airlines, a budget carrier known for...

US Sues Southwest Over 'Chronically Delayed' Flights

Buttigieg says case sends a message to all airlines

(Newser) - The Transportation Department filed a lawsuit against Southwest Airlines on Wednesday, saying passengers were harmed by certain "chronically delayed" flights. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said airlines have "a legal obligation" to give customers realistic schedules to avoid deceiving them, the New York Times reports. "Today's action...

Most Punctual Airline Is 'Absolutely' a Surprise

AeroMexico takes the honors from aviation analytics firm Cirium

(Newser) - The airline anointed the most punctual of 2024 probably isn't one most would have predicted—including the aviation analytics firm that crunched all the numbers. It's AeroMexico, which is "absolutely" a surprise, Cirium CEO Jeremy Bowen tells CNBC . The Mexican airline didn't even crack the top...

Frontier CEO: Don't Pay for Carry-On? You're a 'Shoplifter'
Frontier Doubles Down on
Pursuing Carry-On 'Shoplifters'
in case you missed it
Dec 8, 2024 10:30 AM CST

Frontier Doubles Down on Pursuing Carry-On 'Shoplifters'

Comment comes as senators grill airline executives on so-called junk fees

(Newser) - A recent Senate investigation report found Frontier and Spirit Airlines paid $26 million to gate agents between 2022 and 2023 to catch customers who failed to pay luggage fees, per the AP . Spirit says it ended that practice at the end of September, reports Reuters . But Frontier—found to have...

Spirit Airlines Files for Bankruptcy

Discount flier continues to struggle

(Newser) - Spirit Airlines filed for bankruptcy on Monday, and it was unclear whether the discount flier would be able to survive the debt restructuring. What to know:
  • No changes: Those who have tickets or were looking to buy tickets are fine. "Guests can continue to book and fly without interruption
...

He Made Spirit Airlines Into a 'Dollar Store in the Sky'
He Gave Spirit Airlines
Its 'Bad-Boy Image'
OBITUARY
Nov 13, 2024 9:55 AM CST

He Gave Spirit Airlines Its 'Bad-Boy Image'

Former CEO Ben Baldanza has died at 62 of Lou Gehrig's disease

(Newser) - Ben Baldanza, the former CEO of Spirit Airlines who helped pioneer the concept of no-frills flying, has died. The New York Times reports that the 62-year-old, who had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (aka ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease), passed away on Election Day at his home in Arlington, Virginia, according...

What Is a 'Canceled' Flight? Rule Spells It Out for First Time

It's part of new federal protections for air travelers

(Newser) - Most air travelers would seem to know the definition of a "canceled" flight, but as Quartz points out, the term can get a little squishy for airlines when it comes time to issue refunds. To counter that, the Department of Transportation has spelled out for the first time what...

Many Flight Attendants Barely Make a Livable Wage
Many Flight Attendants
'Are Barely Surviving'
longform
Aug 31, 2024 5:00 PM CDT

Many Flight Attendants 'Are Barely Surviving'

Washington Post looks at the pay struggles, especially among new hires

(Newser) - One thing is clear after reading a Washington Post deep dive into the occupation of flight attendant: The harsh realities of the job are a world apart from the often glamorized public perception of it. And no, the piece by Natalie B. Compton isn't talking merely about the joy...

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