Would a US Airways-American Airlines merger be good for travelers?
If it happens, the expected union of US Airways and American Airlines could be one of the last big legacy airline mergers. Maybe even the last one.
The Navigator
Is it too easy to lose the TSA’s “trust”?
A new Transportation Security Administration initiative that lets trusted travelers bypass the airport screening line is on the verge of an ambitious expansion. By the end of the year, PreCheck, a government program that offers expedited screening to those who submit to an initial background check, is expected to be available in 35 airports.
Airlines claim passengers are overtaxed — but are they?
To say that air travelers spend as much time complaining about fees and surcharges as they do flying might not be much of an exaggeration. And now the airline industry wants you to add another complaint to that list: taxes.
No sense of ownership in home rental phishing scams
The rental villa on the French Riviera that Sonia Guillaume found online looked picture-perfect. It featured an impeccably manicured garden, spacious living areas, a pool and stunning views of the medieval village of St. Paul de Vence.
TSA body scanners’ apparent flaw raises airport security concerns
One of the Transportation Security Administration’s vaunted 20 layers of security has been looking a little porous lately, and the resulting dust-up is calling into question the effectiveness — and the cost-effectiveness — of post-9/11 airport screening.
New airline rules yet to be enforced, even as DOT levies record fines
Back in August, you might recall, the Transportation Department adopted a set of tough new consumer-protection rules to help airline passengers. In January, it added even more.
On travel sites, the pre-checked box checks out
The pre-checked box, a clever technique that travel companies use to extract a few dollars more from customers booking their trips online, may be checking out.
FAA bill offers a mixed bag for air travelers
It looks as if the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill can fly, after all.
Costa Concordia sinking leaves other cruise ship passengers alarmed — and out of luck
he tragic sinking of the Costa Concordia cruise ship last week is leaving a line of worried passengers in its wake. Betty Westbrook is among them. The retiree from Allen, Tex., called me hours after the ship sank off the Italian coast, hoping that I could help her. “What are my chances for a refund?” she asked.
New rules for airline fees are a partial victory for travelers
If airfares confuse you as much as they confuse me, then I have some good news: Several new rules are going to make it easier to calculate the total cost of a ticket.