Topic: Passenger Air Transportation

Family vacation: Airlines asked to cut fees for seating together

Family vacation might be cheaper if Senator Charles Schumer succeeds in getting airlines to allow families with young children to sit together without paying extra for window and aisle.

In JetBlue no-fly list mistake, toddler removed

A toddler from a family of Middle Eastern descent was removed from a JetBlue flight because of what the airline called a glitch

Russian plane goes missing in Indonesia, dealing blow to aviation industry (+video)

The late-model Russian Sukhoi SuperJet-100 was meant to revive Russia's aging and accident-prone airplane fleet. It disappeared on a demonstration flight.

Top 5 ways to save on your summer vacation

If you're pining for a summer vacation but worried about costs, consider how Wayne and Pat Dunlap of Del Mar, Calif., managed to tour 51 countries over two years, marvel at the Egyptian pyramids, scale a New Zealand glacier, and visit Laotian Buddhist monks all for less than $100 a day. "We often stayed at guesthouses and hostels, ate at local family restaurants, took public transportation, and in some cases, traveled on cruise ships offering reduced rates," says Mr. Dunlap, author of the travel book "Plan Your Escape." This year amid price worries and higher summer airfares, especially to Europe such ingenuity could prove essential. Here are five cost-cutting strategies that can help:

Best service ever? Airline industry sets surprising record.

A new report on the US airline industry found that, by four major measures including lost baggage and overbookings, customer service has never been better.

JetBlue pilot's outburst: Could side effects from medications be at fault?

Federal investigators and JetBlue officials poring over Clayton Osbon's medical records are expected to look for clues as to whether medications, or their side effects, might be an issue.

Charge brought against JetBlue pilot Clayton Osbon after mid-flight outburst (+video)

Clayton Osbon, the JetBlue pilot whose erratic behavior mid-flight led the co-pilot to lock him out of the cockpit, was charged Wednesday with 'interfering' with crew instructions. What led a 'consummate professional' to come unglued remains a mystery to the public. 

Plastic restraints failed to hold pilot, JetBlue CEO vows review

JetBlue CEO says he knew the pilot who become erratic on flight 191 to Las Vegas personally. But JetBlue promises a review of safety procedures.

JetBlue captain restrained on cross-country flight

Passengers had to tackle the captain after he began running down the aisles ranting; the co-pilot took over and the plane made an emergency landing in Texas.

Baseball spring training: The facts, from history to cheap seats

Spring training is when players shed the winter rust by limbering up on warm, sun-baked diamonds, sign autographs galore, and provide hope that this may be their team’s year. As preseason games between major-league teams begin on Saturday, here are a few facts to give you some background on spring ball.

Another casualty of Brazil's rise: cheap airfare

The founder of Gol, a Brazilian airline that once set out to topple high-cost air travel, is now facing questions on his company's exorbitantly high prices.

Solar storm forces Delta, United to divert flights

Solar storm: Delta Air Lines and United Airlines diverted flights over the poles to prevent loss of communications. This is the biggest solar storm in six years, says NASA.

Holiday travel: why airports will be a little emptier this year

The airline industry expects about 20,000 fewer people per day to fly this holiday period – not good news for an ailing industry already hurting from volatile fuel costs.

Couches in coach: A cozier way to fly?

Air New Zealand has introduced small, sharable futons in coach, allowing passengers to lie flat on overnight flights. It sounds cozy, but the couches have some drawbacks.

AMR shareholders take massive hit, but experts see a less volatile future

AMR shareholders saw their stocks drop 84 percent on Tuesday, and can expect the stock to drop to zero, but experts are saying the state of the airline industry today suggests profits are on the way.

AMR: What does Chapter 11 bankruptcy mean for American Airlines fliers?

American Airline parent corporation, AMR Corp., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Tuesday. With peak travel season just around the corner, experts are split over what it could mean.

Airline travel: life in first class is getting cushier (but not back in steerage)

US airlines, profitable again after a disastrous decade, are spending almost $2 billion to upgrade amenities for their highest-paying customers. "There is a war going on for the profitable passenger," says one analyst.

JetBlue flight sits on tarmac for seven hours. Will anyone be fined?

Airlines can be fined $27,500 per passenger for flights that sit on the tarmac for more than three hours. But critics say enforcement has been too soft. The JetBlue delay could be a test.

Qantas flights: Why the Australia airline abruptly grounded all flights

Qantas Airways grounded all flights Saturday, stranding thousands of passengers, including 17 world leaders. What's behind the Qantas labor union dispute?

U.S. stocks fall as hopes for Europe falter

U.S. stocks closed with steep losses amid reports that a key meeting of Europe's finance ministers was canceled. The Dow fell 207 points to 11706 as poor corporate earnings felled U.S. stocks.

Dreamliner 787: More orders coming, more cancellations, says Boeing

Dreamliner orders took a hit with one Chinese airline cancelling its order for 24 Dreamliners. But another Chinese airline said Wednesday it would not cancel its Dreamliner order.

Stocks fall as Germany cools hopes for debt deal

Stocks had their worst drop in two weeks after German leaders cast doubt on how fast the debt deal process would be. The Dow dropped 247 points to close at 11397.

Whitney Houston refuses to buckle up on Delta flight (video)

Whitney Houston was on her way to Detroit to work on 'Sparkle,' her first film in years, when the airline seat belt incident occurred.

Top 9 ways Internet access can save you money

Sure, access to the Internet costs you something every month. But did you ever stop to think how much money it saves? Online price comparison and access to wholesale markets and group deal sites, like livingsocial.com and Groupon, can save the average consumer $8,000 annually, according to new study from the Internet Innovation Alliance (IIA), a coalition that lobbies to make high-speed Internet access more affordable and widely available. “Generally Internet shopping can be a big money saver,” agrees Jody Rohlena. senior editor at Shopsmart magazine, but beware of online impulse buying: “It’s important to stick to your budget and try not to go crazy.”

Here are nine areas of consumer spending where the Internet can save big bucks, according to the IIA study. Can you guess which spending category is in the top spot?

Amanda Knox traveling back to US after successful appeal

Amanda Knox left Italy on Tuesday, bound for her family's home in Seattle. An Italian court freed Amanda Knox on appeal of her 2009 murder conviction.