News and notes from around the interweb:
- How United squeezes passengers for an extra $1 per seat. Also, a $135 seat assignment on a sub-2,000 mile flight?
Seat prices ending in .99 now
byu/sportstvandnova inunitedairlines - TSA fought requirement to allow an opt-out for facial recognition ($$) Their policy is to allow it, but wanted that left to their own discretion rather than requiring them to honor it.
The Transportation Security Administration fought legislation that would formalize the option for travelers not to undergo facial recognition scans at airports, despite the agency’s policy allowing for people to choose a manual review instead, according to two people familiar with the matter.
- 30mph motorized skateboard suitcase seeks to break gate-to-gate speed record at Denver airport (HT: Paul H)
- Ex-NFL Pro Bowler TJ Ward calls airports ‘scam,’ says TSA searches him due to his ‘man parts’
The airport is a scam. TSA is a scam. All these rules for nothing. I have a weapon in my draws every time I fly, if you ask that stupid machine. No those are just my man parts. Now I gotta get SA’d. Sick of it! Domestic terror and we worried about my ball sack.
— T.J. Ward (@BossWard43) May 10, 2024
- Goodbye.
@SouthwestAir your KBUF Gate 19 ground crew handled this jerk passenger perfectly on the flight down to Tampa this morning. pic.twitter.com/Oz0jyJe8De
— We Saved Marriage In Florida! (@FLAChildren) May 12, 2024
- Couple takes revenge on seat stealers by reclining into them for 14 hours
- Oops. (HT: @crucker)
Booking’s Boomerang Backfire :
Booking lobbied for the Digital Markets Act, looking to benefit from Google’s “gatekeeper” label.
Now Booking has been labeled a DMA gatekeeper too. https://t.co/3cwEW3NGgp
— Adam Kovacevich (@adamkovac) May 13, 2024
When doing your taxes, even the IRS will round up amounts to a whole dollar to keep things simpler.
For once, the government is smarter than the airlines!!
How the heck did someone run the distance in 13 seconds when a motorized suitcase took longer?
If this guy want’s the record, he will have to go when the the course is clear like after the last flight.
Scotch Kirby is so tightfisted that he would squeeze a silver dollar until the eagle screamed.
@Christian … Except , he isn’t Scottish . ( His actual first name is John , Scott is a middle name . )
The idea of charging for a seat assignment would be opposed by all of the actual Scottish people .
Good call @Paper Boarding Pass! Thought of that too. The optimist could say the airlines are doing us a favor and giving back 1¢ on each seat assignment 🙂 If only. I am also surprised airlines haven’t been doing this, I learned this trick as a little kid getting gas with my parents.
I buy a lot of basic economy and purchase seats afterwards, but the cost savings appear to be getting less and less
@jns physically impossible for someone to have done it in 13 seconds. It’s 160 meters or so, even Usain Bolt wouldn’t make it that fast. Probably just a GPS glitch
@Alert – Scott. Dammed autocorrect.
And he’s still a soulless bean counter.
Airlines are a scam.
Adam Kennedy,
the article is about United.
Don’t draw conclusions about airlines as a whole based on the performance of one.
I have a work around the United scam seat assignment fees
Just don’t fly them! Problem solved
United has certainly learned how to maximize the fare income. And they have every incentive because, ever since covid, the planes to almost anyplace are full every day, every flight.
It’s all about supply and demand, and for now, demand has surged and price increases successfully stick every time they’re put forward.
People really want to fly, and that’s advantage United
Charging every passenger requesting a seat assignment an additional 99 cents may keep United Airlines out of bankruptcy for another month.
I must be the only one who think these fees are reasonable since it’s for economy plus seats, not just for seat assignments. Silver or above can get it for free as well.
Not one of your best columns