Category Archives for Airlines.
The three largest U.S. airlines now control Republic Airways, a key regional operator that flies for all of them. The FAA Administrator, former Republic CEO, still owns shares in the airline he regulates.
DOT Secretary Sean Duffy launched a campaign lecturing travelers on etiquette, blaming passenger behavior for inflight frustrations. Yet he conveniently ignores far bigger problems—including airlines shielded from accountability, TSA-induced travel stress, and, ironically, his own boss’s famously poor manners.
After a 12-hour delay, an American Airlines passenger says the airline offered a free hotel—until reviews described smoke smell, water damage and mold, and even bed bugs at an $84-a-night property. It’s a reminder that airline hotel vouchers can be a dice roll, and you may be better off booking your own room with trip-delay coverage, a distressed-passenger rate, or points.
A woman flying Spirit out of Fort Lauderdale left a Louis Vuitton purse on the Gate F6 counter before boarding for Austin. Another passenger turned it in—then surveillance video shows two gate agents allegedly moving the contents and walking off with the bag. Both employees were arrested and charged with petit theft.
United has poured real money into Polaris wine, and it shows on today’s transatlantic menus. Flyers rave about the Catena Zapata “Argentino” Malbec, respect the Domaine Serene, and even the Laurent-Perrier Champagne feels like a deliberate premium signal—though the Whispering Angel rosé drags the lineup down.
The catch: substitutions, inconsistent catering, and limited crew wine knowledge often mean the cart doesn’t match the menu, and the food still can’t keep up.
American’s new Raven + Lily amenity kits are a real improvement—and the first in a while that do not feel cheap. The strange part is how little separates premium economy from Flagship First once you look inside the bag.
Passenger Ankit Dewan says an Air India Express captain confronted him in the staff security line at Delhi Terminal 1 after he objected to crew cutting ahead, insulted him as “anpadh,” and then struck him near the frisking area, leaving him bloodied. Dewan also claims he was pressured to sign a letter agreeing not to pursue the incident so his family wouldn’t miss their flight.
Passengers boarded a Cancún-bound flight expecting a routine departure, but the captain instead barricaded himself in the cockpit and refused to operate the flight. He told those onboard the airline owed him more than five months of unpaid wages and per diems, turning a labor dispute into a 60–90 minute standoff.
Passengers on a London-bound flight out of Málaga say they watched a family wheel an elderly woman onboard and insist she was already dead—after relatives told staff she was “just tired.” The airline disputes that, saying she boarded alive with a fit-to-fly certificate but died onboard before takeoff, forcing the aircraft back to stand and triggering an all-day delay.
Passengers on an Air Congo Boeing 737-800 reportedly sat onboard for hours after landing at Kindu Airport because ground staff couldn’t produce stairs to deplane the aircraft. Eventually, frustrated travelers began exiting on their own—jumping from the forward door down to the tarmac in a non-emergency situation, a stark breakdown in basic ground handling and onboard control.
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
