Of all the industries that have achieved record profits recently, none have posted more remarkable results than the airline industry. For the first time in a decade, the industry is on a glide path to profitability -- but it's getting there by squeezing its customers.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is raising the bar for the treatment of airline passengers this spring. You'll see more transparency in ticket pricing, better deals for bumped passengers, and reimbursement of luggage fees when checked bags are lost or delayed.
American Airlines has pulled its flights off of Orbitz after a dispute about how the travel site accesses the flight data. The move may make it harder for travelers to comparison shop, critics say. But Orbitz expects no loss of sales as a result.
The International Air Transport Association expects airline profit to plunge 40% this year as fewer passengers travel during the recession and as fuel prices rise. But that doesn't mean you'll necessarily be able to score a good deal: Airfares are likely to keep climbing.
With its lack of premium amenities and upgrade options, Southwest has been an airline that many business travelers try to avoid. But after it absorbs AirTran next year, those frequent fliers will have almost no choice on some routes.
Don't believe the fairy tales United and Continental are spinning about their proposed merger being beneficial to travelers and carriers alike: Beyond the deal to bring Southwest to Newark Airport that they cut placate the antitrust watchdogs, this merger is all bad news.