airlines

Why Fly? The Case Against Air Travel

It's bad enough that air fares and extra fees have been rising as fast as a plane taking off -- now, travelers must wonder if aircraft have been properly inspected. Are the costs, pains and risks of flying reaching the point where frequent fliers should reconsider their transportation choices?

Former Northwest Employees Sue Delta Over Pay Discrepancy

A half-dozen Delta Air Lines flight attendants sued the carriers for what they say is discrimination in the form of smaller profit-sharing paychecks for former Northwest Airlines employees, the Associated Press reported Wednesday.

Will Higher Airfares Ground More Flyers?

Cathay Pacific CEO Tony Tyler says when airlines last raised fares in 2008, most travelers kept on flying. But as Mideast upheavals send oil prices skyward and airlines hike fares again, the impact on the bottom line could be quite different.

Airlines and Online Ticket Sites: Altered Flight Patterns

New technology is leading to changes in business relationships between airlines and online ticketing sites. It'll take a while for the new landscape to settle down, but the near-term result could be potential windfalls for some carriers -- and confusion for air travelers.

While Airlines Are Profiting Again, Fliers Are Suffering

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.

At Least These Extra Airline Fees Come With Little Luxuries

Those irritating fees aren't going away, but over the next few years, some of them will be attached to new a la carte services that travelers may be happier to pay for. Think personal concierge services, intercity rail ticket sales -- and even in-flight spa treatments.

Boeing's Dreamliner Delays: Outsourcing Goes Too Far

After Boeing announced yet another -- the seventh -- delay in the first delivery of the innovative 787 passenger jet, it's now clear that Boeing's decision to outsource both the design and manufacturing of the plane was more than it could manage.

Delta Lowers Profit Guidance on Winter Storms

The storms last month not only inconvenienced travelers; they also cut into Delta Air Lines's profit, the company warned Wednesday. Delta has lowered its profit guidance by $45 million as a result.

At Last, New Protections for Air Travelers Will Land in 2011

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.

Airline Passengers Now Get Stranded -- Even Before It Snows

Thousands of stuck holiday travelers are just the beginning: Airlines' new policy of pre-emptively canceling flights to avoid snowstorms is lowering their losses, but will likely leave many more passengers without a flight home in the future.