southwest airlines

There is absolutely nothing wrong with using travel portals, but you still can't assume that any given site is offering you the best possible deal. Let's go over a few things that Priceline, Travelocity, Expedia and Orbitz would probably prefer that you don't know.

If you're a fan of frequent flier miles, and the carrier you fly most goes bust, what should you do? Stick with the airline, or make a change? Are your points still worth anything? Don't worry, American Airlines loyalists -- the answers aren't as grim as you might fear.

Airlines are tossing consumers aside and grabbing the benefit of lower federal taxes on travel tickets. By Saturday night, nearly all the major U.S. airlines had raised fares to offset taxes that expired the night before.

The American Customer Satisfaction Index's annual report on airlines showed Southwest still on top of the rankings, and far ahead of No. 2 Continental. Southwest even improved its score, a rare bright spot in an industry that came in last overall in customer satisfaction among those the ACSI rates.

The International Air Transport Association has cut its 2011 profit forecast for the industry in half, and fares are on the rise. The IATA downgraded its 2011 airline industry profit forecast to $4 billion -- 54% less than its March forecast and 78% less than the industry netted in 2010.

Boeing says cracks in the skins of its older 737s have appeared sooner than expected. The aerospace company reported that the planes require detailed inspections of their skins after 30,000 flights -- not the 60,000 specified in earlier maintenance guidelines.

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?

#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-811723{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-811723, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-811723{width:620px;height:439px;display:block;}Flying the friendly skies doesn't feel so friendly these days. What seems like a...

The airliner whose roof ripped open 34,000 feet over Arizona has had a busy 15-year life: taking off and touching down more than seven times a day, on average, and possibly developing microscopic cracks in its aluminum skin each time. Federal aviation officials were preparing to issue an order...

Will Southwest's passengers now be reluctant to board the airline's planes -- even if they all pass inspection? The airline, which is considered one of the best run and most innovative in the country, may discover that a good reputation and a strong brand can be fleeting.