Tagged With "Consumer"

With the continuing unbundling of fares, it's important that people get some idea of what their flight will actually cost. I don't understand the airlines opposition to it. Most of them use the same tactics and it's unlikely someone won't fly because their true fare is revealed (though a few might not). People need clarity to make well-informed choices.

It was a task to compare fares before the law, so I hope it doesn't revert back. Gotta love the name of the new bill. I guess it's opposite day again.

Flight attendants, at a Federal hearing, pointed to "legroom wars" and increased air rage. A safety expert pointed out that the FAA's evacuation tests use planes with more legroom than you're likely to get, and Charlie Leocha of Consumer Traveler...

The so-called Transparent Airfare Act that would have allowed airlines to quote low fares and hide the taxes and fees until the end of booking, appears to have died a well-deserved death.   Last year, it was passed by the House of Representatives...

Frontier and Southwest planes pass each other at Seattle. Photo: Wikimedia / rsocol   In two different surveys recently released, Frontier takes the cake...sort of. On one, it was the airline garnering the most complaints; on the other (perhaps...

In an interesting article by Consumer Reports, they say when buying a carry-on bag to ignore hand tags, advertisements and website descriptions that proclaim "Official Carry -On Size", because there is no universal  carry-on size yet....

An airline-industry-backed bill in Congress would roll back the requirement that airlines and travel agencies advertise the fare you'll actually pay. Before the 2011 Department of Transportation rule—which has been upheld in court—airlines...

Virgin America takes top spot in the latest annual quality ratings. For all airlines, 3 categories showed improvement, but complaints rose anyway.

The U.S. Senate is working on a transporation bill that contains language that would prohibit the Department of Transportation from enforcing rules that allow you to cancel an airline ticket within 24 hours, or to hold the fare for 24 hours before...

Congress has turned down an opportunity to require at least a minimum amount of seat space for airline passengers. Expect more squeezing!

As Congress begins work on the FAA funding bill, consumer advocates and industry lobbyists go to work to get their favorite amendments included.

Consumer Reports really raises some good points. If available, Id suggest the online or self checking kiosk option, because the airlines seem stricter at the ticket counter than after security. I've had the airlines tell me to check a bag when I knew it met the requirements., both size and weight. Since those were international flights with a free checked bag , I haven't pressed the issue.

I can agree with most of the points...although I can hardly think about wanting to go back to bags without wheels. But over the years, I've seen a lot of bags with external handle/frame setups on the conveyor with the frame ripped or twisted off the bag, something that's never happened to me with internal frame. And because the two rods of the handle occupy just two bumps in the bottom of the bag, they don't take away very much packing space, either.

Wheels do add weight and take away space, but if you've a long connection to make at an airport, it's so nice to have the wheeled carryon. If I don't have a roller bag, I use a backpack. Easier to carry and with better balance than a small duffer or other hand held bag.