Consumer Traveler Today: Feb 18

Consumer Traveler Today: Will the “too fat to fly” kerfluffle hurt Southwest?
 
 
Will the “too fat to fly” kerfluffle hurt Southwest?
What we’re reading: UAL contracts with, four U.S. airlines seek Japan service, Expedia and disabled travelers
Look north, America
The way it was for flight attendants of yore
Report card: Major airlines flunk customer care
Will the “too fat to fly” kerfluffle hurt Southwest?
Posted: 18 Feb 2010 03:15 AM PST
The blogosphere and twitter have been filled with with the "horror story" of filmmaker, Kevin Smith, being asked to leave a full Southwest flight because he was "oversized." PR experts are sending out missives noting this is a PR flareup and that it may damage the Southwest brand. I don't think so.
       

What we’re reading: UAL contracts with, four U.S. airlines seek Japan service, Expedia and disabled travelers
Posted: 18 Feb 2010 03:10 AM PST
Expressjet signs agreement with UAL, four U.S. airlines seek Japan service, Expedia launches search tool for disabled travelers
       

Look north, America
Posted: 17 Feb 2010 08:15 AM PST
A few days ago, my husband Paul and I took a water taxi to Norris Point, in Newfoundland, and tried to get a cab to go to the Lobster Cove Head lighthouse, where a rug hooking class was taking place. The taxis were busy, the class was starting, and I asked a man who was walking toward his car if he could give us a lift. “Of course,” he beamed. He had four people in his small vehicle, and they all scrunched and squeezed to make room for us. Then they insisted on taking us to a lookout point before dropping us off at the lighthouse.
       

The way it was for flight attendants of yore
Posted: 17 Feb 2010 07:15 AM PST
The recent record breaking snows both in the Mid-Atlantic states and in such unlikely places as Texas and Georgia stirred some memories of my past experiences with what we crewmembers used to describe as “irregular” (the Ozark term) or “non-routine” (the TWA term) operations.
       

Report card: Major airlines flunk customer care
Posted: 17 Feb 2010 06:15 AM PST
Kate Hanni's FlyersRights.com issued their 2009 Real Air Travel consumer Report Card yesterday at the Press Club in Washington DC. If I had come home with a report card like this when I was a kid, I would have gotten a good spanking.