Consumer Traveler Today: April 2

Consumer Traveler Today: Fogged out from the Fantasy
 
 
Fogged out from the Fantasy
What we’re reading: Southwest modernizes avionics, business jet use increasing, Southwest-WestJet pact at risk
Flight attendants bare all for back pay
AA + JetBlue = more competition for Delta and savings at Reagan National
Divorce court for mileage AAwards — will passengers ultimately prevail?
The immoral world of medical transplant tourism
5 potential online airline booking disasters
Fogged out from the Fantasy
Posted: 02 Apr 2010 03:27 AM PDT
Tennessee resident Patty Johnson was looking forward to her 5-day cruise on the Carnival Fantasy sailing from Mobile, Alabama last December. However, when she arrived at the pier there was no ship due to severe fog. According to Johnson the weather wasn’t the only thing that was foggy, but so too was the information they received from Carnival.
       

What we’re reading: Southwest modernizes avionics, business jet use increasing, Southwest-WestJet pact at risk
Posted: 02 Apr 2010 03:24 AM PDT
Southwest switches to satellite-based avionics , business jet use is reportedly increasing, Southwest-WestJet code-sharing pact at risk
       

Flight attendants bare all for back pay
Posted: 01 Apr 2010 10:32 AM PDT
Flight attendants for the Spanish low-cost carrier, Air Comet, have just published a calendar with the airlines' flight attendants in risque poses. They claim that the airline owes them nine months of back pay.
       

AA + JetBlue = more competition for Delta and savings at Reagan National
Posted: 01 Apr 2010 09:46 AM PDT
The bold slot swap agreement agreement between American Airlines (AA) and JetBlue is aimed squarely at Delta Airlines and their build-up of service in the New York area. It is a savvy move by American to dramatically increase its connections at JFK and it is a brilliant move by JetBlue to open up service to Reagan National in Washington. DC, and gain more domestic traffic.
       

Divorce court for mileage AAwards — will passengers ultimately prevail?
Posted: 01 Apr 2010 08:30 AM PDT
The Supreme Court today refused to lift a temporary injunction which prohibits the company Frequent Flier Depot from buying and selling frequent flier points. AA had sued to stop the practice, claiming that its AAdvantage program was a contract, and as such, precludes individuals from selling their points to brokers and others.
       

The immoral world of medical transplant tourism
Posted: 01 Apr 2010 07:30 AM PDT
Ban Transplant Tourism is a subject that’s near and dear to my heart. My three-year-old granddaughter received a liver transplant at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C. when she was seven months old. We were lucky her father was a match and was able to donate 13 percent of his liver so this infant could live. It [...]
       

5 potential online airline booking disasters
Posted: 01 Apr 2010 06:30 AM PDT
The majority of travelers who book online actually don't experience that many big problems. But, there are a number of potential small annoyances, that could become disasters, that seem to crop up. If only one of out 20 people has a real issue, it's fine unless you happen to be that passenger.