Air Travel News

Starting this month, some travelers flying on Virgin America Airlines will be able to take advantage of the Transportation Security Administration’s PreCheck trusted traveler program, with a wider application to the airline’s customers coming in the months ahead.

Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport has opened up a new expedited procedure for some arriving international travelers that  lets them move through Customs and Border Protection inspections more quickly.

In hotel news this week, Marriott plans to import a European brand to the U.S.;  Virgin Hotels identifies its second planned property, this one in New York City; a leading business apartment rental firm will develop a lodging chain; and a major Hilton property causes a stir by ending a traditional guest service.

Do you use social media for business travel purposes? According to a new survey, lots of road warriors are becoming increasingly reliant on the popular Internet-based services to help them plan their trips and to stay in touch with what’s going on.

In airport news this week, United Airlines has cut the ribbon on a new United Club at Seattle-Tacoma International; travelers at Tampa International can now see where their plane is when it’s not at the gate; American expands baggage self-tagging to Miami; and both London Heathrow and Germany’s Frankfurt Airport introduce free Wi-Fi.

In news of international airlines, All Nippon Airways resumes service on a pair of U.S. routes, and also changes its checked baggage policy; Air France and KLM begin testing of in-flight connectivity on international routes; and Star Alliance rolls out a new iPad app.

Have you ever worried about feeling so sick during an airline flight that you might have to tell the flight attendant you need a doctor? If that ever happens — and the odds are against it — help will probably be close at hand, and your problem isn’t likely to be too serious, according to a new study of in-flight medical emergencies.

In U.S. airline news, United Airlines quietly raises change fees for international trips, and finishes cabin overhauls on New York flights; four congressmen introduce a bill that would guarantee families the right to sit together on commercial flights; Citigroup wants to know if it will still be the provider for American’s AAdvantage credit cards; and the Supreme Court will hear a case involving a frequent flyer’s rights. 

When American Airlines and US Airways announced their intention to merge, it was widely predicted that to win approval from the government’s antitrust regulators, the airlines might have to give up some slots at certain airports — particularly the airport used by Congress, Washington Reagan National. But now a large number of congressmen are trying to make sure that doesn’t happen.

Plenty of news stories have reported on the fact that in recent months and years — ever since Barak Obama was first elected, in fact — lots of Americans have been buying up more guns and ammo, presumably because they are worried about their Second Amendment rights being infringed.  But do they have to bring them onto airplanes? According to the Transportation Security Administration, this happens so often that you just have to wonder what people are thinking.