All articles tagged with #travel and transportation
A woman named Svetlana Dali boarded a Delta Air Lines flight from New York to Paris without a ticket or passport check, evading security measures at JFK Airport. After being discovered on the flight, she was detained in Paris but became unruly on a return flight to the US, leading to her removal by French authorities. The TSA, FBI, and Delta are investigating the security breach.
Passengers on a Spirit Airlines flight from Montego Bay to Fort Lauderdale were told to prepare for an emergency water landing due to a suspected mechanical issue. The plane returned safely to Montego Bay, and no injuries were reported.
A Spirit Airlines flight from Jamaica to Florida had to turn back to Montego Bay due to a suspected mechanical issue, causing passengers to prepare for a possible water landing. The plane landed safely, and passengers were transferred to another aircraft. The incident occurred amid a record-breaking holiday travel weekend and follows a series of recent aviation mishaps.
Frontier Airlines CEO Barry Biffle criticized the widespread abuse of wheelchair services by passengers who don't need them, urging penalties similar to those for handicapped parking violations. He highlighted that on some flights, many passengers request wheelchairs for priority boarding but don't use them upon arrival, costing the airline and delaying service for those truly in need. This misuse was exacerbated by a TikTok travel hack promoting the practice.
Frontier Airlines CEO Barry Biffle calls for stricter measures to prevent the abuse of airport wheelchair services, citing significant misuse that leads to increased costs and delays for those genuinely in need. He suggests penalties similar to those for parking in handicapped spaces to deter fraudulent use.
Four mummified monkeys were seized from a passenger's luggage at Boston Logan Airport after a U.S. Customs and Border Protection K9 detected them upon the passenger's return from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The passenger claimed the bag only contained dried fish, but upon inspection, the monkeys were found. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requested the luggage be seized due to the potential disease risk associated with bushmeat, and the nearly 9 pounds of bushmeat was marked for destruction. No charges were filed against the passenger, who stated he brought the monkeys for his own consumption.
A significant snowstorm in the Northeast U.S. has led to over 700 flight cancellations and 1,519 delays, with United Airlines most affected. Passengers are reminded of their rights to refunds or compensation in certain situations, and airlines are offering waivers for travelers to adjust their plans. The Department of Transportation provides guidelines, but compensation varies by airline and is typically not provided for uncontrollable delays like weather. Travelers are advised to check with their airlines for specific policies and consider travel insurance for additional protection.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has grounded 171 Boeing 737 MAX 9 jets for immediate inspections after a section of an Alaska Airlines flight tore away midair, raising concerns about the aircraft's safety. The inspections are expected to take between four to eight hours per aircraft. This has led to temporary grounding of the planes by Alaska Airlines and potentially affects travelers' plans and confidence in the 737 MAX's safety.
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) has been recognized as the most on-time global airport, while Delta Air Lines has maintained its position as the top carrier for on-time performance in North America, according to Cirium's 2023 report. Delta achieved an on-time arrival rate of 84.72% for over 1.6 million flights in the past year, marking its third consecutive year leading the region in punctuality. An on-time flight is classified by Cirium as one that arrives within 15 minutes of the scheduled gate arrival time.
Delta Air Lines has been named the most on-time North American airline in 2023 by aviation analytics firm Cirium, with an 84.72% punctuality rate. This marks Delta's third consecutive Cirium Platinum Award for operational performance. Alaska Airlines and American Airlines followed in the rankings. Globally, Avianca Airlines was the most punctual, while Delta ranked fourth. Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport was recognized as the most on-time large airport worldwide.
Delta Air Lines has been named the most on-time North American airline in 2023 by aviation analytics firm Cirium, with an 84.72% punctuality rate. This marks Delta's third consecutive Cirium Platinum Award for operational performance. Alaska Airlines followed as the second most punctual in North America. Globally, Avianca Airlines topped the list, with Delta ranking fourth. Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport was recognized as the most punctual large airport worldwide.
United Airlines faced backlash from passengers after a flight that was promoted to allow celebrations of New Year's Eve in two different time zones was delayed, causing travelers to miss the unique experience. The flight was supposed to depart from Guam and land in Honolulu in time for passengers to celebrate the new year again, but a delay pushed the arrival into New Year's Day. Passengers expressed their disappointment on social media, and United Airlines responded with apologies and requests for direct messages from affected customers. The airline's handling of the situation and potential compensation for the impacted passengers were not immediately clear.
The 2023 On-Time Performance report by Cirium shows Delta Air Lines leading in North America with an 84.72% on-time rate, followed by Alaska Airlines and American Airlines, which has shown notable improvement. JetBlue, however, continues to struggle with the lowest on-time performance among major carriers. Globally, Delta is outperformed by Avianca, Azul, and Qatar Airways. The report also highlights the efficiency of certain airports, with four Delta hubs ranking as the most on-time, and the impressive performance of Washington National despite potential challenges.
The latest report from Cirium has named Colombia's Avianca Airlines as the most punctual global airline in 2023, with an 85.73% on-time performance rate. In the Asia-Pacific region, Japan's All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines topped the list, while Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport in the U.S. was ranked as the most punctual airport worldwide. Significant improvements were noted for India's Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, which soared to second place among global airports. The rankings highlight the importance of punctuality in the travel industry and the efforts made by airlines and airports to ensure timely operations.
Kansas City International Airport (KCI) is set to introduce new nonstop flights and a traveler guest pass program by summer 2024. The airport, which recently celebrated its first holiday season after opening a new terminal, is expecting to serve 11.4-11.5 million travelers this year and is aiming for a record-setting year in 2024. The new guest pass program will allow non-travelers to access the terminal, and the airport is also planning to improve signage and traffic flow for passenger pickups.