The Wall Street Journal this morning examines airlines’ inconsistently, almost arbitrarily enforced rules and regulations — you know, the kind that result in “bewildered and angry fliers.” As a prime example, the paper checks in with a frequent flier who found himself subject to the whims of an American Airlines…
Southwest Airlines’s stock is taking a beating today — down $1.90 at last check, to $7.91, following an analyst’s decision to downgrade the stock to “sell” from “underperform.” That follows yesterday’s announcement that, for the second quarter in a row, the Dallas-based carrier posted a loss — even though it…
Southwest Airlines doesn’t feel the Federal Aviation Administration’s $10.2 million fine, handed down in March and due last August, is “fair or reasonable.” So, you know what, Southwest’s not gonna pay it, its spokesperson tells Bloomberg News today. To which the FAA says it’s “still talking with” Southwest about paying…
There’s a small but interesting item of note on the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport Facility Improvement Corporation Board’s meeting agenda today — and, right, whatever that is. Seems American Airlines is looking to unload one of its flight simulators. It’s not for one of the big planes, though. Old Friend…
A Friend of Unfair Park is rather unhappy with Dallas-based Southwest Airlines over the news today that the carrier’s spending a mere $7.5 million to assume ATA Airlines’ rights to operate at New York’s LaGuardia Airport. The deal’s still a long ways off: “Details on the commencement of service or…
American Airlines debuted a new ad yesterday promoting the Fort Worth-based carrier’s international routes. And it features a cameo from the owner of Your Dallas Mavericks, who’s now moonlighting as a financial adviser. Much less scarring than Jerry Jones’ pizza ad. –Robert Wilonsky…
A heads-up for those heading to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport tomorrow: You’ll be greeted by picketing American Airlines flight attendants. The Association of Professional Flight Attendants, which reps the some 20,000 AA employees, yesterday announced it has chosen four airports for its Friday fun: DFW, Los Angeles International, New York’s…
Yesterday, the case of John D. Cerqueira, Petitioner v. American Airlines, Inc. was on the docket of the U.S. Supreme Court — which ultimately decided to not to bother. For those unfamiliar with the details of the case — for which the NAACP offered an amicus brief in support of…
Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport CEO Jeff Fegan, pictured in the back row About a month ago, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport CEO Jeff Fegan acknowledged that the airport’s going through tough economic times like everyone else, thus necessitating a budget freeze and a halt on future expansion plans for the time…
Man, American Airlines is getting the worst kind of PR imaginable today, as the Tale of Teresa Olaya spreads far and wide. And, look, the first part was bad enough: Miguel Olaya said he sent his wife’s corpse from Brooklyn to her native Ecuador for burial after she died in…
This is what PETA wants you to see just before hitting the head at DFW International. No, for reals. The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals today shot Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport’s CEO Jeff Fegan a money-making proposal. The organization would like to help the airport, currently in the…
The latest issue of The New Republic wonders, quite simply, “What will happen when America can’t afford to fly?” And no, surprisingly, the answer isn’t, “Transporters.” It’s a little more doom-and-gloom-scented, as Bradford Plumer takes a look at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and portrays it as the center of an…
Thin Sweaty Man, by John Bent One of our big bossmens around here is trying to get to Houston, and he sends word from Dallas Love Field that the air conditioning’s out — “has been all morning.” Turns out, he was told, workers were doing some electrical work out at…
United Airlines’ Red Carpet Club lounge is located in Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in Terminal B, near Gate 30. There, frequent fliers willing to shell out a few hundy for a gratis T-Mobile® Hotspot®, some snacks and coffee and a cash bar can kill time comfortably whilst awaiting their delayed…
But before we get to that, here’s a report from last night’s WBZ-TV newscast out of New England, where the Fort Worth-based carrier went for its infrared missile defense system — called Counter-Man-Portable Air Defense System, or MANPADS for shorts — that, from the looks of it, at least, can…
So, from the looks of a letter that arrived in my in-box last night, most of the airlines’ woes come from but a single source: oil speculators. At least, that’s what American Airlines’ Gerard Arpey and Southwest Airlines’ Gary Kelly — and nine of their fellow CEOs and presidents –…
MLW Air The Dallas Mavericks’ Boeing 767-200 Mark Cuban has a piece of a pretty nifty fleet of planes: a Boeing 767-200, which holds 102 passengers in cushy comfort, and a 757-200, which’ll travel 63 folks willing to suffer with “lavatories so large they have windows.” Both appear to be…
Wacky, wacky Southwest Airlines. Looks like the Dallas-based airline, already responsible for one of the greatest print ads in recent memory, has done gone and rounded up Fort Worth-based comedy quartet Curtis Needs a Ride for this zany travel-tip infomercial regarding airport security do’s and do-not-ever’s. Note to Southwest: I…
A Friend of Unfair Park wonders why we’re talking about those folks getting the boot from a Southwest Airlines flight when there’s a far more interesting story concerning an American Airlines flight from Miami to New York. In short, notes the NYC newsman, there was a “pitched battle between the…
A Friend of Unfair Park sends us this late-afternoon link to a story out of Seattle, about a woman and her unruly brood given the boot from a Southwest Airlines flight from Detroit to the Pacific Northwest. The plane made a pit stop in Phoenix, where Wendy Slaughter says she…
We’re the first, because we’re the best! Coming to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport in August: “Baggage Carousel advertising.” Or, as it’s more commonly called, “screw-you money.” AdWeek’s blog is much more sensitive: “More reasons to be annoyed at the airport.” –Robert Wilonsky…
Over on the Web site for the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, which represents American Airlines’ flight attendants, comes word today that the airlines is furloughing 900 flight attendants. Not surprisingly, American says the furloughs are necessary “due to the reduction in our fleet” and the recent axing of flights…
