Are airlines making money off ticket-name problems?

By Payless Flights | Published: January 14, 2011
Many times customers will book their reservation on a name they go by. For example Nicholas will say “ please hold this under Nick “ , later he will call and make a payment without correcting that he is actually Nicholas. In the past this wasn’t a problem for the airlines but since Nov 1 st 2010 you can ‘t get on the plane with discrepancy in your name per passport and your ticket. Under the Transportation Security Administration’s Secure Flight program, the name on a ticket and on an ID must match exactly. If they don’t, you could be delayed or prevented from flying.
Airlines sometimes offer to make an electronic notation on an airline reservation that contains a minor error, but they can’t guarantee that it will work. The only way to be 100 percent sure, they’ll frequently say, is to buy a new ticket with the correct name. In some cases, they’ll offer to change the name for a fee anywhere from 50 to 300. No question, Secure Flight is an opportunity for airlines to make even more money. The airline industry just wrapped up its most profitable year in a decade, in large part by charging so-called “ancillary” fees, such as change fees. United Airlines collected $243 million in cancellation and change fees during the first three quarters of 2010, and domestic airlines as a whole collected $1.7 billion, already surpassing the figure for all of 2009.
Are airlines exploiting the TSA’s stricter name-matching requirements to squeeze even more money out of passengers? No, says Delta Air Lines, which collected the most cancellation and change fees ($533 million in the first nine months of 2010). Delta is promising to work with customers to fix name errors instead of sticking them with a change fee or telling them to buy a new ticket. “It’s handled on a case-by-case basis,” says airline spokeswoman Susan Elliott. “It depends on how significant the change is that they’re requesting.”
Typically, airlines will correct small errors, such as changing a letter or two, without any questions or surcharges. Beyond that, it’s often up to the airline to decide how to solve the problem. And that’s where things get a little murky.
If you catch a mistake on PaylessFlights.com within 24hours of booking we can cancel/void the ticket and reissue. Unfortunately beyond that 24hour window it really comes to the airline flexibility on case by case status.

After the one-day window closes, the next best option is a notation in your reservation, which is no assurance that you’ll be able to board. Passengers who want a sure thing often find themselves thinking that they have only one choice: to buy a new ticket.
On Sabre, reservations systems that we use for bookings over the phone, the Secure Flight passenger data field is separate from the passenger name field, and the TSA doesn’t require the two to match. For example we put First and Last name on the ticket, and to TSA we enter first, middle and last name.
The information in the passenger data field “can be modified at any time,” says Sabre spokeswoman Heidi Castle. “When this field is updated, the content is transmitted to the airline, which in turn passes this information on to the TSA for boarding pass approval.”
In other words, passengers wouldn’t need to worry about changing the names on their tickets; they would only need to ensure that the field with the Secure Flight passenger data had been changed. That seems like a reasonable compromise, allowing the TSA to pre-screen the passenger and giving air travelers the peace of mind that they’ll be allowed to board.
Why don’t airlines just let travelers know that the name on their ticket doesn’t need to match exactly the name on their ID, only the name on the field that’s transmitted to TSA? Clarifying the policy would come as a relief to many passengers and no doubt will save money to consumers. Will airlines do it?

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Virgin America Announces Its New Year’s Resolution For Slimmer Fares*

By Payless Flights | Published: January 3, 2011

Award-winning Airline Offers Low Fares from $59 SFO- LAS; $119 BOS- LAX; and from $149 to Mexico* Restrictions, Taxes and Fees Apply

Jan. 3, 2011  — Virgin America, the California-based airline, today announces a New Year’s fare sale, featuring even slimmer fares on the airline that’s reinventing flying as we know it. With incredibly low fares for Winter and Spring travel, Virgin America is encouraging flyers to ring in the new year by experiencing its award-winning service and see for themselves why the carrier was named “Best Domestic Airline” in both the prestigious Conde Nast Traveler’s Annual Readers’ Choice Awards and Travel + Leisure’s Annual World’s Best Awards readers’ survey for the third consecutive year. Virgin America is now offering low 14-day advance purchase fares to all of its destinations.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090123/VIRGINAMERICALOGO)

With outstanding service, beautiful design and a host of high-tech amenities, Virgin America has captured a list of industry best-in-class awards since its 2007 launch. The airline offers mood-lit cabins, power outlets near every seat and the Red™ platform — the most advanced in-flight entertainment system in the skies. The Red touch-screen platform offers 30 films, live and premium TV, Google Maps, music videos, videogames, a 3000 MP3 library, on demand food menu, a first-of-its-kind digital Shop section and a seat-to-seat chat feature, — so guests can start the New Year off by meeting Mr. or Ms. Right onboard during the flight.

Make sure to grab a seat before they’re gone. Tickets are on sale today and can be purchased via Virgin America’s Web site (www.virginamerica.com) and at 1.877.FLY.VIRGIN (1.877.359.8474).** Fares start from $59* in Main Cabin, and restrictions, taxes and fees apply. Tickets must be purchased by January 10, 2011, and travel must occur between January 17, 2011 and May 11, 2011 for most destinations, with Mexico travel between:

* January 17th through May 4th from San Francisco to Los Cabos
* January 19th through May 4th from Los Angeles to Cancun
* January 20th through May 4th from San Francisco to Cancun

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25 Tips for Smarter Holiday Travel

By Payless Flights | Published: December 23, 2010

Holiday travel is a bit like dental surgery. You likely don’t do it unless you have to, you have to sit for a long time, and eventually you may be subject to some invasive probing. And when it’s all over you get presents, be it a toothbrush from your dentist or, assuming you’ve been good this year, something better than a toothbrush from your loved ones. How else are the two experiences similar? Neither is ever quite as bad as you think it’s going to be. But if you suspect I’m being foolishly optimistic about holiday travel not being torture, here are 25 tips that may make your trip a little jollier.

1. Be flexible with your travel dates when booking holiday fares,  so that you can avoid holiday surcharges on peak dates. Surcharges this year cost from $10 to $30 extra each way.

2. Identify smaller airports near the major ones you ordinarily use for some great deals, for example, I found some better deals flying in and out of Sanford, Florida vs. Orlando International, and Sanford is just 30 minutes north of OIA.

3. Know which airlines are most and least likely to bump you, JetBlue has a policy of not overbooking, so it very rarely denies boarding to passengers, followed by Hawaiian Airlines. The airlines most likely to bump passengers? American Eagle, US Airways, and Continental,  based on analysis of early 2010 data. You’re less likely to get bumped, she says, if you snag a seat assignment early, check in online, and enroll in your airline’s frequent flier program.

4. Know which airlines commonly offer refunds when your airfare drops before the holidays. The top refunders are Virgin America, Alaska Airlines, JetBlue and Frontier Airlines, each of which has offered refunds in conjunction with over 20% of their flights. The average traveler is saving between $100-$150 when they contact the airline for a refund.

5. Don’t get jacked by your credit card company if you’re flying overseas. Make sure your credit cards don’t charge a 3% international transaction fee. Most do, Capital One doesn’t. That 3% fee will add up quick on large purchases like hotels.

6. Know which airlines are offering free Wi-Fi during the holidays,  AirTran, Delta, and Virgin America are providing fliers with the free service through January 2.

7. Get a few workouts in before taking off for the holidays. Just as an athlete prepares for a marathon, another stress-buster is to get extra cardio in the week to few days before you leave, even walking briskly for 30 minutes a day. This will help relieve accumulating stress about traveling, boost your immune system, circulation and digestion adjust to being sedentary on long drives and flights.

8. Arrive at the airport in time for the flight that leaves before the one you’re booked on, If for some reason your scheduled flight or a connecting flight is delayed or canceled, this gives the airline the opportunity, assuming seats are available, to put you on the earlier flight. When faced with this situation the airline offered  the next-earliest flight.

9. Know ahead of time how early your airline is checking passengers in.Some airlines have a very early check-in and if you aren’t there on time, they will immediately put you on stand-by even if you paid full price months in advance.

10. Know how to safeguard your bags at the airport. Whenever at a counter always place bags on the counter or between your legs, because if the bags are to your left or right a distraction thief will approach your opposite side and talk to you while their accomplice takes your stuff.

11. Follow this sequence when placing valuables on the airport x-ray belt: Shoes and belt in their bin go in first. Next your carryon bag, then the laptop bag followed by your 3-1-1 toiletry bag. Only let the laptop onto the belt as you are about to step through the metal detector. You don’t need for your laptop to be floating around unattended on the ‘other side’ for longer than necessary. Also slap on your laptop’s bottom a label with your first initial, last name, and phone number as the laptop won’t be in its case during its belt ride

12. Stow snow globes in your checked bag, as evidently enough of us try so hard to bring these holiday gems to and from our destinations that the TSA has a rule about not having them in carry-ons. “They are sealed containers full of liquid that would have to be opened and destroyed to test,” explains the TSA.

13. Feel free to bring pies and cakes through airport security this holiday season, though the TSA notes that the baked goods are “subject to additional screening if our officers see any anomalies.”

14. If you have kids, prepare them for the possibility that they may be patted down, assuring them that they will not be separated from you. Likewise, assure little ones that you will be okay if you’re pulled aside for additional screening.

15. Help yourself avoid a pat-down, jewelry, belts, or anything with metal, some belts, even non-metallic [ones], can interfere with the body scanner imaging, so it’s best to keep them off so you won’t get slowed down.

16. Remove any body piercings before heading through security, because if the metal sets off the detector the TSA reserves the right to have you remove the piercings privately as an alternative to a pat-down. Also keep in mind that bras with under wires and hair barrettes with metal pieces may set off the metal detector, so consider amending your travel outfit accordingly.

17. If you’re picked for a pat-down or body scan, don’t leave your valuables on the x-ray belt, the agent should allow you to either retrieve your belongings or retrieve them for you.

18. Thwart carry-on thieves on board the plane by shoving your luggage in the compartment over the person’s head across from you.This way you can watch it. Otherwise if it is over your head someone can act as if they are getting something out of their luggage when it is yours.

19. Download white noise or sleep-stream apps onto your iPhone. Plenty of iPhone apps have ocean waves, rustling leaves, etc. that basically just calm the mind and drown out screaming children.

20. Pamper yourself in flight by placing a small pillow or its equivalent behind your lower back for support, aiding the natural curvature of the lower spine in this way will prevent the back pain. To avoid swollen ankles, make sure you stand up and walk every few hours, or at least rotate your feet while sitting, as if drawing a circle with your big toe.

21. Don’t succumb to “wrap rage” It’s easy to laugh at this, but there are a significant amount of injuries related to opening gifts, especially with those notoriously difficult ‘oyster shell’ plastic seal enclosures. The Consumer Product Safety Commission made an estimate that 6,500 Americans visited emergency rooms in 2004 with “wrap-rage” related incidents — some requiring serious treatment.

22. If you’re not going home for the holidays, because while hotels and airfares tend to go up from Dec 23 or 24 through” New Year’s, finding some traditional tourist destinations, like Vegas and Orlando, actually have some reduced fares that week, costing a bit less than they do in mid-December.

23. Save money on a holiday getaway by considering the type of trip you want rather than thinking about a specific destination or property. Be open to a cruise to anywhere in the Caribbean rather than just to Aruba. Or decide on a ski trip and look at Wyoming, Utah, and Oregon rather than a specific resort in Colorado.

24. Ski the week before Christmas and save,  upon analyzing rentals in more than 10 resorts out west he found that if you ski the week before December 25 versus anytime through January 1, “there is 50% more availability and the average price of a vacation rental is 25% less.” The average rental price the week after Xmas is $647, he notes. The week before? $493.

25. Adjust your attitude for holiday travel and keep things in perspective.If you have to wait an extra couple hours at the airport because of some unforeseen event, such as bad weather, remind yourself that you are safe and on the ground, and whether you’re stranded at the airport or in holiday traffic it might help to “ask yourself ‘what is good about my life right here and now?’ Consider the fact that you are going to visit people you love and you have the means to travel, force yourself to come up with at least five positives in your life.

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Cellphones used on more flights

By Payless Flights | Published: December 6, 2010

Several international airlines allow in-flight cellphone use for voice calls, including Emirates and Malaysia airlines and, within the next year, Cathay Pacific Airways and, on a trial basis, Virgin Atlantic will do so.
Could such allowances be made in the United States? Certainly, said Michael Planey, a consultant on in-flight passenger technologies. But bans would need to be lifted by the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Aviation Administration.

The FCC ban has nothing to do with air safety; it is to prevent cellphone towers from being overwhelmed by thousands of quickly moving phones searching for signals on the ground. In late 2004, the agency considered overturning the ban but relented in the face of public opposition. The FAA ban is in place to prevent possible interference with airplane functions.

It’s easy to find experts to take opposite sides on whether cellphones present a risk to aviation controls. Planey argued that cellphones present little risk, and the overseas experience seems to bear that out. The primary hurdle, he said, is convincing the public that voice calls wouldn’t drive them crazy.

“Everyone assumes they’ll be stuck next to a teenager yapping away on their phone for a six-hour flight,” Planey said.

The key, Planey said, is making people pay handsomely for the service — as much as $2 to $4 a minute (though Virgin Atlantic said callers on its flights will be charged by their mobile operator on their normal monthly bill, so the matter of charging clearly remains a work in progress).

Business up in the air

In theory, no one could benefit more than the business traveler; just imagine getting work done while charging an employer for the cost. But the National Business Travel Association has supported House legislation that would ban voice communications on airplanes.

“Business travelers welcome the opportunity to work quietly in-flight while utilizing technologies such as e-mail, texting and instant-messaging,” the association’s director of public policy, Shane Downey, said by e-mail. “However, phone conversations can be disruptive in such an environment when so many require the few hours of peace between meetings.”

Rick Seaney, co-founder of FareCompare.com, said surveys show that about 85 percent of people oppose in-flight cell calling, which means a battle looms.

“Airlines will push for it at some point,” Seaney said. “The question is whether enough people want it for the airlines to invest in the infrastructure costs.”

He agreed that calling from the skies should be an expensive prospect but said there is no certainty that people would be willing to pay. And that makes sense. After all, how often did you see people calling the ground on those phones built into airplane seat backs for so many years?

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What’s it like being an airline gate agent? A passenger’s day behind the podium

By Payless Flights | Published: December 5, 2010

By Ramsey Qubein

Spending a day dealing with hundreds of airline passengers and piles of oversized carryon bags is not most people’s idea of fun. And while I’m no glutton for punishment, I jumped at the chance to learn what takes place on the other side of the counter as a Delta Air Lines gate agent at the world’s busiest airport, Atlanta Hartsfield. With 300,000 annual miles and over four million lifetime miles on Delta, I know the airline well. This experience, however, was an eye opener.

Lower fares mean the airlines try to get by with fewer gate staff, which puts pressure on one person to perform many tasks. Gate agents are tasked with driving the Jetway, opening the door, arranging for wheelchairs and unaccompanied minors, directing passengers to connecting gates, clearing standbys, checking the new crew, boarding new passengers, gate checking bags, closing the door, and pulling the Jetway all within about an hour per flight.

In between, they must answer endless questions. I was shocked when people approached my clearly marked gate to ask if this was the gate for some other city. Or asked me to look up their gate rather than check the information screens a few feet away.

I was asked where the restrooms might be, how to get to the escalator, where to find an electrical outlet, and what time boarding would begin all day even though signs are plastered all over the airport.

My day began at 6 a.m. with a flight to Denver. My role: scan boarding passes. Sounds easy? Au contraire. That bar code is hard to scan properly especially when rushing. An insistent clock ticks away as departure time creeps up. Get the flight out late, and management holds you accountable.

With the last passenger boarded and final carryon bag gate checked (overhead space fills up fast), we were ready to close the door. But wait…there was one more passenger on board than seats. I hadn’t scanned one boarding pass properly. Now, we were in trouble. Five minutes to go, one gate-checked bag to offload, and the seconds were ticking fast. With one minute to spare, we closed the door.

You can be as efficient as possible, but one mistake causes the house of cards to crumble. I learned from my mistake, but had little time to pout. Another plane was pulling in; the Jetway was in place and door opened. We started all over again. No bathroom or coffee break.

Remembering the codes and computer keystrokes for changing seats, clearing standbys and upgrades (a process rigorously controlled by the computer with little room for chicanery), clearing seats from late-connecting passengers or those who no-showed, and printing boarding passes all at the same time was quite a feat.

A few things I learned:

1. Hollywood loves to portray gate agents who tap away endlessly into a computer with a blank stare. Yet, there is a reason for all that endless tapping. Most airlines use archaic codes to perform even simple tasks. Changing seats requires entering a series of seemingly random symbols. Lesson learned: try to ask an agent when they’re not busy if you want to change seats.

2. Crowding the boarding door area 20 minutes before boarding begins or standing in the way when one’s boarding zone has not been called only inhibits efficient boarding for the gate agent and the passengers. People get anxious and worry about finding space for cabin bags. However, this delays boarding and leads gate agents to become more anxious as the clocks tick down. This may lead to more bags being gate checked in order not to delay the flight. Passengers should remain seated or clearly out of the way of the Jetway door to allow a constant flow of boarding passengers. In the end, it helps everyone. Many airlines are placing kiosks in boarding areas so that people can reprint boarding passes or change seats without seeing a gate agent. Use these machines when possible to free up gate agent time to handle more complicated passenger requests.
3. Flights are very full these days. In the winter, don’t place large jackets in an overhead bin upon boarding. It makes the bins look full, which adds to the stress of cabin crew and gate agents who have to check bags. Instead, wait until boarding is almost complete; then place (or stuff) jackets over existing bags.

4.The later in the day you travel, the less friendly the skies get. The morning folks were cheerful and responsive to my greetings. Later, people became more stressed and angry as delays began to rack up. If you can, travel in the morning since the evening takes the brunt of the day’s irregular operations.
5. People were happy to gate check bags if I asked them nicely. I turned it into a positive reminding them they wouldn’t have to lug their bag through the airport. They can head straight to baggage claim worry-free. Offer your bag to the gate agent if you’re willing to collect it at baggage claim. You bypass bag fees and heavy lifting, and help the flight depart on time.
When a gate agent is staring at a screen when no one is there, they are not checking email. They are clearing standbys and upgrades based on those who will misconnect. Your seat request card is being cleared slowly. Don’t approach the counter every ten minutes. The gate agent wants to get the flight out on time and will insure you have your confirmed seat soon.
6. When an agent seems short on information during a delay, they’re not being coy. They are awaiting more information from operations. Airlines work with numerous departments to secure a new aircraft, change baggage, adjust catering, secure a new gate, handle inbound connecting passengers, and locate a new gate for the next arriving flight. When operations called my gate during a mechanical delay with an update, my head was swirling. Passengers thought we were twiddling our thumbs, but a half-dozen people were working hard behind the scenes to get them on their way. The gate agent is just the messenger.

I learned a lot about humanity that Sunday: how rude people can be to complete strangers; how lazy people can be without utilizing information around them; how hilarious people can be with their assumptions and “know-it-all” attitudes. More than one person handed me their boarding pass with their teeth because their hands were full. Others jabbered into cell phones without even acknowledging me. One even yelled at me to pick up his child’s toy!

There were nice people too. Those that thanked me, wished me a nice day, and even said I had a nice smile! In my one-day experience, I encountered two medical emergencies, one soiled seat, one mechanical delay, four upset customers (who arrived off a delayed flight and proclaimed “I will never fly this airline again,” a phrase gate agents know all too well), and two unfriendly Detroit flight attendants who accosted the agent for not opening the door fast enough.

Gate agents are busy, but even a simple smile can make their day. Remember they are working under pressure, and one gate delay could lead to punishment. Still, the agents I worked with love their job and genuinely exhibit that towards customers. Help them do their job efficiently, and, in the end you’re doing the entire plane a favor by helping everyone depart on time.

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Latest horror stories from TSA

By Payless Flights | Published: November 23, 2010

—-A cancer surviving flight attendant was recently forced to remove her prosthetic breast during an airport pat-down. Cathy Bossi, who worries about the cancer risks of excess radiation, after what she called an “aggressive pat down,” told screeners about her prosthesis. “Well, you’ll need to show me that,” said a screener, according to Newser.

—A bladder cancer survivor says a pat-down left him soaked in his own urine, according to MSNBC. TSA officials broke the seal of his urostomy bag sealed to his stomach during a pat-down, leaving him not only humiliated but also soaked.

—Not so humiliating but the TSA was cast in the light of the absurd when screeners confiscated nail clippers from 100 National Guard soldiers returning from Afghanistan. “You can’t take those on a plane,” said a screener. “It’s probably important to mention that we were all carrying weapons,” a soldier wrote in an e-mail. Their weapons included assault rifles and some pistols.

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World’s Fastest Roller Coaster Opens at Ferrari World

By Payless Flights | Published: November 15, 2010

For those roller coaster enthusiasts looking for the next thrill ride, you are going to have to travel a bit farther this time. Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates is now the destination to ride the world’s fastest roller coaster at the recently opened Ferrari World.

Ferrari World is the world’s largest indoor theme park. It covers over 124 square miles as a whole, and over 53 square miles indoors, according to their website . The park is geared toward children and adults and offers more than 20 Ferrari inspired rides.

Most of the guests who came to the “soft opening” of the park were there to experience the world’s fastest roller coaster, the Formula Rossa roller coaster. Yahoo reported the coaster reaches a maximum speed of 150 mph in less than four seconds and riders experience the force of 1.7 Gs when they are pinned to their seat as they are launched on to the track.

The Formula Rossa takes riders on a 1.2 mile track that starts inside the theme park and then out into the desert as it rises over 170 ft into the sky.Thrill-seeking riders are required to wear goggles because of the sand and dust in the desert. The roller coaster uses a hydraulic system to propel the car and its riders along the track. It is a similar system that is used for planes that take off on aircraft carriers.

You can experience a virtual ride here .

The park opened to the public Nov. 4, but will have its grand opening Nov. 30. Admission works differently than other theme parks, in that guests pay according to their height, not age. It costs someone over 4ft 11in roughly $61 and $45 if they are shorter than that. Children under three are free.

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Price assure and refunds on domestic flights

By Payless Flights | Published: November 13, 2010

Everybody who prepares all aspects of their holiday on the internet knows that keeping track of fares is difficult task. You book your trip and two days later you see a lower price. Did you know that on many domestic flights you can get a refund for the difference if price drops. TripIT service monitors all of your reservations, flights, hotels, restaurants and everything else to sort them out no matter where you booked. In September, TripIT started a new service for their Pro package that monitors and finds flights that are eligible for refunds. The system alerts you on possible savings for your domestic flight in the U.S. and gives you information on how to obtain your bonus.
Called the Refund Tracker, the system found out that the possibility of a refund can occur in flights that were booked a month or more ago. Not only that, but for two months, the Refund Monitor found out that 10% of all domestic flights in the United States are eligible for a refund. The service can actually save you up to $100. According to TripIT president and co-founder Gregg Brockway, the Refund Tracker takes away peoples worries when they book their flights and arrange their holiday early.
But talking in numbers, TripIT has found the top 5 airlines that are most likely to give you a refund. According to latest statistics, Alaska Airlines gives refunds to more than 29% of its flights passengers. Second to this is Frontier Airlines who have a 24% refund chance. Virgin Atlantic is also close to the first two companies with 22% refunds on air fares possible. Hawaiian Airlines and JetBlue Airways forms the top 5 with 16% and 14% of the flights eligible to refunds.
TripIT was found in 2006 and its primary idea was to make trip organization far more easy and far less time consuming. The service is offered for mobile phones like iPhone and BlackBerry, as well as Android based devices. For only $4/ month, people can subscribe for the Refund Tracker, and to show off their new product, TripIT offers a 90 day free trial period for customers to try out the service. The subscription for the trial version will end on November 30.

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On the go with pet

By Payless Flights | Published: November 7, 2010

Rules for traveling with pets on a plane vary by airline. Although there are several standard rules, pet owners must check with the specific carrier before they make travel arrangements.

All airlines, however, require pets to be at least 8 weeks old and weaned at least five days prior to flying.

Additionally, owners must carry a health certificate and record of vaccinations. A rabies vaccination is necessary for all flights, but other vaccinations depend on the country of arrival.

As with driving, experts recommend getting your pet accustomed to their crate, and exercising them before departure.

Owners should also try to book nonstop, midweek flights. In colder months, midday flights are preferable, and in warmer months, early morning or evening flights will be most comfortable for your pet.

“The cargo area can heat up dramatically and be quite dangerous for pets,” Sims says. She emphasized the importance of thorough research of the airlines, the area of departure and arrival, and the time of year to ensure your pet’s safety.

For long flights in particular, some pet owners tend to turn to sedation to help their pets get through the ride. However, Sims says sedation “can cause more injury to your pet and make them very unstable.”

“Always consult your vet to determine the best option,” advises Sims. “And don’t forget to explore herbal options as well, which tend to be less harmful.”

Even if you’ve tried your best to prepare your animal for flight, airlines have the right to refuse any pet if there are too many onboard, or if any of their guidelines aren’t met.

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Airlines fly out of the economic crisis

By Payless Flights | Published: November 3, 2010

After a few lean years, it seems that commercial air carriers from the United States, Europe and Asia,  are back in the green again. According to latest press releases, lots of companies are back in the profit zone thanks to the growing demand in passengers and freight transportation. Not only that, but travelers in first class have also returned with their need to spend bigger than ever. Early in October, US carriers like American Airlines, Delta, United and Continental have posted a great net earnings for this year. The situation was similar both in Europe and Asia.

After the effects of the global financial crisis materialized, airlines had to come up with drastic cost reduction measures to ensure they will survive. Now that the crisis is almost gone and passenger demand is high, carriers have a reason to increase prices. Nevertheless British Airways, Iberia, Lufthansa and Alitalia have all shown positive revenue for the first nine months of 2010.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) though failed to share the optimism as it warned its members to stay put. According to IATA experts, future stability in the airline branch will be very dependant on how Asian and especially Chinese companies cope with situations like the recession we just passed. And to make things worst, FBE Aerospace analyst Saj Ahmad warned European carriers to be extremely vigilant with their business plans because they are the first to fall in a future economic crisis.

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