Consumer Confidential: Airlines Don’t Do Much to Protect Their Customers’ Personal Information
If someone says “sharing economy,” you probably think Uber or Airbnb. You should think instead about your privacy. Do something online and your personal information will be shared with other businesses itching to spam you with marketing pitches. It’s a practice common to almost all industries. The problem lies in how all this data sharing is disclosed to consumers — and how difficult companies often make it to limit who can access...
Airline Probe: Was It Just Business as Usual?
Washington — As the Justice Department launches an investigation into possible collusion in the airline industry, experts say the government faces the burden of proving that carriers were deliberately signaling business decisions to each other. Airlines routinely increase flights based on demand. A particularly cold winter in the Northeast, for instance, might merit more flights to the Caribbean. And sometimes, routes are cut because...
Airlines May Shrink Carry-Ons
New York — Millions of fliers might soon want to buy new carry-on suitcases. In an effort to free up space in packed overhead bins, global airlines announced Tuesday a new guideline that recommends shrinking carry-on bags. The guideline, which is not binding, means that many existing bags currently in compliance with airline rules would not be given preferential treatment in the boarding process. While details of how the guideline...
Consumer Confidential: Plans to Cram More Seats in Airliners Won’t Sit Well With Fliers
Airlines increasingly are missing scheduled takeoffs and landings, losing travelers’ bags and overbooking flights, according to a report released last week. And the bad news: Things will probably get worse. Even as the latest performance stats showed that major carriers are having trouble with the most basic functions — i.e. getting you and your luggage from Point A to Point B — the outlook for future travel all but guarantees even...
