August 20, 2008 · Leave a Comment
As the U.S. airline industry attempts to use “oil speculators” to draw attention away from the chronically low passenger satisfaction rates and an array of new fees, a new online source, www.TheAirlineOilSpin.com was launched today to encourage the public to see through the industry’s spin on the issue.
August 19, 2008 · Leave a Comment
The Wall Street Journal, in an August 12th piece by Heidi N. Moore, sums up the real problems in the airline industry succinctly. And if you guessed rising oil prices, you’re only seeing part of the picture.
Ms. Moore explains: “Rising oil prices, of course, hurt the airline industry, but those stratospheric costs also provided a sort of cloud cover for the industry’s essential dysfunction. Intense competition, labor disputes, absentee parenthood from Washington regulators - all have combined to put the industry in a position that requires deeper thought.”
July 25, 2008 · 2 Comments
LOS ANGELES – A new study released today by three California groups finds that conditions for passengers and workers have eroded while airlines have received nearly $8.5 billion in taxpayer subsidies since 2001. “Shortchanged: How Airlines Can Repay Taxpayers for Billions in Subsides by Improving Jobs, Security and Services” shows that the airline industry has benefited from enormous taxpayer support yet has failed to provide a fair return on the public’s investment, creating poor quality jobs and providing...
July 16, 2008 · 8 Comments
Early Wednesday morning, service workers at LAX and SFO airports handed out sanitary cleaning wipes to passengers in the airline terminals, telling them that they deserve to know about the challenges they face that prevent them from properly cleaning the planes. According to workers, chronic understaffing and a lack of proper equipment are some of the key barriers to cleaning the planes well. Some report having to work without proper cleaning supplies, often cleaning bathrooms with only water because they have...
July 9, 2008 · 8 Comments
Tracing their history back to the tradition of the Pullman porters during the railroad era, skycaps used to be decent-income jobs for African Americans who supplemented their meager wages with tips - enough to buy their own homes and send their children to college. Today, that reality is becoming more like a dream for skycaps across the country, according to a Los Angeles Times article. [Read the full story]
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How WAS your flight? Whether it’s lost baggage, delays, or customer service, this is the place for airline passengers to share their experiences with airlines and air travel. Read what other passengers have said, and submit your own story here. Plus, help How Was Your Flight by completing a passenger survey to tell us about your experience with an airline or airport.
Click here to go to the Passengers Page.
2008 has been a busy year for U.S. commercial airlines. Mergers, cutbacks, massive flight cancellations, and safety inspection scandals have rocked the airline industry in the past few months. As jet fuel costs, and the fuel surcharges paid by passengers, keep climbing, airline performances and customer ratings are at all-time lows.
Be sure to visit How Was Your Flight? for all the latest news on airlines and air travel.
Airline employees have, in many cases, carried the airlines through tough financial times by having their pay and benefits slashed. Airlines are also increasingly subcontracting out jobs in an effort to keep labor costs even lower. Remember the skycap that took your bags, or the wheelchair attendant who helped you through the airport? Most of the people who assist you at the airport and keep your planes clean and safe are subcontracted out by airlines. Read what airline employees and subcontracted workers have to say about their working conditions, and share your own story with us.
Click here to go to the Employees Page.
Knowledge is power! Know your rights as airline passengers, look up passenger organizations and airline contacts, and read what industry bloggers have to say. Ready to take action and do something about your flying conditions? Find out how to file a formal complaint, and more.
1. Hawaiian Airlines (92.2%)
2. Pinnacle Airlines (80.5%)
3. SkywestAirways (77.9%)
1. American Airlines (68.8%)
2. United Airlines (59.3%)
3. Comair (63.4%)
1. United Airlines*
2. US Airways
3. Delta Air Lines
*ranking based on the rate of complaints per 100,000 passengers