Many airlines waive change fees due to weather

Several airlines are again offering to waive fees customers would ordinarily pay to rebook their flights on alternate itineraries due to bad weather in some parts of the country. AirTran Airways, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways and Continental Airlines were among the carriers offering change-fee waivers this week. AirTran said Wednesday its passengers scheduled for [...]

How to get the best seat on the plane

You wanted that spacious seat in the exit row but someone beat you to it. Or you reserved a seat online, but checked in for the flight and found your seat was given to another passenger. There’s a trick to getting a coveted seat and preventing it from being given away. Here are some suggestions [...]

How to beat airline fees

You could almost feel sorry for the airlines. Few people see the service on one carrier as being much different than another, so competition is all around fares — how cheaply can I get there? — and most of them lose money. Which means the carriers constantly skirt bankruptcy and have to find all kinds [...]

American Airlines adds more ways to earn miles

American Airlines said Monday it is expanding the options for its frequent flier program members to earn reward miles on merchandise they purchase at retail outlets. The airline said that for the first time, its frequent flier members can earn miles with participating AAdvantage eShopping retailers in actual stores, not just online. The airline said [...]

9 spring travel tips: How to save money and sanity

As I write this here in the Northeast, the rodent saw his shadow, a snowfall fell the next day and we’re headed for a single-digit deep freeze this weekend — all of which are indicators that it is time to distract ourselves with dreams of spring travel. Of course, planning a trip these days can [...]

American Airlines union seeks first step to strike

The union representing ground workers at American Airlines wants to take a big step toward a strike against the nation’s second-largest airline. The Transport Workers Union said Wednesday it will ask federal mediators to let the employees walk away from contract talks if there is no deal by March 8. If federal mediators agree, it [...]

TSA to swab airline passengers’ hands in search for explosives

To the list of instructions you hear at airport checkpoints, add this: “Put your palms forward, please.” The Transportation Security Administration soon will begin randomly swabbing passengers’ hands at checkpoints and airport gates to test them for traces of explosives. Previously, screeners swabbed some carry-on luggage and other objects as they searched for the needle [...]