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 on [...]

Airlines grapple with fat flier issue

When film director Kevin Smith was recently kicked off a flight because of his size, he focused his anger on Southwest, but the incident put the spotlight on all airlines and their heavy passenger policies.
Smith said that he had no trouble buckling his seat belt and lowering his armrests on the flight Saturday and that [...]

Airlines’ attempt to increase fares fizzles

Low-cost airlines did not hike fares, forcing major airlines to pull back
U.S. airlines’ second attempt of 2010 to raise ticket prices has fizzled, with major carriers pulling back fares over the long holiday weekend, according to Farecompare.
Last week, UAL Corp’s United Airlines increased fares by $10 per round-trip, and other top carriers followed suit. But [...]

Dodging a storm: Airline fee waiver policies vary

A snowstorm is heading for Washington, D.C., and you’ve got a flight scheduled to see the monuments, do some shopping in trendy Georgetown and visit relatives in the suburbs.
Your departing airline tells you it will waive its fee if you choose to proactively rebook a flight that has yet to be canceled. You’re all set. [...]

New airline flights to Alaska may lower fares

Travel industry officials say more airline flights to Alaska this summer may boost competition and result in lower fares to some Lower 48 cities.
The Anchorage Daily News says Continental, United and US Airways all plan to add daily nonstop service between Anchorage and Portland, Chicago, San Francisco and Philadelphia. From Fairbanks, Delta plans a new [...]

Most travelers say obese fliers should pay more

Should airlines charge overweight passengers more if they need an extra seat? Yes, according to three-quarters of travelers in a poll.
A survey by travel Web site Skyscanner found that 76 percent of people believe airlines should charge a “fat tax.”
Only 22 percent of the 550 people questioned disapproved of introducing extra payments for overweight passengers.
The [...]

The sky’s not the limit: options for flier miles

Airlines have been tinkering with their frequent flier programs to spur loyalty. Increasingly they’re giving customers the option to buy more than plane tickets with their rewards, and that may offer more bang for your buck.
AirTran, Delta and United are among carriers that allow their frequent fliers to use their credits or miles to pay [...]