The overall number of privacy complaints received by the FTC is something over 2 million complaints annually. The number of privacy complaints registered with DOT was zero. That’s right, zero.
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airlines
This is a topic that doesn’t come up very often. In fact, since the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) doesn’t have jurisdiction over airline reservation systems and travel agencies, it has not been part of the overall Internet privacy discussions. Your privacy with airlines exists at the whim of the airlines with little government oversight.
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It isn’t shaping up to be a good summer for air travelers who are trying to stick to a budget. And let’s be honest: Who isn’t watching their bottom line? A few weeks before the traditional start of the busy travel season, United Airlines quietly raised its change fees on most discount fares from $150 to $200, rendering many of its tickets all but unchangeable. Then all the other legacy airlines followed. But, there’s more.
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Get your thinking caps on. Did you know? IPhones can be disabled if stolen. President Obama is asking for more aviation and travel taxes. These new taxes will make flying more taxed than liquor and other sin taxes. Finally, look at domestic vacations where airfares have dropped.
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When Frontier Airlines announced they would begin charging for carry-on luggage this summer, Ned Levi’s curiosity was piqued and he decided to look into flying the “ultra-cheap” airlines, Frontier and Spirit, and compare them to US Airways, the dominant airline at his home airport. Take a look at how the comparison worked out.
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In an audacious request to the Department of Transportation (DOT), Airlines for America (A4A) and the Regional Airline Association (RAA) have requested a temporary exemption from “tarmac-delay regulations for a period of 90 days or until the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) sequestration furloughs end, whichever is longer…” The response from the Consumer Travel Alliance (CTA) is, “No exemptions” in the strongest terms.
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Last week, the Supreme Court declined to hear a case brought forward by a group of airlines challenging new Department of Transportation (DOT) rules requiring them to use the effective full price of airfares including all mandatory taxes, fees and surcharges. In other words, the airlines claimed damages from being told to tell the truth in pricing of air transportation.
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There’s probably nothing a neutral mediator can say to improve the situation in the case of a customer-service meltdown. It is what it is: an unfortunate and complete breakdown. But as a student of failure, I’m here to tell you that these snafus can be a goldmine — a teachable moment.
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TSA has proposed permitting air travelers to bring pocket knives, hockey sticks, lacrosse sticks, ski poles and other previously banned items into aircraft cabins. Aviation and law enforcement officials, and members of the flying public are loudly complaining almost solely about pocket knives. Ned Levi examines potential problems with the new policy which few are discussing.
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It’s too soon to tell whether and when air travelers will be affected by the sequester. It probably won’t happen this month. My Southwest Airlines flight from Orlando to Denver the day after the sequester went into effect departed on time, and we experienced no delays at the TSA screening area. That could change in April, when the anticipated cuts will be in full swing. But, it may never happen.
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