Posts Tagged ‘flight’

Holiday Airfares Rebounding From 2009

Monday, October 18th, 2010

The airline industry hasn’t had it easy in many, many years. But now that things are starting to look up in the economy, airlines are happily finding themselves with more paying customers paying more for their tickets.

  • The airline industry is finally recovering from the blows dealt by 9/11 and the global economic crisis… which means higher ticket prices for everyone.
  • This holiday season – the biggest travel season of the year – customers can expect to see fare increases of 7% to 18% over last year’s prices.
  • Because many travelers have been avoiding flying to save money, recent optimism about the economy is catapulting them back into airports. At the same time, airlines haven’t increased the number of routes or planes in their fleets.

Facts & Figures

  • The airline industry lost $58 billion between 2001 and 2009.
  • For the first time in 10 years, 86.3% of all available seats were filled on major airlines in June.
  • An estimated 41 million Americans will fly this November and December.

Best Quote

“It’s all about supply and demand. When people want to travel, it’s going to be more expensive.” – Tim Smith, Spokesman for American Airlines

Air Travelers Pump Up The Crankiness

Thursday, October 7th, 2010

See? Someone is listening.

  • The Department of Transportation received 8,797 complaints about airlines from consumers this year. That’s 32% more than last year.
  • This sharp increase in complaints is strange, since airline performance doesn’t seem to have decreased since last year. Planes are taking off more or less on time and keeping customers in their seats. This year’s complaint levels are at about the same level as in 2008. Airline service improved in 2009, resulting in fewer complaints.
  • The DOT explains that this year’s spike may be a side effect of an easier online complaint tool. Airlines blame bad weather. Customers blame the airlines. They say that when problems do arise, customer service is bad at best and hostile at worst.

Facts & Figures

  • Delta was the target of the most DOT complaints this year.
  • Complaints about airlines’ failure to provide alternate transportation have increased 82% this year.
  • “Misinformation” complaints have jumped 70%.

Best Quote

“This was so egregiously outrageous.” – Patti Sachs, burned United Airlines customer

Solar Powered Plane Spends More Than A Day In The Air

Friday, July 9th, 2010

Solar power supporters are jumping for joy as a solar powered plane accomplishes the impossible…

  • On July 8, an experimental solar powered plane completed its first flight lasting more than 24 hours, marking a huge milestone in solar energy technology.
  • The plane, called the Solar Impulse, was piloted by André Borschberg. The plane gets its power from thousands of solar cells that absorb energy projected by the sun and store it so that the plane can continue its flight after dark.
  • The initial goal of the project was to prove that a plane of airliner-size could successfully stay aloft indefinitely by recharging its batteries each night. With the success of the Solar Impulse, the project’s founders hope to eventually create a plane that can circumnavigate the world using solar power.

Facts & Figures

  • The Solar Impulse weighs 3,500 pounds.
  • Total flight time was 26 hours and 9 minutes.
  • During the flight, the Solar Impulse reached a maximum speed of 78 miles per hour.

Best Quote

“I’ve been a pilot for 40 years now, but this flight has been the most incredible one of my flying career. Just sitting there and watching the battery charge level rise and rise thanks to the sun. I have just flown more than 26 hours without using a drop of fuel and without causing any pollution.” – André Bourschberg, Pilot