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How safety concerns over Boeing planes affect the air travel industry

Mar 11, 2024
Many travelers still prioritize the cost of travel over which airplane they will fly in.
A National Transportation Safety Board handout shows the Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 in which a door panel blew out midair. The January incident is now being investigated by the Justice Department.
NTSB via Getty Images

Why do airplanes have ashtrays on board if smoking is banned? 

Feb 23, 2024
In 2000, Bill Clinton signed a law that banned smoking on all domestic and international flights to and from the U.S.
While airline ashtrays may seem antiquated, the FAA thinks it's better to be safe than sorry.
actual_size/Getty Images Plus

What passengers need to know about the Boeing Max 9 safety issues

Jan 10, 2024
A door plug recently blew off a Max 9 plane, prompting concerns about whether fliers should board these planes.
An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 plane sits at a gate at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on January 6, 2024 in Seattle, Washington. Alaska Airlines grounded its 737 MAX 9 planes after part of a fuselage blew off during a flight from Portland, Oregon to Ontario, California.
Stephen Brashear/Getty Images

Passengers opting for more airline frills push carrier profits up

Oct 12, 2023
After pandemic lockdowns, many passengers want to feel a little spoiled — and are paying good money for that.
After some tinkering, airlines seem to have figured out what travelers are willing to pay for premium economy seats. 
Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Americans are going abroad again, and airfare prices track the trend

Aug 4, 2023
International airfare is up 10% from last year, while domestic airfare is down more than 10%, according to the travel site Hopper.
Visitors view the sights in Venice, Italy. Many American travelers are choosing European destinations over domestic travel routes.
Stefano Mazzola/Getty Images

Could electric planes tempt Americans to fly short distances instead of driving?

Jul 26, 2023
Aviation company Surf Air Mobility is developing an electric engine to power planes during short jaunts. But the market is still untested.
Eviation's "Alice", the world's first all-electric commuter airplane, flew its first test flight last September. Companies are eyeing electric planes  to serve passengers taking short flights.
Mathieu Lewis-Rolland/Getty Images

Congress grapples with FAA funding as travelers' frustration grows

Jun 30, 2023
Some airlines are pinning some of the blame for recent delays on the Federal Aviation Administration.
FAA funding is voted on every five years.
Kena Betancur/Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

Airlines are in a hiring frenzy as summer travel season nears

May 8, 2023
Pilots, in particular, are in high demand. Airlines don't want to be caught off guard like they were last year.
Airlines are hiring for nearly all positions in order to meet consumers' pent-up demand for travel.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Leisure travel is back. Business travel is not.

Apr 25, 2023
It isn't as lucrative for airlines to fly planes full of leisure travelers. They need higher-spending business travelers to juice profits.
While leisure travel is booming, revenue from business travel is still down more than 25% since the start of the pandemic.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Adieu to the Boeing 747, the first jumbo jet

Feb 1, 2023
The iconic plane, which ushered in the era of long-haul air travel, will no longer be produced as of this week.
Artist Jeff Barlow of Boeing's creative department shows off his sketch of the last Boeing 747 aircraft in a ceremony to mark its delivery, at the Boeing Future of Flight Museum in Everett, Washington.
Jason Redmond/AFP via Getty Images