The U.S. Department of Justice announced 30-year-old Alexander Michael Dominic MacDonald will pay the carrier $20,638 for causing the disturbance which led to his arrest.   Fight With Companion Started Events to Cause Diversion According to the Justice Department, the incident began aboard a flight on March 1, 2024 between a flight from London to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). MacDonald began loudly arguing with his traveling companion after they entered the U.S. airspace. The argument ultimately created a disturbance, which caused the flight crew to get involved. &nbs ..read more

  But according to a new YouGov poll, many strangers would be happy to make the switch for the right reasons.   Spoiler alert: Cash isn’t one of them.   Top Reasons to Switch Seats is for Children, Spouses, or Upgrades The poll asked 700 U.S. adults from the ages of 18 and over 65 about what it would take for them to switch seats with another passenger. In most cases, travelers could be willing to make an adjustment if it came to a spouse or family member, but not necessarily a friend.   Across the board, three-in-four flyers say they would give up their seat if a flyer wan ..read more

  As shared on the FlyerTalk forums, the latest additions to British Airways’ in-flight experience includes new food, drinks, and entertainment options across cabins.   Front-of-Cabin Guests Get New Single Malts, While Short Haul Gets New Cabin The biggest product boost comes to those flying international premium cabins, including First, Club World, and Club Europe. International First Class flyers will be able to sample Johnnie Walker’s Blue Label Elusive Umami Scotch Whiskey throughout the entire month.   The whiskey is described by the distiller as a balance of sweet and savo ..read more

  Reuters reports the new regulations are part of the five year, $105 billion FAA reauthorization bill, which could be approved by the U.S. Senate before the week ending May 3, 2024.   New Regulations Designed to Help U.S. Aviation Maintain “Gold Standard” The bill comes after both chambers of the U.S. Congress passed a temporary measure to keep the FAA working through May 10, 2024. The latest bipartisan bill weighs in at over 1,000 pages and would keep the agency funded through 2029.   The new bill would force airlines to allow families to sit together on an aircraft without pa ..read more

  The agency announced a new set of rules for airlines, requiring flyers to receive automatic refunds when services are not provided as scheduled.   Airlines Must Provide Refunds for Flyers Without “Jumping Through Hoops” Under the new rules, which take effect immediately, airlines are on the hook for more of the problems flyers may face during their travel day. This includes flight cancellations, major flight delays, significant delay of luggage, or when ancillary services – like in-flight wi-fi – do not work.   The rules require airlines to provide the refunds automatically, w ..read more

  Introduced in February 2024, California Senate Bill 1372 seeks to prevent Clear and other third-party vendors from providing pre-screening services which would utilize current Transportation Security Administration lanes.   Law Would Change Clear Operations at Eight California Airports Currently, Clear operates pre-screening at eight California airports, including Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), San Francisco International Airport (SFO), Oakland International Airport (OAK), and Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC). At each kiosk, flyers scan their boarding ..read more

  The department announced the formation of the Airline Passenger Protection Partnership on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, during a ceremony at Denver International Airport (DEN).   Partnership Opens Federal Data Books for States Investigating Airlines Under the new cooperative, the 18 states joining the partnership will get additional resources to investigate allegations of airline and ticket agent misconduct. Attorneys general who “uncover unfair or deceptive airline practices” will get a new fast-track system with the Transportation Department, who will in turn pressure stakeholders to ..read more

  Called Wyndham Rewards Business, the new “generous loyalty program” offers businesses the opportunity to directly earn points for room, group, and event spending.   Program Acts Similar to Personal Rewards Program on Bigger Scale Under the new program, companies earn one point per dollar spent on “business-qualified stays,” which are booked through Wyndham’s direct channels (the website, app, call centers, or direct with the property) when providing their corporate ID. Hotels booked through third-party websites do not qualify.   In turn, businesses have multiple ways to use th ..read more

  The Atlanta-based carrier announced a new numbered boarding zone lineup that will go into effect starting on Wednesday, May 1.   Diamond Medallion and Sky Priority Gives Way to Numbered Categories Under the current boarding order, flyers are categorized in one of nine different categories based on their booked service class or elite status with Delta Air Lines or another SkyTeam carrier. Diamond Medallions are currently allowed to board immediately after first class flyers and those who require preboarding.   When the new numbered boarding procedure begins, preboarding travele ..read more

  Bloomberg reports the new routes from Newark to Portugal and Tokyo to The Philippines will be delayed as the Federal Aviation Administration reviews the carrier’s performance record.   Faro and Cebu Put on Backburner Pending Review In an email to the news outlet, United confirmed that two routes planned for launch would be pushed far into the future. A planned route between Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and Faro International Airport (FAO) in Portugal will be delayed by at least a year. The carrier planned for the first flight to take place on May 24, 2024, but it will ..read more