Travel News: July 26 – August 1 (Printing Pancakes, Sitting Next to Your Child, Flight Safety and More)

This week’s round-up brings the latest airline travel news – from printing pancakes, how to have a safe flight, and new checked luggage fees, to in-flight entertainment, flight advertising and sitting next to your child on a plane. Enjoy!

Printing Pancakes

Ever heard of a pancake printer? Neither had we. It seems that Alaska’s culinary gadget – which looks just like a printer – is such a hit with frequent fliers passing through its Board Room lounges in Seattle, Anchorage, Los Angeles and Portland, that they have had to extend its hours of operation.

Uh-Oh; JetBlue Will Start Charging for Checked Luggage

It looks like Southwest Airlines will soon become the only airline to not charge passengers for the 1st piece of checked luggage. According to BusinessWeek, JetBlue Airways is looking to introduce a new fee structure in 2015 that will bundle services (like checked bags) with basic fares so that it can increase profits.

How to Have a Safe Flight

Less than 1 in 2 million flights last year ended in an accident that damaged a plane beyond repair. But, in the wake of a week of air tragedies, the Associated Press offers some tips to help travelers stay safe. These tips include how to track flights, review safety records, assess airlines and practice good habits.

Delta to Offer Free In-Flight Programming for Electronic Devices

Starting Aug. 1, Delta Air Lines claims it will be offering “more free entertainment than any other carrier,” thanks to its new Delta Studio program which will stream on-demand programming directly to passenger electronic devices.

House Passes Legislation So Airlines Can Advertise Base Price

Back in May we provided a round-up of the controversy and legislation in play with regard to how airfares should be displayed by airlines and online travel agencies. Now it seems the airline industry has succeeded in convincing the House to support its proposal to prominently display base fares in advertising – versus the full ticket price. Critics have argued that this will make airfares appear artificially lower than they really are, although those in favor of the bipartisan bill say that it will allow consumers to see the various fee components that go into the pricing of an airline ticket – including government fees and taxes.

What Would You Do If Your Plane Seat Wasn’t Next to Your 4-Year-Old Child?

Here is the scenario. You are traveling with your 4 year old and you find out at the last minute that your seats have been reassigned and your child has now been allocated a seat several rows in front of you. More importantly, you are being told that the only way you can sit with your child is if you pay extra. Seems unlikely? Don’t bet on it. As crazy as it sounds, this happens often – and it is a scenario that I have personally experienced. Read the full article to learn how you can rectify the problem without shelling out a ton of cash.

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