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☆ Flying Is Awful, but New Ways to Fix Air Travel Are on the Way
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-12 | by ( Emily Stewart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

The message to the airline industry: You've had a few too many screwups to be left to your own devices. Over the past couple of years, the Biden administration has introduced a slew of rules and services intended to make airline passengers' lives easier. The airline industry seems to be relatively on board with the refund idea. But there are plenty of other problems with the airline industry that need solving — some the government can take care of, and some the government is causing. Gallup polls suggest more Americans have a negative view of the airline industry than a positive one.

Persons: You've, Bob Mann, William McGee, Joe Biden's, Pete Buttigieg, Biden, pocketbooks, They've, Janet Bednarek, Buttigieg, —, it's, It's, Bednarek, McGee, Mann, George Ferguson, wasn't, Emily Stewart Organizations: Boeing, Delta, Department of Transportation, Airlines, American Economic Liberties, Southwest, University of Dayton, Federal Aviation Administration, Airlines for America, Biden, Bloomberg Intelligence, FAA, Gallup, Business

☆ An American Airlines passenger on an oversold flight stayed in Italy for an extra 3 nights to collect $3,550 in travel vouchers
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-10 | by ( Monica Humphries | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Berry's $10,000 goal was cut short, but she did extend her trip three extra days and has $3,550 in flight vouchers. Plus, another $1,200 in flight vouchers would allow her to photograph in new destinations. Her free hotel stays, meals, and flight vouchers ended on August 7, three nights after her first bumped flight. BI verified that Berry earned $3,550 in flight vouchers, with one voucher worth $1,150 instead of $1,200. Susan Berry has spent her days photographing while in Naples, Italy, bumped on an overbooked flight.

Persons: —, Susan Berry didn't, Berry, didn't, she'd, Susan Berry, Susan Berry Berry, Berry isn't Organizations: Service, American Airlines, Business Locations: Italy, Naples, Philadelphia, Rio de Janeiro, Seychelles

☆ We went to the Amalfi Coast during peak summer season. These 4 tips made our trip better — but there's one mistake I won't make again.
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-10 | by ( Alesandra Dubin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

AdvertisementRegularly taking our food to go saved us moneyWe stopped for photos while walking around the Amalfi Coast. Packing fashionably but practically was keyComfortable shoes are helpful when walking around the Amalfi Coast. Alesandra DubinThe Amalfi Coast is like a fashion show in high season — a feast for the eyes of chic coastal Italian style. Still, I wish we hadn't overbooked and tried to do too muchWe tried to see a lot of the Amalfi Coast in just a few days. Alesandra DubinOur Airbnb in Sorrento was our hub from which we'd visit the Amalfi Coast and surrounding area on day trips.

Persons: —, it's, I'd, Alesandra Dubin, overbooked Organizations: Service, —, Business Locations: Southern Italy, Amalfi, Amalfi Coast, Sorrento, Capri

☆ Transportation Department to Investigate Delta After Flight Delays
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-23 | by ( Christine Hauser | More About Christine Hauser | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said on Tuesday that his department had opened an investigation into Delta Air Lines after the tech outage last week disrupted flights worldwide, and the agency wanted to hear from travelers who said that the airline had not complied with passenger protection requirements. The aim of the investigation is to “ensure the airline is following the law and taking care of its passengers during continued widespread disruptions,” Mr. Buttigieg said in a statement. “All airline passengers have the right to be treated fairly,” he added. The Transportation Department has consumer protection requirements that cover lost baggage, lengthy tarmac delays, compensation for being bumped from an overbooked flight and other protections.

Persons: Pete Buttigieg, Mr, Buttigieg Organizations: Delta Air Lines, Transportation Department

☆ Finally, an explanation for why it's so frustrating to deal with customer service
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-13 | by ( John Towfighi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Corporations absolve their employees of responsibility by delegating decision-making to an algorithm or deferring to company policy. Sorry, it's company policyAccording to Davies, accountability sinks emerged over the past decades of privatization and technological innovation. In addition, middle management and customer service jobs were cut or outsourced as corporations prioritized profits, optimizing costs, and delivering strong quarterly earnings. It often looks like a customer service representative working within a system with limited options to help. Accountability sinks can range from customer service to decision-making at major corporations.

Persons: —, you've, Dan Davies, It's, Davies, Milton Friedman, Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, Dave Calhoun, there's Organizations: Service, Business, Boeing, CNBC Locations: jtowfighi@businessinsider.com

☆ What to do if an airline bumps you from an overbooked flight
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-08 | by ( Hannah Towey | Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

In 2022, Delta Air Lines offered passengers $10,000 cash to take a different flight after overselling a flight from Michigan to Minnesota amid the summer's post-pandemic travel chaos. DOT rules entitle passengers to hundreds of dollars in compensation if they are involuntarily bumped from a flight, under certain terms and conditions. How to lower the odds of getting bumped from a flightThere's nothing you can do to guarantee you won't get bumped from an overbooked flight, as one traveler who said he was bumped off an American Airlines flight learned the hard way. According to the DOT's 2023 consumer air travel data, Allegiant Air, Delta Air Lines, and Hawaiian Airlines involuntarily bumped 0, 3, and 5 people, respectively, over the entire year. On the other end of the spectrum, American Airlines and Frontier Airlines involuntarily bumped over 10,000 passengers each in 2023.

Persons: —, Hurricane Beryl, Tayfun, doesn't, Constantine Johnny Organizations: Service, Transportation Security Administration, Business, Airlines, US Department of Transportation, Delta Air Lines, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Passengers, American Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, American Airlines and Frontier Airlines Locations: Texas, Michigan, Minnesota

☆ Norwegian Cruise Line passengers were stranded on a small African island after missing a deadline to re-embark
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-02 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewA couple says they were stranded on a small African island after they missed a cruise ship's boarding deadline, according to local media. Jay and Jill Campbell, from Garden City, South Carolina, described their ordeal with a Norwegian Cruise Line ship in an interview with WPDE, their local ABC affiliate. The cruise line said the passengers missed the "all aboard time of 3 p.m. local time." AdvertisementThough cruise ships need to stay punctual, ruined-vacation stories like this are a reputational risk and might put people off. Last September, more than 200 people got stuck in a remote part of Greenland after their cruise ship ran aground.

Persons: —, Jay, Jill Campbell, WPDE, Campbells, São, Jay Campbell, concussed Organizations: Service, Norwegian Cruise Line, ABC, Business, Norwegian Dawn, Príncipe Coast Guard, Campbells, Norwegian Cruise, MSC, Royal Locations: Garden City , South Carolina, West Africa, Norwegian, Gambia, Senegal, Greenland, Brisbane, Royal Caribbean

☆ 'Shark Tank' star Barbara Corcoran once made $1.2 million offloading 88 'dumpy' apartments in under 3 hours by treating them like puppies for sale
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Theron Mohamed | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Barbara Corcoran once made over $1.2 million by selling 88 apartments in less than three hours. The "Shark Tank" star modeled her strategy on a puppy sale she watched as a child. AdvertisementBarbara Corcoran once sold 88 lousy apartments within three hours, making her $1.2 million, by cribbing from a puppy sale she witnessed as a child. Advertisement"All these fancy city people have come to buy the puppies," Corcoran recalled her mother saying. "I had almost 180 people waiting for me, the morning of the puppy sale, the morning of the one-price sale," she recalled.

Persons: Barbara Corcoran, —, Jack Russell, Tim Ferriss, Corcoran, must've, Corcoran — Organizations: Service, cribbing, Corcoran Group Locations: New York, New Jersey, New York City, —

☆ First Solar CEO says tariff exemptions threaten U.S. efforts to ramp up domestic solar manufacturing
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Megan Jelinger | ReutersA flood of foreign solar components threatens efforts to build a domestic manufacturing base in the U.S. to support the clean energy transition, according to First Solar CEO Mark Widmar. A common type of solar panel used in the U.S. is excluded from Section 201 tariffs designed to protect domestic solar manufacturing, and a moratorium on tariffs against solar components imported from several Southeast Asian nations is in place. Biden vetoed legislation last spring that would have imposed tariffs on solar components from Cambodia, Malaysia and Thailand. "What this is doing is it's not allowing these domestic companies to scale," Widmar said. The company has intentionally overbooked to provide a buffer against the volatility in the solar market, he said.

Persons: Megan Jelinger, Mark Widmar, Widmar, Biden, Trump, Joe Biden, wasn't Organizations: Reuters, Solar, CNBC, U.S . Commerce Department, Commerce Locations: Perrysburg , Ohio, U.S, Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam

☆ AI could influence 'the whole future of war,' starting with gaming out the next fight, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Ella Sherman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

It's something that has appeared in fiction writing on imagined future wars but is also being looked at right now. AI "can shape the wargames and actually the whole future of war," Yasir Atalan, an associate data fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Business Insider. In February 2023, for instance, the US military let AI successfully pilot a fighter jet and engage in simulated air-to-air combat. Wargaming expert Ivanka Barzashka has also raised concerns that AI may obscure explanations for actions, potentially leading to faulty conclusions. "When people are using these LLMs in their approach, they need to be transparent, they need to show their prompting," Atalan said.

Persons: —, Yasir Atalan, Thomas Mort, CSIS's Benjamin Jensen, Dan Tadross, Atalan, Cpl, Yvonna, Alan Turing, Barzashka, Javier Chagoya, it's Organizations: Service, Business, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Naval Postgraduate School, Mobile Education Team, US, CSIS, US Marine Corps, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, RAND, The, Atomic Scientists Locations: Wiesbaden, Germany, London, warfighting

☆ 36 Authors Times ‘Fourteen Days’ Adds Up to a Mixed Literary Experiment
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-18 | by ( Alexandra Jacobs | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

FOURTEEN DAYS, edited by Margaret Atwood and Douglas PrestonNew Yorkers generally don’t talk to their neighbors. This is to preserve psychological boundaries while living stacked on top of one another like ice cubes in trays. A new novellus about Lower East Side neighbors called “Fourteen Days” seeps creepy, in this fine tradition, through most of its 350-plus pages. “Novellus” is Latin for new, but the “us” sounds extra-right here because this is collaborative fiction, by 36 authors of various ages, ethnicities, genres and degrees of fame (John Grisham and Scott Turow are among the higher-flying contributors). Why would anyone organize such an experiment, with its air of an overbooked open-mic night with a few surprise guest stars and peanuts scattered on the sticky floors?

Persons: Margaret Atwood, Douglas Preston, —, Seinfeld, Ira Levin, “, John Grisham, Scott Turow Locations: Lower East

☆ A self-described real estate visionary was charged with running an Airbnb scam that made millions by tricking guests into booking non-existent properties
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-04 | by ( Hannah Getahun | Kelsey Vlamis | Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . The complaint said Goel and associates would purposely double-book guests and then invent "fake last-minute excuses for cancelling overbooked guests or tricking them into switching to inferior replacements." Sometimes, they would encourage guests to stay at alternative properties they offered as a false upgrade and keep the money when guests complained, the indictment said. The indictment said that in some instances, Goel and others working with him listed properties for rent that didn't even exist.

Persons: Shray Goel, Goel, —, Shray Goel —, Alex, Brittany, Jess, Tyler, Goel's, Allie Conti, Airbnb, Vrbo Organizations: US, Prosecutors, Service, Business, FBI Locations: Florida, California, Florida , Illinois, Colorado, Texas, Vrbo

☆ Cruise lines may overbook more sailings as demand heats up — here's what happens when your trip is oversold
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( Brittany Chang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

AdvertisementA serious issue for travelers could be quietly brewing amid the booming demand for cruises : oversold ships. With this has come an influx of last-minute bookings that may be catching cruise operators off guard, leading to oversold cruises, Scholes said. On Tuesday, an oversold Quantum of the Seas ship left several travelers stranded at the embarkation port in Brisbane, Australia. While hard to predict, Scholes said he "wouldn't be surprised" if there were a handful of oversold cruise incidents next year as well. Statistically, it's still unlikely: Only a handful of the millions of annual cruise travelers have ever been impacted by this.

Persons: —, Patrick Scholes, Scholes, Brittany Chang, itineraries, wouldn't, it's, Raynor Organizations: Royal, Service, Truist Securities, Royal Caribbean Group, Seas, Seas ., Port, Business Locations: Royal Caribbean, Brisbane, Australia, Caribbean, Port of Brisbane

☆ Royal Caribbean overbooked one of its giant cruise ships and left a group of travelers stuck at port
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Brittany Chang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Several guests weren't allowed to board a Royal Caribbean cruise because the ship was overbooked. Just hours after arriving at the Brisbane International Cruise Terminal, the couple was sent back home because Royal Caribbean had overbooked its 4,905-guest ship. But if it weren't for this option, Raynor says he would "absolutely not" be inclined to go on another Royal Caribbean cruise. AdvertisementRoyal Caribbean has a history of overbooking its giant cruise shipsRoyal Caribbean Quantum of the Seas. "I know Royal Caribbean generally has a good reputation, but it's certainly left a bad sour taste in our mouths," Raynor said.

Persons: weren't, he's, —, Jai Raynor, Raynor, rebooking, it's Organizations: Royal, Service, Port, Brisbane International Cruise, Business, Royal Caribbean, Caribbean, Seas . Locations: Royal Caribbean, Brisbane, , New Caledonia, Nouméa , New Caledonia . Southern Lightscapes, Australia, Caribbean

☆ Scoring Taylor Swift Tickets and setting up elephant processions: Private bankers dish on the ways they pamper ultra-rich clients
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Hayley Cuccinello | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The ultra-rich can afford nearly anything, but that doesn't guarantee access, especially for sold-out games or limited-edition luxury items. Many clients are willing to pay top dollar for coveted Taylor Swift tickets but can't find them, and they have asked their advisors for help tracking them down. Many financial institutions prefer white-labeling, repackaging the services with the banks' branding, Gaby Stanley of Ten Lifestyle Group told Insider. The UK-based concierge clients include Coutts, HSBC, and Merrill Lynch. Private-bank advisors help each other out, according to Yates, who has hooked up out-of-state advisors' clients with Miami Heat tickets when they visit Florida.

Persons: Taylor Swift, Morgan Stanley's Valerie Wong Fountain, Morgan Stanley, Valerie Wong Fountain, Grace Yoon, Rockefeller, Yoon, Gaby Stanley, Coutts, Merrill Lynch, it's, Stanley, Paul Yates, Yates Organizations: Advisors, Business, Rockefeller Capital Management, Ten Lifestyle Group, HSBC, Michelin, Bank, Miami Super Bowl, Private, Miami Heat, Bank of America Locations: London, Japan, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

☆ Trump keeps asking to move his March hush-money trial date because he's overbooked with criminal trials
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Trump has repeatedly asked the judge in his NYC hush-money case to move the March 25 trial date. He invited Trump's lawyer to raise the matter of scheduling again in February. An excerpt from a letter from Trump's Manhattan hush-money judge, New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, to defense attorney Todd Blanche. AdvertisementAdvertisementIn asking, without luck, to at least talk about a new hush-money trial date, Blanche, too, sounded overbooked. "Thus, the trial in that case will necessarily conflict with the scheduled trial in this case," Blanche noted.

Persons: Trump, Trump's Jan, Donald Trump, Juan Merchan, Daniels, Merchan, Todd Blanche, Arthur Engoron, Blanche, Trump's, –, Tanya S Organizations: Service, New, Super, New York, Manhattan, US Locations: Wall, Silicon, Washington ,, Florida

☆ A cruise expert that's been on over 300 ships shares his top tips and tricks for your next trip
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Hannah Towey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Cruise ships and their destinations are overflowing with travelers this summer. Cruise ships — and their destinations — are jam-packed with travelers this summer. Pick a cruise line that matches your personality and expectationsNot all cruise lines, or cruise ships for that matter, cater to the same kind of clientele. Buy travel insurance if you're going on an international cruiseChiron said he never travels internationally without purchasing trip insurance. Weigh the pros and cons of booking airfare through the cruise lineSome cruise lines have access to discounted flights and allow you to bundle your airfare with your cruise.

Persons: Guy, Stewart Chiron, Chiron, Don't, I've Locations: Mykonos, Santorini, It's, Miami, Seattle, Los Angeles, Rome

☆ These are the airlines most likely to bump people from flights
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Frontier Airlines was the most likely of the 15 largest US carriers to bump people from flights in early 2023. A further 3,395 were voluntarily denied boarding and 2,442 were involuntarily denied boarding. The data covers domestic US flights and international flights that departed from the US, and doesn't include passengers who were involuntarily denied boarding for other reasons. These are how the 15 carriers rank in terms of the proportion of passengers involuntarily bumped, per ATCR data:Frontier Airlines Envoy Air Spirit Airlines PSA Airlines American Airlines Skywest Airlines Republic Airways Southwest Airlines Alaska Airlines Jetblue Airways United Airlines Hawaiian Airlines, Endeavor Air, Allegiant Air, Delta Air LinesFrontier says on its website that in the event of an overbooked flight, passengers who volunteer to give up their seats get "alternative travel accommodations" as well as a Frontier voucher. "It is our goal to find enough volunteers so that no customers are denied boarding involuntarily," the airlines says.

Organizations: Frontier Airlines, Endeavor, Frontier, Travel, Department of Transportation's, of Aviation Consumer Protection, June's, Consumer, Airlines, Envoy Air, Delta Air Lines, Endeavor Air, Hawaiian Airlines, Frontier Airlines Envoy Air Spirit Airlines PSA Airlines American Airlines Skywest Airlines Republic Airways Southwest Airlines Alaska Airlines Jetblue Airways United Airlines Hawaiian Airlines, Allegiant Locations: Delta

☆ A cruise expert shares his top tips and tricks after sailing on 311 ships
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Hannah Towey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Persons: Guy, Stewart Chiron, Chiron, Don't, I've Locations: Mykonos, Santorini, It's, Miami, Seattle, Los Angeles, Rome

☆ Travel in America is a crasphoot, and it won't get better anytime soon
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Passengers weave through JFK International airport on Friday, which is expected to be the busiest day for air travel since the start of the pandemic. Unfortunately, it’s not going to get better anytime soon. This summer, airfare is expected to remain higher than pre-pandemic levels, though a bit lower than their 2022 levels, according to travel research site Hopper. Demand for air travel roared back faster than airports and airlines could rehire staff. When demand for travel roared back faster than expected, the airlines couldn’t hire fast enough.

Persons: David Dee Delgado, it’s, Scott Olson, ” Biden, airfare, Hopper, Mario Tama Organizations: New, New York CNN, Transportation Security, JFK International, Biden, Amtrak, Jet, McKinsey Locations: New York, United States, Europe, Asia

☆ Family stands to lose nearly $6,000 in airfare and hotel costs after they were bumped from an overbooked cruise ship
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-26 | by ( Hannah Towey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises have overbooked multiple ships in recent months. One customer said she may lose nearly $6,000 after being bumped from an overbooked cruise. Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises have seen a spate of overbooked ships in recent months, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. 68-year-old Diane Gainey, a frequent cruise-goer, could lose nearly $6,000 in airfare and hotel costs after Celebrity Cruises overbooked her September voyage from Japan. Courtesy of Diane FoleyA Celebrity Cruises spokesperson said the company continuously monitors their sailings to prevent disruptions to guests' travel plans.

☆ The German couple who moved to Italy and opened a pizza restaurant
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Silvia Marchetti | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —Living la dolce vita in Italy isn’t just about snatching a cheap dwelling in a charming rural village. Making pizza in Italy and satisfying Italian palates is not the simplest of missions. Only one other place to eat is open year-round – a restaurant serving regional dishes but no pizza. Marco MolinariPaying homage to her Germanic origins she makes pizza with sauerkraut, sausages and veal shin, with tomato salad, pizza kebabs, pizza with goat cheese and pizza with salmon – the latter being the most wanted by clients. There’s Pizza Irene with mozzarella, gorgonzola, arugula and mushrooms.

Illustration by Gene KimAs weed becomes legal in more states, how and if travelers can bring their stash on board remains up in the air. Traveling between states where marijuana is legal in both the origin and destination may sound straight-forward, but with overlapping jurisdictions and hard-to-enforce guidelines, it gets complicated. Under federal law, the possession and sale of marijuana is illegal. Despite President Joe Biden's recent pardons for anyone convicted of a federal crime for simple possession and his directive to review how marijuana is scheduled under federal law, marijuana is still classified as a Schedule I substance. And even though airports are locally owned and operated, air travel still falls under federal law.

☆ Reasons Plane Travel, Airline Customer Service, Airports Are so Terrible
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Bartie Scott | Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

It's almost impossible to imagine a time when air travel was pleasant, much less enjoyable. Lost baggage, overbooked flights, outdated equipment, hidden fees, and disorganized staffing have fliers at their wits' end; consumer complaints about airline service have risen by 300% from pre-pandemic levels. Many of these measures had been put in place to improve safety following some rattling accidents in the early days of commercial air travel. So in 1978, at the urging of the economist and "inflation czar" Alfred Kahn, President Jimmy Carter enacted the Airline Deregulation Act. He added that "airline service, by any standard, has become unacceptable."

☆ 32-year-old's lucrative side hustle: Earning up to $14,000 a month renting his sports cars to strangers
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Megan Sauer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Andrei Echeverria brings in up to $14,000 per month letting strangers drive his six cars on rental platform Turo. Echeverria, 32, brings in up to $14,000 per month renting his six vehicles out to strangers in Boston on the rental platform Turo, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It. Echeverria lives mere miles from Boston Logan International Airport, and capitalizes by undercutting the prices of nearby car rental companies. With three cars on Turo, Echeverria says he brought in about $3,500 per month. Even with the additional cars, Echeverria found himself overbooked.

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