New flights and new entertainment options lead this week’s air travel news in the meetings and events industry.
In in-flight entertainment news, this week Delta announced the addition of ad-free podcasts to its Delta Studio seatback entertainment, which is available on more than 600 aircraft as of February 1. The new podcasts include Dr. Death – a true crime podcast that follows the story of a charming surgeon from Texas convicted of widespread and lethal malpractice, as well as Business Wars, The A24 Podcast, This American Life, Hello Sunshine Podcast and The goop Podcast.
In flight news, this week Southwest Airlines published its extended flight schedule through October 31. Starting Saturday, August 10, the airline will add Saturday-only service between Dallas Love Field and Corpus Christi. Additionally, the carrier is adding service on Saturdays and Sundays between Richmond, Virginia and Tampa, Florida.
The carrier also announced the return of previously-operated seasonal service beginning August 10, 2019, on Saturdays between Hartford, CT, and Fort Lauderdale; Buffalo and Fort Lauderdale; Boise and Chicago Midway; Newark and Orlando; Richmond and Orlando; and Milwaukee and Seattle. Southwest’s seasonal weekend service between Des Moines and Phoenix will also once again be offered beginning August 10.
In the Caribbean, this week the island of Grenada released an update on the latest new airlift to the destination. Starting in December, American Airlines, Sunwing and Air Canada all added new flights. American added an additional flight on Saturdays out of Miami, ending service March 30, while Sunwing launched 22 flights from Toronto Pearson, with service ending April 21. Air Canada added a third weekly flight, running every Tuesday and also out of Toronto Pearson. That service ends on March 26.
A Florida woman traveling through Houston won a multi-million dollar lawsuit against United Airlines.
Erica Fulton is disabled and was boarding her flight, when she says a flight attendant, who was helping her to her seat, dropped her, and injured her shoulder.
Fulton was traveling to celebrate her son’s 30th birthday.
“Within 30 minutes of being dropped, she’s there telling United what happened,” attorney Sean Roberts said. “They act like it never happened.”
Roberts represented Fulton in court. He says United claimed they didn’t get wind of this until six weeks after the incident, even though he says their internal call logs shows Fulton reporting it immediately.
Roberts also claims the airline didn’t even investigate the incident.
“That was probably what set this thing along the path of a multi-million dollar verdict, when it should’ve been much lower,” Roberts said.
United Airlines ultimately lost in court, and Fulton was awarded nearly $4 million.
“The way United painted their first-class passenger, as a malingerer and a liar, I’m not surprised with how the jury reacted to that,” Roberts said.
ABC13 reached out to United Airlines about the incident. They responded in an emailed statement:
“Our goal is to provide all of our customers with a safe and comfortable travel experience. We disagree with the court’s ruling and will continue to defend ourselves.”
After more than 200 passengers spent a night locked inside a plane earlier this month, United Airlines is designating Goose Bay Airport for emergencies only.
There were plenty of questions after the incident about the airport’s inability to handle the unexpected arrivals of international flights. The Canadian Border Services Agency was seemingly unable to process that many passengers on short notice.
United Airlines Flight 179 was on its way to Hong Kong from Newark, N.J., when it landed in Happy Valley-Goose Bay for a medical emergency. The passenger was taken off and sent to hospital, but the rest were told they’d have to stay onboard while the crew dealt with a mechanical issue.
It wasn’t until 16 hours later that the passengers left on a replacement plane.
“We apologized to our customers for this experience — our crew and operations did everything possible to assist customers during the delay,” said a United spokesperson on Monday.
Passengers travelling from Newark, N.J., to Hong Kong weren’t expecting to stop off in Goose Bay, N.L. They were stuck on the plane for 16 hours before a replacement plane arrived. (@sonjaydutterson/Twitter)
Goose Bay Airport is located on a Canadian Forces base and border services staff do not typically work overnight.
When reached for comment, United Airlines confirmed it has designated Goose Bay as an emergency option, meaning its aircraft would be heading to other airports in situations that are anything less than an emergency.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the change in designation is just one of several changes made after a review of the incident with Flight 179 on Jan. 19.
The American media publication reported United “identified ways it could improve communication with customers, and it is examining how it could get planes in such situations fixed faster.”
The Goose Bay Airport Corporation declined an interview with CBC News, but according to the Journal, general manager Goronwy Price said they were trying to find a better method of handling unplanned landings, including deplaning passengers into a large building that wouldn’t require them to clear customs.
It’s no secret that air travel has become more unpleasant in recent years. Oversold flights, minimal food service and airlines’ desire to squeeze more passengers in by eliminating legroom are just a few of the indignities travelers must suffer in order to get to their destinations.
You do not need to remove your hearing
aids while going through security or
on the plane.
But for those with hearing loss, airplane travel can be particularly difficult. Hearing loss affects everything from pre-flight boarding to gate change announcements and in-flight communication, leading to frustration and misery.
We still have a long way to go until all passengers can travel with equal access to services. If you’re traveling with hearing loss, here are some tips for making your trip go more smoothly:
Before your trip
Before you go, review our travel tips for people with hearing loss, including a suggested packing list, to make sure you’re prepared for any minor hiccups–such as your hearing aid batteries dying out. You also may want to visit your hearing healthcare professional to make sure your devices are in good shape before you travel with your hearing aids. Don’t forget your cleaning kit!
Getting through security
Fortunately, you don’t need to take out your hearing aids before you walk through security. If you do wear your hearing aid through security, you may want to let TSA personnel know. Depending on the device, you may get flagged for additional screening. If you’re not wearing them, do not place them directly on the conveyer belt or in the plastic bins, as that may generate static electricity that can damage them.
When going through airport security, do not place your hearing aids on the conveyer belt or in the plastic bins–doing so could generate an electrical charge that damages them.
Are you in the loop?
An increasing number of airports have installed induction loop systems, which consist of a loop of wire that produces an electromagnetic signal received directly by hearing aids. Induction loop systems allow hearing aid and cochlear implant users to hear more clearly despite the presence of background noise or poor acoustics. To be connected to the airport’s induction loop, you just need to switch your hearing aids to the “telecoil” or “T” setting. If you are not sure if your hearing aids have telecoils, ask your hearing healthcare provider.
On board your flight
The good news: You don’t have to turn off your hearing aids when flight attendants announce that all devices must be turned off and stowed away in seat pockets.
The bad news: On-board entertainment, like TV shows and movies, may not have captioning. And pilots and flight attendants frequently make announcements that can be hard to hear–even for people with perfect hearing.
Depending on the severity of your hearing loss, you may want to let a flight attendant know that you won’t be able to clearly hear crew announcements. And it’s not a bad idea to bring along your own entertainment, whether that be reading or downloading some videos on a tablet. Lastly, don’t forget to take steps to avoid ear pain while flying.
Know your rights
Passed by Congress in 1986, the Air Carrier Access Act has specific benefits for those with hearing loss. It states, in part:
Information and reservations services must be accessible
Information at airports must be accessible after self-identification as having hearing loss
Television at airports must have captions turned on
Communication on commercial aircraft must be effective after self-identification as having hearing loss
Service animals are permitted
Thanks to the ACAA, you have rights that will ensure a smoother travel experience:
You have the right to indicate your need for special services when booking your flight, either online or over the phone. When given a list of options, select “hearing loss or impairment.” This will begin the process of alerting the airlines of your needs, both preflight and during the flight. It will not only be noted on the passenger manifest, but gate agents and flight attendants will be notified as well.
You have the right to request disability seating. This usually means close to the front of the aircraft. This seating allows you to pre-board as well as to see the flight attendants clearly so you are better able to understand them as they make in-flight announcements. Be aware that online booking sites might not mention that these seats are available, as the airlines would rather sell these seats at economy comfort prices; nevertheless be sure to ask. If the seats are available, they have to give them to you at no extra cost. Disability seats are intended for all disability groups, not just those with mobility issues.
You have the right to the same level of communication with airline staff as the other passengers. Once you have self-identified to the airline as having hearing loss, you can make certain requests in order to make sure you are aware of all important information. For example, you might want to ask to be approached directly with notification of pre-boarding, any in-flight safety announcements such as turbulence, notifications of gate changes or late arrivals.
Advocate for yourself
Airplane travel can be stressful, and unexpected hurdles can pop at any time for you and your traveling companions. When it comes to hearing loss, it helps to be prepared. If you can’t find the information you need, asking for help is critical–being your own advocate can make a huge difference in the quality of your trip.
Got a travel tip we didn’t cover in this article? Please share below in the comments.
As it continues, the shutdown will increasingly affect air travel and even safety. Union officials are concerned about stress. Alaska Airlines warns that without FAA officials to sign off, the new Paine Field Airport near Seattle may not open as scheduled on Feb. 11. And Delta Air Lines’ plans to start flying its newest aircraft, the Airbus A220, by the end of January could also be slowed.
TSA has already tapped the pool of workers who can be shifted around, and is adding reinforcements to airports in New York, New Jersy, Chicago, Miami and Atlanta.
The U.S. Travel Association estimates that the standoff is costing the economy $100 million a day just in lost travel expenditures, and that airports, visas and Customs may become increasingly affected.
The Global Business Travel Association said that a survey of more than 400 members this past week revealed that more than two-thirds of those polled are concerned about a negative impact on their business if the shutdown continues.
United Continental Holdings Inc. is steering its pilots away from a remote Canadian airfield sometimes used for diverted planes two weeks after one of its jets marooned about 250 passengers there for hours.
Pilots have long relied on Goose Bay Airport in Newfoundland and Labrador for unplanned stops en route to Asia or Europe, but now the Chicago-based carrier has designated the small airport for emergency landings only, a United spokeswoman said. Pilots facing less-dire situations will be directed to stop at other remote…
Pinellas woman wins $3.8 million verdict against United Airlines
PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – United Airlines and its contractor must pay a Pinellas County woman $3.8 million.
A federal jury found the company at fault for dropping the disabled passenger.
On a layover in Houston, a worker tried to move Erica Fulton from her chair to a seat. He ended up dropping her, causing severe injuries.
“The jury was angry. And they wanted to send a clear message to United,” said Fulton.
On her way to visit her son in Austin, Fulton traveled on United Airlines in Sept. 2016. But the trip turned into a flight from hell when an airline employee dropped her hard, injuring her shoulder.
She sued.
“They were trying to hide from the fact that they had, that an accident had happened and they were trying to run from their responsibility,” claimed Fulton.
Two weeks ago, a federal jury decided United should pay her the multi-million dollar award.
Fulton maintains she wouldn’t have sued if United did the right thing, like asked about her health or enquired if she needed help.
“The jury hearing all of this, and what they didn’t hear was any humanity at all. They didn’t hear anything that said we were concerned about Miss Fulton,” she said.
United Airlines responded to a request for comment.
“Our goal is to provide all of our customers with a safe and comfortable travel experience. We disagree with the court’s ruling and will continue to defend ourselves.”
Fulton is hoping her verdict helps others who find themselves in the same circumstance.
The incident has left Fulton afraid to fly alone. She will take her home care assistant next time.
Expedia Group has filed a lawsuit against partner United Airlines growing out of a contract dispute.
The civil complaint, filed in Southern District of New York Monday, is under seal. The docket said the order would be filed under seal.
As of Monday afternoon, United’s flights were still available on Expedia.com.
It is relatively rare that contract disputes between online travel agencies, on the one hand, and airlines or hotel, on the other, reach the public domain unless they are at a breaking point.
Airlines have gone missing on online travel agency websites in the past. One of the more high-profile disputes involved American Airlines and Orbitz Worldwide, which tangled over distribution costs and direct-connect issues starting in 2010. Orbitz took a substantial financial from the skirmish, which dragged on before being resolved in 2014.
An Expedia Group spokesperson decline to comment about its complaint against United. A spokesperson for United Airlines, citing pending litigation, wouldn’t comment.
Although the cases are likely unrelated, Ryanair and Expedia are locked in a lawsuit in the State of Washington, with Ryanair alleging that Expedia accesses Ryanair’s flight schedules and fairs without permission.
