Ready, set, travel: Holiday rush to airports, highways now underway
Cross your fingers: Flight cancellations are the lowest they’ve been in five years. The busiest days on the road will be Saturday and next Thursday, Dec. 28.
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Southwest Airlines reaches $140M settlement over holiday meltdown last year
The airline will pay a $35 million fine as part of a $140 million settlement to resolve a federal investigation into a debacle in December 2022 when the airline canceled thousands of flights.
Holiday crowds at airports, on highways expected to be bigger than last year
Auto club AAA forecast Monday that 115.2 million people will go 50 miles or more from home during the 10 days between Dec. 23 and New Year’s Day. That’s 2.2% more than AAA predicted during the comparable stretch last year.
Visit Indy, cultural groups to visit Singapore for ideas about White River
The trip, set for Nov. 14-17, will primarily focus on the $1 billion Gardens by the Bay nature park development, which encompasses 250 acres near Singapore’s southern coast.
Joby Aviation founder predicts electric air taxis will be in service by 2025
The notion that hundreds or even thousands of electric-powered air taxis could be whisking people over jammed roads is inching away from science fiction and closer to reality.
Indy airport nearing deal for Westin hotel connected to terminal
Airport officials have flirted with the idea of locating a hotel next to the terminal since planning for the current midfield complex began in the early 2000s.
Labor Day weekend travelers should expect lots of company
Canceled flights remain elevated as airlines face their last big test of the prime vacation season: Labor Day weekend.
American Airlines pilots ratify new contract with big pay raises, bonuses
The Allied Pilots Association said that 73% of pilots who took part voted in favor of the four-year contract, which it valued at $9.6 billion.
Wait for passports creating travel purgatory, snarling summer plans
People who thought they were renewing or applying for new passports in plenty of time for their summer trips have flooded what the State Department says is a system still short-staffed from cuts during the pandemic.
Air travel congestion eases as United gets handle on canceled flights
Besides better weather, airlines also are running lighter schedules a day ahead of the July 4 holiday. Wednesday figures to be the next big test for the system.
Big crowds expected for the summer travel season—and big prices, too
For the travel industry, the big question is how long consumers can keep paying for airline tickets and accommodations while they deal with stubborn high inflation, news about layoffs and bank failures, and fear of a recession.
SpaceX giant rocket explodes minutes into test flight
The company plans to use Starship to send people and cargo to the moon and, eventually, Mars. NASA has reserved a Starship for its next moonwalking team, and rich tourists are already booking lunar flybys.
Southwest grounds flights nationwide due to technical issues
Southwest Airlines said an “intermittent technology issue” led to more than 1,700 flight delays Tuesday morning.
SpaceX’s launch of Starship could remake space exploration
SpaceX this week hopes to launch of the biggest and most powerful rocket ever built. The company plans to use Starship to send people and cargo to the moon and, ultimately, Mars.
Leaving for spring break? Travelers have plenty of company this year.
Signs are pointing to a busy—and in some places, potentially record-breaking—spring break travel season as Americans hit beaches, slopes and all spots in between.
Self-sanitizing changing tables to be installed at Indy airport
Pluie Inc., a startup co-founded by an Indiana native, is about to get a big boost in exposure, with dozens of its self-sanitizing diaper changing tables being installed in multiple locations at Indianapolis International Airport.
U.S. sues to block JetBlue from buying Spirit Airlines
The Justice Department said the $3.8 billion acquisition would hurt cost-conscious travelers who depend on Spirit to find cheaper options than they can find on JetBlue and other airlines.
United Airlines posts $843 million profit, bullish on 2023
The report from United comes on the heels of upbeat comments by its closest rivals, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines. Officials with all three carriers say that consumers are still booking travel despite concern about the economy.
Southwest apologizes, gives customers frequent-flier points
Southwest Airlines canceled more than 15,000 flights between Dec. 22 and Dec. 30, according to tracking service FlightAware. The flight disruptions began with a winter storm that swept across the country.
Southwest Airlines flight cancellations continue to snowball
Exhausted Southwest Airlines travelers tried finding seats on other airlines or renting cars to get to their destination, but many remained stranded. The airline’s CEO said it could be next week before the flight schedule returns to normal.