Travel

Interior of airplane with passengers on seats and stewardess in uniform walking the aisle, serving people. Commercial economy flight service concept

Jet Fumes, Sick Crews, and the FAA’s Sgt. Schultz

Commercial airlines love to boast about how safe cabin air is, and how powerful HEPA filters scrub out bacteria and viruses. What they prefer you don’t know: HEPA filters don’t stop engine fumes or chemical vapors—and those toxic substances seep into cabin air far more often than the public realizes.
How common are these so-called “fume events”? No one knows. The FAA reportedly blew off a Congressional mandate to track them.

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empty chair in the airport

Cybercrime Gang Could Cripple U.S. Air Travel

The U.S. airline industry cartel had billions for stock buybacks, tens of millions for executive bonuses, and gladly covered the cost of branded snacks. But when it came to securing the digital systems that keep their planes—and passengers—moving, they fittingly invested peanuts.

Now the FBI and cybersecurity experts warn that U.S. airlines are at serious risk of being hacked—and air travel could face crippling disruptions.

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A robot engages in coding activities at a computer, surrounded by glowing digital elements and data streams.

Former Delta Execs Unleash AI Gouging at Hertz

Imagine if former Delta executives took over a car rental company. Sadly, it’s not a hypothetical—and as Hertz customers are fast learning, the consequences are real, robotic, and painfully expensive.

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Computer with headsets at office

The Salvadoran Deportees Taking Hyatt’s Calls

Think your Hyatt call center rep sounds like they grew up in Chicago, where the company is based? They might have—before getting deported and rehired in El Salvador.
A deep dive into the dark world of corporate outsourcing—and the backgrounds of the people increasingly handling the sensitive personal data of millions of Americans.

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Golden glitter texture background

Fool’s Gold: Jamie Dimon’s $795 Credit Card

“There’s a sucker born every minute,” P.T. Barnum once said.
That’s the target demographic for Chase Bank’s newly repositioned Sapphire Reserve credit card.

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Passeneger jet shortly after takeoff

Airline Industry Tyranny: Fascism at 36,000 ft

Think you’re immune from getting banned by one of America’s monopoly airlines? Unless you’ve been blessed with the patience of Job, you’re deluding yourself.

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beautiful young woman with blond short hair with a suitcase sleep on a chair at the airport and waiting for her flight

Southwest Looking to Satiate Wall Street’s Greed

Talk about a headline that left me disappointed. When I saw that Men’s Journal headline teasing Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan’s two-word response to scrapping the airline’s historic no-nickel-and-diming ethos, I had a glimmer of hope. Maybe Jordan had channeled his inner Jamie Dimon and let fly with the infamous…

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ZURICH - July 30:  United Airlines taking off at Terminal A of Zurich Airport on July 30, 2016 in Zurich, Switzerland. Zurich airport is home port for Swiss Air and one of the european hubs.

United CEO Scott Kirby’s Unrivaled Despicability

If there were a Hall of Fame for compensation excess, customer contempt, and employee disdain, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby wouldn’t just have a plaque—he’d occupy the entire west wing.

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