USOs, Gold Heists And Airport Mishaps In This Week's Beyond Cars Roundup

Officially, the U.S. government has no proof that sightings of unidentified aerial phenomena are the result of alien activity. Apparently, though, the definitely-probably-not-aliens have been observed operating unidentified submerged objects in our oceans, Fox News reports. They fly, too, but when they want, they… Read more… Read original article here Denial of responsibility! Pioneer Newz … Read more

Boeing, Boeing, Derailments, Helmsworth, And More

A 265-pound wheel fell off a United Airlines Boeing 777 after taking off from San Francisco International Airport on Thursday, smashing through a fence and into several cars in a nearby parking lot. The flight bound for Osaka, Japan diverted to Los Angeles and landed safely instead of taking a 12-hour trip across the Pacific … Read more

Flair Airlines CEO looks to bid on Lynx planes after shutdown halts tentative merger

Flair Airlines chief executive Stephen Jones says he still hopes to add several Lynx Air planes to his fleet, even after their tentative merger fell through when Lynx shut down last month. In a phone interview, Jones said the Boeing 737 Max 8s are the same model that comprise the bulk of his 20-plane fleet … Read more

Watch out for flying fees: WestJet hikes checked bag cost, Flair adds credit card fee

Here’s the good news: Airfares have declined in Canada. The bad news? You might wind up paying more in added fees. WestJet and several U.S. airlines recently hiked their checked bag charges. Discount carrier Flair Airlines has raised some other fees, and added a surcharge when customers pay for their flight with a credit card.  Airlines often say they “unbundle” … Read more

Weekend Beyond Cars Roundup February 24, 2024

If you’ve got a bike, there’s a good chance it’s set up with a derailleur at the rear and a bunch of gears to help you cycle more efficiently. And while that derailleur might be controlled by cables, hydraulics or even electronics, it’s usually down to you to set it in the right place. However, … Read more

As Lynx heads to the discount airline graveyard, what options do travellers have?

Less than two years after entering the market, Lynx Air is winding down operations, making the Calgary-based airline the latest in a long line of Canadian discount carriers that have failed to take off. The company — which rebranded from “Enerjet” in 2021 — cited rising operational costs, high fuel prices, unfavourable exchange rates, increased airport charges and … Read more

Opinion | As Thailand woos Russian tourists with longer stays, Phuket locals witness their island turning into ‘something resembling a resort town on the Black Sea’

Russian airlines are banned from most European airports and tourists from Russia face a host of restrictions across the continent – unless they’re among those wealthy few who have, according to anecdotal evidence, obtained by bribe (€6,000/US$6,490) Ukrainian registration plates and swan around Europe in large SUVs. From porn stars and party animals to the … Read more

WestJet CEO apologizes for accessibility failures

WestJet chief executive officer Alexis von Hoensbroech apologized Thursday for incidents where the airline failed to accommodate people living with disabilities, saying he hopes to improve travel accessibility. “To our guests who didn’t have a good travel experience with us, we are sincerely sorry, and we are committed in doing better,” von Hoensbroech said during a House of Commons transport committee … Read more

Air Canada found liable for chatbot’s bad advice on plane tickets

Air Canada has been ordered to pay compensation to a grieving grandchild who claimed they were misled into purchasing full-price flight tickets by an ill-informed chatbot. In an argument that appeared to flabbergast a small claims adjudicator in British Columbia, the airline attempted to distance itself from its own chatbot’s bad advice by claiming the online tool … Read more

‘Shocking’: Air Canada CEO blasted over accessibility services at House committee

Lawmakers took Air Canada’s CEO to task on Monday over “shocking” and “scandalous” failures to accommodate passengers living with disabilities. At a House of Commons committee hearing on services for Canadians with disabilities, chief executive Michael Rousseau faced a barrage of questions over reports of passenger mistreatment during the past year. Vice-chair Tracy Gray cited … Read more