DOT reveals reason for vast majority of flight delays

A flight approaches the airport in San Diego, Calif. K.C. Alfred/Getty Images In this week’s airline news, the Transportation Department said the flight cancellation rate in 2023 dropped by almost 50% from the previous year, and the rate over the year-end holidays was even lower; DOT also said the vast majority of flight delays were caused … Read more

An ill-advised hike on Kauai’s dangerous cliffside trail

If you’ve ever doubted that we’ve reached the point where the miracle of machines has given humans access to places we shouldn’t be, then you’ve likely not yet visited Waimea Canyon State Park on Kauai. From the town of Waimea, a small outpost of 2,000 on the island’s west side, a 45-minute climb on paved roads in … Read more

Kualoa Ranch eyes Hawaii’s ‘Stairway to Heaven’ as potential attraction

On the island of Oahu, one of Hawaii’s most contentious issues has long been about what to do with the Haiku Stairs — a metal staircase also known as the “Stairway to Heaven” that rises 3,922 steps up the Koolau Range to a height of 2,800 feet.  Hiking the stairs is illegal, but hikers trespassing over … Read more

Passenger numbers expected to explode over the holidays at SFO, Bay Area airports

FILE: Aerial view of San Francisco International Airport with United Airlines jets in 2017. Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images In this week’s news, airline travelers are expected to number a record 3 million on several days over the Christmas holidays; a new competitor enters the busy SFO-Taipei route; Alaska Airlines inks a partnership with a fast-growing Canadian carrier; United updates … Read more

TSA finds anti-aircraft ammunition in bag, evacuates luggage room of Hawaiian airport

Transportation Security Administration agents were forced to evacuate a checked baggage room at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport after discovering an anti-aircraft round of ammunition in luggage. On Dec. 8 at 5:30 a.m. in Honolulu, X-ray technology alerted officers of a potential security threat during a routine baggage screening, a spokesperson for TSA told SFGATE … Read more

SFO gets new nonstop flight to Europe’s biggest tourist hotspot

Aerial view of Barcelona downtown with a view of the Salesforce Tower’s twin: Torre Glòries. Frank Bienewald/LightRocket via Getty Images Bay Area residents will get a new option for nonstop flights to one of Europe’s most popular tourist destinations next year when United Airlines introduces service between San Francisco International and Barcelona, Spain. The airline … Read more

Alaska-Hawaiian Airlines merger explained: better fares and points

FILE: Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines planes take off at the same time from San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco on June 21, 2023. Anadolu/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images The merger must first face the Biden administration, which has recently scrutinized similar airline consolidations. The combined airline would be based in Washington, where Alaska’s primary hub … Read more