news about cheap fares and airlines from travel search engine Trabber

American Airlines is offering travelers a chance to sit in the front few rows of the coach section and the ability to board early.

But, like so many things in the airline industry today, it’ll cost you.

American Airlines announced that its “Express Seats” option will let passengers pick any remaining seats in the first few rows of the coach section. It also lets them get on the airplane in the first boarding group along with elite frequent fliers, people sitting in first- or business class and full-fare customers.

source: dallasnews.com

American Airlines and British Airways  won final approval on Tuesday to expand a trans-Atlantic alliance on flights between the United States and Europe.

The two carriers were cleared to jointly set prices, sell tickets and schedule international flights through their Oneworld alliance, exempt from antitrust rules, the United States Transportation Department said in a statement.

“The transaction will not substantially reduce or eliminate competition,” Susan Kurland, assistant secretary for aviation and international affairs, wrote in an order. The deal “will not be adverse to the public interest.”

The Transportation Department had given tentative approval to the alliance on Feb. 13, and the European Union granted approval on July 13.

source: nytimes.com

Airlines that lose people’s bags shouldn’t be charging them for the service, says an angry passenger suing American Airlines. Danielle Covarrubias has launched a $5 million class action suit against the airline, complaining that after it lost her bag containing $800 in possessions managers refused to refund her $25 baggage fee.

“American Airlines is just another example of how companies have forgotten about customer service,” said Covarrubias. “When American charges a fee for a baggage service it should deliver your bag, unharmed, or give you a refund.” A spokesman for the airline said the company is reviewing the lawsuit, the first of its kind since American introduced baggage fees.

source: newser.com

American Airlines says it will resume regular flights to Haiti on Friday, the first commercial flights since the island nation was hit by an earthquake Jan. 12.

American said Tuesday that its first flight into Port-au-Prince will leave Friday morning from Miami International Airport.

The airline will operate three daily nonstop flights from Florida to Haiti, two from Miami and one from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. The airline said it will also offer a single flight four days a week from New York’s Kennedy Airport.

source: Associated Press

America last night gave the green light to British Airways’ tie-up with American Airlines, bringing to an end a 12-year quest by the UK airline to win approval for the deal.

The US Department of Justice said that the pact would be good for consumers, bringing lower fares, new routes and improved schedules. It agreed to give the airlines’ immunity from US anti-trust laws if they surrendered four pairs of runway slots at Heathrow — a much lower number than expected.

The two carriers are now set to combine their transatlantic divisions, creating a giant operation that will account for just under half of all UK-US traffic, and one quarter of all EU-US passengers.

source: Times Online

British Airways is understood to have joined Qantas and American Airlines in a three-strong investment consortium bidding to drag Japan Airlines (JAL) back from the brink of financial collapse.

Other offers to buy stakes in JAL are believed to have come from Korean Airlines and Air France-KLM.

The rehabilitation of JAL, which is bathed in red ink and has been allowed to operate with huge inefficiencies, poses a severe political challenge to the new administration of prime minister Yukio Hatoyama, who was only inaugurated two days ago.

source: Times Online

American Airlines announced yesterday an expansion to its in-flight Wi-Fi to more aircrafts. The service, branded “GoGo“, is now available on 100 of American’s MD-80 aircraft, with another 50 installations planned by the end of the year. The announcement coincides with GoGo’s launch anniversary – a year ago, AA was the first US airline to launch the GoGo service. Soon after, Delta Air Lines followed, along with Air Tran.

source: rethink-wireless.com

Just weeks after American Airline started offering in-flight wireless internet, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants is urging the airline to add filters restricting passengers from browsing porn and other inappropriate sites. Many passengers and attendants have reportedly complained about the issue.

source: Wired

A man is suing American Airlines and a funeral home, saying he tried to send his late wife’s body to their native Ecuador for burial, but her remains got lost.

Miguel Olaya said he hired the DeRiso Funeral Home in New York City to ship his wife’s body to Ecuador in April. But, he said, the coffin wasn’t at the airport when he went to meet it.

His lawyer said American Airlines first claimed it didn’t know where the body was, and then later said it was shipped to Guatemala by mistake.

source: wdsu.com

The airlines, along with Iberia, a prospective partner of British Airways, said on Thursday that they planned to apply for antitrust approval from the Transportation Department to form a marketing alliance to link their global flight networks.

American and British Airways tried twice before to bring about such an arrangement, only to face stiff requirements from regulators. But the aviation landscape has changed significantly since they first proposed the deal in 1996. Then, flights between the United States and Heathrow Airport near London were strictly controlled, and deals between big airlines were routinely viewed as anticompetitive.

source: New York Times