Top Airline and Airport Travel Stories From February

by Rich Thomaselli
Last updated:: 11:15 AM ET, Thu February 29, 2024

U.S. President Joe Biden. (Photo Credit: Rafael Henrique / Adobe Stock)

Empty passenger airplane seats in cabin. (Photo Credit: sattapapan tratong / Adobe Stock)

United States Capitol building.

JetBlue aircraft taking off. (Photo Credit: JetBlue)

Finnair Airbus A350-900. (Photo Credit: Christian Palent / Adobe Stock)

Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max in Seattle. (Photo Credit: Kyo46/Adobe Stock)

Travelers wait in TSA security line at Orlando International Airport (Photo Credit: Eric Bowman)

PHOTO: JetBlue flight attendant serving drinks in Mint section. (photo courtesy of JetBlue)

Hawaiian Airlines Airbus A330 taking off from Texas' Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. (photo courtesy of Hawaiian Airlines)

Boeing Manufacturing Facility. (Photo Credit: wolterke / Adobe Stock)

American Airlines' airplanes active on an airport tarmac. (Photo Credit: American Airlines Media)

Tokyo, Japan. (Photo Credit: tawatchai1990 / Adobe Stock)

Mayan ruins of Tulum, Mexico. (Photo Credit: Simon Dannhauer / Adobe Stock)

Plane shakes during turbulence. (Photo Credit: diy13 / Adobe Stock)

Spirit's new Super Nintendo World livery. (Photo Credit: Spirit Airlines Media)

The new building has room for 12 flight simulators (Photo Credit: United Airlines)

JetBlue Airbus A321 jet engine. (Photo Credit: JetBlue)

Avelo Airlines plane. (Photo Credit: Avelo Airlines Media)

United Airlines plane at Chicago O'Hare International Airport. (Photo Credit: Heorshe / Adobe Stock)

Taylor Swift Eras Tour concert in Atlanta, Georgia (Photo Credit: Alizajane Hicks)

Biden Wants Families to Sit Together

1/20

President Biden has called on the airlines to seat families together on airplanes. That seems like a no-brainer, but he wants it done without having to incur a fee for changing seats.

Backlash Over Seat Design

2/20

Well, they didn't expect such a vociferous backlash, but Southwest Airlines faced social media criticism over the design of its new seats. Some passengers even described them as similar to sitting in lawn chairs.

Senate Passes FAA Reauthorization

3/20

The United States Senate has passed the reauthorization bill for the Federal Aviation Administration. But it wants in-flight experience, technology and safety improvements.

Collision on Tarmac

4/20

In what has become a disturbing trend, two planes collided on the tarmac. This time, it was a pair of JetBlue Airways planes at Boston Logan Airport.

Weighing Passengers

5/20

It’s a controversial move, to be sure. Finnair has become at least the third airline to record the weight of its passengers. The airline said it is required to do so every five years.

On Strike?

6/20

Time is running out on Alaska Airlines and its flight attendants. The carrier's cabin crew members, who have long sought a new contract, authorized a strike vote.

Windfall for Airports

7/20

Now, this is a windfall! The Biden administration and the Federal Aviation Authority awarded more than $1 billion to over 100 airports.

Icahn Secures Two JetBlue Board Seats

8/20

After making a sizable investment in the airline company, financier Carl Icahn and his company secured two seats on the board of directors for JetBlue.

Potential Merger Passes Key Vote

9/20

If Alaska Airlines plans to acquire Hawaiian Airlines, it needs the support of its members. It got that when Hawaiian shareholders approved the potential merger deal in a vote.

IATA Supports Boeing

10/20

With mounting scrutiny and criticism of Boeing, the Director General of the International Air Transport Association voiced his support for the airplane manufacturer.

American Airlines Raises Baggage Fees

11/20

Well, somebody had to trigger the domino effect. After five years, American Airlines decided to raise its baggage fees.

American's New Rroute

12/20

It's hard to believe that an airline as vast as American Airlines did not run this route between two major world capitals. Now, it's a moot point. American has been granted approval to fly between Tokyo and New York City.

Going to Tulum

13/20

Now that Tulum has its own brand-new airport, it has become the hottest destination in Mexico. As a result, more and more airlines are booking nonstop or direct flights to the destination.

IATA Teams with Weather Company

14/20

You can't change the weather, but you can do a better job of reacting to it. The International Air Transport Association has teamed with the Weather Company to improve airline turbulence reports.

Spirit Adds New Livery

15/20

The kids are going to love this. Maybe some adults, too. Spirit Airlines has added a new livery to one of its planes, featuring none other than Nintendo characters.

More Pilots?

16/20

United Airlines is trying to speed up the process of getting more pilots in the air. The carrier has just expanded its pilot training center in Denver. The problem of pilot attrition is nationwide and not just exclusive to United.

JetBlue, Spirit Appeal Original Ruling

17/20

In the story that just won’t go away, JetBlue Airways and Spirit Airlines are appealing the original ruling by a federal judge that blocked their merger attempt.

Avelo Turns a Profit

18/20

Avelo Airlines reached a milestone in less than three years of existence. The carrier was able to turn a profit in the final three months of 2023. It was the first time the airline ended up in the black.

United Airlines Raises Checked-Bag Fees

19/20

In what is likely to become a copycat situation with other airlines, United Airlines raised the price of its checked baggage fees. You can save a few dollars by checking in online instead of at the airport.

The Taylor Swift Effect

20/20

Taylor Swift flew private to make the Super Bowl, but still had an effect on airlines. Yes, she’s that powerful.

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Rich Thomaselli

Associate Writer

Editor Associate Writer true 9281 14744 Rich Thomaselli has written for TravelPulse since 2014 and has been a professional journalist for nearly 40 years. His work has appeared in USA Today, the New York Times and New York Yankees publications. He is an 11-time writ