Nonstop Flights Increasingly Make Unplanned Stops

By Sean O'Neill
October 3, 2012
blog_airlineglories_original.jpg
Courtesy <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/arenamontanus/2883232466/" target="_blank">Anders Sandberg/Flickr</a>

How's this for upsetting? Many airlines have been turning nonstop transatlantic flights into stopovers due to strong headwinds on the way from Europe. The Wall Street Journal had the scoop that Continental Airlines, owned by United, had to divert of 43 of 1,100 flights headed to Newark and Washington's Dulles Airport in December. That's a fairly large number, and about three times the rate of a year earlier.

The trips all involved Boeing 757s, an aircraft that has a shorter range and holds less fuel than a larger Boeing 777.

US Airways and American Airlines had to divert planes to Canada or Iceland, too, though they don't use as many of the aircraft (featuring only 170 to 220 seats) for routes across the Atlantic, reports USA Today.

Flying a smaller aircraft across the ocean increases the chance of unscheduled stops because its fuel tanks aren't as large. If that's a concern for you, be sure to opt for flights on planes that are larger, like Boeing 777s or A380s. You can see jetliner information listed in the details of a flight before you buy a ticket. Picking a larger aircraft is one way to reduce the chance of an unscheduled pit stops in Canada on your way back from Europe or the Middle East. If you need to make a flight connection, that can be an important factor.

Headwinds on flights returning to the US from Europe have been blowing more than average, or about 54 miles per hour, compared with the 28 mph typically, according to Bloomberg.

United may googlenews_wsj" target="_blank">add auxiliary fuel tanks to its smaller panes jetliners, according to the Wall Street Journal.

SEE MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL

Airlines Add "Carbon Fee" for Passengers Between U.S. and Europe

Tests Show FAA Should Relax Rules About Electronics on Planes

Airlines: 4 Best Uses of Facebook and Twitter for Fliers in 2011

Plan Your Next Getaway
Keep reading
Travel Tips

Airlines Add "Carbon Fee" for Passengers Between U.S. and Europe

Delta, United, American, and US Airways have added a $6 round-trip surcharge for flights between the U.S. and Europe since January 4, reports the AP. Carriers are passing on the extra cost of complying with a new European Union pollution management scheme. Officially, airlines haven't explained the purpose of the $6 surcharge. But aviation experts say the fee is meant to compensate the airlines for payments to the European Union. The charge is essentially a new jet fuel tax. Since January 1, airlines in the U.S. and other countries must pay the European Union for certificates for permission to emit carbon dioxide in European airspace. The rule applies to foreign airlines operating the route, too. So, Lufthansa says it will raise current fuel surcharges soon for transatlantic flights that depart from the U.S. Strangely, the E.U. has not sent any bills to the airlines yet, given that the program has just started. So, the airlines don't exactly know how much they need to pay. That hasn't stopped the airlines from estimating the cost of buying carbon dioxide (CO2) emission credits and passing the cost along to passengers. Infuriatingly, airlines may be profiting from the surcharge, according to Reuters. A study released today and part-funded by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has revealed that airlines may be able to use the surcharge as a way to artificially increase ticket prices, collecting "windfall profits of $2.6 billion between now and 2020." Ordinarily, government laws prevent airlines from colluding in price rises. But airlines will effectively be able to charge more for their services without having to add additional costs or engage in a price war with competitors. (Plus, the income from the fees isn't taxed.) The study, published the Journal of Air Transport Management and done by researchers mathematicians from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, predicts that profits for U.S. carriers may increase. Once the airlines know how much exactly they have to pay the E.U., the fee for passengers may change. In the first two years, the E.U. is only requesting small payments from the airlines. But after two years, it is scheduled to ask for much more money, and airlines may pass along the cost to passengers, with price hikes of $15 to $45 each way on a transatlantic ticket. Additional costs related to the CO2 plan may hike ticket prices by an average of 3 percent in the long run, aviation information provider OAG told Bloomberg News yesterday. Airlines that operate older planes and that don’t fly as many business-class and first-class passengers will be the most affected by the new law, say analysts. The EU defends its charges by saying that it’s not fair that foreign airlines are allowed to pollute their airspace without paying any price. Hence, the new scheme. SEE MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL Tests Show FAA Should Relax Rules About Electronics on Planes How the Most-Hated Airline Fee Became a Huge Success Euro Dips Under $1.30, Making Europe Affordable

Travel Tips

Busted for Bringing Cupcakes and Bagels Through TSA Checkpoints?

Among the latest revelations from passenger confrontations with the TSA: You can't bring a tub of cream cheese through a checkpoint. Spread it on bagels, though, and there's no problem. Snow globes and holiday sweaters are on the strange list of items that could possibly get you held up at airport security. Liquids and gels are also no good, and have been banned for quite some time now. As many travelers are aware, though, the rules for what is and isn't OK are often confounding, especially because enforcement of the rules seems so haphazard. The Freakonomics blog highlighted a recent head&ndash;scratcher of a situation, in which a flier tried to pass through security at the Milwaukee airport with a package of bagels, lox, and cream cheese to bring home. The bagels and lox were OK, but the cream cheese was a no&ndash;no because of it was gel&ndash;like and held in its own container. Apparently, the TSA agents considered the cream cheese potential dangerous. But they didn't confiscate it. Instead, they offered an interesting solution, in which the woman could still bring the cream cheese through security: They agreed that it would be okay, and she could bring it on board, if the cream cheese was spread on the bagels. Salon.com's Patrick Smith, meanwhile, followed up on a recent situation in which TSA agents in Texas wouldn't allow a passenger's cupcake through security because the heaping of frosting was too big and "gel&ndash;like." When Smith asked the TSA about what happened, a spokesperson told him, "In general, cakes and pies are allowed in carry&ndash;on luggage." Well, that clears that up. It's as clear as cream cheese. MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL: Should the TSA's Patdowns Be Outlawed? Suggestions: Allow One Free Checked Bag, Stop Treating Everybody Like Terrorists TSA Tests Passenger Behavior at Boston Airport

Travel Tips

Tests Show FAA Should Relax Rules About Electronics on Planes

Hey Federal Aviation Administration, the rules governing electronic devices on airplanes are not based on science, writes Nick Bilton on the Disruptions blog at the New York Times. Tests show an ebook reader like Amazon's Kindle won't bring a plane down. For the past month, Bilton has been interviewing experts at independent testing centers. These labs study electronics, to make sure they will never interfere with other gizmos. For example, tests by EMT Labs found that the Kindle produces nearly no electrical interference. I Bilton reports that: "The F.A.A. requires that planes must be able to withstand up to 100 volts per meter of electrical interference." In comparison, EMT Labs found that the Amazon Kindle emits less than 0.00003 of a volt. What if a airliner's cabin was filled with hundreds of such devices? Still no problem, say the experts interviewed in the story. Having multiple electrical devices doesn't multiply the effect. Maybe the F.A.A. will admit its rules need a fresh review for all major electronics. Banning phone calls during takeoff and landing makes sense. But passengers should be allowed to shift their devices into "airplane mode" to block radio signals and be allowed to continue playing them. SEE MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL Airlines: The EU Gives OK for In-flight Cell Phone Use, But Many Airlines Still Ban It Do You Pay Attention to Airplane Safety Videos? 6 Graceful Strategies for Dealing With an Annoying Seatmate ELSEWHERE ON THE WEB Fill Your New Kindle, iPad, iPhone with Free eBooks, Movies, Audio Books, Courses &amp; More 4G iPhone Explodes After Regional Express Lands

Travel Tips

How the Most-Hated Airline Fee Became a Huge Success

By charging passengers fees for carry-on bags, Spirit Airlines rakes in a whopping $50 million annually. When we first reported the news that Spirit Airlines would charge for carry-ons, readers unleashed their outrage in the comments section. One example: This is just another reason not to fly this airline, which is the worst I've ever seen in terms of nickel and diming customers. They charge for water, assigned seats, checked luggage and now carry ons. Their prices may look cheaper than other airlines on the surface, but add in all these costs, and they're no longer such a budget option. Now, a little over a year later, the consulting firm IdeaWorks has published a study analyzing the effects of Spirit's decision to charge for carry-on bags. Travelers may have hoped Spirit's a la carte, charge-for-everything business model would prove to be a failure, but actually, just the opposite is true. In the 12-month period after Spirit introduced its carry-on fees, 24.5 percent more passengers flew with the carrier. It's estimated that roughly 20 percent of Spirit's passengers elect to pay the carry-on baggage fee, which ranges from $20 to $45 per bag. When added up, the fees generate some $50 million per year for the airline. Spirit has drawn plenty of heat for its checked-baggage fees. U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) called the fees "a slap in the face to travelers," and convinced several airlines to refuse to follow Spirit's lead. More recently, a bill has been introduced that would force all airlines flying in the U.S. to allow one carry-on and one checked bag free of charge for all passengers. It's up in the air whether the bill will ever become law. One thing looks fairly certain, though: Based on how lucrative Spirit's fee structure seems to be, the airline isn't going to stop nickel and diming customers anytime soon. Not unless it's forced to stop, that is. MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL: Introducing the $450 Checked Baggage Fee What's the Strangest Travel Fee You've Encountered? DOT Secretary on Spirit Air: 'I don't think they care about their customers