Tag: Airlines

U.S. Mask Mandate For Airlines Overturned By Federal Judge

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A federal judge in Florida overturned the US government’s ongoing nationwide mask mandate for public transportation on Monday, including travel on airplanes, trains, and buses.

The only question that now remains is, will masks still be enforced on planes? It’s unclear whether the mask mandate will be immediately dropped but the judge was clear that it infringed upon the civil liberties of Americans.

*Breaking: A few hours since publishing this article, the mask mandate has in fact ended. Updates to come.

The judge in question, US district judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle, released a 59-page ruling on the topic of the mask mandate. Judge Mizelle wrote in her statement that “Since the mask mandate regulates an individual’s behavior – wearing a mask – it imposes directly on liberty interests.” The judge also wrote that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “overstepped its authority” when the mask mandate was issued for all forms of public transportation throughout the country.

Federal Lawsuit Over Mask Mandate Filed In July Of 2021

Monday’s ruling comes as an official response to a lawsuit that was originally filed against the US government in July of last year over the ongoing CDC mask mandates related to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The case was filed by the Health Freedom Defense Fund as well as two individual plaintiffs, under the claim that wearing a mask on a plane aggravates their anxiety. The Health Freedom Defense Fund has filed a number of lawsuits over mask mandates in the past year, including the Los Angeles Unified School District in November 2021.

CDC Mask Mandate Extended At Least Two Weeks

Today’s news follows the announcement last Wednesday that the US government, together with the CDC and the TSA, extended the nationwide mask mandate for at least another 15 days. The mandate will officially continue until at least May 3rd, 2022, and there’s no news at this time as to whether today’s ruling will change that.

White House spokesperson, Jen Psaki, commented on the ruling during her daily press briefing earlier today. Among her responses, the press secretary said that the US Justice Department will make any confirmations about an official reply or an appeal to the ruling. She did however mention, “We’re continuing to recommend people wear masks,”

Psaki also said that the US Department of Homeland Security and the Centers for Disease Control will be reviewing the judge’s ruling with an official statement to come.

How Will The Decision Effect U.S. Travelers?

At this time, it’s unsure how today’s ruling will affect travelers and workers in airports, trains, and other forms of public transportation across the country.

With mask mandates being dropped in certain countries and others staying put, it’s premature to make any assumptions about what the future of mask-wearing will be for the United States.

However, the airlines are keen to ditch masks and have been advocating for this for quite some time now. Delta has already issued a statement saying they’re waiting for the TSA to give them some guidance on what to go next. “As we have been, Delta will continue to comply with the TSA Security Directive on masks until informed otherwise by the TSA.”

The uncertainty of the judge’s ruling has the Association of Flight Attendants worried about even more pushback from customers. In their statement today, they pleaded “We urge focus on clear communication so that flight attendants and other frontline workers are not subject to more violence created by uncertainty and confusion,”

Masking Requirements In Cities And States Across The US

A number of cities and states continue to be divided on the issue of mask mandates for businesses and certain indoor and outdoor spaces. While some states, like California, have dropped their statewide mandates for businesses, cities such as Philadelphia have recently reinstated theirs.

This has made some situations confusing for travelers because as most businesses won’t require patrons to wear a face mask, it will be required on trains, at airports, and while riding on Ubers and Lyfts.

And while many US-based airlines have asked the current federal administration to scrap its mask mandate for planes and airports, face masks are still officially required to be worn on all planes operating throughout the US.

If you want to find out the status of mask-wearing in your state or a state you plan on traveling to in the near future, check out this updated guide on the state-by-state face mask requirements across the US.

Please note that this is a developing story and we will be adding details as we receive them

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April 19, 2022
This Unknown Law Requires Airlines To Refund Americans On All Canceled Flights
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Currently, throughout the U.S. a massive number of flights are being delayed or canceled, with most airlines citing pilot shortages and bad weather as the reason.

Not only are flight cancellations extremely difficult for passengers to deal with, as they usually happen at the very last minute, but trying to get compensated can be equally as frustrating. So how do customers get a refund and not a dreaded travel voucher? Below we’ll go into detail about what the aviation consumer protection laws say and how they’ll get money back in your pocket.

The Law States Airlines Must Refund Passengers For Canceled Flights

What most passengers aren’t aware of is all American-based airlines are required to refund the passenger in the event of a flight cancellation, no matter the reason, and regardless if a refundable-type ticket has been booked or not.

The U.S Department of Transportation states that consumers are entitled to a full refund, not a voucher, if the airline cancels their flight and they no longer want to travel. On their aviation consumer protection page, the government posted the following policy all airlines have to abide by

“Am I Entitled to a Refund?
In the following situations, consumers are entitled to a refund of the ticket price and/or associated fees.
- Canceled Flight – A consumer is entitled to a refund if the airline canceled a flight, regardless of the reason, and the consumer chooses not to travel.”
There are other situations where a customer is entitled to a full refund, including being unwillingly downgraded to a lower class of fare and a significant change or delay.

This means an airline must refund you if your flight has been canceled due to:
- pilot or staffing shortages
- bad weather
- mechanical issues
- security concerns
- computer glitches
- or any other reason
Due to regulations in place by the U.S. Department of Transportation, the refund must be given even if the passenger books a non-refundable ticket.

So let’s say for example you purchased a basic-economy, non-refundable ticket and the flight was canceled due to not having enough flight crew. If your travel plans have been so badly affected that you no longer wish to travel, and you want a refund, that’s exactly what you’re entitled to by law.

How To Get A Refund For A Cancelled Flight

Now you know you’re entitled to a refund, what is the best way to actually get your money back?

Let me preface this by saying airlines aren’t going to make this a seamless ultra-smooth process. As a business, they are going to try and keep as much cash as they can and will usually start by offering vouchers instead of refunds. Many customers aren’t aware that they are even entitled to a refund in the first place, so when an airline says “Okay, sorry about the canceled flight, we’ll issue you a voucher right now”, they just unwittingly accept it.

To start your process for a refund, the U.S. Department of Transportation states you should submit your request in writing. This could be in the form of an email, submission form on the airline’s website, or even with an online chat agent.

Most likely, the airline will offer you a voucher as a first line of defense. Politely decline the voucher and once again state your intention to receive your refund. If an airline still declines your request, you can file a formal complaint with the U.S. Department of Transportation here

Step by step, the process should look like this:
- Start an email, message, or chat thread with your airline
- Provide them with data like your confirmation code, flight number, etc
- State you want a refund due to their cancellation of your flight
- Decline offers for vouchers or travel credits, stating you no longer wish to travel
- Open up a formal compliant if needed
Some airlines have been known to process refunds over the phone, but of course, you have to be ready for those excruciating hold times.

How fast are refunds from airlines processed?

It’s no surprise that airlines are going to take a hot minute to process your refund, which is again another reason why some succumb to an instant voucher. While the U.S. Department of Transportation states it must be processed within a ‘prompt’ timeline, the airline’s definition of prompt is anything but. If you paid with a credit card, you can expect your refund in about 7 business days. If you paid with cash, bump that up to around 20 business days.

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Disclaimer: Current travel rules and restrictions can change without notice. The decision to travel is ultimately your responsibility. Contact your consulate and/or local authorities to confirm your nationality’s entry and/or any changes to travel requirements before traveling. Travel Off Path does not endorse traveling against government advisories
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April 13, 2022
American Airlines First to Offer New Flights to Ocho Rios, Jamaica

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Last Updated 36 mins ago

Further expanding its already comprehensive service to the Caribbean, American Airlines will be launching the first-ever international flight route between the United States and Ocho Rios, in Jamaica.

The resort town, which has risen to prominence in recent years, rivals Montego Bay and Negril as one of the most popular tourist hotspots on the island.

Up until this year, there were no commercial flights available between North America and Ocho Rios. This meant visitors had to fly to other major hubs instead, such as Montego Bay or Kingston, and then transfer to Ocho Rios via land, which can take up to 2 hours.

From 2022 onwards, reaching Ocho Rios’ pristine coastline from America will be much easier.

First International Flights Between The U.S. And Ocho Rios To Launch This November

Although a much smaller airport, Ian Fleming International will host the first Ocho Rios-bound flights from the United States. Located roughly 10 miles away from Ocho Rios, the airport will offer American visitors the opportunity to arrive directly at this destination, as opposed to landing elsewhere in Jamaica.

The exciting news was shared on March 31 by both American Airlines representatives and Jamaican Government officials. They both confirmed the launch of two weekly, non-stop services from Miami to Ocho Rios, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, on an Envoy E-175 aircraft with a seating capacity of between 76 and 88 passengers (including business and economy seats).

As Jamaican officials described, American Airlines is the ‘largest mover of people in and out of Jamaica‘, with the move originating from a recent meeting between senior American executives, and government and private sector representatives in Montego Bay. Among participants, Edmund Bartlett, Jamaica’s Tourism Minister, was one of those present.

As Bartlett said during his Observer interview, ‘this is a very valuable addition to the aviation needs of Jamaica, with non-stop service between the United States and our country’s third international airport’. Now, there will be direct flights available from the U.S. to all three major destinations in Jamaica: Kingston, Montego Bay, and Ocho Rios.

According to Bartlett, the new service will ‘encourage other airlines to fly into the Oracabessa/Ocho Rios area’, while assisting ‘greatly’ in promoting tourism for less explored destinations, such as St. Mary and Portland parishes.

Ocho Rios itself will also benefit from the larger influx of tourists and more foreign investment.

Is Covid Still A Major Concern For Travelers To Jamaica?

Recently, the U.S. lowered its travel advice against Jamaica from Level 4 to Level 3, with Americans no longer being urged not to travel to the island. Instead, they are advised to ‘reconsider travel’ due to higher Covid levels. Jamaica itself is reporting an average of 21 new infections daily, or only 1% of the previous peak.

On March 1, the country removed its travel authorization form and further relaxed once-strict travel rules. In spite of that, for now, Americans are still required to present a negative Covid test result within 72 hours of arriving in Jamaica, regardless of vaccination status. Both PCR and rapid antigen tests are accepted as proof of entry.

Additionally, those unvaccinated may face harsher restrictions when leaving a ‘resilient corridor’. Jamaica’s resilient corridors are government-designated tourist zones in the country where quarantine mandates usually do not apply to unvaccinated tourists. When fully immunized, Americans are free to leave and enter these zones as they wish.

As stated on the U.S. Embassy in Jamaica’s official webpage, medical services in Jamaica are ‘extremely limited’. For that reason, we would like to remind our readers to purchase travel insurance covering Covid treatment costs and isolation prior to visiting the island.

When insured, travelers are usually better equipped when faced with adverse events, such as testing positive and/or needing treatment, especially in places like Jamaica where hospitals might have fewer professionals available and lower capacity.

Elsewhere in the Caribbean, other island-nations such as Grenada and Aruba have removed all Covid regulation at their outer borders. As more and more countries in the region reopen fully and airlines ramp up services, vacationers should monitor Jamaican news closely for updates concerning international travelers and Covid measures.

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Disclaimer: Current travel rules and restrictions can change without notice. The decision to travel is ultimately your responsibility. Contact your consulate and/or local authorities to confirm your nationality’s entry and/or any changes to travel requirements before traveling. Travel Off Path does not endorse traveling against government advisories

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April 3, 2022
Southwest Airlines Launches New Fare Class With Various Benefits For Travelers
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Southwest Airlines will add a fourth category fare to attract more business travelers and revenue this year.

The new fare will cost slightly more than Southwest Airlines’ cheapest tickets but below the airline’s top two fare categories. Southwest Airlines hopes the fare will offer more flexibility to travelers.

The airline will call the new fare category “Wanna Get Away Plus.” It will sit above the “Wanna Get Away” fares, and it will go on sale in the second quarter.

It’s Southwest’s first major fare change in 15 years.

The Details Of The New Fare Class

The “Wanna Get Away Plus” fares will allow travelers to make same-day changes to their tickets without paying the difference in fares that the lowest tier demands. Customers who select the new fare class—or classes above the fare class—will earn 33% more frequent flyer miles than the lowest tier.

Passengers can transfer flight credits to another RapidRewards member, a new feature for the airline.

Passengers also have the option to check two bags for free.

The new fare class is the latest effort by the airline to boost revenue after two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. The airline hopes it will help to bring back pre-pandemic passenger levels to Southwest Airlines.

Southwest Airlines hinted at the fresh changes before Christmas, but they didn’t give any details. The new fare class is among various moves—including a brand new credit card deal with Chase Bank—that the Texas-based airline hopes will boost revenue by over $1 billion to $1.5 billion next year.

However, executives refused to comment on how much more “Wanna Get Away Plus” seats will cost compared to their cheaper alternative. But they said it would vary by flight.

In recent years, various airlines—such as Delta, JetBlue, and United Airlines—have rolled out no-frills basic economy tickets. These tickets don’t include perks that were once free, such as advanced seat selection.

The Current State Of U.S. Airlines

Air travel demand—especially for domestic travel in the United States—and growing fuel prices from the increasing energy crisis have already pushed up fares. Unfortunately, airfares in the Department of Labor’s inflation index rose 12.7% last month from a year ago. However, the overall consumer price index rose 7.9%.

In February, bookings by both number and value on U.S. airline websites surpassed pre-pandemic levels for the first time. As a result, many of the cheap flight deals during the COVID-19 pandemic are over.

The Current Travel Rules In the U.S. Airlines

Although U.S air travel is coming back to pre-pandemic levels, airlines haven’t removed all COVID-19 restrictions. There’s still a mask mandate on all U.S. airlines until at least April 18, 2022.

However, in a letter sent to U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday, leaders of various major U.S. airlines demanded the government end the mask mandate along with the testing requirement for all incoming travelers to take a COVID-19 test within 24 hours of departure.

Various major airline heads signed the letter, including:
- Ed Bastian: Delta Airlines CEO
- Scott Kirby: United Airlines CEO
- Gary Kelly: Southwest Airlines executive chairman
- Robin Hayes: JetBlue Airways CEO
- Ben Minicucci: Alaska Airlines CEO
- Peter Ingram: Hawaiian Airlines CEO
- Robin Hayes: JetBlue Airways CEO
The airlines wrote: “At the outset, we voluntarily implemented policies and procedures — mandating face coverings; requiring passenger health acknowledgments and contact tracing information; and enhancing cleaning protocols – to form a multi-layered approach to mitigate risk and prioritize the wellbeing of passengers and employees,”

“However, much has changed since these measures were imposed and they no longer make sense in the current public health context.”

The airlines hope the U.S. will end the mask mandate in April and U.S. air travel will return to full normality.

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March 26, 2022
American Airlines Begins Selling Alcohol On Flights Again

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The carrier will allow customers to buy beer for $8 and spirits and wine for $9 during flights

The carrier American Airlines announced on Thursday that they will be resuming inflight alcoholic beverages sales starting on April 18 on domestic and short-haul international flights. On the same date the mask mandate for flights is set to expire.

Alcohol has been banned from economy class for almost two years due to passengers’ inappropriate behavior towards crew members and passengers. The decision to bring back beer, wine, and spirits comes after all other airlines lifted this restriction and travelers requested the service.

The airline confirmed in a statement: “Our customers have expressed that having these options onboard is important to their experience with us.” The prices for inflight alcohol in the main cabin have also been shared and are the same as before the pandemic: $8 for a beer and $9 for spirits—gin, rum, vodka, and whiskey— and wine. Snacks are also coming back and prices range from $4 to $6.

The first alcohol restriction started in March 2020, after that, only first-class had access to alcoholic beverages. Starting in April, passengers in Main Cabin Extra—a section with extra legroom— will receive free alcohol as they did before the restriction.

Other airlines had also banned alcohol sales during the pandemic but resumed services during the past few months. American Airlines has been the last carrier to return to inflight alcoholic beverages sales.

Why American Airlines Restricted Alcohol Sales

After the pandemic, there were many reports of unruly passengers from different airlines across the United States. The Federal Aviation Administration shared a report in June 2021 and informed that, since the beginning of the year, it had received around 3,100 reports of unruly passengers’ behavior.

Many of these reports—which include verbal abuse and physical violence— were related to the mask mandate and passengers refusing to wear it. After this, the Agency implemented a “zero tolerance” policy and said fines could raise up to $35,000.

Last year, American Airlines was about to lift the non-alcohol sales mandate implemented in 2020, but decided to postpone this decision. Brady Brynes, the carrier’s Vice President of Flight Service, said in a memo in May 2021: “Over the past week we’ve seen some of these stressors create deeply disturbing situations onboard aircraft. Let me be clear: American Airlines will not tolerate assault or mistreatment of our crews.”

Brynes also added that they understand that customers and also crew members are eager to return to “normal”, but that they had to be cautious. He also told the staff: “We also recognize that alcohol can contribute to atypical behavior from customers onboard and we owe it to our crew not to potentially exacerbate what can already be a new and stressful situation for our customers.”

Other Airlines Restrictions

Two years ago, Southwest Airlines was the first airline to implement the alcohol sales ban due to unruly behavior on March 18. After this mandate, American Airlines, United Airlines, Easyjet, Asia’s Virgin Australia, KLM, and Delta Airlines followed the lead. British Airways also suspended alcohol services but only for short-haul economy.

After prohibiting the sale of alcoholic beverages, the return of this service in recent months has been offered intermittently. In 2021 Southwest announced that they will resume selling alcohol during flights, but after a passenger physically assaulted a flight attendant, decided to extend the ban.

A spokesman from Southwest Airlines said: “We realize this decision may be disappointing for some customers, but we feel this is the right decision at this time in the interest of the Safety and comfort of all Customers and Crew onboard.”
Delta Air Lines resumed inflight alcohol beverages sales in April 2021—but made them more expensive— and United Airlines in November 2021. Southwest Airlines resumed alcohol sales on its planes in February 2022. American Airlines was the last American carrier to reimplement this service.

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Disclaimer: Current travel rules and restrictions can change without notice. The decision to travel is ultimately your responsibility. Contact your consulate and/or local authorities to confirm your nationality’s entry and/or any changes to travel requirements before traveling. Travel Off Path does not endorse traveling against government advisories

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March 21, 2022
United Airlines boosts United States west coast flights | News

United Airlines will improve the frequency of its flights from London/Heathrow to each its San Francisco and Los Angeles hubs.

For winter 2016-17, the airline will function a second each day Heathrow-San Francisco nonstop service, efficient October thirtieth, 2016.

For summertime 2017, United will add a second each day Heathrow-Los Angeles flight, efficient April fifth, 2017.

The extra San Francisco flight, UA900, will depart Heathrow each day at 11:40, arriving in San Francisco at 15:40 the identical day.

The return flight, UA901, will depart San Francisco each day at 16:15, arriving at London/Heathrow at 09:40 the next day.

The flights will likely be operated by Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plane that includes a complete of 219 seats – 36 flat-bed seats in BusinessFirst and 183 in Economy, together with 70 Economy Plus seats with added legroom and elevated private house.

Flight occasions will likely be 11 hours westbound and ten hours 25 minutes eastbound.

With the addition of this second-daily service within the winter, United will function twice each day between Heathrow and San Francisco on a year-round foundation.

The extra Los Angeles service, UA61, will depart Heathrow each day at 11:40, arriving at Los Angeles at 05:20 the identical day.

The return flight, UA60, will depart Los Angeles each day at 15:10, arriving at London/Heathrow at 09:40 the next day.

The flights will likely be operated by Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner plane, that includes a complete of 252 seats – 48 flat-bed seats in BusinessFirst and 204 in Economy, together with 88 Economy Plus seats.

Flight occasions will likely be 11 hours ten minutes westbound and ten hours half-hour eastbound.

“These additional flights demonstrate the success of our services from Heathrow to the US West Coast,” mentioned Bob Schumacher, United managing director gross sales – UK and Ireland.

“They will provide our UK customers with more travel options to the Bay Area and LA, as well as an extensive range of connections from our hubs at both San Francisco International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport to destinations across the US and beyond.”

At the identical time because it will increase San Francisco service, United will scale back the variety of each day continuous flights it operates from Heathrow to Houston from three to 2, efficient October thirtieth, 2016.

Both Houston companies will likely be operated by Boeing 777-200 plane, a rise in plane measurement from the present schedule operated with 767-300s and 787s.

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August 15, 2021