Two regulatory rulings yesterday revealed just what happens when companies go too far in self-serving policies — specifically, employers with non-competes and airlines cancelling flights. The FTC cancels employer noncompete agreements After a review period, the Federal Trade Commission has now banned companies from enforcing noncompete agreements (gift link). Noncompetes prevent employees from working for…
Ever since it broke Dave Carroll’s guitar, United Airlines has been the poster boy for doing everything possible to abuse customers in the air. Now it has finally found a niche. United vows not to duct-tape passengers to seats like other airlines. Four years ago, I wrote about companies that somehow manage to demonstrate over…
With the COVID-19 Coronavirus spreading, is it safe to fly? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says yes. From their site: Because of how air circulates and is filtered on airplanes, most viruses and other germs do not spread easily on airplanes. Although the risk of infection on an airplane is low, travelers…
United Airlines announced Basic Economy, a new class of travel that lets you pay less and suffer more. In their press release, it sounds like a win for travelers, but as a frequent traveler, I predict a very different outcome. And it raises a question: where are the limits of a PR person’s job of making…
An International Air Transport Association study was unable to find a connection between passenger “happiness” and airline profitability. But that’s boring. So the travel news site Skift reported it as if happy passengers don’t matter. The lack of a finding, like a vacuum, sucked up the truth. Skift’s article, by Marisa Garcia, was titled “IATA Study Finds You…