Tips for flying cheaper...

We’re in a different world of air travel in 2012. Airlines have upped the ante in the a la carte pricing and fee game, and the Department of Transportation has taken steps to reduce the volume of nefarious fare marketing. American Airlines is now bankrupt , while Malev Hungarian is...

Super Bowl Winners have...

Winning his second Super Bowl MVP, Eli Manning led a fourth-quarter touchdown drive on Sunday night taking the New York Giants to a 21-17 victory over the New England Patriots in an exciting finish to an NFL season. “It’s been a wild game,” Manning, who now has one more...

Stinky Diaper Causes Fl...

A Qantas flight from Darwin to Brisbane had to divert to Mt. Isa because passengers reported smelling smoke coming from the bathroom. Flight crew took precautionary measures and landed the 767 at the small airport, which typically does not handle planes of that size. Passengers were...

Malev May Shut Down as ...

Hungary’s national airline, Malev, may face a shutdown as soon as today, as the airline has been unable to raise additional funds to keep the operation afloat. A European Commission told the airline that it had to re-pay government subsidies (roughly equal to its total 2010...

Beware of the Avis $20 ...

Groupon is running a deal to pay $20 for $40 with Avis. This may seem like an easy way to knock $20 off the price of your next 2-day Avis rental. But be careful – you need to use their discount code (AWD), which does not give you any more of a deal than other non-prepay AWDs out...

News and Deals: January...

Government forcing full disclosure on airfares‎ USA TODAY The cheap fares that some airlines advertise — $29 to here or $59 to there — may look more expensive later this month. The government is forcing airlines to be more upfront about what your flight will really cost. The...

Eighty Hour Ground Dela...

Remember that October snowstorm and the meltdown that followed in Hartford? This woman and her husband were stuck in the thick of it. Here’s a great read about their experiences along the way. – In late October, my husband and I enjoyed a fabulous vacation in Europe. We...

A Few Quick Notes about...

I’m in Vegas for work, and I wanted to pass along a few quick trip notes: – I’ve been writing this site for 8 years, and if I had to boil the travel advice I’ve given and received down to one thing, it is this: be nice to everyone. I was booked on a connecting...

Deciding Between A Cash...

In the comments from last week’s post about credit card strategies for low-to-average spenders , I noted that (outside of signup bonuses) the miles you earn on credit cards are not free – you are paying for them by not getting cash back. I think is an important point, and I...

Why Does a Connecting F...

It’s time for another Ask Cranky question. This is one that has been asked in various forms over the years. In fact, I hope I haven’t already written about this before. But it’s a great question and it doesn’t make sense to a lot of people why this happens. A...