Consumer Reports
William McGee is a former aircraft dispatcher who worked in airline operations and management. Now a passenger advocate, he writes a monthly travel column for USA Today and is the author of Attention All Passengers: The Airlines' Dangerous Descent---and How to Reclaim Our Skies.
McGee is a former editor of Consumer Reports' Travel Letter.
Will airline service ever be great again? The "back of the bus" has turned into the back of the plane — with discrimination based on class, social status… and money. When airlines sell more seats than a plane will hold, they're allowed to force one paid passenger to give up a seat to another. Video of a doctor dragged screaming down the aisle or United Airlines plane is evidence of an increasingly common practice. And First Class isn't immune. With just four main carriers left because of consolidation, passenger service is a casualty of the drive for profit and America's increased wealth inequality.
Is American Air Travel on the Descent? On this first day of the busiest week for air travel in the United States, the airline industry has reached a new low in popularity with flying customers. Using the Public Insight Network, we asked our radio listeners for their opinions. We hear how the flying experience has changed as an industry with narrow profit margins struggles to meet public demand. This story was informed in part from sources in the Public Insight Network, find out more: www.kcrw.com/insight
Is American Air Travel on the Descent? It's been a pretty good year for the airline industry, despite those loose seat rows on American Airlines' planes. On this first day of the busiest week for air travel in the United States, now comes the holiday crunch. Ticket prices are higher, more planes are going to be full, and there could be more lost baggage. Combined with delays caused by the TSA, many air travelers have come to dread an experience they used to look forward to. Passengers complain that service is being sacrificed for the bottom line, but will they pay more to get style and comfort? What's the impact of airline mergers and the outsourcing of maintenance? This story was informed in part from sources in the Public Insight Network, find out more: www.kcrw.com/insight
The Asian American voter in OC In Orange County the population is changing. While the numbers of most ethnic groups have grown slowly over the past 10 years, the number of Asian Americans is up 41 percent since 2010. And don't think the politicos haven't noticed. What kind of impact will Asian American voters have on Orange County's representation in Congress? Will they help keep the county Republican, or could they turn Orange County blue?
A California car that takes solar power seriously Cars and trucks are some of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. And so a number of automobile companies are exploring ways to meet governmental - and consumer - demands for cleaner drives.
