TagSeattle Times(262)
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2026-05-31
How safe is air travel really less risky than diving and marathons
Customers line up to board Alaska’s inaugural trans-Pacific flight to Tokyo at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport last year. Fatal aviation incidents are rare, but because they are highly publicized and… (Kevin Clark / The Seattle Times, 2025)More By Lauren Rosenblatt Seattle Times business reporter If you’re worried about flying on an airplane, you’ve probably heard this -
2026-05-19
Boeing and FAA miscalculated safety risk in md 11 fleet ntsb says
A UPS cargo jet takes off in Louisville, Ky., on July 27, 2020. (Luke Sharrett / Bloomberg) By Lauren Rosenblatt Seattle Times business reporter WASHINGTON, D.C. — Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration failed to understand the safety risk related to several reports of a part fracturing on the MD-11 cargo plane over the last -
2026-05-03
At Sea-Tac vehicle safety gets fresh look after Laguardia crash
Ramp controllers Jamaal Surrell, center, and Daniel Pakulin monitor the movements of planes and vehicles from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport’s ramp control tower last month. Sea-Tac plans to add transponders and antennas that sync with the FAA’s system, giving air traffic controllers more visibility into vehicle movements. (Karen Ducey/ Seattle Times)Less By Lauren Rosenblatt Seattle Times -
2026-05-01
Spirit airlines prepares to shut down
By Niraj Chokshi The New York Times Spirit Airlines turned off the lights for good Saturday morning. The budget airline had lost billions of dollars in recent years, filing for bankruptcy in 2024 and 2025. Spirit hoped to emerge from its second bankruptcy this summer as a smaller company, but those plans fell apart as -
2026-04-27
Government watchdog urges FAA to address Boeing Max engine issue
A Boeing 737 MAX 8 operated by Southwest Airlines flies over Ritzville, Washington, on July 16, 2021. (Travis Ness/The Seattle Times/TNS) By Lauren Rosenblatt Seattle Times The Federal Aviation Administration should do more to address safety risks from an engine feature on Boeing’s 737 Max that has twice filled planes with smoke, a government watchdog -
2026-04-17
Jet fuel supplies are lagging. What does that mean for airlines and travelers?
A looming jet fuel shortage in Europe and Asia could compound the Iran war’s impact on world travel within weeks if a fragile agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz collapses, making higher airfares and flight cancellations even more likely as the summer travel season approaches. -
2026-04-11
United Airlines raises bag fees amid rising fuel costs and introduces tiered premium fares
By RIO YAMAT The Associated Press Most travelers flying with United Airlines will pay $10 more to check their luggage beginning on Friday, as higher jet fuel costs driven by the war in the Middle East push another major U.S. carrier to increase fees. The first piece of checked luggage will now cost customers $45 -
2026-04-11
Think airfares are high? Brace yourself for bag fees and fuel surcharges
By Christine Chung The New York Times More airlines are tacking extra fees and surcharges onto already rising ticket prices, hoping to recoup costs as the war in Iran causes fuel costs to surge. Delta Air Lines announced Tuesday it would start charging $10 more to check a bag on U.S. domestic flights, following similar -
2026-04-09
Alaska Airlines checked bag fees are going up on North American flights
Travelers get their bags tagged by an Alaska Airlines employee at Seatte-Tacoma International Airport. The airline announced Thursday that it will raise checked baggage fees on North American flights. (Ellen M. Banner / The Seattle Times, 2023) By Angela Lim Seattle Times features reporter Alaska Airlines announced Thursday that it will raise checked baggage fees -
2026-03-29
Flying is abysmal and it’s only getting worse
By Mark Gongloff Syndicated columnist A couple of years ago, a reporter asked Blackpool FC’s manager at the time, Mick McCarthy, about his team’s terrible form, saying, “One win in 17. It can’t go on like this, can it?” The Irishman took a beat, smiled grimly and said, “It can.” U.S. air travelers know the