These days, stories about airline crew-member meltdowns and traffic controllers asleep on the job are enough to make even the bravest fliers clutch their armrests a little tighter. But despite these unusual incidents, the U.S. airline industry is enjoying one of the safest periods in its history.
Keep your carry-ons small on Allegiant Air flights. Starting Wednesday, if your bag doesn't fit under the seat, you're going to pay for it.
Despite widespread perceptions that airline service is deteriorating, 2011 was the "best year ever" for airline performance, according to independent experts who have been studying data for the past 21 years.
The last time you flew, did you wonder what's really going on behind that closed cockpit door? Who's actually flying the plane? Is it a human being, or Capt. Autopilot?
Qantas of Australia and China Eastern Airlines are to launch Hong Kong's first budget airline in a landmark deal for foreign participation in the Chinese aviation industry.
TSA expands program the lets some passengers keep their shoes, jackets, and belts on. Lizzie O'Leary reports.
As competition expands among airlines to offer passengers the latest in-flight entertainment options, intercontinental routes have been slow to add Internet service.
CEO of Ryan Air, Michael O'Leary, talks to CNN's Juliet Mann about expanding one of Europe's largest airlines.
The head of Dublin-based budget airline Ryanair says that airport operators are holding the aviation industry back -- and describes the average airport as an unnecessary "international shopping center."
Air Asia's CEO Tony Fernandes speaks to CNN Business Traveller about facing rapidly-rising fuel prices and low-cost flying.
While European carriers are facing turbulent times, some Asian airlines are hoping that a cut-price long-haul model will find a ready market in Asia's growing middle class.
Seven of Europe's leading aviation companies have joined forces to warn the European Union's plans to charge for carbon pollution are jeopardising 2,000 jobs and billions of dollars of orders from China.
From the start, some passengers knew something was amiss. The flight attendant had asked them if the plane was in Houston.
CNN's Wolf Blitzer talks to Lizzie O'Leary about a flight attendant that went on a rant on an American Airlines plane.
A passenger jet was just seconds away from landing Thursday at Philadelphia International Airport when a Jeep broke through a chain-link fence and drove onto several runways, forcing a number of planes to circle the area, according to an air traffic controller familiar with the incident.
It seems the airlines are doing something right. U.S. air carriers posted all-time lows for the number of mishandled bags and bumped passengers in 2011, according to reports released Tuesday.
President Barack Obama's budget ax is falling hard on a program that allows pilots to carry handguns in the cockpit as a last line of defense against terrorists.
The European Aviation Safety Agency has ordered checks for cracks in the wings of the Airbus A380, though it has stopped short of grounding the fleet. CNN examines some key questions about the aircraft and what it means for the passengers, the airlines and the manufacturers.
Did you hear that? It's a door busting open in Washington, unblocking a huge backlog of airline issues that will directly affect America's millions of air travelers.
A long-awaited report on alleged misconduct within the Federal Air Marshal Service concludes that while supervisors do not engage in "widespread" discrimination and retaliation against rank-and-file air marshals, the agency is far from trouble-free.
American Airlines' bankruptcy has many in the industry questioning if a merger is in its future.
Three American Airlines flight attendants were injured Sunday when a flight bound for Miami, Florida, encountered severe turbulence.
British Airways confirmed the emergency landing of an A321 last month after the pilots complained of feeling lightheaded and put on their own oxygen masks.
Something on the tarmac caught travel agent Ann Lombardi's attention while she waited to board her flight. Baggage carriers seemed unconcerned about a Labrador that was bleeding profusely as they unloaded its crate from the cargo hold. Disturbed by the scene, Lombardi alerted gate attendants.
Airline passengers won't have to wade several steps into the booking process to see the full price of an airline ticket after a new rule goes into effect next month.
It's the end of 2011, so you know what that means. It's time for everyone to come out of the woodwork with their predictions for 2012.
The NBC sitcom "30 Rock" lost some flight attendant fans after actor Alec Baldwin was kicked off an American Airlines flight when he refused to turn off his phone.
An American Airlines pilot booted Alec Baldwin off a flight Tuesday because the actor refused to turn off his cell phone after the plane's doors were closed for departure, the airline said Wednesday.
Actor Alec Baldwin talks about his support for the Occupy Wall Street movement.
When India's aviation sector began liberalizing in 2003, a regional powerhouse was unleashed.
Air travelers usually are prepared for the occasional hectic and overcrowded flight. But all are hoping they'll at least be able to sit down.
CNN's Carl Azuz considers how far our nation's Thanksgiving traditions have wandered.
It's not the kind of weather map or travel intelligence you want to see on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.
An American Airlines flight made a safe emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport on Wednesday night after the crew smelled something burning in the cockpit, officials said.
Fliers hate baggage fees, and the long lines at airport security screening that are made worse by passengers carrying on more bags than they did in the past.
U.S military personnel may someday be treated to expedited screening at airport checkpoints if all goes well with tests that begin Tuesday at a medium-size airport in California.
Federal airport screeners still find four to five guns at checkpoints on a typical day, the Transportation Security Administration's chief told a Senate hearing Wednesday.
A survivor from the Polish plane that was forced to land without landing gear says the pilot did a great job.
A Boeing 767 on a flight from Newark, New Jersey, made a dramatic emergency landing at Warsaw, Poland's Frederic Chopin International airport Tuesday after problems with its landing gear, an airport spokeswoman said.
Boeing vice president of sales for Africa, Van Rex Gallard talks about Africa's role in the world of aviation.
Africa's passenger airline industry may still be awaiting full take off but Boeing has identified the continent as a market ripe with potential.
When I worked at America West, we had a codesharing partnership with Continental. Friends would call me, confused.
"Cranky Flier" Brett Snyder explains what airline codesharing means to the average traveler.
You're all packed and ready to go, but when you get to the airport, you find that your airplane isn't: Your flight is delayed.
The Transportation Security Administration on Tuesday unveiled a "trusted traveler" program -- one meant to expedite screening at U.S. airport checkpoints, agency chief John Pistole said.
Fresh concerns that thousands of highly portable anti-aircraft missiles may be missing in Libya are prompting a new call to protect American jetliners from attack.
An investigation is under way into a previously unrevealed incident last week in which two jetliners nearly collided over Hong Kong, aviation authorities said Tuesday.
Airlines have warned the European Union risks sparking an international trade war if it insists on imposing a carbon tax on carriers flying into its air space.
While President Barack Obama has repeatedly denounced "tax breaks" for corporate jets in recent speeches, fliers of almost all stripes will feel a pinch under the budget plan he announced Monday.
Reports of air passengers acting suspiciously on two flights prompted authorities Sunday to scramble fighter jets on the 10th anniversary of 9/11.
The sluggish economy hasn't stopped airlines from hiking the price of flying ... again.
Remember when you could arrive at the airport 30 minutes before your flight, get complimentary peanuts and a Coke and be greeted upon arrival by a loved one right at the gate?
Provocative flight attendants' uniforms used to raise eyebrows in the 1970s "Fly Me" era of aviation, but these days it's the passengers who are under scrutiny for their attire.
CNN's Brian Todd reports Hurricane Irene washed away the only bridge linking Hatteras Island to the rest of N. Carolina.
Hurricane Irene has come and gone, but many travelers are still going nowhere fast in the aftermath of the storm.
While Hurricane Irene's impact wasn't nearly as bad as expected, the severe weather still managed to cripple travel all along the East Coast at a time when many families were planning one last getaway before the summer's end.
Air Transport Association's Thomas Hendricks explains how long it will take for flights to begin after Irene leaves.
Here are some of the latest travel-related developments stemming from Hurricane Irene:
CNN's Nick Parker tours the New York subway as it closes down ahead of Hurricane Irene.
CNN Meteorologist Chad Myers answers your questions about Hurricane Irene.
Travel conditions aren't pretty this weekend as Hurricane Irene spins up the East Coast.
Perhaps Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell put it best: Saturday is going to be a "horrendous day for travel" as Hurricane Irene sets its sights on the U.S. East Coast.
Flying may get just a little less frustrating and a bit more transparent starting Tuesday, when new federal airline passenger protection rules go into effect.
Qantas CEO Alan Joyce discusses the airline's profits and why the need for restructuring.
Federal officials are investigating how firecrackers got into a Southwest Airlines plane scheduled to leave Las Vegas on Tuesday.
The federal government is postponing some of the consumer protections scheduled to take effect later this month after airlines and travel agents said they needed more time to implement the changes.
The tax holiday is over for U.S. airlines.
A federal air marshal fired after revealing the government was cutting back air marshal coverage at a time of heightened hijacking concern has lost a major battle in his fight to reclaim his job.
If you're traveling by air this month, there's a good chance the government owes you money.
The recently merged Continental and United Airlines canceled 24 flights Wednesday due to pilot sick calls, which occurred as United Continental Holdings is negotiating a collective bargaining agreement with the pilots, an airline spokeswoman said.
Airlines benefiting from a unplanned federal tax holiday should save the money for the government or pass it along to the passengers, but should not pocket the money themselves, key congressional leaders said Tuesday.
Political stalemate nearly scored one for consumers.
The Federal Aviation Administration acknowledged Tuesday it removed a Colorado air traffic controller from his post earlier this month after he failed an alcohol test.
The FAA is investigating a Colorado air traffic controller suspected of working while intoxicated. KMGH reports.
The Paris Airshow last month was a clear win for Airbus, but don't count Boeing out just yet. The record number of orders for the Airbus A320neo aircraft at Le Bourget shows the European aircraft maker's success in bringing its current airline customers back on board. But while it was an impressive showing, Airbus failed to make any meaningful inroads into Boeing's core customer base, leaving in place a deadlock between the two aircraft makers in the heavily competitive and extremely profitable single-aisle jet market.
A United Airlines plane made an emergency landing in Omaha on Wednesday night after the crew discovered a fuel leak, an airport spokesman said.
A Lufthansa jumbo jet nearly collided with another plane at JFK International Airport. CNN's Mary Snow reports.
An ash cloud from a Chilean volcano thinned over Australia Wednesday, freeing commercial airliners to take to the skies after grounding them this week.
The game of identifying federal air marshals on airplanes may just have gotten a little easier. Look for the smiling person with a fatter wallet or purse.
Ash clouds from a Chilean volcano continued to cause numerous flight cancellations in Australia and New Zealand Tuesday for at least one airliner.
U.S. airlines accumulated nearly $5.7 billion in fees in 2010, according to a financial report released Monday by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
It's been more than a year since the so-called tarmac delay rule went into effect, promising hefty fines for flights that sit on the ground away from the gate for more than three hours.
A passenger plane made an emergency landing at an airport outside Chicago Wednesday after lightning struck the aircraft, officials said.
From missing your flight to losing your passport, flying can be full of nasty surprises. Check out Budget Travel's insider tips for coping with, and avoiding, these headaches.
Airline satisfaction might seem like an oxymoron these days, with fees and cramped cabins making flying miserable for many people, but fliers are giving the industry better marks, a new survey finds.
Only 20 tarmac delays of more than three hours were reported in the year after the Department of Transportation's tarmac delay rule was implemented, according to DOT figures released Tuesday.
This year is going to be a tough one for the airline industry, based on a dismal profit forecast from the International Air Transport Association.
A fight over a reclining seat on a United Airlines plane diverts the flight and prompts a fighter jet escort.
Simmering air travel tensions bubbled over this weekend when a United Airlines passenger smacked a fellow flier over an unwelcome seat recline, The Washington Post reported.
Air fares are on the rise. But why pay exorbitant prices when you can score a flight for nothing?
A cloud of ash from Iceland's Grimsvotn volcano spread toward central Europe late Tuesday, spurring German authorities to announce two airports will close and prompting British airlines to cancel hundreds of flights.
CNN's Phil Black updates disrupted travel plans as a volcanic ash cloud moves across Britain from Iceland.
Get ready for more company if you're flying this summer, especially if you're heading overseas.
A new Consumer Reports survey reveals that travelers want comfort and reasonable fees, and many airlines don't deliver.
A new Consumer Reports survey reveals that air travelers want comfort without emptying their wallets -- and many airlines don't deliver.
Steven Slater may not be a flight attendant anymore, but he's still a fixture on planes -- no longer serving passengers but now observing them.
Inattentive or tired controllers have put a spotlight on aviation safety. CNN looks at system that could improve safety.
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