Support the fact-based journalism you rely on with a donation to Marketplace today. Give Now!

FAA: Air traffic controllers wanted

Sep 3, 2024
In May, the FAA said it was short 3,000 controllers. One factor in that: all air traffic controllers have to train at a single FAA academy in Oklahoma City.
In May, the Federal Aviation Administration said it was short 3,000 controllers.
Saul Loeb/Getty Images

Lots of people are traveling this summer, but some hotels see lower occupancy

Aug 12, 2024
Higher-income travelers have splashed out, but people with lower incomes have reined in spending because of rising prices.
TSA screenings have hit record highs this summer. Where is everyone traveling to?
Scott Olson/Getty Images

Activist investor says Southwest Airlines is underperforming

Jun 10, 2024
The airline's had a bumpy ride since multitudes of passengers were stranded by bad weather and an aged computer system.
Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

Air travel wasn't always so miserable ... or so cheap

Jun 4, 2024
In half a century we've gone from piano bars and bone china to cramped seats and $20 sandwiches.
Passengers sit in a model of an Air France Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet interior in 1966.
AFP via Getty Images

How safety concerns over Boeing planes affect the air travel industry

Mar 11, 2024
Many travelers still prioritize the cost of travel over which airplane they will fly in.
A National Transportation Safety Board handout shows the Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 in which a door panel blew out midair. The January incident is now being investigated by the Justice Department.
NTSB via Getty Images

Why do airplanes have ashtrays on board if smoking is banned? 

Feb 23, 2024
In 2000, Bill Clinton signed a law that banned smoking on all domestic and international flights to and from the U.S.
While airline ashtrays may seem antiquated, the FAA thinks it's better to be safe than sorry.
actual_size/Getty Images Plus

For public good, not for profit.

What passengers need to know about the Boeing Max 9 safety issues

Jan 10, 2024
A door plug recently blew off a Max 9 plane, prompting concerns about whether fliers should board these planes.
An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 plane sits at a gate at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on January 6, 2024 in Seattle, Washington. Alaska Airlines grounded its 737 MAX 9 planes after part of a fuselage blew off during a flight from Portland, Oregon to Ontario, California.
Stephen Brashear/Getty Images

Passengers opting for more airline frills push carrier profits up

Oct 12, 2023
After pandemic lockdowns, many passengers want to feel a little spoiled — and are paying good money for that.
After some tinkering, airlines seem to have figured out what travelers are willing to pay for premium economy seats. 
Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Americans are going abroad again, and airfare prices track the trend

Aug 4, 2023
International airfare is up 10% from last year, while domestic airfare is down more than 10%, according to the travel site Hopper.
Visitors view the sights in Venice, Italy. Many American travelers are choosing European destinations over domestic travel routes.
Stefano Mazzola/Getty Images