8 Dirty Secrets Airlines Don’t Want You to Know!

Today’s video covers the top passenger complaints that Airlines cannot continue to ignore stay tuned to uncover what you might face the next time you fly as well as learn some clever travel hacks to make the most of a not so great flight experience the first major complaint that passengers have is unreliable

Flight schedules delayed flights are happening all the time and can cause a lot of unnecessary stress especially when a flight delay leads to a misconnection the Department of Transportation tracked the percentage of 2023 flights that arrived within 15 minutes of the scheduled arrival time Delta Alaska and United Airlines ranked

Among the top performers with about 80% of the flights on time while Frontier and Hawaiian Airlines did not do so well with only about 68% ontime arrivals so even in the best scenario you end up having a 1 in five chance of being delayed by 15 minutes or more that’s not

Great and it’s no wonder that passengers are frustrated when they have to add another layer of uncertainty to an already stressful airport experience if you are on a tight schedule consider catching the First Flight of the day the First Flight of the morning is least likely to be delayed since the plane is

Probably already at the gate from the night before flights later in the day have a higher chance of being delayed due to the incoming aircraft being late and they also tend to be jam-packed from passengers being being placed on these flights after their original flight was

Delayed or cancelled let us know in the comments if you prefer to fly in the morning after noon or evening I will personally opt for a morning flight especially if I am flying out of an airport that is notorious for delays as you can imagine I absolutely hate flying

Out of Toronto probably the most frustrating part of flight delays and cancellations is the number two complaint on this list not being looked after by the airline when there is a disruption to to the flight passengers want real time and accurate information as well as knowing their options for a

Refund or a rebooking if there is a travel disruption I’ve been in multiple situations over the past few months where flights are delayed by an unknown length of time due to the incoming aircraft being late in each case passengers were instructed not to leave the gate area for any reason finding out

That your flight will be delayed by 2 hours is preferable to being at the gate and having the flight departure time continually push by 30 minute intervals and leaving you hanging the airline should be able to track the incoming aircraft and give an estimate of the new

Departure time I was able to get an accurate estimate of the new departure time On My Own by using the free website Flight Aware I just typed in the flight number and I could track the plane in real time which meant I knew exactly when it would arrive and when I would

Need to return to the gate for boarding to add to this passengers want to be kept comfortable and we like to feel like we are being looked at after in the case of a delay I was on a flight with Air Canada where we ended up being

Delayed on the tarmac for 2 hours after boarding the plane due to a broken AC unit the flight was completely full and it felt like an oven while I understand that they didn’t know exactly how long the delay would be looking after passengers with a simple gesture like

Offering a glass of water or a snack would have been appreciated another common passenger complaint is that while ticket prices continue to increase there seemed to be fewer and fewer things included gone are the days where a checked bag a hot meal and complimentary alcohol are standard inclusions on

Transatlantic flights you might even find that your carry-on suitcase isn’t included in the base Fair it’s always wise to double check what’s included in a basic economy ticket and if you do need anything extra like a carry-on suitcase which honestly should be standard consider upgrading your fair

Also a tip for Long Haul flights is that many airlines have have started charging for their headphones and quite frankly their headphones suck a smart move is to bring your own quality wired headphones or for a more convenient option look into purchasing a Bluetooth airplane adapter that connects to your wireless

Headphones like airpods this way you can enjoy the inflight entertainment on the screen with Better Sound and comfort since checked bags are an increasingly pricey add-on many passengers have decided to travel with carry-on suitcases only Instead This is contributing to the next major complaint that Airlines need to address forcing

Passengers to check carry-on suitcases due to limited overhead bin space passengers are frustrated when they pay for a flight ticket that includes a carry-on only to find themselves in a disappointing situation of being asked to check their carry-on luggage at the boarding gate because there simply isn’t

Enough space I’ve taken over a dozen flights in the past few months and every single one of them has required at least a handful of passengers to check their carryon suitcases at the gate due to space limitations this is a very common problem and a big one since many

Carry-on suitcases are not built to be checked traveling with a quality carry-on suitcase like the carry-on X by Carl Friedrich is a great way to mitigate stress in the likely situation that you are forced to check your carry-on suitcase one of the standout features of this suitcase is its

Lightweight polycarbonate shell that not only looks great but is also durable enough to be thrown around found by baggage handlers the large front pocket is a game changer since it gives you easy access to valuables like your laptop which you will want to transfer into your personal item bag before your

Suitcase is taken away the zipperless body and dual TSA approved locks will also help keep your belongings safe from theft ever seen those videos where a pen is used to break into a zippered suitcase not a problem if you don’t have a zipper check the link in the

Description for all of the details on the Carl friedrick carryon a that I have here they ship worldwide and every purchase includes a lifetime warranty as well as a 100 day risk-free trial period more and more passengers are choosing to fly carry-on only not just to the costs

Associated with checking a suitcase but also due to the risk involved this leads us right into the next passenger complaint delayed and lost luggage passengers are fed up by having the luggage that they check not make it to their final destination on time or at all lengthy wait times at baggage claim

Or having to head to customer service to report a missing bag is the last thing you want to do after a long flight while it’s tough to completely avoid the risk of your bags being lost or delayed there is some comfort in knowing that the airline will compensate you for the

Inconvenience thanks to the new Airline customer service dashboard by the Department of Transportation finding out what you are owed for these disruptions has become much easier this tool simplifies the process of understanding your rights and the compensation that you are entitled to making a stressful situation a bit more manageable I’ll

Include a link in the description to the dashboard where you can filter by Airline and the disruption that you experienced to discover exactly what the airline owes you another major complaint that passengers have is in-flight Comfort this definitely applies to the discomfort of seats especially in economy class on a full flight where

Space is limited while I can’t help you with increasing the leg room I do find that taking that free pillow that is often provided on Long flights and placing it on my lower back can make a huge impact on the comfort of the seat dealing with wildly varying temperatures

And the lack of consistency on flights is a big issue that will negatively impact your flight Comfort on my recent flight from Mumbai to France it was so cold that passengers were wrapped in blankets voicing their discomfort the flight attendants told us that they couldn’t do much about it then on the

Next leg of my trip from France to Canada it was the complete complet opposite and uncomfortably hot in the cabin these extreme temperatures can make for a tough Long Haul flight if you are not prepared having flown quite a bit I’ve come to learn that the temperature on planes can be

Unpredictable and choosing to dress in layers is a GameChanger for your comfort the quality of inflight food and beverage is another area where airlines are not meeting passenger expectations meal options are often limited especially in economy on full flights where you may not even have the choice

Between chicken or pasta and have to accept whichever dish is left over to add insult to injury you may get something that you don’t like and have it be served cold a hack that I love is to order a special meal at the time of booking my flight ticket this is usually

Free with major airlines on transatlantic flights where a meal is included not only does this help ensure that you get a meal that you like and are able to eat but it also means that you’ll get served before everyone else increasing the chances of a hot meal and

For any Airline Representatives that may be watching this video a simple change like upgrading from cheap plastic jugs sometimes without a lid to serve hot coffee and tea could make a major difference in passenger satisfaction as well cleanliness on board is another area of concern that Airlines need to

Address full planes and tight schedules make it more difficult for Airlines staff to clean the aircraft thoroughly in the little time that they have between flights the major areas of con concern would be the seat back pocket as well as the tray table the seatback pocket is notoriously hard to clean and

You wouldn’t believe the things that people stuff in there from dirty diapers to garbage I also can’t count the number of times that I have lowered my tray table to find the remnance of the last passenger’s meal a cool flight tool on Amazon is the airplane Pockets tray

Table cover this cover not only keeps your items organized and within easy reach but it also protects you from directly contacting the seatback pocket or the tray table even with the high ticket prices reduced value and all of the other challenges that we mentioned in this video airplanes remain packed an

Increasing number of people are choosing to travel which means that Airlines can continue with their high prices and their current practices but this situation makes me wonder what will be the next big disruptor in air travel it kind of reminds me of the taxi industry

For a long time taxis had a monopoly on personal transport often providing less than Stellar experiences at high prices then came Uber and other rid sharing apps completely shaking up the industry and forcing taxis to either improve or go out of business I’m curious to see if

And when a similar shakeup will happen in air travel bringing much needed changes and improvements to the passenger experience in the meantime it’s important to remember that all of the airline staff both on the ground at the airport as well as in the air are working within the constraints of the

Resource and directions given to them they are doing their best in challenging circumstances and are often times just as frustrated with a travel disruption as you are while we all need to keep voicing our concerns it’s best to do so directly with the airline via postflight satisfaction surveys phone calls and

Online complaints I have plenty more travel tips for you and we’ll put a video on the screen now as well as link it in the description with some epic hacks to make your economy experience feel like first class don’t forget to hit that subscribe button to join us

Back here for more travel tips and hacks each week thank you so much for watching and I’ll see you in the next video soon bye

Check out Carl Friedrik’s “Carry-on X” here: https://bit.ly/CarryOnX
Airplane seatback pocket: https://amzn.to/49DXgzx
Bluetooth adapter for plane: https://amzn.to/3IaOqxn
DOT Airline Dashboard: https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/airline-customer-service-dashboard

Discover the top passenger complaints that airlines need to address in 2024! Here’s what to expect when you fly, from dealing with delayed and lost luggage, uncomfortable seats, and limited meal options on flights. See how popular airlines like Delta, United and Frontier compare, and learn valuable travel hacks and tips to avoid delays, disruptions and other disasters on your next flight. Don’t forget to subscribe for more travel tips and hacks every week!

// WATCH NEXT
👉 Top 5 AIRPORT SCAMS in 2024: https://youtu.be/mcUsxQpkCgY
👉 SECRET Airport Hacks NOBODY Talks About: https://youtu.be/t3Hio52EFRU
👉 The BEST and WORST Seat on the Plane: https://youtu.be/VslV_lj9-SM

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00:00 Top Airline Complaints
00:19 Complaint #1
00:38 Best & worst airlines
01:09 Flight hack!
01:49 Complaint #2
02:39 Airport hack!
02:55 Air Canada experience
03:23 Complaint #3
03:56 Flight essential – pack this!
04:22 Complaint #4
05:10 Packing hack!
06:07 Complaint #5
06:38 Airline compensation hack!
07:14 Complaint #6
07:25 Flight comfort hacks!
08:16 Complaint #7
08:40 Plane food hack!
09:15 Complaint #8
09:47 Flight hack!
10:09 A BIG problem.
10:47 What YOU can do!

47 Comments

  1. I fly weekly (domestic). The carry-on check-in is indeed common. However, my theory is that checking those carry-ons speeds up the loading & unloading time – ten seconds saved in waiting for a pax to lift & shove one bag times 50.

    I always pack my carry-on with the plan to check it to my destination at the gate. My benefit is I don't have to pull an extra bag through ATL or DEN.

  2. Alcohol should NEVER have been complimentary on flights. Flying overseas with a bunch of yahoos on holiday was so miserable between bad manners and puking. BTW, I agree about not going through Toronto. I even went to the UK from Edmonton Via Minneapolis rather than go through Toronto LOL.

  3. Flying out of an Australian airport we have a 7kg limit. Our bags are weighed and measured when we check in and we have no choice about it. That’s what I’ve encountered anyway. Edit: Make sure you take cleaning wipes so you can wipe down everything you can as it’s an easy way to be healthier.

  4. We fly with carry-on only, my personal bag is larger but still fits under the seat…I made it from a light canvas & don’t stuff it until it’s tight so it can easily fit under the seat.

    I prefer morning flights because then I’m at my destination early enough that I can still enjoy the area or drive in daylight. The only time it didn’t work out, where I had to dive myself to a hotel that wasn’t in the area, was when I gave up my seat for $600 & a later flight. A man needed to get to LA & he looked like something very stressful had happened. I need up taking the flight at the time I would’ve been landing. I needed to drive in LA in the dark but it was worth it.

  5. Good tips but folks are just selfish and ignorant and will do what they want at the expense of others. Those of us who KNOW the rules, tips, and tricks are forced to deal with those who just don't care. I actually dread the whole travel experience because of these folks and they seem to be increasing. Peope need to be held accountable (fines, jail) for their HORRIBLE behavior and maybe if there was a BAN from flying for those folks, the rest of us could travel with less stress and inconvenience.

  6. One thing that’s a big part of the no-overhead-bin-space problem is people who put their “personal item” in the bin instead of under the seat. If attendants would tell owners to put those items under the seat, that would increase the bin space.
    Not to mention just enforcing the carry-on rules. It’s unbelievable what people try to bring on board with them these days. I strongly support giving more free checked bags, and charging for carry-on—and I’m a carry-on passenger.

  7. Megan, as I almost exclusively fly to Thailand these days, and use Southwest points to get from KC to LAX, then buy a cheap ticket from LAX to either BKK or CNX, delays do concern me more than the average passenger. If there is a significant delay or cancellation on Southwest, I’m screwed. The airline that I’m using to fly to Thailand has no obligation to rebook my flight. I usually allow 6-8 hours between landing and taking off at LAX. There are at least 10 flights between KC and LAX a day on Southwest; enough to allow me to change to another flight if I have to. This flight in May is the second time that I’m flying Philippines Airlines (PAL), the reason being I can fly economy round trip for $570. It is rated as one of the worst airlines for delays and cancellations. That’s why I’m taking a 10 PM train to Chiangmai after arriving at BKK at 12:15 PM, even though I can’t sleep on a Thai train.
    I fully expect all airlines serving the U.S. to Asia route to only allow 1 free checked bag sometime in the next 5 years. They will probably make meals payable separate from the ticket. I can’t think of any Uber type of transformation of the airline industry but can’t wait to see it happen!

  8. I prefer afternoon or evening flights so that I’ve used up my day energy & ready to relax. I live in Australia so going to Europe has 2 legs with the 1st leg stop in Asia & that’s an 8 or 9 hour trip. 🌏✈️

  9. Not only flying out of Toronto, but also flying Air Canada. Amost assured you will be delayed, or worse yet it is totally cancelled, and while you have the booking, changes of time happening over and over.

  10. 7:24, Airlines like ITA, Ryanair, Cebu Pacific, Spirit airlines and other budget and low cost airlines on the Airbus A319 and A320 has the worst legroom, 28 inches and the seat width is narrower and tight, less than 17 inches, even though it's the cheapest option.

  11. 00:45. Hawaiians delays were due to a months long repaving of a major runway. They will be back at the top of the list soon. Many highway projects were also affected as the airport project took pretty much all the asphalt production.

  12. 8:02, It's similar to my China Eastern, Boeing 777-300ER flight when I flew last June from Shanghai to London on a 11 and a half hour flight, the flight is okay, the cabin is hot because there is no air vent and it's warm and hot in Shanghai.

  13. I fly several times a year and the FAA rules are a carry on bag and a personal bag such as a purse or computer. Now with the baggage fees you see people with 2 full size carry on bags and saying that the second bag is their personal item., This problem is fully the airlines for not enforcing the rule so if you are in the last 1/4 of the people boarding you have no where to put your bag. And no, it is not their fault for running up and standing in line for 30 minutes. Some times people put their luggage sideways and take up more room but I am 6 feet tall and 240 so even when thy whine I give them a dirty look and keep rearranging bags until my stuff fits.

  14. If a company offered luggage made with tungsten or depleted uranium – I'd buy it.

    Only way to be sure your luggage would survive. I had a high quality polycarbonate suitcase bashed in by American Airlines recently.

  15. Last August, I was returning from Europe and my flight from Amsterdam was delayed due to ATC issues in the UK. This caused me to miss my connecting flight in Detroit. Delta did rebook me on the next flight to Las Vegas (without me needing to ask an agent). It was also delayed (I don't know why). I dealt with it like an adult (meaning I sat quietly at the gate, listening to music and reading a book).

    I had a petty annoyance on my flight home from Sydney. I'm in first class, and I go to board, and I'm stopped after presenting my boarding pass. It seemed that my pre-selected seat (3C) was damaged, and I had been reassigned to 3D. That wasn't a big deal, but they spent a mess of time trying to issue me a new boarding pass when the ticket printers were inoperable. Finally they just wrote the new seat assignment on the ticket. Naturally, general boarding had begun, and I had a wait to get onto the aircraft after all that.

    The flight attendant hadn't been informed of the change, and queried my presence in the seat, but accepted my story.

    Now, I've never had a seat assignment changed before at boarding, but here is the kicker. When I was boarding my connecting flight from Los Angeles to Las Vegas… I was also stopped at the boarding, with a new boarding pass issued, two rows back (still in first class). In this case, I was not told why my pre-selected seat was reassigned to somebody else, though my gut tells me as a single passenger, it was easier for me to be moved in favor of a couple who couldn't handle the horror of being separated for the 45 minute flight between Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

    So, after a lifetime of never having been stopped at boarding to get a new seat assignment, it then happened twice on the same journey. I just can't help but wonder why I wasn't called before boarding so that the switch didn't happen at the gate. I have a feeling that they prefer these last minute swaps so passengers are stuck with whatever they decide to issue while under psychological pressure to board the plane, rather than give them time to assess the situation and press the agents on it at the counter beforehand.

    Oh, and Southwest Airlines… it was NOT cool that you canceled my nice early afternoon non-stop from Orlando to Las Vegas and rebook me on the 6:00 a.m. flight. For one, I will be disembarking from a cruise ship from Port Canaveral that morning and making that flight was impossible. I ended up having to book a flight that goes through Milwaukee of all places. I'll have to buy food in Orlando to carry on with me, as I don't need to change planes, but the longer flight time means I'll have to eat sometime during that trip.

  16. The 30 minute bumps are frustrating. We have GPS and reliable communications. How could an airline not know when a plane will arrive?

  17. Ok. So, the more people bringing carry-on suitcases will result in an actual limitation of the … actual in-cabine storage space for other passengers? Do the maths yourself… can you design an aircraft where every single person would bring a carry-on your size?

  18. You are so wrong on so many levels. Delulu levels even. You exepect service you don't pay for, and you also claim that air travel is expensive? How is flying expensive compared to alternatives? That's just insane! Air travel is crazy cheap, the real price of flying, considering its worldwide tax profits, plus damage to our planet should be at least twice as high, propably even more.

    But ok, you care more about your way too big carry-on. Instead of aircraft desiigners and airliners having to deal with entitled people like you.

    Now, let´s reflect, ok?

  19. Just took a trip. Last time, had one carry-on weighing 7 kilos and a personal bag weighing 4 kilos. Not an issue. This time, different airline (Zip Air) and they weigh both items. Of course, I was over by four kilos. The had me put the 7 kilo carry-on bag as a check in bag, and then charged me an extra $40. Of course, these rules always depend upon the different airlines, and are not easily found online.

  20. I hate being told that I need to put my backpack under the seat to make room for large carry-on bags. If everyone only brought a backpack on the plane, they would all fit in the overhead. And why am I less entitled to the overhead just because my backpack can fit under the seat? Does it occur to these bin hogs that I like to use the space under the seat to stretch my legs? As far as I'm concerned, if you have to check in your carry-on suitcase because it won't fit next to my backpack, bring a backpack next time.

  21. You are wrong, airlines crews do not clean aircraft, at least from my experience. I used to work at Miami, private company clean the plane and change seat arrangement.

  22. I think airlines would be happiest if they could make everyone fly naked with a passport in one hand. Perhaps for an extra $25 you could get a paper jumpsuit with a pocket for a toothbrush.

  23. Some airlines commenced by endeavoring enterprises — in spic, span and true forms, with intentions to provide reliable services — are initially enchanted beyond belief by the vitality and breath of life passengers breath into their corporation's financial lives –however, soon afterward – it seems they secretly decide honesty to self, besides absence of it to patronizing passengers, would no longer be neccesary – once promises of copious profits fail materialising.
    In many such cases, they had simply rested on laurels once powering them ahead, became complacent—deeming constant upgrading; (a most vital of protocols
    Airlines must constantly reconcile their efforts to) -unnecessary, and ignoring up-to-date interiors—certain unprofitable operators suddenly believe matter less, but conversely, does indeed make it all easier, as It disavows minds from sobriety regarding mishaps – that forever looming, replacing it with equal amounts of humor, there operators-do little else beyond hoping on continued clientele's patronage – but which now heads to competition…

  24. I personally prefer early flights (Toronto Ontario Canada). For weeklong all-inclusive trips this does mean the return flight is also early and you get picked up at the resort before buffet is open but that's a small price to pay to not be sitting around at the resort after checkout for hours with no room anymore. The only kicker is coming home is now rush hour (thankfully we can pay extra for a toll highway so it's not as bad time wise, just an extra expense).

  25. I'm sure more airlines may do what Sunwing has done here in Canada…a checked bag is included in your ticket, however, if you want to do carry-on, you have to pay for it (not the other way around). I can only assume this has reduced the overhead bin issues on Sunwing flights (Haven't done a carryon only in a LONG time, for me it's easier to just check my large bag and pray it gets to the resort lol)

  26. Recently a friend told me of being stuck on a plane on a runway somewhere in Canada for 6 hours with no drinks or food. So you have food you like I’d suggest packing your own.

  27. Now, I take the earliest flight with the least plane changes. (Often around 6:30.) When I was working, Tule Fog interfeared with incoming flights. To avoid delays due to Tule Fog, I always took the first flight because the plane came in the night before.

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