Airline News

The union that represents flight attendants who worked for Northwest Airlines before it was bought by Delta Air Lines is crying foul over Delta's failure to offer bigger sizes for its signature red dress uniform designed by Richard Tyler.

Continental Receives Final DOT Approval to Join Antitrust Immunized Alliance With United, Star Carriers Posted July 10, 2009 The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today approved the application for Continental Airlines to join the existing antitrust immunized alliance including United and eight other Star Alliance member carriers. "Today's decision from the Department of Transportation facilitates the development of a competitive partnership that is good for consumers, our employees and the communities we serve," said Glenn Tilton, chairman, president and CEO. "United, Continental and the Star Alliance carriers will be able to compete more effectively in an increasingly global air travel market, while providing our respective customers with improved access to more of the world and creating opportunities for our employees." "We are pleased to receive final approval from the Department of Transportation," said Larry Kellner, Continental's chairman and CEO. "Continental is working to provide a seamless transition for its customers from the SkyTeam alliance to Star Alliance this fall. The DOT decision greatly benefits our customers, employees and shareholders. It ensures global competition with other antitrust immunized alliances while encouraging the retention and growth of open skies between the U.S. and other nations." With Continental, we expressed our appreciation to the numerous community and civic parties whose enthusiastic support has been critical to our efforts to secure this approval. We also thank our employees, our millions of customers and the travel professionals, congressional, state and local government representatives and business partners who urged timely approval of the application. We also expressed our appreciation for the efforts of DOT Secretary Ray LaHood and his staff, who have worked diligently to protect the needs of consumers, communities and airline employees by finalizing its order with modest adjustments, while recognizing the issues facing the industry. In addition to United, the eight Star Alliance members who have been granted DOT approval for antitrust immunity are Air Canada, Austrian, bmi, Lufthansa, LOT Polish Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), SWISS and TAP Air Portugal.

Alaska Air Group Inc said on Friday that a fee it began charging passengers this month for a first checked bag was expected to add $70 million or more to annual revenue.

Air France pilots have accused French and European air safety bodies of failing to prevent the crash of Flight 447 off Brazil last month because they ignored a history of dangerous failures in Airbus speed probes.

The U.S. Department of Transportation on Thursday issued a $375,000 penalty against Delta Air Lines Inc.

A man singing about how baggage handlers broke his guitar is becoming the poster child for anyone who has ever experienced frustration with the airline industry.

An apparent mechanical problem aboard a Northwest Airlines Airbus A330 last month is likely to get the attention of investigators looking at the recent crash of a similar Air France aircraft over the Atlantic Ocean, aviation consultants say.

GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A. , the largest low-cost and low-fare airline in Latin America, announces today it has entered into a reciprocal frequent flyer agreement with American Airlines, which will allow members of each frequent flyer program to earn and redeem miles on one another's airline and lays the groundwork for a future codeshare ...

Southwest Airlines officials say a flight headed to Providence, R.I., has returned safely to Baltimore's airport after a bird hit an engine.

Delta Air Lines Inc. traffic dropped again in June. System traffic, including Delta and Northwest Airlines Corp.

Both Air Canada and WestJet Airlines struggled with declining demand for air travel in the month of March and fell short of filling their planes to the levels they did last year.

JetBlue Airways Corp. said Tuesday its June traffic fell 3.3 percent as capacity dropped 0.1 percent.

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American Airlines Inc. and subsidiary American Eagle reported declines in traffic for the month of June.

US Airways said unit revenue fell 20% in June, days after Continental reported a similar 20% decline.

The low-cost airline would charge passengers less on "bar stools" with seat belts around their waists.

Southwest Airlines has closed a $123.5 million loan. The transaction is underwritten by joint lead arrangers BNP Paribas and Calyon.

A federal appeals court has upheld a preliminary injunction barring Delta Air Lines Inc., the world's biggest airline operator, from terminating a regional flying contract with Mesa Air Group Inc.

Allegiant Air, LLC today announces it will end its scheduled service between Monterey and Los Angeles.

An intact Air France Flight 447 slammed belly first into the Atlantic Ocean at a very high speed, a top French investigator said Thursday, adding that problems with the plane's speed sensors were not the direct cause of the crash.