Airline News Archives

Officials say a Southwest Airlines jet has returned to Phoenix's Sky Harbor airport after pilots reported smoke in the cockpit. via Baltimore Sun

The chief executive of US Airways Group Inc warned on Thursday that the U.S. airline industry is heading into a downturn as it grapples with record high oil prices and a weakening economy.

US Airways is creating a regional headquarters in Philadelphia, another acknowledgement that it can't manage its most critical and complex hub from its Tempe headquarters.

BEIJING'S colossal new airport terminal opened on Friday in time to cope with a deluge of visitors for this summer's Olympics, a landmark event for the Chinese capital in its frantic modernisation drive.

When Rubina Husain's husband died aboard an airliner, she shielded her 10-year-old daughter's eyes so she wouldn't see her daddy's body carried through the cabin.

After more than 22 years flying for Delta Air Lines, Bill Starnes knows exactly where he stands compared with his more than 7,000 colleagues: No.

Cathay Pacific Airways says it has fired a pilot after he buzzed a U.S. airfield while taking delivery of a new passenger jet.

Northwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines pilots haven't met face to face for a week in their attempts to integrate seniority lists, but executives at the two companies are giving the union leaders breathing space ...

The proposed new terminal will feature 12 gates and access from I-75. More renderings By The Numbers: 1.2 -- Number of million square feet the new terminal will encompass.

Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines have been circling for more than a week, awaiting clearance from their pilots to merge.

US Airways Group Inc. said Tuesday that it will start charging fliers $25 to check in a second bag, the latest effort by the company to raise revenue and deal with rising costs.

A Northwest Airlines flight made an emergency landing at Tokyo's main airport Tuesday after a burning smell was detected inside the cabin, officials said.

No injuries were reported, and police said no crime was suspected.

NW Flight 19, carrying 403 passengers and crew members, landed safely at Narita International Airport about half an hour after taking off from the airport for the Philippine capital of Manila, according to airport police and airline officials.

Airport police spokesman Hitoshi Yanagida said the pilot requested an emergency landing because of a possible fire inside the cabin after crew members reported the smell of something burning near the lavatories. Read more

I view Central Florida's theme parks both as the world's playground and as complex businesses critical to the local and Florida economies.

A British jetliner bound for Cyprus was forced to make an emergency landing in Turkey because the co-pilot died during the flight.

The union representing Northwest Airlines baggage handlers and ticket agents say they will oppose any merger. via WNWO-TV Toledo

That's the potential doomsday scenario if fuels that cost less and pollute less than oil can't be found.

An American Airlines passenger died after a flight attendant told her he couldn't give her any oxygen and then tried to help her with faulty equipment, including an empty oxygen tank, a relative said.

Big Sky Airlines has rejected a buyout offer from employees, and will cease operations on March 8th. via Montana's News Station

“But today, uh-uh. Just be very conservative at all times.”

As the economy cools, companies are starting to shrink their travel budgets _ a move likely to put further strain on struggling airlines.

Hotels, car-rental agencies and restaurants, which along with airlines employ roughly 4 percent of U.S. workers, will also feel the pinch.

So far, travel bookings are holding up. But corporate travel managers are taking a more active role in keeping on-the-road spending in check:

_ Employees are increasingly being asked to provide an economic rationale for their trips. Read more

United Airlines plans to offer daily flights between Rapid City and Chicago again this tourist season from April 21 to Oct. via KOTA-TV Rapid City

“Last week we announced Long Beach, California, but today San Francisco, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale in additon to our service in Boston and New York's Kennedy airport. Big day for JetBlue in Austin”

JetBlue Airways announced Wednesday it's tripling its flight services to Austin. via KVUE.com

Frontier Airlines' finance chief is leaving to join Air Methods, which is an emergency medical transportation firm. via Denver Post

“Quite simply, if airline industry personnel know that filing an ASAP report has the potential to embroil them in civil litigation, they will be much less likely to report potential safety problems”

LEXINGTON, Ky. - A judge's controversial ruling in a plane crash liability case has sparked concern across the aviation industry about the long-term survival of a popular program that allows air travel workers ... via The Courier-Journal

AirTran Airways says Stan Gadek is leaving the company after working as its senior vice president and chief financial officer. via HeraldTribune.com

“We're investigating whether the pilot and co-pilot of a Feb. 13 go! airlines flight fell asleep while the plane was in the air between Honolulu and Hilo”

A go! airliner overshot Hilo International Airport by 15 miles last week, and the Federal Aviation Administration is investigating whether the pilots were sleeping. via Tucson Region

“Our preference is to remain independent, but certain consolidations could adversely affect our competitive position”

Continental Airlines Inc. said Thursday that its fourth-quarter loss widened to $32 million partly due to a noncash charge, and it said high fuel prices and labor costs could affect its results this year. via Houston Chronicle

Tampa, Florida Prejudice against pretty? That's the claim from a pair of 18-year-old best friends from Oldsmar who were escorted off a Southwest Airlines plane.

Maybe the flight was just convenient, or Hillary Clinton's campaign wanted to conserve cash.

David Borak, an environmental policy analyst from Washington, has 300,000 frequent-flier miles with United, but for five months now, he hasn't been able to use them for a family vacation in Rome next summer.

Delta Air Lines Inc. and Northwest Airlines Corp. pilots are working to find a compromise over union seniority, a hurdle to the merger that would create the world's biggest carrier, people familiar with the ...

“We have guaranteed to Balpa that OpenSkies does not represent a threat to the terms and conditions of BA pilots. We have offered to make these guarantees part of our industrial agreements with pilots.”

British Airways pilots have voted to go on strike in a row over pay and conditions. via Daily Express

Qantas Airways Ltd. said Thursday it is well cushioned against any U.S.-led economic slowdown after fiscal first-half earnings more than doubled to 617.6 million Australian dollars from a year earlier.

A go! airliner overshot Hilo International Airport by 15 miles last week, and the Federal Aviation Administration is investigating whether the pilots were sleeping.

Northwest Airlines Corp. pilots have integration issues to sort out. Not just the ones with their counterparts at Delta Air Lines Inc.

“We fully apologise to customers who have been affected by delayed baggage in the past year.”

Delays to air passengers' luggage worsened last year, with British Airways one of the poorest-performing airlines, figures show. via IcBurton

The pilots unions at Northwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines worked toward a deal to integrate their work forces Tuesday, as the boards of directors of both companies prepared to vote on a potential merger deal ...

Two employees of the Transportation Security Administration and a Delta Air Lines employee assigned to Atlanta's airport were indicted Tuesday on charges related to an alleged drug-smuggling operation at the ... via The Macon Telegraph

U.S. markets moved fractionally down Tuesday, as a long rally plunged steeply in late afternoon trading. via Daily India

“This new service gives our Colorado Springs customers a second option for connecting to the Northwest network with convenient access to more of the destinations Northwest serves.”

A new regional jet service between Colorado Springs and Memphis, Tennessee, is set to begin June 15, officials at Northwest Airlines announced Monday.Northwest Airlink's regional partner, Pinnacle Airlines, ... via cbs4denver.com

“It is, of course, to be expected that technical issues will occur from time to time.”

SINGAPORE : Singapore Airlines said Tuesday an A380 superjumbo flight was canceled due to a fuel pump defect, the first major technical glitch to ground the world's largest passenger jet. via International Herald Tribune

“Obviously, a 747-400 can't carry as many passengers as an A380, so we've had to transfer around 70 passengers to alternative flights today”

Singapore Airlines has encountered its first major technical glitch with its four-month-old A380 superjumbo, which forced it to cancel a flight from Singapore to Sydney last night leaving 70 passengers stranded ... via The Age

“Paul has been the guardian of our finances for almost seven years now, and he has guided us through what have arguably been some of our toughest financial times”

Frontier Airlines announced that its chief financial officer, Paul Tate, is resigning to accept a position outside the airline industry. via Denver Post

The Air Lines Pilots Association has given Delta and Northwest Airlines the green light to continue with merger discussions, it was reported Monday. via UPI

A preliminary investigation indicates a mechanical defect did not cause a crash landing of Boeing 777 in London last month. via KIRO-TV Seattle

“There are still a lot of decisions made out of Detroit”

File Photo A daily nonstop round-trip service from the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport and Detroit was announced today. via Chattanooga Times Free Press

“The good news I think for everybody is much lower fares for everyone out of Gallatin Field. We're very excited, we're already seeing some major adjustments into the May timeframe and we think that'll be good for everyone in the region and the valley.”

Some new options coming soon for folks traveling in and out of Gallatin Field. Frontier Airlines will be landing in Bozeman this May, offering three flights a day between here and Denver. via Montana's News Station

Singapore Airlines Ltd. has no plans to renew its unsuccessful bid for China Eastern Airlines Corp., the Singapore carrier's chief said Monday, adding the company is currently preparing ways to cope with a ... via PR-inside.com

An airline passenger is in FBI custody after authorities say his 'suspicious comment' forced a Los Angeles airport terminal to be evacuated for two hours.

Los Angeles International Airport spokesman Albert Rodriguez says the man and his luggage were searched after he got off a Southwest Airlines flight from El Paso, Texas, at about 2 p.m. Sunday. No weapons or explosives were found.

Flights carrying a total of more than 1,800 passengers were delayed. Rodriguez says operations returned to normal about two hours later. Read more

Another two closed-end stock funds have won regulatory approval, the China Securities Regulatory Commission said on Friday. via CCTV

The Business Journal of Milwaukee Air Wisconsin Airlines Corp. reported Wednesday that the paying passenger traffic increased 5.3 percent in January. via Bizjournals

A 40-year-old sailor has been indicted by a federal grand jury here on charges that he molested a teenage girl on a flight from Hawaii to Phoenix. via The Arizona Daily Star

“But in the short term, issuing 400 million shares may affect its share proportion in Air China”

CATHAY Pacific Airways Ltd has increased its ownership of Air China Hong Kong-listed shares from 49.96 percent to 50.3 percent. via Shanghai Daily

“The real winners here are the lawyers. They could make millions.”

BRITISH Airways and Virgin Atlantic are to pay 100million to passengers they cheated in a price-fixing scam. via Daily Record

Alitalia shares fell more than 3 percent Friday amid fears that a possible sale of the troubled carrier to Air France-KLM could be delayed after Air France-KLM said it would go ahead with the purchase only if a ... via PR-inside.com

Chicago-based United Airlines and Continental are in advanced negotiations and could complete a combination quickly if Delta and Northwest strike a deal, according to a person familiar with the negotiations. via Airport Business

“We are confident in our plans, however, to shrink our less profitable fifty seat fleet and grow with our larger, more profitable regional jets. We made strides in this quarter in both initiatives.”

Mesa Air Group announced Thursday first quarter 2008 losses of $2.8 million, or 10 cents per share, from continuing operations on revenues of $326.6 million. via Bizjournals

A Denver newspaper is reporting that discount air carrier Frontier Airlines is planning to discontinue its service in and out of Baton Rouge. via KLFY-TV Lafayette

“This scares the dickens out of me”

A top state senator said Friday he'd hold a hearing soon into the possible Northwest-Delta merger, ordering high-level Northwest executives to appear if necessary. via StarTribune

Milwaukee-based Midwest Airlines is ending its twice-daily flights between Colorado Springs and Kansas City, Missouri.

The flights began 9 months ago via regional jets operated by Sky West Airlines.

Midwest spokesman Michael Brophy says the decision to end service was prompted by general economic conditions, including high fuel prices.

The carrier is also eliminating service to Charlotte, North Carolina and Rhinelander, Wisconsin. It is reducing service to Columbus, Ohio and Fort Lauderdale and Fort Myers, Florida. Read more

“The new agreement will provide great opportunities for increasing trade and commercial links between Australia and the U.S.”

Australia and the United States have reached a bilateral 'open skies' aviation agreement, the countries announced Friday, clearing the way for increased competition on one of the world's most lucrative and protected long-haul routes.

The bilateral agreement abolishes all restrictions on U.S. and Australian air services for carriers of both countries, ending a virtual duopoly on the route held by Qantas and UAL Corp.'s United Airlines. Qantas controls 75 percent of the market share on the Australia-U.S. route, from which it derives around 15 percent of its net profit. Read more

“This is the first time non-U.S. citizens have been rewarded on an equal footing to U.S. citizens in a case before the U.S. courts, making this a legal precedent and a significant milestone in both U.S. and U.K. legal history”

British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have tentatively agreed to settle a U.S. price-fixing suit over fuel surcharges, British Airways said Friday.

British Airways did not confirm the size of the settlement, but the U.S. law firm that filed the class-action suit said the two airlines could pay more than $200 million to customers who flew between Aug. 11, 2004, and March 23, 2006.

The airlines were sued in California in which they were accused of colluding in setting fuel surcharges on long-haul flights. Read more

Frontier Airlines announced Thursday it will expand service to include eight new destinations in the region, including flights to North Dakota, Wyoming and Montana. via KRDO-TV Colorado Springs

A bare-knuckled turf war is being played out behind the scenes as Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines and Minnesota-based Northwest try to create the world's largest airline.

AIRBUS said on Thursday it was holding talks with a number of customers interested in converting its superjumbo A380 - the world's biggest passenger plane - into a flying casino.

“Our fourth quarter and full-year performance resulted in record-breaking and industry leading financials”

WestJet Airlines soared to its best ever fourth-quarter and full-year profits as revenue increased 22 per cent from year-earlier levels and the company booked a significant tax break. via Sympatico Finance

Delta Airlines CEO Richard Anderson told the company's board of directors yesterday that he would waive merger pay of up to as much as $15 million, a report in the Wall Street Journal said Wednesday. via Minneapolis/St Paul City Business

One of the consequences of a Delta Air Lines Inc. merger with Northwest Airlines Corp.

In 2005, Doug Parker, CEO of America West Airlines, initiated a novel merger with USAirways, which was in bankruptcy and close to liquidation.

Listening to air-traffic control communications while flying across the country on United Airlines , Hugh Coppen heard the flight's captain receive a warning of turbulence ahead.

A former Southwest Airlines employee and her husband pleaded guilty Tuesday to wire fraud, admitting that they stole more than 5,000 plane tickets and sold them to friends, co-workers and acquaintances.

JetBlue Airways announced Tuesday it will offer three daily non-stops between Mineta San Jose International Airport and Long Beach beginning May 21, part of a larger expansion throughout the West by the ... via San Jose Mercury News

Northwest Airlines pilots are unhappy with a proposed merger plan from Delta Air Lines and Northwest because they are concerned their seniority wouldn't be protected, said an expert familiar with the talks.

One of the consequences of a Delta Air Lines Inc. merger with Northwest Airlines Corp.

BUD FORCE POWER TRIP: John "Gary" Johnson, facilities senior construction manager for Tremco Inc., works while waiting for his Southwest Airlines flight at Dallas Love Field.

“We are very pleased to be able to resume services to and from Colombo. Sri Lanka is an important market for both passengers and cargo and getting the destination back into our network will certainly be beneficial for the Hong Kong hub.”

Monday, February 11, 2008, 17:59 GMT, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka. Feb 11, Colombo: Cathay Pacific Airways announced that it will resume its passenger services to and from Colombo, the capital city of Sri ... via Colombo Page

Some Delta Air Lines flight attendants are seeking to unionize as the carrier considers combining with Northwest Airlines or United Airlines. via WALB-TV Albany

Continental Airlines employees will receive their allotted share of the company's 2007 profit on Feb. via Houston Business Journal

“The new service will also provide travelers throughout the world with a convenient link to Dubuque.”

Beginning June 20, Northwest flight 3161 will depart Minneapolis/St. Paul at 1:45 p.m. and arrive in Dubuque at 2:50 p.m. Flight 3163 will depart Minneapolis/St. Paul at 9:15 p.m. and arrive in Dubuque at 10:39 ... via PR-inside.com

“They did an amazing job, which reflects their high level of training and professionalism. We are currently providing them and their families with all necessary support”

Air New Zealand is providing specialist support to the two pilots and seven customers involved in this morning's Eagle Air incident. via Scoop

“I do believe that consolidation is highly likely at some point - particularly with the high cost of fuel and the other challenges that the industry faces”

The Delta-Northwest combination inching toward completion means a new world leader, leapfrogging American Airlines and the Air France-KLM tandem in passenger traffic, but would also likely trigger a chain ... via Arizona Republic

“This winter, we had strange weather -- snow, fog and ice -- even for Wisconsin, it was awful. (The delays) could very well be caused by that.”

A quarter of all domestic flights were late last year, the second worst year on record for the airlines, and there is reason to believe it will only get worse, said a member of the Central Wisconsin Airport ...