Fitch Ratings upgraded United Airlines Inc. and its parent UAL Corp. before the closing of a tie-up with Continental Airlines Inc.
Filed under: Airlines
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Sep. 10, 2010 at 11:54 a.m.
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Filed under: Airlines, Airplanes, China, International, Manufacturing Air China buys four Boeing planes for $1.2 billion
Air China Ltd. said it has agreed to buy four 777-300ER aircraft from Boeing for a total basic price of $1.15 billion to expand fleet capacity. Get the full story »
Sep. 10, 2010 at 9:48 a.m.
Filed under: Airlines, Airplanes, Airports, Labor, Regulations, Transportation, Travel, Unions New rules would mean fewer hours for sleepy pilots
Some airline pilots would fly fewer hours and others would fly longer under proposed rules to help prevent dangerous fatigue, transportation and labor officials said Friday.
The proposal would set different requirements based on the time of day, number of scheduled flight segments, flight types, time zones and likelihood that a pilot is able to get enough sleep, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in his blog. The proposal is being released Friday. Get the full story »
Sep. 8, 2010 at 4:25 p.m.
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Filed under: Airlines, Airplanes, Airports, Banking, Policy, Politics City council gives final approval to O’Hare bonds
The Chicago City Council gave final approval on Wednesday to $1 billion of revenue bonds to continue expanding O’Hare International Airport.
But the two major carriers at the airport are not saying if they plan on fighting the debt sale.
A spokesman for American Airlines said there was “no comment at this time.” Get the full story »
Sep. 7, 2010 at 4:55 p.m.
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Filed under: Airlines, Investigations, M&A, Technology, Travel Sources: Justice Dept. probing Google deal with ITA
The U.S. Justice Department is looking into allegations that Google Inc’s purchase of airline ticketing firm ITA Software Inc will cost rivals access to data they need to compete with the search giant as it moves into the travel market, sources familiar with the probe said. Get the full story »
American Airlines’ traffic up 3.1% in August
AMR Corp. said American Airlines’ August traffic rose 3.1 percent, a bigger increase than the preceding month, on continued international strength.
Most U.S. airlines have been reporting notable increases in traffic as travelers return to flying. Airlines had been cutting capacity in recent years, first in response to record-high fuel prices and then to cope with a plunge in demand during the recession. Get the full story »
Union says Continental to recall 100 pilots
In a move reflecting the recovering business of health of airlines, the pilots union for Continental Airlines said Friday that the carrier plans to recall more than 100 furloughed pilots over the next 18 months. Get the full story »
Delta to upgrade seats in 747 business class
Delta Air Lines Inc. plans to upgrade the seats on its Boeing 747s next summer, while cutting the number of seats in the plane’s most expensive cabin.
Delta detailed the changes Thursday, which are part of a $1 billion plan announced in January to overhaul seats and make other customer improvements. Get the full story »
Training on Boeing 787 all virtual
Pilot Gregg Pointon "flies" from the cockpit of a Boeing 787 full-flight simulator. (Elaine Thompson/AP)
Mechanics going through Boeing Co.’s 25-day training course for its coming 787 Dreamliner learn to fix all kinds of problems, from broken lights in the cabin to major glitches with its flight controls. One thing they won’t soon do: touch one of the planes.
Using both laptop and desktop computers inside a classroom festooned with huge diagrams, airline mechanics will train on a system that displays an interactive 787 cockpit, as well as a 3-D exterior of the plane. Using a mouse, the mechanics can “walk” around the jet, open virtual maintenance access panels and go inside the plane to repair and replace parts. Get the full story »
World’s airlines report $3.9B in profits
The International Air Transport Association says 47 major carriers it monitors to assess the industry’s financial health reported a net profit of $3.9 billion in the second quarter. The results contrast with the $881 million net loss posted by carriers a year earlier.Get the full story >>
Troubled airline Mexicana to shut down Saturday
Mexicana de Aviacion, one of Mexico’s two major airlines, will cease operations by midday Saturday while unions and new owners attempt one more time to find fresh cash to keep the ailing company alive.
“At midnight, a gradual shutdown will begin,” Transport Minister Juan Molinar said at a news conference Friday. “By Saturday at noon, operations will definitively cease.” Get the full story »
Aug. 27, 2010 at 6:05 p.m.
Filed under: Airlines, Airplanes, Airports, Labor, Litigation, M&A, Transportation, Travel, Unions, Updated Justice Department OKs United-Continental merger
Passengers at the United and Continental kiosks at O'Hare International Airport, May 3, 2010. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
The Justice Department approved the proposed merger of United and Continental airlines Friday, closing an unexpectedly speedy four-month investigation that paves the way for the mega-deal to close by Oct. 1.
To win the blessing of federal antitrust regulators, United and Continental agreed to lease slots for 18 round-trip flights to Southwest Airlines at Newark Liberty International Airport, beginning in March 2011.
Justice officials said the slot transfer was struck in “response to the department’s principal concerns” regarding the merger, which critics have warned will speed consolidation and eventually leave the three largest U.S. carriers with a lion’s share of the market. Get the full story »
Continental to give up Newark slots to Southwest
Continental Airlines will give up 36 slots at its Newark hub to Southwest Airlines in a bid to address antitrust concerns for its deal with United Airlines, the airlines said Friday.
The deal gives low-cost carrier Southwest the right to operate up to 18 daily roundtrip flights with some flights starting in March 2011. A full schedule is expected by June 2011.
The deal is contingent on the closing of a merger between Continental and United, a unit of UAL Corp, by November 30. Get the full story »
Boeing blames engine for latest 787 delay
Boeing Co. has pushed back delivery of its first 787 Dreamliner by several weeks, a widely expected decision but also the latest in a series of embarrassing glitches that have disrupted production of the hotly anticipated aircraft.
The postponement of the carbon-composite airplane, already more than two years behind schedule, is attributed to a delay in the availability of a Rolls-Royce engine needed for the final phases of flight testing. Get the full story »
FAA proposes record $24.2M fine for American
Federal aviation regulators proposed a record $24.2 million civil penalty against AMR Corp.’s American Airlines Thursday, alleging that the carrier flew 286 of its MD-80 jets over a two-year period without strictly complying with mandatory safety directives.
The penalty proposed by the Federal Aviation Administration, which American is expected to appeal, covers improper maintenance work on certain electrical wiring that resulted in massive flight cancellations two years ago. The clash between the FAA and American created a furor among passengers and lawmakers, and prompted a broad reassessment of how the agency oversees maintenance and safety mandates. Get the full story »
