Aug. 10, 2010 at 6:13 a.m.
Filed under:
Airlines,
Airports
By Dow Jones Newswires
After failing for more than two years to secure airport gates in Chicago, Virgin America will begin flights to and from Dallas, its first mid-continent destination and a rare foray by a low-cost carrier into the “fortress hubs” dominated by network airlines.
Virgin America has also been trying to start services from Chicago O’Hare — a hub dominated by American and United–for more than two years, but David Cush, Virgin America’s chief executive, said he was less optimistic than ever that it could reach a deal with the city. Get the full story »
Aug. 9, 2010 at 8:30 a.m.
Filed under:
Airlines,
Airplanes
By Reuters
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has proposed mandatory fixes to Boeing 747-400 airliners to ensure that concerns about potentially hazardous takeoffs are addressed, the Wall Street Journal said.
The U.S. air-safety regulator, last week, moved to require certain engine-related wiring changes to Boeing Co.’s model, the paper said. According to the agency, the fixes are necessary to avoid potentially dangerous retraction of flaps, or panels that deploy from the wings to provide extra lift during takeoffs. Get the full story »
Aug. 9, 2010 at 7:52 a.m.
Filed under:
Airlines,
Consumer news,
Tourism,
Travel
By Mary Ellen Podmolik
United Airlines and American Airlines have both begun promotions that allow frequent fliers to use 30 percent fewer miles if they want to squeeze in some “short-hop” travel in the next few months. Both deals only apply to trips of 700 miles or less. Get the full story »
By Associated Press
An aircraft-leasing company in the United Arab Emirates has canceled orders for dozens of planes from Boeing Co. and Airbus. Dubai Aerospace Enterprise canceled 25 orders in the past month at Boeing, including 15 for the company’s new 787 jet. And Europe’s Airbus disclosed on its website Friday that Dubai Aerospace cut 25 planes from its orders at the European company, including 18 orders for the medium-range A320 and seven for the long-range A350.
Aug. 5, 2010 at 10:26 a.m.
Filed under:
Airlines,
Earnings,
Hotels,
Internet,
Travel,
Updated
By Dow Jones Newswires
Online travel agency Orbitz Worldwide recorded a better-than-expected quarterly profit on gains in bookings, sending its shares up nearly 13 percent.
The company, which owns travel sites Orbitz.com and Cheaptickets.com, said the total value of its travel bookings increased by 17 percent from a year ago, when the industry was hammered by a recession that drained travel demand. Get the full story »
Aug. 4, 2010 at 4:18 p.m.
Filed under:
Airlines
By Tribune staff report
Passengers were evacuated from a United Airlines jet at O’Hare International Airport this afternoon as fire crews sprayed the wings. Smoke appeared to be coming from underneath the plane’s right side.
Aug. 4, 2010 at 10:45 a.m.
Filed under:
Airlines,
Airplanes,
Earnings
By Associated Press
US Airways Group Inc. says July traffic on US Airways and its regional affiliates rose 1 percent over a year ago, but the company expanded capacity even more quickly, leading to a few more empty seats on the average flight.
Aug. 3, 2010 at 5:31 p.m.
Filed under:
Airlines,
Litigation,
M&A
From the Dallas Morning News
Continental Airlines announced Tuesday that it has settled three lawsuits filed by shareholders who didn’t like what they were getting in Continental’s merger with United Airlines.
Aug. 2, 2010 at 1:37 p.m.
Filed under:
Airlines
By Julie Johnsson
Moody’s Investor Service upgraded $2.2 billion in debt held by United Airlines’ parent UAL Corp., and said it may raise the rating again after United closes its merger with Continental Airlines.
“The upgrade of the ratings recognized the strengthening of liquidity and credit metrics that has occurred since the beginning of 2010,” said Moody’s analyst Jonathan Root of the decision to rate United’s debt to B3 from Caa1. Get the full story »
July 30, 2010 at 1:12 p.m.
Filed under:
Airlines,
Government,
Litigation
By Reuters
Northwest Airlines, which was bought by Delta Air Lines Inc. in 2008, has agreed to plead guilty and pay a $38 million criminal fine for its role in a conspiracy to fix prices on air cargo shipments, the U.S. Justice Department said Friday.
Under the plea agreement, it said Northwest has agreed to cooperate with the department’s ongoing antitrust investigation.
July 29, 2010 at 7:57 a.m.
Filed under:
Airlines
From the Denver Business Journal | United Airlines is now the only major carrier serving the ritzy mountain resort of Aspen, Colo., after Frontier Airlines and Delta Air Lines announced that they will not be flying there this winter.
July 28, 2010 at 1:54 p.m.
Filed under:
Airlines,
Government
By Associated Press
If you think air fares have been rising, it’s not your imagination.
Figures just released from the government, though a bit dated, show that airline prices in the first three months of this year rose nearly 5 percent from a year earlier. And that doesn’t include baggage fees and other extras.
But average fares are 25 percent lower than they were in 1999 adjusting for inflation, the government says. Get the full story »
July 27, 2010 at 4:32 p.m.
Filed under:
Airlines,
Government
By Associated Press
The Federal Aviation Administration plans a $230,000 civil penalty against Continental Airlines because it botched a nose wheel replacement on one airplane.
The FAA said Continental failed to install the washer during the replacement of a nose wheel on a Boeing 767 on Aug. 12, 2008. The plane flew 22 flights over 15 days before the problem was discovered, and the washer was installed. The fine amounts to $10,454 for each flight without the washer. Get the full story »
July 27, 2010 at 9:03 a.m.
Filed under:
Airlines,
International,
M&A
By Julie Johnsson
The proposed merger of United Airlines and Continental Airlines cleared its first regulatory hurdle on Tuesday, as the European Union said it would approve the deal. But the merger, which would create the largest airline in the world, must still pass muster with U.S. antitrust officials. The mega-deal is expected to face far more rigorous scrutiny from the U.S. Department of Justice, which isn’t expected to wrap up its probe until later this year.
European officials, in a review of the transaction that began on June 21, quickly determined that it wouldn’t adversely affect competition, given the relatively light overlap between United and Continental on trans-Atlantic routes.
However, the EU continues to separately investigate a proposed joint venture that would allow United, Continental, Air Canada and Germany’s Lufthansa AG to closely coordinate north Atlantic flights, as well as share revenues.
July 27, 2010 at 8:38 a.m.
Filed under:
Airlines,
Airplanes,
Airports,
Chicago executives
By Julie Johnsson
United CEO Glenn Tilton, left, with with Continental Airlines CEO Jeff Smisek after a news conference at The Willis Tower in Chicago, May 4, 2010. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
The new United Airlines is starting to take shape — and there are some surprises.
On Tuesday, Continental Airlines CEO Jeff Smisek announced the senior management team who will lead United after its financial merger with Continental closes in two months.
As promised, the executives reporting to Smisek, who will be United’s post-merger CEO, come from both carriers, and include a cadre of veterans who helped turn Continental around during the mid-1990s. Get the full story »
