By Ameet Sachdev | The chief executive of a Chicago aircraft leasing company was arrested Tuesday for allegedly engaging in a commercial bribery scheme, according to the U.S. attorney’s office in Chicago.
Brian Hollnagel, who founded BCI Aircraft Leasing Inc. in the late 1990s, was released today on $1.7 million secured bond, along with home confinement and electronic monitoring after appearing before U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve, said the U.S. attorney’s office. Hollnagel pleaded not guilty to one count of wire fraud.
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CEO of BCI Aircraft leasing company arrested
Busiest airports: O’Hare No. 4, after Beijing
Terminal One at O’Hare International Airport. (Antonio Perez/ Chicago Tribune)
From BusinessWeek | Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport is now the world’s fourth busiest. It was surpassed last year by Beijing Capital International Airport, which now ranks No. 3 — Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport still holds the No. 1 spot, and London’s Heathrow Airport is ranked No. 2. Beijing grabbed third place after its passenger total jumped 17 percent to 65.3 million, thanks to increasing demand
for travel throughout Asia and overseas.
Get the full story: businessweek.com.
United Airlines to offer bag pick-up, delivery
Tribune staff report | United Airlines said it plans to take the lug out of luggage during spring break by offering door-to-door luggage delivery for $25 each way.
Fliers can have up to nine bags, including golf clubs and skis, delivered to their destinations via FedEx standard overnight shipping on flights booked between March 18 and March 29. Weight, size and other restrictions apply.
Pilots from five airlines join United Airlines picket
United Airline pilots picket on the sidewalk outside of the United Airline headquarters at 77 W. Wacker Drive in Chicago. (José M. Osorio/ Chicago Tribune)
By Julie Johnsson |
United Airlines pilots and flight attendants celebrated St. Patrick’s Day by picketing the airline’s Chicago headquarters to protest a controversial joint venture with Ireland’s Aer Lingus.
United flight crews are particularly unhappy with new service between Washington Dulles International Airport and Madrid that United and Aer Lingus plan to launch later this month.
United expects higher revenue in first quarter
(Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg)
Associated Press | United Airlines is expecting its a key revenue metric to be 16 to 17 percent higher in the first quarter than a year earlier.
The Chicago-based airline said Wednesday in a regulatory filing it expects consolidated passenger unit revenue between $11.44 and $11.59. The key metric gauges how much money the airline makes for every mile it flies a paying passenger.
American baggage fee class-action gets OK
From Glenview Announcements | A Northbrook woman who was denied an immediate $40 baggage-fee refund from American Airlines after her flight was canceled by the airline in 2008, was granted class-action status for her suit by a three-judge Illinois Appellate court panel ruled.
Get the full story: pioneerlocal.com
FAA: Boeing 777s must get new software
A model of a Boeing 777 aircraft. (Namas Bhojani/Bloomberg)
Associated Press | The FAA wants new software installed on Boeing 777s to prevent crew from inadvertently engaging the autopilot before takeoff.
The problem can result in a high-speed rejected takeoff and increase the chance of a runway overrun.
AAR Corp’s third-quarter profit falls 42%
Dow Jones Newswires | AAR Corp.’s fiscal third-quarter profit dropped 42% as the commercial airline business remained weak, and the company was hurt by one customer’s bankruptcy.
Shares dropped 3.9%, to $24.65 in after-hours trading, as the aircraft leasing and maintenance company’s results fell far short of expectations. The stock has more than doubled from a four-year low about a year ago.
Chief Executive David Storch said the company saw a gradual increase in demand from commercial customers in late February that has continued.
Airline passengers hate paying to pick seats
From Reuters | Paying for extras has become routine for airline passengers but it
doesn’t mean they like it, with a poll showing more than half all
travelers hate having to fork out to choose their seat.
The online poll of nearly 2,000 people by website Airfarewatchdog.com,
asked respondents which airline fees they despised the most. Paying for the privilege of picking their seat was the biggest bugbear
for 52 percent of respondents, followed by paying to change flights –
something which irked a third of passengers.
Get the full story: reuters.com.
Air Berlin to cut $1.7B in Boeing aircraft orders
Associated Press | German airline Air Berlin Plc said Tuesday it will cancel $1.7 billion
worth in orders for Boeing 787 aircraft to adjust to lower market
demand.
On top of its order cut, to 15 planes from 25, it has also reduced its
option for additional 787 aircraft to five aircraft from 10 and delayed
delivery of nine Boeing 737 planes to 2015.
Boeing CEO McNerney got $19.4 million in 2009
(Adam Berry/Bloomberg News)
By Julie Johnsson |
Boeing Co. CEO James McNerney earned total compensation worth $19.4
million in 2009, a 17 percent boost from prior-year results, as the
Chicago aerospace manufacturer struggled to overcome turbulence in the
aviation market and production delays with its 787 Dreamliner.
But much of McNerney’s pay gain was on paper, the result of an
accounting change that increased the actuarial value of the pension
benefits that he had accrued to $5.7 million vs. $1.9 million in 2008,
said Boeing spokesman Chaz Bickers.
No more free food on Continental, either
A food service employee wheels a cart into a Continental Airlines jet at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport in the fall. (AP Photo/Robert Graves, File)
Associated Press | Continental Airlines is ending free
hamburgers, barbecue and sandwich rolls for many of its passengers in
favor of a food-for-sale program that mirrors what other carriers are
already doing.
A spokesman said Monday that the airline, based in Houston, expects a
$35 million annual benefit, from cost savings and added revenue. Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, US Airways and United Airlines are
among carriers that already charge for food on flights.
After tanker flop, Airbus pushes transporter in US
The long-delayed Airbus A400M military transport plane preparing to land after its first test flight on Mar. 9, 2010. (Getty Images)
Associated Press | Unbowed in its push into the lucrative U.S. defense market, Airbus said Monday it is aiming to sell about 210 of its much delayed A400M military airlifters to the United States.
The comments from Domingo Urena, chief of Airbus Military, come as parent company EADS still smarts from a move last week by U.S. partner Northrop Grumman Corp. to pull out of their combined bid for a massive $35 billion contract to build refueling tankers for the U.S. Air Force.
Northrop explained it didn’t think it could win, and EADS said it couldn’t bid alone. The move has all but ensured Chicago-based Boeing of victory — and prompted protests by French and EU leaders of alleged American protectionism.
Ty Warner’s jet creates stir at Yuma airport
From the Yuma Sun | A large gold, white and maroon jet belonging to Beanie Baby billionire Ty Warner caught the attention of Yuma, Ariz. residents while parked at an airport there for three months.
Get the full story: yumasun.com
March 12, 2010 at 4:25 p.m.
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Filed under: Airlines, Consumer news, Technology, Transportation, Travel United begins offering digital boarding passes
By Julie Johnsson | United Airlines is the latest carrier to go paperless.
Chicago-based United on Friday unveiled mobile boarding passes at its home hub at O’Hare International Airport, new technology that allows passengers with iPhones, BlackBerries or other devices to check-in via cell phone.
