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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: fuel costs

fuel costs stories: 48 news summaries

1 - 20 of 48 Stories | 1 2 3 Next >>

 Piracy Jacks Up 
 Insurance, Fuel Costs 

Entering high-risk areas or navigating around South Africa both add millions

(Newser) - Piracy in the Gulf of Aden is driving up shipping costs as companies are forced to choose between paying higher insurance or taking longer routes, the AP reports. Premiums have reportedly risen at least tenfold for travel near the Somali coast, and avoiding the Gulf of Aden by navigating around... More »

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ANALYSIS

Aging Airlines Can't Catch Up to Younger Rivals

Recent changes haven't helped 'legacy' carriers

(Newser) - Despite many rounds of cost-cutting, so-called legacy airlines—United, Delta, US Airways—still face costs 35% higher than low-fare carriers like JetBlue and Southwest, the Wall Street Journal reports. The younger outfits have maintained a “cost gap” analysts thought their older peers could close over time. For one thing,... More »


 Oil Prices Plunge, 
 Gas Not So Much 

Refineries slashed production after demand for gas dipped

(Newser) - Gas is pumping toward $2 per gallon—a 22% increase since Dec. 30—even though oil prices have dipped 16% over the same period. What gives? When penny-pinched Americans cut back on fuel last fall, oil refineries were slow to ease production. Now they're overcompensating with production cuts to recover... More »

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recession gas prices oil refineries fuel costs oil prices

(Newser) - A Georgia county that boasts a big peanut in its courthouse square is getting crunched by the salmonella outbreak, the Los Angeles Times reports. In Blakely-Early County, Ga.—the self-proclaimed "Peanut Capital of the World"—peanut plant workers are losing jobs and farmers are getting fewer contracts.... More »

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layoffs Georgia recession salmonella outbreak fuel costs economy peanut farmers

'Consumers Have Thrown In the Towel': Report

Weary from a long fight, consumers are retrenching, cutting purchases across the board

(Newser) - The punches are coming from all directions and consumers, beaten down and out of breath, are clearly ceding the fight through decreased spending, Bloomberg reports. The scorecard released today says it all: consumer purchases were down 0.3% in September, the biggest drop in 4 years, capping the weakest quarter... More »

You Can't Binge on This Anymore

Food makers shrink packages instead of hiking prices

(Newser) - The half-gallon of ice cream is going the way of the soda fountain, as many manufacturers shave ounces off the size of prepackaged foods—without reducing prices, reports the New York Times. The practice, a response to the bump in transportation and ingredient costs, isn't novel, but the reaction is,... More »

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food prices consumer advocacy fuel costs

glossies

 Strapped Schools
 Say Bye to Bus Rides

New generation can tell grandkids they walked to school

(Newser) - As high gas prices strangle US school budgets, more officials are cutting back where it hurts student scores least: school buses. Some schools are limiting or redesigning bus routes, but others have nixed busing entirely, leaving thousands of kids to hoof it under adult supervision. Some parents object, but many... More »

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environment conservation transportation gas prices school districts school budget fuel costs school bus

Dell to Sell Factories as It Retools Strategy

PC maker will shed infrastructure in effort
to stay competitive

(Newser) - Dell is looking to sell off its computer factories, the Wall Street Journal reports, drastically altering a business model that was once the envy of the industry. Journal sources say the aim is to sell most, if not all, of the plants in the next 18 months; most likely buyers... More »

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Dell Michael Dell PC makers fuel costs computer sales laptops

 Japanese PM Resigns

Fukuda hopes move will clear parliamentary gridlock

(Newser) - Yasuo Fukuda has resigned as Japan’s prime minister, the AP reports. Fukuda said he was stepping down to ensure that a special session of parliament to address the economy runs smoothly. Fukuda, whose approval rating is at 29% after less than a year in office, has presided over a... More »

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Japan resignation prime minister food prices Yasuo Fukuda parliament Japanese economy fuel costs

Plains States See Boom,
But Await Bust

Strong farming economy highlights nationwide differences

(Newser) - Driven by rising food prices and farmers’ access to loans, the Plains states are a bright economic spot amid the nationwide slump, the Washington Post reports. Farm country was able to avoid the housing bust because it also avoided the boom. And retail space is filling up as consumer... More »

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opinion

 United Should Be Liquidated

Why the airline doesn't deserve a second chance

(Newser) - What with the oil price spike, times are rough all around for airlines, writes Roben Farzad for BusinessWeek. But United presents a uniquely bungled case, and it is irresponsible to pity it along with other struggling players in the industry. "Even if the airline devised a way to run... More »

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cost cutting pensions airline industry United Airlines strike credit crisis fuel costs

American Stiffens Frequent-Flier Rules

Fees see an increase in a move to cut costs

(Newser) - American Airlines has added stiffer fees and higher mileage requirements to its frequent-flier program as the airline struggles to cope with fuel costs, the New York Times reports. American, which posted a $1.16 billion loss for the second quarter, is following the lead of Delta, which tightened the purse... More »

 JetBlue Adds $7 Fee
for Pillow and Blanket

Latest extra charge to hit travelers

(Newser) - JetBlue has begun charging passengers $7 for pillows and blankets, Newsday reports. Flyers can keep the items, but there's no guarantee they will be available. It's the latest in a litany of extra charges facing passengers as carriers deal with soaring fuel costs. "This nickel-and-dime stuff doesn't work,"... More »

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coffee JetBlue US Airways fuel costs pillows blankets extra baggage Aviation Consumer Action Project

 Haters, Gas Fail to
 Crush Hummer Pride

Soaring fuel may be stunting sales, but owners won't surrender

(Newser) - Sure, the Hummer may be going the way of the dinosaur: Sales are down 40% this year on soaring gas and an eco-image problem, and GM is looking to ditch its troubled brand. But for owners, the AP reports, outsized pride remains part of the package. "It definitely sparks... More »

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Airfare to Get More Expensive This Holiday Season

Limited flight schedule will lead to price increases

(Newser) - Get ready—this holiday season is going to boast some of the most expensive airfares ever, USA Today reports. Because of high fuel costs, most airlines have cut back flight schedules; figure about 9% fewer flights in November compared to a year ago. Having constricted supply, expect the airlines to... More »

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airline industry airline airfare oil price holiday travel fuel costs

OPINION

Why $8 Gas Would Be Awesome

A call for a return to
the days when driving was for rich jerks

(Newser) - Gas, as you may have heard, has topped $4 a gallon, and Joel Stein of the LA Times loves it. "Cheap gas is unfair," he argues, tongue mostly in cheek. Heck, why not make it $8 or even $10 a gallon, as in Europe, "where they have... More »

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 Fuel Costs Ground
 Extended Flights 

Too pricey to keep 'flying tankers' in the air

(Newser) - Super-long flights were hailed as the future of aviation only a few years ago, but the soaring price of fuel has grounded those plans, reports the Wall Street Journal. Airlines are delaying or canceling intercontinental routes as the cost of keeping "flying tankers" in the air for over 12... More »

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 American to Cut 7K Jobs 

Massive layoffs planned in response to rising fuel costs

(Newser) - American Airlines plans to cut as many as 900 flight attendants from its ranks next month as part of nearly 7,000 expected layoffs this year, reports the Dallas Morning News. The job cuts, intended to counter rising fuel expenses, mirror an intended 8% reduction in the airline's worldwide... More »

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Fighting Forces Get No
Break on Fuel Price Hikes

Pentagon fuel expenses have doubled in 3 years

(AP) - Consumers at the gas pump aren't the only ones suffering sticker shock: Military units in Iraq and elsewhere will see another hike in fuel costs next week, the second increase this budget year amid soaring oil prices. On July 1, the cost for refined fuel used by troops will jump... More »

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Air Travelers Will See 10% Flight Cuts by Fall

Airlines plan to ax 10% of flights, 100 cities

(Newser) - Travelers will start to feel the full force of airline moves to grapple with rising fuel costs by Labor Day, as 10% of flights will be cut, a dip that will downsize the industry to post-9/11 levels, the New York Times reports. The reductions could push fares up by... More »

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1 - 20 of 48 Stories | 1 2 3 Next >>