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August 21, 2008 10:38:15 PM CDT

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Started by Imperator; Last updated Feb 27, 08 6:28 AM CST by D Lim | View history

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Airline Industry

Business in the friendly skies hasn't been high-flying of late

It's been a long, hard, half-decade for much of the airline industry. Since 9/11, it has been trying to recover from the decrease in passenger travel, only to be clobbered by high fuel prices in recent years—landing several of the American ‘majors’ in bankruptcy. Some of the upstarts continued to do well, including Southwest and JetBlue in the US and Ryanair and easyJet in Europe. Yet even the new lean airlines stumble from time to time, as JetBlue learned the hard way in February 2007, when an ice storm in New York snarled operations for almost a week.

Stories

Stories 81 - 100 of 294

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  • May 2008

    • Planes Slowing Down to Save on Fuel Costs

      Associated Press  |  May 3, 08 12:30 PM CDT

      Planes Slowing Down to Save on Fuel Costs

      (Newser) - As airlines feel the pain of higher energy prices, planes are slowing down to save fuel, the AP reports. Southwest, for instance, will save $42 million by adding a few minutes to each flight this year, and passengers are unlikely to notice. But it’s no cure-all: Labor costs go up with flight time, and going too slowly actually increases fuel costs. More »

    • American Airlines Report Roasts FAA

      Wall Street Journal  |  May 2, 08 10:16 AM CDT

      American Airlines Report Roasts FAA

      (Newser) - American Airlines blames the FAA for its recent grounding of thousands of flights, the Wall Street Journal reports. The airline is set to deliver a report today that says 3,300 flights were canceled because FAA headquarters reversed a "handshake deal" the airline had with regional aviation officials that was supposed to allow the company to comply with changes in FCC wiring standards on its MD-80 aircraft without cancellations. More »

  • April 2008

    • London-NYC Exec Airline Eos Files Chapter 11

      Times (UK)  |  Apr 28, 08 6:06 AM CDT

      London-NYC Exec Airline Eos Files Chapter 11

      (Newser) - Business-class only Eos, struggling with rising fuel prices and unable to land a $50 million cash infusion to keep it aloft, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last night, reports the Times of London. The airline, which offered business travelers cheap, high-quality flights between London and New York, follows fellow premium carrier Maxjet into bankruptcy. More »

    • Continental Scuttles Merger With United

      New York Times  |  Apr 27, 08 5:39 PM CDT

      Continental Scuttles Merger With United

      (Newser) - Continental Airlines scuttled merger talks with United Airlines today and likely triggered other deals in the plunging industry. United's $357 million first-quarter losses and a plan to lay off 1,000 workers scared away Continental execs, the New York Times reports. Now United parent UAL will likely scramble to cut another deal before fuel prices force it into bankruptcy. More »

    • UK Airports to Scan Faces

      Guardian (UK)  |  Apr 25, 08 12:18 PM CDT

      UK Airports to Scan Faces

      (Newser) - New facial recognition technology in which computers scan faces and match them to information encoded in biometric passports will be used at UK airports for the first time this summer, the Guardian reports. Authorities say the machines will outperform humans and improve security, but critics fear the technology will cause flight disruptions by generating too many false negatives. More »

    • Air Safety Experts Most Worried About Runways

      New York Times  |  Apr 25, 08 8:31 AM CDT

      Air Safety Experts Most Worried About Runways

      (Newser) - FAA-mandated wiring fixes have grounded thousands of flights lately, but the runway is no safe place for planes, New York Times reports. Serious runway incidents nearly doubled to 15 over the past six months, compared with the same period a year ago. “Where we are most vulnerable at this moment is on the ground,” said the chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board.   More »

    • Delta, Northwest Execs: Merger Would Ease Gas Burden

      Associated Press  |  Apr 24, 08 3:51 PM CDT

      Delta, Northwest Execs: Merger Would Ease Gas Burden

      (Newser) - The CEOs of Delta and Northwest took their case for a merger to Capitol Hill today, where they argued that they would be better equipped to deal with surging gas prices as a single company. Both businesses had big first-quarter losses, and the executives told lawmakers they’d be better competition for foreign airlines as a team, the AP reports. More »

    • Delta Posts $6.39B 1Q Loss

      Wall Street Journal  |  Apr 23, 08 7:46 AM CDT

      Delta Posts $6.39B 1Q Loss

      (Newser) - Staggering fuel prices overwhelmed a 12% sales increase and pushed Delta Air Lines to a $274-million loss in the first quarter, which ballooned to $6.39 billion on a $6.1-billion non-cash charge reflecting a decline in its market value. Excluding special items—including the bankruptcy-related charge—the airline lost 69 cents a share; analysts had expected 49 cents a share, the Wall Street Journal reports. More »

    • Air France-KLM Pulls Offer for Alitalia

      Wall Street Journal  |  Apr 22, 08 6:37 AM CDT

      Air France-KLM Pulls Offer for Alitalia

      (Newser) - Air France-KLM has withdrawn its offer to buy Alitalia, leaving the cash-poor Italian carrier with few options. In a tersely worded statement, the world's largest airline said its Alitalia overture—which had been opposed by Alitalia's unions—was "no longer valid." With no suitors forthcoming and cash reserves dwindling—the airline loses $1.6 million a day—Alitalia may be forced to declare bankruptcy, writes the Wall Street Journal . More »

    • Guardian System Has Saudi Women 'Perpetual Minors'

      Daily Telegraph (UK)  |  Apr 21, 08 3:55 PM CDT

      Guardian System Has Saudi Women 'Perpetual Minors'

      (Newser) - Women in Saudi Arabia need to gain a male guardian’s consent to do almost anything, living as “perpetual minors,” the Telegraph reports. Research by Human Rights Watch found that male permission is needed to go to a doctor, travel, and even get dressed. In addition, strict segregation denies women access to public libraries and educational institutions. More »

    • Airline Blames Feds for Grounded Planes

      New York Times  |  Apr 19, 08 3:03 PM CDT

      Airline Blames Feds for Grounded Planes

      (Newser) - American Airlines is tired of taking the heat for 2,000 flight cancellations that travelers endured last week, the New York Times reports. The once-contrite company is now criticizing the FAA, saying its new safety guidelines are unclear and unfair. “We don’t know what the rules are,” said an American technical crew chief. The company says its safety issues were minor deviations from technical standards that had been considered acceptable for years, and could have been fixed gradually. More »

    • Washington Vows Better Airline Safety

      Associated Press  |  Apr 18, 08 9:06 PM CDT

      Washington Vows Better Airline Safety

      (Newser) - Today Washington vowed to beef up airplane inspections and demanded to know why American Airlines stranded 250,000 travelers last week, the AP reports. "No one at all was well served by what happened," US Transportation Secretary Mary Peters said. But she defended federal regulators, saying they did not overreact after learning of lax inspections on Southwest Airlines planes last month. More »

    • Plane Trips Grow Longer

      USA Today  |  Apr 18, 08 11:33 AM CDT

      Plane Trips Grow Longer

      (Newser) - Air travel is the slowest it's been in the past 20 years, thanks to increased congestion both on the runway and in the air. A flight from Las Vegas to New York took 4 hours, 37 minutes in 1988, but that same route now requires over 6 hours, reports USA Today. And don't expect things to improve any time soon. More »

    • Bumped From Your Flight? Airline Could Owe You $800

      Los Angeles Times  |  Apr 16, 08 6:09 PM CDT

      Bumped From Your Flight? Airline Could Owe You $800

      (Newser) - Passengers who get bumped off overbooked flights will be eligible for up to $800 for their inconvenience, the Los Angeles Times reports. The US Department of Transportation today doubled the amount passengers can receive, with the exact figure depending upon the ticket price and how long it takes passengers to reach their intended destination. The rule goes into effect next month. More »

    • Consumer Prices Rise in March; Oil Blasts Past $114

      Associated Press  |  Apr 16, 08 10:22 AM CDT

      Consumer Prices Rise in March; Oil Blasts Past $114

      (Newser) - Consumer prices rose an anticipated 0.3% in March, propelled by hikes in the costs of energy, food, and airline tickets; a commodities rush and weak dollar also pushed crude oil to a record high today. Energy costs rose 1.9% in March, the AP reports, and the past year has seen huge increases in the prices of bread (14.7%) and milk (13.3%) More »

    • Frolic Guilt-Free in Costa Rica

      Treehugger  |  Apr 15, 08 6:38 PM CDT

      Frolic Guilt-Free in Costa Rica

      (Newser) - If carbon-footprint guilt is keeping you from taking a vacation, one company has your sun-soaked answer, TreeHugger reports. From the domestic flight to the hotel stay—and even airport transfers in biodiesel vans—NatureVacations' eco-friendly package to Costa Rica promises to offset every ounce of carbon you produce on your island adventure. More »

    • United and Continental May Be Next to Merge

      Houston Chronicle  |  Apr 15, 08 4:11 AM CDT

      United and Continental May Be Next to Merge

      (Newser) - The Delta-Northwest merger will create the world's biggest airline—but that title could fall before the ink is even dry on the deal as industry pressures force other carriers into shotgun weddings, the Houston Chronicle reports. Analysts believe United and Continental would be a good match and a deal between the two is widely expected, possibly in a matter of weeks. More »

    • Delta, Northwest Approve Merger

      New York Times  |  Apr 14, 08 7:17 PM CDT

      Delta, Northwest Approve Merger

      (Newser) - Delta and Northwest Airlines execs agreed today to merge their companies into the world's largest airline, the New York Times reports. Delta CEO Richard Anderson will lead the new company, called Delta, if Northwest shareholders approve the transaction. The $3.1 billion deal would give Northwest shareholders 1.25 Delta shares for each outstanding Northwest share, a 17% premium from Monday's closing prices. More »

    • Delta, Northwest Close to Merger After Revived Talks

      Wall Street Journal  |  Apr 13, 08 3:40 PM CDT

      Delta, Northwest Close to Merger After Revived Talks

      (Newser) - Delta and Northwest Airlines are readying a merger that could be announced as soon as Tuesday, reports the Wall Street Journal . But disputes over the deal’s financial terms and handling of pilot seniority threaten to scuttle the union. Negotiations between the two carriers broke down last week but were revived this weekend with the hope of reaching an agreement by tomorrow. More »

    • American Airlines Cleared to Fly Again

      Associated Press  |  Apr 12, 08 2:05 PM CDT

      American Airlines Cleared to Fly Again

      (Newser) - Federal officials cleared American Airlines today to resume flying all but three of its grounded MD-80 jets, the AP reports. American wanted to run a full schedule today, but "we still need to get the planes positioned for their next flights," a company spokesman said. The full fleet of aging planes will be on schedule by tomorrow morning, the AP reports. More »

Stories 81 - 100 of 294

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Virgin Atlantic Airways Unveiling of Upper Class Suite   (Getty Images)
A U.S. Airways jet takes off from Sky Harbor International Airport Thursday, April 26, 2007 in Phoenix. US Airways Group Inc. on Thursday said profit edged up 2 percent in the first quarter on modest...   (Associated Press)
Ryanair Jet at London's Prestwick Airport   (Getty Images)
(FILE PHOTO) Jet Blue Profits Rise   (Getty Images)
A Delta Airlines aircraft at Dulles International Airport   (Getty Images)
FILE PHOTO: Sir Freddie Laker dies   (Getty Images)
Sweet   ((c) dyobmit)
Dave Howard, a pilot for American Airlines, does a visual inspection of a plane at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport.   (KRT Photos)
Jet Airplane   (Archive Photos)
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Background

airline industry
The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition

airline industry the business of transporting paying passengers and freight by air along regularly scheduled routes, typically by airplanes but also by helicopter. Ferdinand Graf von Zeppelin set up the first commercial airline in 1912, using a form of the dirigible to transport more than ...

» Read more about airline industry at Encyclopedia.com

Chasing the Sun: the history of commercial aviation
PBS

"Chasing the Sun" is based on the book "Turbulent Skies: The History of Commercial Aviation" by T. A. Heppenheimer.

» Read more about Chasing the Sun: the history of commercial aviation at PBS

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