Airbus scrapped 'Auto Avoid' technology -- More than a decade before the Germanwings Flight 9525 tragedy, European plane maker Airbus Group NV developed but decided not to deploy an automated system to prevent jetliners from intentionally being flown into skyscrapers or mountains. The "auto avoid" system, devised around 2003 by Airbus's top safety engineers and U.S. supplier Honeywell International Inc., was intended for the Airbus A380 superjumbo jet then in development, company officials said at the time. Andy Pastor & Robert Wall/Wall Street Journal

Germanwings crash comes amid labor strife at Lufthansa -- The crash of Germanwings Flight 9525 comes at a delicate moment for labor relations at the budget airline's parent company, Deutsche Lufthansa AG. The experience of other airlines following fatal accidents suggests the reaction of staff and passengers over coming weeks could have a lasting impact on the carrier's recovery. For Lufthansa, it could help determine whether the airline can shield its relatively robust safety reputation from long-term damage and return its attention to a crucial turnaround aimed at boosting competitiveness. Robert Wall & Daniel Michaels/Wall Street Journal

Lufthansa CEO faces tough test after Germanwings crash -- After an already troubled first year as CEO of Lufthansa, Carsten Spohr must now deal with the aftermath of the Germanwings disaster whilst making the airline group fit to compete for the future. The crash in the French Alps, believed to have been deliberately caused by co-pilot Andreas Lubitz, happened while Lufthansa is trying to halt declining ticket prices, expand low-cost operations, reduce staff costs and bring an end to a series of pilot strikes. Victoria Bryan/Reuters

Germanwings copilot was treated for 'suicidal tendencies,' prosecutors say -- The German copilot thought to have deliberately flown an aircraft into a French mountain, killing all 150 on board, had received treatment for "suicidal tendencies" a few years ago, a spokesman for a German prosecutor said Monday. Andreas Lubitz, 27, underwent psychotherapy before qualifying to be a pilot, the spokesman for the prosecutor in Duesseldorf said in a statement. Kim Willsher & Amro Hassan/Los Angeles Times

ONTARIO AIRPORT: Slight rise in passenger traffic -- Boosted by international passenger numbers skewed by added service, Ontario International Airport saw an increase of just over one-half percent for overall traffic totals in February. The increase of 0.55 percent over February 2014 reflected a slow period for air travel, officials said, although overall passenger traffic for Los Angeles International Airport was up 3.87 percent for the same period. Both LAX and ONT are owned and operated by Los Angeles World Airports. Richard K. De Atley/Riverside Press-Enterprise ONT Statistics

OAK passenger traffic up 6.1 percent in February; 15th consecutive month of growth -- Oakland International Airport  recorded total enplanements of 730,874 in the month of February 2015, an increase of 6.1 percent from the same month last year. Airline seat capacity, at 974,042 seats, was up 4.7 percent and average load factor for all operations at OAK was 75.0 percent, up from 74.0 last year. Cargo volume in February was 88.0 million pounds, up 9.6 percent year over year. OAK Press Release 

Aeromexico offers direct nonstop flights from Mexico City to Ontario and Sacramento, CA -- Aeromexico, Mexico's global airline, announces the beginning of its new service from Mexico City to the cities of Ontario and Sacramento, California in the United States, starting April 5th and 6th of this year, respectively. "The addition of this new service represents the 29 routes we serve between Mexico and the United States, as the airline with the best range of options to fly to North America," said Anko Van der Werff, Aeromexico's Chief Revenue Officer. Grupo Aeromexico Press Release

San Francisco gets fourth Airbus A380, larger lounge -- San Francisco International took on its fourth A380 flight on Sunday afternoon when British Airways flight 287 touched down on a perfect spring day- and TravelSkills was there on the runway to watch the big bird touch down. In addition to the new British Airways arrival, there are now three more A380's calling on SFO: Air France (Paris), Emirates (Dubai), and Lufthansa (Frankfurt). Chris McGinnia/TravelSkills

In Atlanta, a quest to keep its airport the world's busiest -- The typical flier might wonder why an airport would promote its designation as the world's busiest. Images of long lines, crowded concourses and auxiliary parking lots in the next area code could be evoked. But it is no small matter at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, where officials say that the vibrancy of the local economy rests in part on how many passengers course through its sprawling terminals every day. Mike Tierney/New York Times

Manchester Airport: Virgin Atlantic flight VA109 cancelled after botched water cannon salute sees plane doused in foam -- A landmark transatlantic flight was cancelled in farcical scenes after a ceremonial water cannon salute went horribly wrong and the jet was doused in thick foam. The salute was meant to mark the first Virgin Atlantic flight VA109 from Manchester to Atlanta, Georgia, but excited passengers now face the night in a hotel after the flight was scrapped. Richard Wheatstone/Mirror UK

Orlando airport panel votes to keep TSA -- An Orlando International Airport committee this morning recommended keeping federal Transportation Security Administration officers on the job and not replacing them with privately hired guards. But to keep the job at the state's second busiest airport, the TSA will have to meet a series of performance standards, including moving passengers quickly through security lines. "I think this is a good middle ground," said Dean Asher, a member of the Orlando International governing board who chaired the eight-person group. Dan Tracy/Orlando Sentinel

United trying to ensure spring break travel doesn't bite at O'Hare -- Traveling during busy seasons like spring break can be, well, ruff. United Airlines wants to take the edge off at O'Hare International Airport by offering some canine stress relief even if airport security lines are long and flights are delayed. Dog-lovers who happen to be flying on United Airlines over the next few days can enjoy some quality petting time with five golden retriever comfort dogs on the B and C concourses of Terminal 1 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday through Monday. Gregory Karp/Chicago Tribune

Southwest exec talks international flights at RDU, new Dallas flight, and Allegiant competition -- Dallas-based Southwest Airlines, a brand known for offering low-cost flights, started "spreading its wings" at Raleigh-Durham International Airport in June 1999. The airline has been steadily growing at RDU, currently number two in terms of how carriers measure passenger traffic - by origins and destinations. With about 30 flights at RDU per day, the airport keeps coming up in strategy sessions, says Dave Doty, senior manager of network planning and performance. Lauren K. Ohnesorge/Triangle Business Journal

United Airlines is selling Dodger Stadium batting practice experience -- Having trouble finding an award ticket on United Airlines? You might want to use your miles on something a little bit more unusual. For the next 38 days, or until tickets run out, United is selling an  "exclusive private batting practice with the Los Angeles Dodgers" at Dodger Stadium. The cost? 10,000 miles per person, according to United's MileagePlus website.  As of this writing, according to United, there about 100 spaces left for the May 9 event. BrianSumers.com 

$20B project building highways in the sky using GPS -- Air traffic controllers across the country are in the middle of a $20 billion, 20-year modernization project to improve airline travel in a way most passengers will never even notice. The Federal Aviation Administration's NextGen project uses GPS technology and better flight computers to more precisely track where planes are in the sky, allowing them to fly shorter, more direct routes while saving fuel and providing smoother, quieter landings for passengers. Trevor Hughes/USA Today