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U.S. airlines shift to smaller jets for many domestic flights -- U.S. airlines have been on a diet, shedding fat, double-aisle jets on many routes in favor of skinnier single-aisle planes. There's hardly a widebody in domestic skies anymore. The downsizing means fewer coach seats-and fewer cheap fares-available for travelers, as airlines emphasize higher-priced business- and first-class seats. Scott McCartney/Wall Street Journal
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United Airlines to upgrade food for coach fliers on overseas flights -- United Airlines apparently has decided the way to customers hearts - and wallets - is through their taste buds, as the Chicago-based carrier on Wednesday will announce more food upgrades, including free wine and beer for economy passengers on long-haul international flights and three-course meals in coach. Gregory Karp/Los Angeles Times
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Ministers: MH370 search may take another year -- The search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, which disappeared without trace more than a year ago, may take another year to complete, government ministers said Thursday, after agreeing to double the current search zone in the Indian Ocean if the plane is not found by the end of May. Relatives of missing Chinese passengers, who formed the majority of the 239 passengers and crew on board the Beijing-bound flight, welcomed the proposed expansion of the search area. Calum MacLeod/USA Today
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Airline industry group pledges more open 'safety dialogue' with public -- Responding to a spate of airline disasters over the past 13 months, the head of the industry's largest global trade association vowed to be more responsive to public demands for speedy answers by embracing a "new sense of openness in our safety dialogue" with passengers. Despite last year's record-low rate for fatal commercial-aviation accidents, the remarks by Tony Tyler, chief executive of the International Air Transport Association, illustrate that many airline officials still feel defensive about recent crashes. Andy Pasztor/Wall Street Journal
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New U.N. site for flights in conflict zones issues warnings on Libya, Egypt -- A new United Nations website distributing warnings about risks to aircraft in conflict zones issued its first advisories on Wednesday, for countries including Libya, Iraq, Egypt and South Sudan. The website was set up after the downing of a Malaysian passenger aircraft over an area of fighting in Ukraine last year and is hosted by the U.N.'s International Civil Aviation Organization. It went live at the start of this month. Victoria Bryan/Reuters
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Panasonic eyes doubling of airline Wi-Fi installation to meet demand -- Panasonic Avionics says it will need to double the rate at which it installs Wi-Fi systems on aircraft to catch up with skyrocketing demand from airlines to keep passengers connected above the clouds. Airlines are rushing to install Wi-Fi on board, seeing not only an opportunity to meet demands from customers to be always connected, but also to make the most of advertising contracts from companies keen on access to this captive audience. Victoria Bryan/Reuters
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CheapAir.com now selling nonstop U.S.-Cuba flights -- CheapAir.com on Wednesday became the first online travel agency to offer direct flights between the United States and Cuba. Those authorized to travel to Cuba can now book nonstop flights from New York JFK and Tampa airports to Havana. From Miami, flights can be booked to the Cuban cities of Havana, Santiago de Cuba, Santa Clara, Camaguey, Cienfuegos and Holguin. Benet J. Wilson/USA Today
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EDITORIAL: Cities should settle airport fight -- The legal battle between the cities of Ontario and Los Angeles over ownership of the Ontario International Airport is unlikely to end soon. Attorneys for Ontario argue Los Angeles' ownership is illegitimate for a variety of reasons, while Los Angeles insists its ownership is legitimate and Ontario's allegations aren't valid. Last week, Ontario petitioned the state 4th District Court of Appeal in Riverside to challenge a ruling upholding the 1985 agreement transferring ownership of the airport to Los Angeles. Riverside Press-Enterprise Editorial
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JetBlue enters agreement to become title sponsor of the Long Beach Marathon -- The annual Long Beach Marathon will have a new high-flying title sponsor for at least the next few years as JetBlue Airways and Run Racing announced today that the airline has entered into an agreement to become the namesake of the city's endurance race. JetBlue, the largest tenant of Long Beach Airport, has been the official airline of the marathon for over ten years and will replace International City Bank as title-sponsor starting with the 31st edition of the race this coming October. Jason Ruiz/Long Beach Post
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Southwest Airlines counts costs amid plans to change KCI -- Plans to either renovate or rebuild Kansas City International Airport should focus on keeping costs low, the chief executive of Southwest Airlines said Wednesday in Kansas City. Gary Kelly, who heads the carrier with the largest KCI service, 68 daily departures, said low costs mean low fares and that's what will generate enough traffic to justify the costs of any updates. Kansas City Star
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Scene cleared after vehicle investigated near LA airport -- Authorities say there is no threat after traffic was diverted near Los Angeles International Airport while a bomb squad examined a vehicle in a parking lot. The California Highway Patrol says the vehicle was determined to not be a threat shortly after 9:45 a.m. Wednesday. A section of Interstate 105 and several surface streets were shut down for less than an hour just south of the airport due to the police activity. AP
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Transition to IP network creates cybersecurity challenges for FAA -- The Internet hasn't totally invaded the nation's air traffic control system, but as it does the Federal Aviation Administration faces a growing challenge to make sure the network is locked down secure. The security issues arise as the agency moves from a point-to-point legacy air traffic control structure to a new IP-based system commonly known as NextGen or Next Generation Air Transportation System. Michael Cooney/Network World
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TSA groping scandal: Possible victims come forward -- Two fired Transportation Safety Administration agents allegedly involved in a scheme to grope passengers at Denver International Airport could face criminal charges after several victims contacted prosecutors and police Wednesday. At least two men came forward, claiming they had been inappropriately fondled by TSA agents while passing through airport security in recent months, according to Lynn Kimbrough, communications director for the Denver district attorney's office. James Queally & Ryan Parker/Los Angeles Times
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Airbus won't pull plug on A380 superjumbo, CEO says -- Airbus says it has no plans to discontinue its Airbus A380 model even as sales for the superjumbo jet remain slow, Reuters quotes CEO Fabrice Bregier as saying in a Sunday story by the French newspaper Les Echoes. Airbus has received about 317 orders for the A380, which made its first commercial passenger flight in 2007. About half of Airbus' A380 orders have already been delivered. It's also been several years since the company has netted a new order for the jet. Ben Mutzabaugh/USA Today
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Crime rise puts LAPD in a difficult position -- The city's first major crime increase in more than a decade has Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck trying to maintain a delicate balance. He wants to swarm high-crime neighborhoods with more than 200 highly trained officers from the elite Metropolitan Division without undermining years of progress the department has made in building better relationships with those communities. Kate Mather, Richard Winton & Cindy Chang/Los Angeles Times
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City might run Greek Theatre -- In the latest twist in the saga of who will get to operate the Greek Theatre in Griffith Park, a city commission on Wednesday voted to not extend its contract with operator Nederlander Concernts and to instead turn over operation of the venue to the city. The Recreation and Parks Commission's 3-1 vote comes a month after the same commission voted to toss out competing proposals: one from Los Angeles concert promoters Nederlander and AEG, and the other from Beverly Hills-based LiveNation. Howard Fine/Los Angeles Business Journal
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L.A. pushes to use shower, bathwater to combat drought -- Faced with a worsening drought, there is a new push to allow Los Angeles residents to better harness leftover water from daily showers, dish washing and laundry. It's part of a larger movement to use this grey water for home plant irrigation to conserve potable water. Matt Stevens & Shelby Grad/Los Angeles Times
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Rogers, Gabel-Luddy elected to Burbank City Council -- With just over 11,000 votes cast in the city's municipal election, fewer than 200 votes separate the winners for the two spots on the City Council, with former Burbank Leader columnist Will Rogers leading the pack, followed by incumbent Councilwoman Emily Gabel-Luddy. In an unusual turn of events, the general election results flipped the order of finishers from the primary, where Gabel-Luddy finished first. But, in the general election, Rogers finished first with the preliminary final results. Chad Garland/Burbank Leader
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