Airports

Loaded .38 found in carry-on at airport named after gunslinger portrayer John Wayne -- A loaded .38 caliber handgun was plucked out of the security line at John Wayne Airport last week but don't worry, there was no round in the chamber, according to the TSA. That made it one of nine loaded firearms found in TSA lines at the nation's airports last week. There were also 31 unloaded guns, multiple stun guns and ninja stars, 10 inert/replica/novelty grenades and knives of all shapes and sizes seized at U.S. airports last week, the TSA reports. Matt Coker/OC Weekly

Cops find gun, ammunition in vehicle at LAX -- A 9mm handgun and two, 10-round loaded ammunition magazines were discovered in a vehicle at Los Angeles International Airport Tuesday during a random vehicle checkpoint stop, authorities said. The gun and ammunition were found about 9:30 a.m. at a vehicle checkpoint set up at the airport as part of "Operation Safe Entry," according to Marshall McClain, president of the Los Angeles Airport Peace Officers Association, the union representing airport police officers. Mirna Alfonso/Highland Park/Mount Washington Patch

Bob Hope Airport seeks to hire parking manager -- As Bob Hope Airport officials seek to modernize the airfield's parking operations, they will be looking to hire a manager to oversee the parking business - the airport's largest revenue generator - as a separate department. The Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority approved the creation of a parking manager position Monday. Chad Garland/Burbank Leader

Ex-newsstand chain employee says he was racially taunted at work -- A black former warehouse worker for a newsstand chain is suing his ex-employer, claiming he was forced to quit after enduring months of racially related jokes and comments from co-workers and his supervisor. Ahmad Benson filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court against Hudson News, which sells magazines, snacks and drinks at such places as Los Angeles International Airport, which the plaintiff serviced while working at a warehouse in Carson from May 20l4 until February. City News Service

Events to honor the 10th anniversary of LAXPD Officer Tommy Scott's end of watch -- Los Angeles airport associations are joining forces to host two events to commemorate Officer Tommy Scott, the first LAXPD officer killed in the line of duty, on the 10th anniversary of his tragic death. The nonprofit Los Angeles Airport Police Athletics & Activities League and the Association of Airport Employees will host the First Annual Ride & Shine Memorial Ride and Car & Truck Show on Saturday, April 25, as well as the Tommy Scott Memorial 5K & 10K LAX Run on Saturday, May 16. LAAPOA News Release Flashback: The kindest officer on the force by Jennifer Oldham/LA Times, May 7, 2005

An L.A. bug's life: El Segundo Blue -- Protected under the federal Endangered Species Act, these butterflies brought development to a halt in their remaining habitat. The largest colony lives west of Los Angeles International Airport, and there are communities at the Chevron refinery and on a tiny patch of dunes at the beach in El Segundo. The larvae feed on buckwheat, which is losing ground to exotic vegetation, so restoration of the native plant has been encouraged.  Ann Herold/Los Angeles Magazine

LAX Gateway pylons to be lit green in support of Earth Day 2015 -- The 100-foot-tall LAX Gateway pylons that illuminate the main entrance to Los Angeles International Airport  will be lit in various shades of green in support of Earth Day 2015, which occurs on Wednesday, April 22.  Earth Day marks the anniversary of what many consider the birth of the modern environmental movement. LAWA News Release

Stop and smell the roses at O'Hare during Earth Week -- It's Earth Week and a great time to stop and admire the fresh flowers and the vegetables that are part of a special garden exhibit at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. As you rush between flights, be on the lookout for the window fa�ade replicas complete with window boxes featuring colorful floral and vegetable displays that have been set up in Terminal 2 (near Gate F1) and in Terminal 5 (near the food court). Harriet Baskas/USA Today

American CEO on O'Hare expansion: What's the rush? -- Doug Parker, the CEO of American Airlines, is in no hurry to hit the gas on expanding O'Hare International Airport, long one of Chicago's top aviation infrastructure priorities. "We're not certain that we need it at this point," Parker said last night after delivering an annual transportation speech at Northwestern University. "Clearly, today there's enough capacity at the airport to handle the existing demand." Micah Maidenberg/Crain's Chicago Business

Airport commission gets pushback on possible MSP wage hike -- The fight over raising wages at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport moved into the boardroom Monday, with business groups warning of harm to an economic engine for the region. Last month, Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton urged that the MSP minimum wage immediately be raised to $10 an hour as a fairness issue, adding that the airport was "not going to (move to) South Dakota or Cambodia." Tom Webb/Pioneer Press

Progress report: Where's the free Wi-Fi at N.Y.-area airports? -- Unlimited free Wi-Fi is likely at or near the top of the list of your favorite airport amenities and is, thankfully, now a service provided at most North American airports. Among the noted holdouts are the New York City-area airports: JFK, LaGuardia and Newark Liberty International Airports. Harriet Baskas/USA Today

Carrier to begin nonstop Las Vegas service to Stockholm, Copenhagen -- A Norwegian discount air carrier will begin nonstop round trips from Las Vegas to Copenhagen, Denmark, and to Stockholm later this year. Norwegian Air Shuttle, which is broadening its international routes this year with new flights from Europe to the Caribbean, New York, Los Angeles and Las Vegas, will begin weekly trips Saturdays to and from Stockholm on Oct. 31, and weekly trips Tuesdays to and from Copenhagen on Nov. 10. Richard N. Velotta/Los Vegas Review-Journal

CVG courts airlines in Japan -- Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport officials have been in Japan this week recruiting two of Asia's largest airlines, The Enquirer has learned. CVG's executives were scheduled to meet with Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways - potentially paving the way for new nonstop flights to a popular global business region for Greater Cincinnati companies. Jason Williams/Cincinnati Enquirer 
Aviation Security

Feds warn airlines to look out for passengers hacking jets -- In response to reports last week that passenger Wi-Fi networks make some planes vulnerable to hacking, the FBI and TSA have issued an alert to airlines advising them to be on the lookout for evidence of tampering or network intrusions. The FBI and TSA note that they currently have no information to support claims that an attacker could commandeer a plane's navigation system through the passenger Wi-Fi or IFE (In Flight Entertainment) networks, but they are taking the claims seriously. Kim Zetter/Wired

Aviation Safety
Should Allegiant's mechanical problems at St. Pete-Clearwater airport set off alarms? �-��- An Allegiant Air McDonnell Douglas MD-83 took off from St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport on Jan. 19 bound for Ohio - and never made it. Instead, the crew reported "smoke in the cockpit" and headed back to the airport. That was one of more than three dozen mechanical issues reported by Allegiant pilots across the country from September to March. Nine of the incidents involved St. Pete-Clearwater International. Jamal Thalji/Tampa Bay Times

FAA is sampling toilet paper that fell from sky onto sullied Pa. town -- It rained used toilet paper Monday morning in West Pittston, Pa., prompting many residents to point to the sky and blame a plane passing overhead as the dirty dumper. But the Federal Aviation Administration is still trying to get to the bottom of this crappy case. The Citizens Voice newspaper quotes Arlene Salac, public affairs representative for the FAA's eastern region, as saying that a regional FAA crew would take samples of the debris to determine if it came from a plane, specifically to see if a passing plane's lavatory system had malfunctioned. John Luciew/Harrisburg Patriot-News

Airlines

U.S. airlines reaching new and profitable heights -- The first quarter typically is a money loser for many airlines - but not this year. Ten of the largest U.S airlines are expected to post combined net income of $3 billion for the three months that ended March 31, according to analysts' estimates. And most are expected to set all-time highs for the first quarter. Deutsche Bank analyst Michael Linenberg estimated the airlines he follows would report net income of $2.8 billion. Terry Maxon/Dallas Morning News

AAdvantage pioneer says loyalty programs need retooling -- Hal Brierley got us hooked on miles and travel awards. Now the 72-year-old loyalty program pioneer wants to push that industry into the future by rewarding people for their time. "My vision is Loyalty 3.0 - where do we go next?" says Brierley, who recently announced the sale of his namesake company Brierley+Partners Inc. of Plano. "Our most valuable currency is our time, and I am broke. Share of attention is going to be as important to marketers as share of wallet. That's the bottom line." Cheryl Hall/Dallas Morning News

American Airlines CEO talks future of aviation industry -- The CEO of American Airlines said Monday night the increase in mergers between airline companies will lead to more competition and better experiences for passengers in the long run. Doug Parker spoke about trends and troubles in the aviation industry at the 34th annual William A. Patterson Transportation Lecture, hosted by Northwestern's Transportation Center. Drew Gerber/Daily Northwestern

American Airlines reveals revamped designs in next phase of uniform overhaul -- During the coming months American Airlines will put revised uniform prototypes through another employee wear test, moving the company closer to its goal of modernizing the look of some 70,000 of its employees. When new looks are finalized, the transition will be the first change in uniforms that employees have seen in more than 20 years. The latest "wear test," as the company calls it, will be over the next few months. Casey Smith/Tulsa World

JetBlue's old uniforms now flying as carry-ons -- Last year, when JetBlue did a carrier-wide uniform upgrade -- its first since the airline's 2000 launch -- a lot of overstock and unworn uniforms for flight crews and ground staff got put on the shelf. Now JetBlue has found way to keep those garments out of landfills and please stylish and aviation-savvy travelers (i.e., avgeeks) who'd like to own a piece of the airline's history. The solution: upcycling. Harriet Baskas/USA Today

Toyota's making airline seats that can adjust to any body type -- It's a really good question: Why can't airline seats be as comfortable, durable and adjustable as the ones in cars? In a partnership with All Nippon Airways, Toyota has come up with a new seat design it claims can make a "wide range of body sizes" comfortable. In economy, no less. By forcing us to sit so upright, airline seats force all of our weight onto our hips, giving us that hunched-over feeling. Alissa Walker/Gizmodo

Travel & Hospitality

2 California hotels make Conde Nast's Hot List of 60 best in the world -- Two California hotels have made Conde Nast Traveler's 2015 Hot List of the 60 best new hotels in the world. The Rose Hotel in Venice and the Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage joined a list that also included the Delano Las Vegas, formerly THEHotel. For travelers, the Hot List could provide some fresh new places to try on their next getaway. The California selections couldn't be more different. Mary Forgione/Los Angeles Times

FAA

Union joins lawmakers in embracing de-federalization of FAA -- One federal employee group has an idea of how to free its members from the volatility of a dysfunctional Congress, bringing job stability and predictable funding: separate from the federal government. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association, which represents 20,000 workers, has determined the system is broken and it would like to be removed from the process altogether. Eric Katz/Government Executive

Aviation Data & Analysis
Latin American Air Carriers Report 1.4 Million More Passengers
Courtesy Oliver Wyman PlaneStats
Local Government

City should collect more revenue from LAFD 911 callers, audit says -- The Los Angeles Fire Department should change the way it bills people who call 911 for medical help, according to an audit released Tuesday. The 97-page report, issued by City Controller Ron Galperin, urges fire officials to develop new ways to recover millions of dollars spent each year to provide medical rescues.  Currently the city only charges 911 callers who are transported to a hospital, and the vast majority of those fees go uncollected. Ben Welsh/USA Today

Councilman Mitchell Englander to run for Los Angeles County supervisor -- Los Angeles City Councilman Mitchell Englander said Tuesday he will run for an open seat on the county Board of Supervisors next year. Englander's decision, which he said he will announce electronically Wednesday morning, ends weeks of speculation about his plans and adds his name to a growing list of candidates hoping to succeed 5th District Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich. Antonovich must step down after 36 years on the board due to term limits. Jean Merl/Los Angeles Times

Waze, L.A. to share data on traffic, hit-and-runs, kidnappings -- Those who use the traffic app Waze in Los Angeles will receive alerts about hit-and-runs and abducted children as part of a new data-sharing partnership between the company and the city, Mayor Eric Garcetti said Tuesday. Several government departments will give Waze information about construction, film shoots, road closures and other events affecting L.A.'s streets. In return, the city will receive real-time data about traffic patterns and roadway conditions, including reports submitted by users, officials said. Matt Hamilton/Los Angeles Times

Activists fasting outside L.A. City Hall tell council to hike minimum wage -- Last year, Mayor Eric Garcetti proposed a gradual increase in the current $9 an hour minimum wage to reach $13.25 by 2017, with future increases automatically tied to an inflation index. Some city lawmakers want to boost it even higher, to $15.25 by 2019. The proposals have sparked fierce debate. Though proponents say the raise would boost the economy and lift families out of poverty, business groups argue that a pay spike would reduce profits, forcing them to move out of the city or cut jobs. Javier Panzar/Los Angeles Times

Terry Tornek wins Pasadena mayor's race -- Terry Tornek will be Pasadena's next mayor and the second citywide elected mayor in the city's history. Tornek, a city councilman, received 55 percent of the votes cast in Tuesday's runoff election. His opponent, City Councilwoman Jacque Robinson received 45 percent of the votes counted Tuesday. Tornek began his quest to become mayor about a year ago. Mayor Bill Bogaard, who became the city's first directly elected mayor in 1999, chose not to seek re-election this past fall. Sarah Favot/Pasadena Star-News

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