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Senate approves new TSA chief -- The Senate approved a new Transportation Security Administration administrator in the wake of reports that TSA agents failed to find fake bombs and weapons in internal tests at almost all of America's busiest airports. The Senate voted 81-1 on Coast Guard Vice Adm. Peter Neffenger's nomination to take over the embattled agency. Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) was the lone "no" vote. Jordain Carney/The Hill
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All airlines have the security hole that grounded Polish planes -- More than 10 airplanes were grounded on Sunday after hackers apparently got into computer systems responsible for issuing flight plans to pilots of Poland's state-owned LOT airline. The apparent weak link? The flight plan-delivery protocol used by every airline. In fact, though this may be the first confirmed hack of its kind, it's very similar to a mysterious grounding of United Airlines planes that happened last month. Kim Zetter/Wired
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Storms snarl Chicago O'Hare flights; some airlines waive fees -- Airlines canceled more than 150 flights at Chicago O'Hare on Monday as a line of intense thunderstorms sweeps across the region. Chicago O'Hare airport warned travelers via Twitter that airlines had "proactively canceled 150+ flights ...due to thunderstorms headed towards Chicago." The airport urged customers flying through the airport Monday to check with their airlines on the status of their flights. Ben Mutzabaugh/USA Today
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Technology to make air travel less stressful in the future, study says -- Airline passengers are expected to rely more heavily in the future on smartphones and portable devices to make travel less stressful thanks to mobile check-in apps, automatic flight updates, mapping software to navigate airports and technology to locate bags. That conclusion comes from a survey of dozens of airlines worldwide by SITA, a multinational airline technology company. Hugo Martin/Los Angeles Times
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Former Gulfstream exec gets 11 years for embezzling from Long Beach firm -- The former director of finance and accounting at Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation's Long Beach facility was sentenced Monday to more than 11 years in federal prison for embezzling more than $10 million from his employer over a 13-year period. Marvin Jay Caukin, 66, of Calabasas, was sentenced Monday morning by U.S. District Judge John F. Walter, who remanded the defendant into custody at the conclusion of the sentencing hearing. Long Beach Press-Telegram
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JetBlue will fly to Nashville, expand Mint service to Boston -- JetBlue will make Nashville its newest city. The carrier also will expand its Mint premium service to Boston amid a broader expansion there. JetBlue says its Nashville service will launch in spring 2016 with two daily round-trip flights to Boston and one to Fort Lauderdale. The carrier's Nashville flights will be on Airbus A320 aircraft. Nashville will become JetBlue's 60th non-stop destination from Boston. Also, JetBlue will bring its premium Mint cabin to Boston starting in March. Ben Mutzabaugh/USA Today
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| Delta's growth in Seattle didn't hurt Alaska Airlines after all -- It turns out that Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is in fact big enough for two airline hubs. When Delta launched its effort to build a Seattle hub in 2013, many including me thought hometown carrier Alaska Airlines was in trouble. Intense competitive pressure from the best U.S. airline, engaged in trying to build a West Coast hub right on top of Alaska's principal hub, didn't seem to present a path to a highly successful outcome. Ted Reed/The Street |
CVG, airlines reach first new contract in 43 years -- Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport has officially taken its first major step toward ending Delta Air Lines' decades-long dominance over operations. The airport and servicing airlines on Monday reached an agreement on the framework for CVG's first new contract with all carriers in more than 40 years. The agreement has been expected for months and is a step toward finalizing a new contract, which should be completed by the end of the year. Jason Williams/Cincinnati Enquirer
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President Obama's Secret Service officer injured from ladder accident -- A U.S. Secret Service officer stationed at Los Angeles International Airport for President Barack Obama's arrival was hurt in a fall from a ladder, authorities said Friday. The Secret Service Uniformed Division officer was injured about 3 p.m. Thursday, said Joe Beaty, the special agent in charge of the Secret Service's Los Angeles Field Office. He fell from a ladder while descending a building and was taken to UCLA Medical Center in Westwood for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, Beaty said. Westside Today
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Airline checked bag, reservation change fees set 1Q record -- U.S. airlines continue to collect record fees from passengers who check suitcases or make changes to their reservations. In the first three months of this year, airlines took in $1.6 billion in such fees, up 7.4 percent from the same period last year. That's the highest amount for the first quarter since bag fees started in 2008, according to data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. January through March is traditionally the slowest period for air travel. Scott Mayerowitz/AP
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Southwest Airlines asks court to kick Delta Air Lines out of Love Field gates -- Southwest Airlines spokesman Brad Hawkins explained why the carrier filed the request for an injunction: "Alongside and in support of the City's suit seeking legal clarity around gate usage at Dallas Love Field, Southwest is asking the federal court in Dallas to protect tens of thousands of Southwest Customers traveling to and from dozens of cities by preventing Delta from trespassing on Southwest's lawfully leased gates at Love Field." Terry Maxon/Dallas Morning News
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Why it's never been easier to fly to South America -- Airlines are adding service between the U.S. and South America-and passengers are taking advantage of new routes."The number of passengers between the U.S. and Brazil has nearly doubled in the last five years, according to the Department of Transportation, with 5.45 million total passengers in 2014, up from 2.89 million in 2009," Barbara Peterson reports."Colombia's business is up 50 percent, to 3 million last year, and Chile and Peru both showed strong growth." Paul Brady/Conde Nast Traveler
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Qantas tries to stop Alan Joyce speechwriter Lucinda Holdforth from publishing book 'Fighting Words' -- Qantas wants to permanently block the publication of a new book by the long-time speechwriter for the airline's chief executive, Alan Joyce. Author Lucinda Holdforth was served with orders at her Sydney home from Qantas lawyers Minter Ellison to appear in the NSW Supreme Court at midday on Wednesday. Holdforth wrote the speech for Mr. Joyce's infamous grounding of the airline's entire fleet in October 2011 to break a standoff with its unionized workforce. Matt O'Sullivan/Sydney Morning Herald
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Another major Allegiant Air delay story -- Think you have a bad airline delay story? Passengers on Allegiant Air Flight 418 on Sunday may have a better one. Their flight from Grand Junction, Colorado to Los Angeles was delayed more than eight hours due to several problems, according to one spirited social media account. It seems Allegiant may have been relying on an on-call mechanic who was coming from a long distance. BrianSumers.com
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United's move of trans-con service to Newark is a no-brainer -- Another factor: Competition is intense in the JFK-California market, with five carriers offering about 75 daily departures. United spokesman Rahsaan Johnson said that didn't directly cause the move; over time, capacity tends to rationalize. Nevertheless, Johnson said, "We are in our seventh year of losing money at JFK." One more factor: JFK is not an inexpensive place to operate, and United's lease at Terminal 7 comes up for renegotiation this year. Ted Reed/TheStreet
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American Airlines CEO Doug Parker nets $4.1 million in stock sale ($2.4 million after tax witholdings) -- American Airlines Group chairman and CEO Doug Parker netted $4.1 million Monday as he exercised "stock appreciation rights" dating from his US Airways days and then selling the shares. Parker exercised rights on 113,090 shares at $6.70 per share for a total cost of $757,703 on Monday. He then sold the shares in three bunches for $4,850,825.66, with an average sale price of $42.89 per share. The net gain was $4,093,122.66. Terry Maxon/Dallas Morning News
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U.S. airlines extend rally as revenue pessimism seen easing -- U.S. airline stocks rose for a fourth day, the longest rally in a month, after analysts from JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Cowen & Co. said pessimism about revenue growth may be easing. Wall Street is approaching a "sentiment inflection point" with the industry, as carriers begin to curb growth in seating capacity in 2015 and "airlines attempt to regain investor confidence," Cowen's Helane Becker said in a note to clients. JPMorgan's Jamie Baker said fares are climbing this month. Lauren Thomas/Bloomberg Business
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Uber could track passengers after they leave car, privacy group claims -- Privacy rights organization lashed out against Uber on Monday, accusing the country's largest ride-sharing company of plans to deceptively collect personal data under an updated privacy policy slated to roll out next month. In a 23-page complaint filed with the Federal Trade Commission, the Electronic Privacy Information Center called for the agency to investigate Uber and halt possible privacy invasions ahead of a revised policy set to take effect July 15. Daina Beth Solomon/Los Angeles Times
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New L.A. Councilman Ryu faces test: keeping his many campaign promises -- David Ryu won a coveted spot on the Los Angeles City Council after pledging not to take campaign money from local developers. That promise burnished his reputation as a City Hall outsider - and may have helped him beat opponent Carolyn Ramsay, a former council staffer. But it was just one in a long list of Ryu campaign pledges, many of them demanded by neighborhood and advocacy groups weighing him against Ramsay in the race to represent a sprawling Sherman Oaks-to-Silver Lake council district. Emily Alpert Reyes/Los Angeles Times Also: Ryu names former Garcetti, Shriver and Hahn aide as chief of staff
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LADWP owns big hunk of Arizona coal-fired power plant and is ready to sell -- Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Monday he has signed an agreement to sell off the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power's share in a coal-fired energy plant in Arizona, a move that brings the city closer to ending its dependence on coal energy. The signed agreement involves the sale of the LADWP's 21 percent share in the Navajo Generating Station. City News Service
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