American Airlines flight between Los Angeles and Sydney on sale Sunday -- American Airlines customers can begin booking travel this Sunday for the airline's new flight between Los Angeles International Airport and Sydney Airport (SYD). The new, nonstop route, which launches Dec. 17 and was announced in June as part of the proposed enhanced joint business relationship with Qantas, expands American's global network by adding a fifth continent and reinforces the strength of its world-class LAX hub. American Airlines Press Release

Honolulu-bound flight from LAX diverts to Kona -- Honolulu-bound United Airlines flight 641 experienced mechanical problems that forced it to divert and land at Kona International Airport Thursday morning, according to officials. The plane landed at the Kona International Airport Thursday morning after "declaring an emergency," according to Federal Aviation Administration Pacific Division Public Affairs Manager Ian Gregor. The flight took off from Los Angeles International Airport at 8:32 a.m. and was in route to Honolulu when the plane declared an emergency and diverted to the Kona International Airport. Big Island Now

Hawaiian Airlines adding flights from Kauai and Maui to Los Angeles during holiday season -- Hawaiian Airlines will add more flights from Kauai and Maui to Los Angeles during the holiday season, the airline announced on Thursday. Hawaiian Airlines, a subsidiary of Hawaiian Holdings Inc., currently flies four flights a week between Los Angeles International Airport and Lihue Airport. From Dec. 18, 2015 to Jan. 4, 2016, it will increase flights to five per week. Starting Jan. 8, it will operate three times a week - the first time Hawaiian Airlines has operated direct service between L.A. and Lihue outside of its seasonal schedule. The route will use the wide-body Boeing 767-300ER, which seats up to 264 passengers.  Jason Ubay/Pacific Business News

Special Olympics athletes arrive in host towns after long transportation delays -- Special Olympics athletes, coaches and delegation officials have been finally housed after being forced to spend Tuesday night inside the Loyola Marymount University gymnasium due to transportation operation errors. The transportation system errors affected more than 7,200 Special Olympics participants, who were held up at Los Angeles International Airport and at the Delegation Welcome Center at Loyola Marymount University.  Veronica Rocha/Los Angeles Times

Cheaper fuel helps Southwest, United post record Q2 profits -- Cheaper fuel and full planes are adding up to record airline profits, and the carriers are sharing the bounty with stockholders. They're finally even giving passengers a break on fares. Southwest Airlines and United Airlines posted record second-quarter earnings on Thursday even though Southwest's revenue grew just 2% and United's declined from a year ago. That's because they are paying about a buck less per gallon for jet fuel this summer - savings that totaled nearly $1 billion for United compared with last summer. David Koenig/AP

Lufthansa's Eurowings goes to America; will the pilots unions allow US DoT to issue an exemption? -- On 16-Jul-2015, Lufthansa subsidiary Eurowings applied to the US Department of Transportation for a foreign air carrier permit to operate between Germany and the US. Eurowings is Lufthansa's chosen low cost vehicle to operate on long haul routes. The company, Eurowings Luftverkehrs AG, has applied to fly between Cologne, Germany, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida , commencing "on or about" 27-Mar-2016, next year's summer season. CAPA Centre for Aviation

TAP wants A330neos and A321LRs for future long-haul flying -- TAP Portugal is considering an order of a significant fleet of Airbus A321LRs, and wants to switch its Airbus A350 order to the A330neo, according to CEO Fernando Pinto. The revised fleet plan comes as a consequence of the airline's takeover by a consortium that includes Azul and JetBlue Airways founder David Neeleman. Representatives of the consortium are already talking to Airbus about the switch to the A330neo, Pinto said. Jens Flottau/Aviation Daily

Southwest captain blamed in LaGuardia landing -- The captain of a Southwest Airlines flight that landed hard and badly at New York LaGuardia Airport two years ago should have aborted the landing and made another attempt, the National Transportation Board said Thursday. The NTSB said the hard landing was caused by "the captain's failed attempt to recover from an unstabilized approach by transferring airplane control at low altitude instead of performing a go-around." Terry Maxon/Dallas Morning News

Airplane! is 35 -- Shirley you can't be serious? -- Airplane! is not exactly wholesome family viewing, but it was a family favorite in my household, and I can't freakin' believe it is THIRTY-FIVE YEARS OLD this month. Here are 35 little known facts about the movie to celebrate this awesome movie's birthday. Em & Lo/Huffington Post

DWP nonprofits slow to make reforms called for in city audit -- Months after promising swift reforms, leaders of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power have done little to change practices at two utility nonprofit trusts accused by auditors of "cavalier" spending after receiving more than $40 million in ratepayer money, records show. In May, city auditors found that the controversial nonprofits -- created more than a decade ago to improve safety, training and labor relations -- had paid millions to outside contractors without competitive bids. Jack Dolan/Los Angeles Times

Garcetti warns of loss of federal funds -- The Los Angeles region could lose out on millions of dollars in funding for counter-terrorism and infrastructure security programs under the so-called "Sanctuary Cities" bill approved Thursday by the U.S. House of Representatives, according to testimony submitted to Congress this week by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.  MynewsLA.com Mary Anne Toman-Miller/Los Angeles Times