Airports
LA City Council approves Ontario airport agreement -- The Los Angeles City Council approved a landmark $250 million agreement that will lead to the transfer of ownership of LA/Ontario International Airport to a local authority, culminating a five-year battle between Los Angeles and Ontario. In a closed-door meeting Wednesday, the L.A. City Council voted unanimously to settle the lawsuit. "We are now one step closer to finalizing a historic settlement that will improve air travel throughout Southern California and benefit residents and airport employees in both Los Angeles and Ontario," said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti in a statement.
Dakota Smith & Liset Marquez/Los Angeles Daily News Richard K. DeAtley/Riverside Press-Enterprise City News Service Ontario/OIAA Statement LA Mayor Press Release
Fliers love Portland's airport. And LAX? Not so much, new study says -- Why do fliers like Portland's airport so much more than LAX? It's all about keeping travelers happy while they pass through the airport, says a new J.D. Power study released Wednesday. Among large U.S. airports, Portland International Airport (which has a ridiculously popular carpet with more than 2,300 Twitter followers: @pdxcarpet) ranked tops in the study. Los Angeles International Airport came in third from the bottom, above last-place Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey and second-to-last LaGuardia Airport in New York City. Mary Forgione/Los Angeles Times Kevin Smith/San Gabriel Valley Tribune Charisse Jones/USA Today J.D. Power Press Release
Departure level reopened at LAX after suspicious bag prompted bomb squad response: Police -- The departures level was open again at Los Angeles International Airport after a suspicious bag at Terminal 4 sparked a bomb squad investigation and prompted the closure on Wednesday, according to LAX police. An unattended bag left at the American Airlines terminal screening area was reported at 11 a.m. to the Los Angeles Airport Police Department, LAX spokeswoman Nancy Castles said in a statement. The area was secured about 45 minutes later, according to Castles. Tracy Bloom & Courtney Friel/KTLA
Bob Hope Airport officials mail out pamphlets touting replacement terminal -- Bob Hope Airport officials are stepping up efforts to reach out to the community about a proposed replacement terminal. After creating a website specifically to educate the public about the project and tout its benefits, Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority officials created a pamphlet that was mailed to nearly 44,000 residents and roughly 5,500 businesses, plus more than 2,500 post office boxes. Chad Garland/Los Angeles Times
San Diego Airport has a plan for Terminal 1 - Now it just needs $1 billion -- San Diego International Airport leaders have settled on a $2.2 billion plan to rebuild Terminal 1 and part of Terminal 2. How they will pay for it all or even half of it, though, is still unknown. Officials are forging ahead with environmental review of the whole project, a process that will take 18 to 24 months and cost at least $2 million while staff attempt to identify their financial options. Ashly McGlone/Voice of San Diego
County considers expanding Carlsbad's Airport -- San Diego County will study a plan to extend the runway for Carlsbad's McClellan-Palomar airport so it can accommodate larger planes and even small commercial airlines. San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted Wednesday to approve the staff-recommended CD-III Modified Classification Option in the new airport 20-year master plan. The plan received the most public support out of three proposed designs. Supervisors unanimously voted to have staff examine the feasibility of extending the runway by 800 or 900 feet. Liberty Zabala & R. Stickney/NBC7 San Diego
Airport architecture at major flight centers around the country -- Airport offer an architectural paradox. They're some of the biggest, most highly utilized public spaces in the world, seen by millions during busy stretches of time, such as the remainder of the holiday season and the new year, yet most of us experience them in heightened sense of angst/panic/hurry. That means any design or architectural details often escape the eye of frenzied travelers. The airplane experience has lost a bit of its luster since the midcentury golden age, but that doesn't mean airports don't offer intriguing, or at least interesting, design. Patrick Sisson/Curbed
Houston's controller holds up airport contracts -- Houston's city controller is blocking a City Council vote on the first wave of contracts for a $1.5 billion expansion of the Mickey Leland International Terminal and its surroundings at Bush Intercontinental Airport from a cramped and outdated facility to a bustling gem attractive to passengers and airlines from around the world. The delay is now entering its third week as City Controller Ronald Green has taken the unusual step of requesting voluminous records to investigate five contracts tied to the expansion plan. Mike Morris & Andrea Rumbaugh/Houston Chronicle 
Airlines
Airlines collected $1 billion in baggage fees in Q3 -- Airlines collected $1 billion in baggage fees in the third quarter of 2015, according to statistics released this week by the Department of Transportation. The department's Bureau of Transportation Statistics said the figure, officially $1,019,000, is $59 million more than was collected by airlines in the third quarter of 2014. The figure is also a $57 million more in baggage fees than passengers paid in the second quarter of 2015, the group said. Keith Laing/The Hill
Man arrested for choking woman aboard SFO-bound plane -- A Richmond (Calif.) man pleaded not guilty in court after his arrest Wednesday in connection with a mid-airplane flight assault two months ago. The Central District of California's district court grand jury indicted Wells with one count of assault while aboard an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States, according to a release from the FBI. The assault happened Oct. 18 aboard Southwest Airlines Flight 2010 bound for San Francisco International Airport out of Los Angeles. George Kelly/Bay Area News Group
FAA investigates Southwest plane accident, video released -- The FAA on Wednesday continued to investigate what caused a Southwest plane to skid off a taxiway at the Nashville International Airport and land in a ditch, injuring at least nine passengers. Southwest Flight 31, a Boeing 737 carrying 133 passengers and five crew members, rolled off taxiway T4 near the terminal into the grass and came to a halt about 5:20 p.m. Tuesday. Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority officials said emergency personnel immediately responded, along with Nashville fire department crews to assist passengers hurt in the wreck. Natalie Neysa Alund & Jason Gonzales/The Tennessean
British Airways jet that caught fire before takeoff at McCarran to fly again -- The British Airways Boeing 777 that aborted a takeoff at McCarran International Airport with 157 passengers and 13 crew members aboard in September will fly again. A representative of the London-based airline said Wednesday that crews would be dispatched to McCarran and that work would begin "shortly" to repair the aircraft's hull to make it airworthy. Richard N. Velotta/Las Vegas Review-Journal
FAA reprimands Allegiant for emergency landing -- The Federal Aviation Administration has formally reprimanded Allegiant Air after a pilot running dangerously low on fuel was forced to make an emergency landing at a closed airport in Fargo, N.D. this summer. FAA officials have concluded their investigation into the July 23 incident by issuing a letter of correction, which warns Allegiant of the potentially hazardous behavior. The written warning is one step below legal action. Evan Lambert/Fox13 Tampa Bay
United Airlines will bring out the dogs for Christmas -- You can never go wrong tying your brand to puppies. People love them. So we should not be surprised that United Airlines, a brand that has had a rough year, is finishing 2015 by bringing "comfort" dogs to all of its U.S. hubs except San Francisco. The former United hub in Cleveland is also getting the dogs. Look for them from Dec. 21 through Dec. 23. BrianSumers.com
EU court overturns decision to fine airlines in cartel case -- The European Union's second-highest court has overturned a decision to impose €790 million ($864 million) of fines on more than a dozen airlines including Air France KLM and British Airways for operating an airfreight cartel. In a statement published Wednesday, the Luxembourg-based General Court of the EU said the European Commission's 2010 decision was contradictory because it accused the carriers of operating a single cartel, but only highlighted actual legal infringements by some carriers on some routes. Tom Fairless/Wall Street Journal
Airplanes
Boeing wins $10 billion plane order from China Southern Air -- China Southern Airlines Co., Asia's largest carrier by number of passengers, ordered 110 planes worth about $10 billion from Boeing Co., adding more efficient aircraft to its fleet with China set to become the world's largest travel market in the next 20 years. The Guangzhou-based carrier will buy 30 737NG and 50 737MAX models, valued at $7.24 billion at list prices, the company said in a statement Thursday. Bloomberg News
Homeland Security
Homeland Security activates new terror warning level -- Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson activated the National Terrorism Advisory System for the first time Wednesday, warning the public of "self-radicalized actors who could strike with little or no notice." The bulletin, which marks the addition of a new level of public warning to the system, will be in effect for the next six months, or until events dictate otherwise, Johnson said. The Department of Homeland Security is "especially concerned that terrorist-inspired individuals and homegrown violent extremists may be encouraged or inspired to target public events or places," the bulletin stated. Kevin Johnson/USA Today
Travel
US, Cuba reach understanding on restoring commercial flights -- The United States and Cuba have reached an understanding on restoring regularly scheduled commercial flights, Cuban and American officials said Wednesday on the eve of the anniversary of detente between the Cold War foes. The diplomatic advance helps open the way for U.S. airlines to begin flying to Cuba within months in what would be the biggest business deal struck as the two countries try to normalize relations. Michael Weissenstein/AP
When Paris hurts, so does the travel industry -- Paris lit up for the holidays is a dream destination, a bucket-list experience for many. But this year, terrorism fears have altered travel around the world. Airline tickets to Paris and other parts of Europe have been canceled in droves. Hotel prices have plunged after the Nov. 13 terrorist attacks in Paris. Expedia, the largest online travel booking company, has seen "super high" cancellation rates for Paris, all of France and all across Europe since the attacks, says Aman Bhutani, president of the Brand Expedia Group. Scott McCartney/Wall Street Journal
Air Cargo
FedEx profit tops forecasts, helped by online shopping -- FedEx shares rose Wednesday as the shipping company said that quarterly profit rose 4%, helped by growth in online shopping and lower costs in its core express-delivery business. The latest results cover the three months ending Nov. 30, capturing a sliver of the key holiday-shipping period. FedEx has predicted that holiday shipments would rise 12.4% over last year because of the continuing growth in online shopping. The Memphis, Tennessee-based company reaffirmed its forecast for earnings in the fiscal year that ends in May. AP
Aviation Data & Analysis
Latin America Airlines See Slower Growth in Passenger Numbers in October
Courtesy Oliver Wyman PlaneStats
Port of LA
Janice Hahn calls for independent oversight of Port of L.A.'s anti-pollution efforts -- Rep. Janice Hahn (D-San Pedro) is throwing her support behind the demands of harbor-area residents calling for independent oversight of the Port of Los Angeles after its failure to impose air quality improvements at one of its busiest shipping terminals. "It is incredibly troubling that the Port of Los Angeles has failed to carry out court-mandated pollution reduction measures and, making matters worse, went for years without informing the community," Hahn said in a statement Wednesday. Tony Barboza/Los Angeles Times
Subscribe to Eye on L.A. Aviation (1,514 Subscribers)
Follow Eye on L.A. Aviation on Twitter (1,351 Followers)