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Threat diverts San Diego-bound flight to Denver -- An Alaksa Airlines flight from Boston to San Diego was diverted to Denver on Tuesday night when an intoxicated passenger became disruptive, airline and airport officials said. The man on flight 761 made a threat to another passenger, an Alaska Airlines spokeswoman said. She did not disclose details about the threat. Flight attendants asked the man to calm down, and he became agitated, the spokeswoman said. The pilot decided to land the plane at the closest airport, the Denver International Airport, about 8:30 p.m MTS, an airport spokesman said. David Hernandez/San Diego Union-Tribune
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American Airlines says January passenger traffic rose 1.6 percent -- American Airlines said its passenger traffic in January increased 1.6 percent even as the carrier trimmed capacity by 0.3 percent. The Fort Worth-based carrier said its load factor rose 1.5 percentage points to 79.7 percent compared to January 2015. American told investors it expects unit revenues to be down about 6 to 8 percent for the first quarter and that pre-tax margins excluding special items will be between 12 to 14 percent. Fort Worth Star-Telegram
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Spirit Airline's new CEO targets reliability, smaller airports -- The new chief executive officer of Spirit Airlines Inc said on Tuesday he wants to make the U.S. budget carrier more reliable and somewhat slow its growth in flight capacity. Spirit also reported higher-than-expected quarterly profit. Shares shot up as much as 10 percent Tuesday following CEO Bob Fornaro's comments, but are off more than 40 percent in the last 52 weeks. Jeffrey Dastin & Ankit Ajmera/Reuters
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Four questions for the next CEO of Delta Air Lines -- On May 2, Ed Bastian takes over as the new CEO of Delta Air Lines, replacing the retiring Richard Anderson. Bastian has been Anderson's close deputy, helping to turn around the airline from bankrupt carrier to one of the world's leading airlines, one whose playbook is often copied by others. Bastian has been with Delta - except for a brief break - since 1998 and has held various leadership roles including chief financial officer and his current post as president. Scott Mayerowitz/AP
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Sikh man blocked by Mexican airline satisfied with apology -- An Indian-American actor and designer who wasn't allowed to board a Mexico City-to-New York flight after refusing to remove his turban said Tuesday that he is satisfied with an apology from the airline. Waris Ahluwalia said he is now waiting for Aeromexico to implement special training on how to treat Sikh passengers, for whom the headgear carries deep religious significance. Mark Stevenson/AP
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Ethiopian Airlines soars with help from the state -- As big African airlines are grounded in heavy losses, Ethiopian Airlines continues to spread its wings. An aggressive expansion strategy has helped the state-owned carrier transform itself from a competent regional player to the continent's leading carrier in just five years. In a region where most airlines are struggling to break even as they grapple with the collapse in commodities and political instability, Ethiopian Airlines recorded a full-year profit of more than all other African carriers combined, according to data from the International Air Transport Association. John Aglionby/Financial Times
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Travel group pushes for review of airline competition -- Passenger advocates are pushing for a review of U.S. airline competition as lawmakers consider a new funding measure for the Federal Aviation Administration. The Travel Technology Association said in a letter to lawmakers that "the time has come for a thorough review of competition within the air travel marketplace," citing airline mergers and campaigns against foreign competitor in recent years. Keith Laing/The Hill
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Alaska Airlines lands at Mekanism after nearly 20 years with Wongdoody -- Nearly two decades after its last creative review, Alaska Airlines has chosen Mekanism as its new creative agency of record. This announcement follows the Seattle-based travel brand's first full makeover in 25 years. Mekanism, an independent agency which currently maintains offices in New York and San Francisco, also plans to open a location in Seattle later this month to handle the new account, along with those of other area clients such as Amazon, Nordstrom Rack and Starbucks. Patrick Coffee/Adweek
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Airport police renege on pledge to enforce anti-smoking laws -- Los Angeles International Airport Police are not living up to a promise they made that they would crack down on travelers and employees who are breaking LAX's tough anti-smoking laws, an NBC4 I-Team investigation has found. Signs on every door at LAX say, "no smoking inside the airport, or outside within 20 feet of entrances." But day after day, NBC4 witnessed toxic second hand smoke filling nonsmoking areas because people were lighting up too close to airport doors. Joel Grover & Matthew Glasser/NBC4
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Parade of Planes ready to embark in Palm Springs again -- Thousands of aviation enthusiasts plan to return to Palm Springs in October for the Flying Aviation Expo at the Palm Springs Convention Center, capped off by the much-loved Parade of Planes. The Parade of Planes returns Oct. 13 as aircraft of all types and sizes will taxi from Palm Springs International Airport to their display spots outside the convention center. The conference, which runs Oct. 13-15, focuses on owners of mostly small or collector planes and features keynote speakers and other events. Skip Descant/The Desert Sun
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Another company moving its headquarters to Long Beach -- United Pacific, whose portfolio includes 320 company-operated gas stations and convenience stores and 55 fee-operated and leased locations, is relocating its headquarters to Douglas Park. The company acquired 2.65 acres from the Sares*Regis Group (SRG) and will break ground this summer on a 40,000-square-foot facility that will house 120 corporate employees. Long Beach Business Journal
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Biskupski keeps Riley as airport boss to pilot $1.8B makeover -- Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski announced Tuesday the reappointment of Maureen Riley as executive director of the Department of Airports, which is in the midst of a $1.8 billion makeover of its international airport. Riley was appointed to the position by former Mayor Rocky Anderson in 2007. Her status has been in the spotlight after other department directors resigned or were let go in the wake of Biskupski's election in November. Christopher Smart/Salt Lake Tribune
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Supervisors weigh expansion plans for Sonoma County's airport -- Sonoma County's airport is busier than ever, with daily flights ferrying hundreds of thousands of passengers annually to destinations up and down the West Coast. But that popularity, officials say, sometimes comes at the expense of passenger satisfaction. On the busiest days, finding a place to park is a challenge and the airport's terminal feels stiflingly crowded. "With the growth we've had from Alaska (Airlines) we're starting to reach capacity," airport manager Jon Stout said. Derek Moore/Santa Rosa Press Democrat
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Lithium batteries could spark 'catastrophic' plane fires, FAA warns -- Lithium ion batteries power our phones, laptops, and cameras -- but if handled improperly, they also have the power to potentially bring down a plane. Following a series of disquieting tests, the FAA today issued a safety alert warning airlines that transporting these batteries as cargo carries the "risk of a catastrophic hull loss." Lithium ion battery fires can lead to a "catastrophic explosion," which fires suppression systems are "incapable of preventing," the FAA said in the alert. Erin Dooley/ABC News
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Dems push for greater labor protections for TSA workers -- Democrats in the House are pushing to give Transportation Security Administration employees labor protections granted to other federal workers. Reps. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) have introduced legislation that would grant TSA workers, who are already unionized, rights that include "collective bargaining, whistleblower protections, and protections against discrimination based on age or handicap." The Hill
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Aviation groups oppose bill limiting flight training for veterans -- AOPA and six other general aviation groups sent a joint letter to House leaders opposing legislation that would make it harder for veterans to pursue aviation careers. The Veterans Employment, Education, and Healthcare Improvement Act (H.R. 3016) would cap flight training tuition and fee benefits at $20,235, a move the Feb. 9 letter warns will "cause immediate and alarming changes to collegiate flight-training degree benefits for our nation's military veterans." Joe Kildea/AOPA
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$500 million in federal funds earmarked for L.A., Orange County transit projects -- The Obama administration has earmarked $500 million for transit projects in Los Angeles and Orange County in the proposed federal budget for next fiscal year, local transportation officials said Tuesday. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority could receive up to $125 million for each of three projects. They include two sections of the Westside subway extension and a connector through downtown Los Angeles that will link the region's light rail lines. Dan Weikel/Los Angeles Times
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L.A. city, county OK homeless plans, but where will the money come from? -- Los Angeles city and county leaders voted unanimously Tuesday to approve plans aimed at reducing homelessness across the region. The City Council approved a plan that includes dozens of strategies, including a citywide system of mobile showers and public restrooms, a city homeless coordinator and investments in housing. But the city still must figure out how to fund those plans, which include more than $1.85 billion in estimated spending on housing over the next decade. Abby Sewell & Emily Alpert Reyes/Los Angeles Times
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How L.A. City Hall's record-keeping could draw legal scrutiny -- Los Angeles City Hall's practice of allowing elected officials to destroy records rather than retain those documents could open up the city to legal challenges, experts said this week. While Los Angeles city departments follow guidelines for preserving records, it doesn't appear that City Council and mayoral offices have followed those same rules, city employees said this week. Dakota Smith/Los Angeles Daily News LA Times Editorial: Tom LaBonge is gone-and so (unfortunately) are his documents
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