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 A preview of Southwest's remodeled terminal in Los Angeles which begins opening Thursday -- If you've flown through LAX on Southwest in the last couple of years, you know what a nightmare it's been. There's a ton of construction which has snarled the roadway, closed many concessions, and taken away precious seating space. There is now finally some good news. Southwest took me behind the walls to see the new ticketing area which opens on Thursday morning. While we were there, I was given access all around the rest of the project so I could get a feel for what it's actually going to look like when it's completely done on Memorial Day, 2018. The airline is doing some great things with the limited space it has available. Brett Snyder/The Cranky Flier |
Delta, growing in L.A., could spend $1 billion plus at LAX, source says -- Among all the enhancements that Delta has made since its 2008 merger with Northwest, perhaps the most dramatic has been its expansion in New York, which has included building two hubs, spending more than $2 billion to expand airport facilities, and forging links with institutions including both the Mets and the Yankees. Now Delta wants to repeat the transformation in Los Angeles, another major travel market with both daunting logistical challenges and compelling financial potential. Ted Reed/The Street
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Delta renews AEG Partnership -- Delta Air Lines is deepening its ties to L.A.'s sports and entertainment community with a new six-year, multi-platform agreement with Downtown L.A. sports and entertainment presenters Anschutz Entertainment Group, the airline announced last week. Through the extended commitment, Delta would remain the official and exclusive airline of Staples Center, as well as the exclusive airline and exclusive charter partner of the LA Kings hockey franchise. Elyse Glickman/Los Angeles Business Journal
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The digital dirt -- How TMZ gets the videos and photos that celebrities want to hide: At least one employee of Delta Airlines supplies TMZ with the names and itineraries of celebrity passengers travelling through Los Angeles and New York. In an e-mail dated January 29, 2014, a TMZ manager informed her colleagues that the star of an ABC drama had been spotted sitting in first class, in seat 2A, on Delta Flight 1061, from Orlando to Los Angeles, when his plane was rerouted to Dallas-the result of a bomb threat issued on Twitter. Such information helps TMZ's crew of a dozen or so paparazzi know when and where to "drop in on" a celebrity who is transiting through an airport. Nicholas Schmidle/The New Yorker
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Sichuan Airlines plans Chengdu-Jinan-Los Angeles flight -- Sichuan Airlines is waiting government approval to launch a new round-trip service linking Chengdu with Los Angeles from June 2016, with a stopover at Jinan, according to a notice released on the CAAC's website. Pending government approval, the Chengdu-based carrier will operate the Chengdu-Jinan-Los Angles service three times weekly, using Airbus A330 aircraft. Michelangelo Ji/China Aviation Daily
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American Airlines begins service from L.A. to Tokyo's Haneda Airport -- After a year-long tussle over the route with Delta Air Lines, American Airlines launched its first flight from Los Angeles to Tokyo's Haneda International Airport Thursday night. The route, flown using a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, departed Los Angeles International Airport at 6 p.m. local time and will continue on a once-per-day schedule. American Airlines secured the rights to fly into Haneda Airport last summer when Delta gave up it's Seattle to Haneda route after the company determined it wasn't commercially feasible to provide daily service year-round. Conor Shine/Dallas Morning News
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Long Beach City Council to consider tax measure, airport plan -- Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia's new proposal to put forth a ballot measure that raise sales taxes as a means to increase police and fire staffing and pay for new infrastructure is scheduled to go before the City Council on Tuesday. The potential ballot measure may be placed before city voters on the June 7 ballot. Tuesday's agenda also includes a proposal to begin work on a master plan for Long Beach Airport. Andrew Edwards/Long Beach Press-Telegram
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Virgin America now offers year-round flights to Palm Springs -- Officials with Virgin America airlines announced Friday that the company is expanding its low-fare seasonal service from San Francisco to Palm Springs to a year-round schedule. Virgin America first launched its nonstop service to Palm Springs in 2011 from San Francisco International Airport and added service to John F. Kennedy International Airport the following year, according to the release. Patrick Edgell/KESQ
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Man runs onto runway at John Wayne Airport, found hiding in helicopter -- A 35-year-old man was arrested Monday after running from police and hiding in a helicopter at John Wayne Airport. Newport Beach police were called around 3:40 p.m. about a man needing medical attention in the 19700 block of Campus Drive, which is just outside of the airport, said sheriff's Lt. John Roche. When officers arrived, the man, James Carroll, got up and jumped over a fence and onto the runway, Roche said. Officers chased after him. Carroll was found minutes later in an unlocked private helicopter. Louis Casiano Jr/Orange County Register
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Newport Beach OKs study of alternative takeoff patterns at John Wayne Airport -- Could a curving takeoff out of Orange County's John Wayne Airport mean greater peace and quiet for residents below? Newport Beach officials want to study the idea amid fears that new flight plans proposed by the Federal Aviation Administration could further concentrate air traffic over noise-plagued neighborhoods during peak hours. City Manager Dave Kiff won approval from the City Council last week to work with airport officials and the FAA to consider an alternative departure pattern that would match the contours of Newport Bay, keeping planes over more open water and lessening noise. Hannah Fry/Los Angeles Times
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From John Wayne to cattle drive, Robert Summers has created it all -- If ever afforded the opportunity to meet Robert Summers, prepare to be in awe of the many stories he has to tell. But that is what happens when you meet a world-renowned artist and sculptor. Not often are you privileged to hear the tales that go into creating a masterpiece, but, during a recent meeting, Summers recounted the stories of two of his most notable works - the John Wayne Monument at the John Wayne Airport in Orange County and the Trail Drive at Pioneer Plaza in downtown Dallas. Melissa Holmes/Glen Rose Reporter
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Air Show coming back to SBD -- The popular air show at San Bernardino International Airport that drew some 10,000 guests last fall will be doing a repeat performance this fall. So says Mike Burrows, executive director of San Bernardino International Airport (SBD). Speaking to a crowd at the monthly Coffee Klatch at the Highland Senior Center, Burrows said that with brief planning and a lot of help, the airport hosted a very popular and successful show last fall with aerobatics, a car show and a country music show that delighted not only the paying customers but thousands who watched the air show from outside the airport. Highland Community News
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Port to move forward with $6.2 billion in airport projects -- The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey plans to move forward next week with two major, long-delayed projects to replace terminal buildings at airports in both states. The agency's board will vote to authorize a $3.93 billion project to make LaGuardia Airport more palatable to travelers by replacing the often-mocked Central Terminal Building and constructing a grand entry hall - a component that was added to the project after Gov. Andrew Cuomo intervened and called for a more ambitious plan. Ryan Hutchins & Dana Rubintstein/Politico
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Small airlines to O'Hare brass: What about us? -- Not everyone is thrilled with Chicago's $1.30 billion plan to build a new runway, de-icing center and airfield taxiway at O'Hare International Airport. Just ask David Cush. Cush, chief executive of Virgin America, says the project fails to fix his main beef about O'Hare: the lack of gates for carriers other than United Airlines and American Airlines, the airfield's dominant players. Smaller airlines such as Virgin, as well as JetBlue Airways, Spirit Airlines and Frontier Airlines, will remain "frozen out of growing in Chicago for a number of years" despite the airport expansion, Cush says. Micah Maidenberg/Crain's Chicago Business
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Winter storm targets US East Coast, over 1,500 flights cancelled -- An expansive winter storm bore down on the US East Coast on Monday, scuttling almost 1,600 flights, while tornadoes downed trees and flattened homes in the South, trapping some residents in their dwellings. From 2 to 4 inches of snow blanketed Washington by nightfall, with less accumulation forecast for New York City. National Weather Service meteorologist Patrick Burke said the snow would turn into freezing rain and then rain amid rising temperatures. Reuters
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American Airlines sues Gogo, may change in-flight Internet service -- American Airlines may be switching Internet providers for its in-flight Internet. The Fort Worth-based company filed a lawsuit in district court in Tarrant County on Friday against Gogo, its current Internet provider for in-flight Wi-Fi, saying it has notified Gogo it has found a faster Internet service. In the suit, American says its contract with Gogo allows it to renegotiate or terminate its agreement if another company other than Gogo offers a better service. Andre Ahles/Fort Worth Star-Telegram
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Airlines make it too hard to file a complaint, lawmaker says -- Air travelers may be more upset about airline service than we know. More than 56 million people flew on U.S. commercial flights in November and only 1,300 filed complaints with the federal government. That's a rate of one complaint for every 43,000 passengers. That rate may be hard to believe, given the shrinking of airline seats and the expansion of passenger fees over the last few years. Rep. Janice Hahn (D-Los Angeles) believes that the number of complaints are relatively low because airlines have made it too hard to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Transportation. Hugo Martin/Los Angeles Times
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Civil aviation accord with Cuba to be signed Tuesday, setting off stampede for routes -- The United States and Cuba will sign a civil aviation agreement in Havana on Tuesday, opening the door for U.S. airlines to begin offering scheduled service between the two countries for the first time since the early 1960s. Beginning Tuesday, commercial passenger and cargo airlines will have a 15-day window to submit applications to serve Havana and nine other Cuban cities with international airports. Charter flights, which have been the only way to fly to Cuba for decades, will continue. Mimi Whitefield/Miami Herald
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Proposal to extend DCA's 'perimeter rule' withdrawn -- Several hot-button aviation topics surfaced at a Thursday meeting of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in Washington. There was a proposal to ban e-cigarettes from commercial airplanes. And a discussion about whether Congress should regulate airline seat sizes. There also was a proposal to overturn a DOT consumer protection rule that would allow airlines to exclude taxes from advertised base fares. Ben Mutzabaugh/USA Today
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Delta Air Lines is giving its employees a $1.5 billion reward -- Delta Air Lines announced on Friday that its 80,000 employees will receive $1.5 billion in profit-sharing. According to the airline, this is the largest amount ever paid out in the history of profit-sharing programs. For Delta's employees, individuals will receive the equivalent of 21% of their annual compensation. "We are often asked what makes Delta different," Delta CEO Richard Anderson and President Ed Bastian said in a memo to employees. Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider
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Employees, consumers seeing benefits from big airline profits -- The price of jet fuel is at its lowest point since 2003, and airlines are raking in record profits. So where is all the money going? Are consumers and investors seeing part of the windfall from cheap fuel? To be sure, some of the savings have resulted in cheaper airfares, which on average declined nationwide by 6 percent in the third quarter, according to government data released last week. Andrea Ahles/Fort Worth Star-Telegram
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Airlines in Southeast Asia may defer plane deliveries, IATA says -- Airlines in Southeast Asia may need to push back delivery of aircraft after a decade of economic growth and optimism about a surge in air travel prompted them to order hundreds of jets from Airbus Group SE and Boeing Co. Carriers in the region that includes Indonesia and Malaysia are now confronted with challenges such as overcapacity and intense competition, Tony Tyler, chief executive officer of the International Air Transport Association, said in Singapore Sunday ahead of Asia's biggest airshow. Kyunghee Park & Anurag Kotoky/Bloomberg Business
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Malaysia Airlines says delays Airbus A380 sale for two years at least -- Feb 15 Malaysia Airlines (MAS) has delayed plans to sell some of its Airbus A380 jumbo jets, and will now keep all six of them at least until 2018 after retiring its fleet of Boeing 777s, its chief executive told Reuters. The Kuala Lumpur-based carrier has tried to unsuccessfully sell the planes for the last year to cut costs as part of a restructuring plan which also saw it withdraw from several long-haul European routes. Reuters
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Win a Hollywood A-List trip to New York! -- American Airlines and KTLA 5 want to give you a Hollywood "A-List" getaway! Watch the KTLA 5 Morning News all this week between 6:30am and 9:30am for two code words, then come to this page (http://ktla.com/aa) and complete and submit the form for your chance to win. The winner will receive 250,000 American Airlines AAdvantage� miles redeemable for 2 round-trip Business Class tickets to New York, two nights at Four Seasons Hotel New York in a City-View room, two tickets to a Broadway show playing at any Shubert Organization theatre, and a $1,000 gift card for dining and other expenses. KTLA
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Air Canada dropping New York JFK from its route map -- Air Canada will end service to New York JFK this April. The airline's last flights from the airport will be April 3. Air Canada currently flies to New York JFK from its hub at Toronto Pearson, offering two daily Air Canada Express flights between the cities. Air Canada's decision to exit JFK was first reported by the aptly named Airline Route blog. Air Canada spokesman John Reber confirmed the news to Today in the Sky on Monday. Ben Mutzabaugh/USA Today
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United Airlines celebrates 30 since taking over Pan Am's Asia routes -- United Airlines has more flights across the Pacific than any other airline. But did you know that as recently as 30 years ago, it had almost no Asia routes? Today, with the major exception of China, U.S. airlines can fly just about anywhere they want in Asia with limited or no government interference. But in the 1980s, access was much more tightly controlled, and United had to buy its way in. Brian Sumers/BrianSumers.com
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TSA PreCheck a boon for business travelers -- A quicker pass through airport security makes the entire flight experience a little more pleasant, according to a recent survey by the Global Business Travel Association. The poll found that among those enrolled in the Transportation Security Administration's PreCheck program, which expedites screening, 66% said that they were satisfied with their treks through airport security. That's compared with the 47% of business travelers who were not PreCheck members. Charisse Jones/USA Today
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U.S. Customs expands Global Entry to Germans -- Travelers from Germany will be able to join the Global Entry program for trusted travelers, Customs and Border Protection announced Friday. The move represents another expansion of the program for U.S. and foreign travelers from specific countries, according to a statement from Todd Owen, assistant commissioner for field operations, that will be published Tuesday in the Federal Register. Participants pay a fee to join Global Entry and provide extra information about themselves in exchange for faster entry at U.S. ports. Bart Jansen/USA Today
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How global air travel can reach new heights -- Policymakers and industry experts are busy swapping ideas at this year's annual aviation trade show in Singapore, with some telling CNBC that cooperation and partnerships could lead to further growth in the sector. Violeta Bulc, the transport commissioner for the European Union, told CNBC on the fringes of the Singapore Airshow Aviation Leadership Summit, that a lot of "time and effort" had been dedicated to coming up with a "very comprehensive aviation strategy." Saheli Roy Choudhury/CNBC
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Global aviation had fewer fatal accidents in 'extraordinarily safe' 2015 - IATA -- The number of air accidents and resulting fatalities dropped in 2015 from the previous year, and was well below the five-year average, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said on Monday, making 2015 "an extraordinarily safe year". Some 68 accidents occurred last year, compared with 77 in 2014 and an annual average of 90 over the last five years, according to IATA's latest annual report on aviation safety. Of 2015's accidents, four were fatal, versus 12 a year earlier. Reuters
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High-speed rail on fast track to Bay Area -- High-speed trains would roll into the Bay Area from the Central Valley years before they start going to Los Angeles, under a dramatic strategy change that the state is on the verge of approving. One big reason: The Caltrain commute line between Gilroy and San Francisco is poised to get an early infusion of cash to help pay for its $1.7 billion conversion to electric power. That conversion is essential for high-speed rail. Matier & Ross/San Francisco Chronicle
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