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Two months after a heart transplant, airline wants him back at work -- or else -- If you had to undergo a heart transplant, chances are you'd be in no hurry to get back to work - if a return was even possible. Now consider the situation of Oscar Munoz, chief executive of United Airlines. The carrier proudly announced this week that he'll be back on the job Monday, just two months after having a new heart sewn into his chest. United made it seem like Munoz's comeback is some kind of medical marvel, and maybe it is. But a regulatory filing submitted by the company the day after Munoz's surgery made clear that the airline may not be as magnanimous as all that. David Lazarus/Los Angeles Times
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United pilots throw their support behind airline in board dispute -- The union representing United's pilots threw their support behind the airline Thursday, criticizing the attempt by two activist investors to reshape the carrier's board with their own slate of directors. In saying they are standing with the airline, the pilots joined with the carrier's flight attendants, who have also criticized the move by two hedge funds that own 7.1% of United Continental's shares to take control of the board with six of their own nominees. Charisse Jones/USA Today
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United gets self-destructive with board intrigue -- Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition and no business traveler expected the ludicrous fish-slapping dance that erupted this week in the boardroom of United Continental Holdings, parent company of infuriatingly incompetent United Airlines. Not even me, the guy who called United the worst airline ever, not once, but twice. I could lard this column with dozens more references to "The Simpsons" and "Monty Python" and it still wouldn't cover the idiotic and self-destructive developments this week at United, which continues to lag the airline industry in almost all financial, operational and consumer-satisfaction measures. Joe Brancatelli/The Business Journals
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Gordon Bethune is a star but he's not what United Airlines needs -- Nearly everybody likes Gordon Bethune. That doesn't mean he's the right guy to become chairman of United Continental. Hedge funds Altimeter Capital and PAR Capital, which hold 7% of United stock, said Tuesday they want seats on the United board, want Bethune to be chairman and want to turn United around. Reality check: United already is turning around, or at least seems to be. Ted Reed/The Street
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Passengers brawling on Spirit Airlines flight caught on camera -- Five women were involved in a brawl aboard a Spirit Airlines flight over a loud boom box, authorities say. Spirit Airlines Flight 141 was headed to Los Angeles International Airport from Baltimore, Maryland, Wednesday morning when the fight broke out prior to landing, an airline spokesman said. Two female passengers, who appeared to be intoxicated, began playing loud music from a boom box, Spirit Airlines spokesman Paul Berry said. NBC4
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A short history of people behaving badly on airplanes -- There seems to be no shortage of airline passengers behaving badly despite a continuing decline in the number of commercial flight disruptions in recent years. Thank social media for shaming passengers into minding their manners and persuading flight attendants to avoid embarrassing confrontations. We've collected a few of the most outrageous incidents. Los Angeles Times
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Long Beach Airport voted USA TODAY's 2016 10Best Airport for Dining -- Our delightful Long Beach Airport took the cake for USA Today's 10Best category, Best Airport for Dining, beating out Denver International Airport and Toronto Pearson International Airport, the two airports that took second and third place. "With an exceptionally designed terminal facility and a team which collectively delivers remarkable customer service, Long Beach Airport is honored to receive this recognition from USA Today, 10Best.com and Airport Revenue News," stated LGB Director Bryant L. Francis. Asia Morris/Long Beach Post View All Winners
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San Diego Airport restaurant named No. 1 for atmosphere -- San Diego's staple southern spot, Phil's BBQ, grabbed the No. 1 spot in a list of USA Today's 10 Best Airport Bars and Restaurants for Atmosphere. Not that we're surprised. The well-known eatery has boasted spots in many rankings and is a local favorite, with several locations in addition to San Diego International Airport. The ranking takes into account atmosphere, design and "layouts to promote relaxation." Laura McVicker/NBC San Diego
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Hartsfield-Jackson to begin $6 billion expansion plan -- Hartsfield-Jackson International will soon start work on a $6 billion expansion and makeover that will update the domestic terminal and concourses, introduce new features like a hotel and eventually add another concourse and runway to the world's busiest airport. It's part of a 20-year plan aimed at maintaining Hartsfield-Jackson's status as a leading airport, replacing aging facilities and enabling growth. It won't be easy on travelers. Kelly Yamanouchi/Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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For 1,000 savvy spring break passengers, D/FW Airport offers free parking -- D/FW Airport is giving out a week of free parking to 1,000 lucky spring break travelers Monday, but you'll have to get there early to snag the prize. The airport's parking giveaway starts at 5 a.m. Monday. When the airport ran a similar promotion this week, the 1,000 free passes were gone by 8 a.m. The stretch from March 3 to March 21 is one of the busiest times of the year for Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, with an estimated 3 million travelers expected to pass through. Conor Shine/Dallas Morning News
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Berlin's new airport potentially hit by yet another delay -- The local "Tagesspiegel" newspaper reported Thursday that the city's construction authority has demanded additional changes to an ongoing planning permit process for the smoke extraction system, a problem which has plagued the airport since at least 2011, when the second opening date was pushed back. The construction authority said planning permission would certainly be needed for the latest alterations to the system. Deutsche Welle
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Struggling airline startup says it is close to takeoff -- After six years and millions of dollars, a North County airline startup says it is as little as four months away from opening but airport operators say it could take longer. California Pacific Airlines, which first filed for approval in 2010, said Wednesday that its Carlsbad-based airline could begin flights in four months. The business has been beset by delays because of a rejected application and other issues with the Federal Aviation Administration. Phillip Molnar/San Diego Union-Tribune
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Emirates Airline boss sees lack of clarity at Airbus over A380 plans -- Airbus Group SE's decision not to commit to upgrading the A380 superjumbo was criticized by Emirates Airline President Tim Clark on Thursday, in a sign that the biggest buyer of long-range planes is growing frustrated with the European plane maker. Emirates Airline, the world's largest by international traffic, has been pushing Airbus to build an upgrade of the A380 with new engines. Robert Wall/Wall Street Journal
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United Airlines and Air NZ make revenue-sharing deal amidst NZ tourism boom -- United Airlines and Air New Zealand have struck a revenue-sharing agreement, the companies said on Friday, as airlines boost flights to New Zealand's fast-growing tourism market. The agreement is set to come into force in July and would see the airlines coordinate sales and marketing to offer more flight options and better schedules on trans-Pacific routes, the companies said in a statement. Charlotte Greenfield/Reuters
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Qatar Airways announces new world's longest flight -- Qatar Airways formally announced plans for nonstop service between Doha, Qatar, and Auckland, New Zealand. The route would become the world's longest when it launches Dec. 3, based on current schedules. Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker has previously suggested Qatar Airways might pick up the route, though the airline did not officially move to add the flight until Wednesday's announcement. Ben Mutzabaugh/USA Today
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Video shows spectacular eclipse footage from Alaska Airlines flight -- Sometimes the best in-flight entertainment isn't on the seatback screen in front of you, but rather the view out the window while you're flying more than 6 miles above the Earth's surface. And sometimes that view can even extend to exciting events in outer space. On Tuesday, passengers on a midday flight from Anchorage to Honolulu crossed paths with a solar eclipse. Tom Brant/PC Magazine
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U.S. airlines set records for passenger traffic in 2015 -- The U.S. airline industry, already reaping huge profits from a steep drop in fuel costs, is setting records for passenger traffic. For all of 2015, the nation's air carriers broke records for the number of passengers carried (798.4 million), the percentage of filled seats (83.8%) and the total miles traveled with paying customers (902.4 billion), according to data released Thursday by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Hugo Martin/Los Angeles Times
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Bill would standardize the way airlines disclose fees -- The government would standardize the way airlines disclose fees for basic services like checked bags, seat assignments and ticket changes so that passengers can more easily comparison-shop the full cost of flights under a bipartisan Senate bill introduced Wednesday. The proposal is part of an airline policy bill sponsored by Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, and Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., the committee's senior Democrat. Joan Lowy/AP
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NASA's bug repellent aims to save airlines millions in fuel cost -- The next frontier of aircraft design is taming bug splats. NASA scientists are patenting substances that act like non-stick cookware, blocking dead insects from adhering to surfaces so air flows more smoothly over the wings and fuselage. The new coatings could solve one of aviation's oldest problems: how to take advantage of a super-smooth flow of air called "laminar flow" that dramatically reduces drag and improves fuel efficiency. Alan Levin/Bloomberg Business
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JetBlue announces major expansion, new route to New Orleans -- JetBlue Airways Corp. will increase its presence at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport to a daily average of 140 flights in wintertime, the low-cost carrier announced this week. The ongoing expansion at the South Florida airport is expected to create 75 percent growth for the New York-based airline compared to its current size in coming years. Emon Reiser/South Florida Business Journal
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US-Cuba Air services Part 2: LCCs and ULCCs rightfully argue for equal access for new services -- Low cost and ultra-low fare airlines are joining large global network airlines in the race to gain a set number of frequencies from the US to Cuba, made available through a new bilateral that allows for commercial flights to resume between the two countries, for the first time in more than 50 years. JetBlue and Spirit are touting their respective strong positions in the South Florida market, which is home to the largest Cuban American population in the US. CAPA Centre for Aviation
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Appellate court hands L.A. a legal victory on digital billboards -- A three-judge panel handed a major defeat Thursday to an advertising company that had sought to invalidate the city's prohibition on new digital billboards in Los Angeles. Baton Rouge, La.-based Lamar Central Outdoor had challenged the city's 2002 sign ordinance, which bars new billboards from being approved outside of designated sign districts. The law also prohibits existing billboards from being converted to digital formats. David Zahniser/Los Angeles Times
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