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Long delay in identifying the flight attendant who fled LAX raises security concerns -- After a flight attendant allegedly tried to smuggle 70 pounds of cocaine through Los Angeles International Airport, authorities were unable to identify her until the next day even though her airline crew member's badge had been scanned at a security checkpoint moments before she fled, federal officials said. The information from Marsha Gay Reynolds' scanned badge was accessible only through a national Transportation Security Administration passenger database and could not be retrieved by investigators in Los Angeles after she ran Friday, authorities said. Richard Winton & James Queally/Los Angeles Times
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Santa Monica City Council approves airport leasing policy -- Approving a new leasing policy for the Santa Monica Airport left the council literally speechless Tuesday night. After months waiting and an hour of community input, the City Council unanimously approved a new leasing policy for the Santa Monica Airport without a word of debate or comment at their March 22 meeting. Matthew Hall/Santa Monica Daily Press
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Former Newpport Beach mayor continues as city's aviation consultant -- The Newport Beach City Council has decided to keep a former mayor on the city's payroll as its consultant for keeping tabs and negotiating on possible changes to departure paths from John Wayne Airport. The city has used Tom Edwards as a consultant on issues related to the airport since 2008, negotiating with officials from the Federal Aviation Administration and John Wayne Airport to protect Newport Beach residents as much as possible from the roar of jet engines. Daniel Langhorne/Newport Beach Independent
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Editorial: Does it really matter what we call the Burbank airport? -- The Burbank Hollywood Airport. The Hollywood Burbank Airport. The Burbank Los Angeles Airport. Those are three of the scintillating new names suggested for the place everyone calls (and will probably continue to call) Burbank airport. What's next? The Hollywood Burbank Airport of Los Angeles? The Bob Hope Hollywood Burbank Airport of Los Angeles? Los Angeles Times Editorial Board
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Inland Empire economist touts regional job growth, but wages lag a bit -- Stellar employment growth, expansion of the logistics industry and e-commerce in the Inland Empire, and local control of the Ontario airport are key highlights for the regional economy, Inland Empire economist John Husing said at his annual keynote speech. Speaking at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, Husing on Thursday provided an overview of regional economic trends and challenges to a crowd of business and local leaders at his annual state-of-the-Inland Empire speech: Job growth is impressive, even while wages aren't keeping pace. Neil Nisperos/Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
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LA/Ontario International Airport dazzles International Tour Management Institute Symposium attendees -- The International Tour Management Institute (ITMI) Symposium was recently held in Ontario, California. Attendees included leading domestic and international tour operators, tour directors and guides, meeting planners and travel journalists. "We were surprised to learn that many seasoned tourism professionals were unaware of Ontario's modern, easy to navigate airport," states Ted Bravos, CEO of ITMI. ITMI Press Release
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Committee wants consultant to help in search for new chief of T.F. Green Airport -- The search committee looking for a new head of the state agency that runs T.F. Green Airport began its work Thursday morning, meeting behind closed doors to discuss what qualifications it wants in a consultant who will help guide the search. Jonathan N. Savage, chairman of the Rhode Island Airport Corporation board and of the search committee, said the committee expects to interview consultant candidates when it meets April 11. Paul Edward Parker/Providence Journal
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LAAPOA: Securing perimeter fence is essential to airport security -- Airport perimeter breaches have become all too commonplace. According to a news investigation published in April of 2015, at the time, there had been 24 perimeter breaches at LAX since 2004. LAX has seen more perimeter breaches in the past three years than any other three year span in recent history. For example, a mentally ill man scaled the perimeter fence eight times between April 2012 and March 2013 and in two of those instances he was able to reach stairs that led to jets. Government Security News
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Airport terror: Increase security net? -- Two terrorist bombings inside Brussels' airport terminal Tuesday is prompting talk of moving security checkpoints outside such buildings in the United States. But security and law enforcement experts in San Diego and elsewhere said any such change would not necessarily increase safety or deter terrorism. "You wouldn't have the personnel to do that," San Diego Harbor Police Lt. John Forsythe said Wednesday. "The cost would be astronomical." Roger Showley/San Diego Union-Tribune
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Denver airport: Arrive early after first closure in a decade -- Denver International Airport was trying to get back on track Thursday after a fierce blizzard forced the airport to close for the first time in a decade on Wednesday. More than 1,340 flights were canceled there Wednesday, a figure that represented about 80% of the entire day's schedule, according to flight-tracking service FlightAware. The airport resumed operations on two of its six runways on Wednesday at around 7 p.m. local time, though most evening flights had already been canceled. Ben Mutzabaugh/USA Today Video: United Airlines pilot negotiates howling winds in harrowing landing
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Port Authority pledges billions for airport upgrades and new bus terminal -- The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey voted on Thursday to spend tens of billions of dollars on transforming La Guardia Airport, enhancing Newark Liberty International Airport and building a new central bus terminal in Midtown Manhattan. "What you witnessed today is the most important board meeting in Port Authority history," said Patrick J. Foye, the authority's executive director. Mr. Foye said he thought it represented "the single largest allocation of capital" by the authority in one day. Marc Santora/New York Times
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| Brussels Terrorist Attack |
Hard realities about 'soft targets' for business travelers -- The only surprise about the attacks in Brussels on Tuesday is that some supposed "experts" were surprised terrorists targeted the airport's public areas and the city's mass-transit system. If you watched television coverage in the hours after the bombing of a check-in area at Brussels Zaventem Airport and the Maelbeek Metro Station under some of Europe's most important government buildings, you'd think terrorists had invented a clever and devious new method of wreaking havoc on civilized society. Joe Brancatelli/Chicago Business Journal
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Brussels Airport to remain closed through Friday; U.S. issues travel alerts after attacks -- Brussels Airport will remain closed at least through Friday after deadly terrorist attacks in which two bombs exploded in the airport's departures hall. The Islamic State claimed credit for Tuesday's attacks that killed more than 30 people and injured more than 260 in bombings at the airport and at a metro stop in the Belgian city. The airport closure in Brussels comes during one of the busiest travel times throughout Europe. Mary Forgione/Los Angeles Times
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New video of Brussels airport terror attack aftermath -- New video of the Brussels airport terror attack from a taxi driver searching for his son among the dead and wounded. CNN's John Berman reports. CNN
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Terrorism against transportation in Belgium, Western Europe not new, study finds -- More than 140 terrorist attacks took place in Belgium between 1970 and 2014, causing more than 40 deaths and 230 injuries, while more than 7,400 terrorist attacks worldwide between 1970 and 2014 targeted some form of transportation, including airports and aircraft, representing 5.3 percent of all attacks. That's according to a new analysis of the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism's Global Terrorism Database. Anthony Kimery/Homeland Security Today
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American Airlines' tech ops focus for 2016 -- American Airlines is focused on fleet modernization and improving operational reliability. It expects to receive 90 new aircraft this year-in addition to the 215 since 2014. About 60 MD-80s are being retired. American also is investing $3 billion in the customer experience-including lie-flat seats, international Wi-Fi, inflight entertainment, in-seat power outlets, dining options and renovated lounges. Lee Ann Shay/Aviation Week
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American Airlines, Apple, NBA denounce NC law ending LGBT protections -- From American Airlines to Lowe's, and from Apple to Google, big companies pushed back Thursday against North Carolina's new law invalidating Charlotte's protections for LGBT individuals. Sports organizations also said they're weighing the new legislation, signed Wednesday by Gov. Pat McCrory, as they schedule events in the state. Katherine Peralta & Rick Rothacker/Charlotte Observer
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Virgin America's on-time departure -- Virgin America's IPO was opportune. Selling now would continue that streak of good timing. The $1.5 billion U.S. airline backed by billionaire Richard Branson is working with an adviser to evaluate a full or partial sale after receiving takeover interest, Bloomberg News reported Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. It would be a quick turnaround for a company that went public less than 18 months ago. Brooke Sutherland/Bloomberg
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The best perk at America's best employers is the one you don't see -- America's best employers don't create jobs; they make meaning and that's why these companies have the happiest and most engaged employees in the country. At a recent dinner party a pilot for Southwest Airlines (#13 on the Forbes list of America's Best Employers 2016) turned to me and excitedly showed me an email from CEO Gary Kelly. Kelly addressed the email to the pilot and copied about five other people, including the pilot's boss. Carmine Gallo/Forbes
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Watch: United Airlines pilot negotiates howling winds in harrowing landing -- The same storm that dumped over a foot of snow in Denver and shut down Denver International Airport Wednesday, stirred up rip-roaring winds in the Southern Plains. These winds, gusting to 40-50 mph in Oklahoma City, created quite the adventure for a United Airlines Express flight landing at Will Rogers World Airport. Video captured by TV affiliate KFOR's helicopter, initially shows the plane cruising along during its descent. Jason Samenow/Washington Post
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Houston pilot accused of running brothels -- A United Airlines pilot has been arrested and accused of running a string of brothels in apartment complexes and office buildings throughout Houston. Bruce Wayne Wallis, 51, was charged with aggravated promotion of prostitution and engaging in criminal activity in what officials said included about a half-dozen brothels in Galleria-area apartments and northwest Houston office buildings with six to 10 women.
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Texan gets 7 years for Craigslist airline jobs ID scam -- A North Texas man must serve seven years in prison for running a Craigslist airlines jobs scam and stealing personal information from applicants. Phillip Sean Anthony of Grand Prairie was sentenced Wednesday in Dallas. Anthony last June pleaded guilty to mail fraud and to aggravated identity theft. He must also make $200,000 in restitution. Prosecutors say Anthony in 2008 and 2009 placed bogus advertisements on Craigslist seeking customer service and reservations agents for United Airlines, JetBlue Airways and AirTran Airways. AP
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Number of airline passengers hit all-time high in 2015 -- More passengers flew on airlines in the United States last year than ever before, according to the latest statistics from the Department of Transportation (DOT). U.S. and foreign airlines that service the U.S. carried an all-time high of 895.5 million domestic and international passengers in 2015, up 5 percent from the previous year, according to DOT's Bureau of Transportation Statistics. The previous all-time high was 853.1 million passengers in 2014. Melanie Zanona/The Hill
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Air Hollywood: A TV and movie set for airplanes -- My readers probably have high standards for how airplanes should look in television and movies. You probably cringe when you see a shot that doesn't match real life, like a Boeing 737 with 10 seats across. But many of the airplane scenes in TV and movies are reasonably accurate. And for that, we can thank a Los Angeles-area company called Air Hollywood, which specializes exclusively in airplane-themed sets. Brian Sumers/BrianSumers.com
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Chinese hacking conspirator guilty: Tried to steal Boeing military info -- A Chinese national pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiring to hack the computers of the Boeing Co. in order to steal military trade secrets involving the C-17 military cargo transport and send the information to China. Su Bin - who also used the names Stephen Su, Stephen Subin and Steven Subin - entered his plea to a federal charge of conspiracy to unlawfully access computers in the United States. My News LA
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Port of L.A. helped pay for cleaner China Shipping vessels--which later stopped docking in L.A. -- The Port of Los Angeles paid a Chinese government-owned shipping company $5 million in 2005 to equip cargo vessels to plug into electric shore power while at dock to keep their massive diesel engines from polluting neighborhoods near the harbor. The company, China Shipping, used the money to upgrade 17 ships, but the city didn't get all the promised environmental benefits. Jack Dolan & Tony Barboza/Los Angeles Times
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Advocates and county residents ask for changes to Metro's $120-billion transit plan -- Los Angeles County residents on Thursday had their first chance to address transportation officials about their ambitious, $120-billion plan to raise taxes and dramatically expand mass transit in the region. Much of the two hours of public testimony at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's downtown headquarters focused on how quickly the agency could build and open major projects if the tax proposal were approved. Laura J. Nelson/Los Angeles Times
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High-speed rail support hovers above majority, but possible detours loom -- There's been little positive buzz of late about California's high-speed rail system. Gov. Jerry Brown, among its biggest boosters, seldom brings up the ambitious and expensive infrastructure project. And the first declared candidate running to succeed Brown in 2018, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, said two years ago he favors redirecting voter-approved rail money toward other, more pressing undertakings. Christopher Cadelago/Sacramento Bee
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Antonio Villaraigosa getting married again -- Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who is widely expected to run for governor in 2018, said Thursday he is getting married again. Villaraigosa faced scrutiny while in office for an extramarital affair with a television reporter that led to the breakup of his marriage in 2007. The 63-year-old Democrat is expected to join a wide-open race to succeed Gov. Jerry Brown in 2018. David Siders/Sacramento Bee @Villaraigosa Tweet Anita Bennett/Los Angeles Daily News
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In observance of Cesar Chavez Day (observed),
Eye on L.A. Aviation will not be published on Monday. The next edition will be Tuesday, March 29.
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