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TSA asks Congress to pay for overtime to shorten lines -- An overburdened TSA pleaded with Congress on Wednesday for more money to pay security screeners overtime as an expected surge in summer travel threatens to overwhelm already jam-packed airport lines. Congressional committees considered the request Wednesday, but only the Senate panel approved shifting $34 million from one TSA account to another so it can hire and train 768 new officers and pay overtime for its 42,500 officers to keep up with the summer crush. House counterparts said they would study the proposal. Bart Jansen/USA Today
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Former TSA director weighs in on privatizing airport security -- If you're planning to fly this summer, you'll want to budget hours, not minutes, for getting through TSA. Budget cuts in the government's airport security agency have meant staffing shortages at major airports across the U.S., and lines at TSA checkpoints are getting longer and longer. Some are even suggesting that the TSA be eliminated and that airports be made to contract their own security and set their own policies. What would airport security look like without TSA? Is privatizing airport security a viable option in a post-9/11 world? Would Congress buy in? Larry Mantle/AirTalk/KPCC
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TSA boosts number of security staff, aiming at airport bottlenecks -- Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson says he's "acutely aware" of longer wait times at airports, and now he's boosting staffing at checkpoints, hoping to avoid even longer wait times that had been projected for this summer. The move comes after officials predicted "long waits in epic lines," as NPR's Marilyn Geewax reported in March. And in a video chat Wednesday on NPR's Facebook page, Marilyn explains that airport bottlenecks are due in part to a sharp increase in the number of people traveling. Bill Chapell/NPR
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FAA proposes expanding PFC use for airport rail projects -- FAA has proposed expanding the use of PFCs to support airport rail projects. In a Federal Register notice seeking public comment, the agency noted that the PFC currently supports rail projects that are on airport property only if they are for the exclusive use of airport patrons and employees. The proposed change would expand the funding eligibility to include selected additional elements of airport rail projects meeting certain criteria, even if they are not solely for the exclusive use of airport patrons and employees. Aviation News Today
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U.S. airports respond to Zika virus threat -- With the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro kicking off in just three months and a growing list of countries and territories around the world reporting active mosquito transmission of the Zika virus, U.S. airports are on an informal Zika virus watch. Noting that many Georgia-based companies have worldwide business interests that require frequent travel, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport held a joint press conference last month with the Georgia Department of Health to alert travelers to the risks of the Zika virus. Harriet Baskas/USA Today
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British Airways launches nonstop service between San Jose and London -- History was made at Mineta San Jose International Airport on Wednesday night. British Airways launched nonstop service between San Jose and London - the first of several nonstop international flights to be launched this year. Nonstop service to London has been the number one request for quite some time and now it's finally here. With Beatles music playing in the background, British Airways Flight 279 arrived at Mineta San Jose International. It's the first time an airline has flown nonstop from London to San Jose. Lilian Kim/KGO-TV San Francisco
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Ontario PD sponsors second annual fly-in -- In August 2014, inspired by the professional training sessions at the Airborne Law Enforcement Association's annual conference, members of the Ontario Police Department Air Support Unit decided to make that level of training available locally in the form of a fly-in training symposium. After making a few phone calls, the unit realized that it had a perfect venue for a fly-in event in its own back yard at the Ontario International Airport. Ontario Police Department Press Release
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A brief history of the humble airport cell phone lot -- Cell phone lots are a relatively new airport amenity, and they're a direct result of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York City. Transportation security and airport officials realized the need to keep people in vehicles from idling in and around airport terminals, causing congestion and confusion for police and others who patrol the area. So they came up with the idea to create separate waiting areas. In 2004, West Coast airports, including Los Angeles International and Seattle-Tacoma International were among the first U.S. airports to offer such lots, according to USA Today and other sources. Al Sacco/CIO
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China to invest $11.9 billion in aviation infrastructure in 2016: Xinhua -- China will invest $11.9 billion this year in building aviation infrastructure, the official Xinhua news agency reported late on Wednesday, citing the country's civil aviation regulator. The Civil Aviation Administration of China said the investment, which will focus on airports, will initially lead to 11 key construction projects and 52 aviation-related upgrades to existing facilities, Xinhua reported. Adam Jourdan & Siva Govindasamy/Reuters
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You can buy Cognac at North Korea's airport, but a SIM card? Not so much. -- How many North Koreans does it take to sell a SIM card? It sounds like a bad joke, but the answer Tuesday afternoon at the Pyongyang airport seemed to be four, or maybe five. A dozen or so foreign journalists were queued at a window marked "Currency," having landed on a flight from Beijing about 3:30 p.m. Kim Jong Un's government has invited 130 overseas reporters to the North Korean capital this week for the biggest political gathering the country has seen in 36 years: a Korean Workers' Party Congress. Julie Makinen/Los Angeles Times
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'Veep' star from Chicago tried to show IMDb page to airport security -- It seems there are members of the Transportation Security Administration who don't watch "Veep." Matt Walsh, who plays the White House press secretary on the HBO comedy, said he found himself in a difficult situation recently when he tried to board a plane after forgetting his ID. "I tried to pull up my IMDb page because I have a little bit of celebrity," Walsh, who grew up on the South Side and in Downers Grove, said on Tuesday's episode of "The Late Late Show with James Corden." Tracy Swartz/Chicago Tribune
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Alaska Airlines-Virgin America merger tests what fliers really want -- Does the experience in the air matter most to fliers, or is what airlines do on the ground most important to a good trip? If Alaska Airlines wins government approval to complete its proposed $2.6 billion acquisition of Virgin America, two very different approaches to air travel will be merged. What comes next amounts to a referendum on what travelers value most these days and which amenities they are willing to pay for. Travelers pick airlines based primarily on price, price, price, schedule and frequent-flier loyalty. Scott McCartney/Wall Street Journal
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U.S. airlines experiment with new middle ground between coach and business -- There was a time, long, long ago, when people dressed up in their Sunday finest to fly. And the truly elite sat up front in the Elysian Fields section known as First Class, where the Champagne flowed and the finest meals were served by white-gloved "Stewardesses" and "Stewards." The intense price competition and cost-cutting ignited by deregulation and intense global competition all-but wiped out true first class service in this nation a couple of decades ago. Dan Reed/Forbes
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Southwest enjoys revenue benefits from credit card deal; labour issues force early 737 Classic exit -- Comparing Southwest Airlines' unit revenue trends with the rest of the US industry is difficult due to the benefits the company is enjoying from a new credit card agreement forged in 2015. On a total unit revenue basis, Southwest posted a flat performance in 1Q2016 and expects very modest growth in 2Q2016, which is the last quarter where it will enjoy gains from the credit card deal. CAPA Centre for Aviation
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Allegiant Air nears pilot contract: Did the Teamsters campaign work? -- During the past year, Teamsters Local 1224 has waged an aggressive publicity campaign against Allegiant Air , where it became the bargaining agent in 2012 but has been unable to gain a contract. It drew attention to the slow pace of negotiations, almost pulled off a strike -- which was blocked by a last-minute court ruling -- and called out some questionable safety practices. Until recently, it all seemed for naught. Ted Reed/The Street
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Alaska Air April traffic, capacity increase -- Alaska Air Group Inc. reported Tuesday that on a combined basis, traffic for the month of April increased 11.1 percent to 3.039 billion revenue passenger miles. Capacity grew 10.4 percent to 3.62 billion available seat miles. The company welcomed 2.76 million revenue passengers in April, 8 percent higher than last year. Load factor increased 0.5 points to 84.1 percent. RTT News
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Did I pay too much for that airline ticket? -- Deciding exactly when to buy a plane ticket, and whether it's a "good" price when you do, has thrown up a cottage industry around consumer doubt. Just like in a casino, passengers suspect they are the players and airlines are the house. And we all know who wins that one. No shortage of "experts" will tell you that 11:17 p.m. on Tuesday is the optimal time to shop fares, or that buying 22.7 days before departure yields the best price. Justin Bachman/Bloomberg
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Can a new CEO give shares of this airline industry leader a lift? -- Ed Bastian, former president of Delta Air Lines, slid into the company's left seat on Monday, taking the controls after former Chief Executive Richard Anderson retired. The 58-year-old industry veteran is taking the helm of a strong airline: Delta reported a 34% rise in first-quarter earnings per share, topping consensus estimates. But investors still worry that it could become a struggling stock, as shares are down more than 15% for the year to date. To be sure, there could be turbulence ahead. Chad Fraser/TheStreet
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A decline in airfares may be ending as Delta raises and summer fares gain -- Could the decline in airline fares be coming to an end? In the fourth quarter of 2015, the average domestic air fare fell 8.3% to $363, the lowest since 2010, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics said last week. In general, airline fares have been following fuel prices down, although at a less accelerated pace. But now, higher fares are being signaled by a variety of indicators, including Delta Air Lines' refusal to match a price cut, a survey by airfare prediction app Hopper, and fare trends spotted by Michael Bentley, a partner at consulting firm Revenue Analytics. Ted Reed/The Street Cranky Flier: Delta moves to require roundtrip purchase for lowest fares
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Brazil's Temer could allow foreign control of airlines -adviser -- A Brazilian government led by Vice President Michel Temer would consider allowing foreign owners to acquire a controlling stake in local airlines, one of his closest aides told Reuters on Wednesday. Wellington Moreira Franco, a chief economic adviser for Temer and a former aviation minister, said relaxing the current limits on foreign ownership would help bolster competition in an industry suffering its worst crisis in decades. Reuters
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Listen to the Star Wars theme made with nothing but airline noises -- Japan's All Nippon Airways is already a minor Star Wars legend for its over-the-top airplane decorated to look like R2-D2 crossed with a tube of caulk. Now the airline is celebrating Star Wars Day on May the Fourth with a unique take on the famous theme song used to open the Star Wars movies. There are no orchestra instruments here. The sounds are all from a day's work at All Nippon. Everybody from the aircraft mechanics to the flight attendants to the captains takes part in the celebratory recording. Amanda Kooser/CNET
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U.S., European regulators to study drone risk to commercial aircraft -- U.S. and European air-safety regulators announced on Tuesday their latest initiatives to ramp up assessment of hazards posed by the proliferation of unmanned aircraft, highlighting different approaches on the two sides of the Atlantic. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, which has been moving unusually quickly on various fronts to respond to pent-up demand for commercial uses of small drones, announced the formation of a high-level advisory group with broad industry representation to analyze and promote ways to gradually integrate unmanned aircraft into the national airspace. Robert Wall & Andy Pasztor/Wall Street Journal
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This is what happens when a bird strikes your plane -- When an American Airlines flight hit several birds on takeoff recently at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, creating a dent in the aircraft's nose, passengers may have been alarmed. But for pilots, handling bird strikes is standard procedure. "[Passengers] think a bird strike brings an airplane down," says Jim Colburn, a pilot and director of flight operations at Frontier Airlines. "It's simply not true. You would be amazed what these airplanes can do." Brian Sumers/Conde Nast Traveler
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Marshall Lowe, former Sentinel editor, passes away -- Marshall Lee Lowe, former managing editor of the Los Angeles Sentinel and L.A. Watts Times, passed away in Inglewood on April 15 at the age of 76. Highly regarded for his journalism skills, Lowe wrote news stories, feature articles and opinion pieces for the U.S. Air Force, L.A. Sentinel, L.A. Department of Public Works and Los Angeles World Airports. A long-time resident of the Los Angeles area, Lowe was born in Hope, Arkansas on March 20, 1940. Cora Jackson-Fossett/Los Angeles Sentinel
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