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Airline trade group forecasts record U.S. carrier passenger numbers this summer -- An estimated 231.1 million passengers are expected to fly on U.S. airlines between June 1 and Aug. 31, a 4% increase from the previous high set last summer, according to Airlines for America, the leading trade group. With U.S. fliers increasingly caught in long lines before undergoing security screening at airports-and sometimes missing their flights-the trade group called on the Transportation Security Administration to quickly hire and train new staffers to alleviate the screening delays that started appearing earlier this year. Susan Carey/Wall Street Journal
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Revamped LAX awaits Kiwis -- Los Angeles Airport is promising an improved experience for passengers as it finishes a series of projects in a multi-billion dollar upgrade. Over a 15-year period starting in 2008, the Los Angeles City-owned having US$14 billion spent on renovation and rebuilding. Chief operating officer Samson Mengistu, in Auckland for the Tripartite Economic Summit, said there hadn't been major work at LAX since the mid-1980s. Grant Bradley/New Zealand Herald
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Easter blamed for a slower than anticipated March at Hollywood Burbank Airport -- The Easter holiday's falling in March this year may have contributed to a smaller than projected uptick in passengers and a decrease in parking revenue that month at Bob Hope Airport, which is now being called Hollywood Burbank Airport as part of a new branding campaign. The airfield saw 338,334 passengers go through its two terminals in March, just 902 more than in 2015, but 6,859 fewer than what officials had anticipated. It is the first month this year that the airport did not meet or exceed its budget projections for passengers. Anthony Clark/Burbank Leader
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Air Horse One: Nyquist flies in style -- In the four days after the May 7 Kentucky Derby alone, the Tex Sutton plane flew from Louisville to L.A./Ontario International Airport and back; to Long Island and back; to Baltimore then Ocala, Fla., and back to Louisville; and to L.A./Ontario again, but the return trip to Lexington had to be diverted for three hours to Indianapolis because of bad weather in Kentucky. Gene Menez/Sports on Earth
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Fallen hero cart stops in Victorville -- With nearly 70 motorcycle riding escorts, the Fallen Hero Cart made a stop at the Harley Davidson located at 14522 Valley Center Drive in Victorville Monday afternoon. The cart was scheduled to arrive at around 12:30 p.m. for an approximately 1-hour long stay in Victorville before driving the final 40-mile stretch of the nearly 1,200 mile road trip from Seattle's SeaTac Airport to the Ontario International Airport. Christie Martin/Victorville News
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The FAA is borrowing the FBI's drone detector to help protect airports -- Flying a drone in the vicinity of an airport is obviously a terrible idea, but apparently not obvious enough. Citing numerous reports from pilots and residents about unmanned aerial systems drifting dangerously close to commercial air space, the Federal Aviation Administration is taking action to help keep airports safe -- namely by testing the FBI's drone detection system at JFK International Airport in New York City. Ry Crist/CNET
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Chicago aldermen push to take airports from mayor's control -- Several Chicago aldermen are teaming with a union to push a plan to wrestle control of O'Hare and Midway international airports from the mayor's office. The plan, promoted by the Service Employees International Union, calls for an elected airport board. Alderman Scott Waguespack said Tuesday an elected airport authority could bring a lot of benefits to travelers, airlines, and people living near the airports. AP
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Apron strings: When airports are liberated -- Remember BAA plc, the privatized successor to the British Airports Authority? Seven years ago, it was fiercely battling to dissuade the Competition Commission from splitting it up. It tried to tell us that Edinburgh and Glasgow airports, then both under its command, were not really in competition. Neither was held back by being part of a larger group, said BAA. Its lobbying failed. In London, it sold Gatwick pre-emptively. It was later forced to sell Stansted. Douglas Fraser/BBC News
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Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly speaks as he faces a labor crossroads -- Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly came to a one-on-one interview Monday evening armed with plenty of love for the Southwest brand. But more important, Kelly also was showing his love for some 50,000 Southwest Airlines employees who have played a major role in the record profits Southwest has generated in recent times, including a record first quarter profit of $511 million reported last month. Lewis Lazare/Chicago Business Journal
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Airlines making second attempt to extend post-9/11 tax break in California -- Two California Legislature committees will take up bills this week to extend a property tax break on commercial aircraft that was enacted in the post-9/11 period to help airlines survive the huge travel downturn, which could have a big effect on Santa Clara County finances. A previous attempt to permanently extend the tax break last year bogged down because of objections by the assessors of the 11 counties with airline service, including Lawrence Stone of Santa Clara County. Jody Meacham/Silicon Valley Business Journal
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Qatar hires JLo to promote new route to Delta's hometown -- The chief executive of Qatar Airways Ltd. -- and chief antagonist of Delta Air Lines Inc. -- has said that his new Atlanta-Doha route would "rub salt in the wounds" of his U.S. rival. Jennifer Lopez will be on hand to shake out the first dash. On Tuesday night the Persian Gulf airline will celebrate flights linking Qatar's capital to Delta's headquarters city, with J. Lo, as the star is known, expected to perform at the city's historic Fox Theatre in front of Qatar CEO Akbar Al Baker and guests. Delta fired back hours before Lopez's show, saying it wouldn't renew its sponsorship of the Fox next year after more than 20 years of support. Michael Sasso/Bloomberg
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Qatar raises stake in British Airways parent group -- Qatar Airways has raised its stake in the owner of British Airways for the second time in less than a month and signalled it could increase it further. The Doha-based carrier, the largest shareholder in International Airlines Group since last year, said on Tuesday that it had upped its stake in IAG from 12 to 15 per cent. The government-controlled airline added that it could look to "increase its stake over time within the allowable limits", acknowledging the ownership restrictions that apply to non-EU shareholders in EU airlines. Mark Odell & Peggy Hollinger/Financial Times
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Delta reduces capacity growth guidance -- will American follow? -- The world's two biggest airlines are apparently moving to reduce capacity growth. Delta said Monday that it will cut planned second-half capacity growth by a percentage point: It will grow 2.5% rather than 3.5%. And American recently told pilots it will accelerate retirements of three aircraft types, leading JPMorgan analyst Jamie Baker to suggest that the world's biggest airline will grow more slowly than envisioned in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Ted Reed/The Street
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American Airlines President: Investors won't be happy until oil prices rise -- American Airlines President Scott Kirby said the carrier is benefiting from "strong underlying demand," but he realizes that investors won't be happy until unit revenue starts to rise, which will happen, he said, when oil prices rise. "As fuel prices go up, revenues will also go up," Kirby said Tuesday at an investor conference. "If you believe that, it's easy to buy airline stocks. "If you don't believe that, it's a harder story," he said. Ted Reed/The Street
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Budget airlines set to soar in Southeast Asia's open skies -- Low-cost airline groups and manufacturers of smaller passenger aircraft will be among the main winners after Southeast Asia's open skies agreement finally came into effect last month, although airport capacity constraints could limit the benefits. Ratification of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) open skies agreements by Indonesia and Laos in April lifts restrictions on capacity and competition, allowing airlines to launch unlimited flights from their home to any point in the region subject to airport slot availability. Siva Govindasamy/Reuters
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How to avoid long TSA lines on your next flight -- You've probably already heard horror stories about unusually long TSA security lines at airports, which may only get worse as the summer travel crush adds more travelers. While we wait for the TSA to fix this (mainly by adding more employees and trying to keep the ones they have), here are some strategies to make sure you don't miss your flight. Get to the airport super early. If you hate waiting at airports this might be a good time to splurge for an airline lounge day pass. American, for example, charges $50 for a one-day pass. George Hobica/USA Today
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TSA to add staff, but O'Hare tells passengers to arrive 3 hours before flight -- With marathon security lines causing thousands of U.S. airline passengers to miss flights, the Transportation Security Administration plans to hire nearly 800 new officers this month and pay for more part-time workers and overtime. But the union that represents security officers said that won't solve the problem, and that TSA needs 6,000 additional full-time officers to address a shortfall that has come as airlines are experiencing an increase in passengers. Mary Wisniewski/Chicago Tribune
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TSA head apologizes to Chicago for long lines: 'I don't know what that was' -- The head of the Transportation Security Administration today apologized for hours-long lines in Chicago that left hundreds of passengers stranded overnight, many sleeping on cots at O'Hare International Airport earlier this week. "We had a significant challenge in Chicago yesterday. I don't know what that was. We're fixing that," Administrator Peter Neffenger said during an event in in Houston. "I do apologize to the people who found themselves stranded in Chicago yesterday." Erin Dooley/ABC News
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Are airline bag fees worsening security lines? -- As airport and government officials search for a fix for the long airport security lines plaguing airports in Atlanta and other U.S. cities, one possible culprit has come into focus: Baggage fees. Some say fees for checked bags prompt travelers to carry on more bags, all of which have to be screened at security checkpoints as passengers head to their gates. Two U.S. senators have proposed that airlines stop charging baggage fees this summer. Kelly Yamanouchi/Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Planning a North Korea trip? Don't, says the State Dept. -- The State Department is urging any American thinking of a trip to reclusive North Korea to think again. And they're doing it in an unusually blunt and direct fashion. The agency usually issues travel warnings every six months on a variety of countries, but recent legislation now requires it to issue travel warnings about North Korea every 90 days. The department issued its first travel warning under the new law Friday and doubled down with a four-page statement that makes it clear that Americans travel to North Korea at their own peril. Nicole Gaouette/CNN
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Private jets get the door-sized windows they always needed -- Flying is the great perk of the modern world. Racing high over beautiful landscapes, catching epic sunrises, slicing through clouds, it's an exquisite way to appreciate nature's grandeur. And while you might not get to enjoy it-stuck in the middle seat in economy, craning your neck to see through that tiny porthole of a window-those who can afford airborne luxury have a better view. And thanks to Embraer, it's about to get way, way better. The Brazilian airplane manufacturer now offers spectacularly large windows in its $53 million Lineage 1000 business jet. Eric Adams/Wired
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California's next governor: Who's running, who's on the fence? -- Welcome to your guide to the 2018 California governor's race. The election may be far away, but listening tours are already underway, political consultants are doling out advice and pundits are handicapping favorites and wildcards. Here are the players to keep an eye on. Phil Willon/Los Angeles Times
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Giant space shuttle fuel tank voyage to Marina del Rey -- A tugboat-pulled barge carrying a 66,000-pound external fuel tank designed for one-time use in launching a space shuttle departed San Diego Tuesday for the final leg of its journey to Marina del Rey, where it will be brought on land and prepared for a slow journey to its new home at the California Science Center. Known as ET-94, the fuel tank is scheduled to arrive in Marina del Rey around 6 a.m. Wednesday. Once the tank reaches Marina del Rey, it will be placed on dollies and prepared for its over-land journey, which is scheduled for Saturday. City News Service
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