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EgyptAir jet missing after mid-air plunge, sea search finds nothing so far -- An EgyptAir jet carrying 66 passengers and crew from Paris to Cairo disappeared from radar over the Mediterranean sea on Thursday after swerving in mid-air and plunging from cruising height. French President Francois Hollande confirmed the aircraft "came down and is lost". Egyptian Prime Minister Sherif Ismail announced a search was under way for the missing Airbus A320 but it was too early to rule out any explanation, including an attack like the one blamed for bringing down a Russian airliner over Egypt's Sinai peninsula last year. Reuters The Latest
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American quietly updates, enhances operations at LAX -- On May 16, American unveiled a series of operational and visual updates at Los Angeles International Airport in an attempt to better streamline passenger flow and optimize capacity ahead of the summer travel season. From gate renumbering to new signage, the changes were implemented overnight, in time for the busy Monday morning rush. While there was no media announcement, AirlineReporter was invited to see the changes for ourselves. John Nguyen/Airline Reporter
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Alaska Airlines adds California routes -- Alaska Airlines on Wednesday announced it will add new, three-times daily service between San Diego and Sacramento and Burbank and San Jose, beginning March 16, 2017. "These new routes will bring more options and low fares to our California customers, as well as creating new connections to key international business markets served by our partner carriers." said Andrew Harrison, Alaska Airlines' Chief Commercial Officer. Alaska Air Press Release
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Burbank airfield's rebranding marketing phase proceeds -- Bob Hope Airport officials are moving forward with the marketing phase of their rebranding initiative to rename the airfield Hollywood Burbank Airport. After members of the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority approved the new name on May 2, airport staff and South Pasadena branding firm Anyone Collective have been implementing changes to make the naming transition go as smooth as possible, airport officials told the authority's operations and development committee on Monday. Anthony Clark Carpio/Burbank Leader
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JetSuiteX launching Burbank-Las Vegas service -- JetSuiteX, a new air service, has announced its second route. Beginning May 26, the carrier will offer weekday and Sunday service between Las Vegas' MacCarran Airport and Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, Calif. The route commences just over a month after JetSuiteX began flying from Burbank to Buchanan Field in Concord, Calif. Robert Silk/Travel Weekly
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Fitch affirms Orange County John Wayne Airport's $197MM Revs at 'AA-'; outlook wtable -- Fitch Ratings has affirmed the 'AA-' rating on approximately $197 million in outstanding Orange County, CA airport revenue bonds issued on behalf of John Wayne Airport. The Rating Outlook is Stable. The 'AA-' rating for the mid-sized JWA is supported by a strong origination/destination (O&D) base serving the wealthy population of Orange County, CA with strong coverage, robust liquidity, and continued enplanement growth. Fitch Ratings
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Airport upgrades coming to AA's hub in Philly, United's in Houston -- American Airlines customers flying through the carrier's Terminal B at Philadelphia International Airport will soon see a major upgrade. The terminal - one of five at American's Philadelphia hub - is set to get a $30 million makeover that will include new "chef-driven" dining options and "thousands of iPads" that will allow customers to order food, check their flight status or browse entertainment offerings. Ben Mutzabaugh/USA Today
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Why you're less likely to get stranded at the airport in bad weather -- It's one of the biggest travel hassles and the biggest single source of airline complaints: Your flight gets canceled and the airline leaves you in the lurch with no word on when you'll go or a poor promise of a seat several days later. Airlines are trying to fix the problem by spending some of their new profits on better technology. In January Delta began using an automated rebooking system called Viper that weighs factors such as which passengers will miss connections. Scott McCartney/Wall Street Journal
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How horrible will airport security be? These apps aim to inform. -- With passengers desperate for ways to avoid waiting in crazy-long lines, the craving for a tech-enabled solution is real. But no one application exists to magically beat the wait at this point. A handful of apps attempt to use real-time crowdsourced data and modeling to help travelers figure out how long airport security lines are or will be. Two of them have drawn such high demand recently that their websites have been crashing. Meg Graham/Chicago Tribune
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Airlines offer path to shorter security lines, for a price -- Travelers are feeling the effects of long security lines at airports, and the chances of breezing through the concourses during the upcoming Memorial Day weekend seem increasingly unlikely. Fliers looking for faster ways to get to their gates have options, but some don't come cheap. At least three major airlines offer credit cards whose perks include shorter lines to get through airport security screening. The annual fees for those cards: more than $400. Becky Yerak/Chicago Tribune
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Southwest CEO says pilots' labor fight threatens the airline's growth -- Southwest Airlines Co.'s growth plans may be jeopardized by a lawsuit filed by its pilots union over flying Boeing Co.'s newest 737 jetliner, Chief Executive Officer Gary Kelly said. The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, representing 8,300 aviators, on Monday asked a federal court to block the carrier from flying the 737 Max until the plane is listed in a new contract. The two sides have been negotiating a labor pact for more than four years. Julie Johnsson & Mary Schlangenstein/Bloomberg
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Southwest Airlines bumps dividend and share buyback while unions picket over contracts -- With profits still at record levels, Southwest Airlines will be returning more of those earnings to shareholders through an increased quarterly dividend and a new $2 billion share repurchase program, CEO Gary Kelly said Wednesday at the company's annual meeting in Chicago. Southwest's first-quarter dividend was increased by 33 percent from $.075 per share to $.10 per share following a vote of Southwest's board of directors, Kelly said. Conor Shine/Dallas Morning News
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Southwest Airlines pilots descend on the carrier's annual meeting in Chicago (Video) -- Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly was full of nothing but cheery news - including a boost in the company stock dividend and new routes - as he stood before shareholders this morning at the carrier's 2016 annual meeting at the Renaissance Blackstone Hotel in Chicago. But outside the hotel it was quite a different story. Lewis Lazare/Chicago Business Journal
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American Airlines passenger 'stranded' on land after airline terminates his golden ticket -- This is the man who got on too many airplanes for his own good. Steve Rothstein bought a golden ticket from American Airlines in 1987 for the "modest" sum of �170,000. Since then, the New York investment banker used first-class flights just as the average person might use a taxi. He clocked more than 10 million miles and 10,000 flights, jetting off at a moment's notice to exotic locations such as Caracas and Tokyo. But in 2008 it all came to an end. Felipe Araujo/Mirror UK
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Alaska Air elevates execs at its two airlines -- Alaska Air Group on Monday promoted Alaska Airlines chief operating officer Ben Minicucci to president of the airline. The company also promoted Horizon Air chief operating officer David Campbell to chief executive officer and president of Alaska's regional subsidiary. As part of his new role, Minicucci will lead the integration process for the planned acquisition of Virgin America. Dominic Gates/Seattle Times
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Delta Airlines CFO: $70-a-barrel oil is coming and we're ready for it -- Delta Airlines is getting ready for oil at $70 a barrel. "We've got to make sure the business is positioned to perform with $70 oil," Delta Chief Financial Officer Paul Jacobson said Tuesday at an investor conference. "That's important -- that is a strong sign of discipline. With prices "poised to touch $50 here pretty soon, the reality is we know oil prices are going to be higher," he said. Ted Reed/TheStreet
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Airline wars wound Seattle Pride Parade marchers -- Can't we all get along? Alaska Airlines employees won't be marching in Seattle's gay Pride Parade this summer because the parade cut an exclusive sponsorship deal with rival Delta. Steve Poynter, 58, is gay and has been going to Seattle's annual gay-pride parade since it first started when he was a teenager, back in the 1970s. One year, he recalls, he felt something shift. Some Budweiser trucks showed up. Danny Westneat/Seattle Times
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Labor leader to Qatar Airways: I don't want your J-Lo concert ticket -- Qatar Airways' entry into the Atlanta market isn't drawing the response that its publicists would have wanted. Instead, the carrier, which will begin Doha-Atlanta service on June 1, is embroiled in controversy, reflecting its battle with hometown carrier Delta as well as with airline labor unions over the rights of the subsidized Middle East carriers, which also include Emirates and Etihad, to rapidly expand their U.S. service. Ted Reed/TheStreet
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Airlines expect record high numbers of passengers this summer -- A record 231.1 million passengers are expected to travel on U.S.-based airlines this summer, a 4% increase over last summer. That was the forecast Wednesday from Airlines for America, the trade group for the nation's air carriers. The prediction is good news for the airline industry but it could mean major headaches for summer travelers who can expect even more gridlock at airport security checkpoint lines. Hugo Martin/Los Angeles Times
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American Airlines on 'high alert' lawmakers will target tax breaks over HB2 opposition -- American Airlines, a major employer in Charlotte, is on "high alert" that state lawmakers will target tax breaks on jet fuel in response to the company's opposition to House Bill 2, the state's new LGBT law. That's according to an email Dana Fenton, Charlotte's lobbyist in Raleigh, sent Wednesday to City Council and other officials in Charlotte, including interim aviation director Brent Cagle. Steve Harrison & Ely Portillo/Charlotte Observer
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U.S. bans e-cigarettes from checked baggage over fire risks -- The U.S. Transportation Department said Wednesday that it is permanently banning passengers and crew members from carrying e-cigarettes in checked baggage or charging the devices onboard aircraft. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx cited a number of recent incidents that show the devices can catch fire during transport. Passengers may continue to carry e-cigarettes for personal use in carry-on baggage or on their person, but may not use them on flights, Foxx said. Reuters
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Embraer mulls WTO claim against Bombardier after Delta jet deal -- Embraer SA, the Brazilian maker of regional jets, may ask the World Trade Organization to probe whether government subsidies enabled Canada's Bombardier Inc. to offer its C Series aircraft to Delta Air Lines Inc. at below the production cost. Delta agreed last month to buy at least 75 of Bombardier's state-of-the-art jetliners, an order valued at $5.6 billion based on list prices. The Canadian planemaker has a $1 billion commitment for investment from Quebec's government and is negotiating for federal aid as well. Fabiola Moura/Bloomberg
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G650ER sets Sydney to Los Angeles speed record -- A Gulfstream G650ER has set a speed record on a recognized course between Sydney and New York. The aircraft departed Sydney Airport during the morning of March 11, and arrived at Los Angeles International Airport 12 hours and 40 minutes later at 01:15 March 12. During the 6,620nm / 12,260km flight the aircraft had an average cruise speed of Mach 0.86. The flight records have sent to the F�d�ration A�ronautique Internationale in Switzerland for recognition, but have already been approved by the US National Aeronautic Association. Alum Davies/Corporate Jet Investor
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City Hall critic arrested over racist message toward Herb Wesson -- An outspoken critic of the Los Angeles City Council has been arrested after allegedly submitting a public-comment card that depicted a burning cross, a body dangling from a tree and an apparent Ku Klux Klan figure holding a sign labeling Council President Herb Wesson with a racially charged epithet. Wayne Spindler, an Encino-based attorney, was taken into custody Friday and booked on a felony count of making a criminal threat, said Officer Jane Kim of the Los Angeles Police Department. Matt Hamilton, Emily Alpert Reyes & David Zahniser/Los Angeles Times
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