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Airfares are rising again, and travelers should brace for more price increases.
United and Continental started the latest price hike Wednesday by adding $20 per round trip to most domestic flights. By Thursday afternoon, they were matched by American, Delta and US Airways. Low-cost carriers JetBlue and AirTran had not raised prices, and Southwest had done so only on some routes, according to fare watchers. Get the full story »
The new paint scheme. (Image via United)
United Airlines released the first pictures Thursday of its largest jet, the Boeing 747-400, repainted with the new logo and color scheme adopted by the Chicago-based carrier as part of its 2010 merger with Continental Airlines.
With the makeover of the 374-seat jumbo jet, United has now painted one of each of its mainline aircraft types in its new livery, which combines the United brand in a new sans serif font across the fuselage with Continental’s familiar globe on the tail.
The world’s largest airline said it has repainted 309 mainline and regional aircraft, more than 20 percent of its total fleet, since the Oct. 1 tie-up of the two carriers. Get the full story »
Southwest Airlines Co. is raising fares by $10 for a round trip, saying it needs the money to offset higher fuel costs.
The move Friday was the latest in a series of price increases from major U.S. airlines, most of which are making money after a 2-year slump. Get the full story »
By Jon Hilkevitch | Another delay was announced Friday in the litigation over a possible O’Hare expansion to give the city of Chicago and United and American airlines more time to possibly negotiate a settlement, officials said.
A Cook County judge had been scheduled to hear arguments Tuesday on a motion by the city to dismiss the airlines’ request for a preliminary injunction barring Chicago from selling about $1 billion in bonds to finance part of the final phase of new runways at O’Hare International Airport. Get the full story »
American Airlines is recalling 200 more flight attendants who were furloughed in recent years.
American said Friday it also agreed to hire 30 new Mandarin-speaking flight attendants to staff flights to and from Shanghai. Get the full story »
A Virgin America Airbus A319 airplane. (Charlotte Southern/Bloomberg)
By Julie Johnsson and Wailin Wong | Virgin America entered the Chicago market Wednesday with typical flair, unveiling a Groupon Deal of the Day that slashed prices on its new West Coast service to $128 round-trip.
The deeply discounted deal was the first air fare to be featured on Chicago-based Groupon and sold out in Chicago in just 8 minutes, said Virgin America spokewoman Abby Lunardini. Within 45 minutes, Virgin’s Groupon offer had sold out in San Francisco and Los Angeles, a total of 2,100 fares in all.
Get the full story »
The new United Airlines is keeping Economy Plus seating, one of the most popular features developed by the Chicago-based carrier prior to its 2010 merger with Continental Airlines.
United said Thursday that starting in 2012, it plans to retrofit Continental’s mainline aircraft and larger regional jets with the roomier economy seating.
In all, more than 700 mainline jets will be outfitted with the product, which features about five extra inches of legroom in the forward reaches of the economy cabin in United’s aircraft. Get the full story »
The U.S. Department of Transportation fined Delta Air Lines Inc. $2 million for violating federal rules on passengers with disabilities, the agency said Thursday.
The fine is the largest imposed against an airline in a case not related to safety. Get the full story »
By Jon Hilkevitch | United and American airlines’ lawsuit against Chicago over the expansion of O’Hare International Airport will move toward trial after negotiations have so far failed to break an impasse, officials said Thursday.
Both sides on Thursday asked Judge Richard Billik of Cook County Circuit Court to lift a one-week delay on hearing the lawsuit, which seeks to prevent the city from borrowing more money to keep the O’Hare project going.
The delay was intended to give negotiations a chance to resolve major differences over the financing and timing of new runways. Get the full story »
United Airlines operations are returning to normal after the carrier voluntarily grounded its fleet of 96 Boeing 757s Tuesday to ensure the planes’ air-data computer software complied with a Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness directive.
The Chicago-based carrier was able to quickly carry out the software checks needed to meet federal guidelines, and most of the aircraft were back in service by mid-day Wednesday. Get the full story »
United Airlines has grounded its fleet of 96 Boeing 757s after determining that the planes’ air data computer software did not comply with a Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness directive.
United began testing its 757s late Tuesday afternoon and may delay or cancel flights until the process is completed in 12 to 24 hours, said United spokeswoman Megan McCarthy. The software checks take approximately 60 to 90 minutes per plane.
“We apologize for any inconvenience and ask customers to check their flights status on United.com before going to the airport,” McCarthy said. As of 6 p.m. Central time, United had canceled only seven flights on its Tuesday schedule, according to FlightStats.com.
United is scrambling to comply with a 2004 FAA airworthiness directive that spelled out software and hardware changes for air-data computer systems in Boeing 757, 767 and 747 aircraft. “This action is necessary to ensure that the flight crew is able to silence an erroneous overspeed or stall aural warning,” the directive stated.
On a routine maintenance check Tuesday, United discovered that it hadn’t followed all of the steps mandated by the FAA to address safety concerns with the 757 flight computers that measure air speed and monitor atmospheric conditions.
United installed the software required by federal regulators in 2004 but hadn’t performed all of the necessary checks. The 757s’ air data computer systems have been “fully functional,” McCarthy said.
Chicago-based United acted voluntarily and not at the behest of federal regulators, said FAA spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory.
The action does not affect Boeing 757 aircraft flown by Continental Airlines, which merged with United in October. The two continue to operate separately and won’t combine fleets, flight crews and maintenance stations until they gain a single operating certificate from the FAA.
United’s action is not related to electrical shorts that have caused some 757 windshields to crack, said FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown, referring to another issue that has made headlines in the last year.
jjohnsson@tribune.com
Delta Air Lines Inc. said Tuesday that it is eliminating the expiration of miles accumulated under its SkyMiles loyalty program.
Previously, accrued miles under the program lapsed 24 months after a traveler’s last qualifying activity. Get the full story »
Online travel agencies remain a big hit with shoppers, new survey data show, but the sites’ popularity could fade if contract battles with airlines leave them with fewer airfares to lure bargain-chasing consumers, researchers warned.
With airfares soaring and the economy stuck in the doldrums, consumers continue to flock to travel sites to plot dream vacations and research deals and steals, a market that’s expected to total $104.6 billion in 2011, according to market research firm PhoCusWright Inc. Get the full story »
Several U.S. airlines that were in the black last year for the first time since 2007 are sharing some of their profits with employees.
Delta and United Continental said Monday they’re paying out profit-sharing bonuses. Delta Air Lines Inc. is doling out $313 million to its more than 80,000 employees. United Continental is handing out $224 million to its 87,000 employees. Get the full story »
U.S. transportation regulators this spring plan to ban smokeless electronic cigarettes on airplanes, the Associated Press reported Friday, citing a letter from Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. Get the full story »
