Visit our Filed page for categories. To browse by specific topic, see our Inside page. For a list of companies covered on this site, visit our Companies page.
The company Aircell said Thursday that it has settled remaining claims in a patent lawsuit brought against the company over its in-flight Internet system.
The settlement news comes three weeks after a Massachusetts jury found that Aircell had not infringed on a patent owned by Ambit Corp., a technology company based in Massachusetts. Get the full story »
The proposed merger of United Airlines and Continental Airlines cleared its first regulatory hurdle on Tuesday, as the European Union said it would approve the deal. But the merger, which would create the largest airline in the world, must still pass muster with U.S. antitrust officials. The mega-deal is expected to face far more rigorous scrutiny from the U.S. Department of Justice, which isn’t expected to wrap up its probe until later this year.
European officials, in a review of the transaction that began on June 21, quickly determined that it wouldn’t adversely affect competition, given the relatively light overlap between United and Continental on trans-Atlantic routes.
However, the EU continues to separately investigate a proposed joint venture that would allow United, Continental, Air Canada and Germany’s Lufthansa AG to closely coordinate north Atlantic flights, as well as share revenues.
United CEO Glenn Tilton, left, with with Continental Airlines CEO Jeff Smisek after a news conference at The Willis Tower in Chicago, May 4, 2010. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
The new United Airlines is starting to take shape — and there are some surprises.
On Tuesday, Continental Airlines CEO Jeff Smisek announced the senior management team who will lead United after its financial merger with Continental closes in two months.
As promised, the executives reporting to Smisek, who will be United’s post-merger CEO, come from both carriers, and include a cadre of veterans who helped turn Continental around during the mid-1990s. Get the full story »
U.S. airlines are world-beaters when it comes to finding creative ways to boost passenger fees, onboard food sales and other revenues that aren’t rolled into an air fare, financial data show.
United, American and Delta Air Lines led all global carriers in collecting so-called ancillary revenues during 2009, according to a new study by airline consultancy IdeaWorks and Amadeus, a global clearinghouse for airline transactions.
Chicago-based United led airlines around the world by generating $1.87 billion in ancillary revenues last year, the study found. That’s about double the $963 million in fees pocketed by Australia’s Qantas Airways, the highest ranking overseas carrier in the study. Get the full story »
Associated Press | United Airlines said Thursday it has equipped all of its planes with Microsoft Corp.’s Zune digital audio service. The airline said passengers can listen to up to 21 different playlists programmed by Zune, from classic rock to classical music and soundtracks.
Airlines are busy adding diversions to keep passengers entertained and, in the case of wireless Internet access, make more money. Southwest and other carriers are experimenting with charges to see how much passengers will pay to surf the Web or read e-mail at 30,000 feet.
From Bloomberg | Shares of US Airways Group Inc. and United Airlines parent UAL Corp. were higher on Wednesday after Continental Airlines beat analysts’ estimates for monthly unit revenue. The Bloomberg U.S. Airlines Index of 12 carriers climbed as much as 4.2 percent to its highest intraday value since April 26.
Get the full story: businessweek.com.
A United Airlines check-in area and a Continental Airlines kiosk at O’Hare International Airport. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
By Julie Johnsson | United Airlines’ merger talks with Continental Airlines are progressing
rapidly, and many of the key issues involved with melding the carriers have been resolved, said a person close to the talks.
Telephone calls are flying between carriers’ management teams and their directors, and a deal could be completed as soon as next week.
