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Continental will also begin offering in-flight entertainment.  The Houston based carrier will offer up to 36 channels free to first class passengers and for a nominal $6 fee to those in economy. 

The service will be offered to passengers on Continental’s new Boeing 737’s and Boeing 757-300’s joining the fleet in January. 

Continental does not look to make money off this venture but to enhance customer services.  This looks to be a good investment for Continental.  They are committed to providing the best customer service they can all while keeping their airline viable.  Continental would not invest in a service that they believed would not work.  I just wonder how much JetBlue will be getting out of this investment by CO.  

USAtoday 

The loss comes on higher fuel costs and the start up costs for Lynx, Frontier’s new regional service. 

Frontier struggled last month as winter storms rocked their Denver hub and provided less than optimal scheduling operations.  Some of Frontier’s other markets also dragged down the airline.

The airline continues to tweak their scheduling and operations.  They are scaling back on their mainline and regional services from 18-20 percent to just 12-14 percent capacity growth rate.  They have also eliminated some of their point-to-point operations outside their Denver hub that were under performing, most notably in Memphis and on routes to Mexico. 

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Currently AirTran is going up against Midwest Airlines to many destinations and New York looks to be the latest. 

"Passenger demand for AirTran Airways' product has been strong in Milwaukee, and we are excited to offer our Milwaukee customers new nonstop service to New York City," said Kevin Healy, senior vice president of marketing and planning for AirTran Airways. 

Introductory fares are just $74 each way and Business class starts at just over $200 one way. 

AirTran currently offers nonstop service form Milwaukee to Atlanta, Baltimore-Washington, Ft. Myers, Las Vegas, Orlando, Phoenix and Tampa, and the airline is saying that more destinations are coming. 

If you can’t acquire them, just compete with them on the same routes.  I’d take free XM Radio over a fresh baked cookie any day. 

AirTran Airways Press Release 

The service works on passengers' own wireless devices, like laptops and Apple iPhones.  Customers will be able to access the internet, send email and even their company’s own Intranet. 

For flights over 3 hours, mostly trans-con flights, the service will cost passengers $12.95.  For flights less than 3 hours a charge of $10.00 will allow passengers to access the net. 

American plans to generate little revenue off this new service but instead is focusing more on improving customer service. 

Aircell LLC has an exclusive license from the Federal Communications Commission to provide wireless and broadband services to business and commercial aircraft in the continental U.S.; however, American will still need FCC approval for passenger use. 

WSJ 

"We made significant financial strides in 2007, delivering among the best revenue...performance in the industry, paying down more than $2 billion in debt and continuing our focus on cost control," Executive VP and CFO Jake Brace said.

United faced a rough fourth quarter as fuel continued to rise and the massive snow storms that rock their two primary hub airports in Chicago and Denver. 

United’s CEO Glenn Tilton continues to be an outspoken individual saying that industry consolidation is key, especially as oil prices continue to soar. 

ATW online 

The DC-9’s in NWA fleet average an age of 35 years which is dragging down the entire fleet’s age.  Northwest is in talks with manufactures seeking out a replacement for the DC-9’s. 

Even with the desire to park over a quarter of the DC-9’s, Northwest will continue to expand their labor pool by increasing the available number of pilots. 

The parking of the DC-9’s come amid high fuel costs that are eating into the company’s bottom line.  The DC-9’s are just old and need to be replaced.  They are not economically viable for NWA. 

Just a little fuel to add to the merger talk’s fire, NWA might be speeding up parking the DC-9’s in anticipation of combining with Delta. 

BizJournals 

Clinton parodied the speech that flight attendants give . 

"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen and welcome aboard the maiden flight of Hil Force One,” Clinton continued.  "FAA regulations prohibit the use of any cell phones, BlackBerrys, or wireless devices that may be used to transmit a negative story about me.”

"And in the event of an unexpected drop in poll numbers, this plane will be diverted to New Hampshire,” said H. Clinton. 

ABC News 

"We had a record sales week last week in the U.S.  We've seen a massive increase in corporate enquiries by companies looking to cut costs," said Chief Executive Lawrence Hunt.  

Seats on Silverjet run several hundred dollars cheaper than the largest rival, British Airways, on some routes.

Hunt said Silverjet would succeed where MAXjet had failed because it gave better service and had managed to put up prices when fuel costs rose.  But with the launch of British Airways Open Skies, Silverjet may have to compete for customers. 

But giant American Airlines is always lurking.  The US giant was quoting prices significantly below that of MAXjet, which could have led to their demise.  What would stop American or British Airways from defending their turf?  Both of those airlines have very deep pockets and love business travelers, enough to undercut Silverjet, just like they did MAXjet.  

Silverjet continues to stand behind their product and the stability of their airline, citing that the airline will bring two new aircraft into service in late May or early June and is looking at the U.S. west coast, Miami, India and South Africa as possible destinations.  

The Guardian (UK) 

Captain Peter Burkill, Senior First Officer John Coward and Cabin Services Director Sharron Eaton-Mercer were all greeted with applause and praise today when they met with the news media.  Capt. Burkill said that his crew displayed “the highest standards of skill and professionalism.”

The crew also praised the passengers for “their calmness and good sense during extremely unfamiliar circumstances.”

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"If there is anything that we have learned over these past months, it is that we underestimated how long it would take to complete someone else's work," Pat Shanahan, Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner boss, said.  Shanahan took over after Mike Bair, the plane’s first boss, was fired.

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Singapore will add a fourth daily trip between the two cities using a Boeing 777-300ER, bringing weekly total service to Sydney to 28 flights. 

"We have been especially pleased with the increased demand for our Sydney services,'' said Huang Cheng Eng, SIA's executive vice president of marketing and regions.

Singapore took delivery of their second A380 this past week.  The airline has chosen a design with up to 471 seats, including 12 suites each equipped with a full-length bed behind sliding doors and flat screen TVs. 

Emirates, however, is one-upping Singapore by installing showers in their aircraft.

NEWS.com.au 

Related Reading: Airbus A380 Has First Mishap; No Injuries or Major Damage

Related Video:  Airbus A380 Emergency Exit Test Video.  Big fan of this video.  All I can say is Schneller, Schneller, Schneller!

A baggage handlers' strike and a walk-out by ticket counter workers angered passengers that began to throw objects at Aerolineas Argentinas’ employees.  Passengers then stormed the offices of the national carrier and demanded that staff resolve the situation. 

"There's no one from the company, no one is showing their face or telling us when we're going to fly. We're stranded with children and the elderly," said one passenger who was supposed to be on her way to Venezuela.

The delays are expected to continue for the national carrier of Argentina.

Let's just hope those passengers are not on any United flights during a snow storm in Chicago.

BBC    

Los Angeles (LAX) will get 5 new flights, San Jose 3 new flights, St. Louis 3 new flights, Philadelphia will get 2 new flights, Raleigh and San Antonio will both get one new flight. 

Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly told a group of employees, “We did promise you lower fares and we did promise you more flights.”

When it starts the latest round of new service in May, Southwest will have 79 daily departures in Denver to 23 cities — a nearly six-fold increase from when it launched in January 2006.

The news that Southwest is expanding in Denver weighed heavy on Frontier Airlines (FRNT) which has seen recent struggles.  The airline noted that their 3^rd quarter results miss targets and would post a wider than expected loss.  Southwest will add flights to every city that Frontier flies too.  Today Frontier posted a 15% loss in stock price. 

Rocky Mountain News 

Air Traffic Controllers in Atlanta, Chicago, New York and Southern California have declared a staffing emergency.  A staffing emergency means that controllers do not have enough trained and experienced personnel on the ground to safely handle the volume of traffic in the air and at major airports.

Mr. Forrey continues, ''They are being asked to handle so much volume with so little rest and with fewer eyes and ears that they are fatigued, and when you are fatigued you make mistakes.''

The United States Transportation Department said it would investigate the working conditions of Chicago area air traffic controllers amid increasing errors.  The department’s Office of the Inspector General announced the audit after a request by Senator Durbin (D) of Illinois. 

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