AAL to Close SFO Crew Base

American Airlines will close a crew base in San Francisco after unusually large numbers of pilot retirements left staffing levels “critically short.” The action comes three days after American said it would cut fourth-quarter seating capacity by 3 percent, in part because of the pilot shortage. In September and October, 240 pilots retired. (www.bloomberg.com) Plus d'info...

Inside United Airlines' Network Operations Center

United Airlines gave the media a sneak peek Monday at its new network operations center housed on the 27th floor of Willis Tower in Chicago. The center runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week with employees overseeing about 5,600 United and United Express flights a day. The center opened in late May, combining operations centers from Houston and the Chicago suburb of Elk Grove Village. (abclocal.go.com) Plus d'info...

New rules require airlines to show fees with fares

The cheap fares that some airlines advertise — $29 to here or $59 to there — may look more expensive later this month. The government is forcing airlines to be more upfront about what your flight will really cost. (www.usatoday.com) Plus d'info...

AMR Slides Amid Ongoing Pilot Talks

American Airlines parent AMR Corp. dropped as much as 11 percent, triggering a brief halt in trading, as investors watched for progress in contract talks with pilots. American and Allied Pilots Association negotiators worked through the weekend and resumed meetings today. Talks began more than five years ago. (www.businessweek.com) Plus d'info...

PEOPLExpress tries to fly again as new start-up

PEOPLExpress will be the name of a Virginia-based start-up carrier that hopes to begin flying passengers as early as this summer. If successful, that would resurrect the brand of one of the first U.S. low-cost carriers to emerge following deregulation. The original PEOPLExpress flew from 1981 through 1987, when it was acquired by Continental Airlines. (travel.usatoday.com) Plus d'info...

Airlines have one of their best years for arriving on time

The nation's largest airlines had one of their best years for getting passengers to their destinations on time in 2011, despite unexpected snowstorms and Tropical Storm Irene, the U.S. Department of Transportation reported Tuesday. (travel.usatoday.com) Plus d'info...

American Airlines, Pilots Accelerate Talks

American Airlines and its pilots union are working to reach a contract agreement over the next several days, spurred by a manpower shortage that forced the carrier to cut flights and close a crew base. Talks are set to run through the weekend at an undisclosed location away from American’s Fort Worth, Texas, headquarters, according to the Allied Pilots Association. The union’s board will convene tomorrow to provide guidance if an accord is near to end more than five years of negotiations. Pilots… (www.bloomberg.com) Plus d'info...

American CEO: Airline open to merger, but not yet

American Airlines parent AMR Corp., which is undergoing bankruptcy restructuring, is open to merging with another airline — just not right now, CEO Tom Horton said. (www.chicagotribune.com) Plus d'info...

Delta Airlines Airport Flash Mob: Employees Get Their Groove On

When was the last time an airline made you smile? A just-released YouTube video of Delta employees flash-mobbing around the country may do the trick. Employees at airports in Atlanta, New York City, Detroit and at the Technical Operations Center, also in Atlanta, got in on the fun. (abcnews.go.com) Plus d'info...

American Needs Merger Flight Plan

Now that it is in bankruptcy court, American Airlines' flight plan is unclear. But the airline industry's final destination is pretty much mapped out. (www.youtube.com) Plus d'info...