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☆ Here's what Mark Cuban's $275.9 million in taxes would cover for the US government
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-16 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

And yes, we know Cuban's tax bill won't go directly to paying for these programs, but for the sake of context, here's what his taxes could have funded. Cuban's $275.9 million contribution to the US government could fully back the department with nearly half still left over. Cuban's million could easily cover congressional paychecks and even account for President Joe Biden's $400,000 salary and Vice President Kamala Harris' $235,100 salary. So, Cuban's $275.9 million wouldn't quite be able to cover the potential three-hour DOD cost at $291,095,890.41. While $275.9 million might not seem like it would make a dent in that astronomical number, every little bit helps!

Persons: Mark Cuban, Donald Trump, —, Joe Biden, Jill Biden, Joe Biden's, Kamala Harris, It's Organizations: Service, Trump, Business, Government, Fund, NTSB, Transportation Safety Board, Transportation, DOD, Department of Defense, CNBC

☆ Why airlines are raising baggage fees — and charging you more at the airport
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-24 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

United Airlines , American Airlines and JetBlue Airways are among the carriers that have raised the price to check bags this year. Earlier this week, American Airlines raised its checked bag fees for the first time in more than five years and adopted the two-tiered strategy that United, JetBlue and several budget airlines already have. American Airlines previously charged $30 for either service. Why are airlines raising baggage fees? Airlines have argued that higher costs such as labor and fuel, their biggest expenses, mean they had to raise bag fees.

Persons: Scott Olson, Barry Biffle, Biffle Organizations: O'Hare International, Getty, Getty Images Airlines, United Airlines, American Airlines, JetBlue Airways, United, JetBlue, CNBC, Frontier, Transportation, Airlines Locations: Chicago, North America

Delta Air Lines said Wednesday that the pilot accused of threatening to shoot the plane's captain during a flight no longer works for the airline, and federal officials say his authority to carry a gun on board was revoked. The incidents have revived debate about psychological screening, which relies largely on trusting pilots to volunteer information about their mental health. Ross Aimer, retired airline pilot and now CEO of an aviation consulting company, said screening for mental health is far less than for drug and alcohol use and needs to be improved. He said pilots are unlikely to volunteer information that could point to mental health problems. “If I mention something about having mental issues, I’m done" — a pilot's career can be over — Aimer said.

Persons: Jonathan J, Dunn, ” Dunn, “, Joseph David Emerson, Ross Aimer, — Aimer Organizations: Delta Air Lines, Transportation, Administration, TSA, Pilots, Attorney’s, Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air Locations: Utah, New Mexico, U.S, Salt Lake City, The U.S, midflight, Pleasant Hill , California, Portland , Oregon

A pilot has been indicted for allegedly threatening to shoot the plane's captain if the captain diverted the flight because of a passenger who needed medical attention. “After a disagreement about a potential flight diversion due to a passenger medical event, Dunn told the Captain they would be shot multiple times if the Captain diverted the flight,” the inspector general's office said. It did not identify the airline on which the incident occurred, saying only that it was a commercial airline flight. He was subdued by the captain and co-pilot and arrested after the plane diverted to Portland, Oregon. Pilots are required during regular medical exams to disclose depression, anxiety, drug or alcohol dependence, and medications they take.

Persons: Jonathan J, Dunn, Joseph David Emerson Organizations: Transportation, Transportation Security Administration, FBI, Federal Aviation Administration, U.S, Attorney's, Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air Locations: Utah, California, Salt Lake City, midflight, Portland , Oregon, Pleasant Hill , California, Portland

☆ Railroad operator Norfolk Southern says outage impact to last for weeks
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A Norfolk Southern train rests near the University of North Carolina's energy generation plant in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, U.S. August 11, 2022. REUTERS/Jonathan Drake/File Photo/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsAug 28 (Reuters) - Norfolk Southern (NSC.N) said it has restored all rail systems after the U.S. railroad operator experienced a hardware-related outage that affected its operations earlier on Monday. All systems were restored at 0700 pm ET (11 pm GMT), the company said, adding that it expects the impact on its operations to last at least a couple of weeks. There is no indication that the outage was a cybersecurity incident, Norfolk said, without disclosing further details. The company said it has been in touch with its customers to work on updated timings for their shipments.

Persons: Jonathan Drake, Akanksha, Sherry Jacob, Phillips Organizations: University of North, REUTERS, Norfolk Southern, U.S, Transportation, Transportation Department's Federal Railroad Administration, Thomson Locations: Norfolk Southern, Chapel Hill , North Carolina, U.S, Norfolk, Transportation Department's, East Palestine , Ohio, Bengaluru

☆ US agency says Norfolk Southern needs 'significant improvements'
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A Norfolk Southern train rests near the University of North Carolina's energy generation plant in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, U.S. August 11, 2022. REUTERS/Jonathan Drake/File PhotoWASHINGTON, Aug 9 (Reuters) - U.S. railroad regulators on Wednesday said Norfolk Southern needs "significant improvements" in its safety culture after a Feb. 3 derailment in Ohio caused cars carrying toxic vinyl chloride and other dangerous chemicals to spill and catch fire. "We expect Norfolk Southern to do their part, acting on the recommendations in this assessment as well as previous ones to increase safety." Norfolk Southern said CEO Alan Shaw and members of the company’s leadership team met with Bose in Atlanta on Tuesday to review the findings. The report found Norfolk Southern had not moved quickly to embrace findings from the 2022 audit and noted little action in the last 12 months.

Persons: Jonathan Drake, Amit Bose, Alan Shaw, Bose, Shaw, We’re, David Shepardson, Jonathan Oatis, Stephen Coates Organizations: University of North, REUTERS, Norfolk, Transportation, Transportation Department's Federal Railroad Administration, Atlanta, FRA, Southern, Thomson Locations: Norfolk Southern, Chapel Hill , North Carolina, U.S, Ohio, Transportation Department's, Atlanta

☆ US offers mixed review of Norfolk Southern safety culture
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A Norfolk Southern train rests near the University of North Carolina's energy generation plant in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, U.S. August 11, 2022. Inspections in March identified over 100 defects across 95 miles (153 km) of Norfolk Southern territory "and FRA is considering enforcement actions based on those defects. Norfolk Southern said CEO Alan Shaw and members of the company’s leadership team met with FRA Administrator Amit Bose in Atlanta on Tuesday to review the findings. The railroad delivered the report to a consultant conducting an independent review of its safety program. The report found Norfolk Southern had not moved quickly to embrace findings from the 2022 audit and noted little action in the last 12 months.

Persons: Jonathan Drake, Norfolk, Alan Shaw, Amit Bose, Shaw, Bose, We’re, David Shepardson, Chris Reese, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: University of North, REUTERS, Transportation, Transportation Department's Federal Railroad Administration, Southern, Norfolk, FRA, Thomson Locations: Norfolk Southern, Chapel Hill , North Carolina, U.S, East Palestine , Ohio, Transportation Department's, Atlanta

☆ U.S. engineers recommended grounding Boeing 737 MAX soon after second crash - report
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, April 28 (Reuters) - Some Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) engineers recommended grounding the Boeing (BA.N) 737 MAX in March 2019 after a second fatal crash and before the agency took action, a report released Friday said. The Transportation Department's Office of Inspector General said in a report that its review of emails and interviews of FAA officials revealed individual engineers recommended "grounding the airplane while the accident was being investigated based on what they perceived as similarities" between two fatal Boeing 737 MAX crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia. The report FAA officials "expressed frustration that foreign civil aviation authorities were grounding the aircraft before they had data that linked the two accidents." "We also continue to look for additional opportunities to apply lessons learned from the Boeing 737 MAX's return to service," the agency said Friday. The inspector general added the engineer's risk analysis was not completed and did not go through managerial review citing a lack of detailed flight data.

☆ Exclusive: Biden nominee to head FAA withdraws after Republican criticism
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-26 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

WASHINGTON, March 25 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden's nominee to head the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is withdrawing his nomination after Republican criticism that he was not qualified to serve as the top aviation regulator. Last year, Biden nominated Denver International Airport CEO Phil Washington to serve as FAA administrator. A White House official had earlier told Reuters "politics must not hold up confirming an administrator to lead the FAA, and we will move expeditiously to nominate a new candidate for FAA administrator." Some industry officials think the White House could name acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen as a new nominee. Nolen, who was named head of the FAA's aviation safety office, has been the acting FAA administrator since April 2022 and has received backing from many Republicans in Congress.

☆ Biden seeks new funding for air traffic controllers, Amtrak
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, March 13 (Reuters) - The Biden administration on Monday released details on a new proposal calling for more funding for more air traffic controllers and to speed modernization efforts after a computer outage led to the first nationwide flight grounding since 2001. The Transportation Department's $108.5 billion budget request seeks funding from Congress, including $117 million to hire another 1,800 air traffic controllers in addition to another 1,500 being hired this year. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association said last year the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had 1,500 fewer controllers than in 2011. The Transportation Department wants $3.1 billion in annual funding for passenger railroad Amtrak on top of $4.4 billion in funding from the $1 trillion 2021 infrastructure law. The FAA wants $24 million to fund 50 new test pilots, data scientists, safety inspectors and others to oversee Boeing (BA.N) and other airplane manufacturers.

☆ US Senate panel to hold March 8 hearing on FAA reform efforts
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, March 2 (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee on Thursday said it would hold a March 8 hearing on efforts by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to reform how it certifies new airplanes after two Boeing 737 MAX crashes killed 346 people. Congress in 2020 passed sweeping reforms to address FAA certification efforts after the fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019 raised safety questions about the agency's airplane certification program. The FAA in January named a panel to review Boeing’s safety management processes and how they influence the company's safety culture. The FAA in September finalized a policy to protect aviation employees who perform government certification duties from interference by Boeing and others. The FAA continues to subject Boeing to enhanced oversight, inspecting all new Boeing 737 MAXs and 787s before they can be delivered.

☆ American Airlines is the first US carrier to guarantee families sit together — or be punished by law
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

American Airlines will guarantee children under 15 can sit with an accompanying adult on its flights. The policy has been published in its customer service plan, meaning it is now enforceable by law. Because the "family seating" plan is now filed with the government, American could face penalties if it doesn't follow through. "American Airlines lets families sit together at no additional cost," an American spokesperson told Insider. The difference now is that American has officially put this process into its customer service plan — a commitment enforceable by law.

☆ U.S. FAA names experts to review Boeing safety culture after fatal crashes
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Jan 5 (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said Thursday it had named 24 experts to review Boeing’s safety management processes and how they influence Boeing’s safety culture after two fatal 737 MAX crashes killed 346 people. Boeing did not immediately comment Thursday, but has previously emphasized it has made reforms to its safety culture that cost the company billions of dollars. In September, the FAA finalized a policy to protect aviation employees who perform government certification duties from interference by Boeing and others. In May, the FAA opted to renew Boeing's Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) program for three years rather than the five years Boeing sought. The FAA continues to subject Boeing to enhanced oversight, inspecting all new Boeing 737 MAXs and 787s before they can be delivered.

☆ U.S. watchdog will review FAA oversight of key Boeing 737 MAX features
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON, Nov 10 (Reuters) - A U.S. government watchdog said on Thursday it will review the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) oversight of two safety features on the Boeing 737 MAX. The Transportation Department's Office of Inspector General (OIG) said Thursday it will audit the FAA's oversight of the inclusion of MCAS, a key airplane software feature in the 737 MAX design, that was cited as a contributing factor in two fatal MAX crashes that killed 346 people. OIG will also review FAA oversight of the inoperability of Angle of Attack disagree alerts on the majority of the MAX fleet in 2019. Reporting by David Shepardson Editing by Chris ReeseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ From legroom to airfare: How JetBlue's takeover of Spirit could change air travel
▼ + stars: | 2022-07-30 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

In this article JBLUSAVEPassengers wait in line at the Spirit Airlines check-in counter at Orlando International Airport. This is the first time anyone wanted Spirit Airlines," quipped "The Late Show" host Stephen Colbert about the deal on Thursday. As the two distinct airlines push ahead with their plans to combine, here's what passengers can expect:What are JetBlue's plans for Spirit? Afterward, passengers might be confused if they're flying in Spirit planes that haven't been retrofitted yet. Frontier Airlines, meanwhile, is already saying it's happy to take on a bigger share of the ultra-low-cost market after its Spirit deal fell apart.

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