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REUTERS/Jim VondruskaApril 18 (Reuters) - Southwest Airlines Co's (LUV.N) said a technology failure caused a one-hour nationwide stoppage of its flights on Tuesday, another snafu for the carrier after a software problem over the Christmas holiday stranded thousands. The Dallas-based carrier's flights resumed after a vendor-supplied computer network firewall went down Tuesday morning and connection to some operational data was "unexpectedly" lost. Data from flight tracker FlightAware showed 47% of Southwest's flights were delayed as of late afternoon on Tuesday. "This is another demonstration that Southwest Airlines needs to upgrade their systems and stop the negative impacts to individual travelers,” said Senator Maria Cantwell in a statement. The FAA had to halt flights nationwide in January due to a systems outage.

☆ Boeing shares tumble as some MAX deliveries halted, airlines fret over impact
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Aishwarya Nair | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

April 14 (Reuters) - Boeing Co (BA.N) shares closed down 5.6% on Friday after the planemaker halted deliveries of some 737 MAX jets due to quality-related problems in certain components made by one of its main suppliers. Boeing, together with Spirit, will have to undertake inspections of the affected MAX 7, MAX 8 and MAX 8200 airplanes and fuselages. "Unlike the recent 787 delivery pause in Q1 ... this issue relates to actual non-conforming parts, which will need to be inspected (at minimum) or reworked. "We see more negative financial exposure to this news at Spirit than at Boeing," J.P. Morgan analyst Seth Seifman said. Southwest Airlines (LUV.N) expects the issue to impact its current delivery schedule, while American Airlines (AAL.O) said it was working with Boeing to understand the effect.

☆ American Airlines profit forecast disappoints; shares tumble
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Aishwarya Nair | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 12 (Reuters) - American Airlines Group Inc (AAL.O) on Wednesday forecast first-quarter profit below market expectations, joining rival United Airlines (UAL.O) in signaling a hit from persistently high labor and fuel costs. "We had expected American to come in towards the better end in a similar manner as JetBlue's guidance update provided in mid-March," Syth added. Airlines' shares in 2023The airline industry has been able to survive the broader economic slowdown in the United States, thanks also to tight airline capacity due to shortages of aircraft and spare parts. On an adjusted basis, it forecast a quarterly per-share profit of between 1 cent and 5 cents, compared with its previous forecast of a near break-even. Southwest Airlines Co (LUV.N) closed down 1.4%, United was down 6.5% and Delta was down 2.4%.

☆ Southwest Airlines CEO receives higher bonus despite holiday meltdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Rajesh Kumar Singh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

In February, the company said executive bonuses would be cut as a result of the meltdown. Jordan received $195,720 in bonus payout, up 89% from a year ago, according to a regulatory filing. The Dallas-based carrier also paid a higher bonus to Chief Operating Officer Andrew Watterson. Jordan served as executive vice president until Feb 1, 2022, when he became the company's CEO. Watterson served as chief commercial officer through last September.

☆ U.S. airline loyalty programs can provide buffer from possible recession
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Rajesh Kumar Singh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] A United Airlines Boeing 737-900ER plane takes off from Los Angeles International airport (LAX) in Los Angeles, California, U.S. March 28, 2018. REUTERS/Mike BlakeCHICAGO, April 4 (Reuters) - U.S. airlines relied on loyalty programs for revenue during the pandemic, and industry executives and experts said income from them should hold up if the economy slips into a recession. Non-flying activities now account for more than half of all miles earned in major loyalty programs, noted Evert de Boer, managing partner at consulting firm On Point Loyalty, making airlines more resilient to economic swings. People curtailed flying during the pandemic, but still spent on airline loyalty credit cards, said JetBlue (JBLU.O) vice president Chris Buckner. Airline loyalty programs are also highly profitable.

☆ US lawmakers make new push to bar convicted violent passengers from flights
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, March 27 (Reuters) - A bipartisan group of lawmakers on Wednesday will make a new push for legislation to bar passengers fined or convicted of serious physical violence from commercial flights after a series of recent high-profile incidents. Last year, the American Civil Liberties Union opposed creating a no-fly list for unruly passengers, saying the U.S. government "has a terrible record of treating people fairly with regard to the existing no-fly list and other watch lists that are aimed at alleged terrorists." Despite the end of the airplane mask mandate in April 2022, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigated 831 unruly passenger incidents in 2022, up from 146 in 2019, but down from 1,099 in 2021, the lawmakers noted. The FAA received 2,456 unruly passenger reports in 2022 and proposed $8.4 million in fines, down from 5,981 reports in 2021, which included 4,290 mask-related incidents. In February 2022, Delta Air Lines (DAL.N) CEO Ed Bastian urged the U.S. government to place passengers convicted of on-board disruptions on a national no-fly list that would bar them from future travel on any commercial airline.

☆ U.S. must address rise in aviation close calls - officials
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

McLEAN, Virginia, March 15 (Reuters) - Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Wednesday the United States cannot wait for the next "catastrophic event" to address an uptick in aviation close calls that sparked alarm. "We have seen an uptick in serious close calls that we must address together. National Transportation Safety Board chair Jennifer Homendy said the board has issued seven recommendations on runway collisions that have not been acted on. "There have been far too many close calls," Homendy said at the summit. "In light of the recent close calls and the attention being focused on even routine go-arounds — are we emphasizing efficiency over safety?

☆ Southwest to upgrade crew-scheduling software, hire more staff during winter
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 14 (Reuters) - Southwest Airlines Co (LUV.N) said on Tuesday it would upgrade its crew scheduling software and hire more staff in the winter, as the airline attempts to address problems that had led to large-scale cancellations during the holiday season. The Dallas-based carrier has come under fire ever since bad weather during the Christmas holidays left staff stranded across the country, which overwhelmed its crew scheduling software, disrupting travel plans for two million customers. The three-part plan was developed by the airline with inputs from aviation consultancy Oliver Wyman, which was hired to investigate the disruption. The plan looks at bolstering operations during the winter season, when chances of weather-related disruptions to travel-related services are high. "Work is well underway in implementing action items to prepare for next winter - with some items already completed," Jordan said.

☆ Biden administration wants Congress to bar airlines from charging family seating fees
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Carlos BarriaWASHINGTON, March 13 (Reuters) - The Biden administration on Monday asked U.S. lawmakers to approve legislation to bar airlines from charging family seating fees if adjacent seats are available during booking. The bill would direct airlines to offer refunds or seats on another flight if adjacent seats were unavailable under certain conditions. Last week, American Airlines(AAL.O), Alaska Airlines(ALK.N) and Frontier Airlines(ULCC.O) agreed to guarantee in customer service plans not to charge family seating fees if specific conditions are met. Southwest Airlines (LUV.N) Chief Executive Bob Jordan said last week the airline is in discussions with USDOT about the family seating dashboard. USDOT has begun drafting regulations to end all family seating fees but that could take years to finalize.

JetBlue will face "an uphill battle" as it fights the government," said Diana Moss, president of the American Antitrust Institute. "If I'm JetBlue, that's where I focus right now, developing that divestiture offer and lining up a buyer to 'litigate the fix,'" said Dryden. Whatever arguments JetBlue uses, a court fight could last six to eight months and cost tens of millions of dollars in attorney fees, legal experts said. Bill Baer, head of the Justice Department's antitrust division under former President Barack Obama, said the government's complaint "shows that there is meaningful competition between Spirit and JetBlue." "JetBlue brags about the 'JetBlue effect,' where they enter a market and fares tend to go down," he said.

It's about six months between when it's certified and we can put it into service," Jordan told reporters at an Aero Club event in Washington. Jordan said his "best guess" is it will be in service by Southwest in early 2024. Boeing said it continues to work with the FAA to meet the requirements for MAX 7 and MAX 10 certification. Boeing has unfilled orders of 388 737 MAXs for Southwest and 271 of those are for MAX 7s. Jordan added that, if MAX 7 entry into service is delayed, Boeing will deliver additional MAX 8s to Southwest this year in lieu of MAX 7s.

☆ Analysis: US lawsuit to block JetBlue-Spirit merger casts chill over future airline deals
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Rajesh Kumar Singh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

CHICAGO, March 7 (Reuters) - A U.S. federal lawsuit to block JetBlue Airways Corp's (JBLU.O) purchase of Spirit Airlines (SAVE.N) has raised hurdles for future airline deals, making it harder for companies to pursue growth and manage costs. Mergers and acquisitions are a time-honored way for companies to both boost revenue and profit through cost cutting. But the DOJ lawsuit could send a chill through airline boardrooms, said Addison Schonland, partner at consulting firm AirInsight. American Airlines (AAL.O), United Airlines (UAL.O), Delta Air Lines (DAL.N) and Southwest Airlines (LUV.N) control 80% of the domestic market. The lawsuit against the JetBlue-Spirit deal was widely expected because of the Biden administration's crackdown on large deals between publicly listed companies, analysts said.

The complaint, which was filed in Boston federal court, said that JetBlue planned to remove 10% to 15% of seats from every Spirit plane. "Fewer seats means fewer passengers - and higher prices for those who can still afford to make their way onto the plane. Spirit shares were up about 1.8% on Tuesday after dipping the previous day on expectations of a lawsuit. JetBlue had previously said it expected the deal to close in early 2024, leaving time for litigation if necessary. JetBlue prevailed in a months-long bidding war for Spirit Airlines after the ultra-low-cost carrier accepted its offer in late July.

WASHINGTON, March 7 (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department filed a lawsuit on Tuesday to stop JetBlue Airways (JBLU.O) from buying Spirit Airlines <SAVE.N>, saying that the planned merger "would put travel out of reach for many cost-conscious travelers." The complaint, which was filed in Boston federal court, said that JetBlue planned to remove 10% to 15% of seats from every Spirit plane. This is unlikely to stop business travelers flying on corporate expense accounts, but would put travel out of reach for many cost-conscious travelers," the complaint said. JetBlue had previously said it expected the deal to close in early 2024, leaving time for litigation if necessary. JetBlue prevailed in a months-long bidding war for Spirit Airlines after the ultra-low-cost carrier accepted its offer in late July.

☆ Justice sues to block JetBlue purchase of Spirit Airlines
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The Justice Department is suing to prevent that from happening,” said Garland. “Companies in every industry should understand by now that this Justice Department will not hesitate to enforce antitrust laws and protect American consumers.”But over the last 22 years, the Justice Department has allowed a series of five airline mergers without a suit like the one announced Tuesday. “The combination of JetBlue and Spirit plus the rapid growth of ultra low cost carriers will assure increased competition and low fares,” said a statement from JetBlue. But it has been fighting a separate lawsuit from the Justice Department challenging an alliance it has with American Airlines for nearly 18 months. The Justice Department filed this case in federal court in Boston.

☆ U.S. FAA, NTSB probe new airline runway incident
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are investigating a string of recent runway incursions that have attracted national attention. The FAA said the American Airlines flight crew discontinued the landing after the controller advised that the Air Canada aircraft was departing. The aircraft were about 3,100 feet (945 meters) apart when the American Airlines jet began its climb-out, the FAA said. The FAA will hold a March 15 safety summit and is forming a team of experts to review airline safety after several recent near-miss incidents. The FedEx plane had been set to land on a runway on which a Southwest Airlines jet was also cleared to depart.

WASHINGTON, March 6 (Reuters) - JetBlue Airways Corp (JBLU.O) said on Monday it believes there is a "high likelihood" the U.S. Justice Department will file an antitrust lawsuit this week to block its $3.8 billion takeover of low-cost rival Spirit Airlines Inc (SAVE.N). JetBlue said in a statement that it accounted for the possibility of a lawsuit when it provided a timeline to close the deal in the first half of 2024. JetBlue prevailed in a months-long bidding war for Spirit Airlines after the ultra-low-cost carrier accepted its offer in late July. JetBlue Chief Executive Robin Hayes said on Monday he expected a government lawsuit to stop the deal and that the company would fight it, the Wall Street Journal reported. JetBlue is also awaiting the outcome of a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Justice Department which asks the court to force JetBlue and American to scrap its Northeast Alliance.

☆ Airlines cancel over 1,300 U.S. flights as winter storm grips states
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 22 (Reuters) - Airlines canceled more than 1,300 flights in the United States on Wednesday as a strong winter storm makes its way through the western and central states. A total of 1,327 flights within, into and out of the United States were canceled by 12:30 p.m. ET, according to flight-tracking website FlightAware, which also showed 2,030 flights were delayed. Regional carrier SkyWest Inc (SKYW.O) led the cancellations with 312 flights, followed by low-cost carrier Southwest Airlines Co's (LUV.N) 248 and Delta Air Lines' (DAL.N) 246 flight cancellations. Southwest and Delta said they are monitoring the storm, while SkyWest did not immediately respond to a request for a comment.

☆ Airlines cancel over 1,000 U.S. flights as winter storm grips states
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 22 (Reuters) - Airlines canceled more than 1,000 flights in the United States on Wednesday as a strong winter storm makes its way through the western and central states. A total of 1,035 flights within, into or out of the United States were canceled by 0915 am ET, according to flight-tracking website FlightAware, which showed 932 flights were delayed. Low-cost carrier Southwest Airlines Co (LUV.N) led the cancellations with 235 flights, followed by Delta Air Lines (DAL.N) that canceled 197 flights. Southwest and Delta did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment. Reporting by Aishwarya Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry Jacob-PhillipsOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Frontier Airlines introduces new family seating policy
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 21 (Reuters) - U.S. budget carrier Frontier Airlines said on Tuesday it has introduced measures under which at least one parent will automatically be seated with any children within their family group who are under the age of 14, at no additional cost. This comes after President Joe Biden, earlier this month, harshly criticized U.S. airlines saying they were charging families unfair fees and vowing to implement new consumer protections. This also prompted United Airlines Holdings Inc (UAL.O) to announce on Monday "an improved family seating policy" that will make it easier for children under 12 years to sit next to an adult in their party for free. The complete policy change will go into effect in early March. Reporting by Kannaki Deka in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh KuberOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

In this article LUV Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNTGenaro Molina | Los Angeles Times | Getty ImagesWill the majority of travelers forgive Southwest Airlines and start buying tickets on the major U.S. air carrier again? Southwest Airlines accepted the blame for its technological meltdown during the holidays, and it has committed over $1 billion to fixing it. He pointed to $29 fare sales, "something I haven't seen Southwest offer in a long time," he said. The Southwest spokeswoman said the airline has a long history of innovation and pioneering technology in the airline industry. BALTIMORE, MD - DEC 27: Hundreds of passengers wait in line to handle their baggage claim issues with Southwest Airlines at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport in Baltimore, Maryland on December 27, 2022.

☆ Senators press U.S. FAA on recent airplane near miss incidents
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Michael A. McCoyWASHINGTON, Feb 15 (Reuters) - U.S. senators on Wednesday raised concerns about a string of recent near miss airplane incidents with the acting Federal Aviation Administration head as well as about a FAA computer system outage that snarled thousands of flights last month. They impact Americans confidence in our aviation system," said Senate Commerce chair Maria Cantwell at Wednesday's hearing. "The FAA must have redundancies, and not a single point where a failure can happen in a key system." Cruz asked if new FAA safeguards remove the risk of a similar single point of failure. On Tuesday, Nolen said he was launching a safety review after the recent near miss incidents raised questions about the U.S. aviation system.

WASHINGTON, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Southwest Airlines (LUV.N) on Thursday faced harsh criticism from U.S. senators at a hearing investigating the airline's meltdown that disrupted travel plans for 2 million customers, with one lawmaker calling the situation an "unmitigated disaster." While Southwest cited weather impacts, the union singled out poor preparation and a failure to modernize technology. Democratic Senator Jacky Rosen called it an "unmitigated disaster" that had a "devastating impact on families." Watterson said it has received about 284,000 cases from passengers impacted by meltdown and reimbursed more than 273,000 -- leaving 10,782. Cantwell said Southwest Chief Executive Officer Bob Jordan, who had been invited to the hearing, "didn't want to show up."

WASHINGTON, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Southwest Airlines (LUV.N) faced harsh criticism from U.S. senators at a hearing on Thursday investigating the airline's meltdown that disrupted travel plans for 2 million customers. The airline and its pilot union offered sharply contrasting reasons for the low-cost carrier's massive travel disruptions. While Southwest cited weather impacts, the union singled out poor preparation and a failure to modernize technology. Cantwell said Southwest Chief Executive Officer Bob Jordan, who had been invited to the hearing, "didn't want to show up." The meltdown caused the cancellation of almost 17,000 flights and is estimated to have cost the airline more than $1 billion.

WASHINGTON, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Southwest Airlines (LUV.N) faced harsh criticism from U.S. senators at a hearing on Thursday investigating the airline's meltdown that disrupted travel plans for 2 million customers. Senator Ted Cruz, the top Republican on the Senate Commerce Committee, called the cancellation of more than 16,000 flights "an epic screwup." While Southwest cited weather impacts, the union singled out poor preparation and a failure to modernize technology. Cantwell said Southwest Chief Executive Officer Bob Jordan, who had been invited to the hearing, "didn't want to show up." Casey Murray, president of the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA), said that the union has been sounding the alarm about the carrier's crew scheduling technology and "outdated" operational processes for years.

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