Airline Industry News
Governmental and Regulatory
The US Department of Transportation issued a final rule aimed at providing an additional layer of protection to the shipment of lithium batteries, which are used to power mobile phones and laptops.
Airlines, Industry and Labor
Boeing plans to build the 787-10 entirely at its plant in South Carolina, bypassing its facilities in Washington State.
United Airlines is taking a humorous approach to its latest safety video, which also promotes the carrier's global network. "We're working on being the world's most friendly airline," said Mark Krolick, managing director of marketing and product development at the carrier.
United Parcel Service revised its 2014 earnings forecast, predicting up to $5 earnings per share. UPS reported net income of $454 million for the second quarter, and also announced plans to spend $175 million to boost capacity before holiday deliveries begin around Thanksgiving.
Boeing predicts that 533,000 new commercial airline pilots will be needed over the next 20 years, together with 584,000 technicians. With the growth, Boeing said the supply in the United States is "keeping up with demand."
United Airlines plans to rebank flights at its hubs of Chicago, Denver and Houston to allow shorter times between connecting flights for passengers. "We have more confidence in our operational reliability going forward to permit those connections to occur without undue misconnects," said United CEO Jeff Smisek.
Moody's Investors Service praised a five-year contract between Delta Air Lines and a Texas firm for delivery of crude oil to the carrier's refinery in Trainer, Pennsylvania. Moody's said the agreement was "credit positive" due to the approximately $110 million in annual cost savings.