Unruly behavior on planes not tolerated

On a recent Southwest Airlines flight, a man dropped his pants and exposed himself to the female passenger sitting next to him, then punched her, according to an FBI affidavit. The plane was in midair, and the naked man reportedly grew angrier, screaming uncontrollably and shaking his fist in the air. The man had gone [...]

American Airlines parent gets $2.9B, shifts routes

American Airlines’ parent company said Thursday it is taking on significant new debt at a time when revenues are being hammered, but the $2.9 billion in cash and fresh financing it raised should quiet concerns — for now — that it is in danger of a cash crunch and a bankruptcy filing. Passengers will see [...]

Airlines improve on-time arrival ratings in July

Airline passengers got to their destination on time a little more often in July. The Transportation Department said on Tuesday that 77.6 percent of airline flights arrived on time, up from 75.7 percent during the same month last year. July’s showing was also an improvement over the 76.1 percent on-time rate in June. Airlines have [...]

Southwest Airlines adds charge to board sooner

Unlike other carriers, Southwest Airlines doesn’t give passengers assigned seats, but now for $10 each way it’s giving customers a better shot at scoring a window or aisle seat. Southwest announced Wednesday that customers can pay extra to reserve a spot in the boarding line right behind elite regular fliers and ahead of families with [...]

Southwest Airlines reduces flights on 92 routes

Southwest Airlines will temporarily halt flights on three routes early next year as it deals with a decline in air traffic and tries to bend its schedule to fit seasonal demand. The airline published a new schedule Tuesday that covers flights from next Jan. 9 to March 12. The airline will cut one flight per [...]

FAA investigating Southwest over parts, repairs

Federal officials say a maintenance company hired by Southwest Airlines used unapproved parts for repairs on some jets. The parts will have to be replaced, but they are not considered an immediate safety threat and regulators will let Southwest keep flying the planes for 10 days while it decides how to fix the problem. Southwest [...]

Airlines stocks rise

Airline stocks rose modestly at midday Tuesday, gliding upward on gains in the broader stock indexes as investors recovered from the previous day’s sell-off. An analyst at UBS raised his target prices on airline stocks, saying that July and August revenue at the carriers was a bit better than he had expected. The Amex Airline [...]