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Human remains found at Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve in DuPage County identified as those of United Airlines exec missing since last year

Human remains found by contractors at Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve near Darien on Friday afternoon were determined to be those of Jacob Cefolia, a United Airlines executive who had been reported missing in August 2020. In a news release Sunday, the DuPage County Coroner’s Office said an autopsy had been performed, and Cefolia was identified through dental records. But the cause and manner of ...

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US air travel rises to highest levels yet since pandemic hit

(AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)Across the United States, air travel is recovering more quickly from the depths of the pandemic, and it is showing up in longer airport security lines and busier traffic on airline websites. "Our last three weeks have been the best three weeks since the pandemic hit, and each week has been better than the one prior,” American Airlines CEO Doug Parker said Monday. However, the airlines still have far to go before travel fully returns to pre-pandemic levels. Since the pandemic hit, air travel has picked up a few times — mostly around holidays — only to drop back down. The airline said people are booking leisure trips to beach and mountain destinations but business travel is still lagging.

Airline stocks rally, American cites plan to pay off loan

FILE- This Dec. 19, 2017, file photo shows the American Airlines logo on top of the American Airlines Center in Dallas. Airline stocks rose Monday, March 8, 2021 spurred by signs that vaccine rollouts could set up a rebound in travel later this year. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth, File)FORT WORTH, Texas – Airline stocks rose Monday, spurred by signs that vaccine rollouts could set up a rebound in travel later this year. American Airlines, meanwhile, announced plans to raise $7.5 billion by borrowing against its frequent-flyer program and using the funds to pay off a federal loan that it received nearly a year ago, in the early days of the pandemic. Shares of American Airlines ended Monday up 5%.

Airline IT provider hacked, frequent flyer data breached

he hack of a company that manages ticket-processing and frequent-flier data for major global airlines including Star Alliance and OneWorld members has compromised the personal data of an unspecified number of travelers. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)BOSTON – The hack of a company that manages ticket-processing and frequent-flier data for major global airlines — including Star Alliance and OneWorld members — has compromised the personal data of an unspecified number of travelers. “The extent to which (frequent flyer alliances') individual airlines were affected varies from airline to airline,” SITA said in a statement. It said Malaysia Airlines, Finnair, Japan Airlines, Cathay Pacific had either issued statements or reached out to frequent-flyer members about the hack. AdUnited Airlines said separately that the only customer data potentially accessed were names, frequent-flyer numbers and program status.

Exam finds multiple cracks in part of United jet's engine

This photo provided by The National Transportation Safety Board shows the damaged engine of United Airlines Flight 328. The National Transportation Safety Board said Friday, March 5, 2021 that a microscopic exam confirmed that a fan blade that snapped off had telltale signs of fatigue tiny cracks caused by wear and tear. The National Transportation Safety Board said the blade found “multiple fatigue fracture origins” on the inside surface of the hollow fan blade. The NTSB believes the failed blade then sheared off part of an adjacent fan blade. The affected planes are all used by United Airlines and by carriers in Japan and South Korea.

Airline CEOs, Biden officials consider green-fuel breaks

Airline officials are talking to the Biden administration about support for incentives to use cleaner fuels for airplanes. United Airlines said CEO Scott Kirby asked administration officials to support incentives for sustainable aviation fuel and technology to remove carbon from the atmosphere. A United Nations aviation group has concluded that biofuels will remain a tiny source of aviation fuel for several years. Some environmentalists would prefer the Biden administration to impose tougher emissions standards on aircraft rather than create breaks for biofuels. “We stand ready to work in partnership with the Biden administration.”

United will pay $49 million to settle air mail fraud case

FILE - In this Oct. 14, 2020 file photo, United Airlines employees work at ticket counters in Terminal 1 at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. United Airlines will pay more than $49 million to settle criminal and civil accusations of defrauding the post office in the handling of international mail. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)United Airlines will pay more than $49 million to avoid criminal prosecution and settle civil charges of defrauding the U.S. Postal Service. AdIn 2019, American Airlines agreed to pay $22.1 million to settle similar allegations that it falsified information about international mail deliveries.

FAA grounds certain planes after engine failure over Denver

FILE - In this image taken from video, the engine of United Airlines Flight 328 is on fire after after experiencing a "right-engine failure" shortly after takeoff from Denver International Airport, Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021, in Denver. The order applies to airplanes equipped with certain Pratt & Whitney engines, which are used solely on Boeing 777s. The FAA's order applies to U.S. operators of airplanes equipped with certain Pratt & Whitney PW4000 engines, which are used solely on Boeing 777s. The order means fan blades will need to be shipped to Pratt & Whitney for thermal acoustic imaging tests, the company said in a statement. The previous inspection interval for Pratt & Whitney PW4000 engines was 6,500 flight cycles.

EXPLAINER: Why a plane's engine exploded over Denver

In this image taken from video, the engine of United Airlines Flight 328 is on fire after after experiencing "a right-engine failure" shortly after takeoff from Denver International Airport, Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021, in Denver, Colo. He said fan blade pieces — including one found on a soccer field in a Denver suburb — will be examined Tuesday in a Pratt & Whitney laboratory. As a result, 69 planes and another 59 in storage were grounded in the U.S., Japan and South Korea, the only countries with planes using this particular engine. The last accident-related death on a U.S. airline flight occurred in 2018, when a broken fan blade triggered an engine breakup on a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737. Hours before the Denver flight, a Boeing 747 cargo plane in the Netherlands suffered an engine failure that resulted in engine parts falling to the ground.

Boeing: 777s with engine that blew apart should be grounded

United is among the carriers that has grounded the planes. FAA Administrator Steve Dickson identified the focus on the stepped-up inspections as hollow fan blades unique to the Pratt & Whitney PW4000 engine model and used solely on Boeing 777s. In South Korea, Asiana Airlines grounded nine, seven of which were in service, and Korean Air said it grounded 16 aircraft, six of which are in service. The airline has said the plane had engine trouble after takeoff and returned to Naha. Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways will stop operating a combined 32 planes with that engine, Nikkei reported.

FAA orders United to inspect Boeing 777s after emergency

(Hayden Smith via AP)Federal aviation regulators are ordering United Airlines to step up inspections of all Boeing 777s equipped with the type of engine that suffered a catastrophic failure over Denver on Saturday. United said it is temporarily removing those aircraft from service, as meanwhile Boeing recommended grounding aircraft with that model engine until the Federal Aviation. Pieces of the casing of the engine, a Pratt & Whitney PW4000, rained down on suburban neighborhoods. “We are working with these regulators as they take actions while these planes are on the ground and further inspections are conducted by Pratt & Whitney," it said in a statement issued Sunday. AdUnited is the only U.S. airline with the Pratt & Whitney PW4000 in its fleet, the FAA said.

United: Small electric air taxis will zip people to airports

United Airlines says it could be using small electric-powered aircraft to take customers to the airport within a few years. United said Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021, that it will buy up to 200 small aircraft capable of helicopter-style takeoffs and landings from startup Archer. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)CHICAGO – United Airlines said Wednesday it will buy up to 200 small electric air taxis to help customers in urban areas get to the airport. United estimated the air taxis could shuttle people from Hollywood to Los Angeles International Airport at about half the carbon emissions per passenger. Chicago-based United portrayed the move as part of a broader plan to invest in technology behind cleaner modes of air travel.

United Airlines shares lose altitude after weak 1Q forecast

FILE - In this Oct. 15, 2020, file photo, a United Airlines airplane takes off over another United plane on the runway at San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco. United also gave a slightly more pessimistic first-quarter outlook than rival Delta Air Lines did just last week. The January-through-March period is a slow time for air travel even in normal years, but United said first-quarter revenue will be down 65% to 70% from a year ago. That prediction was five points worse than Delta forecast and implied no real improvement over United’s fourth quarter. Except for around Thanksgiving and Christmas, U.S. air travel has stubbornly remained down more than 60% from a year earlier.

Asian stocks sink after China coronavirus resurgence

Asian stock markets retreated Friday after a resurgence of coronavirus infections in China and a rise in cases in Southeast Asia. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)TOKYO – Asian stock markets retreated Friday after a resurgence of coronavirus infections in China and a rise in cases in Southeast Asia. South Korea advanced. Optimism about the rollout of coronavirus vaccines was dented by a spike in infections in China, where the disease had been under control. The Kospi in South Korea, where the increase in virus cases has slowed, advanced 0.5% to 3,179.49.

United Airlines posts $1.9 billion loss in pandemic-laden 4Q

FILE - In this Oct. 15, 2020, file photo, a United Airlines airplane takes off over another United plane on the runway at San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco. United lost $7.1 billion in 2020, an amount exceeded only in 2005, when bankruptcy-related costs pushed the company to a $21 billion loss. That was worse than the $6.62 per share loss predicted, on average, by 19 analysts in a FactSet survey. Revenue tumbled to $3.41 billion, nearly matching the $3.42 billion that was forecast by analysts. Shares of United Airlines Holdings Inc. rose 1% to $45.18 in regular trading before the financial results were released.

American Airlines is grounding emotional-support animals

(AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)DALLAS – American Airlines is banning emotional-support animals in a move that will force most owners to pay extra if they want their pets to travel with them. The airline said Tuesday that it will allow animals in the cabin free of charge only if they are trained service dogs. The U.S. Transportation Department cleared the way for the crackdown against companion animals last month. Jessica Tyler, American’s president of cargo, said the rules will help passengers with service animals and protect employees on planes and in airports. The number of passengers flying with companion animals grew rapidly in recent years, with some saying the animals helped them overcome anxiety and other issues.

Senate investigators fault FAA over Boeing jet, safety

In a report released Friday, Dec. 18, 2020 the Senate Commerce Committee also said the FAA continues to retaliate against whistleblowers. In a report released Friday, the Senate Commerce Committee also said the FAA continues to retaliate against whistleblowers. Both grew out of concern about the agency's approval of the Boeing Max. The Senate report, however, criticized a key part of the FAA review. It said that Boeing “inappropriately influenced" FAA testing of pilot-reaction time to a nose-down pitch of the plane.

Police: Couple flew to Hawaii despite positive COVID tests

HONOLULU – A couple were arrested at a Hawaii airport after traveling from the U.S. mainland despite knowing they were infected with COVID-19, authorities said. The couple took a COVID-19 test in Seattle after returning from abroad, police said, then received their positive results while flying between Seattle and San Francisco. “Officials notified the couple of positive test results and directed them to isolate.”But the two, who had a layover in San Francisco, decided to continue on to Hawaii over the weekend. “They knowingly boarded a flight aware of their positive COVID-19 test results, placing the passengers of the flight in danger of death,” Kauai police said. Effective Wednesday, all travelers to Kauai must spend 14 days in quarantine regardless of whether they obtain a negative COVID-19 test.

US tightens definition of service animals allowed on planes

The Transportation Department issued a final rule Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020, covering service animals. It decided that only dogs can fly as service animals, and companions that passengers use for emotional support don't count. The number of animals on planes took off several years ago, and a cottage industry grew around providing papers, doctor's notes and even dog vests for support animals. Delta Air Lines says it carried about 250,000 animals including service dogs in 2017 and about 600,000 last year. The Transportation Department stood by an earlier decision to prohibit airlines from banning entire dog breeds as service animals.

US airlines still piling up losses but say demand is rising

Southwest Airlines on Thursday, Oct. 22, lost $1.16 billion in the normally strong third quarter, which includes most of the summer vacation season. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)DALLAS – Airlines are piling up billions of dollars in additional losses as the pandemic chokes off air travel, but a recent uptick in passengers, however modest, has provided some hope. However, air travel in October is still down 65% from a year ago. The Seattle company said that removing one-time gains and costs, the loss came to $3.23 per share, which was wider than the $2.86 per share loss predicted by analysts. Earlier this month, Delta Air Lines posted a $5.4 billion loss and United Airlines lost $1.8 billion for the third quarter.

Tourists return to Hawaii amid ever-changing pandemic rules

Coronavirus weary residents and struggling business owners in Hawaii will be watching closely as tourists begin to return to the islands on Thursday without having to self-quarantine upon arrival. The new testing program is an effort to stem the devastating downturn the pandemic has had on Hawaii’s tourism-based economy. But gaps in the pre-travel testing program coupled with increasing cases of COVID-19 across the U.S. have raised questions about whether Hawaii is ready to safely welcome back vacationers. David Ige on Wednesday to talk about a new restaurant debit card that will give some unemployed Hawaii residents a $500 to spend at local restaurants over the next 60 days. “This second test upon arrival to Hawaii island will provide an extra layer of protection for our community," said Big Island Mayor Harry Kim in a statement Monday.

Asian shares mixed amid 2nd wave coronavirus, election fears

Asian shares were mixed on Friday as investors weighed concerns about the U.S. presidential election and an economic stimulus package, on top of fears of flaring outbreaks of coronavirus. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)BEIJING – Asian shares were mixed on Friday as investors weighed concerns about the U.S. presidential election and an economic stimulus package, on top of fears of flaring outbreaks of coronavirus. Investors are also looking ahead to the release of data on the Chinese economy next week. Coronavirus infections are rising in Europe, prompting governments in France and Britain to impose new measures to contain the outbreak. Stocks have been mostly climbing this month, but have pulled back this week as ongoing talks between Democrats and Republicans on an economic stimulus package have foundered.

United loses $1.8 billion, aims to shift focus to recovery

United Airlines, which furloughed 13,000 employees this month, is expected to report a large third-quarter loss as the coronavirus pandemic continues to batter air travel. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)United Airlines financial hole grew deeper over the summer as a modest recovery in air travel slowed down, pushing the carrier to a loss of $1.84 billion in the typically strong third quarter. The results from United, and those issued a day earlier by Delta Air Lines, reinforced the damage that the pandemic is doing to a major industry. Seven months into the worst of the coronavirus impact in the U.S., air travel remains down 65% from a year ago. United, Delta and American rely on business and international travelers for much of their revenue.

CEO says Southwest needs union pay cuts to avoid furloughs

DALLAS – Southwest Airlines will cut pay for nonunion workers in January and says union workers must also accept less pay or face furloughs next year as the pandemic continues to hammer the airline business. Southwest will negotiate similar cuts from union workers, who represent about 85% of the workforce. Southwest Airlines Co. had about 61,000 employees in June but at least 4,200 agreed to leave. All the carriers are lobbying Congress and the White House for another $25 billion in taxpayer money to pay workers for the next six months. Southwest flight attendants began contract negotiations in late 2018, long before the pandemic.

Democratic proposal for more airline aid stalls in Congress

Travellers check in at a United Airlines kiosk with help from a United employee in the main terminal of Denver International Airport Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020, in Denver. Earlier in the day, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi urged airlines to delay 32,000 furloughs that began this week while Congress considered DeFazio's bill. American Airlines and United Airlines held back, however, saying they would wait for Congress to approve the money before recalling furloughed workers. Congress approved $25 billion in payroll aid six months ago in hopes that the travel industry might be stronger by fall. On top of that, American is furloughing 19,000 workers, United is cutting 13,000, and Alaska furloughed about 500.

Airline furloughs begin as federal pandemic relief expires

U.S. airlines began furloughing more than 32,000 employees on Thursday after a federal prohibition on job cuts expired. American Airlines and United Airlines said that they could reverse the furloughs if Congress and the White House quickly agree to provide billions more in taxpayer help to the embattled airline industry. The White House included $20 billion for airlines in a $1.6 trillion COVID-19 relief proposal, moving closer to House Democrats' $2.2 trillion plan. Airlines and their unions are lobbying for money to keep workers on airline payrolls for six more months, through next March. They received $25 billion, mostly in cash, to pay employees through Sept. 30 in exchange for avoiding layoffs or furloughs.