United, Brussels Airlines Reach Sales Agreement

United, Brussels Air reach codeshare agreement to sell tickets on 1 another's routes

On Thursday April 1, 2010, 6:17 pm EDT

CHICAGO (AP) -- United Airlines said Thursday that a new sales agreement with Brussels Airlines will give United customers new connections to cities in Europe and Africa.

The flights, which begin Monday, add to nonstop service between Chicago and Brussels that United launched March 28, the airline said.

United customers may now purchase tickets on flights operated by Brussels Airlines between Brussels and 24 destinations in Europe 12 in Africa. Some African markets are subject to government approval.

Southwest Airlines' Partnership with WestJet May be on Skids

07:23 AM CDT on Friday, April 2, 2010

By TERRY MAXON / The Dallas Morning News
tmaxon@dallasnews.com

Southwest Airlines Co. said Thursday that its partnership with WestJet Airlines Ltd. is in jeopardy because the Canadian carrier also wants to partner with Delta Air Lines Inc.

The dispute is a setback for the Dallas-based carrier's efforts to begin offering international service through other airlines.

Delta and WestJet have both said recently that WestJet may start a code-sharing arrangement with Delta. Southwest said the Delta-WestJet linkup "could be inconsistent with the agreement presently in place between Southwest and WestJet."

Passengers Pushed to the Limit by Airlines' Increased Baggage Fees

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO US AIRWAYS, LEFT, CHARGE $25 FOR THE FIRST BAG, $35 FOR A SECOND.

Sunday, April 4, 2010
Last updated: Sunday April 4, 2010, 12:03 PM

BY NANCY TREJOS
Wire Service
THE WASHINGTON POST

When she heard how much US Airways was going to charge to check her suitcase for a recent flight to Houston from Washington, D.C., Mary Barber took drastic action.

Got a bag weighing more than 50 pounds? That's $50 extra to fly American Airlines. At the check-in counter agent's suggestion, Barber ran into a store at the Reagan National terminal and snapped up a neon-green nylon bag on sale for $6. She stuffed what she could from her suitcase into it. The remainder went into a cloth Whole Foods tote she had packed in her bag.

Branson Tells Brussels to Block BA Tie-up Deal with American Airlines

Sir Richard Branson is to demand that the European Commission overrules a tie-up deal between British Airways and American Airlines which would see them controlling more than 60pc of lucrative flight slots between Heathrow and the United States.

By Kamal Ahmed
Published: 10:38PM BST 03 Apr 2010

Virgin Atlantic will present fresh evidence to the Commission this week following a ruling by the US Department of Transportation that the alliance between BA and AA should be given anti-trust immunity.

In an interview with The Sunday Telegraph, Sir Richard said that the "unholy alliance" between the two leading carriers would mean increased fares and less competition. "Inevitably when people control 60pc-70pc of a market they can pretty well charge what they want," Sir Richard said.

Proposed Jacksonville Fire Cuts Include Layoffs, Downsizing Stations

Posted: April 2, 2010 - 5:37pm
By Matt Galnor

Without concessions from the Jacksonville firefighters union, city leaders say they'll have to lay off more than 40 firefighters and pull engines from four fire stations, city records show.

Fire Chief Dan Kleman said he doesn't recommend the moves but was asked by Mayor John Peyton's office to provide a list of $4.8 million in cuts.

Not coincidentally, that figure is how much the city would save if the union agreed to take a 3 percent salary cut, freeze tenure-based raises and assume a greater chunk of health insurance costs.