John Wayne Airport ready for Thanksgiving crowds

Just in time for the holiday crowds, officials at John Wayne Airport in Orange County say they have repaired a faulty baggage-handling system at a new terminal that opened last week as part of a $543-million expansion project.

The pressure was on at the airport because the new terminal -- Terminal C -- opened Monday with a baggage system that had failed to pass a certification test by the Transportation Security Administration. The system combines the conveyor belts installed by the airport with the baggage screening machines of the TSA.

Without TSA certification, the system was shut down, and passengers traveling through Terminal C on Southwest Airlines or Frontier Airlines were forced to hike over to Terminal B to fetch their luggage.

But airport officials had good news Friday. They announced that the baggage-handling system had been certified and would be operating by Sunday.

At least 386,000 Southern Californians are expected to fly for the holiday weekend, a 1.9% increase over last year, according to a forecast from the Auto Club of Southern California.

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-- Hugo Martin

Photo: The new terminal at John Wayne Airport. Credit: Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times

Prices for Thanksgiving travel and feast going up

If you plan on traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday, the cost of your trip is likely to be higher than last year, and the financial pain could strike almost every aspect of your vacation. Even the cost of the turkey dinner.

The average airfare for travel to the top 10 most popular destinations in the U.S. for Nov. 23 to Nov. 27 has jumped 11% over last year, according to an analysis by Orbitz, one of the nation’s busiest travel websites. That means the average round-trip ticket for Thanksgiving rose to $373 from about $340.

Flights to New York for the holiday will rise the most, jumping 20% over last year, with an average round-trip price of $342, according to Orbitz. Round-trip flights to Los Angeles will increase 12% to $429, according to the travel website.

Meanwhile, the average hotel rate for the nation’s top 25 destinations for Nov. 24 to Nov. 28 is expected to rise nearly 5% to $126.35 a night, according to a report by Travelclick, a New York company that provides e-commerce products and services to the hotel industry.

New York has the highest average hotel rates, $205.99 per night, an increase of 3.7% over last year, according to Travelclick. In Los Angeles, the average hotel rate will go up 4.6% to $112.42 a night.

You won’t escape the higher prices by driving: Gas prices reached the highest levels ever in the week prior to Thanksgiving, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California. The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area was $3.82 a gallon last week,  66 cents higher than the same time last year.

And with food prices on the rise, the American Farm Bureau Federation is predicting that the cost of a Thanksgiving dinner in the U.S. will rise 13% this year, the biggest increase in two decades.

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Thanksgiving travel in Southern California expected to rise

Ten years later, TSA screening still frustrates air travelers

Southern Californians to spend less on holiday travel, poll says

-- Hugo Martin

Photo credit: Reuters

TSA says no new study of scanner health effects needed

TSA chief John Pistole is backing off on a promise to have an independent panel look into the health effects of the full-body scanners used to screen passengers at the nation’s airports.

Pistole told a congressional committee early this month that he was concerned that some travelers still fear they will be harmed by going through airport scanners that use the so-called backscatter technology, which relies on radiation to detect objects hidden under the clothes of passengers.

“We will conduct an independent study to address that,” he told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

But last week Pistole changed his tune, saying the Transportation Security Administration recently received a draft report from the inspector general of the Department of Homeland Security that confirms the conclusion of previous independent studies -- that the scanners are safe for all passengers.

For now, Pistole said another study is not needed. But, he told CNN last week, he will “work with Congress to see whether that addresses their concerns.” For good reason: Congress approves the TSA’s annual budget.

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Ten years later, TSA screening still frustrates air travelers

TSA chief says airport screening tactics are changing

John Wayne Airport to get upgraded full-body scanners

-- Hugo Martin

Photo: A TSA official demonstrates how the full-body scanners are used at Los Angeles International Airport. Credit: Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times 

Thanksgiving travel in Southern California expected to rise

Expect the roads to be more crowded than usual during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

That's because an estimated 3.3 million Southern Californians plan to travel for the holiday, a 4.1% increase over last year, according to a forecast released Friday by the Auto Club of Southern California.

And despite higher fuel costs over last Thanksgiving, 86%, or 2.8 million of those travelers, will travel by car, also a 4.1% increase over last year. Another 386,000 will fly, a 1.9% increase, according to the Auto Club forecast.

The projected increase will mark the first holiday of the year with a growth in travelers. Travel experts attribute the rise to pent-up demand.

“Those who have put off vacations all year, or maybe for a couple of years, are realizing they need to get away and they are finding ways to do it even on a tight budget,” said Filomena Andre, the Auto Club’s vice president for travel.

First airline is fined for stranding passengers on tarmac

Ten years later, TSA screening still frustrates air travelers

Southern Californians to spend less on holiday travel, poll says

-- Hugo Martin

Photo: A typical traffic jam in Southern California. Roadways could be especially crowded over Thanksgiving weekend as holiday travel is expected to rise. Credit: Los Angeles Times

Consumer Confidential: Holiday travel, hybrids, teddy bear recall

Here's your three-times-a-lady Thursday roundup of consumer news from around the Web:

-- What's the latest word on the living hell that is Thanksgiving travel? Here you go. About 42.5 million people in the United States are expected to hit the road to visit family and friends, the highest number of holiday travelers since the start of the recession. Travel tracker AAA says that 4% more Americans than last year will journey at least 50 miles from home, with about 90% of them driving. Another 8% plan to fly, but AAA notes that higher airfares and less available seats have forced many would-be fliers to drive instead. The remaining travelers plan to take buses, trains or other forms of transport. Also, those driving should expect to pay more at the pump. The average price of a gallon of gas so far this November is $3.42, up nearly 20% from last year’s $2.86. (Associated Press)

-- For drivers, hybrid vehicles can be a good deal safer than conventional cars. For pedestrians, though, they can be more dangerous because they can sneak right up on you. Occupants of hybrid vehicles sustain fewer injuries in crashes than those who are involved in accidents in non-hybrid cars, according to the Highway Loss Data Institute. The same study says hybrids cause more pedestrian crashes than their non-hybrid counterparts because their relatively quiet operation can make them stealthy on the road. The study suggests the weight of hybrids contributed to a 25% decrease in bodily injuries for those riding in the vehicles. (Los Angeles Times)

-- Heads up: Build-a-Bear Workshop is recalling more than 21,000 swimwear and inner tube sets sold in the U.S. and Canada. The inner tube accessory can be pulled over a small child's head, posing a strangulation hazard. Build-a-Bear received one report of an incident in which a 3-year-old girl pulled the inner tube over her head and had difficulty removing it. The inner tube is part of the three-piece Fruit Tutu Bikini swimwear set for teddy bears, which includes a two-piece fruit-print bikini. The inner tube is nine inches in diameter and pink with white and yellow flowers printed on it. Build-a-Bear Workshop sold the swimwear sets nationwide from April to August for $12.50. They were made in China. (ConsumerAffairs.com)

-- David Lazarus

Photo: There will be more people traveling for Thanksgiving. Enjoy! Credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

 

Ten years later, TSA screening still frustrates air travelers

Ten years since the Transportation Security Administration was launched, the airport screening process remains among the top frustrations for most air travelers, a new survey found.

When asked to list their top five frustrations with air travel, a majority of air travelers who were surveyed listed four gripes related to the TSA's security checkpoints.

The findings came from an online survey by the U.S. Travel Assn., the nation's largest travel trade group. It was released to mark the 10th anniversary of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act, which created the TSA in November 2001. The association surveyed 600 Americans who traveled by air in the last 12 months.

The top five frustrations cited by air travelers:

1. People who bring too many carry-on bags through the security checkpoint (72.4%).

2. Uncomfortable seats on an airplane (70.4%).

3. The wait time to clear the TSA checkpoint (68%).

4. Having to remove shoes, belts and jackets at the T.A checkpoint (62.3%).

5. TSA employees who are not friendly (42.4%).

But the survey offered some good news for the TSA: 66% of air travelers said they are somewhat or very satisfied with the TSA's overall performance. The satisfaction rate was lower, 54.6%, for frequent travelers.

Also, nearly 75% of travelers said they were somewhat or very satisfied with the TSA's recent announcement that the agency will eventually phase out the requirement for passengers to remove their shoes.

RELATED:

TSA chief says airport screening tactics are changing

John Wayne Airport to get upgraded full-body scanners

TSA officers to try interview technique

-- Hugo Martin

Photo: TSA agents search passengers at Los Angeles International Airport. Credit: Los Angeles Times

Spirit Airlines boosts fee for booking domestic flights online

Florida-based Spirit Airlines, the only airline in the nation to charge passengers for carry-on luggage, now charges nearly $34 to book a round-trip flight online.

Spirit has long promoted itself as the ultra low-budget airline that offers fares as low as $9 each way. But the airline also boasts one of the most extensive lists of extra fees in the industry.

Earlier this month, Spirit raised the "passenger usage fee" from $8.99 for one-way domestic flights to $16.99. The fee for international flights dropped from $18.99 to $16.99.

The only way to avoid the fee is to buy a ticket at an airport counter. But as of Jan. 24, 2012, the airline will charge passengers $5 to print out a ticket at the airport counter.

The airline announced in August 2010 new fees to stow a bag in the on-board overhead compartment, in addition to charges to check luggage in the cargo area.

The carry-on fees range from $20 to $40, depending on whether passengers pay online or at the airport counter. The lowest luggage fee is charged to members of the airline's $9 fare club. But it costs about $60 a year to join.

A few months after announcing the carry-on fees, Spirit said it planned to install "pre-reclined" seats that do not adjust.

The airline says the new slim leather seats are 30% lighter, cutting down on fuel costs and offering 20% more space under the seat. By eliminating a steeper recline, the airline can also fit more seats into the plane.

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Spirit Airlines introduces non-adjustable seats

Spirit Airlines launches $45 carry-on fee

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-- Hugo Martin

Photo: Passengers speak with a Spirit Airlines worker at Detroit International Airport. Credit: Reuters

First airline is fined for stranding passengers on tarmac

American Eagle Airlines has agreed to pay a $900,000 fine for stranding hundreds of passengers on several delayed flights, marking the first penalty issued under a rule adopted by the U.S. Department of Transportation in April 2010.

The Transportation Department rule forbids airlines from keeping passengers on a delayed domestic flight for more than three hours or four hours for an international flight. To avoid a fine, airlines must offer stranded passengers food and water and the option to return to a terminal. The maximum fine is $27,500 per passenger.

The fine against American Eagle, a regional affiliate of American Air Lines, stems from lengthy delays at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport on May 29. A total of 15 planes, carrying 608 passengers, were stuck on the tarmac for three hours or more.

Because of heavy fog and thunderstorms on that day, air traffic controllers canceled departures for several hours. However, an investigation by the Transportation Department found that American Eagle continued to land flights later that day, creating a backlog of flights. In many cases, American Eagle didn't have enough pilots and crew to operate planes that were loaded with passengers and waiting at the gates, according to Transportation Department records.

"We put the tarmac rule in place to protect passengers, and we take any violation very seriously," U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement.

The tarmac delay rule, spurred by several notorious cases of flight delays, including the plight of passengers stranded for nearly six hours on a plane in Rochester, Minn., in 2009, offer exemptions for safety, security or air traffic control-related reasons.

Under the consent order, American Eagle must pay $650,000 within 30 days, and up to $250,000 can be paid through refunds, vouchers and frequent flier miles offered the passengers on the delayed flights.

Related:

New U.S. rules on tarmac delays: Q&A

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-- Hugo Martin

Photo: An American Eagle plane waits on the tarmac on Boston's Logan International Airport. Credit: Associated Press

 

 

 

First nationwide test of Emergency Alert System set for Wednesday

This is a test. This is only a test.

At 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, nearly all U.S. radio stations and television channels (including cable and satellite) will simultaneously pause for the first nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System.

For 30 seconds, "This is a test" will be heard, and on many televisions the message will appear on the screen.

The test will be conducted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, better known as FEMA, in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Over the last 15 years, state and local governments have used the Emergency Alert System, also called EAS, to send weather and emergency alerts to residents. But there has never been a national activation of the system, according to FEMA’s website.

The purpose of the test Wednesday, FEMA said, will be to evaluate how well the system will be able to deliver a nationwide message. FEMA chose Wednesday because it falls between the end of hurricane season and the usual start of severe winter weather, although a late-October storm that slammed into the Northeast jumped the gun this year.

The California Emergency Management Agency urges state residents to use the occasion to remind themselves to get ready for emergencies. Information on preparedness can be found at www.calema.ca.gov.

Just remember, this is only a test.

-- Rosanna Xia

Southern Californians to spend less on holiday travel, poll says

During the November and December holidays, Southern Californians are as likely to travel this year as last year but plan to spend less, according to a survey by the Automobile Club of Southern California.

For Thanksgiving and Christmas, 49% of Southern Californians polled said they planned to take one or more holiday trips, compared with 47% last year, according to a survey released Tuesday of more than 500 Auto Club members.

Of those who plan to travel during the holiday season, 60% said they planned to spend $1,000 or less on their trips, up from 52% of travelers last year, according to the survey.

"We are definitely seeing more price sensitivity on the part of travelers because of the economy and high gas prices," said Auto Club Vice President Filomena Andre. "But we also see that travel is viewed as a high priority and people will continue to fit trips into their budgets however they can."

Meanwhile, 39% of those surveyed said they won't travel for the holidays, up from 37% last year. Of those who won't travel, the most cited reasons included high gasoline prices and other rising expenses, the survey said.

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Airline traffic worldwide up nearly 6% in September

Stranded passengers may not be able to sue, attorney says

Airlines pocket $1.5 billion in luggage and reservation change fees

-- Hugo Martin

Photo: Airline passengers wait at Ontario International Airport. Credit: Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times

Stranded passengers may not be able to sue, attorney says

JetBlue Airways and the parent company for American Airlines could face stiff fines for stranding hundreds of passengers in planes on an airport tarmac for seven hours during a snowstorm last month. But a lawyer who specializes in business litigation says the passengers probably can’t sue over the ordeal.

JetBlue has apologized and offered to refund the airfares and pay for round-trip tickets for future travel for passengers on six JetBlue flights that were stranded on the tarmac at Bradley International Airport near Hartford, Conn., during a heavy storm that disrupted thousands of flights.

Under U.S. Department of Transportation rules, airlines that keep passengers in a grounded plane for three hours or more for domestic flights or four hours or more for international flights can be fined up to $27,000 per passenger.

The agency is investigating both airlines, but a spokesman said the rules exempt airlines that keep passengers on the tarmac because trying to return them to the terminal disrupts airport operations or creates a safety or security problem.

Since the new rule took effect in April 2010, the agency has yet to impose a fine on any airline.

It’s possible that the once-stranded passengers will get nothing more from the airline than the apology, the refunds and the extra airline tickets, said Hugh Totten, a Chicago attorney who has represented airlines in business litigation matters.

“While the new federal regulation limits tarmac delays to three hours, there are several exceptions to the rule,” he said. “Exceptions such as ‘disruption to airport operations’ or ‘passenger safety’ have been put in place, leaving passengers with no leverage for filing suit.”

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-- Hugo Martin

Photo: Some passengers at Bradley International Airport were able to get off a stranded plane. Credit: Erika Pesantes / South Florida Sun Sentinel

TSA chief says airport screening tactics are changing

Transportation Security Administration chief John Pistole told a congressional panel last week that his agency is overhauling the airport screening process that treats everyone the same, including infants and the elderly.

Pistole said the TSA is moving in a new direction to rely more on intelligence-gathering and targeting those travelers the TSA knows least about.

“Since I became TSA administrator, I have listened to ideas from people all over this country,” he told the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs on Wednesday.

Pistole said the agency is moving in the new direction by expanding several pilot security programs and changing the way children are searched.

But don’t expect the changes to cut down on the long airport security lines during the upcoming holiday travel season. TSA’s revised security tactics probably won’t be expanded nationwide for several months, a TSA spokesman said.

A pilot program that was launched last month and tested at four airports -- Miami, Dallas, Detroit and Atlanta -- lets passengers who volunteer personal information zip through a special screening lane without having to remove their shoes or jackets. Pistole told lawmakers that it has worked so well that he wants to expand it to more airports.

“We are working closely with other airlines and airports to determine when they may be operationally ready to join,” he said, without offering more details.

Another pilot program that was tested in Boston Logan International Airport deploys special “behavior detection officers” who chat with passengers in the terminal to detect suspicious behavior. Pistole said the program was recently expanded to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport.

Pistole also said the agency has changed its policy for searching children under 12. TSA agents now have the discretion whether or not to perform a pat-down search on youngsters or require that they remove their shoes.

“By streamlining procedures for these lower-risk passengers through programs like these, TSA is better able to focus its finite resources on those who pose higher risks to transportation,” he said.

RELATED:

Airlines protest fee increase plan

Fewer Americans traveled abroad last year

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-- Hugo Martin

Airline traffic worldwide up nearly 6% in September

Airline passenger traffic jumped nearly 6% in September over the same month last year but industry leaders worry that future numbers won't be as positive.

The International Air Transport Assn., the trade group for the world's largest airlines, reported the September increase but said economic uncertainty in Europe and proposed tax increases in the U.S. could jeopardize future growth and profits.

While passenger traffic increased 5.6% in September, air freight traffic dropped 2.7% in the same month, marking the fifth straight decline, according to the trade group.

The trade group attributed most of the increase in global passenger traffic to growth in emerging markets, such as Latin America, where demand jumped 10.6%, according to the trade group. A weak euro may have prompted more travel into Europe, sparking a 9.2% increase in traffic among European-based airlines, according to the group.

In North America, demand increased only 1.2% in September, compared with the same month last year, the association said.

IATA's director general, Tony Tyler, said economic uncertainty and a proposal by the Obama administration to increase taxes on airlines could cut into growth and future airline profits.

"September's strength in passenger demand was a pleasant surprise," Tyler said. "We are still expecting a general weakening in passenger traffic as we head toward the year-end."

Related:

International travel to the U.S. expected to boom

Airline industry continues to hire for now

Christmas travel spending to increase, survey says

--Hugo Martin

Photo: Passengers wait for flights at Los Angeles International Airport. Credit: Los Angeles Times.

International travel to the U.S. expected to boom

If you live near a tourist attraction in the U.S., you might want to practice your Mandarin and Portuguese.

International travel to the U.S. is expected to grow by 5% to 6% each year over the next five years, with the greatest rate of growth coming from China and Brazil, according to a new forecast by the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The latest numbers are a revision of a May forecast that said visitation numbers should grow by 6% to 8% annually over the next five years. Department of Commerce officials said they lowered their prediction slightly based on visitation numbers over the last few months.

Still, the projected increase is good news for the U.S. economy, as foreign travelers spend far more per visit than domestic tourists. The U.S. Department of Commerce projects a record 64 million international travelers to spend $152 billion during their stays in 2011, an increase of 13% from 2010.

“More than 1 million Americans owe their jobs to a strong travel and tourism sector," said Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Francisco Sánchez. "This record-breaking forecasted growth in travel exports will help put more Americans to work.”

Over the next five years, the greatest number of visitors will continue to be from Canada and Mexico, according to the forecast. But tourism is expected to grow the fastest from China (274%), Brazil (135%) and Australia (94%), the forecast said.

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-- Hugo Martin

Photo: Planes from foreign airlines line up at Los Angeles International Airport. Credit: Los Angeles Times

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Airlines pocket $1.5 billion in luggage and reservation change fees

While the nation's airlines continue to blame higher fuel costs for cutting into profits, the industry continues to pocket hefty revenue from fees.

The country's largest airlines collected $1.5 billion in fees from checked luggage and reservation change charges in April, May and June, according to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

The fees collected for the second quarter represent a 1% increase from the same period last year and were up 8.5% from the previous three months, according to the bureau.

These are the only fees paid by passengers that airlines are required to disclose to the federal agency. All other fees paid by passengers are combined in larger categories with other types of revenue.

In July, the U.S. Department of Transportation proposed a new rule, requiring airlines to report 16 additional categories of fees, such as food, in-flight entertainment and seat upgrade charges. The airlines have opposed the proposed rule, saying it would impose too much of a burden on the industry.

In the last few days, several airlines have released new earnings reports that show higher fuel costs have cut into what otherwise would have been healthy profits.

United Airlines reported a drop in earnings today for the third quarter, blaming fuel costs that grew by 41% over last year.

Last week, the parent company of American Airlines reported a third-quarter loss of $162 million, or 48 cents a share, attributing it mostly to higher fuel costs and unfavorable foreign-exchange rates.

RELATED:

John Wayne Airport to get upgraded full-body scanners

Airline industry continues to hire for now

Airlines worldwide expected to collect $32.5 billion in fees in 2011

-- Hugo Martin

Photo: Luggage stacks up at a terminal at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Credit: Reuters

 

 

 

Consumer Confidential: Credit cards, college costs, travel prices

Here's your walking-on-sunshine Wednesday roundup of consumer news from around the Web:

-- Your credit card knows a lot about you, and our friends at Visa and MasterCard may be using that info to sell you stuff. The Wall Street Journal says the credit card companies are currently trying to work out a system whereby purchases consumers make in a brick-and-mortar store can be used to deliver more effective ads online. A MasterCard document obtained by the Journal outlines some of the company's plans, which included linking Web users with purchases. According to document, the credit card provider said it believes "you are what you buy." The Journal said that Visa is planning a similar service, which would aggregate its customers' purchase history into segments, including location, to make ads more effective at appealing to people in a respective area.

-- The cost of a college education keeps going up. Average in-state tuition and fees at four-year public colleges rose an additional $631 this fall, or 8.3%, compared with a year ago, according to the College Board. Nationally, the cost of a full credit load has passed $8,000, an all-time high. Throw in room and board, and the average list price for a state school now runs more than $17,000 a year. The large increase in federal grants and tax credits for students, on top of stimulus dollars that prevented greater state cuts, helped keep the average tuition and fees that families actually pay much lower: about $2,490, or just $170 more than five years ago. But the days of states and families relying on budget relief from Washington appear numbered.

-- Also heading north: Travel prices. Higher demand and a reduced number of available seats will lead to higher airline ticket prices next year, even in a slow-growing economy, according to the American Express Global Business Travel Forecast. But prices won't jump as much as they did between 2010 and 2011, the forecast said. Business-class airfares are expected to rise the most next year. AmEx predicts prices for shorter North American flights in coach will increase by about 2% to 5%, while prices for longer economy flights will rise by 0.5% to 3.5%. In business class, rates will rise as much as 7% on shorter trips and 5% for longer ones.

-- David Lazarus

Photo: MasterCard and Visa may use your purchases to sell you stuff. Credit: Jonathan Bainbridge / Reuters

 

John Wayne Airport to get upgraded full-body scanners

John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana will be the latest Southern California airport to receive the full-body scanners that can screen passengers without creating what looks like a nude image of them.

The Transportation Security Administration confirmed last week that the agency plans to install the scanners at all three of the airport’s terminals, including the new Terminal C set to open next month.

The machines use a special technology—called millimeter wave—to spot objects hidden under passengers' clothes. With a new software upgrade, the machine shows a picture of a generic passenger and highlights a part of the picture where the machine indicates a hidden object may be found.

Similar machines are in use at Ontario International Airport, as well as in dozens of airports nationwide.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles International Airport—the nation’s fifth busiest airport—still uses the machines that create what looks like a nude image of passengers.

Those machines use a different technology, known as backscatter, and the TSA has not approved a software upgrade for those machines. TSA officials say they hope to have a software upgrade approved for the backscatter machines in the next few months.

Related:

Hugo Martin

Photo: TSA officials show how the backscatter scanner works at Los Angeles International Airport. Credit: Los Angeles Times.

Delta Air Lines to expand economy seats with extra legroom

As part of Delta Air Lines' $2-billion upgrade campaign, the Atlanta-based airline announced plans to expand a class of economy seats with extra legroom to its entire fleet.

Delta, the nation's largest airline, installed "economy comfort" seats on long-haul international flights earlier this year. But the airline announced Thursday that the seats, which offer three extra inches of legroom, will be expanded to the fleet of 550 planes and 250 regional jets.

To make room for the "economy comfort" seats, Delta will remove three to five rows from the economy section of the cabin, the airline announced. Economy passengers can upgrade to the "economy comfort" seats for a fee of $19 to $99, depending on the distance of the flight. Passengers who buy the upgraded seat also get to board early.

The new seating section is part of a campaign announced earlier this year by Delta to invest $2 billion in upgrades, including more first-class seats, in-seat entertainment units for business and economy seats on international fights, and updating all airport lounges, among other improvements.

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Airline industry continues to hire, for now

Company that puts ads on airport bins to expand

Christmas travel spending to increase, survey says

-- Hugo Martin

Photo: Economy comfort seats on Delta. Credit: Delta Air Lines

Airline industry continues to hire for now

The U.S. airline industry has been on a hiring trend lately, but don't expect that to continue too much longer.

For the ninth straight month, the airline industry has added full-time employees, with employment numbers for August up 2.8% over the same month last year, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

In August, commercial passenger airlines employed 388,523 full-time workers in the U.S., up 10,688 workers from August 2010, according to the bureau.

But the long-term trends show the industry has yet to reached the pre-recession peak of nearly 420,000 workers in early 2008. And in the last few weeks, airline executives have promised to cut back on flights and available seats in response to higher fuel prices and decreasing demand.

The biggest growth in the last few months has been among low-cost airlines, such as Virgin America, Spirit and JetBlue, which combined have increased employment by nearly 6% over last year.

Continental Airlines reported 9.2% more full-time employees in August 2011 than in August 2010, the largest increase among the large, network carriers, according to the bureau. California-based Virgin America hired 21.2% more full-time workers, the largest increase among low-cost airlines.

Related:

American Airlines to cut capacity and retire 11 planes

Christmas travel spending to increase, survey says

Spending on business travel expected to slow in 2012

--Hugo Martin

Photo: A worker at Delta Air Lines helps a customer at Los Angeles International Airport. Credit: Los Angeles Times

 

 

Airlines worldwide expected to collect $32.5 billion in fees in 2011

The worldwide airline industry is expected to collect $32.5 billion in fees for checked bags, onboard entertainment and other extras this year, a 44% increase over 2010.

The projection for a huge revenue increase came in an annual estimate released Wednesday by IdeaWorks, an airline consultant in Wisconsin, and Amadeus IT Group, a technology company in Madrid.

IdeaWorks and Amadeus said U.S. airlines should collect the vast majority of fees worldwide, pocketing $12.5 billion this year, compared with $6.7 billion last year.

The study attributes the higher revenue to increasing passenger demand and greater efforts by airlines to push for the sale of extra services and products, such as wireless Internet access and food. 

The study said that about half of the extra revenues collected by the airlines would come from the sale of frequent flier miles to credit card companies. Baggage fees make up about 20% of the fees, with charges for other onboard services and products making up the balance, according to the study.

“Whatever the model, there is no doubt that the growth of ancillary sales is here to stay," said Julia Sattel, a vice president for Amadeus.

Related:

Christmas travel spending to increase, survey says

Company that puts ads on airport bins to expand

Spending on business travel expected to slow in 2012

-- Hugo Martin

Photo: A passenger talks with an airline representative at Ontario International Airport. Credit: Los Angeles Times.