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Debates of May 11th, 2009
House of Commons Hansard #55 of the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was farm.
- Question Period
- Competition Act
- Canadian Agricultural Loans Act
- National Police Week
- Veterans Affairs Commendation
- Municipality of Saint-Esprit
- Windsor Spitfires
- Alberta Film and Television Awards
- Veterans Affairs Commendation
- Liberal Party of Canada
- Michèle Rouleau
- Agricultural Loans
- Speech and Hearing Awareness Month
- Security Infrastructure
- Édith Butler
- Leader of the Liberal Party
- Mining Industry
- National Nursing Week
- Taxation
- Employment Insurance
- Sri Lanka
- The Environment
- Sri Lanka
- Infrastructure
- Employment Insurance
- Air India
- Science and Technology
- Arts and Culture
- The Economy
- International Trade
- Justice
- Fishing Industry
- National Defence
- Infrastructure
- Credit Card Regulations
- Infrastructure
- Lobster Fishery
- Foreign Affairs
- Aboriginal Affairs
- National Parks
- The Environment
- Presence in Gallery
- Commissioner of Lobbying
- Canada-Israel Relations
- Committees of the House
- Petitions
- Questions Passed as Orders for Returns
- Family Homes on Reserves and Matrimonial Interests or Rights Act
Canadian Agricultural Loans Act
Government Orders
2 p.m.
The Acting Speaker Barry Devolin
I declare the motion carried. Accordingly, the bill stands referred to the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food.
(Motion agreed to, bill read the second time and referred to a committee)
National Police Week
Statements By Members
2 p.m.
Dave MacKenzie Oxford, ON
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise in the House during National Police Week to pay tribute to the brave men and women who selflessly protect our families and our communities each and every day.
Our government prides itself on the support it continues to provide to the police community. We are firmly committed to ensuring that police have the legislative backing needed to tackle crime.
We have passed laws providing for mandatory prison sentences, made it tougher for offenders to get out of prison, and eliminated house arrest for serious crime.
This government has introduced legislation to tackle auto theft, property crime and identity theft, and to increase penalties for gang and organized crime related violence and drug trafficking.
This government has also provided funding to hire more police officers for the provinces and municipalities. We now have 1,500 new RCMP officers in place.
I and other members of our party have worn the uniform, be it municipal, provincial or RCMP, and we can all attest to the commitment and dedication police officers bring to their jobs every day.
National Police Week is a chance for all of us to show our appreciation for these outstanding men and women, who, as we are reminded today, place their lives on the line every day.
Veterans Affairs Commendation
Statements By Members
2 p.m.
Anthony Rota Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Mr. Jan Van Der Rassel, a Korean war veteran and Canadian Forces veteran from my riding.
Earlier today Mr. Van Der Rassel was presented with a Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation for the remarkable work he does to assist veterans and their dependents.
Mr. Van Der Rassel has been an active member of the Korea Veterans Association of Canada, KVA, for more than 30 years. In fact, he was instrumental in organizing the charter for KVA Unit No. 58 in North Bay.
Mr. Van Der Rassel is also a member of the Memory project and is heavily involved in community fundraising.
I have had the great pleasure of working with Van over the past several years, and I have always been extremely impressed by his commitment to his community and his fellow veterans, whether it is visiting them to bring up their spirits or helping them obtain the benefits they so deserve.
On behalf of all hon. members, I wish to congratulate Jan Van Der Rassel on receiving a Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation, and express my sincere gratitude for his tremendous commitment to veterans and their dependents.
Municipality of Saint-Esprit
Statements By Members
2 p.m.
Roger Gaudet Montcalm, QC
Mr. Speaker, I would like to draw the attention of the House to the fabulous work done by the committee and the people involved in organizing the municipality of Saint-Esprit's participation in the program La petite séduction as part of the festivities to mark the village's 200th anniversary. On April 22, 2009, Quebec television viewers had the opportunity to see Véronique Cloutier warmly welcomed to the village of Saint-Esprit. The people of Saint-Esprit should be delighted by their success. Their guest was captivated by the their unique character.
That event was part of the enormous success of Saint-Esprit's bicentennial and reflected the residents' pride in their municipality. As the member of Parliament for Montcalm, I would like to congratulate them on their efforts to introduce ourselves to the rest of Quebec.
I would like to thank Danielle Allard, mayor of Saint-Esprit, Jean Latendresse, chair of the 200th anniversary celebrations, and all the volunteers and members of the organizing committee for this marvellous initiative.
Windsor Spitfires
Statements By Members
2 p.m.
Brian Masse Windsor West, ON
Mr. Speaker, on Friday night the Windsor Spitfires capped off an incredible playoff run with a 2-1 overtime win over the Brampton Battalion to win the Spitfires' first OHL championship in 21 years.
Only one season removed from the tragic loss of the team's tremendous captain, Mickey Renaud, the Spits, under the skilled leadership of a remarkable ownership group and the unwavering support of the community, have christened the Windsor Family Credit Union Centre, in the centre's first season, the home of the Windsor Spitfires with the J. Ross Robertson Cup.
I would like to congratulate owners Peter Dobrich, Warren Rychel and Bob Boughner, who have led this proud franchise back to prominence. The member for Windsor—Tecumseh and I wish them and the entire organization the best of luck in the Memorial Cup.
The Spitfires have the support of the community behind them. Go Spits go.
Alberta Film and Television Awards
Statements By Members
2:05 p.m.
LaVar Payne Medicine Hat, AB
Mr. Speaker, on May 2 I attended the 2009 Rosies, the Alberta Film and Television Awards, where two constituents won two prestigious awards.
MacKenzie Porter won the Best Actress award for her outstanding work in the Nomadic Pictures production, The Other Woman. Landon Liboiron was awarded Best Actor for his exemplary performance in the Seven24 Films production, Wild Roses.
MacKenzie hails from Medicine Hat and comes from a talented family. Kalan Porter, Canadian Idol 2004 winner, is MacKenzie's older brother. MacKenzie is 19 years old and has already performed in several cinema and TV productions and undoubtedly has a tremendous career ahead of her.
Landon, from Jenner, Alberta, is a grade 12 student at St. Joseph's Collegiate in Brooks. Remarkably, this is 18-year-old Landon's second Rosie. We will soon see this wonderfully talented and accomplished young man on CTV's Degrassi: The Next Generation.
On behalf of my constituents, I want to extend our congratulations to MacKenzie and Landon. They are an inspiration and we are all tremendously proud.
Veterans Affairs Commendation
Statements By Members
May 11th, 2009 / 2:05 p.m.
Wayne Easter Malpeque, PE
Mr. Speaker, I take this opportunity to congratulate Mr. Garnett Turner of Kensington, P.E.I., for receiving a Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation. The award recognizes those who have made a substantial contribution to the care and well-being of veterans.
Mr. Turner's service to the Canadian war effort during the second world war is exemplary and includes time in the Canadian army as well as the Merchant Navy. Since the war, Mr. Turner has played an active role in the Royal Canadian Legion and has been a member of Legion Branch No. 9 in Kensington for 55 years.
Through a project called Passing the Torch, Mr. Turner has taken photos of cenotaphs and war memorials in an effort to compile a more extensive list of those who have served and to perpetuate their names in recognition of their service. It is a superb piece of work.
On behalf of this House, I congratulate his exceptional contribution to our community and to the legacy of Canadian heroes.
Liberal Party of Canada
Statements By Members
2:05 p.m.
Greg Rickford Kenora, ON
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals, hot off their do-nothing convention, have a new slogan: "We can" That is really original. I wonder where they came up with that.
Here is what we know so far about what Liberals mean when they say, "We can".
"We can" means they can raise taxes on the backsides of Canadian families.
"We can" means they can abandon a majority of Canadians, including first nations, who support scrapping the long-gun registry.
"We can" means they can all sign onto a coalition government that they now say would have deeply and enduringly divided Canadians.
Conservatives have a saying too: "We are".
We are keeping taxes low for Canadians during these economic times.
We are providing stimulus for industries to emerge stronger and greener than ever, and we are moving forward on our promise to dismantle the long-gun registry.
What is the irony of all of this? In the last election, we asked Canadians for permission to rebuild and modernize Canada's infrastructure and lead them through this global recession, and their answer was, "Yes, we can".
Michèle Rouleau
Statements By Members
2:05 p.m.
Yvon Lévesque Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC
Mr. Speaker, today I wish to congratulate a great lady from my riding, Ms. Michèle Rouleau, who was just awarded an honorary doctorate by the Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT).
Originally from Senneterre in Abitibi, Ms. Rouleau has been an advocate for the rights of native women. She has served as the director of the Senneterre native friendship centre, president of Quebec Native Women and a commissioner on the AFN Renewal Commission. She has always been actively involved in her community and today is a consultant in aboriginal affairs and a facilitator.
Michèle Rouleau was awarded Quebec's Prix de la Justice award and the Droits et libertés award by Quebec's Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse. She is also a Chevalier de l'Ordre national du Québec.
By awarding this honorary doctorate, UQAT is underscoring the exceptional commitment made by this remarkable humanitarian. We are very proud of this honour, which reflects on the entire community and riding.
Congratulations, Michèle.
Agricultural Loans
Statements By Members
2:05 p.m.
Bev Shipley Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON
Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of new farmers and young farmers in my riding of Lambton--Kent--Middlesex to commend my colleague, the Minister of Agriculture, for introducing the Canadian agricultural loans bill.
Since being elected, I have been privileged to conduct a number of round table meetings with all sectors of agriculture that have provided me with important input on issues. I have heard consistently from young farmers about the challenges they face in trying to carry on the family farm.
The Canadian agricultural loans bill would allow young farmers entering the farming business and intergenerational farmers hoping to take over the family farm the opportunity to access loans of up to $500,000. These significant changes were not available under the previous program.
This is yet another example of our government's commitment to the agriculture industry and to new farmers, and our recognition of its importance to Canada.
Speech and Hearing Awareness Month
Statements By Members
2:10 p.m.
Brian Murphy Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Isabelle Allain, from my riding of Moncton--Riverview--Dieppe, who has been awarded the prestigious student excellence award by the Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists.
Isabelle, who is currently completing her master's in speech pathology at McGill, is a former New Brunswick ambassador to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner of Human Rights.
Isabelle also earned an honours B.A. in international development and Spanish at Dalhousie University.
This award is timely, as May is Speech and Hearing Awareness Month in Canada.
Speech pathologists like Isabelle work with children, adults and seniors, and their families, helping to deal with different communication disorders, and improving the lives of everyone who may have to deal with hearing or speech issues.
I ask this House to join me in congratulating Isabelle Allain and the difference she is making.
Security Infrastructure
Statements By Members
2:10 p.m.
James Lunney Nanaimo—Alberni, BC
Mr. Speaker, hate crimes undermine the security of our neighbourhoods. The communities at risk security infrastructure program is a $3 million initiative that allows targeted communities to apply for funding to improve security and enhance their safety.
Canada is not immune to violent acts that target individuals based on their race, culture or identity. Crimes that target community or religious institutions are sometimes considered to be victimless crimes, but this is not the case. Hate-motivated crime leaves more than just physical harm because it targets an entire community.
That is why our government has acted to extend this important program, allowing community organizations to apply for federal funding to assist with upgrades to security infrastructure. This program continues our government's efforts to not only punish crimes but also to prevent them whenever possible.
Now is the time for community organizations to apply for this funding. Whether it is for a synagogue, a mosque or a community centre, all Canadians deserve the right to feel safe in their community, and our Conservative government is taking action to enhance both safety and security.
Édith Butler
Statements By Members
2:10 p.m.
Yvon Godin Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Mr. Speaker, Acadian Édith Butler was awarded the highest distinction granted a performing artist in Canada. She received a Governor General's Performing Arts Award.
On behalf of the people of her home riding, Acadie—Bathurst, I would like to convey our gratitude, admiration and pride.
Through song and story, Édith brought Acadia to the world, and taught so many about the place we call home. Most importantly, she brought it to life just as she brought us many a happy moment singing "Paquetville, Paquetville".
Her heritage and the joy it brings are part of our collective psyche. I would like to pay tribute to this extraordinary artist's 40-year career, to her exceptional contribution to our cultural life, and to her generosity, both on stage and off.
We thank Édith. Congratulations, and best wishes in her future endeavours.
Leader of the Liberal Party
Statements By Members
2:10 p.m.
Sylvie Boucher Beauport—Limoilou, QC
Mr. Speaker, Liberal ideology at its worst has returned on the other side of the House. The Liberal leader wants to raise taxes. Raise taxes for the good of the nation, he said.
This weekend, the Liberal leader also denied his party's recent history. After—like all his colleagues—signing a letter to the Governor General begging her to allow the opposition to lead the country with an unelected coalition, today he is dissociating himself from that.
For this man, Quebec is a little like Minnesota or Vermont. He recognizes Quebec's distinctness only by highway signs written in French. I have no congratulations for him.
For the Liberal leader, there is nothing like a healthy tax increase, a latent insult to Quebeckers and a firm denial of history. We expected nothing less from a Liberal leader who is gradually falling into line with the shortsighted ideology of his party and that of Trudeau.
Mining Industry
Statements By Members
2:15 p.m.
Johanne Deschamps Laurentides—Labelle, QC
Mr. Speaker, today in Montreal, various organizations got together to call on the government to shoulder its responsibilities with regard to Canadian mining companies abroad.
The Canadian government's response to the National Roundtables on Corporate Social Responsibility and the Canadian Extractive Industry in Developing Countries report shows that it fails to understand the issues involved. It has ignored the many recommendations made by the industry and civil society on how to ensure that foreign activities by Canadian extractive companies comply with international environmental and human rights standards.
The Bloc Québécois supports this report, which recommends developing a code of practice for extractive companies, introducing independent oversight and accounting mechanisms and implementing punitive measures for companies that violate the code of conduct.
It is deplorable that the Canadian government lacks vision and prefers to rely on companies to take voluntary action.


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If someone tells me they just soloed, or completed a cross-country, or finished the checkride, I'm happy for that person–and I say so. I congratulate him or her and ask for details of the event. (I really do want to hear all the gory details. It reminds me of my student days and keeps me humble.)
If someone says she just soloed, what you won't hear me say is, "That's great–when's the cross-country?" Or, if she completed her checkride, "Way to go! Now on to the instrument rating."
Whenever we achieve a goal in our flying, we need to take at least a couple moments to savor that accomplishment. From the day you walk into a flight school to schedule an introductory ride to the moment your designated pilot examiner signs your new temporary certificate, you're on a journey that is rigorous and challenging. It will be incredibly rewarding, too–especially if we realize what we've achieved.
Take the solo, for example. You just flew an airplane all by yourself–something only about 628,000 other people in the United States have done. And if you're 16 years old and soloing, consider that you're likely flying an airplane at an age when your friends are driving a car. (On second thought, don't remind your parents of that.)
That's why we celebrate a solo with a cut shirt-tail. It's why some of us still ask for a signature in the logbook at the airport on our solo cross-country–even though we're not required to do that any more. It's why AOPA's MyFlightTraining website shares photos of milestones and "attaboys". Those tangible expressions of our accomplishments bolster us and keep us going on what can seem like a very long road to the ultimate prize: our ticket.
So if you're a student pilot, keep up the good work! Tell me about your milestones (Twitter: @jtallman1959) because I love to hear about them. Oh, and… congratulations!–Jill W. Tallman


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Coming soon!
Greetings HagiFriends. We present to you a creation dedicated to all the victims of the tragic earthquake and resulting devastating tsunami on March 9th 2011.
Further ... approximately $20 from the sale of each piece will go towards relief efforts (hopefully more, still negotiating with Mago and Seigan).


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Madison Buffet
3 configurations from $2,365.00
54" buffet in solid cherry with solid maple panels and Madison top.
The Madison buffet features a drawer behind each door and one adjustable shelf behind each door or pair of doors. The doors feature raised panels.
email this page to a friend >>


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As I pointed out earlier in another post, Austin is a better option than Rainey because for starters, he doesn't come with the character issues. Secondly, he isn't the same style of runner; whereas Rainey is a straight on track-style runner who couldn't seem to make anyone miss, Austin on the other hand has the break away speed, and it's really hard to even get a hand on him, much less a helmet.
Not sure he's a feature back in the NFL, and I'm not even advocating a 1st round pick, but if he lasts til the 2nd he's worth a shot at least.
According to draftscout, Tavon Austin is one inch shorter and ten pounds lighter than Antonio Brown was coming out. Emmanuel Sanders was 3 inches taller and 11 pounds heavier. But, those two were not first or second rounders.
Last edited by Mister Pittsburgh; 03-03-2013 at 10:30 AM.
Ray Rice has made a living out of the pause step and jump cut, Tavon Austin is a step above him IMHO.
2nd round, only because he doesnt sack the QB or play QB.


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By Adam Minter Bloomberg View
Is airline consolidation really so bad for the flying public? On the surface it would seem that way. In 2013, for instance, 85 percent of all U.S. domestic passengers flew on one of just four airlines -– each of which expanded substantially as a result of a merger or acquisition between 2008 and 2013. Meanwhile, between 2007 and 2012, airfares rose 4 percent. Consolidation appears to have reduced competition.
Or has it? According to a Government Accountability Office report issued last week, during that same period there was "little change" in the average number of competitors on domestic routes flown by U.S. carriers. (The report concedes that its calculations don't measure the effects of the 2013 merger between American Airlines and U.S. Airways.) That may seem counterintuitive to anyone who's watched the number of carriers flying out of their local airport slowly dwindle. However, the GAO largely avoids judging competition by how many airlines are based at specific airports, and instead looks at how much competition exists on specific routes flown either directly, or via connection. From that perspective, there's plenty of competition in the U.S. skies, especially if you're flying between popular cities, not rural ones.
By Mark Kellam , Burbank Leader, Glendale, Calif.
June 07--The number of passengers at Bob Hope Airport declined 1.5% in April, and parking revenues, while they did rise, didn't grow enough to meet budget projections, according to the latest statistics.
There were 325,839 passengers in April, compared to 330,772 passengers in April 2013, according to a report released by the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority on Monday.
By MARY ANN MILBOURN, Orange County Register
If things seemed a little crowded at Los Angeles International Airport in April, it wasn't your imagination. Passenger growth surged 8.5 percent compared to April a year ago.
John Wayne Airport, Ontario International Airport and Bob Hope Airport in Burbank also experienced year-over-year growth in April. Only Long Beach Airport, which continues to face headwinds as airlines redeploy equipment to other routes or destinations, declined.
By MARY ANN MILBOURN, The Press Enterprise
Ontario International Airport, which has seen passenger traffic decline precipitously for the past seven years, showed a 1.5 percent gain in April. Mexican low-cost air carrier Volaris instituted twice-a-week service to Guadalajara on April 10.
By Liset Marquez, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
Ontario - Aided by the arrival of a new carrier, passenger traffic at LA/Ontario International Airport had a marginal increase in April, officials said.
ONT had a 1.5 percent increase in people coming in and out of the medium-hub facility compared to the same month in 2013, according to April figures released by Los Angeles World Airports.
Recently, the Department of Transportation (DOT) reported on the best airlines in the US depending on the number of complaints per airline, on-time departures, and baggage handling.
This Monday, the DOT's Research and Innovate Technology Administration (RITA) released the Bureau of Transportation Statistics for US airlines. The financial data reveals how much money airlines make each year, how many flights are taking off, and how many passengers are on them.
So how much are airlines making? As it turns out, the overall net income has varied significantly over the past 8 years; the net income of airlines has increased 153.5 percent.
This is due to several different factors. In 2005, the net income of airlines was negative $19.7 million. Since then, airlines have cut back on expenses by reducing the number of seats available by consolidating and reducing routes.
By Mark Kellam, LA TIMES
The number of passengers traveling through Bob Hope Airport declined by almost 4% last month compared to March 2013, according to the latest statistics.
Joe Taschler of the Journal Sentinel
http://www.jsonline.com/business/milwaukee-could-look-at-europe-to-expand-air-service-b99257616z1-258020601.htmlAs far as attracting new air service is concerned, it might be time for Milwaukee to launch a European tour.With the U.S. airline industry stuck in a holding pattern — four airlines now control 80% of the U.S. market — there aren't many places that cities such as Milwaukee can look when seeking to land new air service."Is anybody expanding? That's kind of the question a lot of people are asking," said Robert Mann, a New York-based airline industry consultant who operates R.W. Mann & Co. Inc"The answer that comes back (from airlines) is, 'We are going to be very disciplined,'" Mann said."So, the answer is probably 'No."
By Justin Bachman, Businessweek
The financial benefits of airline mergers are well known at this point. Less-widely documented are the deep reductions in airline service that leave travelers at scores of smaller airports with far fewer flights.
Now there's new data (pdf) on all the flight cuts during the wave of mergers over the past seven years, courtesy of the Government Accountability Office. In the process of building this week's report on air service to small communities, federal researchers tallied the overall changes in airline service since 2007. Nearly three dozen midsize airports—in such places as Milwaukee, New Orleans, Pittsburgh, and San Antonio—lost nearly one-quarter of their flights in the period. A group of 76 small airports lost 20 percent of their pre-2007 flights. And 23 airports lost all their air service.
By JOE SHARKEY
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/01/business/efforts-by-smaller-airports-to-lure-new-service-largely-lost-causes.html?_r=0AIR travel has a lot of new realities: On a cheap coach fare, if you want a seat that isn't in the middle of a cramped row back by the toilets, you are probably going to have to pay extra. Your frequent flier mileage programs are losing value, especially at the lower elite levels. If you're flying internationally, you're probably flying an airline alliance and not a particular airline.And most basically, if you live in a small or midsize city, your air service choices have been diminishing — and that is not going to change. If your local news outlets assure you that the city airport and municipal officials are spending money on studies to attract new air service, they are probably chasing ghosts.
By Skip Descant, The (Palm Springs, Calif.) Desert Sun
http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/2014/03/30/air-industry-changes-batter-small-calif-airport/7085601/PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — Long lines and crowds are the hallmarks of air travel these days. But not at Ontario International Airport in California.Its two airy terminals, with curved roofs reminiscent of the leading edge of an airplane wing, are perpetually — and somewhat puzzlingly — uncrowded.
By Brian Watt KPCC
http://www.scpr.org/blogs/economy/2014/03/26/16181/san-bernardino-airport-hopes-for-international-tra/It's not every day that you get to walk into a brand new, empty airport terminal, but I got a recent tour of the San Bernardino International Airport.Last month, San Bernardino officials showed off the airport's new international arrivals terminal. It represents the last phase of a $200 million effort to convert the former Norton Air Force Base into a regional airport that commercial airlines can use. The problem so far: commercial airlines haven't shown up to use it.
By JOE SHARKEY NY Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/25/business/smaller-airports-are-being-left-behind.htmlMy son Chris is on a business trip in India this week, and his choice of how he got there from his home in Tucson underscores a reality in air service. More often these days, business travelers will choose to drive a few hours to a bigger airport because airline service is not as convenient at their local airport.
By Brad Tuttle TIMEBusiness
http://business.time.com/2014/02/04/airline-travelers-your-future-will-look-a-lot-like-cleveland/United Airlines announced it is dropping 60% of departures in Cleveland, which was once a major hub for Continental—back before Continental merged with United. Airline mergers are formed in order to boost efficiency and profits. For fliers, however, the many mergers created in recent years have often hurt once-important travel hubs such as St. Louis, Memphis, Detroit, Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh. And it's not merely locals served by these gateways who are affected. Across the board, the new world of airline travel is one of fewer flights, less convenience, higher fares, and, of course, a business model increasingly clogged with fees.
By Janet H. Cho, The Plain Dealer The Plain Dealer
http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2014/02/clevelands_..._airlines_hub_pullout.htmlCLEVELAND, Ohio -- The high cost of operating regional flights and complying with new industry regulations helped push United Airlines to withdraw its hub from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, aviation experts say.Jeff Smisek, chairman, president and chief executive of United Airlines, told United's 1,800 Cleveland employees in a letter dated Feb. 1 that "Our hub in Cleveland hasn't been profitable for over a decade, and has generated tens of millions of dollars of annual losses in recent years. We simply cannot continue to bear these losses."
By Tim Traeger, firstname.lastname@example.com
http://www.burbankleader.com/news/tn-blr-passenger-numbers-slip-at-bob-hope-airport-20140204,0,3305258.story?track=rssBob Hope Airport saw a roughly 5.2% decline in passengers last year, however, officials were cautiously optimistic to see December numbers rise about 1.2%, according to the latest report.The airport handled about 3.88 million passengers last year, down from slightly more than 4 million passengers in 2012, according to figures released Monday by the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority.
By TONY BIZJAK The Sacramento Bee
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/09/6060408/at-sacramento-airport-fancy-new.htmlSacramento International Airport's billion-dollar terminal has been a lightning rod for opinions. Some love it for its elegance. Others say it's overkill. And some are just annoyed by that short-distance people-mover shuttle. One thing is definite – not enough passengers are showing up for the airport to pay the bill. The latest numbers, published last week, show passenger levels were down yet again in November, 4 percent lower than the previous year, continuing a several-year slide.
By Kevin Valine, The Modesto Bee
http://www.modbee.com/2014/01/06/3121900/modesto-airport-pledge-drive-about.htmlBusinesses and other air travelers soon will be asked to show their support for restarting passenger service with Los Angeles.Modesto's airport consultant is launching a drive Monday to collect pledges from companies, residents and others that they would spend $1 million on tickets for daily flights to and from Modesto and Los Angeles International airports. The pledges are not binding, but they would demonstrate the region's commitment to the service. Sixel Consulting Group – the city's consultant – says it has an understanding with a major carrier that if it can collect the $1 million in pledges, the carrier will start the Los Angeles flights.
By Brian Sumers
Mike Boyd, the airline consultant we quoted recently criticizing Ontario city leaders for the outsize expectations for the airport, is out with his airline industry predictions for 2014. And just as he did with me, he pulls no punches. A lot of his arguments have to do with just how much the U.S. airline industry has consolidated in the past eight years. There are now three major global network carriers (United, Delta and American) and one North America-only network airline (Southwest.) The other carriers, he says, are airlines with specific strategies. They are: Alaska, Frontier, Virgin America, Spirit and JetBlue. Here are a few I found particularly interesting: 1. Smaller and midsize airports like Burbank, Long Beach and Ontario have little control over what airlines serve them. "In a consolidating airline system, a community's needs are not a factor in airline planning decisions. And, by all means, programs to get "affordable air fares" are about as useful as picketing the local gas station to drop the price of regular," he writes. As we have written before, Long Beach is in pretty good shape, mainly because Jetblue has made it a focus city. But Ontario and Burbank have seen traffic declines, and that probably won't reverse in 2014. 2. Airlines are not growing. "With the stabilization and consolidation of the airline industry, the expansion of airline brands is essentially over. Fighting for share has been replaced by "turf control." Major airlines are interested in building the bottom line, not necessarily (and often to the detriment of) adding new routes. Growth for the sake of more passengers is long gone." 3. The golden era of frequent flier programs is over. " When first implemented by major carriers in the early 1980s… the entire purpose was to get consumers to brand-switch, and become brand-focused in their travel choices. Back then , there were lots of brand choices. Not today. So, FF programs are being transformed into systems that measure the money the consumer spends, and in exchange the consumer earns "non-inconveniences" like early boarding and the ability to pre-select a seat in the extra-legroom section. Want more from Boyd? http://www.aviationplanning.com/Aviation%20Predictions%20-%202014.phtml
By MARY ANN MILBOURN / ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/wayne-595130-percent-year.htmlNovember was a tough month for John Wayne Airport, which saw year-over-year passenger traffic drop for the first time since March 2012.John Wayne and Long Beach airports saw less passenger traffic in November compared with a year ago, despite the usually busy Thanksgiving holiday.
By Mark Lacter, LA MAGAZINE
View ArticleTwo weeks ago the magazine lost a dear friend, and L.A. a powerful voice, when Mark Lacter, our longtime business columnist, passed away after a stroke. Mark's last column, which appears in this issue, reveals how the struggles of Ontario Airport say a lot about the cost of flying high in L.A. It was an honor to use the forum of the magazine to connect his words and wisdom to our readers. He is irreplaceable. Mark's sudden death reminds us that life is fragile and that every day we all have much to be thankful for. Mary Melton Editor-in-Chief
View Article(Ontario, California – November 6, 2013) In response to Mr. John E. Brown's editorial comments on aircraft diversions that occurred as a result of last Friday's tragic shooting at LAX, it is important to correct his inaccurate portrayal of how the air transport system handles these events. Many aircraft diversion activities of this magnitude are made with little notice to airports, affected airlines, and last but not least to those passengers on aircraft being diverted. Ostensibly, Mr. Brown, who identified himself as "Ontario City Attorney" was authorized to offer such an editorial on the City's behalf. That said, it is unfortunate that Mr. Brown put forth assertions that were incorrect and lacked a basic understanding of how these decisions are made and most importantly, who makes these decisions.
By John E. Brown's Editorial, LA Daily News Opinion
View ArticleEditor's note: Ontario's city attorney reacted to our editorial about LAX and security by noting a different issue: the diversion of so many flights and passengers to places like Denver and Atlanta instead of to other Southern California airports — such as L.A./Ontario International Airport. I appreciated your editorial this morning regarding the recent tragic shutdown of LAX. I think we all applaud the heroic efforts of first responders on the scene to control a crime scene that had serious consequences for operations at one of the busiest airports in the world.
By Daniel Siegal, email@example.com
http://www.burbankleader.com/news/tn-blr-bob-hope-airport-numbers-continue-to-fade-20131008,0,3186857.storyBob Hope Airport continued its summer slump as the number of passengers traveling through the airport slid by more than 7% in August. The airport handled 336,361 passengers in July, an almost 7.3% decrease compared to 362,763 in August 2012, according to statistics released by the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority on Monday. The drop continues a summer-long decline in passenger numbers, with a decline of roughly 3.5% in June and 8.2% in July. That was preceded by slight increases in May and March.
By Nathaniel Popper, NY Times
http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2013/09/13/california-inland-empire-still-in-housing-tailspin/?_r=0RIVERSIDE, Calif. — The one-story home that Scott and Summer Gieser just moved into is a far cry from the new two-story, four-bedroom house they owned before the great mortgage collapse. Their sprawling house had termites and water damage when they bought it, but they counted themselves lucky. Given what has happened over the last five years, since the demise of the investment bank Lehman Brothers, it is a near miracle that the Giesers have a home at all. At times, they did not. The couple personify the story of this region of desert scrub an hour east of Los Angeles, known as the Inland Empire. It is the tale of a soaring housing market, a hurtling crash and a recovery that has greatly lagged the rest of the country.
http://articles.burbankleader.com/2013-09-03/news/tn-blr-me-numbers-bob-hope-slide-again-20130903_1_southwest-airlines-bob-hope-airport-southwest-passengersBob Hope Airport officials are dealing with a double dose of bad news this week as the number of passengers using the airport slid by more than 8% in July and the airport's largest carrier announced that it will cut more than 40 flights at the Burbank airfield. The airport handled 318,859 passengers in July, an 8.24% decrease compared to 347,501 in July 2012, according to statistics released by the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority on Tuesday. The drop continues a summertime slump, with a decline of roughly 3.5% in June. That was preceded by slight increases in May and March. As the passenger numbers take a dive, the airport's largest carrier — Southwest Airlines — recently told airfield officials it will discontinue 42 round-trip flights from Burbank at the end of the month. All destinations will be affected, according to an airport staff report. Southwest representatives could not be reached for comment on Tuesday.
By Jack Nicas
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323980604579028922722699670.htmlAs their profits increase, U.S. airlines are adding service again after years of deep cuts, but rising fuel prices continue to threaten the industry's ability to expand.The U.S. airline industry plans to add service every quarter this year, after a full year of capacity reductions in 2012. In the fourth quarter, U.S. carriers are scheduled to offer 1.4% more seats, compared with a year earlier, according to Airlines for America, the U.S. industry's leading trade group.The expansion comes as the industry continues to stabilize after a decade of financial tumult. U.S. airline profits rose by a third in the first half to $1.55 billion, compared with the first half of 2012, thanks in large part to a 5% drop in the price of fuel, the trade group said.
By Jennifer N. Dienst
http://www.pcma.org/convene-content/convene-article/2013/08/03/up-in-the-air-how-second-tier-cities-are-absorbing-the-brunt-of-airline-cuts#.UguHVdLVCn9Massive consolidation and rising fuel prices have resulted in fewer flights and higher fares at destinations across the country. Second-tier cities are absorbing the brunt of cuts in airline capacity and competition — and some of them are better off for it.
http://www.burbankleader.com/the818now/tn-blr-me-passenger-numbers-dip-at-bob-hope-airport-20130806,0,5768875.storyThe number of passengers traveling through Bob Hope Airport slid again in June after slight increases in May and March, and the airfield is facing additional challenges as Southwest — its largest carrier — plans to cut five Saturday flights this month.
Cassie MacDuff, Press Enterprise
Brian Sumers Staff Writer
http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/ci_23643539/ontario-officials-will-face-challenges-if-city-gainsThere's a cold war brewing between Los Angeles and Ontario. And it's all happening over an airport that is serving 3 million fewer passengers per year than it did six years ago. Ontario politicians and business leaders insist their city must take control of L.A./Ontario International Airport, or the economic consequences for the area will be dire. They've enlisted an impressive group of supporters, including chambers of commerce, members of the L.A. County Board of Supervisors and newspaper editorial boards.
Alec Friedhoff and Siddharth Kulkarni
http://www.brookings.edu/research/interactives/metromonitor#M40140-amount-recovered-overall-nvHow severe was the Great Recession in your area? How strongly have you rebounded? And how much farther does your region have to go until it has fully recovered? MetroMonitor tracks the performance of the 100 largest U.S. metropolitan areas on these questions, presenting data for four key indicators—jobs, unemployment, gross product, and home prices—over three time periods: the recession, the recovery, and the full course of the recession from the pre-recession period to most recent quarter. For each time period, we present rankings for each indicator (1 indicates the best performance, 100 the worst) as well as an "overall" ranking that reflects metro performance across the four indicators.
Brian Sumers insidesocal.com
http://www.insidesocal.com/aviation/2013/07/02/l-a-ontario-international-airport-an-airline-executives-opinionA couple of months ago, I visited US Airways headquarters in Phoenix. Last week, I published the first part of my interview with Andrew Nocella, senior vice president, marketing and planning, about his impressions of LAX.Today, we shift our focus to L.A./Ontario International Airport. I asked Nocella why the airport has had difficulty attracting and retaining flights. The airport has lost about 3 million annual passengers since 2007. On most days, US Airways and its regional partners operate five flights between Ontario and Phoenix.
Liset Marquez, Staff Writerdailybulletin.com
http://www.dailybulletin.comONTARIO -- A Los Angeles World Airports official on Tuesday declined to comment on a lawsuit filed Monday by Ontario, but instead said her agency is gearing up to launch a new advertising campaign to attract travelers to LA/Ontario International Airport. Ontario filed a lawsuit Monday alleging that LAWA has neglected and mismanaged the airport, and seeking to regain control of ONT. The 25-page complaint aims to dissolve the 1967 agreement that gave control of the airport to Los Angeles. On Tuesday, LAWA officials said they haven't reviewed the lawsuit and would not be able to discuss its contents. "It has been our hope that instead of a divisive relationship, we would have a partnership with the city of Ontario, to the benefit of all," said Maria Tesoro-Fermin, spokeswoman for LAWA. Her agency is working on a new advertising campaign with the slogan, "Together, the sky's the limit. Fly ONT!" she said.
Los Angeles News Group opinion staffdailynews.com
http://www.dailynews.comEric Garcetti, the incoming Los Angeles mayor, should step in quickly once his term begins to restart negotiations over L.A./Ontario International Airport.
By Daniel Siegal, email@example.com
http://www.burbankleader.comA month after a surprising uptick in the number of passengers traveling through Bob Hope Airport, the tally in April dipped by roughly 2.4%.
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
http://www.dailybulletin.com/It's difficult to get enthused about the County of San Bernardino joining any legal action against any fellow public agency. Even if it is in the cause of local control for the Ontario airport. Local control of L.A./Ontario International Airport is the way to save the facility - which is so important to the Inland Empire's economy - from oblivion. Los Angeles World Airports, the agency of the city of Los Angeles that runs LAX and ONT, has let the local airport's fortunes decline so far and so fast that it looks almost deliberate - negligent, at the least. Still, the prospect of this particular county taking legal action against yet another city is not a happy one. San Bernardino County has blown far too many taxpayer dollars on legal actions against cities and other taxpayer-funded entities. County residents are sick of transferring their hard-earned dollars to lawyers. And the aim of this legal action is questionable in any case.
Press Enterprise
http://blog.pe.com/A new study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has bad news for Ontario International Airport. Airlines are consolidating their service at major hubs and cutting back at small- and medium-sized airports like ONT, the MIT International Center for Air Transportation study says. Pushed by rising fuel prices, airlines are focused on "capacity discipline": flying fewer flights and making sure the planes are full. Instead of adding flights to capture passengers from competitors, airlines are ratcheting down, said William Swelbar, one of the study's authors.
By Hugo Martín, Los Angeles Times
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-travel-briefcase-20130513,0,42.storyAirline mergers, a deep recession and surging fuel prices have led to sharp cuts in airline service around the country. Hardest hit: medium-size airports. Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, LA/Ontario International Airport and other mid-size airports lost an average of 26.2% of their flights from 2007to 2012, according to a new study by Massachusetts Institute of Technology's International Center for Air Transportation. The cuts are a result of airlines eliminating less-profitable routes and focusing on more popular, high-profit routes, the report said. Many airlines have also replaced multiple flights of small, 50-seat planes with one or two flights using larger, 76-seat planes, the report noted. "The past six years have been challenging ones for domestic air service in the United States," according to the report by researchers Michael D. Wittman and William S. Swelbar. "Most airports have seen a reduction in scheduled domestic flights." Large airports such as Los Angeles International Airport have lost 8.8% of their flights, while small airports such as Long Beach and Santa Barbara municipal airports lost 18.2% in the six-year period, the study found. The biggest drop has been at mid-size airports such as Bob Hope Airport, where airline departures dropped 24.8% in the six-year period. Bob Hope officials say they are trying to reverse the trend by holding down the cost for airlines to fly out of the airport. Those costs include landing fees and rental and leasing rates for airport facilities, said airport spokesman Victor Gill. The airport also launched an incentive program in November to waive landing fees for all new flights to cities previously not served by the airport. To draw more passengers, the airport is increasing its marketing efforts. For example, Gill said the airport recently signed a deal to make Bob Hope the official airport of the Rose Bowl for the next three years.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology study By Curtis Tate
http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/05/10/3391437/smaller-airports-have-fewer-departures.html WASHINGTON -- Medium and small hub airports across the country have fewer flights and fewer seats than they did five years ago, according to a study released this week, but it wasn't a struggling economy that caused it, according to aviation experts. The declines were mainly the result of higher fuel prices, industry consolidation and a new focus on profitability over market share, experts said. And though cities of all sizes consider their airports engines of economic growth, many will find it hard to keep the service they have, much less attract new airlines. Debby McElroy, executive vice president of policy at the Airports Council International-North America, an industry group, said airlines have become risk-averse. Most major carriers have been through bankruptcy. They endured a major terrorist attack and a major recession. In recent years, they've begun to enjoy stability and profits. "Airlines are not adding a lot of new aircraft or new services," she said. "That strategy has proved successful for them." According to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology study, departures at medium hub airports declined 26 percent from 2007 to 2012, and the number of seats declined 21 percent. Small hubs fared only slightly better; departures declined 18 percent and seats declined 13.5 percent. The trend coincides with the deepest economic downturn in decades, a real estate-fueled crisis that pushed millions of Americans out of work and out of their homes. Air travel declined 9 percent from 2007 to 2009, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Though it's rebounded since, airlines cut their domestic flights 13 percent from 2007 to 2012, according to the Department of Transportation's inspector general. One reason is the cost of fuel, which accounted for just 10 percent of airlines' expenses in 2001, according to the department, but rose to 35 percent a decade later. "It's not so much the economic downturn that caused this," said Tom Reich, director of air service development at AvPORTS, a Dulles, Va., firm that owns, leases and manages airports and airport infrastructure. "It's the price of fuel that's made these shorter flights less economical." Shorter flights that served communities such as Fresno, Calif., saw a 25 percent decline in departures over the five-year period covered by the MIT study. Or Wichita, Kan., which saw a 26 percent drop, and Columbia, S.C., 27 percent. Boise, Idaho, lost almost 40 percent of its departures and Sarastota-Bradenton, Fla., 37 percent. "Those decreases in departures and seats are from regional jet retirements," Reich said. "Airlines used to be more in love with the 50-seat (regional jet)." Airlines still serve those communities with fewer planes, though at higher ticket prices that mostly business travelers are willing to pay. Leisure travelers and bargain seekers now drive to the nearest bigger hub, Reich said. "The first leg that used to be the regional jet is now in a car," he said. Another factor for the decline has been industry consolidation. In the past five years, Delta and Northwest have merged, as have United and Continental. American and US Airways are awaiting approval for their merger. And even traditional low-cost carrier Southwest is integrating the operations of onetime rival AirTran. The result? The big carriers are more focused on their big hubs and especially on their international business. Indeed, the MIT study showed growth in some of the bigger hubs. Departures in Charlotte, N.C., a hub for US Airways, increased almost 10 percent from 2007 to 2012, while the number of seats rose 12.5 percent. Miami, an international gateway for American, posted a 1 percent bump in departures and a nearly 6 percent increase in seats. "I have fewer aircraft, and I want to put those aircraft where they can make the most money," McElroy said.
Airports see declines since 2007
A Massachusetts Institute of Technology study found that the number of flights and seats available declined at U.S. airports from 2007 to 2012, particularly at medium and small hubs. Aviation experts say the declines were the result of higher fuel prices, industry consolidation and a struggling economy. Below, the changes at 16 U.S. airports.
Show: Total departures Available seats
Available seats
Charlotte-Douglas International
Dallas/Fort Worth International
Miami International
All large hubs
Anchorage International
Kansas City International
Raleigh-Durham International
Sacramento International
All medium hubs
Bellingham Municipal International
Boise Air Terminal / Gowen Field
Columbia Metropolitan
Fresno Yosemite International
Gulfport-Biloxi International
Wichita Mid-Continent
Lexington Blue Grass
Myrtle Beach International
Sarasota-Bradenton International
All small hubs
Source: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
By Susan Carey & Jack Nicas - Wall Street Journal
By Evan Mohl - El Paso Times, Texas
http://www.aviationpros.com/news/10930042/economic-decline-hurts-el-paso-airport The El Paso International Airport is facing a decline in passenger traffic and additional cancellations of flights -- something that is causing growing concern among city leaders. Tight economic times and ongoing challenges of airline companies have caused city officials and leaders to search for ways to maintain and increase the airport's flights and passenger traffic. The airline industry's struggles with profitability, increasing fuel costs and mergers have drastically affected small and midsize airports that depend on airlines for business, said Brent Bowen, professor and head of aviation technology at Purdue University. The El Paso airport, with a taxpayer-funded budget of about $48 million, is not immune. The airport's traffic is down 15 percent since 2010, said Monica Lombrana, the city's director of aviation. Lombrana also said Southwest Airlines, which operates more than half of El Paso's daily flights, plans to stop its direct flight to San Diego in the near future. The announcement comes a few months after the airline stopped its two nonstop flights to Albuquerque. "It's a pretty stark situation for medium-sized airports," Bowen said. "And it has pretty much everything to do with the airline industry, which those airports have little or no control over."
By Dan Weikel - LA Times
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-ontario-reaction-20130411,0,5447586.storyLos Angeles City Administrative Officer Miguel A. Santana said Thursday he was shocked by a legal claim filed by an Inland Empire group attempting to gain control of L.A./Ontario International Airport. Santana, who has been moderating talks over a possible airport transfer, said he thought the parties were having productive discussions. The legal action, he said, could undermine further efforts to reach a deal. "It violates the spirit of the negotiations," Santana said. "We've spent a lot of time and resources to set up a fair process. I am not sure what is next given the legal claim. It's hard to have meaningful discussions. They are essentially walking away from the table."
By Adina Solomon
http://www.aircargoworld.com/Emirates, SkyCargo, Thai Airways and Southwest Airlines won Diamond Awards at Air Cargo World's Air Cargo Excellence (ACE) awards ceremony held on March 14 at the Sheraton Hotel in Doha, Qatar. The three airlines won the top awards in their respective tonnage categories at the 9th annual ceremony. In North America and Europe, the airports were divided by region and ranked in three size categories: airports with up to 399,999 tonnes of airfreight, airports with between 400,000 and 999,999 tonnes and airports with more than 1 million tonnes. In North America going from least to most tonnes, LA/Ontario International Airport in Los Angeles, Toronto Pearson International Airport and Ted Stevens Anchorage International each won Diamond.
By Mike Fuentes/Bloomberg
http://www.bizjournals.com/ The business-travel world is shrinking. Literally. And not only because airlines are squeezing us into smaller and smaller seats. Fewer of us are traveling than anyone once imagined, there are fewer flights than ever before and government-compiled statistics for the state of the commercial airline system in 2012 indicate that substantial growth isn't coming anytime soon. According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, which does a remarkably good job of delivering travel numbers in palatable bites, U.S. airlines carried 736.6 million passengers last year. Not only was that essentially flat compared to 2011—nationwide traffic increased just 0.8 percent—it's a far cry from the rosy predictions issued in 2000. Experts then insisted that the nation would vault the one-billion-flyer mark by 2011. And they pegged annual growth rates between 3.6 and 5.5 percent. Or as a contemporaneous Reuters dispatch from March, 2000, called: "U.S. sees uninterrupted growth in air travel." What's happened in the intervening baker's dozen of years to sour us on flying? Oil prices are a major factor.
By Scott Mayerowitz - AP Airlines Writer
http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2020659555_apusunitedairlinesceo.htmlWASHINGTON — United Airlines CEO Jeff Smisek thinks the airline business is transforming into a profitable industry, thanks to fewer flights and higher fares. Mergers have helped bring rationality to the market, Smisek told an aviation conference Thursday. For far too long, he said, too many airlines were chasing too few passengers.
By Sandra Emerson
http://www.dailybulletin.com/news/ci_22884441/upland-bone-marrow-donor-meets-iowa-recipient UPLAND -- When 22-year old Alex Fishburn found out he was a bone marrow match for an anonymous Leukemia patient, he did not realize the two would later become friends. Fishburn and Grant Vietor, the 47-year-old Sioux Center Iowa high school teacher and coach who receive the much needed cells, met for the first time Wednesday at the Ontario International Airport.
Daniel Siegal
http://www.burbankleader.com/news/story Halfway through its fiscal year, Bob Hope Airport's operating revenues are running more than $150,000 in the red due to declining numbers of passengers and weak parking revenues, according to a recent financial report. Parking fees, which make up about 40% of the airport's revenues, were budgeted to bring in $9.5 million but only produced $8.9 million, according to the report released to the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority on Monday. Passenger levels for the first half of the fiscal year — July to December 2012 — declined almost 6.8% compared to the same period in the last fiscal year. "At this time, we continue to be vulnerable to the economic uncertainty and the associated unfavorable impacts of the sluggish economy on passenger demand," the report states.
By Robert Wall - Bloomberg
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-12-13/airline-profit-outlook-raised-63-by-iata-on-capacity-cut.html Airline earnings this year are likely to be 63 percent higher than previously forecast as capacity cuts and mergers prompted by the economic slump take hold, the International Air Transport Association said. Industry-wide net income should reach $6.7 billion, versus a forecast of $4.1 billion in October, IATA said. Profit next year may increase to $8.4 billion, $900 million more than last predicted though still short of the $8.8 billion return in 2011. Sluggish growth and fuel costs have weighed on earnings for the past two years, triggering efforts to reduce capacity, cut costs and accelerate consolidation. The biggest improvement has been in Europe, where airlines that were forecast to lose $1.2 billion will break even in the wake of job cuts and takeovers.
Tess Stynes Wall Street Journal
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-airlines-average-fuel-price-rose-in-october-2012-12-11 U.S. airlines' average fuel cost per gallon for scheduled flights increased 9.7% in October from a year earlier and was up 3.4% from September, according to the Department of Transportation. The DOT's Bureau of Transportation Statistics said airlines spent $3.06 a gallon on fuel in October. High fuel costs pose a challenge for airlines, and many of them have scaled back on capacity to help keep costs under control and maintain pricing power. A number of them are upgrading their fleets to more fuel-efficient models. Earlier this year, Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL) bought a refinery in a effort to lower its jet-fuel costs. The agency also said total fuel consumption on scheduled flights was 1.29 billion gallons in October, down 3.9% from a year earlier and 1.9% from September. The average fuel price for international service rose 5.7% from September, while it grew 1.6% for domestic service.
BY JOE SHARKEY New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/23/business/airlines-neglect-midsize-markets.html "YOU can't get there from here" is an old joke. But after my experience trying to get from Tucson to Houston on short notice over the weekend, I'm not laughing. Last Wednesday, I learned that I had to be in Houston for business before 3 p.m. on Sunday. Hey, no problem, I thought as I went online to look for flights. Big problem, as it turned out. I knew, in theory, that business travelers flying to and from medium-size markets like Tucson were regularly confronting the realities of today's domestic air travel system. Focusing more on big hubs and on ever-closer partnerships with international alliances, airlines have greatly reduced service at midsize and smaller regional airports. Those airports, on average, have lost about 25 percent of their seats in the last two years, according to Boyd Group International, the airline forecasting company.
LA Times
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/10/the-los-angeles-city-council-on-wednesday-cleared-the-way-for-talks-that-could-determine-whether-control-of-struggling-laont.html" The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday cleared the way for talks that could determine whether control of struggling L.A./Ontario International Airport should be transferred to the Inland Empire.Council members also rejected a December 2011 offer by Ontario to take over the facility because the deal called for payments of $50 million to Los Angeles instead of to Los Angeles World Airports, the operator of Ontario, Los Angeles International and Van Nuys airports. Federal law requires that all airport-related revenue must be used for airport purposes.
BY KIMBERLY PIERCEALL The Press Enterprise STAFF WRITER
http://www.pe.com/local-news/local-news-headlines/20121010-airport-la-council-oks-talks-but-wont-give-it-away.ece" Negotiations for the sale and control of Ontario International Airport got an official OK from Los Angeles council members Wednesday, Oct. 10, but only after some admonitions that the airport should not be allowed to compete with LAX.
Liset Marquez, LA Daily News
http://www.dailynews.com/ci_21741411/la-council-gives-go-ahead-discuss-transfer-ont LA/Ontario International Airport (Daily Bulletin file photo)The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday gave final approval on a plan for the city to enter into negotiations for the possible transfer of LA/Ontario International Airport to a new regional authority, despite opposition from two council members. A report on the negotiations, which aims to determine the fair value of ONT, is expected in 90 days.
http://www.dailybulletin.com/ci_21662460/economists-claims-about-ontario-airport-disputed Airlines across the nation are still adjusting to a tumultuous four-year period in the aviation industry that has forced many to adopt a new business model, according to an aviation industry performance report released by the Department of Transportation. The report looked at a time frame almost identical to L.A./Ontario International Airport's period of decline, from 2008 to 2011. In it, the inspector general has found that rising fuel costs have complicated efforts to keep ticket costs low and as a result airlines have had to reduce their flights and increase their fares. The national trend is what airlines have been doing at ONT.
Hugo Martin, LA Times
http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-airlines-short-routes-20120927,0,1140710.story If you're having a hard time finding short-haul flights to small and medium-size cities, it's not your imagination. A new study by the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Transportation concluded that the elimination of thousands of flights of less than 500 miles is one result of the airline industry's efforts to prosper in the face of higher fuel costs and economic turbulence in the last few years. Another tactic airlines have used to rebound from the dismal financial times that followed the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the Great Recession: Packing more passengers in bigger planes so that the chances of stretching out to an adjacent empty seat are almost nil. The good news is that airlines have seen profits grow in the last few years, the report said. It noted that the nation's largest airlines earned about $5 billion in profits in 2011, up from 2002 when the industry lost a combined total of $9.2 billion. In addition, the airlines have improved on-time performance and cut the number of canceled flights. But the bad news for passengers is that five airlines now serve 85% of the market in the U.S., compared with 2000 when 10 airlines served more than 90% of the market. In addition, airlines have eliminated thousands of flights, especially short-haul flights using smaller planes. Of the 457 airports in the country, 61 have lost half or more of the carriers serving their communities over the last five years. Meanwhile, the number of flights of less than 500 miles have been cut by 3,000 a day in that same period, according to the report. The hardest-hit cities have been Cincinnati, with a 63% cut in scheduled flights; Pittsburgh, with 40% fewer flights; and Memphis, with 35.5% fewer flights, according to the report. "The industry's strategies of consolidating airlines, cutting flights and raising fares have produced positive financial results," the report concluded. A spokeswoman for Airlines for America, a trade group that represents the nation's airlines, said the industry has cut many domestic flights and reduced seating but only to better match demand.
By Kate Rice
http://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Government/Inspector-General-report-lauds-US-airlines-survival-skills/ A new Department of Transportation Inspector General's report outlines the way high fuel prices and a stubborn recession are changing the fundamentals of the airline industry, and that these changes mark the industry's ability to adapt and survive. And that's a good thing, because the airline industry is one of the most important in the U.S. economy, says the report. The report said that to survive, the airline industry has had to adapt by charging fees for services once included in the cost of an airline ticket and by introducing new services and amenities and charging for them, as well. They're reducing the number of scheduled flights, and filling vacant seats. And the industry is rapidly consolidating, reducing the number of airlines serving the bulk of the domestic passenger market from 10 in 2000 to 5 in 2012. Airlines have become more aggressive in adjusting fares and flight schedules in response to what's happening to fuel prices and passenger demand. The result is good news and bad news for travelers. The good news: a "significant" drop in flight delays and cancellations, according to the report. The bad news: less service at some hub airports and for short-haul flights of 500 miles or less. That limits consumer choice.
By Associated Press
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/govt-report-more-fees-less-choice-ahead-for-passengers-as-airline-industry-trends-continue/2012/09/25/8fc38902-073b-11e2-9eea-333857f6a7bd_story.html WASHINGTON — Airline passengers can expect fewer carriers to choose from, fewer flights to smaller cities and more baggage and other fees as the industry continues to grapple with high fuel prices and a weak economy, according to a government report released Tuesday. The airline industry is still in transition after a tumultuous decade in which bankruptcies and mergers cut the number of airlines accounting for the bulk of domestic flights in half, to just five: American, Delta, Southwest, United and US Airways, the report by the Department of Transportation's inspector general said. If US Airways and American — which are in merger discussions — were to combine, that would drop to four.
KIM PIERCEALL, The Press Enterprise
http://www.pe.com/local-news/local-news-headlines/20120925-airport-la-committee-oks-negotiation-to-sell-ontario.ece Negotiations between the city of Los Angeles and a newly formed Ontario International Airport Authority that could return the Inland airport to local control got an official go-ahead Tuesday. The first update on the talks is due in 90 days.
http://www.dailybulletin.com/ci_21628151/developing-value-ont-still-needs-be-determined-say LOS ANGELES - A Los Angeles City Council subcommittee has agreed with a recommendation from its top city administrator on opening up discussions for transferring control of L.A./Ontario International Airport. City Administrative Officer Miguel Santana spoke at a special Trade Commerce and Tourism meeting on Tuesday about his recent report said the airport's value still needs to be determined. "Ultimately, the future value of the airport will be determined through negotiations," Santana said at Tuesday's meeting in Los Angeles City Hall.
KIMBERLY PIERCEALL , The Press Enterprise
http://www.pe.com/local-news/local-news-headlines/20120924-airport-southwest-departures-dropped-37-percent-at-ontario.ece Southwest Airlines, the company ferrying the majority of passengers at Ontario International Airport, cut its daily departures there from an average of 53 in 2007 to 33 this year.The airline also trimmed flights at LAX and Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, but the steepest drop was at Ontario, according to data obtained from statistics firm UBM Aviation. The airline added flights at nearby John Wayne Airport in Orange County.Southwest's shrinking schedule of flights accounts for at least part of the plummeting number of passengers at Ontario in the past five years.The 37.7 percent drop in Southwest flights is almost identical to the 37 percent decline in overall passenger traffic.
By Dan Weikel, Los Angeles Times
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-adv-ontario-report-20120925,0,273760.story The city of Los Angeles should continue negotiating with government officials from the Inland Empire to determine if there is a way to transfer control of L.A./Ontario International Airport to them, a new report recommended Friday. The report by Miguel Santana, the chief administrative officer for Los Angeles, also concluded that a December 2011 proposal by Ontario municipal officials to take over the struggling airport should be declined.
Liset Marquez and Andrew Edwards, Staff Writersdailybulletin.com
http://www.sbsun.com/ci_21612767/plenty-potential-la-ont-reports-says#ixzz27Pk6l9L8 L.A./Ontario International Airport could become the busiest midsized airport in its region, a top Los Angeles official wrote in a report that contemplates serious talks between his city and Ontario that could lead to the airport changing hands. Los Angeles released the report late Friday. Previously expected to be released in early summer, the report also outlines Los Angeles' response to Ontario's late 2011 offer to take back control of the airport for considerations of nearly $250million. Miguel Santana, Los Angeles' top administrator, says his city should say "no" to Ontario's offer but begin negotiations with Ontario officials for the potential transfer of ONT.
By Kimberly Pierceall The Press Enterprise
http://www.pe.com/local-news/local-news-headlines/20120921-airport-negotiate-for-ontarios-control-report-says.ece Los Angeles should explore the possibility of selling Ontario International Airport to the city of Ontario or a newly formed regional authority, according to a recommendation in a report from Los Angeles' chief financial adviser.The prospect of a serious negotiation was considered a noteworthy step in the years-long effort by the city of Ontario to regain control of the airport that Inland leaders have said was neglected in favor of LAX.
Houston Chronicle
http://www.chron.com/business/article/Small-airports-struggle-as-major-carriers-pull-3885302.php Persistently high oil prices have forced airlines to cut and downsize smaller domestic routes with less demand, while placing bigger, newer and more fuel-efficient planes on more profitable ones. Those routes tend to fly from major hubs in big cities, meaning many smaller cities are losing all or most commercial air service for the first time. "This is happening all over the country," said Robert Herbst, an independent airline industry consultant, noting that the price of jet fuel has increased some 350 percent in the last eight years, becoming the single largest cost for airlines. Independent airline consultant Darryl Jenkins, chairman of the American Aviation Institute, said "every decision that is made in the airline industry today on routes is driven by the price of jet fuel.""They use up a lot of fuel, these regional jets," Jenkins said. "So, at a certain point, given the fare levels that you can get and how many people you can get to fly, it's just not economic to play these markets."
David Olson
http://www.pe.com/local-news/local-news-headlines/20120919-census-inland-residents-out-of-work-on-food-stamps-rises.ece Inland families' income tumbled for the fourth year in a row in 2011, and more people fell into poverty as the economic downturn continued to devastate the region, newly released U.S. Census Bureau data shows.
Liset Marquez, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
http://www.dailybulletin.com/ci_21565056/airlines-express-concern-about-ont-incentives The average household income in the Inland Empire - not the economy, or rising jet fuel costs - has been the main challenge in attracting new service to LA/Ontario International Airport, according to research provided by a consultant for Los Angeles World Airports.
http://www.sgvtribune.com/news/ci_21564047/report-la-ontario-international-airport-worth-128-million ONTARIO - How much is L.A./Ontario International Airport worth? A report released Monday by Los Angeles World Airports detailed the value of the Ontario airport ranged from $243 million to $605 million, based on several factors.
by Kimberly Pierceall The Press Enterprise
http://www.pe.com/local-news/local-news-headlines/20120917-ontario-report-examines-airports-worth.ece How much is Ontario International Airport worth? A consultant hired by the airport's owner and manager – Los Angeles World Airports – has released a 60-page report that examines that question. Anyone seeking a precise answer, however, will have to keep looking. The airport could be worth anywhere between $243 million and $605 million, based on cash flow for the next 50 years, the report says. The estimates take into account revenue and expense forecasts and assumptions about traffic and potential buyers, among other factors. In contrast, the city of Ontario has offered to pay Los Angeles up to $50 million in cash and assume $75 million worth of debt in exchange for control of the Inland airport.
YORK (AP) — United Airlines will reduce flying more than expected during the rest of this year because of higher fuel prices and a sluggish economy.
By Charisse Jones, USA TODAY
Passengers hopscotching across the U.S. may book their trip on one of the major airlines such as United, but it's often smaller, regional carriers with such names as Colgan Air that do the flying.
Regional airlines operate half the nation's scheduled flights and are often the link between smaller communities and the national air service network.
But now, several of those carriers are being closed or are in bankruptcy court protection. They face significant challenges, as the big airlines they often fly for are phasing out smaller and costlier regional jets and cutting some low-traffic regional routes to focus on those that are more lucrative.
As a result, many smaller communities may lose some or all of their air service, and their residents will have to take longer drives to find a flight.
"We're going to see some airports go dark," says William Swelbar, research engineer for MIT's International Center for Air Transportation. "The highway is going to be the connection to the air network system."
ONTARIO - Carriers at LA/Ontario International Airport are expected to weigh in by next month whether they are in are in favor of proposed incentives at the struggling small-hub facility.
Speaking to Los Angeles World Airports' governing body on Monday, Jess Romo, general manager at ONT, said he sent the airlines a letter in early August about the proposed incentives.
BY KIMBERLY PIERCEALL The Press Enterprise
The agency that owns and manages Ontario International Airport has developed a plan to offer incentives to airlines to increase traffic there.
Jess Romo, the airport's manager, told the Los Angeles World Airports' board of airport commissioners on Aug. 20 that a plan had been circulated among the airport's existing carriers. Any incentive program would require the approval of the airport's carriers, who cover the cost to operate the airport after all other revenue is taken in. The carriers were told to respond by Sept. 7.
By Joe Sharkey, New York Times
That's a tiny slice of the new reality in domestic air travel, with airplanes flying more full than ever, and airlines shuffling their fleets to eliminate smaller jets and focus more on flying bigger planes in major markets that provide the most revenue.
In that process, the cramped 50-seat regional jets that were the backbone of service for midsize and smaller markets are disappearing. In some markets, that means service is being eliminated. In others, though, it means reduced schedules on fewer routes, served by slightly bigger planes like the Bombardier CRJ-700, which is a stretched version of the older 50-seat CRJ-200.
A new era has dawned in domestic flying, as airlines cut routes and capacity and fly planes more full than ever. United Airlines, for example, reported that its domestic load factor, the proportion of seats occupied by paying passengers, was 86.5 percent in the second quarter, which is around the industry average. By comparison, domestic carriers were reporting load factors of only about 78 percent at the same time five years ago, before the recession.
By Tim Sheehan - The Fresno Bee
Fresno Yosemite International is the most expensive airport to fly from among the state's busiest airports.
Rhonda Jorn, marketing director for FYI, said Fresno is handcuffed by a lack of airlines serving the city, as well as by a limited number of flights and seats provided by those airlines.
"The deal is capacity," Jorn said. "These other airports have more airlines. They have more low-cost carriers, more choices. ... We don't have 10 flights a day to Dallas, for example. We only have a couple."
Jorn said airport officials are constantly trying to attract new airlines to Fresno and to convince existing carriers to add more flights to serve more people. But, she added, that's a difficult chore when airlines are cutting back on service to smaller airports and focusing on major service hubs.
By Jim Barnett, CNN
Washington (CNN) -- It cost passengers more to fly on U.S. planes during the first three months of this year than ever before.
The average price of a domestic ticket rose to $373 in the first quarter of 2012, according to the Transportation Department's Bureau of Transportation Statistics. That's a 4.8% jump from the average fare of $356 in the first quarter of 2011.
By Mary Schlangenstein on July 26, 2012
Today's decline in the airline index matched the longest such skid for the gauge of 10 carriers since June 2010, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. JetBlue Airways Corp. (JBLU) (JBLU) dropped 1.1 percent to $5.20, and Delta fell 0.6 percent to $9.41. US Airways rose 0.4 percent to $11.19 today, its second increase in the past trading nine days.
Limiting the supply of available seats helps airlines retain pricing power.
By Arti Patel, MarketWatch
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Goldman Sachs initiated coverage Thursday on the U.S. airline sector, cautioning investors the best of the bunch deserve only a neutral rating and slapping a sell recommendation on the nation's two biggest carriers.
With negative near and long-term expectations for the sector, Goldman analysts led by Tom Kim told investors the industry remains "structurally challenged by the constant threat of new entrants, high operating and capital costs and elastic demand in prices."
Huffington Post
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. -- The City Council in San Bernardino voted Tuesday night to seek Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection, making it the third California city in less than two weeks to make the rare move.
The Southern California city of about 210,000 people will also become the second largest in the nation ever to file for bankruptcy. Stockton, the Northern California city of nearly 300,000, became the biggest when it filed for Chapter 9 on June 28.
The City Council directed the city attorney to make the move during a meeting where administrators explained the dire fiscal circumstances and urged them to choose the bankruptcy option.
Los Angeles Times
The San Bernardino City Council's decision to file for municipal bankruptcy came days after the city learned it had just $150,000 in its bank accounts, barely enough to make payroll June 15, city officials said.
Shortly before the council's vote Tuesday night, City Atty. James Penman warned the city would "shut down," including public safety agencies, if it didn't have enough money to pay its employees.
"People are not going to work if they do not get paid,'' Penman said.
By Jane L. Levere, New York Times
The fate of Lambert-St. Louis International Airport may be a portent for other airports serving smaller cities around the United States.
Once the main hub of Trans World Airlines, the airport offered as many as 475 departures a day. But now, there are just 256 daily departures, leaving half the concourses at the older of its two terminals vacant and the airport scrambling to find new, revenue-generating uses for the space.
Already, airports in Pittsburgh (a former hub for US Airways), Cincinnati (a much-downsized Delta Air Lines hub) and Oakland, Calif., have lost a significant amount of their business as airlines concentrate more of their flights on bigger-city airports.
As airlines continue to consolidate and cut back on their use of smaller, regional jets, more airports will be in the same difficult position — looking for new uses for unoccupied terminals, hangars and other specialized buildings.
From the July, 2012 issue
Ontario vs LAWA: Is Local Control of Airport the Answer?
While Ontario International Airport serves millions of passengers a year, its passenger volume has declined steadily in recent years. Owned and operated by the Los Angeles World Airports, and thus the City of LA, the airport is a local asset over which the City of Ontario holds no authority. TPR presents the following excerpts from a panel about the airport, its importance, and its future, at the Four Corners Economic Summit, moderated by TPR editor-in-chief David Abel and featuring, among many participants, Denny Schneider (President, ARSAC), Alan Wapner (Councilmember, City of Ontario), Mayor Ron Loveridge (City of Riverside), Michael Armstrong (SCAG), and Gina Marie Lindsey (Executive Director, LAWA).
Daily Bulletin
Has anyone noticed that in the dispute between Ontario and Los Angeles about control of Ontario International Airport nobody is getting any comments from the airlines?
Could it be that each airline has the right to decide which airport and cities it wants to serve, what the schedule will be and what fares to charge? You bet it is. That won't change no matter who runs the airport.
A recent case in point is the bankruptcy of American Airlines (AMR) a couple of months ago. While they're going through a court bankruptcy procedure, they canceled all flights in and out of Burbank Airport and laid off some people at Ontario.
Also, about this average fare cost at Ontario and "surrounding" airports.
Check this out: The L.A. Times Sunday Travel section publishes a chart every week comparing air fares between Southern California airports: Orange County, Long Beach, LAX, and Burbank and destination cities Chicago, Phoenix, etc. Guess what, over the last six months Ontario is not always the highest and LAX is not the lowest. It varies all over the place, even with computer ticketing.
Right now — and for the last few years — the highest cost to operating an airline is jet fuel. You think gas prices have gone up? Jet fuel prices have doubled in the last three years.
Passenger fees? What are they and what do they pay for? For one thing, they pay for the federally mandated people who work for the TSA, the federal Transportation Security Administration; you know, the people in blue gloves who pat you down before you get to the boarding gates.
Loss of jobs because Ontario airport airline passenger count is down? How come no mention of UPS? Ontario International is the western hub for UPS and employs about 3,000 people.
The recession has reduced UPS business, I think, so I may be wrong about employees, but those jobs are connected to air cargo, not passengers. Oh, FedEx too has an Ontario airport operation.
Yes folks, operating an airport is complex, no matter who does it, so changing management of Ontario International Airport from the city of Los Angeles, which has been doing it for more than 40 years, to the city of Ontario may not be such a good idea.
TODD F. KAWAKAMI Chino
By Laura Bly, USA Today
No, the dreaded "staycation" hasn't made a comeback.
But according to three surveys released this week, Americans remain fiscally cautious about their summer travel plans. While several new surveys show more Americans are planning summer vacations to New York City and other destinations this year than last, frugality still rules.
In a new PhoCusWright poll of more than 2,000 U.S. travelers, nearly four in 10 Americans (38%) didn't buy a vacation trip within the past year. Particularly hard hit were early boomers (ages 45-54), whose average trip expenditure dropped by more than 10%. http://travel.usatoday.com/destinations/dispatches/post/2012/05/uneven-economy-keeps-many-travelers-grounded-spending-less/693711/1
By Jad Mouawad of the New York Times
The major airlines have been paring service for much of the last decade. But their cutbacks accelerated three years ago as carriers merged, fuel prices spiked and the recession reduced demand for seats. Even after the economy started to recover and passengers came back, the big airlines did not restore many of their flights, particularly on routes to small airports, as they sought to bolster their profits.
By Karen Jacobs
(Reuters) - Rising fuel prices pushed major U.S. airlines into the red for the first quarter and could pressure results during the peak travel season, but most carriers are likely to be profitable this year, analysts said. While grappling with high fuel costs, carriers have merged, trimmed money-losing routes, raised ticket prices, and added charges for luggage and food to revive profits after the 2008-09 downturn. A rebound in corporate travel has bolstered the recovery. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/16/us-airlines-preview-idUSBRE83F15520120416
By Jennifer Medina, The New York Times
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. — For decades, California has been seen nationally and by its own residents as a state divided into north and south, urbane tree-huggers versus car-obsessed beach hoppers. But the more meaningful division, it turns out, may be between east and west.
By BoydGroup International, Inc.
(Excerpt from: Apple Airline: The Only Way To Fly http://www.examiner.com/investing-in-phoenix/apple-airline-the-only-way-to-fly
By Matthias Gafni and Rick Hurd, Contra Costa Timesmercurynews.com
OAKLAND -- United Airlines will terminate its operations at Oakland International airport on June 4, an airport representative said Saturday night. "The financial performance of the flights has made the losses too great to allow us to maintain the service," United spokeswoman Mary Clark told a USA Today blog. http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_20350695/united-pull-out-oakland-airport-june?source=rss
By Ann Schrader, The Denver Postdenverpost.com
Jet-fuel prices have shot up about a quarter per gallon since January, leaving airlines to scramble to cover the cost by raising fares and finding ways to cut expenses. Fuel is the lifeblood of airlines, representing more than 35 percent of their operating expenses. That's up from 30 percent in 2010, said Steve Lott, spokesman for the trade group Airlines for America.http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_20345729/airlines-looking-gains-amid-higher-fuel-prices
Hugo Martín, Los Angeles Times
Airfares are rising, planes are packed, and carriers are abandoning less-profitable routes. What's to blame? Climbing fuel prices.
And there will be no relief in the immediate future, according to an analysis released by the Federal Aviation Administration. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-gas-airlines-20120309,0,7781469.story
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa says the city of Los Angeles has no plans to sell Ontario Airport. Villaraigosa told a group of Inland Empire officials and business leaders that the city will not sell the airport, which has seen a sharp drop in travelers. Ontario officials, who claim travelers are being driven to Los Angeles International Airport at their city's expense, want to gain control of the airport. Officials with Los Angeles World Airports, which oversees Ontario Airport, say the decline in travel is due to the struggling economyhttp://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/us-airlines-call-for-national-policy-reforms-after-2011-profit-squeeze-368901/
Stephen Trimble, Washington DC
A US airline lobbying group has unveiled a broad agenda to improve the domestic industry's competitiveness by overhauling the regulations and taxes imposed on the industry from the government. The Airlines for America (A4A) plan was revealed as the organization reported that 11 US airlines barely broke even in 2011 even though sales improved by 12.6% compared to the previous year. http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/us-airlines-call-for-national-policy-reforms-after-2011-profit-squeeze-368901/
(AP) DALLAS — Airfares are up and headed higher this summer.
Airlines blame soaring fuel prices which could cost them billions more than last year. That means fares, which normally rise as the summer travel season nears, could increase faster than normal. http://www.newsday.com/news/facing-costly-fuel-airlines-push-fares-higher-1.3566746
With fuel prices on the march again, Southwest Airlines Co. is taking a pause after a 41-year expansion that has taken it to the brink of the global industry's top 10 by traffic. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204778604577243563762138048.html
Hugo Martin, Los Angeles Times
For the third time this year, several of the nation's major airlines hiked air fares last week, with United and Continental airlines initiating a $4 to $10 increase in round-trip ticket prices.
Industry executives say the increases aren't surprising considering the rising cost of running an airline. They point to several statistics outlined in an economic report released this month by Airlines for America, the trade group for the nation's largest airlines. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-travel-briefcase-20120227,0,7475748.story
The Ontario International Airport (ONT) has been a resource of extreme value to the entire region. It has been a major selling point for boosters of Chino Valley, because of the accessibility to nationwide air travel for people deciding to locate their businesses here.
It has been of major benefit as well to local residents who are saved agonizing freeway miles and hours to Los Angeles International (LAX) to either fly out or meet incoming passengers. http://www.championnewspapers.com/articles/2012/02/25/opinion/doc4f47fc5768741001445116.txt
Joe Brancatelli
Liset Marquez, Staff Writer dailybulletin.com
Toni McAllister
Dominic Welling
Liset Márquez, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
Art Marroquin
Scott McCartney
Adam Harvey
Jad Mauawad
Joshua Freed, AP
Mary Schlangenstein
Washington Post, Associated Press
Jennifer Booton
Katie Johnston
Ann Schrader
Hugo Martin
Philip Greenspun
Samantha Bomkamp, AP Airlines Writer
Ben Rooney
Bettina Wassener
Joe Weisenthal


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Margaux Isaksen, Fayetteville, Arkansas finished 5th in group B of the semi finals of the Rio de Janeiro World Cup. Grace Kittles, Dallas, Texas had the fastest swim of the day but failed to qualify for the finals. Isabella Isaksen, Fayetteville, Arkansas finished 11th in the group A semi final. Sisters Margaux and Isabella will be competing in the finals on Friday.
To see all of the results of today's Pentathlon action from Brazil, please click on the links below:
Women's semi final results World Cup #2 Group A
Women's semi final results World Cup #2 Group B


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Inclusion is one of the best ways to nurture student learners. These two resources offer tips on engaging student families and a positive approach to talking about adoption.
Curriculum & Resources
Tell Me Your Stories connects young and older people through oral history interviews. Curriculum, interview templates, and other tools guide students through the interview process.
Facing judgment is a life skill that teachers can help their students learn, so they may deal with others' opinions—fair or not—with confidence.
This Visual Learning lesson will get your students thinking about the sacred places in their lives, and who typically is exposed to environmental health risks.
Two resources that explore how to get boys to be lifelong readers and where our food comes from.
The Experiences of Our Ancestors Offer Us Wisdom for Surviving Today's Crises.
With this YES! lesson plan, try to truly understand an image, its message, and why it's interesting (or not). In this case it's all about simplicity.
YES! recommends the Global Oneness Project for their inspiring and richly produced resources that explore how the radically simple notion of interconnectedness can be lived in our increasingly complex world.
What makes teenage brains unique? What happens when people from all walks of life play an alternate reality game to create a better future? Lesson plans from Inside the Teenage Brain and World Without Oil.
The Water Environment Federation offers communities and students a myriad of learning opportunities to protect and preserve the Earth's water resources.
Poetry: Winter Poems Along the Rio Grande, by Jimmy Santiago Baca, with Note to Educators.
Measure your water footprint with H2O Conserve's easy-to-use calculator, and wrap your head around the impact of the BP oil spill using this trio of classroom resources.
The Zinn Education Project helps make sense of race and the role it has played in shaping society.
Multiracial persons are the fastest growing demographic group in the country, but still gaining recognition. Now mixed race people can see themselves in books and be proud of who they are.
Who is America? This bundle of lesson plans and activities will help your students understand the basics of the every-decade census and why they should care about what's at stake.


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Last weekend, there was all kinds of concern about Columbia inviting the crazy president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to speak to students while here to... More.
Evangelicals to split from Republican Party?
September 30, 2007 | 4:27 pm
I've shared that evangelical Christians, widely credited with establishing the Bush presidency (I'm so embarrassed), are not happy with either Mitt Romney or... More.