NWA attendants to give notice of walkouts
NWA attendants to give notice of walkouts — The flight attendants union at Northwest Airlines Inc. plans to notify travelers by e-mail before it stages surprise walkouts, which are possible as early as Friday night. (Detroit Free Press)
Russian passenger jet crashes in Ukraine — A Russian passenger jet with 170 people aboard crashed in Ukraine on Tuesday after sending a distress signal, emergency officials said. The Interfax news agency, citing the Russian emergencies ministry, said 30 bodies had been found. (AP)
United’s unions ready for a merger — United Airlines unions say they have spent several years preparing for a potential merger with another airline. No merger has been publicly announced, but the most recent of many rumors involving United has the Chicago-based airline as a possible merger partner for Continental Airlines or Delta Air Lines. (Denver Post)
Higher gas prices prompt online research — Consumers are doing more research to estimate fuel costs, plan road trips and access discount information, according to the Automobile Association of America. (AP)
Slow going in New Orleans — Bureaucracy and a lack of money are slowing the rebuilding of New Orleans nearly a year after Hurricane Katrina’s landfall, Mayor Ray Nagin says. (AP)
Fare changes give fliers weekends back — A bigger proportion of fliers, including business travelers, are sleeping at home on Saturday nights now than was the case just three years ago. An analysis by consultants at Sabre Airline Solutions for USA Today shows that 44% of domestic airline tickets purchased in the U.S. during the first half of this year involved a Saturday-night stay, down from 51% three years ago. (USA Today)
Hotels go after young business travelers — Move over Marriott Courtyard and Hilton Garden Inn. Other hoteliers are ramping up to steal a piece of the $135-a-night market that attracts mostly business travelers. (USA Today)
Logan runway resurfacing could add weekend delays — Logan International Airport will close one of its four main jet runways on weekends through October for resurfacing, a project that could add delays for travelers arriving and departing on Saturdays and Sundays. (The Boston Globe) (Registration required.)
Carrie Charney, Christopher Elliott, John Frenaye, Charles Leocha, Marge Purnell, Valerie Schneider, Mary Staley, Stephanus Surjaputra, Richard Wong.