New and notes from around the interweb:

• American Airlines offers premium airport concierge service ‘Five Star’ which isn’t as cheap as it once was but now has a super-premium option to include Flagship Lounge and even Flagship Dining. Previously available at 16 airports, they’ve now added Austin, Nashville, and Newark and will add Atlanta August 9th.

• After FAA says Norfolk airport doesn’t need a new runway, the Navy says Norfolk can’t have one. They lack a clear vision in any case (“the airport wants to build a second runway that would be 5,500 feet to 9,000 feet long”).

• Cathay Pacific’s creepy new policy.

  The Hong Kong carrier’s new policy, announced last Thursday night, says Cathay will “collect and process” personal information from passengers including images from onboard aircraft, use of the in-flight entertainment system, hobbies, and activity at airports. There is no explicit timeframe for retaining this data, with Cathay saying it keeps information “for as long as is necessary.”

• Because what JFK airport needs more than anything else is… access to more shopping. It’s a revenue opportunity to be sure, but is the revenue well spent? Since JFK will be no more accessible once this is all over my sense is it isn’t.

  JFK Central will be a centrally located commercial and recreational public space that caters to travelers and employees. Possible uses for the mixed-use space include retail and dining, offices, green space, and cultural offerings and events. The plaza will be built on top of the new ground transportation hub in a highly visible public space, accessible from Terminal 1 and Terminal 4.

• Fascinating 1993 profile of Bob Crandall at a tough time for the airline industry, with U.S. carriers having lost $10 billion in four years, and for his American Airlines which was shedding routes and laying off workers. He railed against bankruptcy laws which subsidized weak competitors, as he retreated from Southwest Airlines expansion on the West Coast.

• Looks like the Oakland Raiders will play in Allegiant Stadium but can it really be as cheap as $25 million over 20 years? And what kind of extra fees will you pay when you go see a game there??