A roundup of the most important stories of the day. I keep you up to date on the most interesting writings I find on other sites – the latest news and tips.
DOT Approval for Alaska-Hawaiian Merger Looms—But Strings May Be Attached
The Department of Transportation is expected to approve the deal – after consultations with both the Office of the President and of the Vice President, according to Alter. DOT may still extract concessions from Alaska prior to doing so.
Luxury or Loss? American Airlines ‘Project Olympus’ Cuts Lavatories And Shrinks Space In Business Class Overhaul
American Airlines is launching business class suites with doors on new Boeing 787-9s that they take delivery of. They’re also retrofitting Boeing 777-300ERs, removing first class and adding these new suites.
That retrofit plan is called Project Olympus.
FAA Finally Axing 30-Year-Old No-Smoking Sign Rule: The Dumbest Regulation On The Books
Six months ago United Airlines was forced to ground its fleet of Airbus A321neo aircraft and cancel flights for the stupidest reason possible: 14 CFR § 25.791(a).
Non-Binary Florida Clown Caught With Gold Gun, Squirrel Feet, And Rabbit Urine At Sydney Airport
Florida resident Liliana Goodson, whose pronouns are they/them, was headed to clown school in Sydney. When they arrived at the airport, they were stopped with a Colt 45 pistol and ammo in their luggage. They were also carrying squirrel feet, rabbit pee, and a cat spine. The gun was 24-karat gold-plated.
Alaska Airlines Rewrites Its Press Release, Merger With Hawaiian Airlines Not ‘Approved’ After All
Everything is securities fraud? If DOJ sues to block the deal prior to close there will almost certainly be a shareholder lawsuit. Nonetheless, Hawaiian shares haven’t fallen in after-hours trading and remain well north of $17 per share, suggesting an expectation that the deal will still close despite this change in language.
Charlotte Airport Flooded Today. The Airport’s So Bad, Passengers Didn’t Think It Was Worse Than Usual
Charlotte airport’s B concourse flooded this morning. Gates B1 – 4 were most affected. The airport reported that this was the result of “a construction project incident” though passengers reported toilet water.
Chick-fil-A Run Costs NY Politician His American Airlines Flight—And A Shot at Running The Airport
A New York politician demanded ‘don’t you know who I am?’ when being denied boarding from an American Airlines flight. But the gate agent didn’t know, and didn’t care.
Albany County Executive Dan McCoy was headed to the Democratic National Convention, but missed his flight when he left the gate area to grab a Chick-fil-A sandwich. He returned with the boarding doors to his flight closed.
Southwest Airlines Faces Critical Decision: Ending ‘Bags Fly Free’—Could It Sink The Business?
Southwest Airlines is beginning redeye flights. They’re working on premium seating and assigned seats. They’ve been slow in most of their new efforts, and are being dragged into change faster by an activist investor. But some of what’s under consideration could do real damage to the Southwest brand and the multiples that their stock has been able to achieve – and alienate customers who are fanatically loyal.
Government Experiments with UFOs and Invisibility Cloaks: Newly Released Documents [Roundup]
A roundup of the most important stories of the day. I keep you up to date on the most interesting writings I find on other sites – the latest news and tips.