Airline News.

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Airlines expect busiest summer in 40 years. Airlines are expecting packed planes this summer. Many airlines have reduced capacity to lower their fuel costs. Last year, passenger and cargo aircraft used 19.9 billion gallons of jet fuel, according to the Air Transport Association.

May 12, 2006

Traffic grew 18.7% to 2.32 billion RPMs as capacity climbed 12.5% and load factor rose 3.9 points to 75.2%. Operating CASM fell 3.2% to 11.88 cents. The carrier plans to retain 69 regional jets removed from its capacity purchase agreement with Continental, but it is still unclear how those aircraft will be used. May 12, 2006

Threatened strike costs Delta millions each week. The threat of a pilots strike has cost Delta Air Lines millions of dollars each week, the carrier said. The company has asked a bankruptcy judge to approve a new contract for pilots that will save about $280 million a year. May 11, 2006

Three more airports get "gateway" status. The Transportation Security Administration named Dallas/Love Field, Memphis International Airport and Milwaukee's General Mitchell International Airport "gateway" airports. The designation allows the pre-cleared general aviation operators to fly directly from the airports into Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. May 11, 2006

Airlines tout premium service. Airlines are shifting their marketing away from fares and back to service geared toward high-end travelers who often purchase business-class tickets. Service was once considered the leading draw for airline passengers, with United Airlines urging customers to "fly the friendly skies," and American proclaiming that there is "something special in the air.[sup.2] May 10, 2006

Large travelers should request certain seats. Most carriers do not have a policy that applies to large travelers, James Wysong writes. Wysong suggests that larger fliers request particular seats; an emergency exit seat will give a tall traveler more legroom, for example. May 10, 2006

US airlines reported an ontime performance rate for March of 76.1%, down 0.8 point from the year-ago month but up 0.8 point from February, according to the US Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Hawaiian Airlines had the highest March ontime rate at 90% among the 19 airlines reporting while United Airlines was lowest at 69.3%. May 10, 2006

Airlines mull prepaid passes. Some airlines are considering selling prepaid passes to travelers, The Wall Street Journal's Scott McCartney writes. The passes would allow a traveler to purchase a set number of flights at a fixed price. May 9, 2006

Airlines study ways to improve boarding system. Some airlines are using computer simulations to develop different ways for fliers to efficiently board airplanes. David Swierenga, president of aviation consulting company AeroEcon noted that speeding up the boarding process could help keep planes flying longer. May 9, 2006

Bahrain and Thailand reached an open-skies agreement allowing designated airlines to offer unlimited flights. Annual air traffic between the countries has been growing at 15% over the past five years. May 9, 2006

U.S. carriers expected to add few new planes. U.S. carriers are not expected to add many new planes to their fleets between now and the end of 2007, according to a study. The industry, which has delayed or canceled delivery of aircraft purchases after Sept. 11, seeks to improve profitability through higher capacity and now has a load factor of 80%, a record high. May 9, 2006

Airlines compete for first-class fliers. Airlines are competing for travelers who want to fly in first class between the U.S. and the U.K. Several airlines are adding flat beds, and upstarts targeting upscale travelers have entered the market. May 8, 2006

Packed planes, higher fares expected this summer. Airlines expect crowded planes this summer, and travelers could face higher fares. Many carriers have reduced capacity to boost profitability, and fewer inexpensive seats are available. Airlines also have increased fares to cover soaring fuel costs. May 8, 2006

Promotions help frequent fliers increase miles. Some travelers search for frequent-flier deals and take circuitous routes to boost the number of miles in their accounts. Meanwhile, some experts say it has never been more difficult to redeem miles for free travel. May 8, 2006