Passenger Transportation Services

Senior Transportation Security Administration official said Wednesday that approximately?6% of U.S. airline passengers do not display IDs meeting stricter federal standards. The agency is preparing to charge $45 for passengers without enhanced identification to board flights starting February 1. The TSA will begin enforcing "REAL ID" standards in May 2025. Passengers without this new identification are given warnings and subjected to enhanced screening. TSA announced a new fee for passengers who do not have REAL IDs in December. They urged them to obtain the documents or pay the fee before they arrive at the airport. The $45 charge will cover...

While Europe and the U.S. As Europe and the?U.S. face off in Davos about Donald Trump's threats to take over Greenland two of the region's most?outspoken?business leaders, Michael O'Leary & Elon Musk are engaged in a trolling battle over Starlink. Last week, the feud began after O'Leary, Ryanair's boss, refused to use Musk's Starlink service on his fleet more than 600 planes. The U.S. billionaire called him an "utter fool". O'Leary, at a Dublin press conference on Wednesday, referred to as a response by Ryanair to "Musk's Latest Twitshit", dismissed Musk's suggestion that he could buy the airline and succeed...

Bristow Group, an offshore helicopter operator, announced on Wednesday that it had agreed to make a series of?milestone payments' to Virginia-based Electra. This was a very rare step to lock in the delivery date for Electra's planned EL9 hybrid electric passenger plane. The deal, which upgrades a tentative purchase of five of these planes designed to operate in runways as long as a soccer field, marks a move towards more financial discipline in a sector that is widely hailed but highly volatile. Bristow has also options on 45 additional planes. Analysts in the industry say that until now, most of...

United Airlines released a positive outlook on Tuesday for the current quarter as well as the entire year. This was boosted by a strong demand from high-income travelers and corporate travelers. Moreover, the Chicago-based airline also exceeded expectations in terms of profit for the quarter ending December. After-hours, its shares rose by about 4.3%. United's earnings reports highlights how U.S. Airlines are increasingly relying upon premium cabins, business travel, and loyalty programs to grow profits, even though competition and price-sensitive travelers continue to pressure economy class fares. This shift has allowed carriers to stabilize their revenue, offset rising costs and...

Bipartisan funding agreement announced by U.S. legislators?Tuesday funds 2,500 air traffic control officers and $2.4 billion for U.S. passenger rail Amtrak while cutting funds for high-speed train and?electric vehicle charging? The funding agreement includes $514 millions to subsidize rural air services, also known as the Essential Air Service Program. This is in contrast to the White House's proposal to reduce the program by half. It also increases annual funding for modernizing air traffic control towers to $824 million. The budget bill includes $2 million for an independent study of the airspace around Washington, D.C. after a crash in January 2025...

The Wall Street Journal reported that activist investor Elliott 'Investment Management' has acquired a stake in a company called Stratolaunch. This hypersonic flight company has successfully tested a reusable hypersonic aircraft for the U.S. Military. The Journal reported that Elliott would also gain board representation at privately-held Stratolaunch and its investment is worth several hundreds of millions of dollars. The WSJ reported that the 'exact size' was unknown. Could not 'immediately confirm the WSJ report. Elliott and Stratolaunch didn't immediately respond to our request for comments. In May of last year, the Pentagon announced that Stratolaunch had been part of...

A committee of Israeli ministers approved on Sunday a law allowing shared ride hailing services like Uber and Lyft in Israel to operate in an effort to reduce taxi fares. The Transportation Ministry has proposed a reform that would allow "technology-based transport operators" to use models used successfully globally. However, this law still requires full approval from the Parliament. The Ministry noted that the Shared Transport Law, approved by the "Ministerial Committee for Legislation", would allow companies like Uber and Lyft to offer services via smart apps that connect private drivers and passengers. It was said that the move would...

WestJet Airlines announced on Friday that it would eliminate non-reclinable seats in economy class on a number of Boeing 737 aircraft. This decision was made after a slew complaints and 'videos posted on social media of passengers with their knees pressed against the seat ahead. After reviewing data from operations and the feedback of travelers, the Canadian carrier announced in a press release that it would return to its previous standard economy seat configuration. WestJet's decision to reconfigure seats in its planes last year?to allow for larger premium seating at the front?was widely seen as a test on the limits...

Chicago O'Hare International Airport has been a major hub for air travel in the United States and is now at the forefront of a heated competition between United Airlines, American Airlines, and other airlines. What started as a 'post-pandemic rebuilding' of flight schedules – with United restoring its capacity faster and American ramping it up more recently – has now evolved into a competition over gates, routes and premium offerings, and even a battle for?marketshare at one of the most connected airports in the world. Analysts believe that the results could have long-term effects, since better gate access, and more...

The union that represents about 1,600 workers at Spirit AeroSystems, a fuselage supplier, announced on Thursday?that they had reached a tentative deal with Boeing?on a collective bargaining agreement. The team that negotiated for the Society of Professional Engineering Employees of Aerospace (SPEEA), non-engineering division in Wichita Kansas, unanimously recommended to members that they accept Boeing's offer. Boeing completed the $4.7 billion acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems in December, and contract talks began after it closed because of labor law restrictions. James Hatfield, the union's negotiating team chair, said that "the?planemaker’s offer gives us better medical and dental benefits as well as...

WestJet Airlines will review its non-adjustable seats in economy class as soon as this week. This is after a backlash from passengers who complained about the lack of leg room, according to an internal message seen by?. Samantha Taylor, the Chief Experience Officer of Air Canada, told her employees that the carrier was reviewing data and feedback from passengers to determine the best way forward in rolling out the seats onto more aircraft. Taylor wrote: "While originally we planned to make a decision by February, we are now working to accelerate that process and arrive at a 'plan forward aligned...

Wall Street's major indexes opened Tuesday with a muted tone after an inflation report that was largely in line with expectations. Investors also weighed the mixed quarterly results of JPMorgan Chase and Delta Air Lines. Consumer prices in the United States increased by 0.2% from November to December, less than expected. The economists had predicted a 0.3% rise. The headline and core CPI increased 2.6% on an annual basis last month, after increasing by the same margin in November. The data confirmed Fed bets that at least two additional 25 basis point rate cuts will occur between June and Decemeber,...

Ethiopian Airlines, Africa's largest airline, has placed an order for nine Boeing 787 Dreamliners to meet the growing demand for long distance travel. Widebody jets are in high demand as airlines look to reduce operating costs and increase capacity. Ethiopian Airlines is planning to use the 787-9 jets in order to expand their network beyond the current 145 international destinations. As part of the?strategic plan to advance sustainable aviation, CEO Mesfin Tasew stated on Tuesday that "we will continue to purchase more aircraft and adopt new technologies." The airline also completed a?purchase of?11 737 MAX jets. The airline had committed...

Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority said that electric air taxis developed Joby Aviation will begin commercial operations in Dubai before the end of this year. Joby Aviation's first fully electric air taxi test flight in the emirate was conducted in June 2025. This is a significant milestone in Dubai's efforts?to introduce them to its existing transport networks. The Joby Aerial taxi, developed by a Californian company, is the "flagship" electric vertical take-off-and-landing aircraft. It can travel up to 160 km (100 miles), at speeds of 320km/h (200mph). Joby’s air taxi has zero emissions and is...

According to Spanish police and Turkish Airlines, a false bomb threat received via an onboard mobile connection forced a Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul on Thursday to land at Barcelona's El Prat Airport after making an emergency landing. Turkish Airlines spokesperson stated earlier that crew had detected that a passenger created an in-flight hotspot that was named with a?bomb warning as the aircraft approached?Barcelona. The Guardia civil?police force in Spain said that after a thorough examination of the aircraft, following the disembarkation of its passengers, the alert was deactivated. No explosives were found. Spanish airport operator AENA confirmed that El...

These are the most popular stories from the Wall Street Journal. These?stories have not been verified and we cannot vouch for their accuracy. U.S. prosecutors have opened an investigation into Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell for his testimony about the renovation of the building at the Federal Reserve Bank last summer. Allegiant Travel has reached a deal worth $1.1 billion to purchase Sun Country Airlines. This is despite the fact that budget airlines in the U.S. are facing stiff competition from their larger competitors. Walmart plans to expand drone deliveries to '150 more stores in the next year, with a...

The Philippines Bureau of Immigration announced on Tuesday that two alleged gunmen responsible for the?massive shooting at Sydney Bondi Beach travelled on Philippine Airlines Flight PR212?from Sydney, to Manila, and then to Davao on November 1. According to a spokesperson from the bureau, Sajid Akram (50), an Indian citizen and Australian resident, travelled with an Indian passport while his son Naveed,?24 an Australian, used an Australian one. Both passengers arrived on the same flight. On November 28, they flew back from Sydney via Manila on the same flight, PR212. This was just weeks before the attack that left 15 dead....

The African Development Bank (AfDB), announced on Friday that it would lend Morocco 270 millions euros ($316 million) to upgrade the country's airport infrastructure before hosting FIFA World Cup 2030. Morocco will invest $4 billion to increase the capacity of its airports to 80 million passengers by 2030. The current number is 38 million. This investment is part of a plan to prepare for an influx in tourists ahead of the World Cup which Morocco will be co-hosting with Spain and Portugal. Morocco, the most visited country in Africa last year, is already on track to'set a new record for...

Pegasus Airlines, a Turkish airline, announced on Monday that it had agreed to buy Czech Airlines and its subsidiary Smartwings for a total of 154 million Euros ($180 million). The deal is part of an expansion plan. In a KAP statement, Pegasus announced that it had reached an agreement with Prague City Air for the purchase of its stakes in CSA and Smartwings, as well as its subsidiaries. The debts of the two companies were included in the 154 million euro figure. Pegasus stated that the strategic investment would help to expand Pegasus's global reach and strengthen its presence in...

U.S. plan to increase the number of countries that are covered by their travel ban from 30 to more than 30. Homeland Security Secretary Kristie Noem told reporters on Thursday that the U.S. plans to expand its travel ban beyond 30 countries. Noem was asked in an interview with Fox News "The Ingraham Angle" if the Trump administration would increase the number of countries listed on the travel ban to 32. She said, "I will not be specific about the number but it is over 30 and the president continues to evaluate countries." In June, the President signed a proclamation...

Sources in the industry said that insurance rates for war risks increased after Ukrainian drones attacked two tankers headed to a Russian harbor. Fears of more attacks prompted insurers to raise their prices. Black Sea is vital for shipping grain, oil, and oil products. Bulgaria, Georgia and Romania, as well Russia and Ukraine, share its waters. Shipping and insurance sources reported that war risk rates, which are determined by each underwriter and are based upon the value of the vessel, have risen to 0.5% from 0.4% a week earlier for calls to Ukrainian port. Sources said that the war risk...

The Indian Air Force confirmed that a Tejas fighter plane, manufactured in India, crashed during a display at the Dubai Air Show on Friday and killed its pilot. Witnesses report that the fighter was at a low level at 2:15 pm (1015 GMT), before it came down in a fireball. Black smoke was seen rising behind an airstrip fence in footage from the scene. In a press release, the IAF stated that a court of inquiry was being formed to determine the cause of this accident. The crash is India's second known crash. It is important for India to modernise...

Rostec, a Russian state-owned conglomerate, said that on Tuesday its defence exports had fallen by half since the year 2022 due to domestic orders becoming a priority in light of the conflict in Ukraine. However, Rostec expects a recovery within upcoming months. Sergey Chemezov, Rostec's chief executive officer, told reporters that until 2022 Russia ranked second in the world in terms of defence exports after the United States. However the volume has dropped "because we had to supply the majority of our production to our own army". He said that sanctions have caused problems in both the civil and defense...

Airbus has won a provisional contract for 150 A321neo aircraft from flydubai, displacing Boeing as the exclusive supplier of the fast-growing low-cost carrier. The order comes after a tepid start to the Dubai Airshow. On Sunday, it was reported that Airbus Europe would win a three-digit contract from Dubai's government-owned carrier. Flydubai Chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said at a press conference that the move was an exciting one for diversifying and expanding our fleet. Flydubai, which was founded as a sister airline of Dubai's Emirates in 2008, has bought Boeing jets since its founding. Airbus Commercial CEO...