Aerospace and defense industry
JetBlue launches hostile takeover bid for Spirit Airlines
LaGuardia International Airport Terminal A for JetBlue and Spirit Airlines in New York. Leslie Josephs | CNBC JetBlue Airways launched a hostile takeover bid of Spirit Airlines on Monday after that carrier turned down JetBlue’s $33 per share, all-cash offer earlier this month. JetBlue has said acquiring Spirit would give it access to a large […]
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A severe pilot shortage in the U.S. leaves airlines scrambling for solutions
Airline pilots walk through the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on December 27, 2021 in Arlington, Virginia. Anna Moneymaker | Getty Images The United States is facing its worst pilot shortage in recent memory, forcing airlines to cut flights just as travelers are returning after more than two years of the Covid-19 pandemic. The crisis […]
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United reaches new contract deal with pilots union, the first of the major airlines in pandemic
Boeing 777ER United Airlines. Aircraft to Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport. Massimo Insabato | Mondadori Portfolio | Getty Images United Airlines and its pilots’ labor union have reached an agreement on new contract terms, the first of the major carriers to strike a deal since the start of the pandemic. The crisis roiled the industry […]
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Boeing considers redesigning problematic valve that has kept Starliner from flying NASA astronauts
Boeing’s Starliner capsule for the Orbital Flight Test 2 (OFT-2) mission is lifted on top of United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket on May 4, 2022. Frank Michaux / NASA Boeing is examining whether to redesign the propulsion valves on its Starliner crew capsule, a crucial system that has kept the company from flying astronauts […]
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U.S. airline bookings dropped 17% in April as flights got even more expensive
A Southwest Airlines aircraft taxis as an American Airlines aircraft lands at Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., January 24, 2022. Joshua Roberts | Reuters U.S. airline bookings dropped 17% last month from March, according to a report from Adobe published Thursday, one of the first signs of cooling demand for air travel as […]
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Southwest is upgrading its planes with faster Wi-Fi, bigger overhead bins and new drinks to woo travelers
OntheRunPhoto | iStock Editorial | Getty Images Southwest Airlines said it will spend more than $2 billion on improved passenger amenities like bigger overhead bins, faster internet and power outlets “in every seat,” in an effort to woo travelers as bookings rebound. The airline also plans to double the number of movies it offers travelers […]
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Traveler satisfaction is down as planes fill up and airfare rises, survey finds
Travelers wait in line at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in Newark, New Jersey, on Monday, Jan. 3, 2022. Christopher Occhicone | Bloomberg | Getty Images Packed planes and more expensive tickets drove down customer satisfaction with airlines for the first time in a decade over the past year, according to a J.D. Power survey […]
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Citadel founder Ken Griffin wins Blue Origin spaceflight auction, donating two seats to NYC teachers
Ken Griffin, Founder and CEO, Citadel (L) and Blue Origin New Shepard rocket lifts off (R) Reuters Ken Griffin, billionaire founder and CEO of hedge fund Citadel, placed the winning $8 million bid in an auction Monday for a seat on a spaceflight with Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin. Bezos’ company donated two seats on its […]
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Boeing aircraft orders, deliveries slipped in April
A Boeing 737 MAX 9 is pictured outside the factory in Renton, Washington. Stephen Brashear | Getty Images Boeing’s aircraft deliveries fell last month as handovers of its 787 Dreamliner planes remain paused after a series of manufacturing flaws. The company delivered 35 jets in April, down from 41 in March, bringing its total so […]
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Virgin Orbit is assembling a fleet of 747 jets to launch more rockets into space
The modified 737 aircraft “Cosmic Girl” lifts off from Mojave Air and Space Port in California carrying a LauncherOne rocket on June 30, 2021. Virgin Orbit Virgin Orbit is assembling a fleet of modified 747 jets, the company announced Tuesday, ordering two new modified cargo airframes to help launch more rockets into space. The company […]
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