US Airways news stories on Newser

Woman's Claim of Implanted Device Diverts Plane

Matt Cantor — Tue, 22 May 2012 16:31:33 CDT

A US Airways flight from Paris to North Carolina was diverted to Maine after a woman claimed to have a device implanted in her body. Authorities have since determined that she posed "basically no threat," but the flight was halted "out of an abundance of caution," according to the TSA....

'Disoriented' Flier Forces Emergency Landing

Rob Quinn — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:01:00 CDT

A flight from Portland, Maine, to Philadelphia was forced to make an emergency landing at Boston's Logan airport yesterday after a disoriented passenger apparently decided he wanted to get off in mid-air. The passenger, 40-year-old Michael Ensalaco of North Carolina, walked to an emergency door and tried to open the...

US Airways Takes First Step Toward American Merger

Evann Gastaldo — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 09:46:09 CDT

US Airways has taken a big step in its plan to merge with bankrupt American Airlines, it announced today by filing a form with the SEC. A letter to US Airways employees from the CEO explains that to win a merger the company still needs the OK of American-parent AMR's...

US Airways Jet Makes Emergency Landing in NC

Mary Papenfuss — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 00:20:06 CST

A "loud and unsettling noise" convinced a US Airways pilot to turn around and make an emergency landing just after takeoff in North Carolina yesterday. No one was hurt, and the 44 passengers en route from Charlotte to Charleston, West Virginia, were placed on other flights. Mechanics are seeking the...

Top Carriers Weigh American Airlines Merger

Matt Cantor — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 08:18:05 CST

Fellow airlines and a private-equity firm are considering buying American Airlines' parent company, which filed for bankruptcy just months ago . Though AMR has struggled in recent years—American hasn't turned a profit since 2007—its decades-old airline holds the No. 3 position among US carriers by traffic. A merger with...

Passenger Has to Stand for 7-Hour Flight

John Johnson — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 14:30:05 CST

Another dismal travel tale from the world of packed airplanes: A US Airways passenger flying from Anchorage to Philadelphia had to stand for nearly all of the seven-hour flight, reports the consumer advocacy blog Elliott.org . The problem? The airline booked a late-boarding passenger who weighed in the neighborhood of...

California Flier Stranded in Airport 8 Days

Mary Papenfuss — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 02:51:26 CDT

All she wanted was to get out of town to start fresh. But California would-be flier Terri Weissinger ended up stuck in San Francisco International Airport for eight days, marooned by unexpected baggage fees. Cash-strapped Weissinger was down to three bags, a ticket and $30 when she arrived at the...

Man Busted in Flight Attendant's Mexico Murder

Mary Papenfuss — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:13:00 CDT

A man has been busted in the murder of a US Airways flight attendant who was found naked, bound, and strangled in a Mexico City hotel. FBI agents nabbed the suspected killer of Nick Aaronson using a hotel surveillance camera and tracking the GPS on his stolen cell phone, reports...

Airline Bag Fees Hit $400

Kevin Spak — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 12:46:05 CDT

How crazy have airline baggage fees gotten? Well, checking an overweight (that's a 71- to 100-pound) bag will now cost you a whopping $400 on most Continental Airlines international flights . And Continental isn’t alone either, according to a survey of major carriers by USA Today ; United Airlines also charges $400...