It's been a long, hard, half-decade for much of the airline industry. Since 9/11, it has been trying to recover from the decrease in passenger travel, only to be clobbered by high fuel prices in recent years—landing several of the American ‘majors’ in bankruptcy. Some of the upstarts continued to do well, including Southwest and JetBlue in the US and Ryanair and easyJet in Europe. Yet even the new lean airlines stumble from time to time, as JetBlue learned the hard way in February 2007, when an ice storm in New York snarled operations for almost a week.http://www.newser.com/2008 - Newseren-usNewser Feed GeneratorWed, 03 Dec 2008 22:06:30 CSThttp://www.newser.com/story/44177/british-airways-in-merger-talks-with-qantas.html?refid=rss_all_defaultBritish Airways is in talks with Australia's Qantas Airways about a potential merger, the firm said today, sending its shares soaring as it fueled expectations of consolidation in the hard-hit aviation industry. Already pursuing a revenue-sharing deal with American Airlines and Spain's Iberia SA, BA said it’s exploring a "potential merger" with Qantas "via a dual-listed company structure."http://www.newser.com/story/44177/british-airways-in-merger-talks-with-qantas.html?refid=rss_all_defaultTue, 02 Dec 2008 9:53:10 CSThttp://www.newser.com/story/43531/airfares-dip-on-last-minute-holiday-trips.html?refid=rss_all_defaultWith many consumers too concerned about their wallets to make pricey trips, airlines are, for the first time in memory, lowering prices before the holidays, the Chicago Tribune reports. The reversal of convention is allowing late buyers to scrounge tickets for as much as $200 less than travelers who locked in prices over the summer, when fares reflected much higher oil prices, the San Jose Mercury News adds.http://www.newser.com/story/43531/airfares-dip-on-last-minute-holiday-trips.html?refid=rss_all_defaultMon, 24 Nov 2008 11:10:46 CSThttp://www.newser.com/story/43521/flight-delays-decline-ahead-of-holidays.html?refid=rss_all_defaultWhile flights will be packed during the Thanksgiving travel week, travelers can at least look forward to fewer delays, USA Today reports. Delays have plummeted this fall amid troubled airlines’ reduced flight schedules and government measures to reduce New York air traffic. In early September, flights were over 15 minutes late 17% of the time, compared to 21% in September 2007.http://www.newser.com/story/43521/flight-delays-decline-ahead-of-holidays.html?refid=rss_all_defaultMon, 24 Nov 2008 8:35:18 CSThttp://www.newser.com/story/43284/former-union-leader-in-line-for-faa-post.html?refid=rss_all_defaultBarack Obama’s hoping to bring about long-needed reforms in aviation, but to do it, he’ll need the support of organized labor. Hence, reports the Wall Street Journal , the frontrunner for the top job at the Federal Aviation Administration is the head of the former pilots union, Duane Woerth. Air-traffic controllers have complained about low pay, understaffing, and authoritarian work environments; addressing their grievances will be key to advancing reform.http://www.newser.com/story/43284/former-union-leader-in-line-for-faa-post.html?refid=rss_all_defaultFri, 21 Nov 2008 6:58:39 CSThttp://www.newser.com/story/43263/obese-court-backs-two-seats-for-one-fare.html?refid=rss_all_defaultObese air travelers in Canada who need two seats must be given the extra seat for free, Reuters reports. The Supreme Court of Canada has refused to hear an appeal from Air Canada and two other airlines after they failed to win a lower court appeal on the fare issue. That means the country’s “one person, one fare” policy for disabled people—including those who are “functionally disabled by obesity”—will stand.http://www.newser.com/story/43263/obese-court-backs-two-seats-for-one-fare.html?refid=rss_all_defaultThu, 20 Nov 2008 21:31:44 CSThttp://www.newser.com/story/43137/stewardess-helps-land-flight-after-co-pilot-cracks.html?refid=rss_all_defaultAfter an Air Canada captain had his co-pilot handcuffed and dragged from his seat during a January flight, a female flight attendant helped steer the London-bound passenger jet to safety in Ireland, the Guardian reports. The original co-pilot was “quite harried” when he entered the cockpit, a report released today shows, and his condition quickly deteriorated mid-air.http://www.newser.com/story/43137/stewardess-helps-land-flight-after-co-pilot-cracks.html?refid=rss_all_defaultWed, 19 Nov 2008 16:03:26 CSThttp://www.newser.com/story/43126/fewer-will-travel-for-thanksgiving-aaa.html?refid=rss_all_defaultAn estimated 600,000 Americans will forego the 50-plus miles of travel they made last year to celebrate Thanksgiving, AAA predicts. The dip is the first in 6 years, but the fourth consecutive for general holiday travel. Despite cheaper gas, fewer people will drive cars this year, opting for more-economical trains or buses instead, reports the Chicago Sun-Times .http://www.newser.com/story/43126/fewer-will-travel-for-thanksgiving-aaa.html?refid=rss_all_defaultWed, 19 Nov 2008 13:55:25 CSThttp://www.newser.com/story/43004/airport-security-loophole-gets-high-tech-fix.html?refid=rss_all_defaultThe government is finally closing a well-known loophole that makes it easy for would-be terrorists to board planes, Wired reports. Under current rules, it’s possible to forge a boarding pass at home. But new measures will put the passes, with secure barcodes, on smartphones, making it “well-nigh impossible to make a phony one,” Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff says.http://www.newser.com/story/43004/airport-security-loophole-gets-high-tech-fix.html?refid=rss_all_defaultTue, 18 Nov 2008 8:39:21 CSThttp://www.newser.com/story/42689/ryanair-pin-ups-dont-fly-with-feminist-groups.html?refid=rss_all_defaultFeminist groups have slammed as sexist a pin-up calendar of stripped-down Ryanair flight attendants the budget airline has published to raise money for charity, reports Der Speigel . The calendar features employees in barely-there bikinis getting up close and personal with airplane parts. The Institute for Women in Spain, where the calendar was shot, is considering legal action. "It's significant only women are used in a sector in which there is a considerable percentage of men," said a spokeswoman.http://www.newser.com/story/42689/ryanair-pin-ups-dont-fly-with-feminist-groups.html?refid=rss_all_defaultFri, 14 Nov 2008 4:10:57 CST