Us Airlines

US, Europe airlines approach Air India for developing their Gen AI chatbots

Major US and European airlines have approached Air India for developing generative AI chatbots similar to that of the Indian carrier's AI.g, which currently handles around 97 per cent of customer queries it receives without the help of contact centre agents. Besides, the Tata Group-owned Air India has filed for its first patent which is for the upcoming feature 'one click booking' of tickets on its website and mobile app. Air India's Chief Digital & Technology Officer Satya Ramaswamy on Tuesday said a lot of innovations are being done so that AI.g stands apart. "We are sharing the knowledge (about the chatbot) also but nobody has been able to come up with something like this yet," he said. At a select media briefing, Ramaswamy also said some US and European airlines have contacted Air India for help on building generative AI chatbots. "It is about thought leadership... we will help them with development," he said. Without naming the airlines that have approached it, he mentioned

US airlines may soon face cash penalties for delayed, cancelled flights

This proposed compensation scheme would mean US airlines would have to pay a set cash payment amount to each passenger on a disrupted flight, in addition to compensation for meals and lodging

Microsoft resolves cloud outage that led US airlines to ground flights

US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said the department was monitoring the flight cancellation and delay issues

Boeing's Washington factory workers pass strike sanction vote, says union

Boeing's labor talks come as the US planemaker loses ground to rival Airbus and navigates a crisis that erupted after a door plug blew off an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX jet

Spirit Airlines forecasts weak Q2 revenue on slow growth in domestic demand

The carrier estimates it will average about 25 grounded aircraft throughout 2024, while competitors expand their capacity in Spirit Airlines' core markets such as Florida

Flyers to or from US will soon get instant refunds if flights are cancelled

Passengers deserve to get their money back when an airline owes them-without headaches or haggling," US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement

US airlines ask govt not to approve additional flights between US, China

Large U.S. airlines and some of their unions are asking the Biden administration to stop approving any more flights between the United States and China because of what they call anti-competitive policies that China imposes on U.S. carriers. The airlines and unions said Thursday that China closed its market to U.S. carriers at the outbreak of the pandemic and imposed rules that still affect American operations and airline crews. These actions demonstrated the clear need for the U.S. government to establish a policy that protects U.S. aviation workers, industry and air travelers, they said in a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. The letter was signed by the CEO of the Airlines for America trade group and the presidents of the Air Line Pilots Association, the Allied Pilots Association, which represents crews at American Airlines, and the Association of Flight Attendants. The number of flights between China and the U.S. has been ...

Boeing's pain spreads to travelers as airlines cut back on plans

Airbus, Boeing's main competitor, is largely sold out through the end of this decade, so there isn't an obvious place for airlines to turn

US airlines' plan to boost capacity in doubt amid delayed Boeing deliveries

Boeing has been under heavy regulatory scrutiny following a harrowing Jan. 5 Alaska Airlines mid-air panel blowout that led to probes into the company's safety and quality standards

Laser strikes against aircrafts have surged to new record, says FAA

The Federal Aviation Administration said Wednesday that it received 13,304 reports from pilots about laser strikes last year, erasing a record set in 2021

Alaska Air Q4 results: $150 million loss reported due to rise in expenses

Alaska executives are set to address investors and analysts later in the day. The airline placed orders for 42 737-10 and 10 737-9 jets in 2022, as part of a plan to sunset Airbus aircraft by 2023

JetBlue's buyout of Spirit Airlines blocked over threat to competition

A federal judge is siding with the Biden administration and blocking JetBlue Airways from buying Spirit Airlines, saying the $3.8 billion deal would reduce competition. The Justice Department sued to block the merger, saying it would drive up fares by eliminating Spirit, the nation's biggest low-cost airline. JetBlue said it disagreed with the ruling and was considering whether to appeal. The New York carrier argued that it needs the deal to compete better against bigger rivals that dominate the US air-travel market. We continue to believe that our combination is the best opportunity to increase much needed competition and choice by bringing low fares and great service to more customers in more markets," JetBlue said in a statement. The ruling was a victory for the Biden administration, which has moved aggressively to block consolidation in several industries, arguing that it hurts consumers. In the airline case, the Justice Department said if JetBlue were allowed to buy Spirit, i

US airlines cancel over 1,600 flights due to massive winter storm

Southwest led the list of cancellations with 355 flights followed by SkyWest at 275. United has scrapped 258 flights so far, with some cancellations extending to Saturday

What to know about Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 jet that suffered a blowout

An emergency landing by an Alaska Airlines jetliner has prompted U.S. federal authorities to ground some Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft, adding another episode to the troubled history of Boeing's Max lineup of jets. Here is what to know about the Max 9 plane involved, and what comes next. WHAT HAPPENED? An Alaska Airlines jetliner blew out a portion of its fuselage seven minutes after takeoff 3 miles (4.8 kilometres) above Oregon Friday night, forcing the pilots to make an emergency landing. None of the 171 passengers or six crew were seriously injured but the rapid loss of cabin pressure caused oxygen masks to drop from the ceiling. National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy said the two seats next to the part that tore off were unoccupied. HOW ARE FEDERAL AUTHORITIES RESPONDING? The Federal Aviation Administration ordered the grounding of some Boeing Max 9 operated by U.S. airlines or flown into the country by foreign carriers until they are inspected. The emergency

Alaska Air to buy Hawaiian Airlines in a $1.9 billion deal with debt

Alaska Air Group said Sunday it agreed to buy Hawaiian Airlines in a $1.9 billion deal including debt. The combined company would keep both airlines' brands, which call the 49th and 50th states their homes. Alaska will pay $18 in cash for each share of Hawaiian, whose stock closed Friday at $4.86. The deal also includes $900 million in Hawaiian debt, which the airlines said brings the acquisition's total value to $1.9 billion. The deal still needs approval from the boards of both companies, as well as from the shareholders of Hawaiian Holdings. It will also need the blessing of U.S. regulators, which have shown resistance to more consolidation within the airline industry out of fear it could lead to higher fares. The companies expect the deal to close in 12 to 18 months.

Extreme temperature pushes airlines to shed fuel, limit passengers

High temperatures make air less dense, reducing engine performance and the amount of lift produced at a given speed

US airlines see no letup in travel demand despite broader economic concerns

Airlines say travel has become the topmost priority for consumers, but capacity constraints will not let them catch up with demand for anytime soon, helping sustain the post-pandemic travel boom

After weak start to year, airlines eagerly looking to profitable summer

Most US airlines lost money in the first quarter, traditionally the weakest time of year for travel, but they are all eagerly looking ahead to a summer of full planes and high fares. American Airlines and Southwest Airlines said on Thursday that they expect to be solidly profitable in the second quarter. They joined Delta Air Lines and United Airlines in giving an upbeat outlook for the April-through-June period, which includes the start of the peak travel season. Southwest CEO Robert Jordan said that despite losing USD 159 million in the first quarter the airline blamed fallout from its December meltdown, which hurt bookings early this year his airline made money in March as revenue picked up. While we are mindful of the uncertain economic environment, demand for domestic air travel remains strong, thus far, Jordan said. American eked out a USD 10 million profit for the first quarter as revenue jumped 37 per cent from a year earlier. The airline predicted second-quarter earnings

US Air Force opposes Chinese company's corn plant for North Dakota

The U.S. Air Force has told North Dakota leaders that it believes a Chinese company's plans to build a wet corn milling plant near its Grand Forks base poses a significant threat to national security, prompting city officials to say they'll move to stop a project once touted as an economic boon. The Fufeng Group's planned $700 million facility would be 12 miles (19 kilometers) from the Grand Forks Air Force Base, a location that triggered some local concern about potential espionage. Gov. Doug Burgum and U.S. Sens. John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer all Republicans pressed the federal government in July to expedite a review of any security risk. U.S.-China business ties have become strained amid growing tensions between the two countries over security and trade issues, which often overlap. China on Monday criticized U.S. controls on technology exports as a trade violation. Fears over spying have led the U.S. armed forces to prohibited the Chinese-owned app TikTok on military devices, and

Six airlines to issue $622 mn in passenger refunds: US transportation dept

The actions helped ensure the carriers paid required refunds "to hundreds of thousands of passengers who had their flights canceled or significantly changed"