Dallas, Texas, September 15, 2023 – Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) was named Best Airline for Families on MONEY magazine’s 2023 Travel Awards list. MONEY recognized Southwest Airlines for its Family Boarding process, two free checked bags,1 no change2 or cancellation3 fees, and creating a flexible travel experience at a low cost. Southwest Customers also enjoy family-friendly content for free on the Inflight Entertainment Portal.4
“Families on the go turn to Southwest for more than our low fares and flexible policies,” said Jonathan Clarkson, Vice President of Marketing at Southwest Airlines. “We know families traveling together are looking for a comfortable and smooth travel experience, and our People take great pride in delivering their legendary Hospitality every step of the way.”
MONEY’s Best Airlines List assessed 10 major U.S. based carriers utilizing various criteria from multiple data resources to evaluate customer satisfaction with an airline’s network size, rewards programs, and policies.
For more information on Southwest’s flexible policies, visit Southwest.com.
1. First and second checked bags; weight and size limits apply.
2. If a Customer needs to change an upcoming flight itinerary, they’ll only pay the cost in fare difference.
3. Failure to cancel a reservation at least 10 minutes prior to scheduled departure may result in forfeited flight credits.
4. Where available. Available only on WiFi-enabled aircraft. Limited-time offer.
Columbus, Mississippi, 07 September 2021 – Airbus Helicopters, Inc. has delivered the first UH-72B, the latest variant of its Lakota helicopter, to the U.S. Army National Guard from its production facility in Columbus, Mississippi. This delivery is the first of 18 UH-72B Lakota helicopters currently on order to support the National Guard’s critical missions.
The UH-72B is the latest iteration of the proven commercial, off-the-shelf aircraft that has been the Army’s Light Utility Helicopter since the first Lakota contract award in 2006. The Army is leveraging the benefits of a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) program by receiving product improvements and enhancements through the evolution of the aircraft, without investing any government money into the development of those capabilities.
Based on the widely successful H145, the UH-72B incorporates technologies that increase both safety and flight performance, including the five-bladed main rotor, the Fenestron shrouded tail rotor, Safran Arriel 2E engines, and the Airbus-designed Helionix avionics suite. The Helionix suite includes an advanced dual-duplex, four-axis autopilot to provide flight envelope and over-limit protection, automated takeoff, and fully-coupled approaches to hover.
With nearly 10 different configurations available, the Lakota delivers proven performance, outstanding operational reliability, and unmatched versatility for a broad spectrum of military missions. Airbus Helicopters, Inc. builds the Lakota at its production facility in Columbus, Mississippi, which employs a workforce of nearly 250 employees that is made up of 40% U.S. veterans.
Vic Scheibert (l), President of Alaska Operations, Trident Seafoods, and Joe Bundrant, CEO, Trident holding up the first Copper River salmon.
Trident Seafoods, Ocean Beauty Seafoods, Copper River Marketing Association and Tom Douglas partner to salute local medical professionals
Alaska Airlines Captain Brent Carricaburu presenting the first Copper River salmon, which weighed in at 33 pounds.
More than 200 health care workers at Swedish Medical Center – Ballard will be among the first to enjoy the season’s first catch of prized Copper River salmon. Alaska Air Cargo this morning delivered the first catch of fresh, sustainable Copper River salmon to Seattle, which will be delivered to grocery stores across the country.
Helping fishing communities, fisheries and processors like Trident Seafoods, Ocean Beauty Seafoods and Cooper River Seafoods get the coveted salmon to market, often in less than 24 hours from being pulled from the water, is Alaska Air Cargo’s specialty. The airline plays a critical role in the economic vitality of Cordova, Alaska, where more than 50 percent of residents work in the fishing industry.
“Alaska Air Cargo has long been a partner of the Alaska seafood industry,” said Torque Zubeck, managing director of cargo for Alaska Airlines. “Now more than ever, we provide a critical service that directly impacts the economic vitality of the region. In Cordova alone, more than half of residents are directly involved in the fishing industry or related business.”
As a thank you for their efforts on the frontlines of the battle against coronavirus, Alaska Airlines, Trident Seafoods, Ocean Beauty Seafoods, Copper River Seafoods, Copper River Marketing Association and famed Seattle chef Tom Douglas are partnering to provide a delicious meal to health care heroes, and feed the community, while raising money for Food Lifeline.
“I love everything about Copper River salmon,” said chef Tom Douglas. “I love the richness of its delicate flesh and flavor. It’s very short season makes it a true delicacy. I am glad we get to share it with our health care workers and the Greater Seattlecommunity.”
Alaska Air Cargo employees begin to unload 9,000 pounds of Copper River salmon, part of the first shipment to arrive in Seattle.
Douglas will feature salmon donated by the seafood processors and the Copper River Marketing Association to prepare over 200 meals for Swedish Hospital medical professionals working on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic. Pilots, flight attendants and management employees from Alaska will be on hand Saturday to deliver the meals and thank workers for their efforts.
“We’re thankful for Alaska Airlines, Copper River Marketing Association, Trident, Ocean Beauty, Copper River Seafoods and especially Tom Douglas for providing our heroic health care workers at Swedish Ballard with the meal today,” said Swedish Ballard Chief Operating Officer Kasia Konieczny. “While this pandemic has been difficult for us all, it is great to see the community coming together, like these partners, to provide for one another.”
On Sunday, May 17, fish lovers are invited to partake in the festivities, while social distancing, of course. For a limited time and while supplies last, Trident and Douglas will be “Grilling for Good.” He and his Serious TakeOut team will prepare grilled Copper River sockeye salmon entrees available for purchase through the Tom Douglas website, with all proceeds donated to Food Lifeline.
Alaska Air Cargo transports more than 30+ million pounds of cargo annually—including seafood, mail and freight —and operates the most extensive air cargo operation on the U.S. West Coast of any passenger airline.
Alaska Airlines and its regional partners serve more than 115 destinations across the United States and North America, providing essential air service for our guests along with moving crucial cargo shipments, such as food, medicine, mail and e-commerce deliveries. With hubs in Seattle; San Francisco; Los Angeles; Portland, Oregon; and Anchorage, Alaska, the airline is known for low fares, award-winning customer service and sustainability efforts. With Alaska and its Global Partners, guests can earn and redeem miles on flights to more than 800 destinations worldwide. Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK).
Vic Scheibert (l), President of Alaska Operations, Trident Seafoods, and Joe Bundrant, CEO, Trident holding up the first Copper River salmon.
AKARTA (Reuters) – An Indonesian court on Friday jailed Emirsyah Satar, a former chief executive of Garuda Indonesia, for bribery and money laundering related to procurement of planes and engines from Airbus and Rolls-Royce, his laywer said.
Satar’s lawyer Luhut Pangaribuan said his client had been given an eight-year sentence and fined S$2 million ($1.4 million) by the country’s corruption court.
Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) had indicted Satar, CEO of Garuda from 2005 to 2014, over payments from a businessman via a third party for the procurement by Garuda Indonesia of Roll-Royce Trent 700 engines and Airbus A320 and A330 planes.
The indictment also related to the procurement of Airbus planes for PT Citilink Indonesia, a unit of Garuda.
In 2017 Rolls-Royce agreed to pay authorities more than $800 million to settle charges after an investigation by the U.S. Justice Department and Britain’s Serious Fraud Office into alleged bribery of officials in six countries in schemes that lasted more than a decade.
Airbus in February this year agreed to pay a record $4 billion in fines after reaching a plea bargain with prosecutors in Britain, France and United States over alleged bribery and corruption stretching back at least 15 years.
Satar, who had previously denied wrongdoing, will decide next week whether to appeal against his sentence, said Pangaribuan.
($1 = 1.4139 Singapore dollars)
(Reporting by Agustinus Beo Da Costa; Writing by Ed Davies; Editing by David Goodman)
In his letter, Haji-Ioannou has also called for removal of easyJet’s Chief Finaicial Officer Andrew Findlay, after earlier calling for a board meeting on a vote to remove Andreas Bierwirth as a director, which was rejected by easyJet.
“If this 4.5 billion pound liability to Airbus is preserved – and not cancelled – by the easyJet board then, I regret to report, easyJet will run out of money around August 2020, perhaps even earlier,” the founder said in his letter.
“I will certainly not be throwing good money after bad. For the avoidance of doubt, I will not inject any fresh equity in easyJet whilst the Airbus liability is in place.”
He also stated that he will continue to call for the removal of more directors every time the company delays the vote.
He also wants easyJet to reduce its fleet size to 250 aircraft from 350, adding that the airline will not need any more additional new planes for many years to come.
(Reporting by Juby Babu in Bengaluru; editing by Diane Craft)
Hilton’s new elevated yet approachable brand is off to the races, breaking ground in Louisville, Kentucky less than 60 days after its launch
MCLEAN, Va. – Hilton (NYSE: HLT) today announced the start of construction of its very first Tempo by Hilton property, hosting a groundbreaking ceremony in Louisville, Kentucky’s trendy NuLu neighborhood. The 130-key, six-story hotel is located at 710 East Jefferson Street and is co-owned by First Hospitality and Weyland Ventures. This inaugural Tempo by Hilton property is slated to open in time for the 2021 Kentucky Derby.
Breaking ground less than eight weeks from the Tempo by Hilton brand launch, this milestone marks one of the shortest time periods from brand announcement to groundbreaking in Hilton history. Additionally, the brand continues to exhibit robust deal momentum, with more than 30 confirmed deals in cities including New York, Maui, Boston and Washington D.C., as well as an additional 40 deals in various stages of development.
“We’ve seen an incredible response from owners who are excited about Tempo by Hilton, and we are working together with them to bring this new offering to market in record time,” said Phil Cordell, SVP and global head of new brand development, Hilton. “The brand delivers a unique blend of elevated yet within reach offerings that have been specifically developed to appeal to the burgeoning class of modern achievers, and we believe that the NuLu neighborhood is exactly the kind of place where Tempo by Hilton will not only fit in but thrive.”
In line with the brand’s commitment to localized touches in each property, this first Tempo by Hilton groundbreaking saw brand representatives and local dignitaries gather for an exciting event that included nods to the historic Kentucky Derby with details such as a burst of rose petals that evoked the famous race also known as the “Run for the Roses”. The ceremonial groundbreaking was symbolized by the staking of a Tempo by Hilton flag into the property site ground.
“We are excited to be the first city in the world to welcome the Tempo by Hilton brand,” said Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer. “Our city’s economy is booming, with more than $15 billion in investment since 2014, more than 1,200 hotel rooms added in the past 18 months, and an additional 1,100 hotel rooms under construction. The Tempo by Hilton will add to that great economic vitality.”
Once open, the new Tempo by Hilton Louisville NuLu will offer a rooftop bar, allowing patrons to sip in style as they take in the surrounding skyline. The property will provide guestrooms that have been designed as welcoming treats with the brand’s signature Power Up and Power Down collections to assist guests with getting energized for the day or winding down for the night, as well as inviting public spaces, including flexible meeting space, a state-of-the-art fitness center, and surprising, uplifting artistic touches.
“As part of the next generation leading First Hospitality, a long-time Hilton partner, I’m beyond proud that we are breaking ground on the very first hotel of this next-generation brand,” said Sam Schwartz, VP of Asset Management for First Hospitality. “We couldn’t be more excited for this property to be going up in NuLu, a neighborhood known for its rich arts and culinary scenes.”
Thoughtfully designed with the modern achiever in mind, the new Tempo by Hilton Louisville NuLu will also provide complimentary coffee and tea via the in-lobby Fuel Bar, as well as a range of additional food and beverage options including an innovative café-style offering serving a variety of smoothies, lattes, breakfast sandwiches, bowls and more, limited market, and in-lobby bar specializing in both spirited and non-spirited craft cocktails.
Tempo by Hilton Louisville NuLu will participate in Hilton Honors, the award-winning guest loyalty program for Hilton’s 18 world-class brands. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels will have access to instant benefits, including a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose nearly any combination of Points and money to book a stay, an exclusive member discount, and free standard Wi-Fi. Members can also enjoy popular digital tools available exclusively through the industry-leading Hilton Honors mobile app where Hilton Honors members can check-in, choose their room and access their room using Digital Key.
NEW YORK, Nov 19 (Reuters) – A former British Airways executive who oversaw the carrier’s operations at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport has been indicted for accepting bribes to help a ground handling company win contracts, New York’s attorney general said on Tuesday.
The charges announced by Attorney General Letitia James against Steven Clark, who she said directed British Airways operations at JFK Terminal 7, arose from “Operation Greased Runway,” a probe into contracting and procurement at JFK.
John Kinsella, a former chief executive of Ground Services International (GSI) accused of making improper payments to Clark, was also charged in the case.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty, according to their respective lawyers. British Airways, part of International Consolidated Airlines Group SA, was not charged.
James said Clark received more than $5 million and a secret 5% stake in GSI over several years from Kinsella, in exchange for promoting that company’s services.
According to court papers, payments were concealed from Britain’s flag carrier with fake invoices, and sometimes laundered through companies that Clark or Kinsella created.
James said Clark also received improper sums from another vendor, while Kinsella paid an executive who helped run JFK Terminal 1, which houses several airlines, to win his support.
Clark, 61, of New York, and Kinsella, 59, of Naples, Florida, were each charged with several counts, including bribery and money laundering, and arraigned before a New York state judge in Queens.
“Mr. Clark is innocent of the charges to which he pleaded not guilty, and expects to be vindicated,” Clark’s lawyer Kevin O’Brien said in a phone interview.
Kinsella’s lawyer Brian Legghio said his client was also innocent, looked forward to clearing his name, and had been awarded his JFK contacts on merit and based on his reputation. He said Kinsella sold GSI three years ago.
GSI agreed with James’ predecessor Barbara Underwood last December to a $12.3 million settlement related to the probe.
“Today’s indictment sends a clear massage to airline companies and airport vendors: pay-to-play schemes will not fly in New York,” James said in a statement.
(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York Editing by Tom Brown)
FILE PHOTO: Frankfurt hosts the international Motor Show (IAA)
DETROIT (Reuters) – The United Auto Workers union said on Friday that rank-and-file members at Ford Motor Co <F> have voted in favor of a new four-year labor contract with the No. 2 U.S. automaker.
The UAW will now focus on Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) <FCAU>, the sole remaining Detroit automaker without a new labor contract. Talks with FCA are expected to begin on Monday, a UAW spokesman said.
The union said 56.3% of Ford’s hourly workers voted to approve the deal, which allowed the company to avoid a strike like the one that cost its larger rival General Motors Co <GM> about $3 billion (£2.3 billion).
UAW leaders said earlier this month that Ford under the deal agreed to invest more than $6 billion in its U.S. plants, and to create or retain more than 8,500 UAW jobs.
The deal also includes pay raises and lump-sum payments over the life of the contract, a pathway to full-time employment for temporary employees and unchanged healthcare coverage.
Workers at GM approved a deal in late October that ended a contentious 40-day U.S. strike, the longest automotive labor stoppage since 1970.
Detailed terms of the Ford deal – released just a week after GM workers approved their new contract – echoed those agreed to with GM, as the union typically uses the first deal as a template for those that follow.
UAW leaders managed contract negotiations with Ford and GM, including the lengthy strike, while struggling with an ongoing federal corruption probe.
To date, 10 people have pleaded guilty in connection with the criminal investigation into illegal payoffs. Just last week former UAW vice president and former GM board member Joseph Ashton was charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and wire fraud.
Earlier this month the UAW said that its president, Gary Jones, who had been linked to the ongoing corruption probe, was taking a leave of absence.
Rory Gamble, the union’s acting head, said last week he will examine every department of the union in response to the spreading federal corruption probe to prevent future misuse of members’ dues.
(Reporting by Nick Carey and Ben Klayman in DetroitEditing by Matthew Lewis and Cynthia Osterman)
ORLANDO, Fla. (Reuters) – Billionaire Elon Musk’s SpaceX accused the U.S. Air Force of breaking contracting rules when it awarded money to three rocket makers but passed on Musk’s rival bid, and said the tender should be reopened, according to a court filing unsealed on Wednesday.
In the complaint, Space Exploration Technologies Corp said contracts were awarded for three “unbuilt, unflown” rocket systems that would not be ready to fly under the government’s timeline, “defeating the very objectives” outlined by the Air Force’s program.
SpaceX asked the court to force the Air Force to reopen the $2.3 billion Launch Service Agreements competition and reconsider the Hawthorne, California-based company’s proposal.
The agreement is part of a Department of Defense initiative to assure constant military access to space and curb reliance on Russian-made RD-180 engines.
In the watershed race for dominance in the space industry, new entrants including SpaceX and billionaire Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, compete for lucrative contracts for military launch services. The arena has been long dominated by incumbents like Boeing Co-Lockheed Martin Corp’s United Launch Alliance (ULA).
ULA was granted $967 million under the program for developing its heavy-lift Vulcan rocket, Blue Origin won $500 million for its New Glenn rocket, and Northrop Grumman Corp was awarded $791.6 million for its OmegA rocket development.
In separate court filings this week, all three companies argued they should be parties to the lawsuit because of their direct financial interest in its outcome.
A SpaceX spokesperson said the company sued to “ensure a level playing field for competition.”
Representatives for the Air Force and ULA did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Blue Origin declined to comment.
SpaceX’s complaint was filed with the U.S. Court of Federal Claims last Friday under seal, along with a request for the court to keep the proceedings secret under a protective order, citing proprietary information. A redacted complaint was filed Wednesday.
SpaceX alleged the Air Force broke contracting rules on five different counts and asked the court to halt deliveries of the award to the three companies and force a re-evaluation of the proposals.
The Air Force rejected a formal objection from SpaceX in April regarding the terms of the awards.
SpaceX has sued the government over contracts before, most prominently in 2014 to protest a multibillion-dollar, non-compete contract for 36 rocket launches to United Launch Alliance. It dropped the lawsuit after the Air Force agreed to open up the competition.
(Reporting by Joey Roulette in Orlando, Florida; Editing by Eric M. Johnson and Richard Chang)
FILE PHOTO: SpaceX headquarters is shown in Hawthorne, California, U.S. September 19, 2018. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo
FILE
PHOTO: Bikes by a bike rental service of Icelandic airline WOW air are
seen in Reykjavik, Iceland, August 5, 2017. REUTERS/Michaela Rehle/File
Photo
(Reuters)
– Iceland’s WOW air became the latest budget airline casualty on
Thursday, halting operations and cancelling all future flights after
efforts to raise more funds failed.
WOW,
which focussed on low-cost travel across the Atlantic, advised stranded
travellers to seek flights with other airlines. It flew a total of 3.5
million passengers last year.
“This
is probably the hardest thing I have ever done but the reality is that
we have run out of time and have unfortunately not been able to secure
the funding of the company,” WOW CEO and founder Skuli Mogensen wrote in
a letter to the company’s 1,000 employees.
“I will never be able to forgive myself for not taking action sooner,” he added.
WOW
had earlier postponed flights on Thursday as it entered what it had
hoped were the final stages of an equity raising with a group of
investors.
“My
flight from Boston has been cancelled. Having a hard time getting
through to anyone on the phone. Can you help me at all?” Twitter user
Marc Solari wrote.
WOW replied with an apology and offer of further assistance.
WOW
is the latest budget airline to collapse as the European airline sector
grapples with over-capacity and high fuel costs. Recent failures
include Britain’s Flybmi, Nordic budget airline Primera Air and Cypriot
counterpart Cobalt.
“RESCUE FARES”
Other
airlines including, Icelandair, Easyjet and Norwegian stepped in
offering discounted ‘rescue fares’ to stranded passengers, according to
the Icelandic Transport Authority
WOW has been pursuing different avenues to raise money over the past few months.
It
ended talks with rival Icelandair last Sunday while veteran low-cost
airline investor Bill Franke also had cancelled a proposed investment
through private equity fund Indigo Partners.
Icelandair shares traded up 13 percent percent at 1215 GMT after the failure of a competitor.
Founded
in 2011 by entrepreneur Mogensen, WOW used smaller single-aisle planes
to fly between Iceland and many destinations in the United States and
Europe.
Its
website had advertised flights from London to cities such as New York
and Boston for as little as 150 pounds, although the journey went via
the Icelandic capital Reykjavik.
Norwegian
Air has a little over half of the market share in the fast-growing,
low-cost, long-haul transatlantic market, while WOW controlled a quarter
in 2018.
There are fears of a knock-on effect on Iceland’s important tourism industry.
Around
30 percent of tourists visiting Iceland last year flew with WOW and the
collapse could trigger a 16 percent drop in tourists this year,
research from Icelandic bank Arion showed.
( By Stine Jacobsen and Tommy Lund; editing by Darren Schuettler/Keith Weir)
Barcelona, Spain – December 06, 2018: WOW Air Airbus A321 approaching to El Prat Airport in Barcelona, Spain.
