Airline Industry

LONDON (AFP) - British budget airline easyJet said on Tuesday that rising jet fuel costs were a factor in a 14-percent drop in annual net profit to 71.2 million pounds (80 million euros, 120 million dollars). Full Story »

DUBAI (Reuters) - Boeing , which expects airlines to return to profitability in 2011, said on Monday that Middle East carriers would need 1,710 new jets over the next 20 years, valued at about $300 billion. Full Story »

PARIS (Reuters) - EADS unveiled a 77 percent drop in third-quarter core earnings on Monday, as it battled a downturn in civil aviation and the damaging effect of the weak dollar along with delays to its A400M program. Full Story »

General Electric's aviation unit is teaming with Aviation Industry Corp. of China to develop and market electronic systems for commercial aircraft customers, including the C919 narrow-body aircraft that China hopes will compete with jets made by industry giants Boeing and Airbus. Full Story »

FORT WORTH, Texas - American Airlines said it paid employees an average of $150 each — a total cost of $10.6 million — for helping the company meet customer-service goals in the third quarter. Full Story »

TEMPE, Ariz. - The pilot union at US Airways Group Inc. is asking for federal mediation in its negotiations with the airline. Full Story »

MADRID - Spanish airline Iberia SA, poised to merge with British Airways PLC, reported Friday a loss of euro16.4 million ($24.5 million) in the third quarter, compared to a profit of euro30.4 million a year earlier, as the economic crisis sapped demand for air travel. Full Story »

WASHINGTON - Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Thursday he will create a special panel to come up with a plan to restore health to the ailing airline industry, which is losing billions of dollars, shedding jobs and blamed for using a business model that critics say undermines safety. Full Story »

DALLAS - The CEO of American Airlines says Japan Airlines would be taking a risk and suffer financially if it breaks ties with American and joins an alliance with Delta Air Lines. Full Story »

WASHINGTON - An airline industry trade group predicts that passenger traffic over the Thanksgiving holiday will drop 4 percent from last year. Full Story »

OAKLAND, Calif. - Alaska Airlines on Monday announced new service between Oakland and Hawaii. Full Story »

WASHINGTON - US Airways Group Inc. spent $410,000 lobbying in the third quarter on the cap-and-trade energy proposal and aviation regulation issues, according to a recent disclosure report. Full Story »