STORY REMOVED: US–Regional Airlines-Safety

October 6th, 2009 Airlines expand $10 surcharge on busy travel daysMINNEAPOLIS — Several big airlines have added $10 surcharges for busy days around the holidays, making days that already tended to be expensive to fly a little more costly. Last month airlines added a $10 each-way surcharge for Nov.

September 24th, 2009 STORY REMOVED: US-Medicare-PremiumsWASHINGTON — The Associated Press has withdrawn a story on Medicare premiums. It contained unrelated copy from another story.

September 23rd, 2009 Union: Regional airlines pressuring pilotsWASHINGTON — The regional airline that operated a plane that crashed and killed 50 people in upstate New York has been pushing pilots to fly even if they say they are too sick or too tired, a union official told Congress on Wednesday. John Prater, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, said regional airlines are continuing practices that jeopardize safety even in the wake of the Feb.

September 21st, 2009 Govt report says airline margin losses improvedWASHINGTON — Helped by fees on baggage, the nation's airlines posted better operating margins in the second quarter. Low-cost and regional airlines had their first profitable operating margin since the third quarter of 2007, the U.S.

September 21st, 2009 STORY REMOVED: Virginia KillingsFARMVILLE, Va. — The Associated Press has withdrawn its story about charges being filed against Richard Alden Samuel McCroskey III.

August 10th, 2009 Sector Snap: Airlines fall as oil prices riseMINNEAPOLIS —Most airlines' shares fell slightly on Monday as oil prices rose. The Amex Airline Index was down 1.5 percent, with nearly all of its U.S.

July 31st, 2009 Republic Airways parent closes purchase of MidwestMILWAUKEE — Republic Airways Holdings says it has completed its acquisition of privately held Midwest Airlines for $31 million in cash and debt. Indianapolis-based Republic Airways Holdings is a regional carrier that currently flies under contract for other airlines.

July 29th, 2009 Congress takes steps to improve airline safetyWASHINGTON — Congress is taking steps to toughen regulations on pilot training, qualifications and hours in response to accidents involving regional airlines, including a February crash in upstate New York that killed 50 people. Lawmakers want to raise the minimum number of flight hours required to become an airline pilot from the current 250 to 1,500 and give air carriers greater access to the past training records of pilots they're considering hiring.

July 13th, 2009 Judge approves Republic plan to buy FrontierNEW YORK — A bankruptcy judge on Monday approved a plan by Republic Airways Holdings to buy Frontier Airlines for $108.8 million, although other bidders could still come forward. Denver-based Frontier Airlines Holdings Inc.

June 16th, 2009 FAA to propose new rules on airline pilot hoursWASHINGTON — Obama administration officials said Monday they will propose new limits on how many hours airline pilots can fly in an effort to curb pilot fatigue, an issue safety officials have been urging action on for two decades. Randy Babbitt, the head of the Federal Aviation Administration, said he will propose the new rule in the next several months.

June 15th, 2009 Pilot training histories may be requiredWASHINGTON — Federal aviation officials say they may ask Congress to require airlines to obtain the full training histories of pilots before hiring them. The head of the Federal Aviation Administration, Randy Babbitt, met Monday with officials from the airline industry and pilots' unions to talk about ways to make regional airlines safer.

June 11th, 2009 Lawmakers seek to fix pilot fatigue, trainingWASHINGTON — Members of Congress said Thursday they will try to force regional airlines to fix problems with pilot training and fatigue highlighted by an investigation into an air crash in upstate New York in February. Rep. Jerry Costello, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's aviation subcommittee, told a hearing Thursday he's fed up with waiting for the Federal Aviation Administration and the airline industry to act on safety recommendations.

June 10th, 2009 US to inspect pilot training at regional airlinesWASHINGTON — US government officials said Tuesday they will beef up inspection of pilot training programs at regional airlines in response to safety concerns raised by the crash of a regional airliner in New York in February. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Federal Aviation Administrator Randy Babbitt said in a statement they will also hold a meeting with the airline industry — both regional and major carriers — next week to seek better pilot training, cockpit discipline and other safety improvements.

June 10th, 2009 Investigator: FAA missing inspections at airlinesWASHINGTON — A government watchdog says the Federal Aviation Administration is missing safety inspections at major airlines. The Transportation Department's inspector general, Calvin Scovel, said Wednesday that the cozy relationship between FAA inspectors and Southwest Airlines that he warned Congress about last year extends to more offices within the agency and more airlines than previously known.

June 9th, 2009 FAA: More pilot training in response to crashWASHINGTON — Federal officials said Tuesday they will beef up inspection of pilot training programs at regional airlines in response to safety concerns raised by the crash of a regional airliner in New York in February. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Federal Aviation Administrator Randy Babbitt said in a statement they will also hold a meeting with the airline industry — both regional and major carriers — next week to seek better pilot training, cockpit discipline and other safety improvements.