After allegedly setting fire to an aircraft, Eder Rojas was released into his father's custody to await trial in the case. But instead of keep a low profile, he's reportedly violated the terms of his release by contacting a former co-worker via email.
He's now been remanded to a halfway house in Fargo, North Dakota until his trail starts September 8. Assuming he's allowed to use the computer while there, we expect to see his Myspace "mood" updated soon. What's the emoticon for terminally foolish?
US Senator and majority leader Harry Reid (D-NV) unveiled what he's calling an anti-oil speculation bill on Wednesday, winning applause from the airline industry and even some scant praise from Republican senators. Reid's bill, which he hopes to put to a vote before Congress' August recess, would limit the number of oil futures an investor could hold as well as demand greater transparency from foreign markets and US traders who do business abroad.
Reid admits his legislation won't completely end speculative investing--isn't all investing speculative?--but his idea is to distinguish between investors actually in the market for oil to burn (like airlines) and those in the market for profits, with no intention of actually taking delivery (like hedge funds and investment banks).
While Republicans are also eager to score some points on the oil price issue this election season, they may have a chance to kill Reid's pro-regulation bill by tacking on drilling provisions. House minority leader John Boehner (R-OH) says just stopping speculation isn't enough:
It's just another excuse not to drill. Without speculators, you have no liquidity in these markets.
Both British Airways and Ryanair will cut capacity this winter, joining the ranks of American carriers that have already announced cutbacks because of the escalating cost of fuel. BA chairman Martin Broughton said today that his airline would be making bank if oil still cost $85 a barrel, a price last seen in February. But instead of bragging about handsome profits, he declared that he and his colleagues are in the midst of
Perhaps the biggest crisis the aviation industry has ever known.
Earlier this year, we heard China would be building almost 100 new airports by 2020. But they'll be worthless without enough planes connecting them. So instead of wait on Airbus and Boeing, the Chinese ACAC Consortium is making its own new aircraft.
So what's up with these native jets and turboprops? Plans call for one of them to be tested as early as this year. The other is further down the line--but it could be flying by 2012. We're just hoping that a Shanghai-based Charles Ogilvie can stock 'em with tricked out in-flight entertainment!
Click through our slideshow for a closer look at the future of Chinese aviation.
One of the most interesting--and underreported--aspects of Chuck Thompson's book "Smile When You're Lying" was his discussion of Peak Oil and its potential effect on the travel industry. And whether or not you believe the theory that we will soon tap the world's petroleum reserves and begin a long, disastrous decline into a carbon-free future, you can't deny that the price of oil has dramatically increased over the past year.
Honestly, this is hardly news anymore. But we should at least mention that Northwest Airlines is set to cut 2,500 jobs through buyouts and firings. The carrier will also start collecting $15 for the first checked bag, beginning on August 28.
The new fees, CEO Douglas Steenland says, should rack up an additional $250 million this year. That sounds like a lot of cash until you realize that Northwest lost $4.1 billion in the first three months of this year.
When is that merger with Delta going through, again?
So that's what Midwest Airlines is doing with those extra planes! Senator Barack Obama was flying to Charlotte, North Carolina when his chartered MD-80 diverted to St. Louis.
Turns out the safety slide in tail of the aircraft deployed in flight and gave pilots some trouble steering. (Guess someone forgot to cross-check!) The plane landed at Lambert International without further incident.
The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee took the in-air drama in stride:
Anytime a pilot says that something's not working the way its supposed to, then, you know, you make sure you tighten your seat belt. Everything seemed under control, the pilots knew what they were doing.
Maybe SAFER is on to something. After a woman allegedly punched a flight attendant and lit up mid-flight, we didn't think in-air drunkenness could get any more outrageous. But meet Taylor Kircher!
The 21-year-old Drexel University student went wild on his British Airways flight from LHR to JFK, authorities say, after he downed an entire bottle of vodka. Among other things, he was masturbating through his clothing, says a federal air marshal:
He stated that he was unable to stop.
After a warning from the captain, flight attendants restrained Kircher with flex cuffs; he then spat in their faces. Before the plane managed to touch down in the States, he made one last threat, says the marshal:
At one point he told a flight crew member that he was going to "blow this plane up if you don't untie my ... feet."
We're trying to find Kircher on Myspace or Facebook... Won't you email us if you find him?
