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LONDON -- A breast-feeding mother accidentally smothered her four-week old child aboard a United Airlines flight from Washington, D.C., to Kuwait, a British tabloid reported Tuesday. The Sun newspaper said that the mother, who it said was a 29-year-old Egyptian-born woman, fell asleep as she breast-fed on the jet and awoke to find that the child had been smothered. The paper said the plane was diverted to London's Heathrow in an attempt to save the baby's life. The paper cited an unnamed police source in its reporting. Scotland Yard confirmed that a United Airlines plane had been diverted to Heathrow...

I really feel for parents flying with small children. Over the last 20 years, I have seen a sad degradation of the available in-flight entertainment. It used to be that you might be bored by what the airline chose to show — but you didn’t ever find yourself wishing that your children weren’t on board because of it. I can remember about ten years ago or so starting to see airlines warn that the in-flight entertainment might not be appropriate to all ages; parents might want to think about whether this was something that they wanted their kids to watch....

United Airlines is planning a major purchase of new airplanes in the next few years, a sign that corporate America may once again be developing an appetite for new investment. Businesses have dramatically pared back their spending over the past nine months, reluctant to make any investments in new plants, equipment or software. There have been many reasons -- loans and other financing have been hard to come by, businesses have less cash to work with as sales drop and, more than anything, they have been fearful of just how bad and how long the recession will turn out to...

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- United Airlines operator UAL Corp. said Thursday that it has sent a proposal request to Boeing Co. and Airbus, as the carrier plans to begin replacing its wide-body fleet. In a letter to employees, Chairman and Chief Executive Glenn Tilton said the request could result in a "significant" number of new planes. At the end of 2008, UAL owned 80 wide-body jets and leased an additional 34.

A United Airlines flight from Munich to Washington has been diverted to Boston's Logan International Airport because a female passenger complained of flu symptoms, an airport official said. Flight 903, a 737 containing 245 passengers and 16 crew, has been isolated in the north cargo area of the airport, said airport spokesman Phil Orlandella. One patient was removed from the plane and was being taken to Masachusetts General Hospital, said Jennifer Mehigan, a spokeswoman for Boston Emergency Medical Services. The other passengers are expected to stay on board and continue to Washington after refueling, airport officials said. A United Airlines...

A member of the U.S. delegation that traveled to Mexico City as part of the advance security team for Energy Secretary Steven Chu exhibited swine flu-like symptoms upon his return, and three members of his family have tested positive for the A H1N1 virus, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs announced on Thursday. The unnamed staffer tested negative himself, but Gibbs attributed that to the amount of time that had elapsed since the onset of his own symptoms. The staffer felt ill three days after his arrival in Mexico City, which was April 13th. On the following day (April 17th),...

As the recession deepens, economic forces continue to drive consolidation in the retail industry, debt comes due and increasingly discerning consumers buckle down on discretionary spending, an analysis by 24/7 Wall Street predicts that a number of well-known brands are likely to disappear before the end of 2010. To determine which brands are most likely at risk, 24/7 Wall Street examined 100 large brands it believes are in trouble and, for each, looked at public financial records, sales information, analyses from industry experts, the competitive landscape in each’s industry and the likelihood that a brand could be sold off in...

United Air to charge obese double on full flights Wed Apr 15, 5:29 pm ET LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – United Airlines, a unit of UAL Corp, will require obese passengers bumped from full flights to purchase two seats on a subsequent flight, matching the policy of some other carriers. The change brings the Chicago-based in line with eight other airlines including Continental, Delta, JetBlue and Southwest, United spokeswoman Robin Urbanski said on Wednesday. "Last year we had 700 complaints from passengers who had to share their seats," she said.

Chicago, IL (AHN) - United Airlines has announced it will implement a new policy charging heavier passengers double the standard airfare. Under the new rules, United will charge passengers who "are unable to fit into a single seat in the ticketed cabin; are unable to properly buckle the seatbelt using a single seatbelt extender; and/or are unable to put the seat's armrests down when seated." Those who fall into these categories will be denied boarding unless they purchase an extra seat, and if no empty seat exists, the passenger will be forced to take a later flight.According to the airline,...

Airline Says Overweight Travelers Will Need To Buy Extra Seats Or Be Denied Entry To Planes. Chicago-based United has instructed its customer service representatives at O'Hare International Airport ticket counters and gates to be extra vigilant beginning Wednesday for passengers they deem to be overweight. Those unable to comfortably fasten a safety belt with one extension or sit comfortably with armrests down will be denied boarding unless they purchase an extra seat, even if they can be placed elsewhere in the aircraft next to an empty seat. If no empty seat exists, the passenger will be forced to take a...

Because "It's Time For The Ticketing Agent's Break" Mike rushed his girlfriend to the airport to catch a flight to see her dying mother, only to watch her miss the flight because United Airline's ticketing agent refused to help because "it was time for her to go on her break." Passengers waiting in line were more than willing to let Mike's girlfriend skip to the front of the line, but her sad situation apparently wasn't enough to earn the agent's sympathies. When his girlfriend finally reached the gate in time to watch her flight depart, the gate agent defended his...

Louisiana Sen David Vitter missed his plane and Dulles Airport last Wednesday, and he was not amused. Vitter, who recently gained infamy after being identified on the D.C. Madam's Phone List, found his gate closed, so he went through an armed security door. Why not? He's got that Senator's pin, after all, right? That gives you access to all areas of the airport ... right? As you might expect, an alarm went off as he then tried to verbally rip an unsuspecting United Airlines gate attendant a new one. Apparently, he even tried to pull rank. Come on. Would that...

Among Members of Congress, there's a long-standing, proud tradition of the Airport Freakout. Add to the list of those who've indulged in meltdowns and temper tantrums while traveling one Sen. David Vitter, who on Thursday joined what we've dubbed the "Mile-Low Club" by going ballistic on an airline worker after missing a flight from Washington's Dulles airport to New Orleans. According to an HOH tipster who witnessed the scene, the Louisiana Republican arrived Thursday evening at his United Airlines gate 20 minutes before the plane was scheduled to depart, only to find the gate had already been closed. Undeterred, Vitter...

United jet safely stops takeoff at San Jose airport after bird strike Heather Knight, Chronicle Staff Writer February 16, 2009 SAN JOSE -- The pilot of a United Airlines jetliner preparing for take-off this morning out of Mineta San Jose International Airport stopped the plane and shut off one of its engines after striking a flock of seagulls. United jet safely stops takeoff at San Jose airport after bird strike 02.16.09 Flight No. 1220 - carrying 97 passengers and bound for Denver - was rolling down the runway at 120 knots, or 138.2 miles per hour, when it hit the...

A United Airlines flight headed from Denver to SFO was forced to turn around this afternoon when it hit a bird, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The story has just about everyone thinking about the Miracle on the Hudson from two weeks ago. This time the plane was able to land on the tarmac instead of a river. Flight No. 77 departed from Denver International Airport shortly after noon, but soon after takeoff a bird was sucked into one of the plane's two engines. The plane returned to the Denver airport and landed without incident, FAA spokesman Ian Gregor...

The crew of a United Airlines Boeing 767-300, registration N644UA performing flight UA-938 (dep. Dec 28th) from Chicago O'Hare,IL (USA) to London Heathrow,EN (UK), reported unspecified mechanical problems while enroute at approx. N5051 W5500 at FL350 and requested to return to Boston,MA (USA), later changed the request to divert to Washington Dulles, DC. The airplane landed safely at Washington International Airport 3:15 hours later. A replacement Boeing 767-300 N654UA resumed the flight and reached London with a delay of 9 hours. http://flightaware.com/live/flight/UAL938/history/20081229/0332Z/KORD/EGLL

A United Airlines flight was temporarily held at Los Angeles International Airport after a passenger fell ill and had to be diagnosed for a possible infectious disease. City Fire Department spokesman Cecil Manresa said the Boeing 747 jet was held at the gate after arriving from Tokyo around 8 a.m. Sunday. Crew members and 334 passengers were ordered to stay on board while investigators from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention evaluated the 28-year-old male passenger. Manresa said health officials determined that he suffered from food poisoning or some type of stomach illness. United Airlines spokesman Jeff Kovick said...

Excerpt - United Airlines saw a 76 percent drop in its share price Monday, after it was reported that the company had filed for bankruptcy protection. The news story turned out to have been six years old and had been erroneously picked up by the Google News service. It was then posted to the Bloomberg Professional network. In the words of duckcommander80 from Yahoo Finance's message board, who lost $19,000, "WHO THE HELL DO WE SUE???????" It's not clear... ~ snip ~

On Monday, shares of United Airlines lost more than 75 per cent of their value -- erasing about $1.2-billion from the company's market capitalization -- after a story about the airline's bankruptcy in 2002 somehow got pushed onto the website of a Florida newspaper, was picked up by Google's news-aggregation service, then made its way onto the Bloomberg news wire and out to hundreds of thousands of stockbrokers and traders. But whose fault was it? By Tuesday morning, fingers were being pointed in multiple directions.

United Airlines has said that it will not end free meals in coach class on international flights, as announced earlier this summer. The carrier had said it would trial a program on transatlantic flights from Washington Dulles International Airport, in which travelers in coach class would be charged for food, and meals in Business and First Classes would be free......

You KNEW This Was Coming... In an announcement likely to surprise absolutely no one, pilots for United Airlines are against the carrier's latest, desperate move to raise cash. In a statement issued Wednesday, the pilots say they "strongly oppose" the airline's plans to drastically change its onboard meal service by raising prices for food and drink on most flights and by discontinuing complimentary meal service on many flights to and from Europe, affecting both economy and business class passengers. As ANN reported, United claims rising fuel costs require these changes... but the pilots say the real reason may be to...

Announces Latest Missteps In Never-Ending Race To Bottom Of CSI Rankings Attention, US Airways: it appears you have some serious competition for the title of Stingiest Major US Carrier. Starting next month, United Airlines will stop handing out free pretzels and cookies to coach fliers across North America... and will even drop free meal service in business class on most flights. "In the wake of high fuel prices and a challenging economic environment, we must continue to examine every aspect of our business and find new ways to improve our day-to-day operations through efficiencies that still meet our customers' expectations,"...

No more free lunch. United Airlines Drops Free Snacks In Coach And So Much More... The San Francisco Chronicle is reporting that United Airlines will no longer offer free snacks in coach starting September 2nd. They are also dropping complimentary meals in business class except for "premium transcontinental flights from San Francisco and Los Angeles to New York." Shockingly, this move coincides with the airlines' expansion of their "buy-on-board" food offerings, says the Chronicle. The adjustments are outlined in an internal United Airlines memo that was distributed to flight attendants Monday and obtained by The Chronicle. The changes are all...

Continental Airlines said Thursday that it will switch global alliances, joining United Airlines in a deal giving customers full access to both carriers' networks while allowing them to earn frequent-flier miles. The companies described the deal as more than a traditional code-sharing arrangement, saying cooperation on "frequent-flier programs, lounges, facility utilization, information technology and procurement" will boost revenues and cut costs. Shares of both airlines, burdened like their peers by soaring jet-fuel costs, rose sharply Thursday. Houston-based Continental plans to partner closely with Chicago-based United and join the global Star Alliance, a 20-airline group that includes Lufthansa and Air Canada....

Airlines To Require Minimum Stays NEW YORK (AP) ― United Airlines said Friday it will start requiring minimum stays for nearly all domestic coach seats beginning in October. It is also raising its cheapest fares by as much as $90 one-way. The second-largest U.S. carrier said the moves are among a number of changes, including flight and job cutbacks, it is making to combat record high fuel prices. The Chicago-based airline has been among the industry's most aggressive in pushing fares and fees higher in recent months, and those efforts have often been matched by other carriers. The industry is...

CHICAGO - Baggage fees are fast becoming an unavoidable part of U.S. flying — three of the largest carriers now charge $15 for a first checked bag. No. 2 United Airlines and No. 7 US Airways announced their new fees on Thursday, three weeks after No. 1 American Airlines set the precedent for the charge. Most U.S. carriers already have instituted a $25 charge for checking a second bag — part of a potpourri of new fees that reflect a struggling airline industry passing along record fuel prices to passengers in the form of higher fares, fuel surcharges and service...

United and Continental Airlines say they will ground fuel-guzzling jets, lay off employees and -- most critical to consumers -- cut domestic capacity before then end of the year. American announced drastic cutbacks last week, as legacy carriers face ruinous increases in the cost of fuel. United said it will remove a total of 100 aircraft from its mainline fleet, including the 30 previously announced Boeing 737s, and reduce its mainline domestic capacity in the fourth quarter 2008 by 14 percent year over year. The company expects to retire all of its 94 B737s, provided it can work out terms...

A pilot's laptop, filled with top secret security information was reported missing at Dulles Airport and the ripple effects were felt across the country. The Mesa Airlines employee couldn't find the personal laptop he brought with him while co-piloting a United Express flight from Birmingham, Alabama to Dulles International Airport. 17 airports were forced to make emergency changes to access codes at Dulles, Atlanta, Phoenix, Chicago's O'Hare and San Antonio. Various officials within the airline industry admit that with these access codes, someone who went though security could, with the touch of a few buttons, get onto a plane or...

Bucking convention, United Airlines plans to charge passengers buying its cheapest, nonrefundable tickets for domestic and Canadian flights $25 to check a second piece of luggage -- unless the travelers have elite status in its Mileage Plus frequent-flier program. Until this change, all United passengers could check two 50-pound suitcases free of charge, the industry standard except for at a few discount carriers such as Spirit Airlines Inc. and Skybus Airlines. United's move, which some other full-service airlines said they are studying, could lead to a shift if rivals follow suit -- another step down the path of charging passengers...

To offset rising fuel costs, United Airlines will charge economy class customers $25 to check a second bag, the carrier announced Monday. Economy class fliers will pay $25 for a second bag and $125 for three bags. Previously it was free to check a second bag and cost $85 to check three bags. Those checking four or more bags will pay an additional $100 a bag. "Our customer research shows that only about one in four customers check a second bag, and with this new policy, customers who check extra bags may continue to do so for a service fee,...

Saw a documentary, "Grounded on 9-11" on the History Channel a few days ago that mentioned something major about 9-11 that I have not heard before. At 9:00AM on 9-11 United Airlines sent to all planes a warning message regarding the other hijacks. On United Flight 23, that was on the runway, the captain decided on his own not to take off. He fakes a mechanical problem and returns to the gate! When the passengers were asked to exit the plan three Middle Eastern men, or possibly as many as six, refuse to follow the request to deplane. Security is...

A Seattle-area man has been charged by federal air marshals with groping a female passenger aboard a United Airlines flight that was diverted to Pittsburgh as a result of the alleged incident. Michael L. Holland, 46, made his initial appearance before a magistrate on Monday on a charge of abusive sexual contact, according to Ted Hresko, special agent in charge of the Pittsburgh air marshals' office. Holland had been chatting with the woman Sunday on United Flight 917, which was bound for Seattle from Dulles International Airport near Washington D.C., Hresko said. ""The next thing you know, he's groping her,"...

PALMDALE - The busy Thanksgiving holiday travel period will be a milestone for L.A./Palmdale Regional Airport, as airport officials expect to hit the 10,000-passenger mark this weekend. The airport renewed commercial passenger service in June with the start of twice-daily service to San Francisco by United Airlines. From there, travelers may connect to other United Airlines domestic and international flights. From the first flight on June 7 through Oct. 31, the terminal adjacent Air Force Plant 42 served 8,479 passengers, according to Los Angeles World Airport officials. The city agency operates L.A./Palmdale Regional Airport, as well as L.A./Ontario, Los Angeles...

A large shareholder in both Delta Air Lines and United Airlines on Wednesday urged the two companies to merge, a transaction that would create the largest domestic carrier. Pardus Capital Management, a New York-based hedge fund with more than 2 per cent of Delta, the third-biggest US carrier, and a 4.8 per cent stake in UAL, corporate parent to second-ranked United, argues the merger would represent the best possible combination of large US airlines. Record fuel prices, high labour costs and excess capacity on many routes have led several airline chief executives, including Delta’s Richard Anderson and United’s Glen Tilton,...

Organizers of San Francisco’s Folsom Street Fair — sponsored by Miller Brewing Co. – have portrayed Christ and his disciples as half-naked homosexual sadomasochists in the event’s promotional advertisement, and the conservative group Concerned Women for America is complaining about the hypocrisy of it... After someone from Miller pulled their head out of the ass, Miller has asked to have its log removed from the advertising poster for the “event.” So far, however, Miller has NOT pulled its sponsorship of this freak show...

<p>Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA) was involved in an altercation last night at Dulles Airport. He was allegedly angered by the amount of time it was taking to get his luggage and tried to push his way through the United Airlines baggage claim office. The release below is from The Washington Area Airports Authority.</p>

Airline manufacturer Boeing Co. (BA), major airlines and several airport operators sued the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Central Intelligence Agency on Tuesday in a bid to question current and former agency employees in connection with negligence litigation over the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks. In separate lawsuits, the airlines and others are challenging decisions by the FBI and the CIA that prevent them from conducting depositions of those employees. The airlines include AMR Corp.'s (AMR) American Airlines, UAL Corp.'s (UAUA) United Airlines, US Airways Group Inc. (LCC), Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL), Continental Airlines Inc. (CAL) and AirTran Holdings...

PALMDALE - Business leaders were advised Wednesday they have about 36 months to help make or break passenger airline service in and out of Palmdale. A federal grant of $900,000 to help United Airlines offset operational costs for two flights a day expected to start in June between Palmdale and San Francisco will last about three years, officials said. "We have an obligation as a region now to take advantage of (United's) service," Palmdale Mayor Jim Ledford said Wednesday at a Palmdale Chamber of Commerce luncheon. Heavy use of United's service could lead to attracting a second airline to L.A./Palmdale...

United Airlines will begin service from L.A./Palmdale Regional Airport to San Francisco on June 7, officials announced Monday. It will mark the return of commercial passenger service to the terminal adjacent Air Force Plant 42, following a brief period of limited service that ended a year ago. The twice-daily roundtrip flights will provide passengers with connections to more than 200 United domestic flights from the airline's San Francisco hub, as well as numerous flights throughout Asia, Mexico, Canada, London and Sydney, United spokeswoman Robin Urbanski said. Los Angeles World Airports, the city agency that owns and operates the Palmdale, Los...

United Airlines has been selected to provide twice-daily service from L.A./Palmdale Regional Airport to San Francisco beginning as early as this summer. Los Angeles World Airports, the city agency that owns and operates the Palmdale airport as well as Los Angeles International, Ontario and Van Nuys airports, solicited bids for passenger service from the terminal adjacent to Air Force Plant 42. The agency's board of airport commissioners will vote Monday on the recommendation of United Airlines, which will be eligible for more than $4 million in subsidies and marketing assistance. As the holder of a $900,000 federal grant to initiate...

Meteorologists predicted the Chicago area likely would wake up to below-freezing weather and a foot—or more—of snow.

CNN is reporting that a UAL ATL-SFO flight is being diverted to Dallas after finding an unclaimed (unattached?) backpack prior to takeoff from Atlanta, as well as a Blackberry that does not belong to anyone on board. The flight is presently over southern Oklahoma, and is being diverted to Dallas. Could be nothing, but given the day today, better to err on the side of caution...

Passengers on a United Airlines flight at O’Hare International Airport were evacuated due to "fumes or smoke" in the aircraft early Sunday morning. Flight 525 from Boston to Chicago landed on time at 7:17 a.m. with fumes or smoke in the aircraft, according to Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford. The plane landed safely, it deployed a chute and the people slid out, he said. Fifty-eight people refused transport. The only reported injury was a sprained ankle from going down the shoot, Langford said. The aircraft was an Airbus 320, he said. An EMS Plan 1, still and box stand by...

Here is information I obtained that was provided to Federal Air Marshals, regarding yesterday's diverted London-to-Washington flight, featuring the "disturbed" woman--hardly a ringing endorsement of airport passenger screening at London Heathrow Airport, less than a week after Operation Bojinka 2 was foiled (she can take screwdrivers, but no lipstick for us): The passenger in question had these possessions on her person according to CounterTerrorist Intel: Per CBP/NTC [Customs & Border Protection/National Targeting Center], the subject involved in the incident that occurred onboard UA 923 LHR-IAD was found with several objects on her person when she was taken off the aircraft...

Several handguns have been stolen from bags checked by police officers, military personnel and others on United Airlines flights departing O'Hare International Airport, sparking concern that the weapons are loose in what is supposed to be a secure part of the airport. Since the beginning of the year, there have been "a handful" of firearm thefts from luggage being handled by United personnel, Chicago police spokeswoman Monique Bond said. Bags containing guns also have disappeared, authorities said. News of an investigation surfaced days after new security restrictions were placed on airports across the nation in the wake of British authorities...

Terrorists were planning to unleash a series of deadly mid-air explosions on flights between London and America on August 16, it has been revealed today. Members of the terror group, who were arrested in a series of raids by anti-terror police yesterday, were due to mount a dry run today to check if they could smuggle components for liquid explosives through Britain's airports. United Airline tickets dated next Wednesday were found by police at the home of one of the raided addresses. One US intelligence official told today's Evening Standard: "The bombers were a couple of days from a test,...

I was in 3C on Flight 735 and saw everything that happend....and it was A LOT scarier to all of us in first than the news is reporting. Situation started after meal was served and "Chronicles of Narnia had been on for about an hour (never will watch that movie without thinking about this flight). An hispanic man walked up to first, kind of shuffling with a hanging head and a slack expression. I looked up when he walked by, thought he looked weird but not weird enough to worry about. I went back to the movie and the next...

DENVER -- Passengers aboard a United Airlines flight had some help when they had to take matters into their own hands to prevent Jose Manuel Pelayo-Ortega from bringing their plane down. Three Secret Service agents headed west to join President Bush's entourage joined with passengers to subdue Pelayo-Ortega when he tried to open one of the doors on the Airbus A-320. "Had he opened the door, we'd all be dead," passenger Donna Bell of Visalia, Calif., told the Sacramento Bee after the plane was searched and allowed to continue westward. Secret Service spokesman Eric Zahensaid three agents between assignments help...

DENVER -- With three Secret Service agents aboard and the pilots fully in control of a United Airlines jetliner being diverted to Denver, two F-16 fighter jets scrambled to intercept the flight merely escorted the plane into Denver International Airport. But the apparatus that could ultimately have lead to the plane with 138 passengers and six crew members being shot down -- put in place after 911 -- was fully operational Friday, with agencies that included the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Homeland Security on an open phone line monitoring the flight. Had the plane "been judged as...

April 22, 2006 (by Lieven Dewitte) - A passenger who claimed to have a bomb aboard a United Airlines flight was subdued by passengers as the California-bound plane was diverted to Denver International Airport. Two F-16 fighter jets from Buckley Air Force Base scrambled to escort the plane. The A-320 Airbus heading to Sacramento, Calif., from Chicago flew into Denver Friday. The F-16s followed to make sure nothing untoward was going to happen. Jose Manuel Pelayo-Ortega tried to open an door on the Airbus A-320 en route from Chicago to Sacramento, Calif., and then claimed to have a bomb forcing...