DALLAS (AP) – Airlines are bowing to the staying power of higher fuel prices by culling unprofitable flights while trying to boost revenue by being nicer to customers.

American Airlines, for example, will soon make its cheapest "basic economy" tickets less unforgiving by letting buyers stow a rolling bag in the overhead bin like all other passengers, but restrictions like boarding the plane last and not being able to pick seats until 48 hours before the flight will remain in place. American also will grow more slowly than it planned later this year, a move that seemed to cheer investors – airline stocks rose.

2. Kroger Joins Other Big Retailers, Tightens Gun Restrictions - Friday, March 2, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) – Kroger will no longer sell guns to anyone under 21 at the stores it owns, becoming the third major retailer this week to put restrictions in place that are stronger than federal laws.

3. Final Goodbye: Roll Call of Some Who Died in 2017 - Monday, January 1, 2018

They made music that inspired legions of fans. Rock 'n' roll founding fathers Chuck Berry and Fats Domino, rockers Tom Petty and Gregg Allman, grunge icon Chris Cornell, country superstar Glen Campbell and jazz great Al Jarreau were among the notable figures who died in 2017, leaving a void in virtually every genre of music.

4. Gov't Proposal Envisions Phone Calls on Airline Flights - Monday, December 12, 2016

WASHINGTON (AP) — Airlines could let passengers make in-flight phone calls using Wi-Fi under a proposal from federal regulators.

Flight attendants and others have complained that the calls could be disruptive. But the Department of Transportation said Thursday that it envisioned allowing the calls if airlines tell all customers about the policy when they buy their tickets.

5. Alaska Airlines Gets US Approval to Buy Virgin America - Wednesday, December 7, 2016

WASHINGTON (AP) – Alaska Airlines has won government approval to buy rival Virgin America after agreeing to reduce its flight-selling partnership with American Airlines.

Parent company Alaska Air Group Inc. said Tuesday that it expects to close the $2.6 billion deal soon.

6. More Thanksgiving Travelers; Don't Get Stuck at the Airport - Wednesday, November 18, 2015

NEW YORK (AP) — A stronger economy and lower gas prices mean Thanksgiving travelers can expect more congested highways this year.

During the long holiday weekend, 46.9 million Americans are expected to go 50 miles or more from home, the highest number since 2007, according to travel agency and car lobbying group AAA. That would be a 0.6 percent increase over last year and the seventh straight year of growth.

7. Cheaper Fuel Helps Southwest, United Post Record 2Q Profits - Friday, July 24, 2015

DALLAS (AP) — Cheaper fuel and full planes are adding up to record airline profits, and the carriers are sharing the bounty with stockholders.

They're finally even giving passengers a break on fares.

8. Airlines Expect Another Big Year With Help From Cheaper Fuel - Friday, January 23, 2015

DALLAS (AP) – Leaders of United and Southwest gave an upbeat forecast for 2015 that combined strong travel demand and cheaper fuel. Airline stocks soared on Thursday.

The price of jet fuel has dropped by about half since September, boosting airline profits and tamping down fear that global economic weakness could hurt the carriers. Analysts expect all four of the biggest U.S. airline operators to post bigger profits this year than in 2014.

9. Fuel Costs Ease, US Airline Profits Soar - Friday, October 24, 2014

DALLAS (AP) — Profits are soaring at the biggest U.S. airlines as fuel prices drop — but don't expect fares to fall too.

Heading into the busy holiday-travel period, the airlines expect even cheaper fuel, thanks to the nosedive in crude oil prices. The price of jet fuel, an airline's biggest single expense, has dropped by about one-fifth since mid-June.

10. Regional Airlines Not Sharing in Majors' Success - Thursday, September 11, 2014

DALLAS (AP) – For passengers traveling between smaller cities and large hub airports, the ticket may say Delta, American or United, but they're likely flying on a regional airline whose planes are painted in the major carrier's colors.

11. US Airlines Running Behind Schedule So Far in 2014 - Friday, August 8, 2014

More U.S. flights arrived late in June than the month before, continuing a string of poor performances by the nation's airlines.

The government says that in the first six months of the year, the rate of late flights was the highest since 2008 and cancelations were the highest since 2000.

12. Amazon Asks FAA for Permission to Fly Drones - Monday, July 14, 2014

NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon is asking the Federal Aviation Administration permission to use drones as part of its plan to deliver packages to customers in 30 minutes or less.

The news sent Amazon's shares up nearly 5 percent in midday trading.

13. If Government Backs In-Flight Calls, Will the Airlines? - Tuesday, November 26, 2013

NEW YORK (AP) – The Federal Communications Commission might be ready to permit cellphone calls in flight. But what about the airlines?

Old concerns about electronics being a danger to airplane navigation have been debunked. And airlines could make some extra cash charging passengers to call a loved one from 35,000 feet. But that extra money might not be worth the backlash from fliers who view overly chatty neighbors as another inconvenience to go along with smaller seats and stuffed overhead bins.

14. US Airlines' On-Time Rating Drops Again in May - Friday, July 12, 2013

Summer travelers should pack plenty of patience: More flights are running late this year than in 2012.

The U.S. Department of Transportation says that only 79.4 percent of domestic flights arrived on time in May, down from 83.4 percent in the same month last year.

15. Airlines' On-Time Performance Falls, US Says - Friday, June 14, 2013

The nation's airlines struggled to stay on schedule in April, with nearly one in four flights arriving late, according to new government figures.

The airlines blamed furloughs of federal air traffic controllers and bad weather. A nationwide computer outage at American Airlines added to the slowdown.

16. American CEO Bashes US Airways; Calls it Desperate - Thursday, July 26, 2012

BOSTON (AP) – American Airlines CEO Tom Horton wants to set the record straight: It was he who approached US Airways CEO Doug Parker about the possibility of combining the two airlines, not the other way around.

17. More Airlines Raise Fares to Grab Tax Savings - Tuesday, July 26, 2011

DALLAS (AP) – The great tax holiday of 2011 for air travelers is just about over.

By Monday, most U.S. airlines had raised fares to reap the benefit of lower federal taxes on airline tickets. A few airlines that were passing the savings on to consumers changed their minds.

18. Govt to Test Risk-Based Airport Screening - Friday, July 15, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Transportation Security Administration said Thursday it will test a program to pre-screen a small group of select air travelers who volunteer more personal information about themselves so they can be vetted to get faster screening at airport checkpoints.

19. New Air Traffic Control System at Crossroads - Wednesday, July 6, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Federal Aviation Administration is creating a new air traffic system that officials say will be as revolutionary for civil aviation as was the advent of radar six decades ago. But the program is at a crossroads.

20. No Recession Here: Election Spending Sets Records - Wednesday, September 8, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) – Turns out politics, for all its focus on the gloomy economy, is a recession-proof industry.

This year’s volatile election is bursting with money, setting fundraising and spending records in a high-stakes struggle for control of Congress amid looser but still fuzzy campaign finance rules.

21. Delta Posts $467M Profit In 2nd Quarter - Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Delta Air Lines Inc. reported its largest quarterly profit in a decade Monday but investors dumped its shares as sales didn’t meet expectations and the carrier gave a cautious outlook amid economic uncertainty.

22. Cold-Weather States Lose Heating Aid to South - Friday, February 12, 2010

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - The recent cold snap in the Deep South has sucked federal emergency home heating dollars away from traditional cold-weather states, causing heating aid to dry up faster than usual in many northern states.

23. Airline Losses for Fourth Quarter Mount - Friday, January 30, 2009

ATLANTA (AP) - Deep capacity cuts, checked bag fees and aggressive fare sales couldn't stop the airline industry's bleeding from the impact of bad bets on fuel hedges and the drop-off in demand due to the weak economy. After more carriers posted losses Thursday, the total fourth-quarter red ink for the top nine U.S. carriers by traffic rose to $4 billion.

24. Delta, American Express Extend Card Agreement - Wednesday, December 10, 2008

ATLANTA (AP) - Delta Air Lines Inc., the world's biggest carrier, said Tuesday it is getting a $1 billion boost following a credit card agreement it has reached with American Express Co. A company executive also said Delta expects to turn a profit in 2009.

25. Continental Named Most Admired U.S. Airline - Wednesday, March 7, 2007
     Continental Airlines was rated the most admired U.S. airline in Fortune magazine's 2007 list of America's Most Admired Companies. The list and related stories appear in the March 19 issue, on newsstands Monday and at www

26. Archived Article: Comm Focus (wypl) - Friday, July 21, 2000
By STACEY WIEDOWER Delivering the news is passion for WPLY readers By STACEY WIEDOWER The Daily News Settled into a back room at the Main Library, Betty Moth and Margie Polk banter in the friendly way theyve developed over the past couple of years. ...