U.S. airline passenger numbers will reach 1 billion in 2023, two years later than projected, because of slow economic growth, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

The revision in the agency’s annual forecast follows an “unprecedented” drop in operations last year, when take-offs and landings fell 10.4 percent, said Nan Shellabarger, the agency’s director of aviation policy and plans.
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American Airlines is upping the ante for an alliance with Japan Airlines in an effort to outbid Delta and gain access to JAL’s trans-Pacific routes.

American Chief Executive Gerard Arpey told JAL Wednesday that his company will not compete with the financially struggling Japanese carrier for connecting passengers to other points in Asia if it remains American’s partner in the Oneworld alliance, according to The Associated Press. American’s exclusivity offer would involve American feeding traffic between the U.S. and Japan but not elsewhere in Asia.
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Japan’s transport ministry expects the U.S. government to rule on two expected airline antitrust applications by October 2010 before enacting a landmark new aviation deal.

The ministry expects the applications involving Japanese members of two global airline alliances to be filed by mid-February, and called on its counterpart “to give expeditious consideration,” according to a letter sent to the U.S. State Department.
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Delta Air Lines Inc. and its SkyTeam alliance partners offered as much as $1 billion in incentives to lure Japan Airlines Corp. away from the Oneworld group led by American Airlines.

SkyTeam airlines may invest $500 million in Japan Air, and Delta would supply $200 million in financing and $300 million to cover lost sales, Delta President Edward Bastian said today. American’s bid may consist of $1 billion from private-equity firm TPG Inc. and $300 million from the airline.
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Delta Air Lines is offering discounted flights to Europe when you depart from Atlanta this fall. The sale, which ends Sept. 7, includes flights to Paris, Amsterdam and Madrid.

The details: Travel must occur between Sept. 7 and Oct. 24. A Saturday night stay is required. Be sure to check the black-out dates in September for Barcelona and Frankfurt.
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The International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers has taken a major step toward representing all ground workers at Delta Airlines.

Northwest and Delta Airlines have merged to create the world’s largest air carrier. Workers at Delta prior to the merger were not represented by a union, while workers at Northwest were.
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Continental Airlines said Monday it will inaugurate service from Cleveland to Washington Dulles International Airport on Nov. 1.

The new flights are tied to Continental’s impending affiliation with United Airlines under the Star Alliance. United has an international hub at Dulles, and the added flights are aimed at overseas travelers flying out of Washington on United.
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