Taking advantage of down market prices, United Airlines said on Tuesday it placed a $10 billion-plus order for 50 wide-bodied jetliners divided between Airbus and Boeing Co, in a bid to slash fuel costs and emissions.

United, a unit of UAL Corp, has letters of intent to order 25 of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliners and the same number of A350 planes from its European rival Airbus, part of EADS, following a six-month contest. The carrier also has future purchase rights for 50 of each aircraft.
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Signaling a potentially tougher safety enforcement policy, federal aviation regulators proposed $9.2 million in civil penalties against US Airways and United Airlines for various maintenance lapses affecting more than 1,800 flights stretching back to early 2008.
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Japan aviation industry yesterday joined US FAA, Airservices Australia and Airways New Zealand as a partner in the ASPIRE (Asia and South Pacific Initiative to Reduce Emissions) program.

ASPIRE flights use a host of optimized operational procedures and ATC routings, including tailored arrivals, to save time and fuel. “This is an important milestone in our collective effort to lessen aviation’s environmental footprint,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt, who signed the agreement along with Japanese Civil Aviation Bureau DG Ryuhei Maeda.
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The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO, representing flight attendants at United Airlines, said Friday it is filing a joint petition with the company to the National Mediation Board as the next step in securing a new contract.
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The annual survey of frequent fliers by Seatguru.com, the popular online guide to airline seating, doesn’t have a lot of highlights for U.S.-based airlines.

U.S. carriers serve the worst food — if they serve food at all, that is — and have the least comfortable seats, the survey of 1,600 fliers found. (continue reading…)

A Japanese man who lived inside Mexico City’s airport for almost four months has returned home, the Associated Press reported. (continue reading…)

To Celebrate, Share Africa and Take a Companion for FREE When You Purchase a Round Trip Ticket on SAA for Just $1,399*

South African Airways is celebrating its 75th Anniversary of service with the “Share Africa” fare, which invites passengers to share the allure and excitement of Africa with a companion. (continue reading…)

At the request of the Florida couple who brought the legal action, a U.S. District Court in Tampa has dismissed a lawsuit against United Airlines that claimed the carrier “negligently” overserved alcohol during a flight. (continue reading…)