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It’s the latest addition to its expanding international network and seventh Asian gateway destination. The departure of HA 807 followed gate side festivities that included Hawaiian music and hula, performance honoring the Taiwanese culture, traditional Hawaiian blessing, and presentation of lei to passengers boarding the inaugural flight. “The demand for service to Hawaii from the Taiwan market has been growing and we are delighted to respond to the strong interest by delivering our new non-stop service to and from Taipei,” Hawaiian Airlines President and CEO Mark Dunkerley said. “The Hawaiian Islands are the ideal midpoint destination, perfectly situated to offer...

At least six U.S. airlines canceled more than 40 flights into and out of Mexico City and Toluca airports Thursday after the Popocatépetl volcano spewed out ash, steam and glowing rocks, airport officials said. Mexico City airport spokesman Jorge Gomez said U.S. Airways, Delta, United, American and Alaska Airlines canceled 47 flights as a precaution. But he said the airport otherwise continues to operate normally and that by Thursday afternoon no ash had reached the area, about 40 miles (70 kilometers) from the volcano. …

Yes, flying can get more uncivilized. A United Airlines flight departing SFO earlier this week, bound for London, reportedly forgot to pack an important item for the non-stop 10-hour trip across the ocean: toilet paper. So along with a safety demonstration, the airline crew had to instruct passengers to dig around their bags and purses for some alternative wiping machinery -- a napkin, a tissue ... The crew was kind enough to offer cocktail napkins as an alternative. -snip- Now might be a good time to remind travelers that United Airlines was recently ranked the worst airline in the country.

The United States and Saudi Arabia have signed an Open Skies agreement that will "permit unrestricted air service by the airlines of both countries between and beyond the other’s territory." The agreement means Saudi airlines may fly from any point in the kingdom to any point in the United States, and that U.S. airlines may fly from any point here to any airport in Saudi Arabia. The deal was signed May 28 in Jeddah by U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia James B. Smith and Dr. Faisal bin Hamad Al-Sugair, Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Director of the

A group of about 100 high school students traveling from New York to Atlanta were thrown off a flight, along with their chaperones, after the pilot and crew lost patience with some kids who wouldn't sit down and put away their cellphones. The teenagers, all seniors at the Yeshiva of Flatbush, in Brooklyn, were ordered off the AirTran flight around 6 a.m. Monday as it sat at a gate at LaGuardia Airport. AirTran's parent company, Southwest Airlines, said in a statement that flight attendants asked passengers several times to take their seats and put their mobile devices away. The airline...

Delta Air Lines says the compensation package for CEO Richard Anderson jumped 42 percent last year as the company boosted his long-term incentive pay. … Delta had a billion-dollar profit last year and has been more profitable than its chief competitors, United and American. …

Tired of striking out at the singles bars? Then you might want to try a Virgin America flight. The airline has launched a new service that allows passengers to send a drink to someone on the plane who's caught their eye. It's done through the airline's in-flight entertainment system. Passengers pinpoint their designated hottie with Virgin's digital seat map, browse the menu and have a drink, snack or meal sent over. Passengers can also follow up with a text through the seat-to-seat messaging system. Virgin launched the service this week to mark the start of its Los Angeles to Las...

Federal officials reported flight delays at U.S. airports for a third consecutive day on Tuesday, fueling a political blame game as Republicans and Democrats accused each other of causing the furloughs of thousands of air-traffic controllers. On Capitol Hill and at the White House, the rhetoric over across-the-board federal budget cuts known as "sequestration" became increasingly biting. Both sides tried to take political advantage - and avoid responsibility - for cuts by the Federal Aviation Administration that officials say could plague the country's aviation system during the summer travel season.

Passengers on an American Airlines flight from San Diego to Chicago were ordered off a plane on Tuesday night after complaints about a group of six Arabic-speaking Iraqi men. Consumerist Details of what happened before American Flight 590′s scheduled departure late on Tuesday are sketchy. According to the Associated Press, an American Airlines flight was grounded after passengers complained about 6 men who were speaking Arabic. American Airlines spokesperson Tim Wagner said that local law enforcement was called in to question the men but the TSA did not get involved. He also said that passenger traveling with two small children...

Sources told FOX 25 there was an American Airlines flight that was headed to Chicago. There were two men on that plane – not sitting next to each other – and speaking Arabic. There were some concerned marathoners on the flight so the plane was brought back to the gate and the two men were escorted off the plane.

Airline passengers are getting grumpier, and it’s little wonder. Airlines keep shrinking the size of seats to stuff more people onto planes, those empty middle seats that once provided a little more room are now occupied and more people with tickets are being turned away because flights are overbooked. Private researchers who analyzed federal data on airline performance also said in a report being released Monday that consumer complaints to the Department of Transportation surged by one-fifth last year even though other measures such as on-time arrivals and mishandled baggage show airlines are doing a better job. …

A family's criticism of inflight entertainment allegedly prompted a United flight to be diverted over "security concerns." In a story published in The Atlantic, one family recounts traveling from Denver to Baltimore with two young sons, ages 4 and 8. During the flight, the PG-13-rated detective film "Alex Cross" was shown on drop-down monitors across the plane. The family worried about their young children seeing inappropriate content in the film. "Alarmed by the opening scenes, we asked two flight attendants if they could turn off the monitor; both claimed it was not possible," the family said, according to The Atlantic....

Jet Diverted After Cabin Incident SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) — A Delta airliner bound for California was diverted to Shreveport with an escort of two military planes Wednesday after a passenger passed a threatening note to a flight attendant, the FBI said. Flight 357, with 148 people aboard from Atlanta to Los Angeles, landed safely after what the airline described as a ``passenger incident.'' Edward A. Stephenson, 36, of Venice, Calif., was arrested and charged with interfering with a flight crew member and attendants, FBI spokeswoman Sheila Thorne said. The passenger's note was in response to an announcement by the pilot ...

Charging overweight fliers more would help carriers recoup the cost of the extra fuel required to carry them. The idea has been floated in the Journal of Revenue and Pricing Management publication, by Bharat P Bhatta, an academic in Norway. He suggests three methods of implementing the scheme. A straightforward price per kilogram, a fixed low fare with heavier passengers paying a surcharge and lighter passengers being offered a discount. The third option would see passengers divided into three bands – heavy, normal and light and being charged accordingly. “I think the simplest way to implement this would be for...

For 15 years she has proudly served her country as a Royal Navy engineer, risking her life in Afghanistan when she fought against the Taliban. But far from showing Nicky Howse the respect she deserved as she flew back to her latest posting, Virgin Atlantic staff chose to humiliate her—by demanding that she remove her uniform because it was “offensive”. They warned the 32-year-old helicopter technician she would not be allowed to fly unless she took off her combat fatigues and wore a sleep suit instead. … They told her—wrongly—that it was the company’s policy not to allow military personnel...

Uncomfortable seats and sky-high airline fees are among the top complaints among air travel passengers, according to the results of a consumer survey. In TripAdvisor’s annual air travel poll, in addition to limited legroom and exorbitant ticket prices, 2,000 respondents in the US also named unpredictable flight delays, long security lines and “other passengers” -- notably loud, crying children -- the top five pet peeves about air travel. The survey also found that more US passengers will be flying the global skies this year, with 67 percent of respondents indicating they plan to take an international flight this year, compared...

The company employs 750 people inside the corporate headquarters, but the airline has nearly 9,000 workers who are based in Phoenix. Depending on who you talk to, what will happen with those positions is unclear at this point. A source who works inside the company tells CBS 5 News he expects 80 percent to 90 percent of positions at the Tempe corporate headquarters to shift to American Airlines' headquarters in Fort Worth, TX.

Kristin Chenoweth says she was the victim of a screaming, angry gate agent who bullied her and embarrassed her when she tried to board an American Airlines flight with her emotional support dog ... and now the airline is begging for her forgiveness. TMZ has learned, the altercation went down this week as Kristin boarded a flight from Dallas to L.A.. We're told Kristin had her emotional support dog in tow -- as she always does -- when she was confronted by a gate agent supervisor who claimed Kristin didn't have the proper paperwork to bring the dog on board.

United Airlines, which has a hub at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, said Thursday it would cut 600 jobs companywide. United Continental Holdings Inc. officials said management and administrative staff positions were being cut to save money, in an industry that has seen declining passengers. "In December, I announced a 7 percent reduction in our officer headcount," Chief Executive Officer Jeff Smisek told employees in a statement. "Today, we announced a difficult but necessary 6 percent reduction in our management and administrative staff that will begin in early February...

American Airlines today unveiled a new design scheme for its fleet. The new logo and livery are the first fleet-wide update in 40 years. The nation’s third-largest airline is in merger talks with US Airways. Should the airlines merge, the new airline will be called American Airlines, so there won’t be a need to repaint to match US Airways. If the airlines do merge, the new airline will be the world’s largest.