Delta Airlines’ proposed purchase of a 49% stake in Virgin Atlantic has been cleared by EU and US regulators.

The move – aimed at giving Virgin a greater foothold in the US and Delta more access to London’s Heathrow airport – will intensify Sir Richard Branson’s rivalry with British Airways (BA).

The deal was announced last December when Singapore Airlines said it planned to sell its shares in Virgin to Delta – subject to competition investigations.

On Thursday the European Commission said the agreement did not pose a threat as the venture would have to compete against strong rivals, notably BA and American Airlines.

The commission added that it cooperated with the US Department of Justice and Department of Transportation in reviewing the proposed deal.

It will result in a £224m investment in Virgin by Delta, the largest carrier in the US.

The pair will continue to operate under their own brands but help each other on routes.

At the time the proposed investment was announced, the airlines spoke of their hopes that it would intensify competition on North America routes and bring down ticket prices.

NEW YORK –  The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a near-miss by two airplanes over New York City.

The FAA said in a statement Friday that a Delta Airlines Boeing 747 arriving at John F. Kennedy International Airport came close to a Shuttle America Embraer E170 departing from  LaGuardia Airport around 3:45 p.m. June 13.

The aircraft were “turning away from each other at the point where they lost the required separation,” the FAA said. Both aircraft landed safely.

Wall Street plunges, SP posts biggest drop since November 2011Reuters

Stocks fell more than 2 percent on Thursday, extending the previous day’s sharp decline as investors fretted over …

A US court has rejected a plea by the Delta Airlines to vacate the US Export-Import Bank’s support for the sale of 30 Boeing wide-body jets to Air India.

At the same time, the US Court of Appeals in Washington DC asked the Exim Bank to further explain its financing decision for the Air India transactions.

However, it chose to leave undisturbed the Bank’s financing of the Air India transaction and did not question the Bank’s flexibility in carrying out its statutory mandate.

The decision comes following the appeal by the Delta Airlines, Inc and the Airline Pilots Association of a lower court decision in July 2012 that determined that the Exim Bank improperly approved financing for purchases of certain Boeing aircraft by Air India.

In its lawsuit, Delta Airlines had alleged that Exim failed to consider the economic impact of its loan guarantees for the purchase of wide-bodied Boeing aircraft by Air India.

It alleged that Exim Bank’s decision to provide a loan guarantee of $3.4 billion to Air India, to help it buy 30 aircraft from Boeing, would badly affect several US airlines, especially the Atlantic-based carrier, Delta.

“I am gratified by the court’s recognition that these transactions should not be impeded by litigation.

“The Bank maintains significant flexibility in complying with its statutory mandates and its effort to support American jobs.” said Fred P Hochberg, chairman and president of Exim Bank.

“This represents a victory for tens of thousands of American aerospace workers,” he said.

A US court has rejected a plea by Delta Airlines to vacate the US Export-Import Bank‘s support for the sale of 30 Boeing wide-body jets to Air India.

At the same time, the US Court of Appeals in Washington DC asked the Exim Bank to further explain its financing decision for the Air India transactions.

The decision comes following the appeal by the Delta Airlines Inc and the Airline Pilots Association of a lower court decision in July 2012 that determined that the Exim Bank improperly approved financing for purchases of certain Boeing aircraft by Air India.

In its lawsuit, Delta Airlines had alleged that Exim failed to consider the economic impact of its loan guarantees for the purchase of wide-bodied Boeing aircraft by Air India.

It alleged that Exim Bank’s decision to provide a loan guarantee of $3.4 billion to Air India, to help it buy 30 aircraft from Boeing, would badly affect several US airlines, especially the Atlantic-based carrier, Delta.

The Court of Appeals has also chosen to leave undisturbed the Exim Bank’s financing of the Air India transaction and did not question the Bank’s flexibility in carrying out its statutory mandate.

“I am gratified by the court’s recognition that these transactions should not be impeded by litigation. The Bank maintains significant flexibility in complying with its statutory mandates and its effort to support American jobs.” said Fred P Hochberg, chairman and president of Exim Bank.

“This represents a victory for tens of thousands of American aerospace workers,” he added.

With inputs from PTI

United Continental Holdings, the world’s largest airline by passenger traffic, joined Delta Air Lines in a move to reward elite passengers based on both spending levels and miles traveled.

Starting in January, United passengers must spend $10,000 and travel 100,000 miles or 120 segments in order to gain the top status of Premier 1K, Chicago-based United said in an e-mail to MileagePlus customers.

Delta, the world’s second-largest airline, made the switch to a similar loyalty program in January this year. United’s move could see all major airlines eventually migrate in that direction, said Jay Sorensen, who runs IdeaWorks, a Shorewood, Wisconsin-based airline consulting firm.

“At some point we’re going to see miles go the way of the buggy whip and they will no longer be part of frequent flier programs,” Sorensen said. “This is going to upset people who are miles junkies tremendously because they really have tapped into this awkward method of measuring the value of a customer.”

United shares rose 1.1 percent to $32.44 at 11:31 a.m. in New York. Through yesterday, the company’s stock had increased 37 percent, trailing a 41 percent increase in the Bloomberg U.S. Airlines index.

NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) –

A Delta Airlines jet struck a light pole while preparing for take-off, causing the evacuation of passengers onboard the flight.

The incident happened shortly after 11 a.m., according to airport officials.

Passengers on the plane were offloaded from the flight and returned to the concourse to wait for another plane.

Delta flight 1066 was scheduled to depart Nashville International Airport at 10:40 a.m. According to FlightAware.com, the plane involved in the incident was a McDonnell Douglas MD-88.

Copyright 2013 WSMV (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Passengers on Delta flight 1066 from Nashville to Atlanta were removed from the plane after it struck a light pole while taxiing on the ramp.

Nashville International Airport spokeswoman Shannon Sumrall said no one was injured in the incident, which happened at 10:50 a.m. Thursday.

Sumrall said the Boeing MD-88 aircraft knocked down a light pole, damaging a wing. The passengers exited the plane by the stairs and were taken back in shuttles to the terminal where they were booked on other flights.

Delta Air Lines Inc. spokesman Morgan Durrant said airline officials do not yet know how the accident happened, but they are investigating.

Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said in an email that the agency also is investigating.

(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

CREDIT: PANYNJ

NEW YORK (PIX11) –It’s the incredible image captured thousands of feet above Lower Manhattan  that has gone viral.

At first glance, it appears to be the top of a New York City high rise on a cloudy day but further examination shows it’s actually the highest high-rise of them all – One World Trade Center.

The photograph was captured by Delta Airlines Captain Jerry Walsh as he flew over Manhattan.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey later published the image on its Facebook page, prompting a surge in shares and likes.