“If USC is not in a position to honor the terms of the agreement, including in particular the name change, United would be amenable to abiding by the wishes of the community, stepping away from this partnership with USC, and mutually terminating the agreement,” Lamkin wrote in the letter obtained by the Associated Press.
LOS ANGELES (AP) The Latest on controversy over plans to change the name of Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (all times local):
2 p.m.
The University of Southern California says it’s amenable to accepting the wishes of veterans and modifying a name change for Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum as long as corporate sponsor United Airlines agrees.
USC issued a statement Friday after United Airlines offered to withdraw from a $69 million agreement over criticism that the change would dishonor the facility’s history as a World War I memorial.
The university said it would accept the name United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum instead of the planned United Airlines Memorial Coliseum.
USC noted that the contract would have to be modified but didn’t elaborate.
Naming rights are part of USC’s long-term lease that calls for extensive renovations of the nearly century-old stadium.
Criticism of the name change grew this week after the commission’s president wrote a strongly worded commentary.
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12:11 p.m.
United Airlines is offering to withdraw from a divisive $69 million deal to rename Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum as United Airlines Memorial Coliseum.
The airline wrote to the University of Southern California on Friday after criticism that putting a corporate name on the stadium is disrespectful to its history as a memorial to soldiers who fought and died in World War I.
The name change is part of USC’s extensive, $270 million overhaul of the nearly century-old landmark.
United Airlines California President Janet Lamkin says in the letter that the company saw the deal as a way to partner with USC in modernizing the iconic facility.
The coliseum has hosted two Olympics and been home to major sports teams.
The Associated Press has requested comment from USC.
The end of Wow Air wasn’t the only big air travel story this week.
This week Volaris announced a number of new flights to and from Cancun. From the United States, the airline added routes out of Albuquerque, Charlotte, Cincinnati – Northern Kentucky Airport, Miami, Milwaukee, San Francisco and St. Louis. Additionally, the airline added a number of new frequencies from Cancun to other cities in Mexico: two new frequencies to Aguascalientes, two León, six to Monterrey, two to San Luis Potosi, one to Tuxtla Gutiérrez and one to Tijuana. All of the new frequencies will begin operating in November.
In South America, Virgin Atlantic announced plans to launch flights between London Heathrow and São Paulo, Brazil in 2020, marking the airline’s first entry into the continent. The airline will operate the nearly 12 hour flight on a Boeing 787 with Upper Class, Premium and Economy Delight, Classic and Light service.
In Europe, this week Air France announced plans to launch its La Première service on the Paris – Charles de Gaulle – Atlanta route for the first time, operating A380 aircraft with four cabins. La Première offers customers tailored, personalized service. The new service officially begins March 31.
Finally, in technology news, this week JetBlue and Collins Aerospace debuted biometric self-boarding gates at New York – JFK airport. Called SelfPass, the new gates allow passengers to board international flights through one gate in Terminal 5 via a more streamlined boarding process. No registration is required; travelers step up to a camera for a facial match against their travel document.
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CNN Reports Close to 104 million passengers passed though Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in 2017, making it the world’s busiest passenger airport for another year.. Globally, there were significant increases in passenger numbers, air cargo traffic and total aircraft movements. Major connecting hub Atlanta can thank its location as a major connecting hub and port of entry into North America for its continued dominance. The city is within a two-hour flight of 80% of the United States population of more than 300 million people.
Wochit
Following what Fresno airport officials called a successful first season, United Airlines is resuming seasonal nonstop flights between Fresno and Chicago starting Sunday.
The flights will take off daily from Fresno Yosemite International Airport at 11:20 p.m. and arrive at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport at 5:20 a.m.; the return leg will leave from Chicago at about 7:30 p.m. and land in Fresno at around 10 p.m., according to the flight schedules on United’s website.
In offering the flights for a second year, United is extending how long it will fly the route. Starting at the end of March is already about eight weeks earlier than in 2018. And when United announced its 2019 schedule last fall, it anticipated continuing through Labor Day in early September. Now, Fresno airport representatives said the the service will continue through early December.
Last year, United offered the Chicago flights through a contract arrangement with Utah-based SkyWest Airlines, which used 76-seat regional jets for the service. This year, United’s schedule indicates that it will use its own larger mainline jets – either Airbus A319 or Boeing 737-700 aircraft, each of which can carry at least 125 passengers.
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Between an earlier start and later finish than 2018, and an upgrade to larger jets, there will be many more available seats to and from Chicago for passengers flying through Fresno.
United’s service is one aspect of what Fresno airport representatives say will be a busy spring and summer travel season. American Airlines has switched its midday flights to Phoenix from regional jets to the larger Airbus A319 jet, and American added a third daily flight between Fresno and Dallas-Fort Worth.
Delta Air Lines’ flights between Fresno and Salt Lake City are permanently switching to Bombardier CRJ900 regional jets that can carry more passengers than previous flights.
The two airlines that put the “international” in Fresno Yosemite International Airport, Aeromexico and Volaris, are also boosting their schedules. Aeromexico is now flying to and from Guadalajara every night, increasing from five weekly flights previously. And Volaris, which flies daily to Guadalajara, is adding a second daily departure on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Figures from the Federal Aviation Administration show that Fresno set a record for the number of passengers flying to and from the airport in 2018 – more than 737,000 arrivals and more than 738,000 boardings on domestic flights within the U.S. Through the first nine months of 2018 (the most complete data available), almost 86,000 people arrived on international flights from Mexico and nearly 80,000 people boarded flights to Mexico.
The growth at Fresno’s airport is spurring improvements, dubbed “FATforward,” to handle a larger volume of passengers, said Kevin Meikle, the city’s director of aviation. (FAT is the airport’s federal code, from its former name Fresno Air Terminal.)
“Last summer, FAT experienced a 21 percent increase in passenger traffic during the July-September travel period,” Meikle said. “As passenger volume continues to grow at a record pace, the FATforward terminal and parking expansion program will be essential” for keeping up with demand.
Work is already started on a new lot at the airport to add more long-term parking; it is expected to be ready in time for the peak summer travel season. Future plans include remodeling the terminal to add an upper-level concourse with two gates and jet bridges that can be used for both domestic and international flights; enlarging the segregated arrival and Customs area for international passengers; expanding the luggage-handling and sorting area for outbound flights; increasing the number of Transportation Security Administration checkpoint lanes; and building a three-level, 900-space parking garage.
Passengers flying Friday from Baltimore to San Francisco had an unexpected surprise: their flight had a weird and nauseating smell.
A mysterious odor in the cabin of a United Airlines flight leaving the Baltimore-Washington International Airport forced the plane to make an emergency landing at nearby Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C., CNBC reports.
Seven passengers on the flight were reportedly taken to the hospital for evaluation following the landing after becoming ill due to the strong smell. The flight landed successfully, and United rebooked passengers on different flights.
One of the passengers on the flight tweeted that a “faint fuel smell” was on the aircraft as they were boarding, but become “quite strong” in the air.
Did not expect to be in a hospital this morning. @united flight 1375 from BWI to SFO was diverted (above Cumberland, MD) back to IAD. Faint fuel smell was on plane before we departed and was quite strong while in air. Tons of firetrucks, about 20 people complaining of nausea, pic.twitter.com/lDrl7HaMfO
— Barred in DC (@barredindc) March 29, 2019
United told the passengers that the aircraft, a 737, required “prolonged ventilation system maintenance,” according to CNN.
United has offered to cover the hospital bills and other expenses for those on board the flight. The issue did not impact other flights. The flight successfully landed at Dulles airport around 7:45am.
In February, four Alaska Airlines crew members and four passengers were treated for respiratory problems after a “sweet burning smell” permeated the cabin of a plane traveling between Chicago and Seattle.
That incident came a day after another Alaska Airlines flight made an unscheduled landing due to a mysterious odor in the cabin.
The world’s first all-electric airline will soon be whisking passengers to destinations in the Pacific Northwest of the United States and Canada.
Harbour Air, North America’s largest seaplane airline, and magniX, a leading developer of electric propulsion systems for aircraft, announced a partnership to convert Harbour Air’s entire fleet of more than 40 seaplanes to electric power.
The new ePlanes will be powered by a 750-horsepower all-electric motor developed by magniX. They will use no fossil fuels and produce zero emissions.
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Harbour Air operates 12 flights between hubs like Seattle and Vancouver and throughout the remote Canadian wilderness. The airline flies more than 500,000 passengers on 30,000 commercial flights a year, and also has a robust cargo business.
The DHC-2 de Havilland Beaver, which carries six passengers, will be the first in Harbour Air’s fleet to be converted to electric power. Initial test flights are expected to take place later this year. The airline’s fleet also includes single- and twin-engine de Havilland Otters and a Cessna Grand Caravan EX.
Founder and CEO Greg McDougall said the airline has long been dedicated to sustainability. In 2007, Harbour Air became the first fully carbon-neutral airline in North America.
“Through our commitment to making a positive impact on people’s lives, the communities where we operate and the environment, we are once again pushing the boundaries of aviation by becoming the first commercial aircraft to be powered by electric propulsion,” McDougall said.
While much of the focus to reduce carbon footprint has been on cars, electric airplanes are widely viewed as key to reducing carbon emissions. Aviation – more specifically, commercial airliners – are one of the world’s largest contributors of carbon emissions, accounting for about two percent of global greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, according to the European Commission.
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The EC says a round-trip flight from London to New York generates about the same level of emissions as the average person in the EU does by heating their home for a whole year. And that number is expected to increase by as much as 700 percent by 2050.
That’s why the EC and other global organizations are encouraging countries to pursue new aircraft technology. Norway announced a plan last year to convert all domestic flights less than 90 minutes in duration to electric power by 2040, the Guardian reported.
Research and development in the area of electric and hybrid aircraft is growing rapidly, from small startups to major corporations. NASA is testing the all-electric X-57 aircraft, and researchers there predict the technology could be used for everything from air taxis to subsonic flight.
For now, the focus is mostly on short-haul flights, as rapid advancements in electric propulsion and battery technology are making it more and more viable for airplanes to fly those routes.
“In 2018, 75 percent of worldwide airline flights were 1,000 miles or less in range … we see tremendous potential for electric aviation to transform this heavily trafficked ‘middle mile’ range,” said Roei Ganzarski, CEO of magniX.
Missourians can now apply for updated licenses and other state identification cards, which will be required to board airplanes and enter federal buildings and military bases late next year.
The Missouri Department of Revenue is offering the new IDs at all state license offices to comply with the federal Real ID Act of 2005.
By Oct. 1, 2020, residents of every U.S. state and territory will be required to present Real ID-compliant drivers licenses or identification cards to board domestic flights, enter nuclear power plants and access federal buildings, including federal courthouses and military bases.
However, airline travelers with noncompliant licenses after October 2020 will still be allowed to fly if they present a valid passport, passport card or other approved forms of identification.
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How do I know if I have a Real ID card?
Missouri’s Real ID cards will have gold stars located in the upper right hand of the card, according to the Missouri Department of Revenue website. Noncompliant IDs will have “not for Real ID purposes” printed on the same area on the card.
Both Real ID-compliant and noncompliant cards may also be marked as “limited term,” based on how applicants verified their legal status.
The license-card design will otherwise look the same as the old IDs.
Do I have to update my license?
Missouri was one of the last states to comply with the federal Real ID law after some state lawmakers opposed the act due to privacy concerns. Those concerns settled after legislators agreed to make applying for a Real ID card optional.
As part of the deal, lawmakers made it a crime to misuse or unlawfully distribute a driver’s data. They also banned storing Social Security numbers in a database that the state or federal government has access to.
When should I get the new ID?
Joey Plaggenberg, director of Missouri’s Motor Vehicle and Driver Licensing Division said in a statement that his department expects license offices to be crowded and have longer wait times during the initial weeks of offering the new IDs. Unless your ID is expiring within the next month, Plaggenberg recommends avoiding the lines and waiting until the rush subsides.
“There’s no immediate need to rush to apply for a Real ID-compliant license or ID card, because the current Missouri-issued license and ID card will afford the same access until October 2020,” said Plaggenberg.
Applicants need to show proof of identity, legal status, a social security number and two documents verifying Missouri residency. New driver license and nondriver license fees range from $3.50 to $45, depending on the applicant’s age and the duration of license.
The Illinois Secretary of State’s Office also is now issuing Real ID-compliant licenses.
The federal Real ID law, passed following the 9/11 attacks, set standards for issuing identification cards, including security enhancements and proof that recipients are legally in the country.
Correction: The Illinois Secretary of State’s Office issues Real ID-compliant licenses in Illinois. A previous version of this story incorrectly stated which office issues Real ID cards.
Follow Andy Tsubasa Field on Twitter @AndyTsubasaF.
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