United Applies for Nonstop Washington Reagan-San Francisco and Washington Reagan-Denver Service
Jan 9 -- United Airlines filed an application with the U.S. Department of Transportation requesting authority to offer two daily nonstop roundtrips between Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and one daily nonstop roundtrip between DCA and Denver International Airport (DEN).

US Airways asks USDOT to serve four cities nonstop from Washington Reagan National
Jan 9 -- US Airways filed an application today with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for slot exemption authority to begin nonstop service between Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and San Francisco, San Juan, Asheville, N.C., and Chattanooga, Tenn.

US Airways Group, Inc. to consolidate Piedmont and Allegheny Airline Operations
Jan. 14 -- US Airways Group, Inc. announced today that it will consolidate the operations of two of its wholly owned subsidiaries, Allegheny Airlines Inc., and Piedmont Airlines Inc., with a target effective date of March 31, 2004.

US Airways restructed Club membership fees
Jan 13 -- US Airways today announced that it has restructured its US Airways Club membership fees, which now include a new lower-priced membership option, enabling Club members to tailor their membership level to best fit their travel needs.

US Airways Updates
'RightNow' Web Search Technology -- Allows customers to quickly get answers to travel-related questions like How many bags can I take onboard my flight? or What documentation is needed to clear security? The program searches the knowledge base and displays several possible answers.

Flight Check-In Update -- Customers who have booked travel through an internal US Airways source or any Sabre-based travel agency may now enter a confirmation code or flight number, in addition to travel information, when checking in. Flight Check-In allows customers to print a boarding pass from 24 hours to 90 minutes before flight.

Customer Service Kiosk Update -- Customers who have checked in via usairways.com can now reprint their boarding pass at the kiosk. This feature comes in handy when customers have checked bags curbside or want to check bags using the kiosk. A second enhancement called 'Large Party Check-In' allows customers who are booked in a PNR with 10 or more names to use the kiosk to receive boarding passes, select or change seat assignments and check baggage.

Service to Bermuda will be expanded -- Baltimore-Bermuda flights will operate daily from June 6-Sept. 4. Flights between Fort Lauderdale and Bermuda will operate on Wednesdays and Saturdays from May 5- Sept. 22. Year-round Philadelphia-Bermuda service will be augmented by a daily roundtrip flight operating May 2-Nov. 6. Subject to government approval, US Airways plans to operate Orlando-Bermuda service on Saturdays from May-September 2004. US Airways also operates seasonal nonstop service between Bermuda from Boston, Charlotte, New York LaGuardia, and Reagan Washington National Airport.

Augusta Service to Masters -- US Airways will expand service to Augusta, Ga., to provide customers with more nonstop routes and frequencies to one of the world's most renowned golfing events -- the 2004 Masters Golf Tournament. US Airways will augment its six-times daily Charlotte- Augusta turboprop service with two additional daily roundtrip flights. The expanded Charlotte-Augusta service will operate April 3-12. Special nonstop service between Augusta and Boston, New York LaGuardia, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Washington Reagan National will also be implemented for a limited time in early April. US Airways Express carriers will operate the services using 50-seat regional jets.

U.S. to Push Airlines for Passenger Records
Jan 14 -- Despite stiff resistance from airlines and privacy advocates, the U.S. government plans to push ahead this year with a vast computerized system to probe the backgrounds of all passengers boarding flights in the United States.

TSA to test pre-screening by March
Jan 13 -- The Transportation Security Administration is proceeding with its controversial plan to begin testing a new airline passenger pre-screening system by March and it hopes airlines will volunteer to participate, a TSA spokesman said. The TSA plans to begin phasing in full implementation of the system this summer. The TSA has not decided if the phase-in will be done airport-by-airport or airline-by-airline.

Delta zones in on boarding change
Jan 15 -- Delta will board passengers in "zones" instead of by rows on most of its U.S. flights as of Jan. 21, in a change the airline said will speed up the boarding process. The change will not apply to Delta Connection and Delta Shuttle flights, but it will include U.S. flights departing for international destinations, and Delta low-fare subsidiary Song has been doing it since its launch in April.

Delta Air Lines, Comair File to Fly Nonstop between Washington, D.C., and The Cities of Jackson, Miss., Lexington, Ky., and Salt Lake City
Jan. 9 – Delta Air Lines and Delta Connection carrier Comair have filed applications with the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) to obtain slots to operate nonstop flights between Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) and the cities of Jackson, Miss., Lexington, Ky., and Salt Lake City. The slots permitting new nonstop services from DCA were created as part of aviation legislation enacted by Congress in November to fund federal programs to operate and expand the national aviation system.

Delta Air Lines Launches Zone Boarding
Jan. 15– Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) will implement a new boarding procedure on Jan. 21 on its United States flights - including San Juan, Puerto Rico, and St. Thomas - as part of the carrier’s commitment to making travel faster and easier for its customers.

Continental Airlines Self-Check-In Kiosk Network Expanded to All Domestic U.S. Airports
Jan. 8 -- Continental Airlines today announced it has completed the installation of eService Center self-check-in kiosks in all of the airline's airport terminal check-in areas in the continental United States.

American Airlines increases fuel surcharge to offset rising oil prices
Jan 15 -- Rising fuel prices have prompted American Airlines to increase its fuel surcharge by $3 one-way and $6 round-trip for travel within the domestic 50 United States and between the United States and Canada. The increase is effective immediately.

With the increase, the fuel surcharge now totals $13 one-way, $26 round trip, on applicable airfares. Last month, American implemented a similar fuel surcharge to cover escalating jet fuel costs, but rescinded the charge based on then current market conditions. Since that time, however, fuel prices have continued to escalate, leading to American’s decision to reimpose this modest increase in its fuel surcharge.

American said the average spot price for a gallon of jet fuel just two months ago was 83 cents. Today, the average price has risen to 99 cents per gallon -- a 19 percent increase. Each 1-cent increase in the price of jet fuel translates into an additional $30 million per year for American.

American Airlines provide travel options to customers who may be effected by severe weather in the Northeast
Jan 14 -- In anticipation of a Northeast snowstorm, American Airlines, American Eagle, and AmericanConnection have announced travel options for customers whose plans may be affected by the weather. The increased flexibility provided by these options allows customers to avoid potential inconvenience caused by the weather, which could have an effect on flight operations beginning Wednesday, Jan. 14.

American will allow customers who have reservations for travel to, from or through Washington, D.C., Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Maine, New Jersey, New York, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont, to postpone their plans and arrange travel on alternate American Airlines, American Eagle, or AmericanConnection flights today through Saturday, Jan. 17, to avoid the inclement weather.

American Airlines would reposition its London Gatwick operations to the airport’s North Terminal.
Jan 15 -- The move, which will be completed by the end of April, will place American in the same terminal as British Airways, simplifying connections between the two carriers, both of which are founding members of the oneworld Alliance.