Transportation Archives

South Korea to inspect Boeing aircraft as it struggles to find cause of plane crash that killed 179

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean officials plan to conduct safety inspections of all Boeing 737-800 aircraft operated by the country’s airlines, as they struggle to determine what caused a weekend plane crash that killed 179 people. Acting President Choi Sang-mok also instructed authorities on Monday to conduct an emergency review of the country’s aircraft operation systems. The plane operated by South Korean budget airline Jeju Air skidded off a runway at Muan International Airport, slammed into a concrete fence and burst into a fireball. All but two of the 181 people aboard were killed.… Continue Reading

Workers at Charlotte airport, an American Airlines hub, go on strike during Thanksgiving travel week

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Service workers at Charlotte Douglas International Airport have gone on strike during a busy week of Thanksgiving travel to protest what they say are unlivable wages. Employees of ABM and Prospect Airport Services authorized the work stoppage in North Carolina that started Monday morning. Union spokesperson Sean Keady says the strike is expected to last 24 hours. The companies contract with American Airlines to provide services such as cleaning airplane interiors, removing trash and escorting passengers in wheelchairs. Airport officials say this holiday travel season is expected to be the busiest on record. The companies have acknowledged the seriousness of a strike during the holiday travel season.… Continue Reading

Spirit Airlines files for bankruptcy as financial losses pile up and debt payments loom

Spirit Airlines has filed for bankruptcy protection and will attempt to reboot as it struggles to recover from the pandemic-caused swoon in travel and a failed attempt to sell the airline to JetBlue. Spirit is the biggest U.S. budget airline. It has lost more than $2.5 billion since the start of 2020 and faces looming debt payments totaling more than $1 billion over the next year. Spirit says it expects to operate as normal as it works its way through a prearranged Chapter 11 bankruptcy process and that customers can continue to book and fly without interruption.… Continue Reading

Evacuation order remains in effect for Ohio town where dangerous chemical leak occurred

WHITEWATER TOWNSHIP, Ohio (AP) — An evacuation order remains in effect for residents in an Ohio community as crews work at the scene of a dangerous chemical leak. Styrene, a toxic and flammable chemical that is used to make plastic and rubber, began leaking Tuesday afternoon from a railcar in Whitewater Township, just west of Cincinnati. The Hamilton County Emergency Management Agency soon advised anyone within a half-mile of the area near U.S. Route 50 and the Great Miami River to leave immediately. Authorities said Wednesday that crews worked overnight to put water on the car, but it hadn’t been removed from the tracks. It isn’t clear when the evacuation order might be lifted.… Continue Reading

FBI agents have boarded vessel managed by company whose other cargo ship collapsed Baltimore bridge

BALTIMORE (AP) — The FBI has confirmed that federal agents have boarded a vessel managed by the same company as a cargo ship that caused the deadly Baltimore bridge collapse. In statements Saturday, spokespeople for the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland confirmed that authorities have boarded the Maersk Saltoro. The ship is managed by Synergy Marine Group. Authorities didn’t offer further specifics. On Wednesday, the U.S. Justice Department sued owner Grace Ocean Private Ltd. and manager Synergy Marine Group of the Dali ship that crashed into a support column for the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March. The department is seeking $100 million.… Continue Reading

Ship owner cut corners on repairs before deadly Baltimore bridge collapse, US says in $100M lawsuit

BALTIMORE (AP) — The U.S. Justice Department is suing the owner and manager of the cargo ship that caused the Baltimore bridge collapse. The lawsuit filed Wednesday in Maryland seeks to recover more than $100 million that the government spent to clear the underwater debris and reopen the port. The case alleges that the electrical and mechanical systems on the Dali were improperly maintained, causing the ship to veer off course before striking the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March. A spokesperson for Grace Ocean said the owner and manager had no comment at this time, but “look forward to our day in court to set the record straight.”… Continue Reading

Railroads and regulators must address the dangers of long trains, report says

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A new report says the U.S. has seen an increase in the number of a certain kind of derailment related to the forces created when railcars push and pull against each other as freight trains have gotten longer. The National Academies of Sciences on Tuesday released a long-awaited report. It says that regulators, Congress and the industry should reexamine the risks associated with long trains and make sure they are addressed. The report said railroads must take special care in the way they assemble long trains. That’s especially the case with trains that have a mix of different types of cars.… Continue Reading