By Hal M. Bundrick
NEW YORK (MainStreet) -- It is the rise of Obamacare-ageddon. Businesses are already cutting workers' hours and trimming payrolls as the greatly debated and highly anticipated Affordable Care Act becomes a reality October 1. State health care insurance exchanges will open and employers will be required to notify their workforces of available options. Nearly 12 million Americans that don't currently have health insurance will have three months to make a decision or pay a penalty. Let the havoc begin.
Also see: Airline Miles Are Getting Harder to Use>>
"Many, but by no means all, uninsured individuals are American adults under the age of 30, who mostly enjoy the robust good health that comes with youth," says Eleanor Blayney, consumer advocate for the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards. "Medical costs, let alone health insurance, are often pretty low on their list of financial concerns. Facing the choice to get insurance or pay a penalty, they may resort to simple math and conclude that $95 is a lot more affordable than the $3,000 or $4,000 that is currently being estimated as the cost of the lowest level of insurance coverage available on the state exchanges."
Hot Airline Stocks To Own Right Now: Baltia Air Lines Inc (BLTA)
Baltia Air Lines, Inc. (Baltia) focuses on providing scheduled air transportation from the United States to Russia and former Soviet Union countries. As of December 31, 2010, the Company�� principal activities included raising capital, obtaining route authority and approval from the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), training crews, and conducting market research to develop the Company's marketing strategy. Baltia operate as a Part 121 carrier, a heavy jet operator airline in the United States. As of December 31, 2010, Baltia conducted the FAA Air Carrier Certification process under Part 121. Baltia has identified the market segments in the United States and Russia market, which include Business Travelers, General Tourism, Ethnic Travelers, Special Interest Groups, Professional Exchanges, and Government and Diplomatic Travel.
Baltia has two registered trademarks, BALTIA and VOYAGER CLASS, and five trademarks are subject to registration. Baltia focuses on providing customer service and reservations centers in New York and in St. Petersburg, to list Baltia's schedules and tariffs in the Official Airline Guide, and provide worldwide access to reservations on Baltia's flights through a major Computer Reservations and Ticketing System (CRS). With the Boeing 747 true wide-body aircraft Baltia focuses on providing cargo service from JFK to St. Petersburg, offering containers, pallets, and block space arrangements. Baltia has passenger service and ground service arrangements at JFK and at Pulkovo II Airport in St. Petersburg.
The Company competes with Finnair, Lufthansa, SAS, KLM, British Airways, Air France, Austrian Airlines and Swissair.
Hot Airline Stocks To Own Right Now: AMR Corp (AAMRQ)
AMR Corporation (AMR), incorporated in October 1982, operates in the airline industry. The Company�� principal subsidiary is American Airlines, Inc. (American). As of December 31, 2011, American provided scheduled jet service to approximately 160 destinations throughout North America, the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe and Asia. AMR Eagle Holding Corporation (AMR Eagle), a wholly owned subsidiary of AMR, owns two regional airlines, which do business as American Eagle - American Eagle Airlines, Inc. and Executive Airlines, Inc. (collectively, the American Eagle carriers). American also contracts with an independently owned regional airline, which does business as AmericanConnection (the AmericanConnection carrier). As of December 31, 2011, AMR Eagle operated approximately 1,500 daily departures, offering scheduled passenger service to over 175 destinations in North America, Mexico and the Caribbean.
American, AMR Eagle and the AmericanConnection airline served more than 250 cities in approximately 50 countries with, on average, 3,400 daily flights and the combined network fleet numbered approximately 900 aircraft as of December 31, 2011. American Airlines is also a founding member of the oneworld alliance, which includes British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, LAN Airlines, Iberia, Qantas, JAL, Malev Hungarian, Mexicana, Royal Jordanian and S7 Airlines. Together, oneworld members serve 750 destinations in approximately 150 countries, with about 8,500 daily departures. American is also one of the scheduled air freight carriers in the world, providing a range of freight and mail services to shippers throughout its system onboard American�� passenger fleet.
To improve access to each other�� markets, American has established marketing relationships with other airlines and rail companies. As of December 31, 2011, American had marketing relationships with Air Berlin, Air Pacific, Air Tahiti Nui, Alaska Airlines, British Airways, Cape Air, Cathay Pacific, China Eastern Airl! ines, Dragonair, Deutsche Bahn German Rail, EL AL, Etihad Airways, EVA Air, Finnair, GOL, Gulf Air, Hawaiian Airlines, Iberia, Japan Airlines (JAL), Jet Airways, JetStar Airways, LAN (includes LAN Airlines, LAN Argentina, LAN Ecuador and LAN Peru), Niki Airlines, Qantas Airways, Royal Jordanian, S7 Airlines, and Vietnam Airlines.
American has established the AAdvantage frequent flyer program (AAdvantage). AAdvantage members earn mileage credits by flying on American, American Eagle and the AmericanConnection carrier or by using services of other participants in the AAdvantage program. Mileage credits can be redeemed for free, discounted or upgraded travel on American, American Eagle or other participating airlines, or for other awards. American sells mileage credits and related services to other participants in the AAdvantage program. There are over 1,000 program participants, including a credit card issuer, hotels, car rental companies, and other products and services companies in the AAdvantage program. As of December 31, 2011, AAdvantage had approximately 69 million total members.
The Company competes with Alaska Airlines (Alaska), Delta Air Lines (Delta), Frontier Airlines, JetBlue Airways (JetBlue), Hawaiian Airlines, Southwest Airlines (Southwest) and AirTran Airways (Air Tran), Spirit Airlines, United Airlines (United) and Continental Airlines (Continental), US Airways and Virgin America Airlines.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Alexander MacLennan]
This brings an advantage to the other members of the OneWorld airline alliance since other members can operate codeshares on British Airways' routes. American Airlines, a subsidiary of AMR (NASDAQOTH: AAMRQ ) , is the only major U.S.-based airline to be able to codeshare on these London routes.
- [By Adam Levine-Weinberg]
Bankrupt carrier American Airlines (NASDAQOTH: AAMRQ ) is on track to merge with smaller rival US Airways (NYSE: LCC ) later this year. Last week, the two companies filed a proxy statement, which details the proposed terms of the merger and provides other information for investors and other stakeholders to evaluate the merger. This proxy statement includes financial projections that are very bullish.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
Airlines have performed better this week, but how could they not following last week’s devastation after the Justice Department said it would try to block the merger between AMR Corp. (AAMRQ) and US Airways (LCC).
Alaska Air Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, Alaska Airlines, Inc. and Horizon Air Industries, Inc., operates as an airline company serving destinations in the western United States, Canada, and Mexico. The company provides passenger air services; and freight and mail services primarily to and within the state of Alaska and on the West Coast. As of December 31, 2009, it operated a fleet of 110 jet aircraft; and Horizon Air Industries operated a fleet of 18 jets and 40 turboprop aircraft. The company was founded in 1932 and is based in Seattle, Washington.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Tim Beyers]
Who wins? We won't know for years, but Southwest is already the leading buyer of the MAX, and as such, seems to be a likely benefactor. There's also Alaska Airlines (NYSE: ALK ) , which already flies from the continental west coast to various destinations in the Hawaiian Islands. The airline has ordered 37 of the planes to upgrade its fleet.
Hot Airline Stocks To Own Right Now: PAWS Pet Company Inc (PAWS)
The PAWS Pet Company, Inc., formerly Pet Airways, Inc., incorporated on June 6, 2005, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Pet Airways, Inc., (Pet Airways) operates an airline designed specifically for transportation of pets. Pet owners can book their pets on flights online at the Company's Website or can book with its agents by phone. Flights can be booked up to three months before the scheduled departure date. Payment for the flights is made with credit card. On the day of the scheduled flight, pet owners drop off their pets at one of the Company's airport facilities located at the departure airport. The Company places the pet passengers into a pet-friendly carrier and then boards the carrier into the main cabin of the aircraft. In February 2012, the Company announced that it had purchased the technology assets of Impact Social Networking, Inc.
The Company's pet passengers fly in the specially equipped main cabin of the Company's aircraft, which is climate-controlled, and supplied with an ample amount of fresh circulating air. Also, the pet attendant constantly monitors the Company's pet passengers for the duration of each flight. The Company offers dedicated routes within the United States with airport facilities that are located away from the main passenger terminals of the aircraft. The Company's airport facilities tend to be located either in or close to the cargo terminals of the airport. The Company carries mainly dogs and cats. The Company can carry pets of all sizes from small dogs and cats weighing less than 15 pounds to dogs that weigh 180 pounds and have maximum height from the ground to shoulder of 34 inches.
Hot Airline Stocks To Own Right Now: Gogo Inc (GOGO.O)
Gogo Inc incorporated on December 14, 2009, is a holding company. The Company operates through its two operating subsidiaries, Gogo LLC and Aircell Business Aviation Services LLC. The Company provides in-flight connectivity and wireless in-cabin digital entertainment solutions. It provide turnkey solutions for passengers to extend their connected lifestyles to the aircraft cabin. It operates in two segments: commercial aviation (CA) and business aviation (BA). Its CA business provides in-flight connectivity and digital entertainment solutions to commercial airline passengers through their personal Wi-Fi enabled devices.
The Company provides Gogo Connectivity to passengers to nine North American airlines that provide Internet connectivity to their passengers. It provide Gogo Connectivity to passengers on Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, Virgin America, Alaska Airlines, US Airways, Frontier Airlines and Air Tran Airways. It also provide Gogo Connectivity t o passengers on a small number of aircraft operated by United Airlines and Air Canada. As of September 30, 2011, the Company had equipped 1,177 commercial aircraft, representing approximately 85% of Internet-enabled North American commercial aircraft, which were operated on more than 4,200 daily flights.
The Company�� BA segment sells equipment and provides services for in-flight Internet connectivity and other voice and data communications under its Gogo Biz and Aircell branded products and services. BA�� customers include original equipment manufacturers of private jet aircraft such as Gulfstream, Cessna, Hawker Beechcraft, Bombardier, Dassault, Embraer, NetJets, Flexjets, Flight Options and CitationAir. It sells equipment for three of the primary connectivity network options in the business aviation market: Gogo Biz, through which it delivers broadband Internet connectivity over its (air-to-ground )ATG network, and the Iridium and Inmarsat SwiftBroadband satellite networks. As of September 30, 2011, the Company h! a! d more than 700 Gogo Biz systems in operation and more than 4,600 aircraft with Iridium satellite communications systems in operation, and it has sold more than 100 Inmarsat SwiftBroadband systems. It provides in-flight broadband connectivity across the contiguous United States and portions of Alaska through 3 MHz of FCC-licensed ATG spectrum and its network of cell sites.
Through its Gogo platform, the Company provides passengers with a convenient and easy way to access the Internet, view video content, send and receive email and instant messages, and access corporate VPNs on Gogo-equipped commercial aircraft. It provides Internet access through Gogo Connectivity, on-demand streaming video offerings through Gogo Vision and access to a variety of free entertainment and service offerings, customized for each airline, through Gogo Signature Services.
The Company competes with Panasonic Avionics, Row 44, OnAir, LiveTV and Thales.
Hot Airline Stocks To Own Right Now: AMR Corp (AAMRQ.PK)
AMR Corporation (AMR), incorporated in October 1982, operates in the airline industry. The Company�� principal subsidiary is American Airlines, Inc. (American). As of December 31, 2011, American provided scheduled jet service to approximately 160 destinations throughout North America, the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe and Asia. AMR Eagle Holding Corporation (AMR Eagle), a wholly owned subsidiary of AMR, owns two regional airlines, which do business as American Eagle - American Eagle Airlines, Inc. and Executive Airlines, Inc. (collectively, the American Eagle carriers). American also contracts with an independently owned regional airline, which does business as AmericanConnection (the AmericanConnection carrier). As of December 31, 2011, AMR Eagle operated approximately 1,500 daily departures, offering scheduled passenger service to over 175 destinations in North America, Mexico and the Caribbean.
American, AMR Eagle and the AmericanConnection airline served more than 250 cities in approximately 50 countries with, on average, 3,400 daily flights and the combined network fleet numbered approximately 900 aircraft as of December 31, 2011. American Airlines is also a founding member of the oneworld alliance, which includes British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, LAN Airlines, Iberia, Qantas, JAL, Malev Hungarian, Mexicana, Royal Jordanian and S7 Airlines. Together, oneworld members serve 750 destinations in approximately 150 countries, with about 8,500 daily departures. American is also one of the scheduled air freight carriers in the world, providing a range of freight and mail services to shippers throughout its system onboard American�� passenger fleet.
To improve access to each other�� markets, American has established marketing relationships with other airlines and rail companies. As of December 31, 2011, American had marketing relationships with Air Berlin, Air Pacific, Air Tahiti Nui, Alaska Airlines , British Airways, Cape Air, Cathay Pacific, China Eastern ! A! irlines, Dragonair, Deutsche Bahn German Rail, EL AL, Etihad Airways, EVA Air, Finnair, GOL, Gulf Air, Hawaiian Airlines, Iberia, Japan Airlines (JAL), Jet Airways, JetStar Airways, LAN (includes LAN Airlines, LAN Argentina, LAN Ecuador and LAN Peru), Niki Airlines, Qantas Airways, Royal Jordanian, S7 Airlines, and Vietnam Airlines.
American has established the AAdvantage frequent flyer program (AAdvantage). AAdvantage members earn mileage credits by flying on American, American Eagle and the AmericanConnection carrier or by using services of other participants in the AAdvantage program. Mileage credits can be redeemed for free, discounted or upgraded travel on American, American Eagle or other participating airlines, or for other awards. American sells mileage credits and related services to other participants in the AAdvantage program. There are over 1,000 program participants, including a credit card issuer, hotels, car rental companies, and other products an d services companies in the AAdvantage program. As of December 31, 2011, AAdvantage had approximately 69 million total members.
The Company competes with Alaska Airlines (Alaska), Delta Air Lines (Delta), Frontier Airlines, JetBlue Airways (JetBlue), Hawaiian Airlines, Southwest Airlines (Southwest) and AirTran Airways (Air Tran), Spirit Airlines, United Airlines (United) and Continental Airlines (Continental), US Airways and Virgin America Airlines.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Insider Monkey]
Last but not the least is US Airways Group (LCC), in which Y/Cap slightly increased its position, now owning around $7.9 million. U.S. Airways is currently on the minds of many investors, mainly due to its plans to merge with American Airlines parent AMR Corp (AAMRQ.PK). While European regulators approved the merger, the U.S. Department of Justice put a spoke in the wheel, and is trying to block the move. The companies filed a motion to the court to set the trial date for November 12. Amid these actions, U.S. Airways and American Airlines prolonged the outside date at which one of the companies can terminate the proposed merger.
- [By Tom Sandlow]
Synopsis: As a result of the terms of its bankruptcy and the proposed merger with U.S. Airways (LCC), an equity investment in AMR Corp (AAMRQ.PK) is equivalent to a series of derivatives on LCC. At current market values, AAMRQ is undervalued by approximately 40%. It is possible to create an arbitrage position that should capture this pricing differential over the next 6 months.
Hot Airline Stocks To Own Right Now: US Airways Group Inc (LCC)
US Airways Group, Inc. (US Airways Group) is a holding company whose primary business activity is the operation of a network air carrier through its wholly owned subsidiaries, US Airways, Piedmont Airlines, Inc. (Piedmont), PSA Airlines, Inc. (PSA), Material Services Company, Inc. (MSC) and Airways Assurance Limited (AAL). MSC and AAL operate in support of the Company�� airline subsidiaries in areas, such as the procurement of aviation fuel and insurance. It has hubs in Charlotte, Philadelphia and Phoenix and a focus city in Washington, D.C. at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (Washington National). During the year ended December 31, 2011, it offered scheduled passenger service on more than 3,100 flights daily to more than 200 communities in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, the Middle East, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. It also has an East Coast route network, including the US Airways Shuttle service.
The Company had approximately 53 million passengers boarding its mainline flights in 2011. During 2011, the Company�� mainline operation provided scheduled service or seasonal service at 133 airports, while the US Airways Express network served 156 airports in the United States, Canada and Mexico, including 78 airports also served by its mainline operation. US Airways Express air carriers had approximately 28 million passengers boarding their planes in 2011. As of December 31, 2011, the Company operated 340 mainline jets and was supported by its regional airline subsidiaries and affiliates operating as US Airways Express under capacity purchase agreements, which operated 233 regional jets and 50 turboprops. The Company�� prorate carriers operated seven turboprops and seven regional jets at December 31, 2011.
In May 2011, US Airways Group and US Airways entered into an Amended and Restated Mutual Asset Purchase and Sale Agreement (the Mutual APA) with Delta Air Lines, Inc. (Delta). Pursuant to the Mutual APA, Delta agreed to acquire 132 slot pa! irs at LaGuardia from US Airways and US Airways agreed to acquire from Delta 42 slot pairs at Washington National and the rights to operate additional daily service to Sao Paulo, Brazil. On December 13, 2011, the transaction contemplated by the Mutual APA closed and ownership of the respective slots was transferred between the airlines. During 2011, the US Airways Express network served 156 airports in the continental United States, Canada and Mexico, including 78 airports also served by its mainline operation. During 2011, approximately 28 million passengers boarded US Airways Express air carriers��planes, approximately 44% of whom connected to or from its mainline flights.
The Company competes with Southwest, JetBlue, Allegiant, Frontier, Virgin America and Spirit.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Tom Aspray]
Though my focus is on the technical, I don’t discount the fundamentals, and therefore, one predominantly fundamental site is included in my list. The initial slides were generated on Tuesday afternoon after the announcement was made that US Airways Group, Inc., (LCC) and American Airlines (AAMRQ) reached a settlement allowing their $17 billion dollar merger to go through.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
It’s been a bumpy few weeks for airline stocks after the Department of Justice challenged AMR Corp.’s�(AAMRQ) merger with U.S. Airways (LCC), calling into question not just the consolidation thesis that had boosted airlines recently but also AMR’s future.
Hot Airline Stocks To Own Right Now: Latam Airlines Group SA (LFL)
LAN Airlines S.A. (LAN), incorporated in 1983, is the international and domestic passenger airline in Latin America and the cargo operator in the region. As of February 9, 2012, LAN and its affiliates provided domestic and international passenger services in Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Argentina and Colombia and cargo operations through the use of belly space on its passenger flights and cargo freighter aircraft through its cargo airlines in Chile, Brazil, Colombia and Mexico. LAN and its affiliates offered passenger flights to 15 destinations in Chile, 59 destinations in other South American countries, 15 destinations in other Latin American countries and the Caribbean, five destinations in the United States, two destinations in Europe and four destinations in the South Pacific and, through various codeshare agreements, service to 25 additional destinations in North America, 16 additional destinations in Europe, 27 additional destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean (including Mexico), and two destinations in Asia, as of February 9, 2012. LAN and its affiliates provide cargo service to all of their passenger destinations and to 20 additional destinations served only by freighter aircraft. LAN also offers other services, such as ground handling, courier, logistics and maintenance. LAN and its affiliates operated a fleet, with 135 passenger aircraft and 14 cargo aircraft as of December 31, 2011. On February 15, 2011, Lan Pax Group S.A., subsidiary of Lan Airlines S.A. acquired 100% of Colombian society AEROASIS S.A.
LAN is primarily involved in the transportation of passengers and cargo. Its operations are carried out principally by Lan Airlines and also by a number of different subsidiaries. As of February 28, 2011, in the passenger business the Company operated through six main airlines: Lan Airlines, Transporte Aereo S.A. (which does business under the name Lan Express), Lan Peru S.A. (Lan Peru), Aerolane Lineas Aereas Nacionales del Ecuador S.A. (Lan Ecuador), Lan Argentina S.A. (Lan ! Argentina, previously Aero 2000 S.A.) and the Aerovias de Integracion Regional, Aires S.A. (Aires). As of February 28, 2011, the Company held a 99.9% interest in Lan Express through direct and indirect interests, a 70.0% interest in Lan Peru through direct and indirect interests, a 71.9% indirect interest in Lan Ecuador, a 99.0% indirect interest in Lan Argentina and a 94.99% indirect interest in Aires (a Colombian entity which was acquired on November 26, 2010). Its cargo operations are carried out by a number of companies, including Lan Airlines and Lan Cargo. As of February 28, 2011, the Company held a 69.2% interest in Aero Transportes Mas de Carga S.A. de C.V. (MasAir), through direct and indirect participations, a 73.3% interest in ABSA through direct and indirect participations, and a 90.0% interest in LANCO through direct and indirect participations. In the cargo business, the Company markets itself primarily under the Lan Cargo brand. In addition to its air transportation activities, the Company provides a series of ancillary services. It offers handling services, courier services and logistics, small package and express door-to-door services through Lan Airlines and various subsidiaries.
Passenger Operations
As of February 28, 2011, the Company operated passenger airlines in Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Argentina and Colombia. As of February 28, 2011, our passenger operations were performed through airlines in Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Argentina and Colombia where we operate both domestic and international services. As of February 28, 2011, the Company�� network consisted of 15 destinations in Chile, 14 destinations in Peru, four destinations in Ecuador, 14 destinations in Argentina, 24 destinations in Colombia, 14 destinations in other Latin American countries and the Caribbean, five destinations in the United States, one destination in Canada, three destinations in Europe and four destinations in the South Pacific. Within Latin America, it has routes to and from Argentina, B! olivia, B! razil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. The Company also flies to a variety of international destinations outside Latin America, including Auckland, Fort Lauderdale, Frankfurt, Los Angeles, Madrid, Miami, Mount Pleasant (Falkland Islands), New York, Toronto, Papeete (Tahiti), Paris, San Francisco, and Sydney. In addition, as of February 28, 2011, through its various code-share agreements, the Company offered service to 25 additional destinations in North America, 16 additional destinations in Europe, 25 additional destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean (including Mexico), and two destinations in Asia. As of February 28, 2011, the Company operated scheduled international services from Chile, Peru, Ecuador and Argentina through Lan Airlines; Lan Express in Chile; Lan Peru in Peru; Lan Ecuador in Ecuador; Lan Argentina in Argentina and Aires in Colombia. Its international network combines the Company�� Chilean, Peruvian, Ecuadorian, Argentinean and Colombian affiliates. It provides long-haul services out of its four main hubs in Santiago, Lima, Guayaquil and Buenos Aires. It also provides regional services from Chile, Peru, Ecuador and Argentina.
Cargo Operations
The Company�� cargo business operates on the same network used by the passenger airlines business, which is supplemented by freighter-only operations. The Company carries cargo for a variety of customers, including other international air carriers, freight-forwarding companies, export oriented companies and individual consumers. As of February 28, 2011, the Company operated a fleet of 140 aircraft, comprised of 126 passenger aircraft and 14 cargo aircraft.
The Company competes with UPS, FedEx, Centurion, Transportes Aereos Mercantiles Panamericanos S.A., Polar Air, Cargolux, Lufthansa Cargo, Martinair and Air France-KLM.
Hot Airline Stocks To Own Right Now: JetBlue Airways Corporation(JBLU)
JetBlue Airways Corporation provides passenger air transportation services in the United States. As of December 31, 2011, it operated approximately 700 daily flights to 70 destinations in 22 states, Puerto Rico, and Mexico; and 12 countries in the Caribbean and Latin America through a fleet of 120 Airbus A320 aircraft and 49 EMBRAER 190 aircraft. The company, through its subsidiary, LiveTV, LLC, provides in-flight entertainment, voice communication, and data connectivity systems and services for commercial and general aviation aircraft, including live in-seat satellite television, digital satellite radio, wireless aircraft data link service, and cabin surveillance systems. JetBlue Airways Corporation was founded in 1998 and is based in Forest Hills, New York.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]
Lynne Sladky/AP WASHINGTON -- U.S. airlines scored their second best performance last year in the more than two decades that researchers have been measuring airline quality, with Virgin America the leader, says an annual report released Monday. The report ranked the 14 largest U.S. airlines based on on-time arrivals, mishandled bags, consumer complaints and passengers who were bought tickets but were turned away because flights were over booked. Airline performance in 2012 was the second highest in the 23 years that Wichita State University at Omaha in Nebraska and Purdue University in Indiana have tracked the performance of airlines. The airline's best year was 2011. Virgin America, headquartered in Burlingame, Calif., did the best job on baggage handling and had the second-lowest rate of passengers denied seats due to overbookings. United Airlines (UAL), whose consumer complaint rate nearly doubled last year, had the worst performance. United has merged with Continental Airlines, but has had rough spots in integrating the operations of the two carriers. The number of complaints consumers filed with the Department of Transportation overall surged by one-fifth last year to 11,445 complaints, up from 9,414 in 2011. "Over the 20 some year history we've looked at it, this is still the best time of airline performance we've ever seen," said Dean Headley, a business professor at Wichita State University in Kansas, who has co-written the annual report. The best year was 2011, which was only slightly better than last year, he said. Despite those improvements, it isn't surprising that passengers are getting grumpier, Headley said. Carriers keep shrinking the size of seats in order to stuff more people into planes. Empty middle seats that might provide a little more room have vanished. And more people who have bought tickets are being turned away because flights are overbooked. "The way airlines have taken 130-seat airplanes and expanded them to 150 seats to sque
- [By Sital S. Patel]
Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL) , JetBlue Airways Corp. (JBLU) �and United Airlines (UAL) �said Saturday that they don�� expect delays..
- [By Dan Caplinger]
Southwest has also stood up to low-cost competitor JetBlue (NASDAQ: JBLU ) by coming to an agreement with DISH Network to offer free live television access as well as on-demand shows at no charge. Rather than installing monitors, Southwest will make the entertainment freely available on its Wi-Fi planes, not even charging for Wi-Fi access for passengers who want only to watch the DISH offerings.
Hot Airline Stocks To Own Right Now: Southwest Airlines Co (LUV)
Southwest Airlines Co., incorporated on March 9, 1967, operates Southwest Airlines, a passenger airline, which provides scheduled air transportation in the United States. As of December 31, 2011, the Company was serving 72 cities in 37 states throughout the United States. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company added addition services in two new states and three new cities: Charleston, South Carolina; Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina; and Newark, New Jersey. Southwest provides point-to-point. On May 2, 2011, the Company acquired AirTran Holdings, Inc. (AirTran).
AirTran�� route system provides hub-and-spoke, rather than point-to-point, service, with approximately half of AirTran�� flights originating or terminating at its hub in Atlanta, Georgia. AirTran also serves a range of markets with non-stop service from bases of operation in Baltimore, Maryland; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Orlando, Florida. As of December 31, 2011, AirTran was serving 68 United States and near-international destinations, including San Juan, Puerto Rico; Cancun, Mexico; Montego Bay, Jamaica; Nassau, The Bahamas; Oranjestad, Aruba; Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, and Bermuda. As of January 31, 2012, AirTran served 65 destinations. During 2011, approximately 71% of Southwest�� customers flew non-stop, and Southwest�� average aircraft trip stage length was 664 miles with an average duration of approximately 1.8 hours.
As of December 31, 2011, Southwest offered 25 weekday roundtrips from Dallas Love Field to Houston Hobby, 13 weekday roundtrips from Phoenix to Las Vegas, 13 weekday roundtrips from Burbank to Oakland, and 12 weekday roundtrips from Los Angeles International to Oakland. Southwest offers connecting service opportunities from over 60 Southwest cities to different Volaris airports in Mexico including Aguascalientes, Guadalajara, Mexico City (MEX), Mexico City-Toluca (TLC), Morelia, and Zacatecas. The Company�� International Connect portal conducts two separate transac! tions: one with Southwest�� reservation system and one with Volaris�� reservation system.
Southwest bundles fares into three categories: Wanna Get Away, Anytime, and Business Select. Wanna Get Away fares are lowest fares. Business Select fares are refundable and changeable, and funds may be applied toward future travel on Southwest. Business Select fares also include additional perks, such as priority boarding, a frequent flyer point multiplier, priority security and ticket counter access in select airports, and one complimentary adult beverage coupon for the day of travel. The Company�� Internet Website, southwest.com, is the avenue for Southwest Customers to purchase tickets online. During 2011, southwest.com accounted for approximately 78% of all Southwest bookings. During 2011, approximately 84% of Southwest�� Passenger revenues came through its Website, including revenues from SWABIZ, the Company�� business travel reservation Web page.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Paul Ausick]
American Airlines Group Inc. (NYSE: AAL) and Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) have not published revenue data or projections.
While Delta’s news is spreading good cheer and rising share prices today, all the airlines are wary of a coming increase in a federal tax they pay to support the U.S. Transportation Safety Administration (TSA). Congress approved an increase to the fees paid to the TSA as part of the budget deal it reached last month.
- [By Adam Levine-Weinberg]
Delta has adopted a disciplined capex plan that entails investing $2.0 billion-$2.5 billion in the business every year. This is supported by aircraft purchase commitments that average just $1 billion a year for the next five years. While this excludes the lease costs for 88 used Boeing 717 aircraft that Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV ) is transferring to Delta between now and 2015, those lease costs will be quite modest.
Hot Airline Stocks To Own Right Now: Delta Air Lines Inc (DAL)
Delta Air Lines, Inc. (Delta) provides scheduled air transportation for passengers and cargo throughout the United States and around the world. The Company�� route network gives it a presence in every domestic and international market. Delta�� route network is centered around the hub system it operate at airports in Amsterdam, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York-JFK, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City and Tokyo-Narita. Each of these hub operations includes flights that gather and distribute traffic from markets in the geographic region surrounding the hub to domestic and international cities and to other hubs. The Company�� network is supported by a fleet of aircraft that is varied in terms of size and capabilities.
Delta has bilateral and multilateral marketing alliances with foreign airlines to improve its access to international markets. These arrangements can include code-sharing, reciprocal frequent flyer program benefits, shared or reciprocal access to passenger lounges, joint promotions, common use of airport gates and ticket counters, ticket office co-location, and other marketing agreements. Its international code-sharing agreements enable it to market and sell seats to an expanded number of international destinations. The Company has international codeshare arrangements with Aeromexico, Air France, Air Nigeria, Alitalia, Aeroflot, China Airlines, China Eastern, China Southern, CSA Czech Airlines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Korean Air, Olympic Air, Royal Air Maroc, VRG Linhas Aereas (operating as GOL), Vietnam Airlines, Virgin Australia and WestJet Airlines.
In addition to the Company�� marketing alliance agreements with individual foreign airlines, it is a member of the SkyTeam airline alliance. Delta also has frequent flyer and reciprocal lounge agreements with Hawaiian Airlines, and codesharing agreements with American Eagle Airlines (American Eagle) and Hawaiian Airlines. It has air service agreements with multiple do! mestic regional air carriers that feed traffic to its route system by serving passengers primarily in small-and medium-sized cities.
Through the Company�� regional carrier program, it has contractual arrangements with 10 regional carriers to operate regional jet and, in certain cases, turbo-prop aircraft using its DL designator code. In addition to Delta�� wholly owned subsidiary, Comair, it has contractual arrangements with ExpressJet Airlines, Inc. and SkyWest Airlines, Inc., both subsidiaries of SkyWest, Inc.; Chautauqua Airlines, Inc. and Shuttle America Corporation, both subsidiaries of Republic Airways Holdings, Inc.; Pinnacle Airlines, Inc. and Mesaba Aviation, Inc. (Mesaba), both subsidiaries of Pinnacle Airlines Corp. (Pinnacle); Compass Airlines, Inc. (Compass) and GoJet Airlines, LLC, both subsidiaries of Trans States Holdings, Inc. (Trans States), and American Eagle.
The Company�� SkyMiles program allows program members to earn mileage for travel awards by flying on Delta, Delta�� regional carriers and other participating airlines. Mileage credit may also be earned by using certain services offered by program participants, such as credit card companies, hotels and car rental agencies. In addition, individuals and companies may purchase mileage credits. The Company reserves the right to terminate the program with six months advance notice, and to change the program�� terms and conditions at any time without notice.
SkyMiles program mileage credits can be redeemed for air travel on Delta and participating airlines, for membership in the Company�� Delta Sky Clubs and for other program participant awards. Mileage credits are subject to certain transfer restrictions and travel awards are subject to capacity controlled seating. During the year ended December 31, 2011, program members redeemed more than 275 billion miles in the SkyMiles program for more than 12 million award redemptions. During 2011, 8.2% of revenue miles flown on Delta were from a! ward trav! el.
The Company generates cargo revenues in domestic and international markets through the use of cargo space on regularly scheduled passenger aircraft. Delta is a member of SkyTeam Cargo, an airline cargo alliance. SkyTeam Cargo offers a network spanning six continents and provides customers an international product line.
The Company has several other businesses arising from its airline operations, including aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO); staffing services for third parties; vacation wholesale operations, and its private jet operations. Delta�� MRO operation, known as Delta TechOps, is an airline MRO in North America. In addition to providing maintenance and engineering support for its fleet of approximately 775 aircraft, Delta TechOps serves more than 150 aviation and airline customers. Its staffing services business, Delta Global Services, provides staffing services, professional security, training services and aviation solutions to approximately 150 customers. The Company�� vacation wholesale business, MLT Vacations, is the provider of vacation packages in the United States. Its private jet operations, Delta Private Jets, provides aircraft charters, aircraft management and programs allowing members to purchase flight time by the hour.
The Company competes with SkyTeam, United Air Lines, Continental Airlines, Lufthansa German Airlines, Air Canada, American Airlines, British Airways and Qantas.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Dan Caplinger]
We've already gotten some information about how the quarter went for Southwest from its monthly results. In April, the company saw a 4%-5% decline in unit revenue, offset by a rise of 4.1% in capacity. Those figures were largely consistent with the rest of the industry, as both US Airways (NYSE: LCC ) and Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL ) posted similar combinations of revenue and capacity changes. The same trend continued in May, as a drop of 2% in unit revenue came with a 3.4% rise in capacity.
- [By Alexis Xydias]
Molex Inc. jumped 32 percent after agreeing to be acquired by Koch Industries Inc. Apple Inc. rose 1.6 percent before an investor event tomorrow where the company will unveil new iPhone models. A Standard & Poor�� index of homebuilders jumped 5.5 percent, the most in almost two months. Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL) rallied 9.4 percent as the world�� second-largest carrier will replace BMC Software Inc. in the S&P 500.
Hot Airline Stocks To Own Right Now: Copa Holdings SA (CPA)
Copa Holdings, S.A. (Copa Holdings), incorporated on May 06, 1998, is a Latin American provider of airline passenger and cargo service through its two principal operating subsidiaries, Copa Airlines and Copa Colombia. Copa Airlines operates from its position in the Republic of Panama, and Copa Colombia provides service within Colombia and international flights from various cities in Colombia to Panama, Venezuela, Ecuador, Mexico, Cuba, Guatemala and Costa Rica, complemented with service within Colombia. As of December 31, 2012, the Company operated a fleet of 83 aircraft with an average age of 5.13 years; consisting of 57 modern Boeing 737-Next Generation aircraft and 26 Embraer 190 aircraft. . As of December 31, 2012, the Company offers approximately 334 daily scheduled flights among 64 destinations in 29 countries in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean, mainly from its Panama City Hub.
Copa provides passengers with access to flights to more than 150 other destinations through codeshare arrangements with UAL pursuant to which each airline places its name and flight designation code on the other�� flights. As of December 31, 2012, Copa had firm orders, including purchase and lease commitments, for 35 additional Boeing 737-Next Generation aircraft. Copa also has options for an additional 14 Boeing 737-Next Generation aircraft.
The Company competes with Avianca-Taca, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and LAN Group.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Asit Sharma]
The airline industry has a singular talent for draining the pockets of well-intentioned investors. Highly leveraged balance sheets and bankruptcies are the norm. Significant labor costs and unpredictable jet fuel prices wreak havoc on variable costs. Yet some airlines generate solid returns quarter after quarter. Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK ) , Ryanair (NASDAQ: RYAAY ) , Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV ) , and Copa Holdings (NYSE: CPA ) each manage to be consistently profitable. Let's examine a few themes they share in common, and zero in on their individual strategic ideas.
- [By Michael J. Carr]
Copa Holdings (NYSE: CPA) is also undervalued with a PEG ratio of 0.53. Copa Holdings provides airline passenger and cargo services within Colombia and international flights from various cities in Colombia to Panama, Venezuela, Ecuador, Mexico, Cuba, Guatemala and Costa Rica.
- [By Will Ashworth]
I don�� know what�� going to happen in six months, let alone 20 years. However, I do know that OLED plays in a very exciting space, and Discovery Capital still seems to agree. Financially, OLED stock is solid, and if things go the company’s way in the coming years, it should get big in a hurry.
Best Stocks #3 (Midcap): Copa Holdings (CPA)
I�� a big believer in Latin America. While it has its troubles like every other emerging market, I continue to view its growing middle class with envy. While our middle class is being hallowed out, Latin America�� is growing exponentially. The U.S. was never more secure economically than when its middle class was growing, so history has demonstrated what this can do for a country.
Hot Airline Stocks To Own Right Now: Gogo Inc (GOGO)
Gogo Inc incorporated on December 14, 2009, is a holding company. The Company operates through its two operating subsidiaries, Gogo LLC and Aircell Business Aviation Services LLC. The Company provides in-flight connectivity and wireless in-cabin digital entertainment solutions. It provide turnkey solutions for passengers to extend their connected lifestyles to the aircraft cabin. It operates in two segments: commercial aviation (CA) and business aviation (BA). Its CA business provides in-flight connectivity and digital entertainment solutions to commercial airline passengers through their personal Wi-Fi enabled devices.
The Company provides Gogo Connectivity to passengers to nine North American airlines that provide Internet connectivity to their passengers. It provide Gogo Connectivity to passengers on Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, Virgin America, Alaska Airlines, US Airways, Frontier Airlines and Air Tran Airways. It also provide Gogo Connectivity to passengers on a small number of aircraft operated by United Airlines and Air Canada. As of September 30, 2011, the Company had equipped 1,177 commercial aircraft, representing approximately 85% of Internet-enabled North American commercial aircraft, which were operated on more than 4,200 daily flights.
The Company�� BA segment sells equipment and provides services for in-flight Internet connectivity and other voice and data communications under its Gogo Biz and Aircell branded products and services. BA�� customers include original equipment manufacturers of private jet aircraft such as Gulfstream, Cessna, Hawker Beechcraft, Bombardier, Dassault, Embraer, NetJets, Flexjets, Flight Options and CitationAir. It sells equipment for three of the primary connectivity network options in the business aviation market: Gogo Biz, through which it delivers broadband Internet connectivity over its (air-to-ground )ATG network, and the Iridium and Inmarsat SwiftBroadband satellite networks. As of September 30, 2011, the Company had m! ore than 700 Gogo Biz systems in operation and more than 4,600 aircraft with Iridium satellite communications systems in operation, and it has sold more than 100 Inmarsat SwiftBroadband systems. It provides in-flight broadband connectivity across the contiguous United States and portions of Alaska through 3 MHz of FCC-licensed ATG spectrum and its network of cell sites.
Through its Gogo platform, the Company provides passengers with a convenient and easy way to access the Internet, view video content, send and receive email and instant messages, and access corporate VPNs on Gogo-equipped commercial aircraft. It provides Internet access through Gogo Connectivity, on-demand streaming video offerings through Gogo Vision and access to a variety of free entertainment and service offerings, customized for each airline, through Gogo Signature Services.
The Company competes with Panasonic Avionics, Row 44, OnAir, LiveTV and Thales.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Brian O'Connell] Gogo (NASDAQ: GOGO), the in-flight Internet connectivity and wireless in-cabin digital entertainment systems provider, is seeing its share price rise to dizzying heights after a stellar third-quarter earnings report.
Shares popped almost 30 percent in Monday trading, but eager investors have to wonder: Can Gogo keep surging upward? - [By Jesse Solomon]
Gogo (GOGO) shares have more than doubled since its June IPO, making it one of the hottest stocks on the Nasdaq.
But not everyone is jumping on board.
Hot Airline Stocks To Own Right Now: United Continental Holdings Inc.(UAL)
United Continental Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the provision of passenger and cargo air transportation services. As of February 24, 2011, it operated a total of approximately 5,675 flights a day to 372 airports on 6 continents from their hubs in Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, Guam, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Tokyo, as well as in Washington, D.C. The company was formerly known as UAL Corporation and changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc. on October 1, 2010. United Continental Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1934 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Ben Levisohn]
Still, positive comments continue to trickle out. After a meeting with the company’s management on Aug. 21, CRT Capital Group’s Michael Derchin raised his price target on United Continental Holdings (UAL) to $40 from $37. He explains why:
- [By Jonathan Yates]
At present, the biggest customer for the 787 is United Continental (NYSE: UAL). Demand for the 787 is particularly strong from Asia, with an eight-year backlog.
- [By Adam Levine-Weinberg]
By contrast, United Continental (NYSE: UAL ) reported very disappointing unit revenue numbers for most of 2012, due to integration problems. However, the company has made up a little bit of ground in 2013, leading the industry in unit revenue gains in several different months, including June.
Reuters 
Enlarge Image A Chinese national flag flutters at a construction site for a new residence complex in Beijing. 
Previously, the company had said they expected Q3 to range between $1.11 and $1.16 per share. So technically, BBBY hit their own guidance, but the Street was expecting more (and so was I). Net sales rose 6% from last year's third quarter. Comparable store sales, which is a key metric for retailers, rose by 1.3%. Honestly, that's not that great. So far this year, BBBY has earned $3.20 per share for the first three quarters, and that's a nice increase over the $2.89 per share from the same period last year.
Getty Images Extended warranties are everywhere. It seems like every retailer is offering them now, even for purchases as small as a $30 toaster oven. And according to research done by Protect Your Bubble, a third-party gadget insurer, 40 percent of U.S. buyers are taking those stores up on the offers. Sales of extended warranties have seen between 15 percent and 20 percent annual growth over the past 3 years. And there's good reason for retailers to push them: Extended warranties are mostly just a high-margin upsell for the companies that provide them. And in almost every case, they are a bad deal for consumers. Why Extended Warranties Get Such a Bad Rap Extended warranties are a form of insurance -- which makes them, at bottom, nothing more than a bet against "the house." "Insurance companies [and extended warranties] only make money if the company collects more money than it pays out," says Professor Bruce Clark of Northeastern University's D'Amore-McKim School of Business. Companies that offer insurance and extended warranties have teams of actuaries who calculate the odds that a consumer will file a claim. And the odds aren't in our favor. It's this entirely accurate impression that we're gambling in a rigged game to buy them that gives extended warranties their bad rap. It's hard to visualize the benefits until you use any form of insurance, and even when you have it, you hope to never need to use it. A Good Buy for Klutzy People Whether or not you should consider extended warranties might be better based on the type of person you are than the types of products you're buying. Are you klutzy? Prone to breaking things? Do you have unusual usage habits for your gear? Then extended warranties may actually be a good fit for you. "A friend of mine bought smartphones for himself and his teenage son, but he only bought the insurance for his son," says Clark. Think about it in the context of your car, for example, he suggests. "If you are an unusually heavy user, for example, driving twice as much as the average person, then an extended warranty based on time [not miles] may make sense." Most of us aren't klutzes, and the way we use our technology is fairly close to the norm. That makes us the type of consumers companies want to sell extended warranties, to because we're unlikely to make claims. When Even You Should Buy a Warranty While it doesn't make financial sense to buy an extended warranty or insurance on a $30 toaster, are there other purchases where it is actually a good idea? "We advise consumers to consider: 'What would my life be like not having this device and what would the cost if I wanted to replace that particular unit be?' " says Stephen Ebbett, president of ProtectYourBubble.com. "So if your TV was to break outside of the manufacturer's warranty, that could be a $3,000 bill or more." Ebbett also recommended that consumers think about what it would be like to be without a critical item or gadget in their life. For example, if you were to loose or break your smartphone, what would that be like? The obvious items that you may want to buy an extended warranty for are laptops, smart phones, and tablets. You may also want to consider an extended warranty for an expensive camera like a digital SLR. How to Avoid Falling for the Extended Warranty Trap One of the best moves you can make is to say "no" at the register when a cashier offers you an extended warranty. But there are a few things you can do if you're nervous about an item breaking. First, review the existing manufacturer's warranty. You may be able to file most claims directly through the manufacturer if you have any issues with an item. It pays to understand the coverage that comes with most products -- its limits, exclusions, and when the coverage expires. Manufacturer's warranties cover most repairs that you might need. You should also understand that many manufacturers' warranties cover you through the expected useful life of that item. If it breaks, that's most likely an indication that the product wasn't built to last much longer anyway, and you simply need a new one. "Just about all manufacturers warranty their purchases for a certain length of time (most do so for the first year) and many credit cards will extend that warranty. In some cases, they double it," says David Bakke, writer from the popular blog Money Crashers. "A few instances where it might make sense to purchase an extended warranty are for used automobiles and older homes. For all other purchases, invest in a quality brand name and you also lessen the chance that your item will break down." If you feel like you to buy an extended warranty, shop around for the best deals. Don't get trapped in thinking that you have to buy the warranty where you buy the gadget. You may find a better deal -- more coverage, fewer restrictions, faster returns, and better service -- from a third-party insurer. Consider Self-Insuring Your Purchases You can also consider self-insuring your purchase. If you are worried about how you'd pay to repair or replace a specific broken item, each month, set aside a small fraction of its cost in a savings account. That will give you a fair amount of assurance that you when it comes time to replace it, you'll be in a good position to do so. And you never need to worry about having wasted your money if it outlasts your self-warranty. For example, if you're buying a brand new refrigerator, look up the expected life span of that model online. Typically, people need to replace refrigerators every 10 years. So, if a refrigerator costs $2,000 and you are worried about it breaking, set aside $17 a month. And, in 10 years, you'll have enough saved for a new one. Of course, this is a simplistic example, but it gives you an idea of how to think of self-insuring your purchases instead of buying an extended warranty for them. Most consumers should skip extended warranties almost all the time. Even when they seem relatively cheap, they're rarely worth the money, because the odds are you won't use them.
) looks for a new CEO to replace Steve Ballmer, there is now one less in-house prospect, as Blaise Aguera y Arcas has left the company to join Google.