China’s largest privately owned airline and one of the 787’s launch customers, Hainan Airlines, says it will begin nonstop Seattle-Beijing flights on June 9. It will be the airline’s first service to North America. Hainan will use the Everett-assembled Dreamliner jet on the route when the new plane becomes available. Initial flights, however, will use Airbus jets. Among its services for passengers, Hainan offers in-flight yoga.
Romanian carrier orders new 737 jets
The Boeing Co. announced an order for two 737-800 passenger jets from Blue Air Transport Aerian of Romania. The low-cost airline also has obtained purchase rights to two more of the jets. The order is valued at about $150 million at list prices, although customers usually negotiate discounts. Blue Air has an all-Boeing fleet of five older model 737s.
Apple adds to price, memory for iPhone
Apple Inc. has updated its iPhone and iPod Touch lineup, doubling the memory and setting new premium prices for its high-end models. The latest iPhone features 16 gigabytes of memory and retails for $499. The previously released 8 GB version costs $399. The new iPod Touch comes with 32 GB of memory and retails for $499. The older 16 GB and 8 GB versions of the multimedia player cost $399 and $299, respectively.
Women’s clothing chain closes stores
Women’s apparel retailer Charming Shoppes Inc. has cut 200 jobs and will close 150 unprofitable stores to shore up cash flow as consumer spending weakens. The operator of Lane Bryant, Petite Sophisticate Outlet and other stores said it’s also going to significantly pare back on new store openings this year as part of a plan to reduce its capital budget by 30 percent, or $40 million.
Disney profit falls, but revenue grows
The Walt Disney Co.’s quarterly profit fell 26 percent from a year earlier, when it benefited from the sale of a magazine and entertainment channel, but the media conglomerate notched a 9 percent jump in revenue powered by growth in its cable and television division. For the quarter ended Dec. 29, Burbank, Calif.-based Disney reported net income of $1.25 billion, or 63 cents per share, compared with $1.70 billion, in the prior-year period.
GM to adapt plant for diesel engines
General Motors Corp. plans to build a new heavy duty diesel engine at its plant in Moraine, Ohio, investing $69 million and retaining more than 1,000 jobs, the automaker announced. GM said the new 6.6-liter V-8 turbodiesel engine will be produced at the DMAX plant, resulting in plant renovations, new machinery and tooling. GM said the engine will meet emissions standards in 2010.
Agreement allows auto plants to open
Struggling parts supplier Plastech Engineered Products Inc. has agreed to resume sending parts to Chrysler, halting a financial dispute that had closed four of the automaker’s assembly plants. The deal was announced Tuesday, allowing production to restart at the factories.
From Herald news services
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