The government’s $900,000 fine Monday against an American Airlines affiliate for holding hundreds of passengers on board a small jet for hours on an airport tarmac may serve as a deterrent to future such incidents. But industry analysts warned that may come with the price of more canceled flights. Even before the fine against American Eagle Airlines, airlines had canceled more flights to avoid pushing up against the new three-hour limit on tarmac delays the Department of Transportation imposed 20 months ago. Now, cancellations will shoot up even more, said airline analyst Michael Boyd. American Eagle kept planes on the tarmac for more than three hours on 15 flights arriving at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago on May 29, according to a settlement agreement between the department and the airline. A total of 608 passengers were aboard the delayed flights. Analysts said the agency was trying to send a message before the holidays.
Tannery closes Marysville operation
Centralia Fur and Hide has stopped operating the tannery at Quil Ceda Tannery in Marysville. The tannery, one of only a few in the West still operating, closed Oct. 31. It still operates at its Centralia location. Local hunters and others can still leave hides to be tanned in Centralia with Blaine Thornton at Thornton’s Taxidermy, 2206 116th St. NE, Tulalip. Thornton can be reached at 425-346-4861.
Chase scraps idea for checking fee
Chase is scrapping the test run of a checking account that charged customers a fixed $10 monthly fee. The trial in Oklahoma was a departure from the bank’s practice of giving customers ways to avoid monthly fees, either by setting up direct deposit or maintaining a set minimum balance. JPMorgan Chase &Co., based in New York, began multiple tests earlier this year to gauge how customers would respond to various pricing structures. The most notable was a $3 monthly fee in Wisconsin for debit cards. Chase said last month that it planned to end that trial; Bank of America, Wells Fargo and other major banks quickly followed suit and said they would abandon their own plans for debit card fees as well.
Lowe’s profits drop amid closures
The home improvement retailer Lowe’s Cos. says costs related to closing stores and other restructuring pushed its net income down 44 percent, but adjusted results beat expectations. Retailers such as Lowe’s are facing tough times as consumers continue to hold back on large-scale home improvement projects. Lowe’s has started closing stores and cutting costs to offset weak demand. But with the housing market moribund and consumers’ continued caution on spending, CEO Robert Niblock said in an interview with The Associated Press that he does not expect a full rebound until at least 2013.
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