U.S. airlines have cut many flights and they are getting better at staying on schedule with their remaining flights, as more trips arrived on time in May than a year earlier. The Transportation Department also said Thursday that fewer flights were canceled and passengers reported fewer cases of mishandled baggage. Airlines have been cutting flights since last year, first in response to rising fuel prices, then to cope with a slump in travel because of the recession. In June, capacity — mostly measured in the number of flights — was down about 6 percent from last June at the largest U.S. airlines. That’s made it easier for airlines to stay on schedule, which the Transportation Department defines as arriving within 15 minutes of the ending time listed in the airline’s own computerized reservations system.
Port commission seeks board applicants
The Port of Everett Commission began seeking applicants today to fill an open position created by the resignation earlier this week of Connie Niva, who moved outside the district’s boundaries. Applications for the District 2 position, available at the port office at 2911 Bond St., will be accepted until 5 p.m. July 23. No e-mail applications will be accepted. The two remaining commissioners will select someone to fill the position until the November election. They said they will not consider applicants who intend to run for the post this fall.
Industrial leaders push free trade
Leaders of the exclusive club of eight industrialized leaders plus five of the fastest developing nations are calling for open markets and a battle against protectionism as the answer to the world’s economic meltdown. But the need to save jobs back home is pulling them in the opposite direction. How can the goal set by the leaders — completing a long-stalled world trade deal by next year — be reconciled with major pressures to protect local industries? Meeting in the quake-stricken Italian city of L’Aquila, the leaders said they wanted to finally reach an agreement next year on a long-stalled world trade deal, according to a draft of a joint declaration.
Convicted financier says he won’t appeal
Disgraced financier Bernard Madoff will not appeal his 150-year sentence for a fraud that unraveled overnight last December when Madoff confessed to his sons that nearly $65 billion he promised investors was safe was actually only worth a few hundred million dollars. “We won’t be appealing the sentence,” Madoff’s lawyer, Ira Sorkin, said Thursday. He didn’t explain the decision. Rebekah Carmichael, a prosecutor’s spokeswoman, declined to comment. The 71-year-old Madoff was sentenced last week after admitting he bilked thousands of investors out of billions of dollars in an epic scheme that spanned the globe.
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