"FAA tells US airlines to alter fuel tanks to cut blast risk" by Bloomberg News | July 17, 2008
WASHINGTON - US airlines must modify their jets' fuel tanks to cut the risk of explosions such as the 1996 blast that downed TWA Flight 800, under a federal rule made final yesterday.
The changes will cost airlines $1 billion over 35 years and cover 2,730 existing planes, or most of the Boeing Co. and Airbus SAS aircraft used by US passenger carriers, and future purchases.
Regulators are trying to prevent a repeat of the Trans World Airlines disaster off Long Island, N.Y. That explosion killed all 230 people on board shortly after the Boeing Co. 747 took off from John F. Kennedy airport 12 years ago today.
At this point, one wonders why there haven't been more planes going poof.
Of course, since this cover story is all a damnable lie, the cost and expenses that the passenger will eventually pick up is totally unnecessary.
But someone will make a pile of lot all the same!!
I hope the airlines crash -- economically, that is!!!!
The TWA explosion and blasts on three other planes have killed a total of 346 people since 1989.
Four US planes "are virtually certain" to have fuel-tank explosions in the next 35 years unless actions are taken, the Federal Aviation Administration said in its rule, citing computer modeling.
The rule requires new passenger aircraft to have center-tank flammability reduced in two years, and carriers have as long as nine years to retrofit existing planes. Carriers must complete half their fleets within six years. Cargo planes will be exempt from retrofits, though will have to meet the requirement for new models.
US airlines and France-based aircraft maker Airbus have opposed the rule, partly because they say it would cost too much.
"We've never had a fuel tank explosion," an Airbus spokeswoman said in an e-mail.
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I just wonder when Americans will get sick of being socked for lies.
Oh, and about those "bankrupt" airlines?
ATLANTA - The red ink is mounting for airlines amid soaring fuel costs, leaving them little choice but to raise ticket prices further. As Delta Air Lines and American Airlines reported big second-quarter losses yesterday, they signaled customers should expect more hits to their checkbooks.
There are signs overall demand for flying within the United States is softening, but industry observers insisted that will not stop rising fares, more fees, and fewer domestic flights.
That point was underscored as Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines Inc. reported a $1.04 billion loss in the April-June quarter and Fort Worth-based AMR Corp., the parent of American, posted a $1.45 billion loss for the quarter. One-time charges and unprecedented fuel costs affected both airlines, which saw their shares soar as their results beat Wall Street expectations and oil prices dropped.
Delta's loss for the three months ending June 30 amounted to $2.64 a share, compared to a profit of $1.59 billion a year ago when Delta emerged from bankruptcy protection.
Excluding one-time items, Delta earned a profit of $137 million, or 35 cents a share, in the second quarter.
--MORE--"I'm tired of them crying poverty when all they are doing is stealing $$$ so they can get another bailout.
