A flight attendant angry about his work route started a fire in a toilet, forcing an emergency landing, authorities said today.

A potential tie-up between British Airways and two US rivals could lead to the trio co-ordinating schedules, fares and frequent flyer programmes for transatlantic flights, it was reported today.

YESTERDAY, as SIPTU took what may be one of its final stands in its rearguard action against modernisation at Aer Lingus, the announcement of a merger of two of the world’s biggest airlines underlined the challenges facing that industry.

Stocks finished a quiet session moderately lower today as investors grappled with concerns about the health of corporate profits after Wachovia posted disappointing quarterly results.

Stocks barely moved today as investors wondered whether a welter of weak economic data would end the Federal Reserve’s year-long streak of interest rate rises.

AFTER years of losses and soaring fuel costs driven even higher by Hurricane Katrina, two of America’s biggest airline carriers, Delta and Northwest, looked to be headed to bankruptcy court last night.

Wall Street finished a difficult week lower today as investors, restrained by uncertainty about the economic impact of Hurricane Katrina, had little reaction to a sharp decline in oil prices and a drop in unemployment.

Newly optimistic investors sent stocks sharply higher today, propelling the Dow Jones industrials 112 points higher as new economic data showed strength in manufacturing.

Six US-bound flights from England, Scotland and France were cancelled yesterday because of security concerns.

A man has been arrested and charged in Alaska after he threatened to kill a passenger on a jumbo jet carrying 351 people.

British Airways was one of the few leading world airlines to actually increase passenger numbers in crisis-hit 2001, new global figures have shown.

An airliner was diverted to Fort Smith, Arkansas after four passengers behaved strangely on the flight, including at least three who locked themselves in a lavatory, possibly shaving their body hair.

The US Transport Department today tentatively agreed to allow British Airways and American Airlines to work together to set rates and routes and sell each other’s tickets.

The US Government is investigating trading in shares of 38 companies, including major airlines, cruise lines, General Motors and Raytheon, to determine if people used advance knowledge of the terror attacks to profit.

A Northwest Airlines pilot erupted in fury after airport security confiscated his fingernail clippers and scissors, it has emerged.

US carrier Northwest Airlines is to cut 10,000 jobs and reduce services by 20% to counter a business slow down in the wake of terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.

Delta, American, Northwest and United airlines have all cut their schedules by 20% in the wake of last week's terrorist attacks in America.

Northwest Airlines have said it may not be prudent to fly today.

US Transport Secretary Norman Mineta has re-opened US airspace to commercial flights.