Linda Blachly is Senior Associate Editor for Air Transport World and Aviation Week. She joined the company in July 2010 and is responsible for producing features for Air Transport World’s monthly magazine and engaging content for the aviationweek.com. She is based in the Washington DC office.
Linda received a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Maryland.
Previous positions include Publisher & Editor-in-Chief, Trips & Getaways magazine; Editor, The Bowie Blade-News, published by Capital-Gazette Communications; and Managing Editor, The Prince George’s Sentinel. She has also worked as an editor for book publishers, Maryland Historical Press and BOMI Institute.
Linda lives in Gambrills, MD and enjoys family time with her three adult children and six grandchildren.
US Dept. of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics reported that US airlines collected almost $5.7 billion from baggage fees and reservation change fees in 2010. According to BTS, the airlines received $3.4 billion from baggage fees and $2.3 billion from reservation change fees in 2010. “These are the only fees paid by passengers that BTS can identify separately. All other fees paid by passengers are included in larger categories with other types of revenue,” said BTS.
Air Canada and the Canadian Auto Workers said the airline's approximately 3,800 call center and airport customer service agents in Canada have ratified a new collective bargaining agreement ( ATW Daily News, June 16). The four-year accord, which has been approved by AC's board of directors, will remain in effect until Feb. 28, 2015.
US FAA is proposing a $250,000 civil penalty against Orlando-based AirTran Airways for allegedly operating a Boeing 737 on four passenger flights without properly repairing or testing an angle-of-attack sensor on the aircraft, which warns if there is a potential loss of lift, after it was struck by lightning during a flight March 20, 2009. FAA also alleges the airline “misused the Minimum Equipment List when it decided to defer the repair and continued to operate the aircraft.” AirTran, a subsidiary of Southwest Airlines, has 30 days to respond to the agency.
