A DHL cargo plane skidded off a runway and ended up on a road near the airport in Bergamo, Italy, early Friday, the Italian Civil Aviation Authority said. The plane, a Boeing 737-400, lost control during the landing, went off the runway, plowed through a fence and crashed into the nearby road. Firefighters work on a DHL cargo plane that skidded off a runway overnight at the airport of Bergamo Orio al Serio in northern Italy, crashing through a guard rail onto a highway on Friday, August 5. The two people onboard, the captain and first officer, were unharmed, according to a statement from the Italian authorities. The DHL courier company's Boeing 737-400 cargo aircraft rests on a road after it came off the runway during landing at airport of Bergamo Orio al Serio, Italy, on Friday, August 5. "It is understood that there was heavy rain at the airport at the time of the incident," said ASL Airlines Hungary, which owns the aircraft. "A rapid response team has been dispatched from the airline's headquarters in Budapest." Dramatic pictures of the incident showed the aircraft protruding well into the road with debris shattered on the ground. <br/>
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Virgin America posted a 9% decrease in passenger revenue per available seat mile, a key industry metric, in its latest quarter, which helped pressure profit despite savings linked to lower fuel costs. The airline, which is now seeking the regulatory green light for its merger with Alaska Air registered a weaker-than-expected 41% drop in profit. Shares of the company edged down 0.8% after hours to $55.51. For the quarter, the airline paid an average of $1.51 per gallon of fuel, which was 30% lower than a year ago. Over all, the company posted a profit of $38.1m, or 85 cents a share, down from $65m, or $1.47 a share, a year earlier. Adjusted earnings were 93 cents, down from $1.46 Revenue climbed 6.2% to $425.7m. In April, Alaska Air struck its $2.6b deal to buy Virgin. In June, the airlines entered into a timing agreement with the US Justice Department outlining steps in connection with the government’s review of the deal. Under the pact, the airlines agreed not to consummate the merger before Sept. 30, unless the Justice Department closes its investigation sooner.<br/>
Southwest Airlines’ board made no bones about its response to the labor groups that called for the ouster of two top executives: They’re not going anywhere. After the carrier’s four largest unions earlier this week called for CEO Gary Kelly and COO Mike Van de Ven to step down, directors fired back in a letter Friday saying they have “no intention” of removing either executive from his position. The work groups said Kelly and Van de Ven should go because of flight disruptions caused by aging computer systems and a too-narrow focus on cutting costs and stock buybacks rather than upgrading the reservation system. The board said Southwest has “never been stronger” in its 45-year history, citing increases in salaries, wages and benefits, service expansion and other accomplishments. “This all took place against the backdrop of years of economic turmoil, including one of the greatest recessions in our country’s history,” the board said in the letter. During the same period, several other airlines went bankrupt or closed down, while Southwest remained profitable and laid off no employees, the board said. The directors said in the letter that the unions’ vote of no confidence in management is “without merit” and “reckless” and fails to consider the potential consequences, such as a “grinding halt” in labor negotiations.<br/>
Southwest Airlines and US safety regulators are trying to determine what caused a nose gear to collapse on a Boeing 737 as it was being pushed back from an airport gate near Washington. The FAA and the NTSB are joining Southwest’s technical operations team inspecting the jet, according to the agencies. The airline was still working to move the aircraft Friday, following the accident the night before at Baltimore/Washington International airport, said a spokeswoman. There was “no indication the aircraft was impacted by another object” before the collapse, she said. Southwest notified the FAA shortly after the incident, which occurred as the plane was being pushed away from the gate by a tractor-like vehicle known as a tug. The aviation regulator will investigate, the agency said in an e-mail statement. An NTSB investigator also will gather data, a spokesman said.<br/>
An Air Algeria plane en route to Marseille has been forced to return to Algiers due to an unspecified technical failure. The airline said the plane landed safely in the Algerian capital Saturday around 30 minutes after takeoff and no one was injured. It said passengers are expected to board another plane for Marseille in southern France later in the day.<br/>It didn't immediately provide any more details about what caused the emergency.<br/>
Spirit Airlines flight made an emergency stop in Phoenix because of passenger allegedly acting unruly. Phoenix police say the flight from Los Angeles bound for Fort Lauderdale, Florida was diverted late Friday to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Police took 64-year-old Jose De Dios Ucros into custody. According to witnesses, Ucros seemed impaired and acted strange near an exit door. They say he was then belligerent and began touching other passengers. Police say he then escalated to assaulting a crew member. Passengers and crew had to restrain him. Sgt. Vince Lewis says Ucros was booked into jail Saturday on two counts of assault.<br/>