Residents can help pick design for plane
Residents can help pick design for plane
HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii residents can vote on an airplane design they believe best represents their culture.
Alaska Airlines is hosting the “Paint the Plane” contest, which features three designs submitted by Hawaii schoolchildren. The three were chosen from more than 2,700 submissions in a contest sponsored by Alaska Airlines, the Hawaii Department of Education and Hawaii Association of Independent Schools.
The designs include a canoe sailing the islands among wildlife; hula dancers against a backdrop of waves and cliffs; and a canoe, the hibiscus and Hawaiian Island chain, with the words: “Spirit of the Islands.”
Voting is open until Tuesday and open to Hawaii residents only.
Alaska Airlines says the contest winner will be announced Jan. 10. The plane, with the winning design, is to be unveiled in the spring.
Rescreening may end for certain flights
WASHINGTON (AP) — Passengers arriving in the U.S. from international airports who miss connecting flights because their checked bags have to be rescreened could get some relief under legislation passed Wednesday by the House and sent to the president for his signature.
The “No-Hassle Flying Act” gives the Transportation Security Administration the authority to waive rescreening requirements for flights from international airports that install U.S.-equivalent baggage scanning processes and equipment.
It has yet to be decided which airports will qualify, but a likely starting point will be 14 airports in Canada, Ireland and the Caribbean where the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency already inspects and clears commercial air passengers. Currently, passengers arriving from those airports need not undergo another physical security check upon arriving in the United States, but their bags must still be transported to TSA facilities for screening using explosives detection system equipment before they can board another flight for their next U.S. destination.
Stocks little changed after Fed rally fizzles
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks ended the day little changed Wednesday after a rally prompted by the Federal Reserve’s latest economic stimulus program fizzled out.
The Dow Jones industrial average closed down 2.99 points at 13,245.45. It had risen as much as 81 points after the Fed said earlier in the day that it would extend a bond-buying plan and keep interest extremely low.
The S&P finished 0.64 points higher at 1,428.48. The Nasdaq composite was down 8.49 points at 3,013.81.
The Fed said it will keep spending $85 billion a month on bond purchases to drive down long-term borrowing costs and stimulate economic growth.