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JetBlue Launches Service to Ecuador JetBlue now offers daily flights between Fort Lauderdale and Quito, Ecuador. This is the fifth South American destination for JetBlue, which currently flies to Lima and three cities in Colombia (Medellin, Cartagena and Bogota).

Flier Has To Purchase Extra Seat for Viola on Emirates Organizers for a youth orchestra traveling to Dubai in April were surprised to learn that Emirates will charge them for extra seats for their violas (violas are only slightly larger than violins).

Delta Gives One Percent of Profits Away Delta’s incoming CEO Ed Bastian has announced in a letter to employees that the airline plans to give one percent of its profits to charity this year. Barring any unforeseen problems, that one percent should add up to about $37 million.

Call for Identity Checks at Australian Airports With the rise of self-check-in kiosks, authorities in Australia are worried that criminals or terrorists may be able to get boarding passes with fake or stolen IDs. The Australian Federal Police are seeking a rule that would require passengers to show an ID with their boarding pass before getting on the plane.

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Two airline crashes within two days have put a spotlight on aviation safety and the lack of regulation of private airlines in Nepal. A total of 23 people were killed when a Tara Air turboprop slammed into a hillside in the central part of the country. Then, two pilots were killed and nine passengers injured in a second crash just two days later.   

After dealing with political turmoil last year, the Maldives is looking to get its luxury tourism industry back on track. The island nation is trying to get a deal that would allow for more flights from India. 

American Eagle, Delta Connection and United Express have said that the bankruptcy of Republic Airways won’t affect their services. Other regional carriers will step in to take the place of the struggling contractor while it goes through bankruptcy proceedings. 

Struggling Brazilian airline Gol is cutting service by six percent and ending flights to seven cities. Passengers who already have tickets to cities that are getting the ax will be flown on other airlines. Gol is getting a new injection of cash, in the form of loans, to help it climb out of its current slump. 

Saudi Arabian airlines are beefing up security after intelligence reports suggested that covert operators allied with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards might try to hijack or otherwise attack Saudi carriers in the Philippines. Filipino authorities will provide extra security to Saudi-based airlines. 

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