Planes get too close on approach to LAX

Federal Aviation Administration officials say an error by an air traffic controller allowed a commuter plane to get too close to a Boeing 767 on approach to Los Angeles International Airport last week.

FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said Tuesday that an American Eagle Embraer E135 came within three miles of the tail of the Chilean-based LAN Airlines plane on Jan. 19 while flying at about 7,000 feet. Pilots are required to maintain five miles of separation to avoid wake turbulence that can send smaller planes out of control.

Controllers union spokesman Melvin Davis told San Diego's KGTV that controllers are overworked and understaffed.

Travelers pack bags for other airport

A dingy, crowded and unfriendly place for many travelers, Miami International Airport lays out an unwelcome mat to tourists and propels Miami-Dade residents to Broward to catch a flight. Among major airports nationwide, MIA, the leading gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean, ranks within the bottom five from a consumer's perspective. "It's tired and musty dusty, " said Ira Weinstein, president of Air Marketing Services, who surveyed passenger satisfaction for 15 years, at 150 airports. "You're always going through a maze. In the concourses, the concessions are sticking out, so the passenger flow is off. In the gate hold areas, the seating is old and not comfortable." A Herald survey shows airports that compete for MIA passengers are often far nicer places to visit, with Internet stations, more parking spaces per passenger, a wider variety of dining and shopping options and far less crime. Around the world, and close to home, travelers are catching on. Studies show that if given a choice, out-of-towners

NHTSA Will Not Mandate Automatically-Reversing Windows

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has said it will not require vehicles to have automatic reversing windows.

Southwest says it could see record revenue in 2010

Last year Southwest Airlines' revenue shrank for the first time ever. Now the CEO says it could rebound with record revenue in 2010.

Southwest reported Thursday that January traffic rose 7.1 percent from a year ago, and CEO Gary Kelly said the nation's biggest discount airline had strong bookings for February and March.

If that trend holds, Southwest should finish 2010 with revenue much higher than last year. Kelly told an investors conference in New York "it can even surpass the revenues we had in 2008."

FAA investigating Southwest Airlines again

Federal officials are investigating Southwest Airlines over the way it handled structural repairs on dozens of jets, according to a person familiar with the situation.

The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed Tuesday that it is investigating whether Southwest followed safety orders dealing with the maintenance of older planes.

Inspectors believe Southwest and a repair shop near Seattle conducted body repairs on 44 jets without getting FAA approval first. The jets were then used on more than 100,000 flights, said the person familiar with the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity because details of the investigation are not public.