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JetBlue’s Emergency Landing & 6 Other Stories You May Have Missed

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Though FlyerTalk attempts to cover a full range of stories, every week a few fall through the cracks. Here are 7 stories we didn’t get around to writing, but are still worth knowing.

Smoke-Filled JetBlue Flight Makes Emergency Landing

An engine malfunction on a JetBlue flight carrying 147 passengers resulted in an emergency landing at Long Beach Airport (LGB) on Thursday. According to passenger accounts, the cabin filled with smoke shortly after they heard a loud pop. The pilot safely landed the plane and passengers evacuated via emergency chutes. JetBlue has since explained the right engine of the Airbus A320 “blew.” Actor Jackson Rathbone was on the flight with his wife and 2-year-old son.

Newspaper Apologizes for Comparing Air Travel to Slave Trade

A cartoon from the Lancaster New Era was deleted after drawing harsh criticism last week. The cartoon likened the discomfort of airline seating to ships that brought slaves to America. The president of Lancaster Newspapers and the editorial page’s executive editor issued a joint statement on Monday apologizing for the “deeply hurtful, offensive cartoon,” which they admit “both trivialized and demeaned” the experience of those who were forced into the slave trade.

Gold Bars Seized on Jet Airways Flight

Customs officers at India’s Mangalore Airport (IXE) found more than 2 pounds of gold bars in a Jet Airways lavatory on Sunday. The bars were hidden behind the mirror and toilet, both wrapped in black insulation tape. Each package contained five gold bars. Officials discovered the packages after receiving a tip and searching the aircraft upon landing. This was the second major gold seizure at IXE this month.

ExpertFlyer Now Supports US Air Award

Award and upgrade availability monitoring site ExpertFlyer.com announced on Tuesday that its search now supports US Airways, meaning users can search for award and upgrade data on flights operated US Airways. The update also allows passengers to create Flight Alerts for flights operated by US Airways. In a post on the FlyerTalk forums, ExpertFlyer said the changes were part of its “continued partnership with American Airlines.”

Hilton Anticipates Massive Growth of Latin America Portfolio

According to a press release issued on Tuesday, Hilton Worldwide plans to open nearly 40 new resorts and hotels in Latin America before 2017. The opening of the new properties would increase the company’s regional portfolio by 60 percent. Hilton’s senior vice president of the Caribbean, Mexico and Latin America described the region as “a dominant player” in the company’s “remarkable global growth.” Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton Hotels currently represent 75 percent of the Latin American development pipeline.

Delta Air Lines Pilots Get Early-Retirement Offer

On Wednesday, Delta Air Lines announced early-retirement incentives now available to select pilots. The airline said it will accept retirement offers for up to 50 eligible pilots, some of whom currently fly the carrier’s 16 Boeing 747 — four of which Delta plans to ground later this year. The four 747 the carrier retires are to be replaced by Boeing 777. Captains on the 747 are some of the highest-paid pilots among the 11,000 currently employed by Delta.

New “Share Better” Campaign Targets Airbnb

New York hotel owners, activists and elected officials have launched an ad campaign against Airbnb, whose “illegal hotels” are “robbing New York City of affordable housing and violating state law.” The campaign — known as “Share Better” — highlights stories of misfortune from Airbnb users and victims. A statement on the Share Better group’s website says Airbnb “poses serious public safety concerns” for hosts, guests and neighborhoods.

[Photo: iStock]

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