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DALLAS — Delta and United became the most profitable U.S. airlines by targeting premium customers while also winning back a significant share of travelers on a tight budget. That is squeezing smaller low-fare carriers like Spirit Airlines , which recently filed for bankruptcy protection. Some travel-industry experts think Spirit’s troubles indicate that travelers on a budget will be left with fewer choices and higher prices. Other discount airlines are on much better financial footing than Spirit, but they too are lagging far behind the full-service airlines when it comes to recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic . Most industry experts think Frontier Airlines and other so-called ultra-low-cost carriers will fill the vacuum if Spirit shrinks , and that there is still plenty of competition to prevent prices from spiking. Spirit Airlines lost more than $2.2 billion since the start of 2020. Frontier has not reported a full-year profit since 2019, though that slump might end this year. Allegiant Air’s parent company is still profitable, but less so than before the pandemic. Those kind of numbers led United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby to declare recently that low-cost carriers were using “a fundamentally flawed business model” and customers hate flying on them. Kirby’s touchdown dance might turn out to be premature, but many analysts are wary about the near-term prospects for budget airlines, which charge cheaper fares but more fees than the big airlines. A traveler speaks with a Spirit Airlines agent May 24 at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport ahead of Memorial Day in Atlanta. Low-cost airlines grew in the last two decades by undercutting big carriers on ticket prices, thanks in large part to lower costs, including hiring younger workers who were paid less than their counterparts at Delta Air Lines, United and American Airlines . Wages soared across the industry in the past two years, however, narrowing that cost advantage. The big airlines rolled out and refined their no-frills, “basic economy” tickets to compete directly with Spirit, Frontier and other budget carriers for the most price-sensitive travelers. The budget airlines became less efficient at using planes and people. As their growth slowed, they wound up with more of both than they needed. In 2019, Spirit planes were in the air an average of 12.3 hours every day. By this summer, the planes spent an average of two more hours each day sitting on the ground, where they don't make money. Spirit's costs per mile jumped 32% between 2019 and 2023. Another issue is that airlines added too many flights. Budget airlines and Southwest Airlines were among the worst offenders, but full-service airlines piled on. To make up for a drop in business travel, the big carriers added more flights on domestic leisure routes. The result: Too many seats on flights into popular tourist destinations such as Florida and Las Vegas, which drove down prices, especially for economy-class tickets. Rows of seats are shown Sept. 26 on a retrofitted Southwest Airlines jet at Love Field in Dallas. Low-cost airlines are responding by following the old adage that if you can't beat them, join them. That means going premium, following the rapidly growing household wealth among upper-income people. The top one-fifth of U.S. households by income added $35 trillion in wealth since 2019 and holds nearly nine times the wealth of the middle fifth, according to the Federal Reserve . Frontier Airlines organized its fares into four bundles in May, with buyers of higher-priced tickets getting extras such as priority boarding, more legroom and checked bags. The airline dropped ticket-change or cancellation fees except for the cheapest bundle. Spirit followed in August with similar changes, blocking middle seats and charging passengers more for the comfort of aisle and window seats. Spirit Airlines CEO Ted Christie received a $3.8 million retention bonus a week before the Florida-based carrier filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Christie will retain the bonus if he remains with the company for another year. The airline's stock has dropped over 90% this year. It has faced challenges including a blocked $3.8 billion merger with JetBlue and failed talks with Frontier. The pandemic disrupted Spirit's operations and travel patterns, reducing its daily aircraft utilization and increasing costs. Demand has shifted to full-service airlines as higher-income travelers vacation more, while inflation impacts lower-income consumers. JetBlue Airways , which began flying more than 20 years ago as a low-cost carrier but with amenities, is digging out from years of steady losses. Under new CEO Joanna Geraghty, the first woman to lead a major U.S. airline, JetBlue is cutting unprofitable routes, bolstering core markets that include the Northeast and Florida, and delaying deliveries of $3 billion worth of new planes. Starting next year, Southwest Airlines will toss out a half-century tradition of “open seating” — passengers picking their own seat after boarding the plane. Executives say extensive surveying showed 80% of customers preferred an assigned seat, and that's especially true with coveted business travelers. More crowded planes also might be pushing passengers to spend more to escape a middle seat in the back of the plane. A Frontier Airlines jet takes off July 5, 2022, from Denver International Airport in Denver. In other parts of the world, budget carriers are doing just fine. They bounced back from the pandemic just like their more highbrow competitors. Some industry experts say low-cost carriers in Asia and Europe have always attracted a more diverse mix of passengers, while in the U.S., affluent and middle-class travelers look down their noses at low-cost carriers. Jamie Baker, an analyst for JPMorgan, says he has many college friends who work in London and fly Irish airline Ryanair all the time, but he hardly knows anyone who has ever been on a Spirit or Frontier plane. A small plane tows a banner April 13, 2016, over Flint Bishop International Airport as part of ceremonies marking Allegiant Air joining the airport. Delta CEO Ed Bastian is less dismissive of the “lower-end carriers” in the U.S. than United's Kirby. "I don’t see that segment ever disappearing,” Bastian said after Spirit’s bankruptcy filing. “I think there’s a market for it.” At the same time, he said the upscale moves by ultra-low-cost carriers are having no effect on his airline. Delta targets upscale travelers but also introduced basic-economy fares a decade ago, when discounters emerged as a growing threat to poach some of Delta's customers. “Just calling yourself a premium carrier and actually being a premium carrier are two totally different things,” Bastian said “It's not the size of the seat or how much room you have; it's the overall experience.” As frequent flyers know, air travel isn't cheap. With the summer months in full swing, demand for air travel is expected to reach record numbers in 2024 as airlines continue to recover after the COVID-19 pandemic. Luckily for those who are looking for ways to save on travel , one way to cut costs on your next vacation may be in finding the right places to fly in and out of. FinanceBuzz looked at average domestic airfares from the 45 busiest airports in the U.S. to learn which airports are best for travelers on a budget, as well as which ones to avoid if you are trying to travel affordably. Overall, the national average airfare cost decreased by 3.1% from 2022 to 2023 when adjusted for inflation (which translates to a 0.9% increase in non-adjusted dollars). The last time inflation-adjusted airfare costs dropped year-over-year was during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, when it fell 18% between 2019 and 2020. Largely, this is good news for consumers who can spend less on airfare and have more room in their budget for hotels , restaurants, and other travel fees. In addition to earning rewards on airfare, most travel credit cards offer rewards for spending in these areas, which can offset overall vacation costs. Orlando International Airport (MCO) had the lowest airfare cost in the country at $265.58 on average. Home to iconic theme parks like Universal Studios, Sea World, and most notably, Walt Disney World, Orlando is one of America's top tourist destinations. This is welcome news for those bracing for expensive park tickets and food prices at the House of Mouse. Beyond saving with a Disney credit card on park-related purchases, visitors can also maximize savings by using a credit card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve which offers an annual travel credit, or even using a 0% APR credit card if you don't want to pay for your entire vacation at once. Another Florida-based airport, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), has the second-lowest average airfare cost in the country — tickets here are only about $5 more expensive than Orlando's. Just a few dollars behind FLL is Las Vegas's Harry Reid International (LAS), where fares cost $272.15 on average. LAS is also the last airport on our list where average airfare costs are less than $300. Oakland International Airport (OAK) has the fourth-lowest average airfare costs in the country at $303.79. And the fifth-least expensive airport, Chicago Midway International (MDW), comes in at $308.27. For the third year in a row, Dulles International Airport (IAD) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) have the two highest average fares in the country. Flights from Dulles cost $488.40 on average in 2023, while flights from San Francisco cost $444.59. Some silver lining for travelers who need to travel through Dulles: IAD is home to some of the best airport lounges in the country, including the recently-opened Capital One Lounge, available to Capital One Venture X or Venture Rewards credit card holders. With free food, drinks, and recharging stations, lounges can be one easy way to offset otherwise-expensive airport costs. Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) has the third-highest average airfare in the country, with an average cost of $438.34. Last on our top-five list of the most expensive airports are Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) and Detroit Metro Airport (DTW). Average airfare from Charlotte cost $436.80 last year, while flights from Detroit had an average price tag of $427.05. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) was the biggest affordability winner over the last year, dropping prices by more than $18 on average. SEA jumped from 36th most-affordable place last year to 28th place this year — an increase of eight spots. Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) and Portland International Airport (PDX) experienced similar jumps, rising by seven spots each. RDU went from 24th place in 2022 to 17th in 2023, while PDX went from 42nd to 35th. Two different airports fell by eight spots in our affordability rankings, tied for the biggest drop of the year. The average fare at Sacramento International Airport (SMF) rose by $18.66 year-over-year, which led SMF to go from 18th in last year's affordability rankings to 26th this year. Prices rose even more at St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL), going up by $19.64 on average from one year to the next. Consequently, STL fell from 21st to 29th place in terms of affordability. As you plan your travel, you'll find costs can vary widely at a single airport. With a little research and smart planning, you can find a deal at any airport. Here are a few tips to save on airfare: We looked at 2023 airfare data released by the U.S. Department of Transportation in May 2024 to compare domestic airfares by origin city. This report calculated average fares based on domestic itinerary fares. "Itinerary fares" consist of round-trip fares, unless only a one-way ticket was purchased. In that case, the one-way fare was used. Fares are based on total ticket value, including the price charged by the airline plus any additional taxes and fees levied at the time of purchase. Fares include only the price paid at booking and do not include fees for optional services like baggage fees. Averages also do not include frequent-flyer or "zero fares" or a few abnormally high reported fares. This stor y was produced by FinanceBuzz and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media. Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!
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Supermodel Heidi Klum has had a robust love life, having been married three times, first to stylist Ric Pipino from 1997 to 2002. After their split, she found love again with musical artist Seal. The pair had a very long-lasting relationship, marrying in 2005. They went on to have three children together but announced their separation in early 2012. Following her divorce, Klum dated around a bit and then met Tokio Hotel guitarist Tom Kaulitz. The new couple were married in 2019 and seem to have a very passionate relationship, which includes Klum’s personal passion for celebrating Halloween. Here’s everything to know about the model’s musician husband. Kaulitz is a musician who was born and raised in Germany, which is one of the things that drew him and Klum together, as Klum is also German. In 2018, Klum told , “He is absolutely wonderful. Maybe it is because he is German, and we understand each other in a different way.” In fact, Kaulitz is from East Germany, and he once gave her a piece of the Berlin Wall as a birthday gift, according to an interview she gave on There are some differences between them, specifically a 16-year age gap. But Klum told , “Lately, I'm being reminded more about my age by people other than myself...My boyfriend is many years younger than me, and lots of people are questioning that and asking about it. That’s really the only time when age seems to be shoved in my face, and I have to give an answer for it.” “I don’t really think about it that much otherwise,” she added. “You have to just live a happy life without worrying too much about what people think because worrying is only going to give you more wrinkles.” Kaulitz is a musician, and he has a rock band with his twin brother Bill. Kaulitz is lead guitarist, and the two of them plus Gustav Schäfer on drums and Georg Listing playing base make up Tokio Hotel. The brothers also co-host a podcast called . Bill also lives nearby, which is important to Kaulitz. “Bill lives close to us,” he said in an . “He only lives ten minutes away from us, so we all spend a lot of time together...Even at the breakfast table, we’re a lot of people and it gets crazy sometimes, but in a good way. I’m a family man, I love family and I love spending quality time.” In March 2018, the couple was seen kissing on the set of Klum’s workplace, . They went public soon after, walking the red carpet together in May at the Cannes amfAR Gala. Within the year, the couple knew it was real. They were engaged in December 2018, which Klum joyfully celebrated on social media, telling fans, “I SAID YES.” I SAID YES ❤️ — Heidi Klum (@heidiklum) They were married only two months later in California, but they kept things quiet until their second wedding, which was a huge celebration in Capri, Italy, in August 2019. The event was held on a luxury yacht. It seems to be a place they visit together frequently. “I'm just a much happier person,” Klum told in January 2020. “For the first time, I have a partner who I can discuss everything with. Someone who shares duties that we all have in our life. I used to be on my own with everything. For the first time, I get to experience what it is actually like to have a partner.” Klum shares three children with her ex-husband Seal, daughter Lou and her sons Henry and Johan. She also has an older daughter, Leni, from a relationship with Italian businessman Flavios Briatore. Kaulitz has reportedly developed a relationship with them all and sees himself as an “extra dad.” A source told that Kaulitz “made a huge effort to get to know them...He plays sports with Heidi’s boys and is involved in activities that the girls enjoy. Heidi loves his energy and take on life and feels very grateful that she met Tom.” Klum has been famous for her Halloween parties since kicking off the annual event in 2000. While she has certainly been the star of the show on many occasions with her costumes, Kaulitz makes them even better by going along with whatever she wants. In October 2023, Klum dressed up as an elaborate peacock, and her husband joined in as...a peacock egg. But even when they first started dating, he was all in. For her 2018 party, the couple dressed as Shrek and Fiona. And in October 2022, after taking a break for COVID-19, Kaulitz was a fisherman, and Klum was a worm on his hook. The couple enjoyed some warm weather on St. Barts, and were photographed on Saturday, December 30, sunning on the beach together. Klum wore swimsuit bottoms and no top, but put on a baseball cap and sunglasses to shield her face. She had one some pieces of jewelry, including bracelets and a pendant. The model shared some shots and video of the say with Kaulitz on Instagram, writing, “ Love spending time with you ❤️.” Keeping her tradition of amazing Halloween costumes alive, Klum and Kaulitz dressed up at two E.T.s in love for her annual party at the Hard Rock Hotel in New York City.Former US president Jimmy Carter dead at 100
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Beth Gazley , Indiana University (THE CONVERSATION) The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill that would empower the Treasury Department to eliminate the tax-exempt status of any nonprofit it deems to be supporting terrorism. The Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act was approved in a 219-184 vote , with all but one Republican backing it and only 15 Democrats voting for it, on Nov. 21, 2024. The Conversation U.S. philanthropy and nonprofits editor Emily Schwartz Greco spoke with Beth Gazley , an Indiana University scholar of nonprofits, local governance and civil society, to better understand the outcry over this measure – which would have to pass in the Senate before a U.S. president could sign it into law. President-elect Donald Trump, who will take office in January 2025, will begin his second term with narrow majorities in both chambers of Congress. That means an identical or similar bill could come across his desk after being reintroduced in the next Congress . Why are so many people concerned about this bill? I believe that this is part of a strategy to preempt opposition to Republican policies and encourage self-censorship. It’s a way for the GOP to try to restrict what activists and nonprofit organizations can say or do. And, essentially, it’s a threat to political opponents of President-elect Donald Trump. This kind of law could become a blunt sword that can be used against everybody. I’m not the only one who feels this way. U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin , a Democrat who previously was a constitutional law professor , called the bill “a werewolf in sheep’s clothing.” Raskin observed that “rendering support to terrorists is already a felony” and warned that this bill could end up “capsizing” all rights to due process. Several nonpartisan groups and associations representing a wide array of nonprofits, including the Council on Foundations, Independent Sector, the National Council of Nonprofits, and United Philanthropy Forum, issued a joint statement that condemned this measure ahead of its passage in the House. The groups said they were concerned that it would provide “the executive branch with expansive new authority that could be abused.” What do you think ‘terrorism’ means in this context? An earlier version of this legislation was introduced in December 2023 and passed in the House in April 2024. Based on the timing, it was widely interpreted as an attempt to quell widespread protests by students and other people who were expressing their solidarity with Palestinians and their objections to Israel’s military operations in Gaza. But this legislation could easily do far more than that because it does not distinguish between foreign and domestic terrorism – whether it’s real or imagined. Until now, the Treasury Department has taken great care in how it defines domestic terrorism, observing on its website that the Constitution and U.S. laws “protect a wide range of expression – even expression that many might disagree with or find abhorrent, and even expression that certain foreign allies and partners of the United States prohibit and criminalize under their own laws.” U.S. law stipulates that The Treasury Department has an obligation to remain nonpartisan in any of its interactions with tax-exempt organizations. As a result, making it easier for federal authorities to allege that a nonprofit is “terrorist” would be a big departure from American traditions. It could be turning the term into a kind of political rhetoric that’s meant to intimidate activists, including those holding campus protests. The lack of a clear definition in the legislation would leave room for interpretation. It’s not clear who would be held liable – it might even be the nonprofits’ donors. Constitutional protections may protect people in the end who get caught up in these allegations, but there’s no way to know how far this could go or how much it might upend their livelihoods while they defend themselves. What other concerns do you have? This bill reminds me of what’s happening around the world in countries where support for democratic principles is declining and right-wing governments are restricting dissent . I’m currently working with Jennifer Alexander , a public administration professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio, on a paper about this trend and how it’s tied to what’s already happening in many U.S. states. We’ve found this pattern most prevalent where the Republican Party has full control over the government – the GOP occupies the governor’s mansion and has a majority in both legislative chambers. We have found that at least 22 U.S. states have either passed new laws restricting protests or tightened laws that were already on the books, increasing the severity of possible punishment. These laws restrict public advocacy and organizing. I can see it being used to clamp down on environmental protests, like the ones held in Atlanta to object to the construction of a police training center in an urban forest, or in North Dakota , against the construction of an oil pipeline. This kind of measure could lead to more severe crackdowns, should there be a new wave of Black Lives Matter protests, similar to the ones in 2020 that followed George Floyd’s murder . Many of those demonstrations were organized by nonprofit groups. In Texas, state authorities have attempted to shut down charities that assist immigrants , leading to an outcry from civil rights groups. And Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita has launched a probe of companies and nonprofits, including the God Is Good Foundation, that have allegedly conspired to bring noncitizens to the state . What do you think would happen if this measure were to become law? I can see how people intending to continue with the kind of mass mobilization organized by nonprofits might decide to go underground – to avoid the repercussions of activity that I would argue is clearly protected by the U.S. Constitution. Even without this measure becoming law, it has become possible for an organizer to be held liable in court for damage or injuries incurred during a demonstration – even if they personally did not engage in violence or destruction. Officially labeling an organization as “terrorist” can be very powerful. If this were to start happening, some of the population would never see that group any other way again. Many authoritarian regimes like to use this propaganda tool because it makes the public distrust those organizations. It places these organizations outside acceptable norms of civic engagement, despite nonprofits’ right to freedom of speech, assembly and petition embedded in the First Amendment to the Constitution. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/us-house-passes-measure-that-could-punish-nonprofits-treasury-department-decides-are-terrorist-244391 .Uruguay's voters choose their next president in a close runoff with low stakes but much suspense
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Former Rockstar Games developer Mike York has chimed in on all the fan theories about GTA 6’s second trailer and what the studio really thinks about the rampant speculation. For over one year , GTA fans have anxiously waited for Rockstar to reveal more information about GTA VI ever since the first trailer made its record-breaking debut . In the time since, fans have poured over every social media post , screenshot, in-game update, and just about anything GTA-related for hints at when the next trailer will be unveiled. Time and time again, these theories have failed to come to fruition – but now, a former dev at Rockstar who worked on GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 has revealed the truth about these teases. Former GTA dev says Rockstar “trolls” fans with teases In a new YouTube video, York explained that Rockstar is extremely secretive and said that this actually helps them out, because it creates more “allure” towards what is being worked on. “It creates allure and it creates mystery and it creates people talking about [GTA 6] without them having to do anything,” he said. “The more they’re silent, the better it is, because the more people will be antsy and want to talk about it and have this feeling of not knowing what’s going to happen.” According to York , Rockstar is specifically keeping the trailer date vague, because it’s all a marketing tactic that creates wild fan theories. The ex-dev pointed to the GTA Online moon phase theory . Basically, in 2023, the Moon Festival event ended up aligning with the actual moon on December 5, 2023. This was the date that the first GTA 6 trailer released, so players instantly took that as a sign that history could repeat itself. “What’s cool about this stuff is Rockstar can capitalize on it, and if someone has some big theory, even if they didn’t do it on purpose, they can come in and make it look like they did this thing on purpose a long time ago,” he said. “It’s really neat. In a way, this brings the fans together.” Related: York further added how people always dive into these theories and the devs “geek out” about it behind the scenes, noting how a lot of these things are “trolls.” “It’s a mystery to nowhere. It’s just to have you dig and search for stuff and find it, but even though it won’t lead to something, it’ll bring a chase and a journey for players for years to come and it’s really cool.” The dev ended his video by saying he hopes that players will continue to look for signs, because when he used to work for Rockstar, he found it cool to see all the theories people would come up with. It’s not clear if York’s comments will affect the amount of GTA 6 theories on the net, but with the game still slated to release in Fall 2025 , we’ll have to see what the future holds and if any of these conspiracies end up having a shred of truth to them.Saka stars in Arsenal rout at West Ham as Van Nistelrooy watches new team Leicester lose
The permits are granted to Hvalur hf. for the hunting of fin whales and to Tjaldtanga ehf. for minke whale hunting. The allowable number of animals to be hunted is based on the fishing advice of Hafrannsóknastofnun (Marine and Freshwater Research Institute). The institute recommends that no more than 209 fin whales and 217 minke whales be hunted annually.Neither minke whales nor fin whales have been hunted this year. Last year, 24 fin whales were hunted, and in 2022, 148 fin whales were caught.Bjarkey Olsen Gunnarsdóttir, then Minister of Food, issued a one-year permit for whaling in the summer, but the permit was issued after the whaling season was supposed to begin, so no whaling took place this year. After the coalition government of Sjálfstæðisflokkurinn (Independence Party), Vinstri græn (Left-Green Movement), and Framsóknarflokkurinn (Progressive Party) collapsed, and ministers from Vinstri græn resigned, Bjarni Benediktsson, Prime Minister, has held the position of Minister of Food in a caretaker government.Bjarni says that issuing whaling permits for the next five years is not a political decision. He explains that the permits were issued in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.He also asserts that the matter received proper and lawful treatment, including going through consultation as required by law. He adds that it was time to make a decision, even though the government’s tenure is likely nearing its end.The permit granted today is for five years. Bjarni points out that the Ombudsman of Alþingi (Parliament) criticised the handling of the case by the Vinstri græn (Left-Green Movement) minister, who banned whaling with a 24-hour notice last summer. When asked, Bjarni says he did not discuss the matter in government but will present it to his fellow ministers at a government meeting tomorrow. "There was no reason to do so," he says, given that no majority government is in place.Jón Gunnarsson, outgoing MP for Sjálfstæðisflokkurinn (Independence Party), was recently appointed as an assistant to Bjarni in the Ministry of Food.In a secret recording reported by the media outlet Heimildin, Jón’s son claimed that his father agreed to run on Sjálfstæðisflokkurinn’s electoral list in the recent elections in exchange for being in a position to grant whaling permits to Hval hf. Jón has denied this claim. Bjarni also states that Jón had no involvement in the matter. Hvalur hf. submitted an application to the Ministry of Food last month for an indefinite permit for whaling. This is far from the first time that ministers in a caretaker government have made decisions about whaling. Einar K. Guðfinnsson, Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture, reauthorised whaling the day after the coalition government of Samfylkingin (Social Democratic Alliance) and Sjálfstæðisflokkurinn collapsed in January 2009. Later, Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir, then Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture, expanded the whale conservation area in Faxaflói in November 2017, shortly before leaving office.