Mesaba Aircraft Makes Emergency Landing
A Mesaba Airlines Bombardier CRJ 900 made an emergency landing at Houston last week after blowing a tire on takeoff. Flight 3462, operating as a Northwest Airlink, was bound for Minneapolis. The jet circled several times to allow controllers to assess the damage and passengers reported a smooth landing.

AE Adds Frequency at BMI, SPI, Drops SPI-STL
American Eagle is changing its Illinois service adding frequencies at Bloomington and Springfield but dropping its Springfield-St. Louis American Connection service, operated by Trans States.
American Eagle Airlines is adding one daily nonstop flight between Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and Central Illinois Regional Airport at Bloomington-Normal (BMI), beginning Nov. 2. American Eagle will operate the service with 50-seat Embraer ERJ-145 jets. It is notable the new service is in a place represented by Senator Richard Durbin, D-Ill., a member of the Senate Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee
In a move that further cuts back its service to a once mighty hub, American Eagle is substituting two daily round-trip flights from Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport in Springfield to Chicago O'Hare International Airport beginning Nov. 2, to replace the Springfield-St. Louis service it now has. St. Louis was TWA’s headquarters hub prior to its acquisition by American. The service will use 44-seat Embraer 145 regional jets.
"While we have enjoyed service to St. Louis for many years, Chicago O'Hare will offer many more connecting options throughout the American Airlines network," said Mark E. Hanna, executive director, Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport. "The direct connection through Chicago will provide more one-stop connections and save travelers time."

DTW Gates at New Terminal Unoccupied
Twenty five percent of the gates at Detroit’s new North Terminal will remain empty when the new facility opens in September as a result of the capacity cuts imposed by mainline carriers beginning in September. The new terminal has 24 gates.

NW Writes Off $214M in Midwest Investment
As expected, Northwest Airlines wrote off its $213 million investment in Midwest Airlines in the second quarter, an ominous event for the Milwaukee-based airline. Northwest owns a 47 percent stake.

Horizon Air Only Airline to Serve Idaho Falls During Runway Construction
Horizon will be the only airline providing service to and from Idaho Falls while the airport’s main runway is closed for repairs Sept. 2 through Oct. 1, 2008. Throughout the duration of the closure, Horizon will offer four daily flights to Boise using 37-seat Bombardier Q200 aircraft, designed to use the airport’s second runway, which will remain open during the construction.
After the renovated runway opens, Horizon will resume service to Idaho Falls with 76-seat Bombardier Q400s, offering a direct flight to Seattle and a direct flight to Boise starting Oct. 12. The Boise flight will depart Idaho Falls in the early morning – allowing for easy connections to Horizon flights to Los Angeles, Portland, Sacramento, and San Jose – and then continue on to Seattle from Boise. Additionally, Horizon will offer an afternoon nonstop flight to Seattle from Idaho Falls. Of the two returning eastbound flights, one will stop in Boise and the other in Sun Valley before continuing on to Idaho Falls.