Continental Airlines Inc. on Monday showed off new fully reclining seats that it will put in business class of some jets beginning next year.

A Continental Airlines flight carrying former presidential candidate Ron Paul and six other members of Congress to Washington, D.C., made an emergency landing in New Orleans on Tuesday after a loss in cabin pressure.

Stocks surged in the final hour of trading as a sharp drop in oil prices and an analyst note prompted a late rally in financials. The Nasdaq eked out a gain but investors still punished select techs, including Apple and Texas instruments after the firms dispatched disappointing results.

Airline manufacturers are trying to bolster their green credentials by playing down the importance of speed and lauding initiatives to reduce the environmental impact of flying, as well as the cost.

Continental Airlines on Thursday reported a quarterly loss, citing high fuel prices, a weakening economy and a weak U.S. dollar.

The chief executive officers of a dozen U.S. airlines, beset by record fuel costs that have caused several to cut jobs, reduce capacity and impose higher fees on customers, are now asking for their customers' help to curb the rise of oil prices.

ExpressJet Holdings, the parent of ExpressJet Airlines, said on Tuesday it would suspend branded commercial operations as of Sept.

British Airways is said to be close to seeking clearance from competition authorities for a three-way operational merger with American Airlines and Iberia, the Times of London and the Financial Times report.

Hedging is a financial strategy that lets airlines or other investors protect themselves against rising prices for commodities such as oil by locking in a price for fuel. It has been described as everything from gambling to buying insurance.