Australia's biggest airline, Qantas Airways, will cut 4 percent of its workforce and scrap its growth plan for the coming year, saying the business would be at risk if it fails to offset soaring fuel prices.

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.

Australia's Qantas Airways will sack 2,000 staff as soon as next week to combat sharply rising fuel costs, local newspapers report.  The carrier, already hard hit by strikes over a long-running pay dispute involving engineers, will slash 5% of its 36,000-strong workforce.

Delta Air Lines on Wednesday reported a $1 billion quarterly loss after special charges, as the airline industry continues to struggle with sky-high fuel prices.

Sleeping at an airport overnight, once almost a sport for the young and short of cash, has become a lot more common lately, affecting even older and professional travelers. And a big reason is that airlines are no longer as free with complimentary hotel vouchers as they once were, the New York Times reported.

Australia's Toll Holdings said it plans to offload its stake in airline Virgin Blue Holdings, and would take a $1.2 billion charge in its fiscal 2008 profit to reflect the lower value of its stake.

US Airways says it will start removing in-flight entertainment systems on domestic flights in November to save about $10 million annually in fuel and other costs.

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.

Boeing on Wednesday raised its outlook for spending on commercial airplanes over the next 20 years by 14 percent, helped in part by an expected 5 percent rise in worldwide air travel and the demand for new, more fuel-efficient planes.

Northwest Airlines said on Wednesday it would cut its frontline and management staff by 8 percent as part of a sweeping capacity reduction aimed at offsetting the soaring cost of jet fuel.

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

Airbus is expected to sell five A380 superjumbo aircraft to All Nippon Airways, its first sale of the world's biggest passenger plane to a Japanese airline, the Nikkei business daily reported on Friday.

Historic regular flights between Taiwan and China began on Friday, in a show of conciliation between the long-time rivals that could bring large numbers of mainland Chinese visitors to the island.

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.