Travel Roundup: Eclipse Folds, Lufthansa Goes Italian, Attendants Sue Delta and More

(MoneyWatch) 

Eclipse Aviation files Chap. 11 -- Albuquerque-based Eclipse Aviation Corp. filed for bankruptcy Tuesday, a few months after its once-largest customer, DayJet, folded in September. The company, which sold light jets for two to four passengers, was founded by former Microsoft executive Vern Raburn. Bill Gates' investment firm, Cascade Investment LLC, also owned 3.8 percent of the company. Earlier this month, the company could not make payroll, casting doubts on its solvency. [Source: Puget Sound Business Journal, Reuters]

Lufthansa decides to launch Italian airline -- Deutsche Lufthansa AG announced Wednesday it would create a new Italian airline, Lufthansa Italia, with flights beginning from Milan in February. Flights would be made all over Europe, including Paris, Brussels, Budapest, Bucharest, London and Madrid. The company said that the new airline would be a fully-owned subsidiary that operates six Airbus A319 planes, that's in addition to the company's other Italian subsidiary, Air Dolomiti. [Source: Associated Press]

Northwest flight attendants sue Delta -- The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA filed a lawsuit last week against Delta Air Lines, complaining that the airline will violate labor law by merging the seniority lists of both Northwest and Delta flight attendants. Delta's attendants are not unionized. A spokesman for Delta said that the process is fair and "in accordance" with federal law. The flight attendants union wants the airline to wait for a National Mediation Board finding before proceeding with any changes. [Source: AviationWeek]

Amtrak board selects new president and CEO -- The National Railroad Passenger Corporation Board of Directors selected Joseph Boardman as become president and chief executive Amtrak, the company announced today. Boardman, an administrator with the Federal Railroad Administration since 2005, has about 34 years of experience working in the transportation industry at the municipal, state and federal levels. [Source: Amtrak]