Alaska Air Group executed a $257 million turnaround in 2009, reporting net income of $121.6 million compared with a $135.9 million loss in 2008. Excluding special items ($55.2 million in noncash fuel hedge gains and $22.3 million in costs related to transition to a new pilot contract), Alaska’s net income for 2009 was $88.7 million.

While airlines continue to rack up even more revenue by charging higher checked-baggage fees, Southwest remains resolved to let bags fly free, saying it has enabled the carrier to capture market share from its competitors.

The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) and Forum Telecom have announced an agreement in which Forum Telecom, the provider of cellular telephone solutions for the travel and hospitality industry, has been designated as a Strategic Partner of CHTA.

The European Commission is studying commitments offered by members of the Oneworld airline alliance to tackle antitrust concerns over some long-haul routes, the European Union's executive said on Monday.

The Resort at Isla Palenque, a new resort real estate project in Panama’s Gulf of Chiriqui, is keying into the adventure trend by offering an array of adventure opportunities on the island’s 400 acres of mature forests, lagoons and mangroves, and its surrounding waters.

Brazil’s newest discount airline, Azul Linhas Aereas Brasileiras SA, carried 2.2 million passengers in its first year of operation and is likely to be profitable this year, said David Neeleman, founder and chairman.