Priceline.com Incorporated (PCLN) mainly competes with Expedia, Travelocity and Orbitz in online travel services like bookings for air tickets, hotel stays and car rentals. Priceline recently released its Q4 2010 results.

Two highlights of the results are a 44.3% year over year increase in gross travel bookings, and a 68% rise in international revenues compared to same quarter last year. Rising international revenue reiterates our view that Priceline (through its acquisitions like Booking.com and Agoda) should be able to leverage its foothold in European and Asian markets.

Continue reading Improving Hotel Occupancy Levels Spell Upside for Priceline's Stock

Improving Hotel Occupancy Levels Spell Upside for Priceline's Stock originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Closing Bell: Bulls Start the Week Off (CBOE, BP, LCC, FDX, VZ, IBM, GENZ)

Closing Bell: Bulls Start the Week Off (CBOE, BP, LCC, FDX, VZ, IBM, GENZ) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Continental Airlines: Incremental Progress

Continental Airlines: Incremental Progress originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 05 Apr 2010 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Boeing Flies Its Biggest Plane to Date

Boeing Flies Its Biggest Plane to Date originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

As I sit in the Istanbul Airport watching the snow fall outside, I'm reminded of the song by the great Willie Nelson. Some of the best memories of my childhood include singing that song with my father, as we traveled on holiday from campsite to campsite. Today, those words have a much different meaning.

I just drained the last few electrons of my BlackBerry's battery, as I told my family the bad news. My flight has been canceled, and it will be another day before I get home, and another weekend lost in the air.

Continue reading Road Warrior: 'On the Road Again, Just Can't Wait to Get on the Road Again'

Road Warrior: 'On the Road Again, Just Can't Wait to Get on the Road Again' originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 06 Feb 2010 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Out of the kindness of its ginormous heart, Google (GOOG) is giving holiday travelers a bit of cheer this season, providing free Wi-Fi in 47 U.S. airports starting today and running through January 15. As a bonus to Virgin America passengers traveling within the continental U.S., Google is providing in-flight Wi-Fi as well.

Of course, the Web search giant has an ulterior motive. In a statement, a Google spokesperson said: "This is one of our holiday gifts to our users, and when you connect, we also hope you'll take the opportunity to try some of the latest Google products."

Continue reading Happy holidays! Google giving away free Wi-Fi

Happy holidays! Google giving away free Wi-Fi originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Southwest Airlines shares descend on maintenance worries

Southwest Airlines shares descend on maintenance worries originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Doomsday Scenario: Lame Treasury auctions, travel numbers shot down

Doomsday Scenario: Lame Treasury auctions, travel numbers shot down originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 25 Mar 2009 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Southwest heads northeast to Boston

Southwest heads northeast to Boston originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 19 Feb 2009 15:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Boeing sees huge drop in jet orders

Boeing sees huge drop in jet orders originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 05 Feb 2009 17:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's not bad enough that air travelers are facing more and more delays, and airlines are canceling more and flights, but along comes airplane maker Boeing (NYSE:BA) announcing that its 787 Dreamliner is going to face a delay of at least 14 months until deliveries are made.

According to the AP report: "The Times of London reported on its Web site late Wednesday, quoting those familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified, that delays for 787 could reach 18 months, while the Seattle Post-Intelligencer put the delay at 14 months from the original goal."

What's with this industry? Why can't anything be on time?

With three airlines going bankrupt in the last week alone, the industry is a mess. It's no wonder Boeing announced the delay because it needs to really make sure that the plane is sound structurally. The Seattle Times had a story about airline woes and reported: "American, Delta and United airlines recently canceled flights to perform unscheduled inspections of certain aircraft, and US Airways found problems on some Boeing 757s after a wing part on one of its planes fell off during a flight."

With the busy summer travel season fast approaching, travelers better plan for even more delays.

Aaron Katsman is the lead Portfolio Manager and Managing Director of America Israel Investment Associates, LLC. and Senior Editor of IsraelNewsletter.com. DISCLOSURE: Writer's fund has no position in any stock mentioned, as of 4/9/08.

Entire airplane industry is one big delay originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 09 Apr 2008 16:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading American (AMR) to cancel up to 20% of its flights

American (AMR) to cancel up to 20% of its flights originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 09 Apr 2008 07:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

At some point last year did you find yourself stuck in a noisy, overcrowded airport terminal for hours on end waiting for your flight to take off? If so, you were by no means alone. According to the Transportation Department, last year was the second worst year in history for delayed domestic flights.

Splitting my time between America and Europe, I find myself on a lot of airplanes during the year, and luckily I only had one sizable delay on my domestic connections. While I found it rather irritating at the time, looking back on it I feel lucky that it happened only once. That is far better than the national average, which showed that 26% of all domestic flights were delayed during the year.

Granted, national averages have only been recorded going back to 1995, but last year ranked as the second worst year on record, with 2000 coming in slightly worse with 27.4% of flights seeing delays.

What reasons are we given for the excessive flight delays?

Continue reading Delays for airline passengers neared record levels last year

Delays for airline passengers neared record levels last year originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 06 Feb 2008 18:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Airline earnings: Southwest (LUV) and Delta (DAL) report

Airline earnings: Southwest (LUV) and Delta (DAL) report originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 23 Jan 2008 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Today's news that Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) will slow its planned growth in 2008 marks the second time this year that the low-cost carrier has reined in expansion as it struggles with high fuel costs. "We are concerned about growing evidence of slowing economic growth that would inevitably affect passenger demand, coupled with a surge in energy prices," Chief Executive Gary C. Kelly said in a statement.

Clearly the airline industry is challenged by high fuel costs and the prospect for slower domestic growth that would make it harder for no-frills carriers to fill their planes. As Douglas McIntyre pointed out, the saving grace for Southwest is that it has a long-term hedge on fuel prices and is buying fuel at a crude oil cost of about $51 a barrel.

What can airlines do to get profitable during this expensive fuel, slower-growth period? Well, charging customers a bit more so they can have a soda on the plane is probably not the right answer -- all it really does is make the airlines look incredibly cheap. The price airlines charge makes a drink at Yankee Stadium look cheap. How many of us have been on a plane and everyone is snickering and making comments to the person seated next to them about how they can't believe they need to pay for a Coke (NYSE: KO).

I think that airlines, like any business, need to show consumers that they are valued. Charging for a drink has the opposite effect. For an interesting take on airline improvements, read this post by Steve Towers.

Aaron Katsman is the lead Portfolio Manager and Managing Director of America Israel Investment Associates, LLC. and Senior Editor of IsraelNewsletter.com. Disclosure: Writer has no position in any stock mentioned as of 12/04/07.

Southwest Airlines: Where is the LUV? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 04 Dec 2007 15:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This year's Dubai Air Show has ensured that 2007 will be a record year for commercial jetliner orders, Reuters reported, with the two aerospace giants signing more than $82 billion in orders at the show.

For 2007, Airbus' orders should surpass the 1,111 amassed in 2005, Chief Executive Officer Tom Enders said. Boeing, which had 956 orders through Oct. 6 and does not forecast orders, is within 66 planes of having its third straight record year, Bloomberg News reported.

Continue reading For Boeing, Airbus, another record year

For Boeing, Airbus, another record year originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 13 Nov 2007 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Leaves Columbus 6:55 a.m.
• Arrive Portsmouth N.H. 8:39 a.m.
• Leave Portsmouth N.H. 9:04 a.m.
• Arrive Columbus 10:53 a.m.
• Leave Columbus 11:18 a.m.
• Arrive Oakland 1:16 p.m.
• Leave Oakland 1:41 p.m.
• Arrive Columbus 8:57 p.m.
• Leave Columbus 9:38 p.m.
• Arrive Kansas City 10:14 p.m.
• Leave Kansas City 10:33 p.m.
• Arrive Columbus 1:10 a.m.

Skybus: 80,000 passsengers a month, 5 planes originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 19 Sep 2007 19:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: Southwest Airlines: Wardrobe of the Past

Continue reading Passenger too sexy for Southwest Airlines (LUV): Miniskirt gets waitress tossed

Passenger too sexy for Southwest Airlines (LUV): Miniskirt gets waitress tossed originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 05 Sep 2007 21:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Hawaii for a buck? Mesa Air Group's (NASDAQ: MESA) go! Airlines has nine-upped Skybus's $10 tickets by offering 2,000 $1 flights to Hawaii. The tickets, which went on sale Monday, were quickly snatched up.

The move is bound to ruffle the feathers of competitors Aloha and Hawaiian (AMEX: HA), who filed a lawsuit late last year claiming Mesa had used confidential information the two had shared with Mesa as a potential investor to launch go!'s Hawaii service. The $1 promotion can only make the fare fight fiercer, good news for vacationers to the sunny islands.

Skybus, the newest RyanAir-model entry into the industry, has gained a great deal of attention for its practice of selling ten $10 seats on each flight. The remaining seats are sold, exclusively via its web site, on a sliding scale, growing more expensive as the plane approaches capacity.

Skybus's severely no-frills approach has put price pressure on budget competitors including Southwest (NYSE: LUV), Airtran (NYSE:AAI) and JetBlue (NASDAQ:JBLU). At a time when passenger traffic is softening and fuel prices skyrocketing, the prospect of a mini price-war among the bottom feeders doesn't seem strong. I can still hope, though -- I really would like to visit Hawaii.

Hawaii for a buck? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 13 Jun 2007 15:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Before you buy plane tickets, read this originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 01 Jun 2007 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.