Visitors return, but spend less in Vegas
More and more people are coming to Las Vegas because of reduced room rates, but they are spending a lot less.
More than 3 million people visited Las Vegas during the month, up 4.3 percent from the same time last year. Convention attendance was also up 12.2 percent from September 2008.
Much of the improved visitor numbers can be attributed to Las Vegas resorts willing to fill rooms for less money. Daily hotel room rates in September were down 19 percent from a year ago, to an average $91.18.
However, gaming revenues fell for the 21st straight month, according to the state Gaming Control Board, which said casinos statewide won $911 million in September. That’s a nearly 9 percent decrease from the previous year.
United cuts 50-seat Mesa CRJs
United Airlines is phasing out its 50-seat CRJs that Mesa Air Group operates for them. It has already terminated its contract with Mesa for Dash-8 service.
Mesa Chairman and CEO Jonathan Ornstein told ATWOnline that MAG will continue to operate 20 CRJ700s for UA, primarily out of Chicago O’Hare and Washington Dulles, and that the agreement could be extended to include an additional 10 CRJ700s.
United suspends allegedly drunk pilot
United Airlines has suspended a pilot that was arrested at London’s Heathrow for allegedly being drunk as he was about to take the controls of a Boeing 767 to Chicago.
The incident occurred on Monday before flight UA949, which was bound for Chicago and would have carried 124 passengers and 11 crew. The passengers were accommodated on other flights.
The 51-year-old pilot, whose name was not released, was arrested at London’s Heathrow Airport and freed on bail pending the results of alcohol tests, London Metropolitan Police spokesman Simon Fisher said.
(Photo: randomduck/Flickr Creative Commons)
