Tyler Perry Offers to Buy American Airlines for Whopping $5B?

Will there be any significant changes to flying the friendly skies with American Airlines if "Madea" creator, Tyler Perry has actually purchased the struggling airline? 

By Alicia Cruz

The Black Urban Times

Can it be true? Did television & movie producer/director Tyler Perry make a whopping offer to buy American Airlines? Media reports state Perry offered American Airline officials nearly $5 billion and that the offer was quickly accepted by airline officials.

Last month word that the airline giant filed petitions for Chapter 11 reorganization in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York hit the Internet. The airlines parent company, Texas-based AMR Corporation made the announcement stating that the move was inevitable in order for the airline to achieve "a cost and debt structure that is industry competitive," ABC News reported.

Perry's web site makes no mention of the mega sale. His last tweet, dated December 4 mentioned taking a trip to the Potters House with talk-show queen Oprah Winfrey, but nothing about buying an airline yet.

Approach Lights at Kingston Airport Inoperable During Crash

Photo/NYDailynews

By Alicia Cruz
Editor-in-Chief
Theblackurbantimes

Since a November outage, the approach lights at Kingston airport had been out

Those bright orange or red lights you see on airport runways are meant to guide pilots as they attempt to land planes on approach to an airport.

The offshore guiding lights that help pilots approaching Jamaica's main airport were not working Thursday morning when American Airlines flight 331 was attempting to land amid heavy rain and strong winds. The plane overshot the runway injuring 92 passengers on board.

Norman Manley International Airport operations director Stanley Smith told reporters that an underwater electrical fault in November disrupted the 1,300-foot guiding lights.

According to Smith, pilots had been advised about the outage and that there had been no other incidents before the American Airlines incident. Smith added that while the runway was fully lit during flight 331's approach to the Kingston airport the windy and heavy rain conditions made the approach "less desirable."

Airport vice president, Mark Williams told the Associated Press that, "The airport has been fully operational since the outage of the approach lights ... so we wouldn't presume that would be a cause. But clearly the investigation is still preliminary."

American Airlines spokeswoman Martha Pantin declined to comment on runway conditions because the investigation is still being conducted.

Jamaican and U.S. authorities are continuing their investigation, including whether the pilot could have avoided the accident by aborting the landing and circling for another attempt.

Large aircraft were being diverted to Montego Bay after the American Airlines incident, but have since been allowed to land at Kingston again. The approach lights are not expected to be operating again until January.

American Airlines Flight Skids Down Runway of Jamaican Airport

By Alicia Cruz
Theblackurbantimes.com


photos/Robinson for AP

An American Airlines flight from Miami skidded down the runway of the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston, Jamaica last night with more than 150 souls aboard. SEE CNN VIDEO BELOW

Jamaican Information Minister Daryl Vaz said no fatalities have been reported, but 91 people suffered broken bones and complained of neck injuries after Flight 331 overshot a runway and skidded within 10 to 15 feet from the Caribbean Sea.

Crews evacuated passengers, who had to walk along a beach in the rain to board buses to return to the air terminal. Only four of the passengers suffered serious injuries.

Video footage by the CNN shows the plane's fuselage was cracked, both engines broke off from the impact, and the left main landing gear collapsed and several passengers leaving the plane with cuts on their faces or bloody lips, visibly shaken as they left the terminal.

Passenger Robert Mais told The Gleaner newspaper of Jamaica that he could hear the engine's reverse throttle but that the plane didn't seem to slow as it skittered down the runway. He said he felt rain coming through the roof of the darkened jet after the impact and that baggage from the overhead compartments was scattered throughout the cabin.

The Boeing 737-800 originated from the Ronald Reagan International Airport in Washington, DC. The flight took off from Miami International Airport at 8:52 p.m. and arrived in Kingston, Jamaica at 10:22 p.m. It was carrying 154 passengers and crew. The majority of those aboard were Jamaican nationals going home for the Christmas holiday.

Hundreds of passengers waiting to board other flights out of Kingston waited hours for officials to clear their flights for takeoff. Flights resumed and the airport reopened after the delays as officials worried about the tail from Flight 331 would hinder the visibility of flights taking off or landing at the airport.

Jamaican Information Minister Daryl Vaz said most of the 91 injured passengers have already been released from hospitals, but four may have to stay overnight. Stay tuned to TBUT.com for future update son this breaking story.

BREAKING NEWS: Another Bird Strike Causes Emergency Landing

By Alicia Cruz

Senior writer

Theblackurbantimes.com

An American Airlines MD-83 flight from Saint Louis, Missouri enroute to Los Angeles, California suffered a bird strike to it's right engine shortly after takeoff this evening and was forced to make an emergency landing back at the St. Louis Airport.

Flight 449 was carrying 140 passengers and five crew members when the strike was felt by the flight's captain. The airplane levelled off at 3,000 feet, shut the damaged engine down and returned to the St. Louis airport within minutes of taking off. The flight landed safely and there have been no injuries reported at this time.