Business news with words airline+plans+san. 5 news.

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Airline stocks jumped at the open Wednesday, buoyed by investor enthusiam for the Federal Reserve's plans to inject cash into the markets through auction of short-term funds. The Amex Airline Index gained 1.6% with all but three stocks in the benchmark index rising. The sector shrugged off a climb in crude oil prices. The January futures contract rose $1.29 to $91.29 a barrel. Shares of regional carriers posted the biggest gains. AirTran Holdings jumped 4% to $8.50 while ExpressJet Holdings gained 4.3% to $2.66.

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Airline shares extended losses Tuesday, led by a 6.6% drop in the shares of Delta Air Lines, Inc. and a 4.8% drop in the shares of AMR Corp. . Southwest Airlines Co. shares tumbled 1.7% after the discount airline company said it was trimming capacity growth plans for next year to a range of 4% to 5%. UAL Corp. fell 3%; late Monday the parent of United Airlines said that airline traffic fell 1.4% as capacity slipped 1.3%, driving its load factor down to 79.6%. Crude oil futures traded lower, down $1.11 at $88.20 a barrel, while the major indexes also fell.

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Airline shares slid at the open Thursday as rising crude oil prices again pressured the sector. The Amex Airline Index fell 1.5% in opening trade with all but two of the benchmark index's 14 stocks trading lower. Among the hardest hit, US Airways Group, Inc. shares and Continental Airlines, Inc. shares fell about 5% each. SkyWest, Inc. shares broke with the trend, rising 2.4% to $26.30 after the St. George, Utah operator of regional airlines reported third-quarter net income rose 5.5% on 11% higher revenue and said it plans to buy back another 5 million shares. Crude oil futures were up 93 cents at $97.30 a barrel.

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Regional airline SkyWest Inc. and partner United Airlines said Friday SkyWest plans to buy 22 regional jets to replace 23 turboprop aircraft. The companies said 18 of the jets will fly for United Express. While a manufacturer has not been chosen, aircraft makers Bombardier and Embraer are being considered, SkyWest said. SkyWest expects the first deliveries of the jets to begin in late 2008.

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Alaska Air Group Inc. said late Thursday its board has approved a stock repurchase program of up to $100 million. The Seattle-based airline said it plans to finance the repurchases with cash on hand. Alaska Air shares rose 14 cents to close at $23.02 on Thursday.