Airlines

United Continental Holdings is considering parking its Boeing 747 jumbo jetliner fleet ahead of schedule to make way for newer, more-efficient twin-engine aircraft on its longest routes.

Honduras is to convert a U.S.-built military airbase northwest of its capital into a civilian airport to replace the city's current one, considered one of the most dangerous in the world, officials said Tuesday.

A surprise welcome awaited Joel and Kristine Kratochvil and their three daughters, Anna, 16, Leah, 14, and Jenna, 12, at Costa Rica's Juan Santamaría International Airport on Friday. According to the Costa Rican Tourism Board, one of the members of this Washington state family is the 1 millionth tourist to arrive from the United States in 2015.

Cuba and the United States reached an agreement Wednesday night that will allow U.S. commercial airlines to begin operating flights to the island for the first time in decades, according to U.S. officials with knowledge of the discussion.

Costa Rica’s options for dealing with the more than 4,000 Cuban migrants stuck in the country on their way to the U.S. are growing fewer by the day, leaving the government to consider arranging flights for the migrants.

Alaska Airlines, Thomson Airways and Southwest Airlines all recently inaugurated new flights to Costa Rica’s two international airports.

The airline is currently preparing negotiations with local authorities to open their first routes, likely between San José and Panama, Nicaragua and Guatemala.

New aircraft will allow the company to carry more passengers and cargo, and to increase its daily flights.

In October, Air Panama will begin offer three flights a week from San José to David and Bocas del Toro.

American would become the second major U.S. airline to take advantage of loosened restriction on travel between the two longtime enemies, after JetBlue launched direct charter flights between New York and Havana last month.