U.S. airlines try to spare on everything

U.S. airlines are finding ways to trim aircraft weight in response to fuel costs that are 40 percent higher than a year ago.

Among their moves: Removing ovens from flights that no longer serve hot meals; substituting acrylic for glass in mirrors; no longer topping off fuel tanks; adding winglets to wing tips to cut fuel consumption by 3 percent; and charging for heavy baggage, according to the Chicago Tribune.

"We fly so many flights a day that if we can get 100 pounds off every flight, we save millions of dollars a year," UPI quoted American Airlines Capt. Steve Chealander, a 737 pilot who is also manager of flight operations efficiency, as saying.

V.Y.