The price of EU carbon-dioxide allowances (EUAs) under the EU Emissions Trading System sank to a three-month low in November, coming under pressure from the sale of surplus permits by the European Investment Bank (EIB) that started mid-month. The price of EUAs for delivery in December rose to an intra-month high of €4.80 per metric ton ($6.49) on Nov. 7, a day before a meeting of EU diplomats where carbon market intervention was on the agenda.

Airline and travel association representatives are mounting a furious offensive to fight potential passenger tax increases from being part of any budget deal on Capitol Hill. The second so-called super committee of lawmakers established to end the October government shutdown and debt-ceiling fight reportedly has been considering doubling the Transportation Security Administration passenger security tax, paid every time flyers step aboard, from $2.50 to $5.

The Big Three carriers' vast expansion plans and their implications

Asia's LCC battle reaches a new market

787 route withdrawals underscore strains with Boeing

Drag-reduction technology that has been under research for decades is moving toward reality as commercial aircraft developers search for ever-higher fuel efficiency. Aircraft vertical tails are the first target because of the payoff if their size and drag can be reduced, but the techniques being developed could find their way onto other aircraft surfaces.

As Boeing begins work on preliminary design drawings for the 737 MAX ahead of starting detailed design in early 2014, project leaders hint that the recently announced fuel performance improvement over the current 737 variants could be extended further.

Star Alliance members Lufthansa and Turkish clash over rapid expansion