The Australian version of the airborne tanker that the U.S. Air Force recently ordered from a consortium of Northrop Grumman and Airbus parent EADS is grounded until September to incorporate changes to its refueling boom.

The tanker, like the U.S. Air Force's KC-30, is based on the Airbus A-330 commercial airliner.

The KC-30 recently beat Boeing's 767 as the tanker the Air Force will buy to replace the ageing Boeing KC-135.

The Australian tanker has encountered delays and design problems during its gestation period.

Boeing is protesting the award of the $40 billion tanker contract to its rival saying in part that EADS has little experience in building tankers while Boeing has decades of tanker design history.

As rumors fly about the possibility of yet another 787 production delay, Boeing has invited journalists to take a close-up look at progress it's making on its 787 assembly line in Everett.

For Boeing, the Monday May 19 press open house is a change of tactics and perhaps a sign that the company's woes on the 787 production line are being solved.

The 787 is now about 15 months behind schedule.

During the 10 months since the ceremonial rollout of the first 787 Dreamliner last July 8, the company has kept the assembly line off limits to most reporters saying that the company didn't want to disrupt the work going on there by holding tours.

Boeing, usually anxious to distribute publicity pictures of its projects, was stingy with company photos of the assembly line. A small trade developed in photos taken by hobbyists when the door to the assembly line would open on occassion, though Boeing mostly flung open those doors in the middle of the night.

Stay-tuned for a progress report.

SeaTac's Alaska Airlines has added two more flights to the eight daily flights it now makes between Seattle and San Francisco.

The airline has also extended eligibility to sign up for its "Bay Area Summer Double" offer that awards double frequent flier miles to fliers fly Alaska between Sea-Tac and any of three Bay Area airports it serves, San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose.

The two new daily flights will begin July 7.

The new flights are part of an Alaska counteroffensive against start-up carrier Virgin America, which has begun flying three times daily between Seattle and San Francisco.

According to Farecast.com, Virgin America has grabbed 19 percent of the market share in the San Francisco-Seattle market. Alaska has more than twice that share, followed by United Airlines.

Alaska frequent fliers can sign up for the double miles offer at alaskaair.com beginning May 13. Double miles apply on nonstop Seattle-San Francisco, Seattle-Oakland and Seattle-San Jose flights between June 1 and Aug. 31.

The dogfight over market share has meant lowered fares on the route. On some summer days, a roundtrip to San Francisco is available for as little as $167 roundtrip. In the past, summertime fares routinely were well over $200 for the route.

Saltchuk Resources, the privately held enterprise that owns Tacoma's Frank Russell Building, Foss Maritime and Totem Ocean Trailer Express (TOTE), has won bankruptcy court approval to operate Aloha Airlines' former interisland cargo service.

Saltchuk is already a big player in Hawaii owning an inter-island waterborne cargo service, Young Brothers, and several Hawaiian petroleum supply businesses.

The Seattle-based Saltchuk is buying the bankrupt airline's cargo business for $10.5 million.

The air freight business, to be called Aloha Air Cargo, halted operations briefly last week before Saltchuk took over, causing major problems in the island state Some Honolulu shippers resorted to sending their goods to California by air and back to the smaller islands on other flights originating from California to get goods to those islands before they spoiled.

Aloha's passenger operations remain shuttered.

Sea-Tac Airport is among nine locations where Delta Airlines has closed its membership-based airport lounges, the airline said today.

Delta Crown Room members will have access to clubs at Sea-Tac run by partner airlines.

Most of the nine clubs, including the one at Sea-Tac, closed April 30. The closures are another symptom of the financial crunch high fuel prices have brought to airlines worldwide.

The Crown Room at Sea-Tac is located on the airport's A Concourse. After Delta and Northwest Airlines consummate their merger later this year, Delta is likely to move all of its Sea-Tac flights to the airport's South Satellite terminal where Northwest originates its flights. Northwest has a club room in the South Satellite.

The rooms are closing in Boston, Cincinnati, Kansas City, Mo.; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Phoenix, Denver and London Gatwick as well as in Seattle.

The Crown Rooms typically are available to Delta passengers who pay a yearly membership fee of several hundred dollars or who earn access by becoming a high-mileage frequent flier. The rooms are plushly furnished and typically offer waiting passengers drinks, snacks, newspapers and Internet access.