Niraj Chokshi

The company said the cuts, the first round of broad layoffs in the airline’s 53-year history, would affect mostly corporate employees.

The pilots of the American Airlines regional jet in the Washington airport collision acted as expected, aviation safety experts and other pilots said.

Commercial planes have technology that helps prevent crashes — but it has limitations, which was highlighted by the accident in Washington.

Spirit, which filed for bankruptcy protection last year, says it has rejected the new Frontier overture but would be open to a higher offer.

The Transportation Department said in a lawsuit that two of the airline’s routes were consistently delayed in violation of federal rules.

The industry is enjoying a strong demand for tickets and rising profits, but it remains vulnerable to unexpected problems like a recession or a surge in inflation.

Avelo Airlines and Breeze Airways have found success and loyal customers by serving airports in smaller cities, like New Haven, Conn., that were neglected by national carriers.

Aviation safety analysts said they expect officials investigating the crash, which killed 179 people, to look into the location and composition of a structure housing an antenna.

The cause of the crash probably won’t be determined for months, with investigators expected to focus on a wide range of issues.

Nearly 200 airlines use the 737-800, which makes up about 15 percent of the world’s fleet of aircraft.