Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines -- the dominate carrier at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport -- will lease 88 Boeing 717 planes from Dallas-based Southwest Airlines. The aircraft will be transferred starting next year, with 16 scheduled to arrive next year. Another 36 will come in 2014 and the rest will be delivered in 2015.

Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines is facing $987,500 in civil penalties for allegedly operating two airplanes that were not compliant with government regulations. The Federal Aviation Administration claims Delta failed to repair a chip in the nose cone of a Boeing 737-800. The dominant Twin Cities carrier is also accused of operating an Airbus A320 on 884 flights with a broken dome light in the cockpit.

The government says Delta Air Lines Inc. continues to improve its customer service and on-time statistics. Delta's flights were on time 87.3 percent of the time in the first quarter, good for third-best out of the 18 major carriers, according to a report released Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

WCCO first reported the discrepancies after two business executives booking the same Delta Air Lines flight side-by-side were given two different prices. USA Today reports the Atlanta-based airline has acknowledged the issue and says they will offer refunds on a case-by-case basis. The carrier didn't know how many customers were affected.

Delta Air Lines is relocating Edina-based MLT Vacations from Minnesota to its Atlanta headquarters over the next several months, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The company says roughly 160 employees in the Twin Cities will be offered the option to transfer. Delta is the dominant carrier in the Twin Cities after in acquired Northwest Airlines in 2008.

A new study shows airlines lost fewer than nine bags per thousand passengers last year, compared to more than 18 bags five years ago. The New York Times reports Delta Air Lines, the dominant carrier at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, is among the leaders using new technology to reduce mishandled baggage. The airline has made major upgrades to its tag printers, bag readers and conveyor belts at hubs in Atlanta and Los Angeles. Similar upgrades are also planned in New York.

The Atlanta-based carrier is looking into using crude oil from western North Dakota to supply its new refinery in Pennsylvania, the Associated Press reports. Delta Air Lines bought the refinery near Philadelphia from Phillips 66 for $150 million in May with hopes of cutting fuel costs by making its own jet fuel.

It looks like airfares are going up for the fifth time this year. Delta, US Airways, United and American are among the big carriers to raise fares. Southwest Airlines led the latest effort. USA Today reports U.S. carriers have tried to increase fares eight times so far this year -- four have been successful. Delta is the dominant carrier in the Twin Cities.