Tesla Overtakes GM to Become Most Valuable U.S. Auto Maker: Shares of Elon Musk’s electric-car maker continue their ascent
Tesla Inc. TSLA +3.07% on Monday became the largest U.S. auto maker by market value, overtaking General Motors Co. GM +0.82% —a feat that would have seemed highly improbable 13 years ago when the electric-car maker first began tinkering with the idea of making a sports car.. . .GM remains the largest auto maker in the U.S. by market share, making up 17.3% of the sales last year, according to Autodata Corp. Tesla had a 0.2% share, which beat Ferrari and Maserati.
United Is Under Fire for Dragging a Passenger Off an Overbooked Flight
United Airlines called the police after a seated passenger declined to leave a flight to Louisville, Ky. Officers violently pulled him from his window seat and then down the aisle as passengers yelled at them to stop. A recording of the incident posted on social media sent people into an apoplectic rage over the carrier’s heavy-handed response.
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The incident demonstrates how airline bumping can veer into confrontation. Carriers around the world routinely oversell their flights because it’s a rational response to a mundane situation that occurs daily: People don’t always appear for a flight they’ve purchased. Overselling is a way to cover that situation, while maximizing the airline’s revenue. United should have increased the compensation offered to passengers to entice volunteers, CFRA Research analyst Jim Corridore wrote in a client note Monday. “We think this situation was handled in a deplorable fashion, but note that United has the right to refuse boarding to any passenger for any reason,” he said, adding that “demand for UAL flights are unlikely to be affected by this poor customer service incident.”
Our take: There’s a difference between ‘refusing boarding’ to a passenger and dragging a passenger who paid for that seat off the flight after they’ve boarded. Passengers are understanding about and willing to accommodate delays due to weather, problems with staffing and problems with the plane – but they are, obviously, less understanding of forced bumping, especially after boarding.
Watch the video posted on social media and read analysis of the event: Bloomberg.com
Gorsuch Takes Oath at White House, Becomes New Top Court Justice
Neil Gorsuch was sworn in at the White House Monday as the newest U.S. Supreme Court justice with President Donald Trump looking on, bringing the court back to nine members after a 14-month vacancy.
The oath was administered by Justice Anthony Kennedy, for whom Gorsuch worked as a law clerk in the court’s 1993-94 term.
Our take: It’s about time. Next on the agenda…?
Read more at Bloomberg.com
Rio Grande Valley is Unusually quiet as Southwest Border crossings drop to lowest point in at least 17 years
Here in the Rio Grande Valley, ground zero since 2014 for the flow of asylum seekers fleeing violence and persecution in Central America, the number of families and unaccompanied children caught entering the United States has plummeted, from about 291 a day in January to just 37 a day in March.
Our take: Another problem on the way to a solution. Now if we could just repeal Obamacare…
Read the entire story at: LA Times