China plans to tell its state-owned airlines to hold off on any new airliner purchases until the economy improves, Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post reports.

The order moratorium would pinch off one of the largest sources of new airliner orders for Boeing and its European rival Airbus.

Two of China’s largest carriers, China Southern Airlines and China Eastern Airlines, have asked the Chinese government for financial aid to help them weather the decline in business.

The state is also planning to seek to postpone deliveries already scheduled by the two aircraft makers because of cash flow

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Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways, one of Boeing’s better Asian customers, is talking with the airliner maker about delaying delivery of planes already on order.

The usual culprit, the world economic slowdown, is to blame for the talk of delays.

Cathay has unfilled orders for Boeing jetliners worth $9.5 billion at list prices.

The company has 10 747-8 freighters, four 747-ERF freighters and 21 777-300ER twin engine passenger jet on order.

The company is mothballing two 747-400s in the California desert because exports from Asia are slowing.

For the next few days, what with the holidays approaching, we’ll be speaking to small retail stores in the South Sound. If you’d like to nominate a retail business for this series, e-mail c.r.roberts@thenewstribune.com.



BLOOM

Address: 4779 Point Fosdick Dr. N.W., Uptown Gig Harbor

On the phone: Mark Crowley, co-owner. He and wife Maria Miskoski own the store, which is new to Uptown Gig Harbor but which was established in Downtown Gig Harbor.

Give me a quick description of what your store sells.

Women’s contemporary clothing, designer clothing, and accessories such as

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The Port of Tacoma has told its commissioner it plans to avoid the bond market for now to raise funds for long-term capital projects.

Instead the port intends to use commercial paper, unsecured, shorter term borrowings to fund its construction projects until the finance market settles down.

The port has a five-year plan to spend some $324 million for capital projects on the Tacoma Tideflats. The port is converting much of the Blair-Hylebos Peninsula to a container terminal.

The port’s immediate plans call for construction of a 600-foot wharf extension, the purchase of two container cranes

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Fast chat: Dave Kleinman, owner of Fantasy World Hobbies

For the next few days, what with the holidays approaching, we’ll be speaking to small retail stores in the South Sound. If yo9u’d like to nominate a retail business for this series, e-mail c.r.roberts@thenewstribune.com.



FANTASY WORLD HOBBIES

Address: 1909 South 72nd St. at the Tacoma Place Shopping Center

On the phone: Dave Kleinman, owner



Please give me a quick description of what you sell.

We have a complete assortment of hobby items, including slot cars, radio-controlled cars, helicopters. We have

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If you’ve already seen Elizabeth Taylor’s house in Puerto Vallarta, toured the market in Mazatlan and admired the rows of immaculate white yachts tied up in Cabo, Alaska Airlines thinks you’re not alone.

That’s why the Sea-Tac-based airline is enhancing its schedule to a less trodden destination, La Paz. That’s La Paz, the capital of Mexico’s Baja California Sur, not the capital of Bolivia.

The airline started flying there two years ago three times a week, and now it’s adding two more flights weekly. Only Tuesdays and Fridays are missing a round trip from La Paz to Los

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Flights from smaller cities to Horizon Air’s Seattle hub will be leaving earlier and returning later next year to let travelers make more connections in the Emerald City.

Horizon is making adjustments, the airline said, based on customer feedback about connections to longer flights in Seattle.

“We never stop listening to our customers.” said Dan Russo, the SeaTac-based airlines’ vice president of marketing and communications.

In many cases, the first morning flights from outlying communities are leaving 30 minutes earlier than now and the last returning flight of the day is leaving 30 minutes or more later

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For the next few days, what with the holidays approaching, we’ll be speaking to small retail stores in the South Sound. How’s business? What’s up? What are customers saying?

If you’d like one of our reporters to speak with a business you’re curious about, let me know at c.r.roberts@thenewstribune.com.

Thanks – and Happy Thanksgiving!

Today: Watermark

Address: 1115 A St., downtown Tacoma

On the phone: Karen McGrath, owner

Please give me a quick description of what you sell.

We sell distinctive gifts and decor, and a wide variety of cards.

When

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