© 2026 WFAE

Mailing Address:
WFAE 90.7
P.O. Box 896890
Charlotte, NC 28289-6890
Tax ID: 56-1803808
90.7 Charlotte 93.7 Southern Pines 90.3 Hickory 106.1 Laurinburg
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Airlines Use New Tech to Fight High Fuel Costs

New technology may help airlines curb mounting fuel bills. Southwest and Continental Airlines have installed "winglets" -- or curled-up wing ends -- on some 737s. It's estimated the companies could save 100,000 gallons of fuel, per airplane, per year. As with many energy-saving technologies, the up-front costs aren't low, but the long-term savings may pay off for airlines.

Copyright 2005 NPR

Scott Horsley is NPR's Chief Economics Correspondent.