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Report predicts lower winter heating bills for consumers

Washington (AP) — Consumers using natural gas this winter stand to save $105, compared with last year, and propane users will get even bigger savings, according to a government report. Households that use heating oil or electric heat also are expected to spend less during the heating season.

According to the Energy Information Administration’s annual winter outlook Tuesday, lower fuel costs across the board and an expected milder winter will cut average heating costs for the upcoming season by 8 percent compared with last year — to about $960.

Households are expected to pay an average of $783, nearly 12 percent less than last winter, for natural gas, and $1,821 for heating oil, about 2 percent lower. People using electric heat will pay $933, a decline of 2 percent and those using propane $1,667, or 14 percent less than last winter, according to the agency.

British Airways cuts 1,000 jobs, plans to shrink Heathrow crews

London (AP) — British Airways PLC plans to shed 1,000 full-time jobs, put 3,000 more employees on part-time work and reduce the size of cabin crews at London’s Heathrow Airport in an effort to get the troubled airline’s finances back in order.

British Airways spokesman Paul Marston said Tuesday the job losses and part-time work will be accomplished voluntarily and would be equivalent to cutting 1,700 positions.

NASA contractor lays off 550 engineers, factory workers and others

salt lake city (AP) — The phase-out of the space shuttle program brought 550 layoffs on Tuesday to a Utah company that makes the booster rockets.

ATK Space Systems, a business unit of Minneapolis-based Alliant Techsystems Inc., said it was handing out pink slips to engineers, factory workers and others at three Utah locations.

The layoffs will leave ATK Space Systems with around 3,900 employees at its Clearfield headquarters, a factory in Magna and a test facility in Promontory.