Business

Sea-Tac's December performance was among nation's worst

Data: Bureau of Transportation Statistics; Chart: Kavya Beheraj/Axios
Data: Bureau of Transportation Statistics; Chart: Kavya Beheraj/Axios

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport had one of the worst rates of on-time flights in the country in December, even as other airports were more deeply affected by Southwest Airlines' epic meltdown.

By the numbers: Only 61.7% of domestic flights departed Sea-Tac on time in December 2022, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

Melissa Santos
Mar 17, 2023 - Sports

Seattle mayor thinks a new NBA team could come soon

Illustration of an hourglass filled with basketballs instead of sand.

Illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios

While NBA officials are staying tight-lipped about if and when a men's basketball team might return to Seattle, Mayor Bruce Harrell predicted this week that it will happen — and in a "much shorter window" than five years.

Why it matters: Since the Seattle SuperSonics moved to Oklahoma City in 2008, Seattle has been without a professional men's basketball team.

Kitsap County had 2nd highest wage growth in the U.S.

Caption: Data: Bureau of Labor Statistics; Chart: Axios Visuals
Caption: Data: Bureau of Labor Statistics; Chart: Axios Visuals

Kitsap County wages grew faster last year than almost any other large county in the country, according to recent government data, but small businesses still must compete with higher-paying Seattle.

Details: The county west of Seattle saw wages jump 12.7% in 2022, behind only Midland, Texas, a key oil and gas hub where salaries increased 13.9%, Axios' Matt Phillips and Emily Peck write.

State's plan to phase out natural gas in buildings prompts lawsuit

Illustration of a glass lightning bolt with cracks in it.

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

Washington state's new rules requiring most new buildings to be equipped with heat pumps instead of fossil-fuel-burning furnaces are facing their first major challenge.

What's happening: A coalition that includes several building industry groups filed a lawsuit Tuesday alleging the State Building Code Council overstepped its authority when approving the new energy-efficiency rules.

Gas prices creep up in Seattle area

Data: GasBuddy; Note: Price as of the 1st of each month; Chart: Axios Visuals

Gas prices in the Seattle metro area were far above the national average last month, with local drivers spending an average of $4.26 per gallon as of early February, per GasBuddy data.

What's happening: Those prices are up 2% year over year, and up 3% from January — but they're a big drop from the peaks seen last June and October, when gas topped $5 a gallon in and around Seattle.

Caffè Umbria remains a Seattle coffee classic

Two cups of doppio espresso on a dark countertop with small spoons on each saucer and two small glasses of water alongside.

Two doppio espressos taken at the bar at Caffè Umbria. Photo: Melissa Santos/Axios

After recently throwing shade at Starbucks over its new line of olive oil coffee drinks, I wanted to get some positive Seattle coffee vibes out there.

Amazon's return is "music to the ears" of Seattle retailers

A restaurant worker stands on the outer edge of an empty barstool seating area facing a kitchen.

Victor Tavern in South Lake Union. Photo: Courtesy of Ethan Stowell Restaurants

City leaders and boosters concerned about the vibrancy of downtown Seattle greeted last week's news about the return of Amazon employees with relief. But some Amazon workers are already pushing back on the move.

Why it matters: Seattle's downtown has been slower to bounce back than many other major metropolitan cities. In 2022, offices were just 42% as full as they were before the pandemic, according to data from the Downtown Seattle Association, and restaurant bookings were down 36% in 2022 compared to 2019.

Melissa Santos
Feb 15, 2023 - Business

Labor board finds Starbucks illegally fired and threatened workers

The glowing mermaid tower at the top of the Starbucks headquarters building in Seattle.

Photo: Toby Scott/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Starbucks broke U.S. labor laws by threatening, interrogating and firing employees who supported unionization efforts in Philadelphia, the National Labor Relations Board has ruled.

The big picture: Union leaders allege that nationwide, Starbucks has repeatedly violated laws protecting workers' rights to organize — charges the Seattle-based coffee giant denies.

Seattlepostcard

Get a free daily digest of the most important news in your backyard with Axios Seattle.

🌱

Support local journalism by becoming a member.

Learn more