Much of UPS’ profit came from domestic shipping, where revenue was up 6.1 percent on higher volume and prices. But that was offset by a shift toward lighter and slower shipping methods.

UPS, which is based in Atlanta, said online sales drove some of its speedy shipping options, including next day air. Ground volume rose 4 percent on demand for lightweight, less expensive shipments.

International revenue was up just 2.3 percent to $2.97 billion, but revenue per package fell. Asian exports have slowed as China’s economy cools, and some European countries slide into recession. The international business, which had been racking up double-digit quarterly sales gains, has been slowing since last summer.

UPS said part of the reason that shipments from Asia to the U.S. are down is that some businesses are locating factories in Mexico or other countries closer to home, to keep a tighter handle on inventory.

UPS and its smaller rival FedEx Corp. tend to be indicators of broader economic health because they move millions of packages for businesses and consumers every day.

In morning trading, UPS shares fell $2.30, or 2.9 percent, to $77.35.

Pinnacle, which mostly flies between major airports in the East, has been hurt by rising costs and integration problems. It plans to wind down the United Express flights it operates for United Continental Holdings Inc. It will continue Delta Connection flights for Delta Air Lines Inc. It’s already in the process of winding down its service with US Airways.

The airline lost $8.8 million in the first nine months of this year in contrast to a profit of $17 million in the same period a year earlier. Revenue improved in that time, but costs accelerated at a faster pace. Traffic in the first two months of the year was virtually flat while the carrier dramatically scaled back its number of available seats. After a review, the company’s board decided that reorganization under Chapter 11 was its best option.

With Pinnacle’s filing, one-quarter of the regional airline industry market is in bankruptcy protection. American Eagle filed along with American Airlines under parent company AMR Corp. in November.

Pinnacle said it will ask its pilots and other employees, both union and non-union, to help it cut costs. That almost certainly means that some of the company’s 7,800 employees will lose their jobs.

The airline is also examining its overall business structure and executive functions for possible ways to streamline its operation.

Pinnacle’s President and CEO Sean Menke also oversaw a Chapter 11 filing at Frontier Airlines. Pinnacle is losing its chief financial officer to Spirit Airlines Inc. this month.

Pinnacle has received a commitment for $74.3 million in debtor-in-possession financing from Delta that will allow it to continue operating while it restructures.

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AP Business Writer Bree Fowler in New York contributed to the report.

Dowd is staying out of the public eye for now, but a wave of overnight fame — much like ‘Miracle on the Hudson’ Capt. Chesley Sullenberger — likely awaits. JetBlue says the decision on whether to go public is up to him, but they’re not commenting more out of respect for his privacy. Public relations experts say there are big pros and cons to going public, like what “Sully” and his co-captain Jeff Skiles experienced in the aftermath of their emergency landing in the Hudson River.

“For some folks it’s a lot to deal with — especially all at once,” said Dr. Ron Bishop, a professor of culture and communication at Drexel University in Philadelphia. “It seems given all the outlets and different means in which we communicate, the attention paid to a person in that situation is ramped up considerably.”

According to court documents, Osbon became increasingly incoherent on board the Las Vegas-bound flight Tuesday, and Dowd was “really worried” when Osbon told him “we need to take a leap of faith.” Concerned about Osbon’s behavior, Dowd suggested that they invite an off-duty JetBlue captain who was flying as a passenger to come into the cockpit, but instead, Osbon left the cockpit and later sprinted down the cabin yelling jumbled remarks about Sept. 11 and Iran, documents and witnesses say.

The off-duty captain then joined Dowd, and from inside the locked cockpit, which Osbon tried to re-enter by banging on the door, the co-pilot gave an order through the intercom to restrain Osbon, according to the documents, which don’t mention Dowd by name. Passengers wrestled Osbon to the ground, and Dowd diverted the flight from New York to Amarillo, Texas. No one onboard was seriously injured.

Federal prosecutors have charged Osbon, 49, with interfering with a flight crew and he is under medical evaluation at an Amarillo hospital.

Dowd doesn’t consider himself a hero, relatives said Thursday. But his actions on board Tuesday’s flight were not a surprise to friends and family.

“I’m glad for those people he was the co-pilot that day,” Dowd’s mother-in-law, Ruth Ann Kostal, said. Dowd, who still lives in his hometown of Salem, Ohio, with his wife and their two young children, hasn’t been able to come home yet because he’s still being interviewed by federal authorities in New York, Kostal said. He has made no public comments about Tuesday’s flight.

“I can see him being a hero. It does not surprise me one bit that he acted so professionally,” said Patty Eaton, a secretary at the church Dowd’s family attends.

Passengers, including those who helped restrain Osbon, also credit Dowd for landing their plane safely. David Gonzalez, a 50-year-old former New York corrections office from Tannersville, Pa., who helped tackle Osbon, said the co-pilot is the “real hero” for getting the captain out of the cockpit and locking the door so he couldn’t get back in.

“It’s because of his actions that we’re here,” Gonzalez said of Dowd.

David E. Johnson, CEO of Strategic Vision, LLC, a leading public relations agency, said if Dowd comes forward, it would likely give JetBlue a needed public relations boost.

“JetBlue needs someone to really step the forefront. It’s the second person there that’s gone berserk they need to show that they’ve got good and heroic employees,” he said.

In 2010, JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater pulled the emergency chute on a flight after it landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport. He went on the public-address system, swore at a passenger, grabbed a beer and slid down onto the tarmac. He was sentenced to probation, counseling and substance abuse treatment for attempted criminal mischief.

As much as JetBlue likely wants to put Slater’s and Osbon’s outbursts behind them, Johnson said there’s another reason why Dowd may not want to go public.

“He’s probably just very low key and just thinks he did what he was supposed to do,” Johnson said.

Sullenberger talked extensively about his unlikely celebrity status after crash landing in the Hudson in 2009. He later wrote a book, took part in the making of a documentary and used his celebrity to speak out on issues affecting pilots, including pensions and flight hour regulations. But the shine of the public eye was overwhelming at times, and he equated it to having a fire hose pointed at him.

A spokeswoman for Sullenberger said he declined to comment on this story. Sully’s co-pilot Jeff Giles couldn’t be reached for comment. Both gave up their flying careers after the accident.

For Dowd, fame could bring opportunities, but Johnson said the pros have to be weighed with the burden of constant attention.

“It will bring some attention to him when he’d rather have it just fade away,” Johnson said. “But Sully was your American hero. Sully was apple pie. And this guy might be as well.”

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Sheeran reported from Salem; Bomkamp from New York. Associated Press writers John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio; and Oskar Garcia in Las Vegas; and researcher Rhonda Shafner in New York contributed to this report.

The deal also allows UPS to expand in growing markets such as Brazil, and comes at a time when business is picking up in the U.S.

UPS entered the European market with service to Germany in 1976 and has since acquired a number of smaller companies to expand. UPS says the continent is ripe with opportunity, despite the current financial turmoil. It points to strong European exports and an express package market that’s growing three times as fast as the overall economy. Businesses are also clamoring to become more efficient — a service UPS offers through its supply chain unit.

Stifel Nicolaus analyst David Ross expects that UPS and TNT together will have between 25 and 30 percent of the European small package maker. The combined company will pass DHL in size. As UPS grows, consumers and businesses will likely pay more to ship packages because there will be less competition around the globe.

UPS currently gets about 26 percent of its sales from outside the U.S. That will grow to 36 percent with TNT. UPS hopes to further boost its international sales to 50 percent in the next five years.

JPMorgan analyst Thomas Wadewitz said the deal will launch UPS from a third-place position in most major European markets to first or second behind DHL. He upgraded UPS’ stock to “Overweight” or “Buy,” saying the TNT deal will provide a “significant catalyst to growth” in 2013 and 2014. UPS reported stronger-than-expected growth for the last three months of 2011.

UPS shares rose $3.30, or 4.2 percent, to $81.71 in afternoon trading.

The deal works out to $12.55 (€9.50) per share; 54 percent higher than TNT’s closing price the day before the companies confirmed they were in talks.

UPS, which is based in Atlanta, has nearly 400,000 employees worldwide and will add about 75,000 from TNT. UPS had total sales of $53.11 billion last year; it expects to post annual sales with TNT of about $60 billion.

TNT has been struggling as European countries face slowing economic growth or slip into recession. TNT lost €173 million ($229 million) in the fourth quarter, mostly due to a charge in its Brazilian arm and the declining value of its airplane fleet. Revenue rose 2.8 percent to €1.85 billion ($2.5 billion).

TNT gives UPS access to a strong European road and rail network, more opportunities for small package, freight and other services. UPS will also be able to expand in countries and regions it says it currently underserves, including Brazil, Australia and The Middle East.

UPS will fund the deal through the $3 billion in its coffers and new debt offerings. It expects the deal to close this fall, but it will have to pass a number of regulatory hurdles before then.

UPS agreed to pay $264.1 million (€200 million) to TNT if the deal doesn’t pass government antitrust scrutiny. And there’s also a clause to protect UPS if TNT’s looks elsewhere for a partner. TNT, which was also considered a potential takeover target of FedEx Corp., can only accept another deal that’s at least 8 percent higher. It also agreed to pay $66 million if it breaks off the deal with UPS. FedEx hasn’t formally said it’s interested in TNT.

The deal is expected to boost UPS’ earnings within a year after it closes. By 2015, it expects savings to be $525 million to $725 million a year. UPS said it’s too early to talk about possible job cuts. TNT’s largest shareholder, Dutch postal company PostNL, said it will vote in favor of the deal. It holds a 29.9 percent stake.

UPS traces its roots back to 1907 when two teenage entrepreneurs started a messenger service in Seattle with a $100 loan.

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Bomkamp reported from New York. Sterling reported from Amsterdam.

Large U.S. airlines have collectively tried to raise prices four times this year and succeeded twice. Those price hikes, as little as $5 apiece, are expected to accelerate in April and May as many vacationers lock in their plans.

How much ticket prices go up will depend largely on the price of fuel, often an airline’s biggest expense. The average fare was 9 percent higher in January than a year earlier, according to the trade group Airlines for America.

So what’s a would-be traveler to do?

— STUDY EARLY: Start looking for a summer airfare about three months ahead of time (That’s right around … now.) If the fares seem too rich for your blood, don’t panic. Just because fares are higher than last year doesn’t mean they won’t fall between now and your summer vacation.

If you’re worried about waiting, use this trick: Select the flight you want and start booking it online. When you hit the point where you select a seat, look at the seat map. If it’s still fairly empty, wait. It’s likely the airline will lower prices to fill those seats.

Another trick: If you search repeatedly for the same flight over a couple of days, clear the “cookies” from your web browser. They’re small data files that let a website remember things about you the next time you visit. If you don’t clear them, you might just keep seeing the same airfare on every visit.

The option to clear cookies is often found in your browser’s “Tools” menu. Or check here for a more in-depth guide: http://bit.ly/A7jqNq.

SHOP AROUND: All travel booking websites are not created equal. Some may offer lower prices than others. There are also benefits to visiting different types of sites. Expedia and Orbitz offer package deals that can save you hundreds of dollars if you’re booking a hotel or rental car together with airfare.

Those with fare predictor technology, like Bing.com, let travelers know if it’s a good time to book. And Southwest advertises fares only on its own site, so it’s important to check there if the airline flies to your area. More airlines are also offering sales on their own websites to draw traffic there..

And to ensure you’re getting the best deal, don’t forget fare alerts. You can set up alerts for specific destinations, or general ones for your departure city, at airfarewatchdog.com or farecompare.com. Twitter is also a great place to find deals. Follow airlines that fly from your home airport as well as a handful of travel sites to cover all your bases.

FOLLOW THE DEALS: Not sure where you want to go this summer? Orlando, Fla. — home to Disney World and most recently the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal— is topping fare-watcher lists for value this year. Both Orbitz and Hotwire ranked it the top destination for deals and entertainment. The average airfare there is about $306, according to Orbitz, while the average hotel room rate is just $104.

Other destinations in Florida like Tampa and Miami are also considered good values. Several airlines, including Spirit and JetBlue, have added flights to the Sunshine state over the last year, heating up competition and bringing down fares. Hotel rates in all three of those cities are under $150 a night.

Besides Florida, Hotwire ranks cities like Atlanta, Dallas and Houston as good value vacation spots because of the wide range of discounts. Orbitz says Las Vegas will also hold some of the best deals this year, due to some of the lowest airfares in the country and average hotel room rates under $100.

BE FLEXIBLE: Don’t just compare airlines. It’s important to compare airports, too. A longer drive might be worth it for a cheaper fare.

And don’t assume that bigger airports offer cheaper fares. While it’s usually true, airlines sometimes put less popular fares to smaller cities on sale to fill seats, said FareCompare’s Rick Seaney.

Another big mistake, Seaney said, is assuming so-called discount airlines always offer the cheapest fares. Airlines like Southwest and JetBlue, just like their competitors, tend to offer higher fares on routes where they have less competition.