Consumer News: FAA restriction halts all flights to and from El Paso for 10 days

The same three sectors continue to produce the most jobs

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• U.S. economy added 130,000 jobs in January as unemployment held at 4.3%.

• Health care, social assistance and construction led hiring, while federal government and financial jobs declined.

• Annual benchmark revisions sharply lowered 2025 job growth totals.

If you are looking for a job, your prospects may be getting a little brighter. U.S. employers added 130,000 jobs in January, significantly more than expected.

The unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.3%, signaling a steady but restrained start to 2026. The latest figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) show modest job growth following a sluggish 2025, when payrolls expanded by an average of just 15,000 jobs per month.

Gains last month were concentrated in health care, social assistance and construction, while federal government payrolls continued to shrink and financial sector employment declined.

Unemployment steady, but higher than a year ago

The jobless rate held at 4.3% in January, with 7.4 million Americans unemployed. That is little changed from December but up from 4.0% and 6.9 million unemployed a year earlier.

Teenagers saw some improvement, with their unemployment rate falling to 13.6%. Rates for adult men (3.8%), adult women (4.0%), and major racial and ethnic groups showed little monthly movement. Black workers continued to face a higher unemployment rate at 7.2%, compared with 3.7% for White workers, 4.1% for Asian workers and 4.7% for Hispanic workers.

Long-term unemployment defined as those jobless for 27 weeks or more was essentially unchanged at 1.8 million in January but has risen by 386,000 over the past year. One in four unemployed workers has been out of work for at least six months.

The labor force participation rate remained at 62.5%, and the employment-population ratio held at 59.8%, both largely unchanged over the past year.

There was some relief in involuntary part-time employment. The number of people working part time for economic reasons fell by 453,000 to 4.9 million in January, though that figure remains higher than a year ago. Meanwhile, 5.8 million people outside the labor force said they wanted a job, down by 399,000 from December.

Health care drives job gains

Health care once again led job growth, adding 82,000 positions in January. Ambulatory health care services accounted for 50,000 of those jobs, while hospitals added 18,000 and nursing and residential care facilities contributed 13,000.

Social assistance employment rose by 42,000, primarily in individual and family services. Construction added 33,000 jobs, largely among nonresidential specialty trade contractors. Construction employment had been essentially flat throughout 2025.

Other major industries including manufacturing, retail trade, transportation and warehousing, professional and business services, and leisure and hospitality showed little change over the month.

While some stores could close, online sales are not affected

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Eddie Bauer LLC has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in New Jersey after reaching a restructuring agreement with its secured lenders.

• The company will launch liquidation sales at its U.S. and Canadian stores while pursuing a potential sale of all or part of its retail operations.

• E-commerce and wholesale operations, operated by Outdoor 5 LLC, are not affected and will continue as usual.

Eddie Bauer LLC, the operator of Eddie Bauer retail and outlet stores in the United States and Canada, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as part of a restructuring plan aimed at stabilizing the business and maximizing value for stakeholders. Some or all of the retail outlets could close.

The company announced it has entered into a Restructuring Support Agreement (RSA) with its secured lenders and has begun voluntary Chapter 11 proceedings in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey. The agreement is intended to streamline the bankruptcy process and allow the retailer to move through it as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Some stories will close

As part of the restructuring, Eddie Bauers retail stores in the U.S. and Canada will remain open for now, but the company will begin liquidation sales as it winds down certain locations. At the same time, the company is actively seeking a buyer for all or part of its store operations in what it described as a dual-path strategy.

If a buyer is secured, the company may shift away from a full liquidation and instead complete a going-concern sale that preserves some or all of its store footprint. If no transaction materializes, the retailer said it will proceed with an orderly wind-down of store operations.

Marc Rosen, CEO of Catalyst Brands, said the company has faced mounting financial challenges that predate the formation of Catalyst Brands last year.

Inflation-driven cost increases

Even prior to the inception of Catalyst Brands last year, the retail company was in a challenged situation, with declining sales, supply chain challenges and other issues, Rosen said in a statement. He added that those difficulties were compounded by inflation-driven cost increases, tariff uncertainty and other economic pressures.

Rosen said that while Catalysts leadership team made progress in areas such as product development and marketing, those efforts were not enough to overcome longstanding operational and financial headwinds.

The company has filed several customary first-day motions with the bankruptcy court, including requests to use cash collateral to continue paying employee wages and benefits and to fund operations during the Chapter 11 process.

Online sales are not affected

Importantly for customers, Eddie Bauers online and wholesale businesses are not part of the bankruptcy filing. Those operations are run by a separate licensed operator, Outdoor 5 LLC (also known as Oved), and will continue without interruption. Authentic Brands Group retains ownership of the Eddie Bauer intellectual property and may license the brand to other operators in the future.

The filing does not affect Eddie Bauer stores outside the U.S. and Canada, which are operated by other licensees and will continue normal operations. Other brands within the Catalyst Brands portfolio are also not impacted by the bankruptcy.

Rosen acknowledged the impact of the decision on employees and business partners.

The move could throw flight schedules into chaos

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• All flights to and from El Paso are groundedincluding commercial, cargo, and general aviationunder an FAA flight restriction.

• The restriction runs from Feb. 10 at 11:30 p.m. MST through Feb. 20 at 11:30 p.m. MST.

• Travelers are being urged to contact their airlines directly for the latest flight-status updates.

If you have a flight arriving or departing El Paso, Texas over the next few days, youll have to make other plans. A Federal Aviation Administration flight restriction has halted all flights to and from El Paso for 10 days, grounding commercial passenger service, cargo operations, and general aviation.

The advisory states that the FAA has issued a flight restriction effective from Feb. 10 at 11:30 p.m. (MST) to Feb. 20 at 11:30 p.m. (MST) and that all flights to and from El Paso are grounded, including commercial, cargo and general aviation.

Sweeping shutdown

The scope of the restriction, as described in the advisory, would represent one of the most sweeping shutdowns of air traffic in the region in recent memory, affecting not only airline passengers but also freight shipments and private aircraft movements tied to business travel, medical transport, and flight training.

Airlines serving El Paso would be expected to cancel or significantly disrupt scheduled arrivals and departures during the restriction window. Cargo carriers, which often operate overnight schedules, would also be affected.

Travelers with upcoming itineraries were advised to contact their airlines for the most up-to-date flight status information, including potential rebooking options, refunds, or alternative airport arrangements.

The reason remains unclear

As of Tuesday night, it remained unclear what prompted the FAA action or whether exceptions would be allowed for emergency or government operations. FAA flight restrictions can be issued for a variety of reasons, including security concerns, emergency response activities, or other operational hazards.

Local airport operations and federal officials had not immediately released additional details beyond the advisorys description of the restriction.

Passengers planning travel in or out of the El Paso region during the affected period may want to check for alternate routes, including flights from nearby airports, while monitoring airline notifications and official updates.

What travelers should do now

• Check airline apps and text/email alerts frequently

• Contact airline customer service for rebooking and refund policies

• Consider alternate airports only after confirming ground transportation and availability

• Reconfirm hotel, rental car, and connecting travel plans that could be impacted by cancellations

Coffee and cereal lead the increase

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• The ConsumerAffairs Datasembly Shopping Cart Index rose 5.9% year over year in January, increasing from $147.71 in January 2025 to $156.43 in January 2026 an $8.72 jump for the same basket of everyday items.

• Coffee, cereal, and paper products drove much of the increase, while a handful of staples including eggs, butter, and bottled water offered modest relief.

• Food inflation remains uneven, with sharp increases in packaged and branded goods offset by flat or declining prices in select dairy and pantry items.

The cost of a typical grocery run continued to rise in January, according to the ConsumerAffairs Datasembly Shopping Cart Index, underscoring how inflation is still shaping household budgets in uneven ways.

The index, which tracks prices for a standardized basket of 24 common grocery and household items, increased from $147.71 in January 2025 to $156.43 in January 2026, a 5.9% year-over-year increase. While that gain is smaller than the double-digit spikes consumers saw earlier in the inflation cycle, it signals that price pressures have not fully eased.

Coffee and cereal lead price gains

Some of the biggest increases came from pantry and breakfast staples. Whole bean coffee jumped 26.9%, rising from $12.22 to $15.51 the largest dollar and percentage increase in the index. Coffee prices have been pressured by weather-related supply issues and higher transportation costs.

Cereal also stood out. Honey Nut Cereal (family size) climbed 24.3%, rising from $5.60 to $6.96, while American cheese singles rose 11.3%, reaching $6.02. Branded packaged foods have been especially sensitive to higher input and marketing costs, according to retail pricing data.

Household essentials keep creeping up

Non-food essentials continued their slow upward march. Paper towels rose 4.3%, increasing by a dollar to $23.99, and toilet paper climbed 6.6%, reaching $12.48 for a 12-count pack. These products tend to move gradually, but their higher price points amplify the impact on monthly budgets.

Laundry detergent also edged higher, rising from $13.05 to $13.33. (Liquid dish detergent was included in the basket, but January 2026 pricing was unavailable and not factored into the year-over-year comparison.)

Some relief at the dairy case

Not every aisle saw increases. Organic eggs fell 7.9%, dropping from $6.68 to $6.15, a notable reversal after years of volatility. Salted butter declined 8.8%, and bottled spring water slipped 3.5%.

Other staples, including milk and bread, were flat year over year a welcome sign for shoppers who rely on these basics.

Inflation isnt gone its just selective

Overall, the January data suggests inflation has become more selective rather than universal. Prices for indulgences and branded packaged foods are climbing faster than staples, while some commodities are stabilizing or retreating.

For consumers, that means grocery bills may feel unpredictable not because everything is getting more expensive, but because the items people notice most often are.

As 2026 unfolds, the Datasembly Shopping Cart Index will continue to track whether these price pressures broaden again or remain concentrated in specific categories.