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Consumer Confidential: American flies higher; Graco stroller, more auto recalls

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Here’s your waste not, want not Wednesday roundup of consumer news from around the Web:

-- Things are looking up for AMR, parent of American Airlines. After about two years of losses, the company is finally back in the black and is announcing new service out of LAX. American says it will add new routes from Los Angeles to Shanghai and nine American cities, and add flights from L.A. to five other U.S. airports. AMR posted a quarterly profit of $143 million, compared with a year-earlier loss of $359 million. The company says it’s flying higher because of a resurgence in travel demand.

-- Graco Children’s Products is recalling about 2 million strollers. The Quattro and MetroLite strollers have been blamed for four deaths from strangulation and a number of injuries. In January, Graco recalled 1.5 million strollers because of a risk that little fingers could be cut off. In March, the company recalled 1.2 million high chairs, and in April it recalled 217,000 cribs. Clearly this is a company that needs to focus more on safety.

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-- Speaking of recalls, Chrysler is recalling about 26,000 cars and trucks that run the risk of leaky power steering hoses. The recall affects some 2010 models of the Chrysler 300 and Sebring, the Dodge Avenger, Charger, Challenger and Journey, and some 2011 Dodge Ram pickups. Only vehicles built between June 24 and Aug. 30 are at risk. Meanwhile, Volvo is recalling about 10,000 vehicles with potentially funky front air bags. The recall involves certain S80 sedans and XC70 crossover vehicles from the 2010-2011 model year and model year 2010 V70 wagons.

-- David Lazarus

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