Biz Buzz

LONG ISLAND

Comtech unit lands Army deal

Melville-based Comtech Telecommunications Corp. said Monday that one of its units, Maryland-based Comtech Mobile Datacom Corp., has a new U.S. Army contract that could be worth as much as $80.7 million over three years. The contract, to provide support for a satellite-fed battlefield command system, has a one-year initial term with the option to renew for two more years. The electronic battlefield control system, known as Blue Force Tracking, reduces the possibility of friendly fire casualties. -- Joseph Mallia

NATION

AirTran tops airline poll again

For the second straight year, low-cost carrier AirTran Airways did the best job of getting passengers where they were going, says a survey exploring the all-too-familiar hassles of flying. American Eagle was ranked worst among the nation's 15 largest airlines, though United drew the most complaints. AirTran was followed by similar repeat performances by Hawaii Airlines and JetBlue Airways in second and third places. Across the industry, key indicators on lost bags, delayed flights and consumer complaints improved, said Dean Headley, a professor at Wichita State University who has co-written the airline performance report for 22 years. -- AP

CEO pay up 10 percent in 2011

The take-home pay of U.S. chief executives grew at least 10 percent in 2011, propelled largely by a stock market rally, according to consultants' estimates. The trend may carry over into 2012 if the market stays strong, with chief executives reaping the gains from low-priced stock options and restricted stock which they received in the darkest days of the 2007 to 2009 financial crisis and which are now vesting. While The Wall Street Journal reported last week that chiefs of 65 companies in its study with pay consultancy Hay Group got a modest 1.4 percent increase last year in direct compensation, "equity appreciation will override any conservatism in bonus for 2011," said David Wise, senior principal for Hay Group. He expects 10 to 20 percent growth in 2011 chief executive "realized pay." -- Reuters

WORLD

Agency accuses Canadian bank

U.S. regulators are accusing one of Canada's largest banks of engaging in hundreds of millions of dollars in illegal futures trades to reap tax benefits on its holdings of company stocks. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission filed civil charges Monday against Royal Bank of Canada, saying the bank made the sham trades with itself. The agency said it is the largest case it has brought against so-called wash trades, which cancel each other out. Toronto-based Royal Bank of Canada called the CFTC's allegations "baseless" and said it will contest them in court. -- AP

Eurozone joblessness at high

Unemployment in the 17 countries that use the euro hit its highest level since the currency was introduced back in 1999, official figures showed Monday, adding to fears that the region is in recession. Eurostat, the European Union's statistics office, said unemployment in the eurozone rose to 10.8 percent in February from 10.7 percent the previous month. The number of unemployed totaled 17.1 million, nearly 1.5 million higher than the same month a year ago. Of the 17 countries in the eurozone, seven countries had unemployment rates of above 10 percent. The figures stand in marked contrast to the U.S. -- with an unemployment rate of 8.3 percent -- which has recorded solid increases in the number of people finding work over the past few months. Spain, whose government announced another raft of austerity measures last Friday, had the highest unemployment rate at 23.6 percent, with youth unemployment -- those under 25 -- at 50.5 percent. -- AP