Houston-based ExpressJet is targeting new service to six West Coast cities under a plan announced Jan. 25 to fly 44 regional jets leaving the Continental fleet for point-to-point service in markets that don't currently have nonstop flights (DAILY, Jan. 25).
Kuwait Airways has debuted online booking through its web site, the Arab Air Carriers Association reports. Included in the new online booking process is the issuance of electronic tickets, as well the capability to order food and special services. Late last year, IATA Director General Giovanni Bisignani said carriers in the Middle East and North Africa are the furthest away from reaching the association's goal of 100% electronic ticketing by the end of 2007 (DAILY, Nov. 27), noting at the time that 13% of airlines in those regions offered e-ticketing. -LR
Frontier won from the U.S. Transportation Dept. the authority to operate on the Dallas/Fort Worth-Mazatlan route (DAILY, Jan. 29). Frontier also moved the proposed startup date for the service, initially slated for a June launch, to Jan. 25, the department said [OST-2007-27033]. The carrier plans to operate two to three weekly flights in the peak season. -ARS
A nearly 20% drop in the U.S. share of the overseas travelers since 2000 has cost billions of dollars in revenue and nearly 200,000 jobs, according to a new study conducted by the Travel Industry Association, on behalf of the Discover America Partnership. In 2000, U.S. market share of the $6 trillion worldwide travel market stood at 7.5%. By 2006, the country's share had dropped to 6.1%. Since 9/11, overseas travel to the U.S. has dropped 17%.
A new manual to help airlines, airports and local governments prepare to prevent emerging diseases from entering the United States has been published by the U.S. Dept. of Transportation, in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control.
Air Canada Technical Services expects to close this quarter on its 80% stake worth US$44.7 million in Aeroman, the MRO in El Salvador owned by the TACA Group. Aeroman said it started evaluating ways to expand its four-line MRO operation two years ago and decided to align with another maintenance business that also is part of the Airbus MRO Network.
The U.S. Transportation Dept. this week issued a rule increasing the minimum limit on domestic baggage liability from $2,800 to $3,000, effective Feb. 28. The change "will post minor additional costs only in those instances in which carriers lost or damaged baggage, or delay delivering baggage to the traveler," DOT said. The rule applies to carriers operating large aircraft or carriers that operate smaller aircraft and interline with large aircraft operators.
Comair management plans to ask the bankruptcy court in a hearing Thursday to exclude benefits enhancements in a deal it can impose on pilots if the two sides fail to reach a concessionary deal by a Friday deadline. The carrier's management team already has court permission to void its current contract with pilots. But the two sides struck an interim agreement in late December to avert a 4.5% pay raise set to take effect Jan. 1. Since then, the two sides have attempted to reach a consensual deal with the help of a mediator.
The new chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee yesterday likened the Registered Traveler program, which allows pre- screened air passengers to bypass some airport security, to a "glorified frequent flyer" program.
Philippines low-fare airline Cebu Pacific, looking to operate in the Manila-Taipei market, submitted an application for the route to the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) in Manila. Cebu Pacific Marketing Director Candice Iyog said the airline is targeting to launch flights in June, initially operating four times weekly and expanding to daily service in October 2008.
Colombian/Chilean consortium ASAP S.A. won from Colombia's civil aviation department (Aerocivil) concessions to develop and manage San Andres Island's Gustavo Rojas Pinilla airport and Old Providence's El Embrujo Airport. Concessions are for 20 years and involve investments of $21 million. Aerocivil is to be paid 21% of gross revenues. Physical transfer of present terminals and other facilities is scheduled Feb. 7.
Traffic increased 5.8% in the airspace of the Benelux nations and Northwest Germany last year, with the soccer World Cup contributing to the growth, Eurocontrol said yesterday. There were nearly 1.5 million flights in this airspace, which is controlled by the Eurocontrol Maastricht Upper Area Control Center (MUAC). The total was 80,000 higher than in 2005.
Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi's declaration that his country intends to maintain "moderate prices" for oil -- generally thought to mean about $50 per barrel -- could make the Air Transport Association's 2007 profit forecast ultraconservative. The association's $4 billion estimate for the industry was based on an average oil price of $60 per barrel. If one dollar per barrel means about $400 million in industry costs -- down from $450 million-$475 million a few years ago -- ATA could boost its forecast 50% or more and still be conservative.
Spain's Ministry of Development (Fomento) is moving full speed ahead on the agreement with Air Plus Comet to operate Air Madrid's former routes and assume the grounded carrier's commitments with workers and stranded passengers (DAILY, Jan. 19), telling local press that so far 48 pilots and other employees have made the transfer.
Maiquetia International Airport, gateway to Caracas, is installing three state-of-the-art systems to ward off birds that flock to the airport and surrounding areas and create hazards for aircraft on takeoff and landing. Mega Blaster Pro and Critter Blaster Pro will be set up close to runways, while Ultrason X, which is made up of six stations, will be erected on the roof of the terminal and other buildings. Overall investments total $1 million. -LZ
IATA yesterday revealed that international traffic growth slowed to 5.9% in 2006 -- compared to 7.6% a year earlier -- although airline financial performance was much healthier.
The elimination of airport rent, more resources for border services and the negotiation of more liberalized bilateral air service agreements are three of the five top priorities the government needs to tackle this year to promote world competitiveness for Canada's airports, according to the Canadian Airports Council (CAC) CAC this week released its Five-Point Competitive plan in conjunction with the return of federal legislators to the current session of Parliament.
The City of Los Angeles has asked the bankruptcy court to deny Delta Air Lines' request to reject its lease at Terminal 5 at Los Angeles Airport. In its filing, the city argues that Delta has not disclosed what the financial impact of the early termination of its lease would be. "Without this information, creditors cannot accurately evaluate the feasibility of Delta's plan or the reasonableness of its projections," said the filing.
The Transport & General Workers Union (T&G) yesterday called off a two-day strike by British Airways cabin crew, after the two sides reached a deal on pay and work conditions. BA was able to reinstate almost its entire flight schedule after the strike was canceled. Late last week, the airline axed about 1,300 flights Tuesday and Wednesday and warned that it would not be able to reinstate all of these even if a last-minute agreement was reached.
