Midway flight attendants have reached a tentative agreement with the airline over their first contract. Details will not be released until after the agreement is presented to union members. As part of the agreement, the parties also settled the attendants' pending lawsuit over seniority and recall rights.
Yemen Airways acquired its second Boeing 737-800 Aug. 1 as part of an order placed in 2001 for three aircraft. The airline took delivery of the first -800 in May and the last is scheduled to arrive Sept. 7.
FAA's Flight Standards Office is "considering" replacing today's unlaminated paper pilot certificate with one that includes a "photo and biometric measures" to "enhance security," an Office of Homeland Security spokeswoman says. There's no firm date for a decision, but FAA is "aware of the need to act expeditiously."
Airbus is believed to have sealed a deal from China Airlines for 16 A330-300s to replace its aging fleet of 12 A300-600Rs, thanks to a massive discount, sources in Taipei said.
Taser International wants U.S. senators to endorse its non-lethal weapons for pilots. DOT's Transportation Security Administration has resisted letting airlines arm pilots, and Taser is making the rounds on Capitol Hill seeking congressional support. United spent about $1 million on Tasers, enough to put two on each aircraft and train 9,000 pilots -- 200 of whom later bought the $400 Taser "for personal protection," a Taser official tells The DAILY.
King Co. Dept. of Transportation Manage King. Co. International Airport located at Boeing Field in Seattle, WA. For complete job description, http://www. metrokc.gov/ohrm/psd/assets/7-15-02/02MD 2257.pdf QUALIFICATIONS: BA degree in Business or Transportation Management or equivalent education and experience. Minimum of 5 yrs. airport management & operations experience including budget development & financial management, technical airport operations & procedures, and administrative & field operations.
To list an event, fax information to Donna Thomas at 202-383-2438. (Blue type indicates new calendar listing.) AUG. 21-23 -- 2002 Virginia Aviation Conference, Aviation's Evolution From Cloth to Composites, Ramada Plaza Resort Oceanfront, Virginia Beach, Va. SEPT. 9-10 -- Postponed, Air Transport World, Third Annual Managing Technology & Information for Profit (see Feb. 13-14, 2003)
Argentina's American Falcon and Uruguay's Pluna have just signed a classic inter-line agreement to honor each other's tickets, with no elements of codesharing or joint operations. Such instruments might come later, however, especially on Pluna's sole international route, Montevideo-Madrid, which will soon be operated with a Boeing 767-300ER leased from Ansett Worldwide.
International carriers accounted for 708 of the 5,626 air-travel complaints lodged at DOT for the first six months of 2002, and 3,698 concerned U.S. major airlines. Air France racked up 100, followed by British Airways, 69, Alitalia, 39, and Air Jamaica, 34. DOT recorded no complaints on animal injuries or deaths during January-June 2002.
Senate aviation subcommittee members worry beleaguered WorldCom may not be able to meet the terms of a critical agency telecommunications contract. FAA recently chose Harris Corp. for the next phase of its telecommunications infrastructure program, but WorldCom still has a five-year "bridging contract" with the agency. Senators want FAA to develop a contingency plan in case WorldCom can't fulfill its contract.
Mexico is calling off plans to build a new airport for Mexico City in the Texcoco area in the wake of weeks of bitter, violent conflict with local farmers whose land would have been taken for the project. Citing "the negative attitude of landholders in farming communities ... and other options ... open to expand airport infrastructure and facilities in the central part of the nation," the administration of President Vicente Fox issued a communiqué late Thursday night declaring it was repealing "relevant land expropriation decrees."
DOT today publishes in the Federal Register a notice requesting comments by Aug. 15 on the proposed US Airways-United code-share and frequent flyer agreement, but it will not make the comment submissions into a docket on the matter, as requested by the Air Carrier Association of America (DAILY, Aug. 1).
20 years ago Aug. 10, 1972 -- A bill extending FAA's war risk insurance program faces tough scrutiny after a challenge from Sen. Nancy Kassebaum (R-Kan.), who questions inclusion of an ALPA-supported amendment codifying labor protections sponsored by Rep. Norman Mineta (D-Calif.).. 10 years ago
Debis AirFinance appointed Klaus Heinemann and Heinrich Lochteken managing directors. LSG Sky chefs named Peter Wilander VP-marketing and sales for the Americas Region West. Priceline.com promoted Jeffery Boyd to president and co-chief executive officer, sharing responsibilities with Chariman Richard Braddock; Mitch Truwit to chief operating officer; Trey Urbahn to chairman-Travel Services Group, and Christopher Soder to executive VP. Thunder Aviation named Jan Calloway manager-business development.
Four major U.S. airlines together lost $12.1 million per day in the second quarter, and are likely to see little improvement in the current quarter, Goldman Sachs data show. American lost $5.5 million per day, United $5 million, and Delta and Northwest $800,000 per day.
Greek entrepreneur Pavlos Vardinoyannis set up a consortium dubbed "New Wings" with Olympic Airways pilots to bid for the privatization of the ailing flag carrier, announced Transport Minister Christos Verelis. As well, U.S. charter company Chrysler Aviation said it was willing to offer a new bid to save the Greek airline from collapse. "If someone tells me what exactly is being sold and how much it will cost, I will buy it straight away," said Chrysler Aviation Managing Director Stelios Rapis.
Departing from its policy not to raise fares since it began operations in January 2000, Brazil's domestic low-cost, no-frills Gol Airlines has just been forced to raise fares 9.8% as a direct result of the latest increase in the dollar exchange rate versus the real. Other fare hikes by airlines averaged 11.4%, and Gol continues to feature the lowest fares in Brazil's domestic market.
Cuba and Peru signed a bilateral air transportation agreement last week in Havana that strengthens relations between the two countries and upholds their joint will "to maintain and develop trade, tourist and cultural links through the air." The agreement covers national airline operations for passengers, cargo and mail between the two countries and to other destinations.
Southern Winds and AIRG -- the former Lapa -- might be merging soon in Argentina, reports DAILY affiliate AvNews Latin America & Caribbean. Airport magnate Eduardo Eurnekian has control of AIRG and owns 30% of SW, so the merger "makes a lot of sense," according to the AvNews account, which notes that AIRG flies mostly domestic routes and won't compete with Southern Winds internationally. "But it won't happen unless Juan Maggio, founder and president of SW, ends up in control," AvNews said.
Taiwan safety officials say they're willing to let a family representative unrelated to those killed in the May 25 China Airlines 747 crash sit on their investigative panel, but deny local press reports saying they've already agreed to let one of the relatives serve in that role.
The Senate Appropriations Committee recommended $13.59 billion in FAA funding for fiscal year 2003, $4 million more than the administration's request and $195 million more than the amount appropriated for FY 2002. The increase from the request came in operations funding, with the committee recommending $7.08 billion. The recommendation of $2.98 billion for facilities and equipment and the $3.4 billion recommended for the airport improvement program (AIP) were the same as the administration's request.
New York jet fuel spot prices ended last week at $0.71, up 1.4% from the beginning of the week and down 4.4% from a year ago, according to Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown.
