Aviation Daily

Staff
US Airways Hub Profile Philadelphia Origin and Destinations, Segment Summary and Top Nonstop Markets Origination and Destination Data 12 Months 12 Months Ended June Ended June 2001 1997 Philadelphia Total (All Carriers) O&D Passengers 13,961,080 12,340,930 13.1%

Staff
While considering the NTSB reauthorization last week, House lawmakers noted that the board investigated 6,420 aviation incidents and made 282 safety recommendations since 1999. Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) said a new rule that DOT report annually on how it addresses these recommendations will ensure that NTSB will "get a little more response from the FAA," and prevent recommendations from falling into "regulatory limbo."

Staff
National Air Transportation Association has rejected claims by Senate lawmakers that nothing is being done to improve security of fixed base operators or chartered aircraft. During a Senate Appropriations transportation subcommittee hearing Monday, Sen. Herbert Kohl (D-Wis.) asked FAA Administrator Jane Garvey why there was no system in place to check passengers boarding charter aircraft. "Large charter aircraft have no more security today than before Sept. 11, which was, and is, none," Kohl said. Also during the hearing, Sen.

Staff
The Korean government plans to designate Daegu Airport as an international facility due to the increasing number of requests by foreign carriers to operate direct flights into the city. Currently, the airport has direct flights to Shanghai and Qingdao in China and Osaka in Japan operated by Korean and foreign carriers. Several Chinese airlines have submitted applications to operate flights from China to Daegu. -WD

Staff
European airlines have been allowed to postpone the payment of EUR90 million in route charges for the first quarter of 2002 to Eurocontrol, said a source at the European air traffic control body in Brussels. The move results from an agreement between the 31 member states of Eurocontrol, aiming to improve the cash situation of European airlines, to compensate the effects of the Sept. 11 attacks.

Staff
CCAIR and its pilots' representatives reached a tentative deal on a new contract Wednesday night, concluding discussions that began on the weekend. The contract proposal will be presented to pilots at meetings today and tomorrow. A ratification vote will be expedited, although no date has yet been set, Air Line Pilots Association Communications Specialist John Perkinson told The DAILY.

Staff
Delta next month plans to add its code to Air Jamaica's daily Airbus A320 service from Newark to Montego Bay. The code-share flight will start May 1.

SL
Midwest Express posted a modest net profit of $3.8 million in the first quarter, including one-time items. Without the unusual gains and charges, however, the company recorded a net loss of $2.2 million. Unusual items include a $29.9 million asset impairment charge related to the early retirement of the company's DC-9 fleet and a one-time $39.5 million gains associated with the company's arbitration settlement with Fairchild Dornier over the cancellation of the 428JET program.

Staff
Taino Airlines asked DOT for authority for U.S.-Dominican Republic cargo service using DC-8-63 aircraft wet-leased from ABX Air, a U.S. carrier. Taino, a carrier of the Dominican Republic, which is in FAA's Category 2, wants to operate scheduled flights between Santo Domingo and Miami, New York, and San Juan and Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. (Docket OST-02-12138)

SL/AS
US Airways yesterday reported a $269 million net loss for the first quarter, a deficit that new CEO Dave Siegel called "disappointing and unacceptable." The carrier's business traffic has been slow to return, officials report, leading to a depressed revenue performance. Revenues were 1.7 billion, down 23.7% from last year, while passenger revenue per available seat mile was off 11%. Results for the first quarter included a $149 million tax benefit and a $17 million credit related to an accounting change.

Staff
Delta next month plans to add its code to Air Jamaica's daily Airbus A320 service from Newark to Montego Bay. The code-share flight will start May 1.

Staff
Incheon International Airport in Seoul, in a bid to step up security, plans to install additional X-Ray scanners and metal detectors to check arriving passengers' carry-on baggage.

Staff
SAS plans to dispose of four Boeing 767-300ERs this year. The airline has appointed Gatwick based Aircraft Leasing and Management to sell or lease out the aircraft. The first of the long-haul jets that are being replaced by Airbus A340-300s is up for sale immediately, while the other three will be phased out by October.

Staff
Stelios Haji-Ioannou, founder and current chairman of U.K. low-cost airline EasyJet has announced his resignation. Haji-Ioannou said yesterday that he would step down at the next annual general assembly in 2003. Colin Chandler has been appointed deputy chairman with immediate effect and is planned to succeed the company founder next year. All current executive directors, except the finance director, and CEO Ray Webster will step down.

DM
The Senate Commerce Committee yesterday passed National Aviation Capacity Expansion Act of 2002 (S. 2039) out of committee along with several amendments that would give FAA the right to withhold the expansion's approval of the runway design plan, enforce environmental regulations during construction and expand protection for homeowners living near the airport. The bill, introduced by Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), goes to the full Senate by a 19-4 vote over the strenuous objection of committee member Peter Fitzgerald (R-Ill.), who favors expanding other airports.

Staff
The Senate Commerce Committee yesterday passed National Aviation Capacity Expansion Act of 2002 (S. 2039) out of committee along with several amendments that would give FAA the right to withhold the expansion's approval of the runway design plan, enforce environmental regulations during construction and expand protection for homeowners living near the airport. The bill, introduced by Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), goes to the full Senate by a 19-4 vote over the strenuous objection of committee member Peter Fitzgerald (R-Ill.), who favors expanding other airports.

Staff
European airlines have been allowed to postpone the payment of EUR90 million in route charges for the first quarter of 2002 to Eurocontrol, said a source at the European air traffic control body in Brussels. The move results from an agreement between the 31 member states of Eurocontrol, aiming to improve the cash situation of European airlines, to compensate the effects of the Sept. 11 attacks.

AS
National Air Transportation Association has rejected claims by Senate lawmakers that nothing is being done to improve security of fixed base operators or chartered aircraft. During a Senate Appropriations transportation subcommittee hearing Monday, Sen. Herbert Kohl (D-Wis.) asked FAA Administrator Jane Garvey why there was no system in place to check passengers boarding charter aircraft. "Large charter aircraft have no more security today than before Sept. 11, which was, and is, none," Kohl said. Also during the hearing, Sen.

Staff
Midwest Express posted a modest net profit of $3.8 million in the first quarter, including one-time items. Without the unusual gains and charges, however, the company recorded a net loss of $2.2 million. Unusual items include a $29.9 million asset impairment charge related to the early retirement of the company's DC-9 fleet and a one-time $39.5 million gains associated with the company's arbitration settlement with Fairchild Dornier over the cancellation of the 428JET program.

Staff
Stelios Haji-Ioannou, founder and current chairman of U.K. low-cost airline EasyJet has announced his resignation. Haji-Ioannou said yesterday that he would step down at the next annual general assembly in 2003. Colin Chandler has been appointed deputy chairman with immediate effect and is planned to succeed the company founder next year. All current executive directors, except the finance director, and CEO Ray Webster will step down.

Staff
DOT granted Aloha U.S.-Canada rights, which the carrier plans to use for daily Honolulu-Vancouver service beginning June 15, using Boeing 737-700 aircraft. (Docket OST-02-12077)

WD
Global Supply Systems Ltd. requested an exemption from DOT to operate cargo charters, under wet-lease from British Airways, between the points in the U.K. and points in the U.S., directly and via intermediate points or beyond points with or without stopovers. The U.K. carrier would carry mail and property for BA's U.S.-U.K.

Staff
ExpressJet Holdings had no luck capitalizing on the success of JetBlue's recent initial public offering. Operating as Continental Express, ExpressJet's IPO of 30 million shares yesterday closed at $16 per share, the same price that it started the day. The IPO raised $480 million, and Continental's ownership of ExpressJet falls to 53.1%.