Pilot scope issues probably will not make it to the Senate floor this session, Sam Whitehorn, senior counsel for the Senate Commerce Committee said last week.Despite urgings from the Regional Airline Association and carriers that see scope as the major roadblock to growth, it's not an issue lawmakers are willing to tackle during an election year. A congressional solution has to be "pro-public, not pro-management or pro-pilot," he said.
Atlantic Coast Airlines is having ongoing discussions with Fairchild Dornier both in the U.S. and in Germany after the manufacturer's insolvency filing, said ACA spokesman Rick DeLisi. ACA operates 33 328JETs, has 32 on firm order of which 10 are planned for delivery this year, and 80 options. "The whole thing remains uncertain right now," he said. "We expect to get a handle on what their expectations are within the next few weeks but we're optimistic that they're doing the right thing to move toward greater financial strength."
A consortium of three German banks is expected to clear up to around EUR100 million in bridge financing to regional aircraft manufacturer Fairchild Dornier this week, after the company yesterday filed for insolvency, the German equivalent of Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The funds should be sufficient for FD to continue normal operations in its core business for the next three months. During this time, the company would need to strike a deal with a strategic investor.
Continental in March achieved profitability for the first time since Sept. 11, according to preliminary data, but the carrier still expects to post a "significant loss" for the first quarter. Lower year-over-year yields, offset by relatively higher load factors, resulted in an estimated unit revenue drop of 6-8% in March, compared with the same month last year. The drop was less than February's RASM decline of 11%.
The battle to regain business jet access to Washington National Airport penetrated the White House last week when Signature Flight Support President Beth Haskins met with one of President Bush's advisers to discuss the situation. According to DAILY affiliate The Weekly of Business Aviation, DCA has been a prestigious and profitable base for Signature for years, but except for limited fuel sales to government aircraft, the facility has sat largely empty since the Sept. 11 attacks.
An independent safety audit team brought in by Alaska Airlines said the carrier has made major strides since the January 2000 crash of Flight 261 (DAILY, Feb. 2, 2000), the most significant of several events that triggered the overview. In the third of three reports, the team said Alaska has addressed 167 of 175 recommendations made in the first report, which wrapped up in June 2000. Alaska said the other eight are being reviewed by the carrier's safety department, created in response to one recommendation.
Two of Southwest's Boeing 737-200s -- N67 and N68 -- named the Rollin King and Winning Spirit have been taken out of schedule service and slotted for retirement. As a result, the names of the aircraft will be transferred to two new 737-700s scheduled for delivery in April -- N417 (Rollin King) and N418 (Winning Spirit).
All Nippon Airways last week received approval from Japan's Ministry of Land Transport and Infrastructure to add its code to Asiana-operated flights between Tokyo Narita, Nagoya, Fukuoka and Seoul. At the same time, Asiana will code-share on ANA airline Air Japan-operated flights among Tokyo, Osaka Kansai and Seoul. The code share will begin April 18. ANA and Asiana will expand their existing code share to 91 roundtrip flights per week on a total of five routes. Korea is Japan's largest market in Asia, according to ANA President Chan Bup Park.
Finnair will increase weekly frequencies from Helsinki to New York to seven as of next week. The airline had cut flights to five a week following the Sept. 11 events, but said that demand has picked up to previous levels.
British Airways over the weekend started a second daily flight from London to Houston. The airline will operate a direct flight from Houston to Washington Dulles with continuing service to London Heathrow. The new flight will be operated with a Boeing 747-400. The flight is in addition to BA's existing nonstop from Houston to London Gatwick.
Hong Kong International Airport will levy a HK$13 (US$1.73) airport security surcharge on departing passengers starting May 1. The fee is being introduced to make up for a shortfall in costs for aviation security at the airport, according to Hong Kong Airport Authority (HKAA) CEO David Pang. HKAA is recovering only half the actual cost of about HK$26 per passenger.
Suggested FAA fines of more than $1.3 million for a series of production and quality control problems at Boeing in recent years (DAILY, March 28) could be dwarfed by yet-to-be-released penalties for two similar issues. FAA hasn't decided on penalties for production snafus that led to the delivery of as many as 3,000 Boeing planes with non-conforming cockpit drip shields, environmental ducts or fuel tank doors in the late 1990s (DAILY, Nov. 30, 1999). Some 767s also were delivered with improperly tightened vertical stabilizer bolts.
Hawaiian, less than two weeks after its failed merger attempt with Aloha, is facing a change in leadership. Robert Zoller, president and COO, will leave the airline April 15 "to pursue professional opportunities outside the company." Paul Casey, vice chairman and CEO, will add president to his duties. Norman Davies, VP-safety and security, will become executive VP-operations. Zoller, who came to Hawaiian in December 1999 from AirTran, where he was senior VP-maintenance and engineering, become COO in January 2001.
Midwest Express yesterday began implementing changes in its frequent flyer program, including setting aside a minimum number of seats on each flight for award travel, varying by holiday and peak travel periods. Reward travel booked through Sept. 30 -- for travel within one year -- requires 20,000 frequent flyer miles, with 15,000 required for companion travel awards. Starting Oct. 1, those standard awards will each require redemption of an additional 5,000 miles. Also beginning Oct.
Expansion of Adelaide International Airport, which was supposed to have started already, has been postponed. The airport had intended to construct a new passenger terminal that would integrate international and domestic operations. An official at AIA who declined to be identified was willing to say only that the operator has not abandoned its commitment to building the new terminal, despite the demise of Ansett last year.
Aviation Industry Stock Performance March 2002 Closed Closed Monthly Change MAJORS Ticker 3/29/2002 2/28/2002 ($) (%) Alaska Air Group ALK 33.290 31.050 2.240 7.2 America West (Class B) AWA 5.600 3.610 1.990 55.1 AMR AMR 26.410 26.100 0.310 1.2
AirTran and British Airways reached a unilateral interline and baggage agreement, allowing passengers on both sides of the Atlantic to have through ticketing on BA tickets for U.S.-U.K. and beyond flights. BA serves 21 U.S. points; the carriers' operations connect at Boston, Newark, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington Dulles, Dallas/Fort Worth, Atlanta, Tampa, Orlando and Miami. Markets with the greatest feed are expected to be Atlanta, AirTran's hub, followed by Baltimore, Philadelphia and Newark, an AirTran spokesman told The DAILY.
Japan Airlines and Japan Air System by month end plan to sign their formal merger contract in order to get shareholder approval in June. The government has not yet signed off on the combination of two of Japan's three major airlines. JAL President Isao Kaneko said in Tokyo yesterday that the airline continues to meet with Japan's Fair Trade Commission.
After six months of preparations, Switzerland's new airline took off Sunday, operating what was officially its first flight from Basel to Zurich on Monday morning with CEO Andre Dose on board. The airline is based on Crossair and incorporates parts of defunct Swissair.
Allied Pilots Association (APA) last week reiterated its belief that there is "insufficient evidence" to warrant grounding American's Airbus A300-600s, but the union called on industry to move on several other key items that may be related to the American Flight 587 accident.
Switzerland's new airline, Swiss, received its Air Operator Certificate four days ahead of its planned launch on March 31. With all traffic rights and slots secured, there were no more regulatory hurdles for the start of operations. The carrier combines regional Crossair with 52 ex-Swissair aircraft. Also, Swiss signed a seven-year contract with SR Technics for maintenance and overhaul services for the 52 former Swissair aircraft.
Alaska Airlines, after a seven-year absence, is joining the competitive fray by asking for slots at restricted Long Beach, Calif. airport. On Friday, the airline formally requested three slots from the City of Long Beach for MD-80 or 737 flights. If approved, Alaska would start flights Sept. 8 with three nonstop to Seattle.
