John Magaw, DOT under secretary for transportation security, yesterday morning underwent an angioplasty procedure at George Washington University Hospital following admission Monday for mild chest pain. Although he "tested normal on an EKG [electrocardiogram]," DOT said, Magaw, 66, remained in the hospital overnight for observation and additional tests.
Nav Canada announced its three- and six-month financial results this week, with the main feature being revenue shortfalls caused by reductions in air traffic since Sept. 11. During the second quarter ending Feb. 28, air traffic was about 16% lower than originally anticipated. Overall, the net results for the quarter were $13 million lower than anticipated. Nav Canada expects that year-over-year reductions in air traffic will continue through the remainder of the fiscal year.
Air Line Pilots Association's US Airways Master Executive Council still had no decision at press time yesterday on whether to accept a proposal from management that would increase regional jet operations in exchange for certain job protections (DAILY, April 16). The MEC scheduled a two-day session that began Monday, but ALPA spokesman Roy Freundlich told The DAILY that it is now possible that the session will extend to tomorrow.
American continues to repaint the 136 TWA aircraft operating in its system. As of April 10, 87 aircraft have the AA livery and six have the TWA interim liveries.
All major airports in Italy were nearly deserted yesterday as millions of workers staged an eight-hour strike to protest the government's labor reforms. Stoppages staged from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time by pilots and cabin crews, flight controllers, ground staff and firemen prompted Alitalia to cancel 271 flights out of 374 nationwide.
A team of five investigators from NTSB will assist the South Korean government in its investigations of the Air China Boeing 767-200ER accident in Pusan Monday. An FAA team is also en route, while a Boeing team arrived late yesterday. They will join a team of 50 air transport and civil aviation officials from China who are already working on the investigation.
Secret Service has made its recommendations to DOT, TSA and FAA on restoring services at DCA to pre-Sept. 11 conditions, a Secret Service official told The DAILY.He stressed that resumption of routing aircraft over the Potomac River -- rather than the radio route now in use -- "is not an issue for us." Neither is aircraft size -- those with more than 156 seats have not been allowed into DCA since the attacks -- nor the hard 7 a.m.-10 p.m. curfew now in place, he said.
The Senate Commerce Committee tomorrow is expected to hold a markup of the Chicago O'Hare Airport expansion bill -- the National Aviation Capacity Expansion Act of 2002 -- introduced by Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), who sits on Senate Appropriations, but the committee will face stiff opposition from Sen. Peter Fitzgerald (R-Ill.). Fitzgerald, a member of the Commerce Committee, is expected to "continue to make policy arguments" against the expansion, said his spokesman, but there was no word on whether he plans to introduce any amendments.
Senate lawmakers told FAA Administrator Jane Garvey yesterday that they are troubled by agency proposals to meet a $200 million budget shortfall caused by increased security spending by drawing on funds earmarked for infrastructure improvement, and cutting back costs, including training and staffing. Garvey was making what is likely to be her last appearance before the Appropriations transportation subcommittee, in a hearing that was slated to discuss capacity and safety issues.
Lima-based AeroContinente will return one of three Boeing 767s recently acquired to serve its long-haul routes because of bureaucratic difficulties in obtaining certification in Peru. According to Carlos Moreno-Andrade, the carrier's CEO, "It's inconceivable that in Chile, where regulations are as demanding or more than in Peru, two sister aircraft were certified in only one month, while in our own country this process has already taken five months."
NTSB recommended that FAA order all Airbus A320-family operators to standardize the way they require pilots to set and cross-check horizontal stabilizer trim settings by using "center-of-gravity" (CG) trim values instead of positive or negative degrees of pitch.
US Airways CEO Dave Siegel will be paid a minimum of $750,000 in his first year as the struggling airline's top executive, an amount roughly 14% less than his predecessor was slated to receive. According to details of Siegel's three-year contract, however, he has the potential to take home a large bonus and close to two million stock options over three to five years. Reported as part of US Airways' annual proxy filing, Siegel's compensation also includes a one-time payment of $750,000 on his first day with the company.
AeroMexico plans to add a third daily nonstop flight from Dallas/Fort Worth to Mexico City on May 6. The new flight will be an evening departure operated with a MD-87. With the new service, AeroMexico will operate 21 weekly flights from DFW to Mexico.
FLEETWATCH - EXPRESS ONE INTERNATIONAL and FRONTIER Express One International Aircraft March March 1997 2002 727-100C/-100F 5 2 727-200 3 0 727-200F 15 13 B200 (SUPER KING AIR) 0 1 TOTAL 23 16 Frontier
SkyTeam plans to launch the third phase of its ongoing advertising campaign, an $18 million ad buy, with print spots appearing around the world beginning April 15. SkyTeam again used the agency BETC Euro RSCG to create the "Caring Hands" campaign, emphasizing the alliance's focus on passengers. The advertisements highlight the alliance's network, fast flight connections and "priority services." An outdoor campaign will launch in May, with a concentration of billboards around SkyTeam hubs, as well as other at large airports.
GE Aircraft Engines (GEAE) and Turbomecanica S.A. of Bucharest, Romania, formed a joint venture to make engine components. The 50/50 venture will be located at Turbomecanica S.A.'s Bucharest operation. Turbomecanica has been a supplier to GEAE and GE Power Systems since 1998, producing static hot section parts.
Iberia's first quarter results were significantly better than forecast, underlining the viability of the carrier's current strategy. Iberia is focusing on a strong domestic market, key European routes and has established itself as the leading carrier between Europe and South America, largely avoiding the sharp drop in traffic on the North Atlantic routes. The airline, privatized last year, posted a EUR5 million operating loss for the quarter, up from a loss of EUR90 million in 2001.
NTSB will hold a public hearing May 9 on the February 2000, crash of an Emery Worldwide Airlines DC-8 cargo aircraft near Rancho Cordova, Calif. The hearing was scheduled in August 2001 but was postponed when Emery suspended operations. In a statement Friday, NTSB Member John Goglia said the safety board felt it was important to reschedule the hearing to examine the maintenance issues involved.
European Union Transport Commissioner Loyola de Palacio said she "will not allow any state aid to anyone which would not conform with European legislation," speaking about Olympic Airways on the sidelines of a conference last week in Thessaloniki. "We saw what happened with Sabena. We cannot act differently -- and I will not -- depending on the company and on the state," de Palacio said. The Greek government had until the end of last week to respond to European Commission questions relating to the financing of Olympic but has asked for an extension.
A San Mateo, Calif., law firm has filed a lawsuit against Continental and Air France over an alleged case of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) resulting from a long-haul flight. Although a number of DVT suits have been filed overseas, this is believed to be the first such case in the U.S. The firm, O'Reilly, Collins&Danko, represents Debra Miller, who suffered cardiac arrest 16 days after flying from Paris to Newark, and on to San Francisco. The suit claims that her collapse was cause by the blood clotting associated with DVT.
Skyway will introduce Milwaukee-Rhinelander, Wis., service, beginning June 1. The airline will offer three nonstop roundtrips each weekday and two each weekend day. Service will be operated by Astral Aviation, a subsidiary of Midwest Express, using Beech 1900D aircraft.
DOT last week urged transportation officials from African and Caribbean nations, meeting in Atlanta, to move forward on strengthening safety and security standards as well as to consider the benefits of liberalized aviation regimes. "Open, safe and secure skies are crucial to economic development," Read Van de Water, assistant secretary for aviation and international affairs said. The U.S.
Midwest Express has placed a firm order for 25 Boeing 717s, with options for 25 more. The order, valued at $940 million, expands on the carrier's April 2001 announcement to order 20 717s and will accelerate its plans to replace its DC-9s. Its current 35-aircraft fleet includes 23 DC-9s and 12 MD-80s. Delivery of the 25 717s will begin in February 2003 and continue through 2005 at a rate of one aircraft a month. The first is expected to enter scheduled service in March 2003.
