Air France named David Brucia VP-passenger sales, Richard Pasciuto VP-marketing and distribution and Jim Faulkner director-media relations, all for the carrier's U.S. division.
American intends go ahead with a full launch of a wireless check-in device designed to bring passenger services directly to the customer. The portable hand-held device, called a "Roving Agent," allows the carrier's airport agents to check-in passengers in the departure areas and reduce waiting time. Using the new product, service staff can go directly to the customer anywhere in the airport. Roving Agent will issue bar-coded boarding passes for both originating and connecting flights.
Two provisions in Northwest's agreement with Mesaba gives Northwest some control over Mesaba's growth, but doesn't necessarily stop Mesaba from pursuing outside code shares. One provision allows Northwest to end its contract if Mesaba is bought out by any other entity. Another forces Mesaba to acquire aircraft if it wants to code share with another carrier since it subleases its fleet from Northwest.
The DC Air deal between Robert Johnson and United if the United-US Airways merger goes through is not expected to change following Viacom's announcement Friday to acquire Johnson's BET Holdings for $3 billion. Johnson will remain chairman and CEO of BET Holdings after the deal is completed next year and will report to Viacom President Mel Karmazin. BET will remain headquartered in Washington, D.C.
LanChile signed a new, two-year, commercial agreement with VASP subsidiary Ecuatoriana Airlines. The accord allows LanChile to operate its aircraft on Ecuatoriana's international routes under code-share or wet-lease agreements. The partnership is set to begin Dec. 1, at which point LanChile will launch service between Guayaquil and New York. LanChile plans to expand the service to include flights between Guayaquil, Quito and Miami.
DOT tentatively found Kalitta Air fit for cargo service and proposes to transfer to the carrier the certificate held by Kitty Hawk International (KHI) d/b/a American International Airways, which ceased service April 30 following KHI's bankruptcy protection filing. Kalitta's owner, chairman, president and CEO, Conrad Kalitta, purchased Kitty Hawk's interstate certificate at KHI's bankruptcy sale. Kalitta had been president and CEO of Kitty Hawk before its purchase by KHI, on whose board he served. He is a KHI shareholder.
Frontier Airlines profits soared 131% during its fiscal second quarter thanks to a summer traffic boost and several fare increases. Despite higher fuel prices, the airline managed to beat expectations and make money for the 10th consecutive quarter. Frontier earned $20.2 million for the quarter ended Sept. 30, with $131.1 million in revenues, up 53.4%. The airline posted a lofty 23.3% operating margin, as it experienced a 32.2% increase in traffic due to United's operational problems.
Amadeus has purchased 19.9 % of Travel.com.au, Australia's leading Internet travel company, for AUD 9.93 million (US$48.4 million). Amadeus said it would offer its e-commerce technology to its new Australian partner. "The parties will also form a strategic relationship to mutually grow their respective businesses and to expand" in the Asia/Pacific region, Amadeus said. Last week, Amadeus purchased U.S. e-travel consortium Vacation.com for $57.3 million. In addition, Amadeus decided to assume $27.7 million of Vacation.com debt.
Air Canada and Canadian will do business under a single certificate by the end of March, and regional carriers will have a single certificate by the third quarter of 2001, Executive VP-Commercial Lise Fournel told The DAILY recently. Although the airline also plans to launch its low-cost carrier next year, growth will occur "mainly at the mainline level," she said.
AIRCRAFT TRANSACTIONS FOR AUGUST 24 - 25, 2000 Seller/ New Type / Previous Operator Owner Engine Operator Quebec Hawkair Hawkair DHC-8-100 Government Aviation Aviation Dash 8/ PW120A Boeing Lufthansa Lufthansa Douglas
The future of the United/US Airways merger, passenger rights legislation and Essential Air Service spending hangs in the balance of the next presidential election, staff members of the House and Senate transportation committees told regional airline executives.
Mesa Airlines, which already owns 3% of Mesaba Airlines' outstanding shares, says it wants to explore "a possible business combination" with Mesaba, according to a filing last week with the Securities&Exchange Commission. Mesa wrote Mesaba Oct. 12. Some analysts say Mesa's interest may have prompted last Thursday's buyout bid by Northwest, but regional analyst Jim Parker of Equity Research said that is unlikely. Northwest owns 28% of Mesaba and its offer is worth about $190 million.
Affected by high fuel bills and increasing losses, Chinese domestic carriers see the message on the wall that not all of them will see the New Year through. As the consolidation of the country's airlines draws closer, more mergers continue to unfold, following the acquisition of Zhongyuan Airlines by China Southern Airlines (CEA) three months ago. Shanghai-based China Eastern Airlines, one the most profitable Chinese carriers, is making plans to acquire Air Great Wall (AGW), which is based in Ningpo.
Airline coach dinners have 1,054 calories on average, about the same as a Big Mac plus McDonald's medium french fries and a strawberry sundae, according to an eFit.com survey. One United meal contained 578 calories and 17 grams of fat, while Continental's average 1,304 calories with 76 grams of fat. First- class passengers often have healthier choices. United's First Class meals averaged 899 calories with 29 fat grams. Midwest Express served the fattiest meals -- 1,643 calories containing 91 fat grams.
Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Sue Kelly (R-N.Y.) have introduced identical bills that would establish a formal curfew on night flights at Westchester, N.Y., County Airport, replacing the voluntary curfew. With the present Congress essentially finished for the year, nothing will happen to the bills this year.
On-time rates posted by the top 10 U.S. carriers in September improved to 78.1%, compared with August's 70.0%, with United, while ranked 10th, moving up sharply, to 71.8% from 42.7% in August. United, which settled its pilots contract on Aug. 27, bested its prediction of 70% for September (DAILY, Oct. 6). TWA was first, 85.5%, Northwest second, 81.8%, and Southwest third, 81.7%. America West improved from ninth to eighth, 75.6%, with US Airways ninth, 75.1%.
New York jet fuel spot prices ended last week at $0.99 per gallon, up 0.3% from the beginning of the week and up 67% from a year ago, according to Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown.
The outlook for tomorrow's congressional elections is for minimal change on the aviation subcommittees with the largest potential turnover on the 18-member Senate aviation subcommittee. Four Republicans are in toss-up races there. In the House, four aviation subcommittee members are in close races.
British Airways is expected to post improved quarterly earnings today despite higher fuel prices. The summer produced strong traffic and yields, as BA continued on track to reduce capacity. Analysts have become increasingly optimistic after CEO Rod Eddington last month outlined his wide-ranging strategy to concentrate on point-to-point high-yield traffic.
