Continental told DOT it opposes action on requests by LanPeru and LanChile to code share in the U.S.-Peru market until Continental gains similar rights from the Peruvian government. LanPeru asked DOT for "prompt approval" for authority to place its designator code on LanChile's daily nonstops between Lima and New York and Los Angeles (DAILY, April 25). DOT granted Continental authority Feb. 4 for Newark-Lima-Santiago and Houston-Lima-Santa Cruz service. The carrier, which wants to begin serving the route June 14, "continues to wait" for approval from Peru.
The proposed Indian civil aviation policy, being debated in parliament, would offer sweeping changes to encourage private and foreign equity in India's ailing airline industry. If passed, the draft would allow foreign equity of up to 74% equity in Indian civil aviation infrastructure with automatic approval and 100% with special permission from the minister of civil aviation. According to a Vikram Singh, a senior official at the ministry, the government promises to eliminate all bureaucracy that has plagued and retarded the growth of the industry in the past.
Midway Airlines reported a first quarter loss Friday after 13 consecutive profitable quarters. In a quarter "burdened" with high fuel prices, a record snowstorm that shut down the airline, new aircraft training costs and nearly $6 million in aircraft retirement charges, Midway lost $7.6 million. It made $4.0 million in the same 1999 period. Revenue increased 10% to $60.3 million. "In spite of an extremely difficult quarter, there were significant bright spots," said CEO Robert Ferguson. As the carrier added aircraft, capacity grew 24% and traffic rose 30%.
United and BWIA want authority for U.S.-Caribbean code sharing, proposing to begin reciprocal service July 10. BWIA wants to display its designator code on United's Miami-Chicago and Washington Dulles-Boston/Chicago/Denver/New York LaGuardia flights. BWIA would carry United's code on flights between Washington and New York Kennedy and Anitgua/Barbados/Port Of Spain and between Miami and Barbados/Port Of Spain/Trinidad. United holds authority to serve the requested points.
FAA Administrator Jane Garvey takes a low-key approach, congressional sources say, and made no excessive requests in discussions last week with appropriations staffers prior to their markups of transportation appropriations. House and Senate subcommittees are scheduled to mark up their money bills later this month.
Innotech-Execaire named Kirk Rowe VP and general manager-Montreal; Chris Heredia to VP and general manager-Vancouver and Ric Simpson general manager-Pacific Avionics&Instruments.
Bureau of Labor Statistics data show that the rate of recordable injuries and illnesses in 1998 was higher in aviation, 14.5%, than in construction, 8.8%, according to the Association of Flight Attendants. The national average for all industries is 3.1%, according to AFA, which this week begins lobbying on Capitol Hill to move workplace safety for its members out of FAA and to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Midway President Robert Ferguson told the Senate antitrust subcommittee last week that based on his experience at Continental he knows that it is "very hard, if not impossible, to prove an antitrust case." Instead, he suggests that DOT officials "simply call the incumbent carrier and make it clear that its behavior is unacceptable."
TWA filed at DOT for six of the 12 available beyond-perimeter Washington National slots, proposing three daily DCA-Los Angeles nonstops. The carrier plans to space the flights throughout the day, using Boeing 757 aircraft configured for 180 seats. American, the first carrier to file for the beyond-perimeter DCA slots, also proposed LAX nonstops, requesting four slots for two nonstops (DAILY, April 3). TWA will add a fourth LAX-New York Kennedy nonstop July 8, using a 757. It inaugurated nonstop LAX-Kona, Hawaii, service May 1 and will add a LAX-St.
Plans by the European Union to develop a charter on air passenger rights brought advice from Sen. John Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) about first giving airlines a chance to remedy any grievances passengers may have about air service. Rockefeller, ranking member of the Senate aviation subcommittee, told the EU that he oversaw the negotiations resulting in the U.S. airline industry's adoption of its "Customer First" program. The EU has published a Consultation Document on Consumer Protection in Air Transport.
Air Jamaica will add a flight on Sunday to the other four regular weekly flights it operates from Kingston/Montego Bay to Havana as the result of a code-sharing agreement with Cubana de Aviacion.
Travelocity.com has been forced to increase staff time needed to handle pricing changes, much of it due to airlines withdrawing air fares after passengers have booked and paid for their tickets. "Airlines decide they don't want so many of the low fares out there. It's causing a lot of problems here," says a source at Travelocity, which now books 25,000 reservations per day.
Rockwell Collins said Friday it is the first company to receive approval to produce the government-mandated Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing module that will be required to secure military GPS receivers. The module contains a next-generation Precise Positioning Service mandated for use on all GPS receivers beginning in 2002. All security algorithms used to compensate for the effects of SA and anti-spoofing are performed by the government-furnished Key Data Processor, which replaces all security-related software, the company said.
Three French airlines are about to form the second largest aviation entity in the country under the control of SAirGroup. British Airways sold its controlling stake in Air Liberte to Dutch financial institution Taitbout Antibes for $72.31 million. Taitbout already holds 50.1% in AOM and 18% in Air Littoral. SAirGroup has a 49.9% stake in AOM and 49% in Air Littoral. SAirGroup says it plans to make optimal use of the synergies of the three airlines.
