US West opened two new business centers at Denver International Airport that claim to offer the nation's "first full-service suite." The 24-hours-a-day business centers, are located in United's Concourse B, comprise 28 workstations with high-speed Internet access and three conference rooms. US West has smaller business centers at Seattle-Tacoma and Portland airports.
American, which has added legroom to roughly 50% of its domestic fleet, plans to expand business-class seat pitch by 20% on its three-class international and most three-class transcontinental flights. The new seating configuration will have 60-inch seat pitch, up from the current 48-50 inches. The new configuration will be made on a total of 88 aircraft, including three-class Boeing 777s, 767-300s and Airbus A300s. The program's first aircraft, a 777, rolled out Tuesday. The project has a planned completion of fourth quarter 2001.
The European Union has asked to delay by one month its reply to ICAO on the hushkit issue so that European transport ministers can discuss it at their June 27-28 meeting, a European Commission official said yesterday in Brussels. The EU currently has until the end of June to respond to ICAO on the procedure launched in March by the U.S. against the hushkit ban. The EU confirmed that its hushkit regulation will enter into force today, as planned. EU airlines will no longer be authorized to add hushkitted aircraft to their fleets.
SAS, Lufthansa, Air France, Sabena, Swissair, TAP Air Portugal, Czech Airlines and Allegro joined the complaint filed by British Airways and Virgin Atlantic over fee increases at Newark airport's international services Terminal B. The carriers charge that the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the airport, in raising fees with little notice and no discussion, violated the DOT/FAA policy on airport rates and charges.
Canadian Airlines' losses deepened during the first quarter as the carrier's traffic fell 15%. The airline posted an operating loss before restructuring expenses of C$153.5 million (US$103.8 million) and a net loss of C$255.9 million (US$173.1 million), more than double the deficit in the same 1999 period. The net loss includes provisions of C$80.4 million related to the corporation's financial restructuring. Canadian posted a net loss of C$107.2 million in 1999.
The DOT Office of Inspector General plans to review FAA's occupational safety and health standards for flight attendants, who have long alleged that they receive an inadequate level of protection from FAA. The review, due to begin May 8, will seek to determine whether FAA has in place standards to protect flight attendants from workplace hazards such as blood-borne pathogens, repetitive motion, equipment, unhealthy cabin air and carry-on luggage. The IG intends to evaluate FAA's enforcement procedures as well.
American yesterday announced orders for 20 Boeing 757s, giving it "increased flexibility to grow modestly," while retiring MD-90s and MD-87s. Boeing will take in trade five MD-90s acquired from American's Reno Air acquisition. The new aircraft will be delivered between mid-2001 and early 2002 with Rolls-Royce engines.
Tower Air, still in search new investors, suspended all scheduled flights without warning Monday evening due to its worsening "financial difficulties," a spokeswoman said. The airline filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Del., in February, but still flew a limited scheduled service operation (DAILY, March 1). The airline stranded about 300 passengers at New York Kennedy Monday who booked on Tower's flight to Tel Aviv.
Embraer ERJ145 launch customer Continental Express is converting 11 options for the ERJ145 to firm orders, Embraer announced at the Regional Airline Association conference in San Antonio, Texas, yesterday.
The chairman of the Senate antitrust subcommittee yesterday all but asked DOT to hold up on its competition guidelines pending the outcome of the Justice Department's case charging American with predatory pricing. In the subcommittee's first examination of the competitive structure of the airline industry in two years, Sen. Mike DeWine (R-Ohio), chairman of the subcommittee, said he was concerned that DOT guidelines would be used as a benchmark for enforcement policy.
Frontier, requesting four Washington National beyond-perimeter slots for two daily Denver nonstops, included over 600 statements of support -- mostly e-mails and mail-back coupons generated by newspaper ads. Handwritten comments blasted United and suggested that DOT should look into antitrust violations by major carriers.
Canadian-based Onex Corp. has signed on as a major partner in Skyfish.com, the business-to-business (B2B) trading hub and vertical portal for the aerospace industry. SkyFish.com received $4 million in venture capital from Onex's Internet and technology investment subsidiary, @Onex, Skyfish.com announced earlier this week at the Regional Airline Association conference in San Antonio.
Horizon Air will receive its first five Bombardier Q400 Dash 8s in November and December, according to the Regional Airline Association. RAA reported the aircraft are scheduled to enter service by Jan. 15, 2001. The remaining 10 on order are scheduled to arrive next year. A Horizon official said he was not sure yet where the aircraft will be deployed. Horizon also has 25 Canadair Regional Jet CRJ 700s on order and will receive the first in 2002.
The Gambia became the 46th open-skies partner for the U.S. DOT Secretary Rodney Slater and Momodou Sarjo Jallow, Gambian secretary of state for works, communications and information, signed an agreement yesterday in Washington. The fifth African country to conclude open skies with the U.S., The Gambia has been assessed as Category 3 by FAA. DOT noted that discussions are under way with Kenya and Ethiopia, although talks planned for May with those countries have been postponed due to "scheduling problems," according to a State Department spokesman.
FAA has initiated use of electronic air/ground communication services for aircraft operating over the Atlantic Ocean. This is the same system that has been operating for more than a year for aircraft flying over the Pacific. The New York Air Traffic Control Center began initial operations in March of the Multi-Sector Oceanic Data Link System, which gives controllers two-way electronic communications with aircraft equipped with data link.
Pratt&Whitney Canada said Alaska Central Express signed a fleet management program agreement for PT6A engine support for its Beech 1900 aircraft. The 15-year pact is valued at $21 million.
Regional carriers operating in Eastern Europe stand on the threshold of great potential, but politics, financial instability and the lack of good business plans are keeping investors at bay, industry observers say.
Airfreight Express (AFX) wants to add two U.S. points to its U.K.-U.S. all-cargo authority. The carrier plans to serve Chicago or Los Angeles from London Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports, as well as Prestwick, Glasgow and Manchester. It proposes twice-weekly Heathrow-Chicago service beginning June 1 and weekly Heathrow-Los Angeles flights starting June 8. The routes "do not currently receive dedicated 747 freighter service," AFX told DOT. The carrier began scheduled and charter service from the U.K. points and New York on Dec. 11. (Docket OST-7311)
SkyWest and Delta extended their code-share agreement to 2010 as part of SkyWest's plans to order 20 more Canadair Regional Jets for Delta Connection service out of Salt Lake City. SkyWest operates 11 CRJs from Salt Lake and will get three more by yearend. SkyWest has 35 CRJs on order for its Delta operation with options for 20 for its United Express operation.
American Trans Air is preparing to sign a major aircraft deal tomorrow just as it expands aggressively into business markets including Washington, Boston and Seattle. The Indianapolis-based carrier topped $1 billion in revenues in 1999 for the first time and is working diligently to eliminate costly, older aircraft in its fleet to boost profitability. ATA has the lowest costs of any major U.S. airline. The carrier operates 19 Lockheed L1011s and 24 Boeing 727-200s across its scheduled and charter operations making it difficult to cut costs amid soaring fuel prices.
Three airlines joined the Regional Airline Association, RAA President Debby McElroy announced. Horizon Aviation of Chesapeake, Va., North-South Airways of Atlanta, Ga., and SkyMark of Spokane, Wash., are all startups. RAA's total airline membership is now 60, down two from last year. However, associate membership is at an all-time high of 388.
American is asking the Supreme Court to look at an earlier ruling regarding long-haul service from Dallas Love Field, even though American this week began its own long-haul flights from the airport. As a symbol of a growing problem in the U.S., the carrier wants the court to review a 5th Circuit Appeals Court decision on Love Field, which American says conflicts with other rulings regarding Denver and New York LaGuardia airports.
Air Alliance has launched nonstop service from Toronto Pearson International Airport to Louisville, Ky. Air Alliance will offer service from Toronto to Louisville with three nonstop flights every business day, using Beech 1900Ds. Air Alliance is the brand name of scheduled service operated by Toronto-based Air Georgian Ltd.
The Dornier family wants to put money into the new Fairchild company, Chuck Pieper, Dornier's newly appointed chairman said at the Regional Airline Association conference this week. The family is expected to explore a 5-20% share. Pieper, who said about $350 million in research has gone into the 328JET and 428JET programs, noted he is hoping the Dornier family will invest. The company put about $200 million into the 728JET project and another $200 million for an "unspecified program," he said.
