The DOT Office of Inspector General (OIG) plans a review of airline overbooking practices and a review of consumer access to information on airline ticket prices. It also is reviewing the airlines' implementation of their Airline Customer Service commitments, which take effect today. The OIG received authority under the 1999 Transportation Appropriations Act to carry out the reviews.
In an effort to alleviate a growing nationwide pilot shortage, which has hit his home state of Alaska particularly hard, Sen. Frank Murkowski (R-Alaska) is pushing legislation to raise the mandatory retirement age for commercial pilots in good health from the current 60 years to 65. Murkowski "will try" to persuade the Senate Commerce Committee to hold hearings on the bill early next year, a spokesman for the Senator said yesterday, but acknowledged that the FAA reauthorization, which Congress failed to act on this year, is likely to have a higher priority.
Calgary-based WestJet is extending its current 9% travel agent commission until March 31. The airline previously announced it would cut commissions to 5% on Jan. 1.
The Irish government approved an Aer Lingus initial public offering, to be completed by the second half of next year or by early 2001. The airline plans to begin work immediately with the departments of public enterprise and finance. "This is a very positive development in moving to the full commercialization of the airline, which is vital for Aer Lingus to continue to thrive in the intensely competitive modern air transport environment," said Chairman Bernie Cahill.
A foul-up by maintenance engineers on a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200 at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) resulted in the aircraft turning back after takeoff for Auckland. Immediately after becoming airborne on Flight MH137 on Dec. 4, the pilot observed that warning systems on the No. 1 engine indicated there were no flow of oil into the engine. Shortly afterwards, the warning systems of the other engine was activated. The pilot radioed the control tower and turned back to KLIA.
Top 25 Domestic City-Pair Markets Over 750 Miles, Second Quarter 1999 Long 2Q99 Average Haul Mkt Nonstop Pax Top Carrier Rank Rank City-Pair Mileage Per Day (% Share) 1 1 Los Angeles - New York 2,467 8,718 American (33.9) 2 5 New York - Orlando 947 6,939 Delta (42.3) 3 6 Atlanta - New York 756 6,474 Delta (68.1)
By Patricia Friend, Association of Flight Attendants
Here's a simple idea whose time has come: flight attendants should be awarded the same safety and health protections that workers in other industries already enjoy. Flight attendants comprise the only transportation work force that is overwhelmingly female, and they remain the only transportation workers without workplace safety and health protections.
Austrian Airlines' (AUA) consolidated profit before taxes is expected to drop 39.7% to 56.2 million euros in 1999, announced AUA on Dec. 14. The group said it was affected by "a number of factors: the difficulties in connection with the Kosovo conflict, political developments in Turkey, dramatic increases in fuel prices, and weak demand in the second quarter of 1999." Traffic to Turkey, a popular holiday spot for Austrians and Germans, was affected by fears of terrorist attacks linked to the trial of Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan in the first quarter.
Delta named Bob DeRodes chief information officer, effective immediately. DeRodes replaces Charles Feld, who has assumed new responsibilities as the airline's leader of e-business activities. DeRodes will manage the day-to-day development and operation of Delta's wholly owned subsidiary, Delta Technology Inc.
Pembroke aircraft financing, leasing and management group, based in Dublin, yesterday announced an order for 15 Boeing 717s, plus 15 options. This brings Pembroke's order for 717s to 25, plus 25 options. First delivery is scheduled for next August. Alan Mulally, Boeing Commercial president, said the 717 is 17,000 pounds lighter than the Airbus A318 "and its trip costs are 10% lower.
Airline employee unions told FAA that its oversight of industry workers is inadequate and proposed changes to protect workers from hazards. At an FAA hearing last Friday, the Machinists, representing 130,000 U.S. transport workers, said aviation employees"are entitled to the same protections provided by federal health and regulations as are afforded to other American workers. The existing regulatory 'no-man's land'... is unjust, unsafe jurisdiction and unacceptable."
Top 25 Domestic City-Pair Markets Under 750 Miles, Second Quarter 1999 Short 2Q99 Average Haul Mkt Nonstop Pax Top Carrier Rank Rank City-Pair Mileage Per Day (% Share) 1 2 Chicago - New York 723 7,849 United (32.1) 2 3 Boston - New York 183 7,215 Delta (42.1) 3 4 New York - Washington 217 7,167 Delta (39.8)
Gandalf Airlines received approval yesterday to proceed with its initial public offering on Milan's Nuovo Mercato exchange for small companies Dec. 23. The offering will take place Dec. 16 and 17 and will be managed by global coordinator Euromobiliare, the carrier said in a statement. The Italian regional airline will offer 434,200 shares, representing 45.4% of the company's capital. At least 217,200 of these shares will be sold to retail investors.
Top 25 Domestic City-Pair Markets, Second Quarter 1999 1999 1998 Average Mkt. Mkt Passengers Top Carrier Rank Rank City-Pair Per Day (% Share) 1 1 Los Angeles - New York 8,718 American (33.9) 2 2 Chicago - New York 7,849 United (32.1) 3 3 Boston - New York 7,215 Delta (42.1) 4 4 New York - Washington 7,167 Delta (39.8)
Airbus Industrie is in discussions with Malaysia Airlines to replace the carrier's fleet of Boeing 737s with the Airbus A320 family and 777s with A340s. According to a MAS official, Airbus has proposed to buy MAS's current fleet of nine 777s, plus six not yet delivered. Airbus will replace the 777 fleet with the 17 A340-300s Singapore Airlines will sell to Boeing, 15 of which are in service and two would be delivered in 2003.
TWA and Trans States signed a regional jet agreement just days after Trans States said it would pull service from California Dec. 28. The 10-year deal calls for Trans States to take three Embraer ERJ-145s in February with options for 12 more. Trans States, whose jets will be the first to fly under TWA's livery, initially will serve Peoria, Ill., and Northwest Arkansas from St. Louis.
FAA Administrator Jane Garvey's plans to be airborne through the midnight hour Dec. 31 will not test the Y2K readiness of the nation's air traffic control system. The real test of the rollover to the new millennium will come hours before midnight in U.S. time zones. This is because most ATC equipment in the U.S. is set to Universal Coordinated Time, so the rollover will come at 7 p.m. on the East Coast and 4 p.m. on the West Coast. Garvey plans to take the 5:10 p.m.
Amerijet International, in an effort to improve service for its Latin American scheduled and charter routes, has picked New Orleans as one of five major points of origin for southbound traffic. Located in a 2,000-square foot warehouse near the New Orleans Airport, the new facility will manage sales and handle cargo at the regional level.
Qantas plans to increase the number of weekly services offered between New York and Australia next June, offering two additional services to supplement three current weekly flights, introduced in October. "The New York services have received a positive response from both leisure and business travelers, and by building on the new schedule, passengers will have greater flexibility and a wider choice of flights," said Geoff Dixon, deputy chief executive. Qantas's return to New York on Oct. 31 comes after a 26-year absence.
Pratt&Whitney Canada and China National South Aero-Engine Co. (SAEC), China's leading manufacturer of small gas turbine engines, have opened a joint-venture manufacturing plant in Zhuzhou, China. P&WC has a 49% share of the venture, first announced in spring 1998. The company will manufacture many of the engine components used in P&WC engines in service in China and elsewhere.
Galileo International and United signed a "multi-faceted deal" yesterday, including a new Internet initiative, sales support and collaboration, and hosting and development services. Under the five-year agreement beginning Jan. 1, United will commit $5 million in collateral advertising and promotion of Galileo's soon-to-be launched consumer Internet travel site.
Air Wisconsin, which operates as United Express, reported 15.2% more traffic on 27.1% more capacity for November compared to the same 1998 month, which depressed load factor 6.2 percentage points to 60%. Passengers flown dropped 0.3%.
Japan Airlines sold a 20% equity stake in DHL International that it has held since 1990, as part of a continuing effort to reduce its interest-bearing debt following a drop in its credit rating. JAL said it has no intention of changing its current air cargo strategy and will retain 6% of DHL's stock after the sale to maintain its representation on DHL's board. DHL established two investment trusts to buy the stake back from JAL, adding to a 3% stake bought back earlier this year from a Japanese trading company.
DOT's Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) reported last week that research involving cheese whey and other "cheap feedstocks" for anti-icing and deicing might have similar applicability for airport runways. Cheese whey, when fermented, produces acetic acid that reacts with lime to produce inexpensive calcium magnesium acetate (CMA), environmentally safe and effective in snow and ice control. CMA is not corrosive or harmful to concrete, structural steel, vegetation, fish or wildlife.
Alaska Airlines was the only carrier to appear in this year's E-Business 100, the first ranking of the most innovative electronic businesses. The ranking, published yesterday by InformationWeek magazine, lists companies "that are aggressively harnessing the power of the Internet to drive their business forward." Alaska was ranked 20th because it was the first airline to sell tickets online and allow flight check-in through airport kiosks. The top three companies in the ranking were Office Depot, IBM and Cisco Systems.
