Senate Judiciary antitrust subcommittee Chairman Mike DeWine (R-Ohio) said yesterday that the panel will decide "in the next few days" whether its planned hearing into anticompetitive practices in the airline industry will focus on American, subject of a Justice Department antitrust lawsuit, or will cover industry-wide practices. The subcommittee wants to hold the hearings next month.
FAA this week issued five short-term recommendations to encourage compatible use of land around airports. The guidelines, part of the agency's Land Use Initiative, aim to explain federal policies and clarify other land-use and noise issues. Airports have become quieter with the approach of FAA's Jan. 1 deadline for converting carrier fleets to Stage 3.
Akron-Canton, Ohio, wants DOT to reallocate slots used by Trans States to the community. Telling DOT that Trans States' Chicago O'Hare service is "substandard" in terms of on-time performance, Akron-Canton asked DOT to withdraw the six slots used by the United Express carrier and "temporarily" reallocate them to the community if the carrier does not exceed a 90% on-time performance for one calendar month within 120 days from June 1. Such an action by DOT would be more effective than assessment of civil penalties, Akron-Canton said.
Air Lanka's revenue passenger kilometers for April jumped 26% and 25.8% year-to-date is up 25.8%. Freight volume was down 6.9% last month. Air Lanka carried 118,680 passengers in April, up 21.6%.
American, stung by a Justice Department lawsuit May 13, anticipated the action for several months. The airline's suit-specific web site to respond to the charges, www.aadoj.com, was registered on March 31.
LanChile announced Friday it will join the oneworld alliance, a move expected after the carrier received antitrust immunity for its pact with oneworld partner American. LanChile becomes the eighth member of oneworld, joining British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Canadian Airlines and Qantas as well as newly announced members Finnair and Iberia. LanChile will join next year, linking its frequent flyer program, customer service and computer systems with all other partner carriers. The airline operates 120 daily flights with 46 aircraft and has been flying since 1929.
British Airways and Iberia will begin code sharing June 17 on 27 routes. Tickets went on sale worldwide last Friday. All code-share services will be non-smoking, in line with BA policy. BA announced it plans to buy a 9% stake in Iberia on Feb. 12.
Bombardier Global Express has received type approval from the European Joint Aviation Authorities, the last major milestone in the program before deliveries begin to customers.
Approved an Airline Brokers Co. charter using a Mexicana 727-200 for 13 roundtrips carrying 150 passengers on a Miami-Holguin, Cuba-Miami routing June 7-Aug.
Nav Canada will reduce its air navigation service fees by $90 million a year, beginning Sept. 1.About 98% of the fees are charged to air carriers. Nav Canada says its fees, which replace the air transportation tax, already have saved airlines 27%. The 33% reduction in September will give airlines a total savings of $255 million per year.
-- In Federal Register dated May 7...Issued an airworthiness directive on Boeing 767 aircraft requiring inspection inside the forward trunnion joint of the main landing gear...Revised a proposed AD on Saab 2000 aircraft concerning inspection of the aileron control cables...Proposed an AD on Embraer EMB-145 aircraft to require inspection of the main landing gear.
Indianapolis-based American Trans Air last month posted a record scheduled service load factor of 79.4%, a carrier spokesman said. Amtran's scheduled revenue passenger miles jumped 14.6% to 537.9 million, compared with April 1998, as scheduled capacity gained 14.1% to 677.3 million available seat miles. Scheduled boardings swelled 18.2% to 419,085.
Delta's Air Line Pilots Association unit negotiating committee still is trying to reach agreement on flying the Boeing 777, but the two sides have not concurred on pay rates. The union proposes $318.96 per flight hour for pilots and Delta wants $238.66. The two sides will meet May 18. Delta needs a ratified agreement by July 31 and is threatening to cancel the remaining 777s on order without one. Pilot ballots on the issue are due May 29.
McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30 and MD-80 Systemwide Aircraft Utilization Per Day Fourth Quarter 1998 DC-9-30 Continental Northwest TWA Number of Aircraft Operated 21 116 34 Total Fleet Operations Departures 108 523 173
Although not a part of an agreement to extend FAA budget authorization through Aug. 6, House Transportation Chairman Bud Shuster was assured by House leadership that it would permit a vote on his AIR-21 the week of June 14. The FAA extension agreement was the third this fiscal year. Shuster would support the extension only if assured of a House vote on his bill.
Singapore Airlines, not immune to Asia's economic downturn, posted operating profits of S$549 million (US$324 million) for fiscal 1998-99 on Friday, down 27.3% from the prior year. Pre-tax profits fell 14.5% to S$882 million ($520 million). Like several other Asia/Pacific airlines, SIA deferred aircraft deliveries, saw its yields decline and experienced stagnant year-over-year revenues. SIA's fleet became even newer than it was, as the carrier took delivery of 11 new aircraft during the fiscal year ended March 31, including four medium-range Boeing 777-300s.
Rep. James Oberstar (D-Minn.) is encouraged by the European Union's delay of restrictions on hushkitted aircraft, but he won't withdraw the House-approved bill introduced in February to revoke U.S. landing rights for the Concorde. "My bill is still very much alive and will remain so until this issue is finally decided," Oberstar said.
Air Line Pilots Association is pressing FAA Administrator Jane Garvey to enforce an existing rule on rest requirements and to move forward with revisions to current rules "that have been stalled in bureaucratic limbo since 1995." ALPA President Duane Woerth made the comments in a letter to Garvey following a meeting about rest rules and other safety issues. He asked Garvey for specific dates by which FAA will enforce the current rule and take action on the years-old rulemaking.
Midway Airlines reported a 0.4% drop in traffic and a 0.8% decline in capacity for April 1999, which pushed the load factor up 0.3 percentage points to 69.8%. Passengers flown grew 2.2%.
