Last week's decision to offer Europe a commitment and timetable to develop Stage 4 engine noise regulations in exchange for dropping the prospective ban on hushkitted aircraft (DAILY, April 16) came out of a government-only meeting, and U.S. airlines learned of the results only after the fact.Although the airlines oppose any ban, they have what a source described as "real concerns" about pressuring ICAO to rush through Chapter 4 noise rules when the deadline for Chapter 3 does not expire until yearend. Continental keeps using EETCs, gets good rates
AlliedSignal named Robert Johnson president and chief executive of AlliedSignal Aerospace; Steven Loranger president of Engines&Systems; Francis Daly president of Avionics&Lighting; James Taiclet president of Aerospace Services; Lynn Brubaker head of the air transport and regional account team; Robert Ruck head of the business and general aviation team, and Thomas Culligan head of the defense and space team.
In an indication that Taiwan is moving a further step closer to removing restrictions against direct trade with mainland China, officials in Taipei said Taiwan will permit goods from China to be taken to the international airports at Kaohsiung or Taoyuan for transshipment without passing through customs. Taiwan still bans direct cross-strait trade as one of the few bargaining chips it holds in negotiations with mainland China, from which it separated in 1949.
American and its Allied Pilots Association are expected to meet this week to discuss division of the $45 million fine levied against the union by U.S. District Court Judge Joe Kendall last week. Kendall, who previously ordered the union to place $10 million in escrow, ordered it to place $10 million more in escrow today and wants American and APA's input before he holds another hearing to decide if the full damages will be paid by APA or shared by its top officers.
Virgin Express traffic for March increased 25.9% on 16.4% more capacity, boosting the load factor 5.9 percentage points to 77.3%. The airline carried 246,929 passengers last month, up 25.7%.
WinAir Airlines is offering $39 one-way fares, 60% below the regular price, for travel between Long Beach and Las Vegas, Oakland, Sacramento and Salt Lake City. Travel must be completed by May 15.
Coalition of Airline Pilots Associations is renewing a call for FAA to move on new flight and duty time rules, saying the agency has remained silent on the issue since an ARAC study in 1996. CAPA members believe pilots should be limited to 14 hours of work a day or 12 hours at night, with 10 hours of rest.
Vanguard Airlines has signed a multi-year strategic services alliance with Hewlett-Packard Open Skies. Under the agreement, Hewlett-Packard will replace Vanguard's internal reservations system with a hosted system and install Hewlett-Packard Open Skies' TakeFlight, an Internet booking system. It also will install FlightSpeed, a graphical user interface. Vanguard currently uses Hewlett-Packard Open Skies' Revenue Management System.
U.S. Major Carriers Traffic, as of April 1999 (000) April April % 1999 1998 Change Alaska Revenue Passenger Miles 969,000 897,000 8.0 Available Seat Miles 1,386,000 1,329,000 4.3 Load Factor (%) 69.9 67.5 America West Revenue Passenger Miles 1,421,687 1,374,079 3.5
DOT extended through Feb. 1, 2000, the window for action on Northwest's complaint against European Union restrictions on the use of hushkitted aircraft. Northwest has agreed to a limited waiver of the deadline. The airline charged that the regulation would unreasonably restrict U.S. operators' access to the European market "in contravention of U.S. rights" under bilateral aviation and Chicago Convention agreements.
American and its Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) yesterday concluded a tentative contract agreement that would place members at the top of the industry in terms of pay, pension benefits and flexibility by the November 2004 amendable date. APFA President Denise Hedges said she could not release details because the two sides still are resolving the final language. The deal also is subject to the approval of APFA's executive committee, which will decide whether to send it to the 20,000 members for ratification.
British Airways and the Royal Bank of Canada are launching a range of financial services that will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week through a toll-free telephone number and a secure Internet site. The two parties have formed a major strategic alliance, British Airways Global Financial Services, which begins on June 1 with the launch of the Offshore Deposit Account, good for any major world currency.
Air Canada, after an absence of three years, yesterday relaunched daily service between Chicago and Calgary, with new 112-seat Airbus A319 aircraft. The flight, which the carrier plans to offer twice daily in the near future, connects in Chicago with service by Star Alliance partner United. To kick off the new service, Air Canada offers double bonus miles that also apply to United's frequent flyer plan.
DOT made final its order proposing expanded designation and frequency opportunities for foreign carriers operating service via Alaska (DAILY, Jan. 27). The new policy is designed to reverse the decline in stopovers resulting from use of long-range aircraft and the opening of Russian airspace that makes shorter, northern air routes available.
Senate Commerce Committee pushed for last week's longer-than-expected FAA extension to Aug. 6 in hopes that a multi-year FAA authorization would be finalized by then, helping avoid the typical September traffic jam over appropriations bills, Senate sources said. DOT Secretary Rodney Slater hopes to see House and Senate action on a multi-year authorization well before the Aug. 6 deadline - the last working day before Congress' month-long recess - to avoid 11th-hour negotiations in August, a DOT spokesman said.
