Regional air carriers posted an average load factor of 50.1% during January, based on a sampling of 16 of the nation's largest regional airlines. That was an improvement of 1.8 percentage points over the year-ago period's 48.4%. United Express Air Wisconsin was the only carrier to top the 60% level - barely at 60.6%. Six of the carriers had load factors in the 50% to 59% range and nine were in the 40s. The largest increase was again posted by Air Wisconsin at nearly 7.9 points. Continental Express was closely behind with a 7.3-point jump to 54.8%.
Billings, Mont.-based Big Sky Transportation sold 134,372 shares of 1996 Series Common Stock to venture capital firm Northern Rockies Venture Fund Limited Partnership of Butte, Mont., generating proceeds of $235,151, Big Sky said.
Delta, in an effort to strengthen management of its domestic and international networks, has named Wayne Aaron director-domestic network analysis, responsible for hub development initiatives, new market analysis, revenue analysis and performance tracking. Aaron, who has been with Delta since 1991, will be replaced as director-international network analysis by Harlan Bennett, formerly director-domestic pricing and revenue management.
United Parcel Service gave Pratt&Whitney the nod to power as many as 75 new Airbus A300 freighters, a deal worth about $3 billion, including a long-term maintenance agreement, P&W said yesterday. Deliveries of the PW4158-powered A300F4-600Rs start in mid-2000. Firm orders cover 30 twin-engine aircraft, and UPS holds options for another 45. Options would extend deliveries into 2009. The order is a big boost for the enginemaker at a time when new orders - particularly large ones for big, high-margin aircraft - are slim.
Minneapolis-based Sun Country Airlines is introducing enhanced menus on all flights. The carrier is adding fresh sandwiches, fruit and muffins, fresh-baked warm cookies, yogurt and hot soft pretzels with cheddar cheese filling to its meal offerings. Sun Country will become a scheduled air carrier on June 1.
Polish airline LOT has placed firm orders for six Embraer ERJ-145 regional jets and six options in a transaction valued at about US$200 million, Embraer announced. First delivery is set for July 1999. Embraer Chief Executive Mauricio Botelho said the deal was the company's first ERJ-145 transaction involving one of the Eastern European countries. LOT becomes the seventh European operator of the aircraft.
Traffic at Singapore Airlines recovered in 1998. Although the number of passengers carried increased only by 1.1% to 12.4 million, revenue passenger kilometers grew 4.9% to 58.2 billion and revenue ton kilometers gained 2.5% to 10.4 billion. But capacity rose faster than traffic, so the passenger load factor fell 1.6 percentage points to 70.9% and the overall load factor dropped 2.6 points to 67.7%. The airline is operating 91 aircraft and has 37 on order, plus 46 options.
American and its Allied Pilots Association union, battling since December over the carrier's acquisition of Reno Air, have agreed on two items - they need a mediator to help resolve the dispute, and they will not discuss the talks with the media. In separate brief statements, the two parties said they will hold two more direct bargaining sessions and if agreement still is out of reach, they will participate in mediated talks for up to three days.
FAA Administrator Jane Garvey's speech Tuesday before the Aero Club of Washington, will be featured on Aviation News Today, to be broadcast Sunday on Washington's NewsChannel 8 at 12:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
El Al this week received its first NG737-800, seating between 162 and 189 passengers, depending on configuration. The aircraft is configured for 146 seats in two classes to "focus more attention on passenger room and comfort," said Joel Feldschuh, El Al president. "During the last year, we have changed our livery, cabin interiors and textiles, graphics and even our flight attendant uniform, [which] supports our business objectives and helps us differentiate ourselves from our competitors."
Hewlett-Packard, computer hardware and services company based in Palo Alto, Calif., will reorganize its business structure, creating a unit that will concentrate on aerospace, air transportation and federal government customers, HP executives told The DAILY this week. HP's air transportation focus has been mostly international, but the new business unit will bring more focus to U.S. airlines. HP works with about 10 aerospace customers in the U.S., mostly large prime contractors and federal government agencies.
Eastwind Airlines said its reservations center average call volume has doubled since it published a new fare structure last Friday. The fares will go into effect March 15, the same date as the airline's expanded flight schedule. VP-Marketing and Sales Chris Dimitriyadi said, "No model could have forecast this level of response," which required round-the-clock staffing. As of March 5, the carrier also will offer reservations online at www.eastwindairlines.com.
British Aerospace earned #973 million ($US1.55 billion) before tax during 1998, but turboprop leasing was a "difficult" segment, BAe reported. While commercial aerospace generated sales of #2.5 billion ($US3.99 billion), the result was achieved because of "higher Airbus activity and lower activity in regional aircraft," the airframer said.
Mesa Air Group, hoping to improve its scheduling and market planning, will sell 16 Beech 1900Ds, the company said. When the sale is complete, the company fleet will consist of 22 Canadair Regional Jets, 12 de Havilland Dash 8 turboprops and 77 remaining 1900Ds. Mesa will take delivery of another 10 CRJs over the next 10 months. Mesa Chief Executive Jonathan Ornstein said, "Higher-than-anticipated maintenance costs and new regulatory requirements have made much of our 1900 flying uneconomic.
The Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) says travel agents making electronic bookings approved by ARC prior to March 31, 1996, should store paper ticket stock in a safe, but it will not require them to do so. To reduce the risk of ticket stock theft, ARC had planned to require agents to keep a safe or other metal container, weighing at least 200 pounds or permanently attached to the floor or wall, with a combination or time lock.
Ansett Australia will use two 747-400s it will receive soon from Singapore Airlines on routes to Hong Kong, Osaka and Taipei. The aircraft will replace two 747-300s, also acquired from partner SIA. The -400s have different engines and equipment, and Ansett is training its flight and cabin crew to handle the changes.
Fairchild Dornier does not anticipate certification of its new 32-passenger 328JET until late May by the JAA and early June by the FAA. The original schedule called for certification in March, but that slipped due to "horrific" flying weather this winter near Munich, where the aircraft is built. Coincidentally, Embraer said Thursday it is on track for certification of its new small regional jet - the 37-seat ERJ-135 - in May as well. Initial deliveries are scheduled to follow in July. The two -135 prototypes have accumulated a total of 365 flight hours.
Delta pilots are pushing to integrate the pilots of ASA into the Delta seniority list. Delta agreed to acquire its Connection partner last week for roughly $700 million to improve reliability and feed at its Atlanta and Dallas/Fort Worth hubs. Delta pilots believe their jobs will not be secured through negotiated limitations such as a scope clause when "hundreds of 30-, 50- and 70-seat jets [are] flying all over your route structure," said one flyer, noting the possible combination of ASA and Comair.
U.S. and Chinese aviation officials concluded talks one day earlier then planned in Beijing yesterday without agreement, according to a DOT spokesman. U.S. negotiators advanced a proposal to extend services in existing markets. No date for further talks was set.
Continental and Alaska yesterday formed a strategic alliance. Alaska, Horizon and Continental will code share, enabling frequent flyers to earn reciprocal miles network-wide.
Birmingham, UK-based Maersk Air Ltd. has purchased two additional 50-passenger Canadair Regional Jet Series 200s from Bombardier, the manufacturer announced. The aircraft are scheduled for delivery in March and April 2000. Maersk Air, a British Airways partner, holds options on another seven CRJs, five of which are for the new 70-seat CRJ Series 700s. The company has taken delivery of four CRJs of eight on firm order.
Flight attendants at US Airways, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants, and the company want a federal mediator to step in and help with contract talks. The union and management applied Wednesday to the National Mediation Board for assistance after more than a year of unsuccessful negotiations. "We're looking to speed up the negotiations process significantly, and our hope is that mediation is the answer," said Lynn Lenosky, president of the AFA Master Executive Council at US Airways.
Macau Airport served 2,214,487 passengers in 1998. The increase, 13.4%, is slow considering that Macau is a new airport. Cargo volume fared better, growing 43.1% to 65,167 metric tons.
