Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Sen. John Warner (R-Va.) did not resolve their differences on added flights at Washington Reagan Airport before Congress started its current recess, and developments in Kosovo have prevented further talks since then.McCain's committee-approved FAA reauthorization bill would add 48 daily slots. Warner favors the 24 approved last year by the Senate and has introduced a similar bill this year.
United urged DOT to make final its tentative allocation to United of 67 Chicago-London summer-season roundtrip frequencies (DAILY, March 26), arguing that DOT's conclusion that competition on the route is centered at London Heathrow makes the decision in favor of United "appropriate." United said American's objection to the award "again extols the advantages" of service to London Gatwick (DAILY, March 31), which would not increase competition in the market.
New Air, the well-funded New York City startup, will announce more details of its operation within a month. The carrier has been evaluating new aircraft and still has not chosen a name for itself. Company staff moved into new Manhattan offices yesterday.
An eight-day staggered pilot strike that ended yesterday cost Iberia "more than 1 billion pesetas," the Spanish airline said in Madrid. Sindicato Espanol de Pilotos de Lineas Aereas, the pilot union, disputed the amount, saying the airline lost only 400 million pesetas (US$2.6 million). The dispute was triggered by talks on a new labor contract. The pilots accuse management of delaying the new agreement and demand that the company hire new pilots.
Arthur Raymond, 99, an aircraft engineer for Douglas Aircraft Co. whose achievements included designing the DC-3 in the mid-1930s, died March 29 in Santa Monica, Calif. At Douglas, Raymond also contributed to the design of the DC-1, DC-2, DC-4, DC-6, DC-7 and DC-8. He later was a consultant to NASA.
U.S. Major Carriers Latin Share of Service Fourth Quarter 1998 Total Revenue Departures Alaska 2,533 America West 1,107 American 23,666 Continental 11,214 Delta 3,600 United 4,353 US Airways 1,668 Total 48,141 Average Number of
U.S. and Portuguese aviation negotiators will meet in Lisbon April 14-16 to continue open-skies talks. Initial open-skies talks with Kenya have been delayed, perhaps until May or June, for Kenya to complete a review of DOT materials, according to DOT. Renewed talks with Tanzania and Ghana are expected soon. The U.S. presented its open-skies program to representatives of the three African countries during informal meetings with Kenya and Ghana and a first round of formal negotiations with Tanzania in January (DAILY, Jan 27).
FAA plans to require damage tolerance testing of older transport aircraft under the principle that the start and growth of structural fatigue damage can be anticipated in time to avoid airworthiness problems. The new rule would apply to domestic airlines and to foreign carriers that operate U.S.-registered aircraft, regardless of whether the aircraft are flown into the U.S. Some aircraft manufactured by companies that have gone out of business would not be allowed to continue to fly.
US Airways' 6,000 fleet service workers and baggage handlers, represented by the International Association of Machinists, have ratified their contract by a 3-1 majority (DAILY, April 1). The deal provides a 12.3% pay increase in the first year and gives the carrier the right to increase its use of part-time workers from 28% to 35% of its work force.
Air France has introduced a Boeing 777 on its Washington-Paris route, replacing a 747. The twin-engine widebody leaves Washington Dulles Airport daily at 6:50 p.m. and arrives at Paris Charles de Gaulle the following morning. The return flight leaves Paris at 1:15 p.m. and arrives at Dulles at 3:40 p.m. the same day. Air France plans a second daily nonstop in the market beginning May 16. The aircraft, a 747, will leave Dulles at 10:45 p.m. and arrive at de Gaulle at 11:15 a.m. The return flight will leave Paris at 4:30 p.m. and arrive at Dulles at 7:10 p.m.
Fokker F28 aircraft are vulnerable to lightning strikes and FAA should require that they be modified for increased protection, the National Transportation Safety Board recommended. The board cited a US Airways F28 that experienced a dual hydraulic system failure after it was struck by lightning Feb. 26, 1998. The crew made an emergency landing at Birmingham, Ala. Three main landing gear tires failed and the aircraft left the runway, but none of the 87 passengers was injured.
American reported a 3% increase in system-wide traffic to 9.5 billion revenue passenger miles during March on 13.3 billion available seat miles capacity, 1.9% more than the year-earlier month. The load factor was 71.3%, up 0.7 percentage points. Passenger boardings grew 0.3% to 7,022,852. Domestic RPMs climbed 1.3% to 6.5 billion and ASMs 0.2% to 9.1 billion, growing the load factor 0.8 points to 71.1%. International RPMs were up 6.7% to 3 billion on 5.8% more ASMs, 4.2 billion, boosting the load factor 0.6 points to 71.8%.
Aviation Industry Stock Performance, March 1999 Aviation Industry Stock Performance March 1999 Closed Closed Monthly Change Symbol 3/31/99 2/26/99 ($) (%) Alaska Air Group ALK 47.500 50.688 (3.188) (6.3) America West (Class B) AWA 19.063 17.000 2.063 12.1
Midwest Express flight attendants are voting on representation by the Association of Flight Attendants, which will hold open houses in Milwaukee and Omaha this week and next to explain membership benefits. The National Mediation Board will count votes April 29.
Rockwell Collins has acquired 100% ownership of Flight Dynamics, a Rockwell-Kaiser Aerospace joint venture that became a market leader in head-up guidance systems. Its equipment is certificated and operating on more than 500 business, regional, airline and military aircraft, and the company has orders for 1,000 more systems.
US Airways is launching its Charlotte-London Gatwick service with a $298 introductory roundtrip fare to travelers who begin their trip in Charlotte. The fare is available through April 7 for travel on Mondays through Thursdays during the June 12-30 period. It applies only to roundtrip travel that includes a Saturday night stay. The airline also is offering special fares to Gatwick from other U.S. points, including $796 from Los Angeles and $554 from Tampa. Tickets from points outside Charlotte are available through April 21 for travel June 12-July 31.
Salary is important to cabin crew in labor negotiations, but a survey by the Association of Flight Attendants indicates that scheduling is the contract area that needs improving most. AFA surveyed members at all carriers where it is the representative.
