Air Wisconsin, which operates as United Express, reported a 71.3% jump in traffic and 50.6% more capacity for December 1998 compared with the same month in 1997, which boosted the load factor 8.3 percentage points to 68.6%. The airline flew 87.7 million revenue passenger miles and 127.8 million available seat miles. Passengers flown leapt 70.2% to 288,672. Year-to-date RPMS grew 44.2% and ASMs 34.7%, forcing the load factor up 4.5 points. Passengers flown jumped 46.6%. Dec. 1998 Dec. 1997 12 Mths 1998 12 Mths 1997
Spencer, Iowa-based Great Lakes Aviation's traffic jumped 45% on 49.3% more capacity for December 1998 compared with the same month in 1997, depressing the load factor 1.3 percentage points to 46.5%. Great Lakes flew 22.6 million revenue passenger miles and 48.7 million available seat miles. Passengers flown jumped 60.6% to 83,131. Year-to-date RPMs grew 23.4% and ASMs 11.6% over 1997, boosting the load factor 4.9 points. Passengers flown climbed 29.1%.
Delta's $1 surcharge applies to each domestic fare component - one-way tariff between origin and destination - not each domestic segment, as stated in an article giving the reaction of the American Society of Travel Agents to the surcharge (DAILY, Jan. 13).
United has become the second carrier this week to announce a jump start on pilot contract negotiations.United and its Air Line Pilots Association unit already have exchanged opening letters and are beginning formal talks. United's ALPA contract becomes amendable April 12, 2000. Delta and its ALPA unit are beginning talks on a contract that is amendable in May 2000 (DAILY, Jan. 12).
Southwest dedicated a Boeing 737-700 to newly inducted Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher and Texas resident Nolan Ryan. The "Nolan Ryan Express" flew Ryan to ceremonies in Dallas, Austin and Houston. "During his 27 years as a major league pitcher, he broke about as many records in baseball as Southwest did in its first 27 years in the airline industry," said VP-Marketing Joyce Rogge.
DOT finalized its tentative decision selecting Delta to serve Johannesburg, South Africa, via Paris, under a third-country code share with Air France, for a designation that became available Nov. 1, 1998 (DAILY, Nov. 17, 1998). Included in the order is a five-year experimental certificate authority for Delta. The carrier becomes the third U.S. airline designated to serve South Africa, after Northwest and United, which were selected for opportunities made available in 1997.
Indianapolis-based Chautauqua Airlines finished what its chief executive called an "outstanding" year by posting a 7.4% increase in traffic for December to 12.7 million revenue passenger miles, compared with December 1997. Capacity rose less than half as fast - 3.6% to 26.5 million available seat miles - lifting the passenger load factor 1.6 percentage points to 47.7%. Boardings were up 6.1% to 57,716.
Risks to the Global Positioning System (GPS) signal can be managed but steps must be taken to minimize the chances of intentional interference, according to a closely held report by Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, due to be issued Jan. 29. The report was commissioned six months ago by the FAA, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and the Air Transport Association. The laboratory was tasked to perform an independent risk assessment study to determine the ability of GPS and two crucial augmentations to serve as a sole means of navigation.
Canadian Airlines has introduced a new look that includes revitalized corporate colors and a new "Proud Wings" logo - a stylized bright blue Canada goose that stretches from the aircraft tail to almost one-third of the fuselage. Canadian's goose symbolizes Canada, and the logo has strong ties with Canadian's predecessor airlines. The logo is part of a larger marketing strategy covering a range of new products and services, including lounges, food service, seats, laptop power, routes, partnerships, airplanes and participation in the oneworld alliance.
Northwest, which has terminated its frequent flyer partnership with MCI, is offering up to 16,500 bonus frequent flyer miles for WorldPerks customers who sign up with Sprint. Customers who participated in the MCI promotion still can earn five WorldPerks miles for every dollar spent on MCI WorldCom services until the end of the year. Northwest also is offering miles for dining at certain restaurants through its new WorldPerks Dining for Miles program. Customers can earn up to 6,000 miles per visit.
The U.S. Supreme Court this week overturned a lower court ruling brought by a passenger with a $5 million claim against El Al Israel Airlines after she was searched prior to boarding a flight at New York Kennedy Airport. The court, in an 8-1 opinion, ruled that the passenger's injuries were not covered under the Warsaw Convention.
The U.K. government is proposing different approaches on changing nighttime noise quotas at London's biggest airports - an immediate tightening at Heathrow, a gradual tightening at Gatwick through 2004 and a gradual loosening at Stansted - in its latest attempt to balance economic needs and environmental protection. In proposals published last week for public comment by Feb. 12, the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) affirmed the system in place since 1993, which limits the number of movements at each airport between 11:30 p.m. and 6 a.m.
U.S. Airports Sources of Non-Operating Revenue Small Hub Airports* Fiscal Year 1997 (Dollar Amounts in Thousands) Passenger PFC Facility Per Bond Grant Charges Passenger** Proceeds Payments Akron/Canton 858 3.81 -- 1,507
DOT's Office of Inspector General (OIG) on Jan. 25 will start investigating international aviation safety practices under code-sharing alliances between U.S. and foreign carriers. The investigation will extend to both DOT and FAA. The OIG said the number of code-sharing alliances has more than doubled, from 61 to 163, between 1994 and 1998. "The rapid increase in number of code-sharing alliances between the U.S. and foreign air carriers, and the movement toward global alliances, raises questions as to whether approaches to safety oversight are sufficient.
Iberia asked DOT for an exemption from slot restrictions at Chicago O'Hare Airport to continue its daily nonstop Chicago-Madrid service during the 1999 summer season. The carrier said it began the only nonstop Chicago-Madrid service Sept. 1, 1998, noting there is no through-plane service on the route. It was granted two slots for the 1998 summer and the current winter season and needs two slots for the upcoming summer season. FAA told Iberia that its request for the slots "remains in a 'pending' status" - just short of a formal denial. (Docket OST-99-4981)
FAA yesterday issued a proposed rule to require repetitive displacement tests of the servo valve in the power control unit for the rudder of all 737-100 through -500 series aircraft. FAA said the proposal was prompted by reports of cracking found in PCU secondary servo valve slides. The proposed airworthiness directive is intended to prevent "failure of the secondary slide and consequent rudder hardover and reduced controllability of the airplane," FAA said. Comment deadline is Feb. 12.
Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-Colo.), the Senate's only American Indian, will fill the Republican vacancy on the Senate Appropriations transportation subcommittee. He fills the vacancy created when former Sen. Lauch Faircloth (R-N. C.) was defeated for re-election last November. On transportation appropriations, Campbell will serve with Sen. Slade Gorton (R-Wash.), chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee's aviation subcommittee.
With 32 open-skies pacts under its belt, covering much of Europe, Latin America and the Pacific Rim - and agreements with Japan and France leading to open skies - the Clinton administration has turned its attention to Africa as the continent with which the U.S. might achieve both aviation accords and the benefits of investments in infrastructure development.
The Association of Flight Attendants (AFA) has canceled its planned 1999 annual meeting in Cincinnati, citing Issue 3, a measure passed by the city denying homosexuals, lesbians and bisexuals protection from discrimination. In a letter to the Cincinnati Enquirer, AFA Patricia Friend said, "The passage of Issue 3 and the exhaustion of legal remedies sought to overturn the measure make it impossible for us to hold our meeting in your city.
Raleigh/Durham-based Midway Airlines reported a 17.7% boost in traffic and 12% more capacity for December 1998 compared with the same month in 1997, which pushed the load factor up 3.1 percentage points to 64.2%. Midway flew 80.9 million revenue passenger miles on 126.1 million available seat miles. Passengers flown grew 21.2% to 162,000. Total year 1998 RPMs climbed 15.2% and ASMs 11.3%, boosting the load factor 2.2 points. Passengers increased 20.2%.
America West is expanding its service to California and West Texas with four daily nonstops from Phoenix to San Luis Obispo and three to Carlsbad/Oceanside, beginning April 4. The new service will be operated by America West Express using 37-seat de Havilland Dash 8 aircraft. On March 24, the carrier will launch nonstop Phoenix-Midland/Odessa service with three daily flights using 50-seat Canadair Regional Jets, and on March 27, it will add two daily Phoenix-El Paso flights, for a total of six.
China Southern Airlines carried 15.05 million passengers in 1998, placing it first among airlines in China for the 20th consecutive year. China Southern transported 27% of all passengers carrier by Chinese airlines last year, and the carrier also leads in the number of aircraft (96), flights operated and markets served. China Southern's 96 jets comprises 81 Boeing airplanes, including nine 777s, and 15 Airbus A320s. The passenger load factor on its Guangzhou-Los Angeles nonstop, begun last July, was 76% in December.
KLM will begin Amsterdam-Shanghai service March 29 to piggyback on its existing service to Beijing and Hong Kong. KLM will begin with twice-weekly service to Shanghai using Boeing 747-400 Combi equipment with seating for 277 and cargo capacity for 35 tons.
Japan Airlines moved closer to the American-British Airways alliance yesterday by signing a code share and marketing agreement with BA. The expected alliance will give both carriers more marketing power for passenger traveling from Europe to Japan. As of April 1, BA and JAL will offer frequent flyer program members the chance to earn miles on each other's international flights. With government approval, the carriers will code share late this summer on JAL's daily Osaka-London nonstop.
EVA Airways said it will launch the first direct air cargo link between Taiwan and India on Sunday with the introduction of service to Mumbai. The carrier will operate three flights a week using MD-11 cargo aircraft. The service follows an "open skies" policy for air cargo operations by Indian regulatory authorities, EVA said.
