In Federal Register dated Feb. 8...Issued a final rule harmonizing standards for high-lift device controls with those adopted by the European Joint Aviation Authorities. -- In FR dated Feb. 9...Issued an airworthiness directive on certain Boeing 747 aircraft requiring inspections of the outboard nacelle struts...Proposed an AD on Douglas MD-90 aircraft to require inspection of the elevator cable pulley.
General Aviation Manufacturers Association President Ed Bolen said the industry set a new record for billings in 1998 for the third year in a row, and for the fourth consecutive year, "shipments have increased dramatically." Billings were a record $5.9 billion, up from $4.7 billion the previous year, while shipments totaled 2,220, the first time since 1985 the industry has shipped more than 2,000 aircraft, Bolen said. The industry shipped 1,569 aircraft in 1997.
Tower Air said Friday the Department of Defense Commercial Airlift Review Board reinstated Tower to operate military charters immediately. Military charters represented about 13.6% of the company's operating revenues in 1998.
House aviation subcommittee ranking Democrat William Lipinski (Ill.) noted at a hearing last week that large airports would lose 50% of their Airport Improvement Program funding if they raised passenger facility charges from $3 to $5. He suggested to FAA Administrator Jane Garvey that in view of this penalty, it would be fairer if the PFC ceiling were increased to $6. Garvey discreetly replied that it's "a topic for discussion."
Continental said Friday it will increase capacity across the Atlantic and to the Middle East by launching new routes and increasing the size of aircraft serving certain current routes. Previously, the airline announced Newark-Brussels, Newark-Zurich and Newark-Tel Aviv daily nonstops, which begin in May, June and August, respectively.
America West notified employees Friday of possible layoffs and shutdowns of operations after the flight attendants, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants, rejected a National Mediation Board proffer of arbitration. The NMB under the Railway Labor Act must notify both sides when the 30-day cooling-off period will begin. The NMB is expected to continue intensified mediation during the cooling-off period, and when the 30 days are up, both sides will be free to engage in self-help.
The FAA reauthorization bill approved last Thursday by the Senate Commerce Committee (DAILY, Feb. 12) would mandate expansion at the four slot-controlled airports, broadening some of Chairman John McCain's (R-Ariz.) original proposals, in an attempt to enhance competition. Principal provisions would:
Aerospace Industries Association selected Dave Morris, senior marketing development manager-space programs at Honeywell Space and Aviation Control, chairman of AIA's Space Council.
Grupo TACA intends to expand its code share with American, but reports of American's potential investment in the Central American carrier group are false, TACA Chief Operating Officer Ben Baldanza told The DAILY. "There's nothing like that going on at all," he said. "People have totally misinterpreted this." Several American executives visited the company recently to discuss the code share. Contrary to published reports, TACA is not being sold, and Baldanza expects it to post an operating profit for 1998 of roughly US$590 million.
Air Wisconsin's traffic jumped 68.7% last month to 76.1 million revenue passenger miles in traffic on 46.8% more capacity to 125.5 million available seat miles, compared with January 1998. The load factor as a result jumped 7.9 percentage points to 60.6%. Passenger enplanements were up 63.9% to 257,288.
Charlotte, N.C.-based CCAIR, which flies as US Airways Express, posted a 44.2% gain in traffic in January to 13.2 million revenue passenger miles, compared with January 1998. Capacity rose 56.7% to 28.4 million available seat miles as the load factor dropped four percentage points to 46.5%. Enplanements rose 18.3% to 59,506.
House Transportation Chairman Bud Shuster's (R-Pa.) Passenger Bill of Rights legislation would require airlines to compensate passengers kept waiting on the runway for more than two hours prior to takeoff or after a landing. The payment would equal twice the value of the ticket and increase with the length of the wait. Introduced Wednesday (DAILY, Feb.
The European Commission called this week for governments of the European Union to develop their own Global Navigation Satellite System rather than relying on the U.S. Global Positioning System. The EC asked member states to back politically and financially a European-developed system, Galileo, that will "avoid the problems caused by our current dependence on U.S.
American yesterday filed a motion for contempt with the U.S. District Court for Northern Texas claiming the Allied Pilots Association (APA) failed to end its sickout, causing cancellation of more than 1,170 flights. Yesterday's cancellations brought the total of canceled flights since the job action started Saturday to more than 3,800. American said the message posted on the APA hotline and its web site does not comply with the judge's order because the order not only pertains to APA leadership but to pilots who took part in the sickout.
Pierre Jeanniot, director general of the International Air Transport Association, will speak Feb. 24 at an International Aviation Club luncheon at the Capital Hilton, Washington, D.C.
Former American Chairman Bob Crandall has been named chairman of Celestica Inc., a Toronto-based electronics manufacturing company. Since July, he has been a director of the company, the third largest manufacturing company in the world.
Mesa Air Group registered its second consecutive profitable quarter in the December period after being in the red in the previous seven quarters, including losses of $44.2 million and $39.1 million in the September and December 1997 periods. Operating margins in those quarters dipped to minus 48.6% and minus 28.8%, respectively. The Phoenix-based carrier is regrouping under new Chief Executive Jonathan Ornstein after losing its United Express franchises at Denver and on the West Coast last year.
Olympic Airways Chairman Theodoros Tsakiridis will resign today, the Greek transport ministry confirmed in Athens. Greek Transport Minister Tassos Mandelis said in Greek press reports that Tsakiridis's resignation will coincide with the public announcement of the names of foreign operators who responded to the Greek government's tender for a foreign partner.
U.K.-based Brymon Airways has announced plans to launch four new routes with the aim of boosting passenger services between Newcastle and Belfast, and introduce the first through-flight service between Northern Ireland and Denmark and between Aberdeen and Oslo. The carrier, a wholly owned subsidiary of British Airways since 1993, will start operating the new services May 2 with the exception of the Aberdeen-Oslo route, which will start March 28.
Frontier Airlines is looking at regional jets to add to its fleet of 737s, according to Jeff Potter, VP-marketing. "It probably does not make sense, but there may be some applications," he said, noting Denver-Billings as an example. He also cited the high ASM costs of 15 cents. "It will take us a few months yet to decide," he added. The carrier is concentrating on connectivity over Denver with long-haul markets such as Boston and Los Angeles, which account for 33% of the carrier's traffic. Frontier plans to grow its fleet by three to four aircraft per year.
Virgin Atlantic has unveiled new uniforms for its cabin crew and ground staff, created by fashion designer John Rocha. The $5 million revamp took three years. The first new uniforms will appear in April on Virgin's 5,000 staff, from flight attendants to drivers and cargo personnel.
