Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways joined Lufthansa, SAS and Air France in appealing to DOT for 1999 summer season Chicago O'Hare slots after being turned down by FAA. JAL asked DOT for slot exemptions to operate five weekly Chicago O'Hare-Osaka Kansai nonstop roundtrips during the summer season. JAL said the service, which it plans to start May 1, 1999, will restore direct Chicago-Osaka service, noting that on Oct. 24, United canceled the daily nonstop it had been operating since July 4. ANA wants slots to begin daily O'Hare-Tokyo nonstops April 4.
FAA and the Joint Aviation Authorities are at odds over whether an FAA--proposed new rule on limiting damage from bird ingestion by turbofan engines has, as the JAA believes, a "lower design minimum than the current rule." FAA said it does not plan to incorporate JAA's proposal into the new rule.
American created Bonanza Acquisitions to handle the purchase of Reno Air for tax reasons. But the name has little to due with aviation and comes from American's internal code name for the acquisition - the television show Bonanza, set on a ranch near Reno, Nev.
Frontier reported a 30% increase in traffic on 23% more capacity in November 1998 compared with the same month last year, pushing the load factor up 2.9 percentage points to 48.1%. Frontier flew 94.9 million revenue passenger miles and 197.2 million available seat miles. Passenger volume grew 23.3% to 107,027. For the first 11 months, Frontier flew 35.5% more RPMs, 31.3% more ASMs and 14.6% more passengers. The load factor was up 1.8 points.
All Nippon Airways and SAS have signed a cooperation agreement that covers common use of airport lounges and frequent flyer programs, starting early next year. They plan joint flights between Japan and Scandinavia in the near future.
DOT - Approved a two-year exemption renewal and indefinite-duration allocation of three U.S.-Russia all-cargo frequencies for Evergreen International Airlines to operate scheduled foreign cargo service between Anchorage, Alaska, and Khabarovsk, Petropavlovsk, Vladivostok and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russian Federation, and beyond to Hong Kong without local traffic rights between Russia and Hong Kong...Approved a two-year exemption renewal for UPS to operate scheduled foreign cargo service between Anchorage, Alaska, and Manila, Philippines, via Seoul, South Korea, and Taipei, Tai
Tower Air will ferry people on the annual Hadj religious pilgrimage to Mecca under a contract with Air-India valued at more than $20 million. The contract covers four Boeing 747s to be used during the 1999-2001 period. Flights for the upcoming Hadj begin in the middle of February and continue through the end of April. Tower has flown Hadj charters since 1992.
Mercury Air Group announced the opening of its new fixed-base operation at Charleston International Airport in South Carolina, its 15th FBO in a coast-to-coast network.
Lufthansa and KG Allgemeine Leasing have linked to form a new aircraft leasing subsidiary - German Operating Aircraft Leasing (GOAL). KGAL has financed 220 aircraft and Lufthansa has remarketed more than 300. GOAL will acquire used aircraft from Lufthansa for remarketing on an operating-lease basis.
Delta Connection carrier SkyWest will end its feeder service with Delta in Los Angeles, effective April 4, the carriers said Friday. Delta said both sides arrived at the decision after "lengthy discussions." SkyWest earlier this year signed an agreement with United for a West Coast partnership that includes Los Angeles. "It was a mutual decision based on discussions we have held this year," said Delta spokesman Todd Clay. Delta, a minority stockholder in SkyWest, said its agreement with SkyWest is unchanged. SkyWest could not be reached for comment.
Utah-based SkyWest Airlines, the nation's fifth largest regional carrier, reported a 43.3% jump in traffic on 36% more capacity for November 1998 from the same month last year, boosting the load factor 2.7 percentage points to 52.5%. SkyWest flew 84.2 million revenue passenger miles and 160.4 million available seat miles. Passengers flown were up 65.7% to 420,718. Year-to-date RPMs rose 24.5% on 14.4% more ASMs from the same 11-month period last year, increasing the load factor 4.5 points. Passengers flown grew 51.5%.
TWA and the International Association of Machinists (IAM) have moved forward during their 11-day mediation session that ended Friday, according to airline spokesman Jim Brown. But no contracts were approved for the union, which represents passenger service employees, mechanics and flight attendants. The two sides, squaring off in a lengthy negotiation throughout this year, expect to return to the bargaining table after the holidays.
U.S. Major Carriers Latin Share of Service Third Quarter 1998 Total Revenue Departures Alaska 1,656 America West 882 American 24,846 Continental 11,879 Delta 3,521 United 4,990 US Airways 1,725 Total 49,499 Average Number of
Detroit-based Spirit Airlines saw a 108.6% jump in traffic on a 132.8% gain in capacity for November 1998 over the same month last year, which depressed the load factor 8.2 percentage points to 70.8%. Spirit flew 120.9 million revenue passenger miles and 170.8 million available seat miles. Passengers flown jumped 78.9% to 134,766. Year-to-date, Spirit flew 79.2% more RPMs and 80.6% more ASMs, which pushed the load factor down 0.6 points. Passengers flown grew 78.8%.
US Airways unit of the Air Line Pilots Association has elected Chris Beebe chairman of its Master Executive Council. Craig Skinner was elected vice chair and Philip Osterhus secretary/treasurer.
DOT extended for a fourth - and final - time, through Jan. 4, 1999, the period for taking action on United's complaint against the European Commission and the national authorities of Germany, Denmark, Norway and Sweden. DOT may extend the action deadline up to 180 days from receipt of the complaint, which United filed July 8. DOT rules require the department to "approve, deny, dismiss or set a complaint for hearing, or institute other procedures proposing remedial action" by Jan. 4.
American International Airways asked DOT for a certificate to engage in scheduled foreign cargo service between the U.S. and any points in 124 countries. Not included on the list of countries were Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Taiwan and Hong Kong - the carrier noted it holds certificate authority to serve those nations.
Boeing said Friday all final assembly work on its 737s will remain at Renton, Wash., and that it has canceled plans to assemble three to five aircraft per month at Long Beach. Boeing had planned to produce three to five aircraft per month in California, retaining about 600 jobs. Dick Pearson, VP-Long Beach Division, said, "We have increased production rates on the 737 from 14 to 21 airplanes per month at the Renton, Wash., facility, with very satisfactory results.
DOT officials reported that they "made progress" with Argentine aviation representatives in talks held Dec. 8-10 in Washington. Further negotiations are planned in March in Buenos Aires.
AlliedSignal Aerospace obtained a $225 million order from British Airways for products and services for BA's new A319/A320 aircraft. The company said the agreement could bring another $575 million in potential long-term value over the operating life of the aircraft. "This agreement reinforces our confidence that AlliedSignal will grow its aerospace sales by 7% in 1999 and that the longer-term outlook for the business continues to be strong," said Frederic Poses, president and chief operating officer.
Reno Air reported a 0.3% increase in traffic on 4.5% less capacity for November 1998 from the same month last year, which pushed the load factor up 3.1 percentage points to 64.1%. Reno flew 228.2 million revenue passenger miles and 356.2 million available seat miles. Passengers flown totaled 426,095, relatively stable compared with last year. Year-to-date RPMs dropped 1.9% and ASMs 0.8% from the first 11 months last year, depressing the load factor 0.8 points. Passengers flown declined 3.4%.
DOT's insistence that Brad Mims, assistant secretary for aviation and international affairs, give an uninvited political speech at a recent Flight Safety Foundation meeting in Capetown, South Africa, is causing worldwide concern. Mims, in effect, ordered attendees to support DOT Secretary Rodney Slater's Safe Skies Africa campaign. Ordinarily, FSF speakers are approved by a panel. Mims's wife Ava, head of aircraft maintenance for Flight Standards Division at FAA, had been invited to the meeting.
