Intelsat promoted Ramanarayan Potarazu to VP operations and chief information officer and appointed Michael Garreau VP-engineering and Mario Leonel VP-corporate development.
The U.K. Civil Aviation Authority chose Virgin Atlantic over British Airways to serve Shanghai from London Heathrow after finding that the Virgin award will best promote U.K.-U.K. and U.K.-foreign airline competition, and that denial of the authority would be more serious for Virgin than for BA. The decision covers only the two roundtrips per week beginning this summer authorized under a U.K.-China memorandum of understanding signed in October, but each carrier based its proposal on acquiring the two additional weekly frequencies that will be available in summer 2000.
FAA said it has found that Kuwait complies with safety standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization and has been rated as Category 1.
U.S. Carriers Rental Expense Third Quarter 1998 Major Carriers % Of Total Rental Operating Expenses Alaska 50,885,000 13.77 America West 82,947,530 18.52 American 269,903,000 7.26 Continental 218,566,000 12.30 Delta 262,541,000 7.91
U.S. Carriers Maintenance Expense Third Quarter 1998 Major Carriers % Of Total Maintenance Operating Expenses Alaska 34,452,000 9.32 America West 63,633,820 14.21 American 500,125,000 13.45 Continental 192,374,000 10.83 Delta 325,953,000 9.81
DOT tentatively awarded seven U.S.-Brazil combination frequencies to Continental nearly four months after the frequencies became available for use by U.S. carriers in a proceeding that was instituted seven months ago (DAILY, May 21). Continental's bid to operate Houston-Sao Paulo nonstops offered the only new U.S. gateway service, DOT said in its order. Delta is the backup carrier for the frequencies with New York-Sao Paulo service.
One filing in DOT's proceeding on competition issues at airports highlights the minutiae sometimes attached to the aviation business. At Miami International, the airport does not lease gates to airlines but controls gate assignments on a daily basis. Advance planning usually keeps assignments close to airline ticket counters, but when weather delays or changes in gauge disrupt plans, MIA has a 26-point scale prioritizing which airlines get preference.
Iberia is offering 12% commissions to travel agents on P and J class tickets and 8% on Y tickets with no caps for international travel sold in the U.S. and Canada, effective this week. Iberia said it made the changes because it recognizes the importance of the travel agent distribution system to its overall success in the U.S. and Canada.
Airports filing documents at DOT told the department they were innocent of practices that inhibit competition, although some said factors out of their control such as the high-density rule and congested airspace limit their ability to boost it. They also said in some cases that a lack of funds to expand their facilities is a major factor limiting new entry. Airports and other parties made their comments in filings submitted to the department in its examination of competition issues at airports.
The brouhaha over carry-on bags arises from concerns over competition, not safety, Continental Chairman and Chief Executive Gordon Bethune told the Luggage and Leather Goods Manufacturers of America (LLGMA) last week. Bethune, in a letter to LLGMA President Anne DeCicco, said he disagreed with the premise of LLGMA's petition to FAA for a rule on a standardized carry-on bag program among domestic carriers.
United Parcel Service raised its rates for most domestic air express and ground delivery services by 2.5% effective Feb. 8, saying the increase is its smallest in 11 years. Residential deliveries will continue to cost $1 more than commercial ground rates. Rates for international services from the U.S. will not change.
FAA says it disagrees with a statement by David Ellenbogen, chairman of Vivid Technologies, that thus far no explosives detection system has been able to demonstrate that it meets FAA standards under "realistic" airport operating conditions (DAILY, Dec. 22).
The U.K. Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) proposal to privatize National Air Traffic Services (NATS) is in its third and final month of public comment. When the comment period closes, Jan. 31, DETR will develop legislative proposals to carry out its "preferred option" - selling off 51% of NATS to the private sector, including NATS employees - or "other innovative financing options" developed through public comment.
National Air Transportation Association and the Experimental Aircraft Association endorsed FAA's new administrative enforcement process. NATA President James Coyne said "it is evident that FAA Administrator Jane Garvey took the aviation industry concerns seriously" by revising the program to meet industry objections. He noted that the revised program eliminates the on-the-spot issuance of warning notices. Instead, information is mailed to an alleged violator, who has seven days to respond.
FAA - In Federal Register dated Dec. 18...Issued an airworthiness directive on Saab 2000 aircraft requiring replacement of parts of the standby pump of the No. 2 hydraulic system...Issued an AD on Douglas DC-9 series aircraft requiring inspection of the forward passenger doorjamb...Proposed an AD on Airbus A300-600 aircraft to require removing the fuel level sensing amplifier of the trim tank system...Revised a proposed AD on certain Douglas MD-8-/90 series aircraft concerning the evacuation slide pins.
DOT - Approved a two-year exemption renewal for Delta to provide scheduled foreign combination service between Atlanta and Cancun and Dallas/Fort Worth and Cancun and integrate the exemption with other exemption and certificate authority...Approved a two-year exemption renewal for Amerijet International to provide scheduled foreign combination service between Los Angeles and Mexico City, Guadalajara and Merida and to integrate the exemption with its authority to serve Mexico from Miami and Fort Lauderdale...Approved emergency authority for Air Aruba to operate three round
National Air Traffic Controllers Association says 84% of the candidates it endorsed in last fall's congressional elections were winners. The union said it contributed $591,000 to 217 campaigns - about $2,725 apiece, on average - and 178 of them "culminated in victory." NATCA attributed this success to a "high turnout of union voters" on election day.
National Transportation Safety Board yesterday released factual reports of its investigation into the May 12, 1997, inflight upset involving an American A300 near West Palm Beach, Fla. The board said the aircraft carried 155 passengers and nine crew when, at about 16,000 feet, it experienced a "substantial departure from controlled flight, including rapid roll rates, pitch oscillations and unusually large acceleration excursions.
Middle East Airlines will reduce fares 27-60% Jan. 20-Feb. 20, the period of Lebanon's third annual Shopping Festival, when shops, restaurants and sightseeing companies throughout the country offer discounts of as much as 50%. MEA's front-class (business) fare comes down to #585 (US$930) from #900 ($1,431) and economy drops to #225 ($358) from #308 ($490), plus taxes. Outbound travel must occur by Feb. 20 and return travel by March 5.
