The conference report on fiscal 1999 FAA appropriations dropped the House's $100 million funding for explosives detection systems, but the money will be available anyway. Congressional sources said yesterday the funds were included in the diplomatic security supplemental enacted at the same time as the FAA appropriations as part of the omnibus appropriations act.
Emirates and KLM are improving their five-year relationship by forming closer cargo ties that will give Emirates' customers access to KLM's broad cargo network and market expertise. At a meeting in Dubai on Monday, officials from both airlines agreed to strengthen the partnership. An Atlas Air Boeing 747 jointly leased by KLM and Emirates now will be leased solely by Emirates, an alteration that leaves the relationship "totally unaffected," said Jacques Ancher, executive VP-KLM Cargo.
Cincinnati-based Comair, a Delta Connection carrier, is offering jet service on all seven of its daily Toledo-Cincinnati flights and giving passengers double Delta frequent flyer miles on the route through Dec. 1. The 50-seat Canadair Regional Jet service upgrades Comair's former turboprop flights to Toledo, which Comair has served for 14 years.
Delta says it is "extremely disappointed and bewildered" that DOT has rewarded Kenya Airways with expanded Africa code-share service with Northwest - whose alliance partner KLM owns 26% of Kenya Airways - even though the Kenyan government continues to refuse to allow Delta to serve Kenya under code share with alliance partner Sabena.
Some U.S. and Asian carriers are showing "increased interest" in extended-range twin-engine operations (ETOPS) in the North Pacific market, Boeing says.To "enhance operational flexibility," the aviation industry seeks a "15% operational extension" of the 180-minute ETOPS limit from FAA and the Joint Aviation Authorities, according to the company.
Iberia's new agreement with its pilots on wages and working conditions, the product of 20 months of tough negotiations and numerous work-to-rule strikes, opens the way for the carrier to buy long-haul aircraft from Airbus and go ahead with the partial privatization planned at the end of this year. The three-year pact, nailed down last week in Madrid, grants the company's 1,200 pilots a salary raise equal to the increase of Spain's consumer price index for the years 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000.
Frontier yesterday turned in record September quarter net profits of $9.9 million and defied its rocky history by posting a solid 17.4% net margin. Profits compared with a net loss of $2 million in the year-earlier period. Operating revenue jumped 51.3% to $56.9 million, while expenses grew just 18% to $47.1 million. Frontier experienced a surge in the critical measures of profitability. Revenue per available seat mile rose 22% to 9.33 cents from 7.66 cents, as cost per ASM declined to 7.73 cents from 8.12 cents.
US Airways will expand MetroJet service on Jan. 6 with two daily nonstop flights each between Fort Lauderdale and Hartford and between Washington Dulles Airport and Fort Lauderdale. MetroJet in September launched Hartford-Tampa service and later this year will add flights from Dulles to Tampa and Orlando. One-way advance purchase fares start at $75 for Hartford-Fort Lauderdale and $85 for Dulles-Fort Lauderdale, or $159 one-way walkup for Hartford-Fort Lauderdale and for Dulles-Fort Lauderdale.
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, speaking last week at Portland Airport to note Delta's expanded service from Portland to Japan - enabled by the U.S.-Japan bilateral - called aviation a barometer of the global economy. "We are urging governments around the world to maintain their commitment to open markets. Protectionism is not the answer for others or for us," she said. "Just as U.S. manufacturers can't sell if our overseas customers can no longer buy, you cannot prosper if your foreign passengers can no longer fly."
DOT granted Kenya Airways and Northwest an amended exemption for their reciprocal code-share arrangement, adding authority for Kenya Airways to display Northwest's code on flights between Nairobi, Kenya, and Seychelles, Seychelles Islands; Zanzibar and Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania; Harare, Zimbabwe; Lukasa, Zambia; Kigali, Rwanda, and Entebbe, Uganda. Kenya, Tanzania and Zimbabwe are among eight nations participating in the Safe Skies for Africa Initiative announced by DOT Secretary Rodney Slater, who highlighted Northwest's expanded service throughout the continent.
Air France has increased capacity 10% in its winter schedule, which began last week. In addition, its code-share agreements with Delta and Continental allow Air France to offer through fares to 37 U.S. cities. On the Miami-Paris route, the carrier now offers 10 weekly flights with its partners, versus seven previously. The airline has added frequencies to London, Geneva, Frankfurt and Madrid in Europe; Shanghai, Seoul, Jakarta and Beijing in Asia; and Buenos Aires, Santiago, Rio de Janeiro and Mexico City in Latin America.
DOT General Counsel Nancy McFadden said she is disappointed that the Air Transport Association (ATA) is turning the debate on proposed competition guidelines into a political issue (DAILY, Oct. 26). Speaking Monday at the 1998 Corporate Travel West conference in Santa Clara, Calif. , McFadden referred to ATA President Carol Hallett's memo to airline chief executives which said ATA plans to "inject" DOT's proposed guidelines into the presidential debate in hopes of changing the political dynamic and making it difficult or impossible for DOT to act on them (DAILY, Oct.
International environmental groups will mount a campaign across Europe Nov. 6-7 pushing for "green pricing" in air transport. Organized by Friends of the Earth and coordinated by its Dutch chapter, the campaign - "The Right Price for Air Travel" - will bring together parties from 20 European countries plus Australia, Canada and the U.S. The groups aim to pressure policymakers to curb the environmental impact of air travel with new taxes that would discourage or retard growth in carbon dioxide emissions, noise levels and aircraft movements at Europe's airports.
British Airways will spend #150 million (US$250 million) in the next three years on a complete makeover of its World Traveller product. Unveiling the new international economy service yesterday in London, Marketing Director Martin George said BA will offer seats with adjustable headrests, footrests and more knee room; personal video screens with at least 12 channels, including a children-family channel; and food service improvements including a new menu, double-decker trays, "help-yourself" snack bars and "Feed Kids First" meal service.
A National Transportation Safety Board team led by member John Goglia yesterday began investigating an AirTran landing accident Sunday evening in Atlanta. Flight 867, a 737 with 100 passengers and five crew, had taken off from Atlanta and was en route to Dallas when a light indicated a hydraulic problem. The captain returned to Atlanta, touched down and landed without incident, "but there was hydraulic failure in the ground steering and the aircraft veered off the runway to the left and came to rest on an embankment," an AirTran spokeswoman said.
The goal of DOT's Safe Skies for Africa Initiative "at minimum" is for the countries to achieve Category 1 status under FAA's international aviation security program, enabling national flag carriers to fly to the U.S., DOT Secretary Slater said last week in announcing program participants.
A strike by FedEx pilots would change the company, and customers who leave would not come back, FedEx President and Chief Executive Ted Weise warned pilots in an internal memorandum. FedEx and its Fedex Pilots Association (FPA) are embroiled in a contract dispute, and pilots could walk off the job in early December. The company and the union have been fielding calls from shippers, catalog vendors and catalog trade publications concerned holiday shipments. Weise warned that customers want assurances and the company is running out of time to provide them.
Korean Air will sell six Boeing 747s and two MD-11s by the end of this year as it takes possession of seven new aircraft. The airline's average airplane will be less than seven years old, making its fleet one of the youngest in the world, and the changes come at a time when some Asian carriers are deferring or canceling new aircraft deliveries. Korean Air will sell three 747-200s, one 747SP, two 747-300s and two MD-11s from its 111-aircraft fleet in the next two months. At the same time, it will acquire three 777s, two 747-400s, one 747-400 freighter and one A330.
A German/Spanish ground-handling consortium will compete with airport company Flughafen Frankfurt Main AG (FAG) as of Jan. 1, 1999, said Lothar Klemm, regional transport minister of German state Hessen, last week in Frankfurt. The consortium was set up by Spain's Acciona construction group and Bremen-based LUG Verwaltung. LUG already is operating Frankfurt airport's Perishable Centre as well as Tradeport Frankfurt, a freight-handling joint venture with FAG. LUG also operates a freight-handling business at Stuttgart Airport.
The conference report on fiscal 1999 FAA appropriations provides $41.7 million for explosives and weapons detection. The total is slightly below the Senate's $42.2 million request but substantially more than the House's $34.2 million.
FAA Regional Administrator Arlene Feldman will become chairman of the Air Traffic Control Association at its annual conference this week in Atlantic City. Feldman currently heads FAA's Eastern Region.
AlliedSignal said wheels and brakes for Russia's Ilyushin 96T aircraft made by its Rubix joint venture exceeded all performance requirements during a test last month in Russia. In the Rejected Take Off test at Russia's Gromov Flight Research Institute, the pilot of the Il-96T accelerated to full speed, then applied brakes just before the point of takeoff, AlliedSignal said. It said that with the brake discs fully worn, the Rubix brakes halted the 270-ton airliner 300 meters short of the required limit. Thrust reversal was not used.
National Mediation Board has ruled that Midway Airlines illegally interfered with union elections for flight attendants and has ordered a rerun representation election. NMB ruled that Midway interfered with a bid by the Association of Flight Attendants to represent Midway's flight attendants. Secret ballots will be mailed to flight attendants Nov. 9, and the count date is set for Dec. 18. NMB ruled Midway illegally improved wages and benefits and favorably revised flight attendant staffing during AFA's organizing campaign.
