Elimination of smoking by Tower Air this month on its international flights makes all domestic and international U.S. carrier flights smoke-free, according to DOT Secretary Rodney Slater. Smoking on U.S. domestic flights was banned beginning in February 1990. Most foreign carriers serving the U.S. have eliminated smoking on most or all of their flights, helping to make 91% of all international flights to and from the U.S. smoke-free and bringing the foreign carriers into compliance with an ICAO resolution calling for a total ban on smoking on international flights.
House Speaker-designate Bob Livingston (R-La.) has proposed - and Democrats have tentatively accepted - party ratios for House committees in the new Congress that make fewer changes than the Democrats wanted. The makeup of the House Transportation Committee would remain unchanged in the 106th Congress at 41 Republicans and 34 Democrats, giving the Republicans 54.7% of the seats. Under the Livingston proposals, the Democrats would pick up one seat on the House Appropriations Committee but the Republicans would not lose any.
Horizon Air will increase Seattle-Calgary and Portland-Klamath Falls service, starting Feb. 14. The carrier will add a fourth Seattle-Calgary nonstop jet flight and a fifth daily Portland-Klamath Falls nonstop using a 37-seat Dash 8. Horizon serves 38 cities in four northwestern states, Northern California, Alberta and British Columbia.
The Global Positioning System (GPS) is "probably going to be a primary means" rather than the sole means of navigation, FAA Administrator Jane Garvey said yesterday, and "some kind of backup is going to be needed for the foreseeable future." The backup for the satellite-based system "might be Loran C, or Loran C and something else," Garvey said at a meeting with aviation reporters in Washington. She said she did not want to prejudge a Johns Hopkins study of technical challenges GPS faces, due early next year.
Delta and China Southern finalized their alliance covering U.S.-China flights through Los Angeles, subject to government approval. The two airlines originally agreed to an alliance in April 1997. Delta will buy seats on China Southern's three weekly Los Angeles-Guangzhou 777 flights, and China Southern will buy seats on Delta flights from Los Angeles to 14 U.S. cities. The carriers also will participate in each other's frequent flyer programs. China Southern flew 15.2 million passengers in 1997, placing it ahead of KLM and Singapore Airlines in IATA's rankings.
Canadian Airlines reported a 3.8% gain in systemwide traffic on 4.2% more capacity in November, reducing the load factor 0.3 percentage points to 62.1%. Canadian flew 1.2 billion revenue passenger miles and 1.9 billion available seat miles. Domestic RPMs declined 4.3% to 355 million as ASMs rose 1% to 595 million, dropping the load factor 3.3 points to 59.7%. International RPMs grew 6.1% to 747 million and ASMs 5.2% to 1.2 billion, raising the load factor 0.5 points to 63.7%.
National Mediation Board member Kenneth Hipp is resigning his post, effective Dec. 31, and plans to resume his law practice at Marr, Jones and Pepper in Honolulu. Hipp, who was appointed in May 1995, submitted his resignation to President Clinton on Monday. In his letter, Hipp noted that NMB has addressed the growing complexity of collective bargaining in the airline and railroad industries and created new programs aimed at making labor dispute resolution an ongoing process. Hipp had more than 20 years experience as a labor attorney prior to his appointment at NMB.
AMR Corp. said yesterday it is selling AMR Combs, a network of 11 fixed-base operators in major U.S. business centers, to BBA Group for $170 million. BBA is the parent of Signature Flight Support, which operates 42 FBOs at airports across the U.S. and in Zurich. Formed in 1989 following AMR's acquisition of the Combs Gates FBO network, AMR Combs employs 1,000 people and had 1997 revenues of $115 million. The deal between the two fierce competitors will require regulatory approval. AMR Combs and Signature dwarf other U.S. FBO chains.
From larger pillows to premium cheeses, Delta intends to spend $314 million to improve customer service for intercontinental business-class passengers. Branded "BusinessElite," the new amenities center around electronically controlled seats with multiple features. BE Aerospace designed a seat for Delta's Boeing 767ER, MD-11 and 777 aircraft, and Delta will install them in a 2-2-2 configuration with a 60-inch pitch, which it said will provide more space than any other airline's business class.
Rolls-Royce reported yesterday a $75 million order from Continental for RB211-535E4B engines to power five firm 757-200 aircraft. Deliveries will begin in December 1999 to June 2000 (DAILY, Dec. 10).
Midway Airlines posted a 17.7% traffic gain for November on 16.7% more capacity, which raised the load factor to 66.7%. Passengers volume grew 22.9% to 177,000 for the month, and Midway carried 1.8 million passengers during the first 11 months of 1998. It reported a successful Thanksgiving holiday period, operating all 1,200 of its scheduled flights.
AD OPT Technologies of Montreal said it was selected by Sabena to supply crew assignment scheduling software for 2,500 flight crew members. Sabena will begin implementing the software Jan. 1. Earlier this year, the carrier purchased AD OPT's altitude pairing software, designed to improve planning performance. As part of the new contract, Sabena will implement AD OPT's preferential bidding system product.
British Airways has signed a letter of intent with Mercury Scheduling Systems Inc. to equip British Airways Regional with integrated crew management systems for its Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow services, the Vancouver-based software company said. Functions will include 737 and A319 flight and cabin crew assignments - an expansion of a current BA license covering pilot assignments - and an Internet-based crew bidding system. Installation will be in two phases, scheduled for completion in June 1999 and February 2000.
DOT renewed for one year Air Jamaica's exemption to engage in scheduled foreign combination service between Fort Lauderdale and co-terminal points Kingston and Montego Bay, Jamaica. (Docket OST-96-1286)
A House vote Thursday to impeach President Clinton would set the stage for a Senate trial with unpredictable consequences for almost every item on the legislative calendar, including the FAA reauthorization. Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) has said he prefers a "dual-track" approach to the trial, in which the Senate would consider legislation each morning and conduct Clinton's trial in the afternoon. The Senate has operated this way in recent years to accommodate filibusters without tying up other business.
The Professional Airways Systems Specialists (PASS) union, which helps maintain the nation's air traffic control system, said FAA is rushing an untested main air traffic control computer into service "during the busiest travel time of the year at one of the busiest air traffic control centers in the nation." Michael Fanfalone, union president, said the first Host replacement computers were placed into operation at the New York center over the weekend.
American Eagle launched nonstop service Saturday between Miami and Columbus, Ohio, using 50-seat ERJ-145s. The carrier will offer two roundtrips per day on Saturdays and Sundays during the winter season.
FAA said it plans to fine Northwest $375,000 for "violating maintenance requirements" on a DC-9 and "operating the airplane in an unairworthy condition." The agency said it acted after a review of discrepancy reports filed by pilots who flew the aircraft in July 1997 after a wing spar had been repaired.
Swissair, having suffered what it termed "years of competitive disadvange" with respect to European Union carriers, said it is satisfied with the bilateral agreement negotiated last week with the European Commission (DAILY, Dec. 14). The Swiss government and the EC included aviation in the package deal by which they concluded nearly five years of on-and-off negotiations to balance transportation interests between the two parties.
United and the Air Line Pilots Association have agreed on how to equip the airline's Boeing 777B fleet with crew rest facilities, the last step needed for United to operate the aircraft in the Pacific for the first time. On nonstop flights longer than 12 hours, FAA requires U.S. airlines to have dedicated pilot rest facilities. The 777B crew rest area will be similar to that of United's 747-400s. At the same time, United will add bunks for flight attendants as well, in compliance with their contract.
U.S. Major Carriers Pacific Share of Service Third Quarter 1998 Total Revenue Departures American 709 Delta 919 Northwest 4,851 United 5,699 Total 12,178 Average Number of Seats Per Departure American 232
Air Atlantic Dominicana received a one-year exemption renewal from DOT to operate scheduled foreign combination service between Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and co-terminal points Miami, New York/Newark and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Aerolineas Uruguayanas received an initial one-year exemption to engage in charter cargo service between Uruguay and the U.S. and operate other all-cargo charters. Neither carrier will be allowed to conduct U.S.
Air Line Pilots Association said yesterday it will recommend that its members not perform land and hold short operations (LAHSO) after Feb. 19 if FAA cannot adequately address its concerns about the safety of such operations. Both FAA and the Air Transport Association expressed confidence that a resolution of ALPA's concerns can be found before that date.
Passenger volume at the seven U.K. airports operated by BAA plc increased 7.1% year-over-year in November to 8.1 million, BAA reported. More than 7 million of them used the three London-area airports, where Stansted continued rapid growth through development of scheduled service to Europe. Volume at Stansted was up 34.2% to 527,300 for the month and 25.4% to nearly 6.7 million for the first 11 months of 1998. London Heathrow served nearly 4.6 million passengers during the month, up 3.4%, and the total at Gatwick was 1.9 million, up 10.1%.
Air Transport Action Group (ATAG) predicts that 325 million international passengers will travel to, from and within the Americas by 2011, more than double the 1996 total of 154 million. The Americas' traffic will grow 5.1% annually through 2011, according to the forecast. The U.S. is expected to grow somewhat more slowly, at 4.9% per year, but will continue to generate the lion's share of new passengers and account for 240 million of the 325 million passengers in 2011.
