The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) asked the Justice Department yesterday for a full investigation of airlines' selling practices, saying carriers have launched "a systematic campaign to force consumers to buy air travel direct" and circumvent travel agents. "They should not be engaged with processes to interfere with a travel agent's right to do business," ASTA President Joe Galloway told reporters.
The European Union is considering a reprieve for airports and the duty-free industry from its ban on duty-free sales for passengers traveling within the EU, scheduled to take effect July 1, 1999.
The crash Dec. 11 of a Thai Airways A310 was the carrier's sixth fatal accident since it was founded in 1959 and the 12th Thai Airways/Thai Airways International hull loss. The previous crashes killed 279 persons, and fatalities in the Dec. 11 crash totaled 101 as of yesterday. Thailand is rated Category 1 - meeting ICAO standards - in FAA's assessment of civil aviation authorities worldwide.
Kitty Hawk has "temporarily parked" one of two 747-100 passenger aircraft operated by its American International Airways unit pending a decision about whether to sell the aircraft or convert it into a freighter, the company said. This leaves one 747-100 and two L-1011s for Kitty Hawk's passenger charter business. "Kitty Hawk's core business is cargo transportation, and we are taking a hard look at our passenger charter operation and its place within the Kitty Hawk organization," said Chairman Tom Christopher.
France is willing to reduce its ownership share of aerospace manufacturer Aerospatiale, according to Minister of the Economy Dominique Strauss-Kahn. British Aerospace and DaimlerChrysler Aerospace of Germany insist that Aerospatiale be fully privatized if the companies are to merge into a European Aerospace and Defense Company (EADC).
Air Transport Association (ATA) is launching an all-out battle against the Year 2000 computer bug, increasingly concerned that non-airline components of the aviation industry in the U.S. and abroad will not be prepared. Y2K is ATA's number one priority next year. To drive home the point, the association will open a command center in Herndon, Va., in December 1999 with government and manufacturing experts to identify potential problems prior to and during the magic Jan. 1, 2000, date.
American was surprised last week that it its acquisition of Reno Air drew no regulatory objections."That must be the first thing we've ever done that didn't have objections from regulators," Chief Executive Don Carty told employees.
U.S. Major Carriers Change In RPMs, ASMs and Load Factor Third Quarter 1998 Load Factor (%) 1998 1997 Pts. Change Alaska 69.0 70.2 -1.2 America West 71.9 70.5 1.5 American 73.2 72.4 0.8 Continental 75.8 74.5 1.3
Raytheon Co.'s operating performance will be strong once it has assimilated its 1997 acquisitions of Texas Instruments' and Hughes's defense businesses, but the company's debt protection measures will be "under pressure" until assimilation is complete, according to Moody's Investors Service. The acquisitions, for about $3 billion and $9.5 billion, respectively, make Raytheon the top U.S.
Airport officials are scheduled to tell European Commission competition authorities today that they share an interest in competition but oppose conditions the EC is proposing for airline alliances. The commission's DG 4 competition directorate, is holding hearings today and tomorrow in Brussels on the United-Lufthansa-SAS alliance, and witnesses will include airport officials, airline officials and labor leaders.
Theodore Forstmann, Gulfstream Aerospace chairman since 1993, also will become chief executive, the company said last week. The change is part of a new management structure designed for the next phase of Gulfstream's growth. Other appointments are Bill Boisture, who moves to president and chief operating officer from executive VP, and Chris Davis, who will add the duties of chief administrative officer to his responsibilites as executive VP and chief financial officer.
Association of Flight Attendants said Friday that a federal arbitrator ordered US Airways to stop cutting benefits of flight attendants on disability and return thousands of dollars in benefits. US Airways reduced the amount of disability benefits by deducting the cost of living awards flight attendants received annually from Social Security. US Airways was not immediately available for comment.
Austrian Airlines, which joined the US Airways frequent flyer program Dec. 1, carried 3.13 million scheduled passengers in the January-October period this year, up 15.1% from the same 10 months last year. Charter passengers were flat at 667,458.
Arinc, which now provides airline and airport communications services, said it is teaming with Sky Media to provide live video and radio news and entertainment services to airline passengers. The alliance combines Arinc's experience in air/ground voice and data communications with the satellite broadcast experience of Sky Media. The service initially will comprise live brand-name television and radio programming and will begin next year with two major U.S. airlines. Sky Media satellite broadcast technology currently is on 450 aircraft of three major U.S.
Air Force is looking for sources for its Joint Precision Approach and Landing System (JPALS), the military version of the Local Area Augmentation System. The Air Force wants to capitalize on research and development performed to date and ensure interoperability between military and civil operations while mitigating risks to the military landing environment. About two years ago, the military rejected an offer to join the civil program.
The House Democratic leadership announced Friday the appointment of seven Democrats to fill House Appropriations Committee vacancies, at least one of whom likely will wind up on the transportation subcommittee. Six of those selected filled vacancies created by retirements. The seventh spot represents an improvement in the party ratio for the Democrats, who picked up five House seats in the November elections.
NationAir, supplier of aviation insurance, named Jeff Bauer executive VP and general counsel; John Weber branch manager of the Minnesota office, and Ann Thickey branch manager of the Arizona office.
FAA - In Federal Register dated Dec. 7...Published its policy on the air carrier voluntary Flight Operational Quality Assurance program; information use for enforcement purposes.
Signature Flight Support selected Dean Anderson and George Andrews for the Technical Services Department and promoted Phil Doherty to general manager-Albany, N.Y., operations.
U.S. Major Carriers Atlantic Share of Service Third Quarter 1998 Total Revenue Departures American 6,600 Continental 3,447 Delta 7,453 Northwest 2,201 TWA 2,002 United 5,019 US Airways 1,659 Total 28,381 Average Number of
American has asked DOT to deny Air France's request for Chicago O'Hare slots for service to Paris Charles de Gaulle "unless the government of France ensures that the [1999 summer season] slots American has requested are made available at Paris Orly Airport for American's new proposed daily service from Los Angeles." France's Airport Coordination Paris has told American that "Orly's total annual limitation of 250,000 movements had been reached for 1999, and that no slots could be allocated for American's Los Angeles-Paris flights." American said the U.S.
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) said many tower lighting systems are monitored by computers, and it is concerned about "any kind of glitch that would prevent the computer from alerting a human about a lighting failure." Marty Shuey, AOPA VP-air traffic control, addressed a Federal Communications Commission forum in Washington on ways Year 2000-related computer problems might disrupt antenna lighting. The forum was attended by representatives of the communications, electric power and aviation industries.
