America West has completed financing for its new corporate headquarters in Tempe, Ariz., near Phoenix. The company will retain a 20% interest in the $37 million complex, which is scheduled for completion in early 1999.
DOT, "taking into account the views expressed by the Department of State" in a letter requesting that "favorable consideration be given" to Icelandair's application to operate nonstop Luxembourg-Minneapolis/St.
Summary of U.S. Major Carriers Domestic Traffic Third Quarter 1997 Revenue Average Revenue Passengers Length of Passenger Enplaned % Travel Miles % (000) Change (miles) (000) Change Alaska 3,317 0.84 844 2,799,929 1.61 America West 4,602 0.35 895 4,116,793 5.47
Galileo International canceled its 50-cent fee on electronic ticketing transactions, due to have gone into effect March 1, to ensure continued support of its travel agency customers (DAILY, Feb. 27). The cancellation came after Continental and US Airways announced they would cease e-ticket functions on Galileo/Apollo rather than pay the charges. Both carriers have since agreed to continue e-ticketing on Galileo.
Qantas will put new seats and new inflight entertainment systems in its international widebody fleet by December 1999, but it elected not to install the latest systems in economy class. The airline said it will buy new sleeper seats in first class, "the most advanced seats on the market" for business class and new seats in economy. Qantas reversed an earlier commitment to install in-seat interactive video systems in all cabins, delaying the expensive move after a review of available and emerging technology.
Cathay Pacific Airways became the first international airline in more than 50 years to fly through North Korean airspace on Saturday. The opening of the skies over the central Asian country benefited Cathay's Anchorage-Hong Kong freighter flight and is expected to save money and time for several airlines in the region. Cathay said more direct routings could save as much as 50 minutes and a significant amount of fuel on flights from Hong Kong to Vancouver and Los Angeles.
As Pan Am seeks third-party financing to resume scheduled service, an old, familiar name has arrived on the scene to rescue the new airline with the old, familiar name. Carl Icahn, longtime backer of TWA in the 1980s, contacted Pan Am Chief Executive David Banmiller Saturday and offered to help get Pan Am back in the air. Rescue artist Icahn, who gained control of TWA from Howard Hughes in 1985 after a battle with Frank Lorenzo, is "interested in financing us to get up and operating," Banmiller said.
DOT Secretary Rodney Slater yesterday named Associate Administrator for Air Traffic Services Monte Belger acting FAA deputy administrator. Belger told The DAILY his most important objective is keeping the NAS modernization moving. Adminstrator Jane Garvey said she does not know when the White House will nominate a permanent deputy administrator.
Summary of U.S. National Carriers Systemwide Traffic Third Quarter 1997 Revenue Average Revenue Passengers Length of Passenger Enplaned % Travel Miles % (000) Change (miles) (000) Change American Trans Air 1,316 (7.75) 2,003 2,635,208 (1.96)
Continental and Continental-Micronesia filed in opposition to a motion supported by numerous other carriers - Dallas/Fort Worth's proposal to grant immediately all 64 weekly frequencies ready for startup in 1998 for new U.S.-Japan service. The total available is 90, not enough for all carriers proposing service through 2000 but more than adequate for proposed launches this year.
National Transportation Safety Board said there was a "marked decrease" in injuries and only three fatalities involving major U.S. airlines in 1997 "even while the number of carriers falling into that classification expanded in March of last year to include any plane with 10 or more seats operating scheduled passenger service." The board was referring to new FAA rules bringing many Part 135 carriers under the more stringent Part 121 regulations that cover the major airlines.
Vanguard's new marketing and route strategies (DAILY, March 2) need to pay off this year to ensure survival. VP-Finance and Chief Financial Officer Bill Garrett said the carrier's margins "are better than the AirTrans or Frontiers of the world, but that is not saying much...We have to turn a profit this year. It's about time we did it or go on our merry way."
American will start daily nonstop service today between London Heathrow and Newark Airport, bringing to seven the number of daily flights it operates between London and the New York area. The airline has the first and last departures from the two cities in both directions. American plans to launch four transatlantic routes this year. In addition to the Newark flight, daily flights from London Gatwick to Miami begin May 2, London Gatwick to Boston June 16 and Manchester to Dallas/Fort Worth July 6.
The Environmental Protection Agency solicitation protested by Air Transport Association was described incorrectly in the March 2 DAILY as a solicitation by EPA's comptroller general. The U.S. Comptroller General rejected ATA's protest.
Virgin Atlantic has expanded its clubhouse and launched drive-through check-in at Newark Airport, the same service it offers customers at London Heathrow.
Tower Air will add service this summer, mostly to markets it already serves. In transatlantic markets, the airline serves Paris, Tel Aviv and Athens and believes there are "some synergies between those cities," said Tower President Terry Hallcom.
In electronic transmissions of the Feb. 27 issue, The DAILY reported inaccurately that the AAAE-USCTA-FAA contract tower "summit" would be conducted Feb. 27-28 at FAA headquarters. The meeting is being held today and tomorrow.
United's Employee Climate Survey, answered by 34% of its 90,000 workers, showed that the airline is viewed as a better place to work now than it was a year ago, and senior management is trusted more. But employees still have misgivings about supervision, recognition and involvement in decision- making.
Travelers using New York Kennedy, New York LaGuardia and Newark airports can access schedules for all 125 passenger airlines serving the region through the New York/New Jersey Port Authority's web site, www.panynj.gov. By clicking on "Airline Schedules," passengers can select a destination and see every airline that serves it from JFK, LaGuardia or Newark, with departure and arrival times and scheduled flying times. Airport maps, travel advisories, lists of retail services and other information on port authority facilities is available.
Iowa-based Great Lakes Aviation will fly 14 routes out of Denver as part of its agreement with United Express, beginning April 23. Great Lakes is taking over the routes previously flown for United Express by Mesa Airlines (DAILY, Feb. 20). Mesa will continue flying seven markets through May 31 using Dash 8-200 and Beech 1900 turboprop aircraft. Great Lakes operates Beech 1900 turboprop aircraft.
As DOT continues work on its predatory activity guidelines, congressional interest in seeking legislative solutions to niche-carrier and small- community issues shows no signs of abating. The DOT competition policy is intended to clarify what constitutes predatory behavior, and a department spokesman said it probably will be issued this month. But on Capitol Hill, Rep.
FAA should require airlines to comply with a March 1992 Airbus service bulletin on A320 rudder controls, the National Transportation Safety Board said last week following an investigation of a November 1996 incident in which a Northwest A320's rudder pedals stiffened late in an approach at Detroit. Airbus issued the SB after 10 incidents in which the rudder system's artificial feel and trim unit did not disengage from the autopilot mode and restore normal operating forces during approach and landing. Most A320s operating in the U.S.
A thorough FAA inspection of AirTran Airlines, formerly ValuJet, found 19 enforcement actions that could result in fines but "no evidence of systemic safety problems." The agency was "very satisfied with the results" of its National Aviation Safety Inspection Program (NASIP) audit, said FAA spokeswoman Alison Duquette. "All of the items we cited were either fixed or are being fixed." The inspection included senior FAA inspectors and members of the new Certification Standardization&Evaluation Team.
