The Environmental Protection Agency is not planning new rules on jet engine emission reductions, as has been reported, but is about to solicit industry opinions on a voluntary program that might accomplish similar goals, an EPA official said Friday. "What we have talked about is a voluntary program to retrofit older aircraft" with kits that would reduce emissions, said an EPA official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Finnair named Bo Long area VP for the Americas, promoted Jean-Pierre Vinkel to general manager Latin America, named Ilkka Mitro area VP-Western Europe, appointed Ali Sadik-Ogli passenger sales manager-USA, promoted Antero Palo to director of business travel, appointed Ramon Biarnes marketing manager The Americas and promoted Philip Perry to regional manager Northeast USA. Jyrki Eriksson remains as general manager, Canada.
Dobbs International Services' VP of marketing and sales, George Alvord, was named 1998 Distinguished Executive of the Year by Fogelman College of Business and Economics at the University of Memphis. Envirotainer named Kay Sauldsberry operations/sales representative.
- In Federal Register dated April 24...Issued an airworthiness directive on certain Aerospatiale ATR 72 aircraft requiring inspection for cracking of the lower fuselage structure...Issued an AD on certain British Aerospace ATP aircraft requiring inspections for corrosion of the brake hydraulic accumulators...Issued an AD on Saab 340 aircraft requiring an inspection of the fire extinguisher in the forward lavatory...Issued an AD on certain Fokker F27 aircraft requiring modification of certain fuselage stations...Issued an AD on certain Airbus A310 and A300-600 aircraft r
An IATA Americas survey due to be published this month will reveal that Chile shows the strongest traffic growth. The 50-country survey will show continued strength in Caribbean-Europe traffic but stagnation in Bahamas travel.
Avatar Alliance promoted Michael Mayer to senior VP-sales, marketing and procurement, and Edward Randall to senior VP-finance and administration, and named Charles Postel VP-sales and material support.
FAA staffers have completed a report on the benefits of Communications, Navigation and Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) advances in reducing aircraft engine emissions into the atmosphere. The report, prepared for the ICAO CNS/ATM Implementation Conference May 11 in Rio de Janeiro, is awaiting final approval before it is sent to ICAO.
KLM and Northwest will extend their smoke-free policy to cover all flights worldwide as of Aug. 1. The extension prohibits smoking on flights to and from Japan, the country many airlines still exempt from their smoking restrictions.
The Internet has revolutionized the airline business "more than anything else," Salomon Smith Barney's Julius Maldutis said last week at the International Airline CEO Conference. Internet selling could enable airlines to save $3.1 billion of the $12.5 billion they spend on distribution, he said. A Singapore Airlines online auction brought in $75,000 extra for a single transpacific flight.
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association wants FAA to "redesign" the Flight 2000 program and "establish clear objectives...to test air traffic control modernization." Phil Boyer, president, said Flight 2000 as currently structured will not accomplish the goal of evaluating the operational and technical risks associated with airspace system modernization. Boyer wrote FAA Administrator Jane Garvey that this effort should be undertaken as soon as possible.
British Airways, answering a motion to suspend American-BA antitrust immunity procedural dates, complained of ex parte communication between US Airways and DOT. Delta, TWA and United filed the motion after DOT asked to review materials from the US Airways breach of contract suit against BA stemming from their failed alliance. US Airways filed in support of the motion. According to a BA account filed with DOT last week, US Airways asked in February for permission to use the court documents in the separate American-BA case.
The United-Delta, US Airways-American and Northwest-Continental alliances and increasing government scrutiny could usher in a new era of benevolence on the part of big carriers toward smaller players, airline industry analysts speculate. Small carriers won't be unduly harmed by the alliances because they serve niche markets, and they may actually find the big carriers acting less aggressively to avoid attracting attention as they face allegations of anticompetitive behavior.
US Airways launched service between Philadelphia and Amsterdam, its seventh European destination, using a 767 with its new Envoy Class premium service.
Boeing Co. is considering moving flight test activities from facilities in Seattle, Wash., to Long Beach, Calif., to even out workloads at the two locations and reduce pressures in Seattle. Company officials said the shift is among options being assessed as workers in Seattle try to attain high production rates and rates at the former Douglas Aircraft facilities in Long Beach decline. Boeing acquired Douglas last year. Officials said the shift might include "B-1" flight testing, the first flights a new airplane makes.
Tower Air applied at DOT to renew for three years its exemption to provide scheduled combination service between New York and Cairo via Athens. The carrier said it has not been able to begin service to Cairo "because of the political instability of the area" but hopes to launch the service in June 2000, "assuming that this problem has been resolved by that time." The exemption, granted last year, also allowed the carrier to integrate the exemption with its existing exemption and certificate authority, which it also seeks to renew.
Midway is offering introductory fares for its new daily service between Raleigh-Durham and Columbus, Ohio which begins June 15. Fares starting at $69 one way based on roundtrip purchase are available through May 7. Midway is the only carrier offering nonstop jet service in the market, said Senior VP-Marketing and Sales Mark Coleman.
American was able to avoid cardiac-related diversions nine times in the past six months because it had defibrillators on its aircraft. Although one industry study placed cardiac problems low on the list of inflight medical incidents, American Medical Director Dr. David McKenas said about one-third of the carrier's diversions in 1996 were caused by suspected cardiac emergencies. Most of the passengers were found ultimately not to be suffering serious cardiac problems, but each diversion cost American $10,000 to $30,000.
