Singapore Airlines has launched a promotion to build traffic through its hub by offering one night's accommodation for as little as US$1. The airline's Singapore Stopover Splendor is aimed at long-haul travelers from all markets, enticing them to travel via Singapore. The deal runs through Sept. 30. The airline created a travel package in conjunction with hotels, car rental firms, tourist sites and retail outlets. It is offering a hotel room for $1 per person the first night and $30 per additional night.
Delta is reopening its Dusty Dens, Fantastic Flyer Radio and Fantastic Flyer Funtastic Feast programs in time for summer travel. The Dusty's Dens play areas will open at major airports across the country May 22 and run through Sept. 8. The service is offered during peak travel periods to same-day ticketed passengers with young children and unaccompanied minors awaiting departures. The Dens are staffed with trained leaders who offer refreshments, games and activities that help children to pass the time playing games, reading and watching movies.
United received two top Inflight Food Service Association awards for its Sheila Lukins promotion and its $1 Million Challenge with LSG/Sky Chefs. The carrier teamed up last April with Lukins, culinary expert and co-author of the Silver Palate cookbook, offering meals designed by Lukins to its domestic economy class customers. United also received an award of merit for its Revive the Aloha Spirit promotion, in which it partnered with master chef Sam Choy to provide original Hawaiian cuisine for customers flying to and from Hawaii.
American is offering its employees incentives to help it find flight attendants fluent in Spanish, German, Japanese, Swedish, French, Italian, Portuguese and Dutch as well as English.
Mexican charter operators may notify DOT beginning May 1, not May 8 as reported by The DAILY on April 6, that they want to conduct single third- and fourth-freedom operations, rather than seek prior approval. (Docket OST-98-3702)
Delta and Continental are moving quickly to file for their Air France code shares, and each wants to be first so it can begin marketing the service. Under last week's U.S.-France agreement, code-share petitions will be decided within 45 days of the filing.
-In FR dated April 3...Proposed an airworthiness directive on British Aerospace 146 aircraft to require inspection for corrosion of the retraction jack of the main landing gear...Proposed an AD on certain Boeing 747 aircraft requiring inspection for corrosion of the lower spar fitting body.
DOT - Orally approved five one-way emergency cabotage cargo charter flights operated by Antonov Design Bureau using an An-124 carrying up to three outsized GE90 engines and related equipment on each flight on a Wilmington, Ohio-Seattle/Boeing Field routing April 10-May 10...Approved, subject to FAA-approved routings, a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries charter using a Volga Dnepr JSE An-124-100 carrying an aircraft fuselage and wing section on a Kansai-Anchorage-Toronto routing April 13-15...Approved, subject to FAA- approved routings, a Curtis Air Services charter using an A
"Onerous decisions" by FAA and JAA require Boeing to devote up to 4,000 hours for changes to each of 60 already-built next-generation 737, according to Paul Nisbet of Merrill Lynch. About 16 aircraft remain and should be finished by May. Boeing then will double production and "things should start smoothing out" for the company, Nisbet says.
General Accounting Office criticism of weaknesses in FAA inspection and enforcement activities did not sit well with National Air Transportation Association President James Coyne. He said the GAO recommendations "foster an adversarial relationship" between FAA and industry and may result in "more paperwork and government bureaucracy" without improving safety.
Southwest is extending to Dec. 31 its double flight credits offer to Rapid Rewards frequent flyer customers who book through the Internet. The offer is open to customers who log on at southwest.com for the airline's Tuesday weekly Internet specials. Kevin Krone, director of marketing automation, said the Internet program has been a tremendous success, but "the technology is still relatively new and many people have yet to try it out." He said he hopes the double credit offer will prove an added incentive for Southwest's frequent flyers to use the Internet.
Airline pilot hiring was the best ever in March as 1,505 new jobs opened up, according to Air, Inc., which projects 4,000 new jobs at the majors and more than 4,800 at the nationals in 1998. In March, major carriers hired 386 pilots, nationals 552 and jet operators 225. Pilots on furlough declined to 397 from 423 in February. US Airways is the only major carrier with furloughed pilots; there are 281.
Kiwi International Air Lines will begin nonstops May 6 between Newark and Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, the only nonstop service between the mainland U.S. and Puerto Rico's second-largest airport. Kiwi has been negotiating with the Puerto Rico Department of Economic Development and Commerce on an assistance package to help market the new service. President and Chief Executive Jerry Murphy said the carrier aims to become the airline of choice for the Puerto Rican community.
Travel revenue from the Internet will rise more than 50% this year, according to a study quoted in an Alaska Airlines newspaper. Sales will reach $3 billion next year, pass $6 billion in 2001 and approach $9 billion in 2002.
Virgin Express traffic, continuing to keep pace with the airline's expansion, rose 59.1% in March on 50.4% more capacity. The load factor increased 3.9 percentage points to 71.4%. The airline flew 196,237 passengers, up 52.7%. "We continue to see strong bookings and expect the positive trend to continue through the rest of the busy summer travel period," said Chief Executive Jim Swigart. The airline also announced that it will begin three daily Brussels-London Stansted nonstops starting May 17 as part of its ongoing cooperative marketing agreement with Sabena.
United is preparing to market its voice-activated computer technology to other carriers. The carrier announced implementation of the system last fall when it partnered with Applied Language Technologies. The system, used internally to arrange travel by United employees, makes it possible for the employees to book flights from any phone in the world without speaking to an agent. The automated system mimics the type of interaction a caller would have with an agent and completes the transaction by listing the employee for the specified flight.
Canadian Airlines has filed a preliminary prospectus with the Alberta Securities Commission to offer US$175 million in debt in the U.S. The senior secured note offering will be managed by Lazard Freres&Co. and co- managed by BT Alex Brown.
Northwest, in contract negotiations with its Air Line Pilots Association unit, is asking the pilots for a new C pay scale that would result in a 10% cut in hourly pay for 40% of pilots who regularly fly narrowbody jets. The concession would apply to pilots not already on the current B scale, affecting captains, first officers and second officers who fly 757, A320, 727, MD-80 and DC-9 aircraft.
