DOT denied a request by Aviaenergo Airlines for a permit to operate a one-way passenger charter from Moscow to San Juan, Puerto Rico, because the Russian Federation has prohibited the carrier from flying to North America "until further notice." DOT emphasized that its decision "rests solely on the fundamental threshold issue of Aviaenergo's lack of homeland operating authority." It said it did not have to consider whether the request would have met other criteria, "including the fitness and compliance disposition of Aviaenergo."
Air New Zealand raised the bar again on low fares to New Zealand and Australia from Los Angeles. Fares begin at $550 roundtrip to New Zealand and $650 to Sydney for weekday travel. The sale runs through tomorrow for travel through June 11.
Alliances are contributing $170 million per year in pre-tax revenues to United, according to Chief Financial Officer Doug Hacker, and now that the revenue level is high, United is concerned about protecting it. "We are worried that a debate about the American/British Airways alliance will have a lasting effect on all alliances," Hacker said.
British Airways traffic increased 5.1% on 8.5% more capacity in March, forcing the load factor down 2.4 percentage points to 73.8%. The load factor for the U.K. and Europe dropped 5.3 points to 64% while intercontinental loads fell 1.6 points to 76.3%.
A portion of All Nippon Airways' 747-400 pilots struck the airline yesterday, but management pilots kept all the airline's flights operating. More than 200 of ANA's 1,700 flight crew went on strike to protest a new pay structure that took effect last week, reducing the guaranteed minimum number of hours pilots are paid. The strike was expected to last only one day, but if it continued through today, the airline said only the Osaka- Milan-Rome flight would be canceled. On Wednesday, the airline would be hit harder.
Mesaba Airlines, operating as Northwest Airlink, has signed an agreement to fly six Avro RJ85 Regional Jets for major partner Northwest. All the aircraft will be configured for 69-seat, two-class cabins. Mesaba will operate the RJs under long-term operating leases from Northwest Aircraft, which is providing sublease financing. These additional aircraft will bring to 18 the total number of RJs operated by Mesaba. The company will take delivery of one aircraft per month beginning June 1.
TWA yesterday reported a March load factor of 75.5%, up 2.4 percentage points and the carrier's best load factor for the month in 20 years. The first quarter load factor, 68.1%, also was the best in the quarter since U.S. airline deregulation began in 1978. TWA's traffic dipped 0.2% on 0.9% less traffic. Domestic traffic, which comprised 83% of the systemwide total last month, rose 0.7% on 2.1% less capacity, resulting in a load factor of 73.8%, up 2.0 points.
NASA said yesterday it is testing a new sensor that shows promise in detecting clear air turbulence and giving pilots time to react. Clear air turbulence is a leading cause of inflight injury, although it seldom causes damage to modern aircraft. Detecting it has remained elusive, however. Rod Bogue, Dryden Flight Research Center, said the sensors detect turbulent regions of air ahead of the aircraft in time for passengers to return to their seats and buckle up.
DOT acknowledged Trans States' registration of the trade names "Delta Connection" and "United Express," reflecting its new code-share agreements. Trans States Airlines Inc. already does business as Alaska Airlines Commuter Service, Northwest Airlink, Trans World Express and US Airways Express.
Environmental issues concerning the Maui runway extension needed for Hawaiian Airlines to operate scheduled nonstop service as the fifth U.S. flag carrier to Japan are not within the scope of DOT's economic fitness findings, the carrier and the State of Hawaii told the department. They said questions about the runway extension and concerns over invasion from non-native species such as the brown tree snake are being examined in the proper forums, contrary to objections from the National Audubon Society, the Sierra Club and others.
FAA plans to fine Rich International Airways $450,000 for shipping chemical oxygen generators aboard a Delta airplane. These generators have been prohibited as cargo since May 24, 1996, after FAA found that generators were involved in the crash 13 days earlier of ValuJet Flight 592. FAA said Rich offered a box with four chemical oxygen generators to Delta on July 9, 1996, and Delta carried the shipment the next day from Miami to Atlanta. FAA grounded Rich in September 1996 and withdrew its certificate.
AMR Combs named Mike Curto VP and general manager, based in Hartford. Associated Global Systems promoted Larry Bledsoe to service manager-Atlanta and Susan Davies to district manager-San Diego. Avatar Alliance named Dennis Hall sales director-western region. BFGoodrich Aerospace Maintenance Repair&Overhaul named Ross Panos director-quality and engineering in the BFG Component Services Division and Russ Schall manager-modification programs in BFG Airframe Services Division.
Disputing points raised by United in an objection, Savannah/Hilton Head told DOT there is ample legal basis to award slots to communities and Chicago Midway is no substitute for the O'Hare Airport service the cities seek. Citing DOT's "masterful job in opening up Canadian markets," the parties said, "Those and other international destinations are essential for the expansion of leisure and business traffic to the two-state area. O'Hare, not Midway, provides this service." Nor does Midway provide the connecting domestic service the cities prefer.
FAA plans to issue an information package to vendors this month to launch full-scale development of the Stage 1 Local Area Augmentation System (LAAS). The agency will use an acquisition strategy pioneered by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) - Other Transaction Authority (OTA), a concept in its new-since-1996 acquisition management system although never applied. In a briefing Friday for industry, LAAS Program Manager Ray Swider said FAA plans to acquire 143 LAAS systems - 31 will be Category 1 and 112 for Cat 3.
DOT is easing filing requirements for Mexican charter operators in accordance with bilateral negotiations held last December. Under DOT's order, certificated Mexican charter companies that want to conduct single third- and fourth-freedom operations no longer must seek prior approval. Instead, they merely may notify DOT of the flights, starting May 8. Mexico in turn will simplify filing procedures for U.S. transborder operators. DOT said Mexican carriers still will be required to seek approval for serial or program charters. (Docket OST-98-3702)
American posted a 3.9% decline in March traffic on 0.3% less capacity, which pushed the load factor down 2.6 percentage points to 70.6%. Domestic traffic fell 5% on 1.6% less capacity while international traffic declined 1.2% on 3% more capacity. Latin American traffic rose 1.4% on 9.5% more capacity, forcing the load factor down 5.1 points to 62.8%. During the first quarter of 1997, domestic traffic was flat while Pacific traffic jumped 11.5% on 1.7% more capacity. The Pacific load factor improved 6.7 points in the January-March period, reaching 77.3%.
FAA Administrator Jane Garvey and Year 2000 Program Director Ray Long tried to book seats on one of the first flights in 2000, but airline systems "could not make the reservations yet," according to Long. Garvey and Long still plan to get on a westbound flight through four time zones as the new millennium begins, "with a roundtrip ticket because we intend to come back."
American Eagle, the regional affiliate of American Airlines, reported with a 1.1% decrease in systemwide traffic and a 1.6% increase in capacity for March compared with the same month in 1997. The load factor lost 1.6 percentage points.
Alaska Airlines posted a 4.1% increase in March traffic on 8.6% more capacity, which lowered the load factor 3 percentage points to 67.8%. For the first quarter of 1997, traffic rose 5% on 6.1% more capacity. Subsidiary Horizon Air posted an 18.9% traffic increase on 20.3% more capacity, resulting in a load factor of 60.15, down 0.8 points. March 1998 March 1997 3 Months 1998 3 Months 1997 RPMs 929,000,000 893,000,000 2,459,000,000 2,342,000,000
Delta will launch nonstop routes June 1 from its hubs in Atlanta, Salt Lake City and Portland, Ore. From Atlanta it will add three nonstop destinations - Portland, Maine, and as previously announced, Tokyo on June 3 and Lima on July 1. Delta also will increase the frequency of nonstops from Atlanta to Allentown/Bethlehem/Easton, Austin, Charlotte, Cincinnati, New York Kennedy and Seattle. Delta's summer schedule provides 625 flights per day at Atlanta, with nonstop service to 123 destinations.
U.S.-French aviation negotiations were to continue into the weekend in Paris, a State Department spokesman said Friday, with the possibility of an agreement "if all goes well." Sources said positions on cargo beyond rights remained at odds, while code-sharing questions had essentially been settled.
Raytheon said its advanced air traffic control tower simulator has been accepted by The Netherlands and installed in a new training center at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. The company said its ATC system, including a solid state, digital ASR10SS primary radar, has been accepted by the Civil Aviation Administration of China at Zhengzhou Airport.
FAA apparently has decided not to notify civilian pilots when GPS satellites are on the blink. The Air Force issues notices on GPS availability to its pilots, but FAA does not intend to, sources say. Instead, FAA has decided to place the AF information in an aeronautical information system that is not given to pilots automatically. Pilots will have to request the information.
Air France created a new management structure Friday that Chief Executive Jean-Cyril Spinetta believes will simplify the airline's organization, boost yields and help it be more flexible and efficient. The restructuring touches every part of the airline, including North American operations.
