Fairchild Corp. posted net earnings of $20.4 million for the quarter ended Dec. 28, compared with a loss of $3 million in the same quarter in 1996. Sales rose to $236.7 million from $159.9 million. For the first six months of its fiscal year, Fairchild reported net earnings of $20.9 million, up from a loss of $8 million the year before. Sales totaled $450.4 million, up from $306 million. Chairman Jeff Steiner said demand for the company's aircraft fasteners and aerospace products is increasing.
Mesa Airlines, which recently lost the West Coast routes it flew as United Express, will terminate jet service Feb. 20 from its Texas hub in Fort Worth and on Colorado Springs-Nashville and -San Antonio routes. Mesa Chairman Paul Madden said the board decided to put the jets where they will be used better in an effort to return the carrier to profitability as quickly as possible. "We regret leaving Fort Worth," Madden said. Spokesperson Sarah Pitcher said five 50-passenger Canadair jets will be reassigned, but the airline has not decided where they will fly.
Collins's 900 multimode receiver has become the first MMR to be certified by FAA on a transport aircraft, a 757 delivered to Icelandair, the manufacturer reported. Maersk Air of Denmark will take the first delivery of a similarly equipped 737-700, and British Airways will receive an MMR- equipped 777 this month, Collins said. Certification on the 747 and 767 will be completed this spring and certification for Airbus A340s and A320s is nearing completion.
Delta's January traffic grew 1.4% on 1.5% more capacity, which resulted in a load factor of 64.22%, versus 64.29% a year ago. Domestic traffic increased 0.9% on 1.3% additional capacity, while international traffic grew 3% on 2.1% more capacity. Domestic capacity comprises 80% of Delta's systemwide total. Delta carried 7.8 million passengers, 13,000 more than its record level last year. January 1998 January 1997 Rev. Passenger Miles 7,498,230,000 7,398,107,000
A cost benefit analysis conducted by Booz Allen Hamilton indicates that the Loran-C system cannot be sustained until 2005 "without significant recapitalization" starting in 2000. This factor would increase the cost of using Loran-C as a potential backup for GPS. Other factors, such as a reduction in the number of differential-GPS stations that the future National Airspace System might need, could more than offset the added expense, however.
LanChile will increase nonstop service from Lima, Peru, to New York to daily from four per week. The New York flight and LanChile's daily Los Angeles-Lima service are the only nonstops to the Peruvian capital from those points.
Same-country code sharing figures prominently in service offerings from US Airways and TWA, both seeking to be designated the fourth non-incumbent airline to serve Japan. US Airways wants to start code sharing to Japan immediately with American and United. TWA seeks service under its own colors in 1999 and via a code share with Delta as soon as possible after approval, on St. Louis-Tokyo and Nagoya via Portland and Los Angeles. Hawaiian, whose attempt to slow down the Japan proceedings failed (DAILY, Feb.
US Airways continues to shrink its system before an expansion planned late this year or in 1999. This trend was reflected in its January traffic, which fell 5.3% on 6.5% less capacity. Load factor was up 0.8 percentage points to 63.3%. Domestic traffic dropped 6.3% on 8% less capacity, while international traffic grew 5.9% on 10.9% more capacity. The domestic load factor rose 1.1 points and the international load factor fell 3.0 points. January 1998 January 1997
Secretary Rodney Slater yesterday received a delay of three to four weeks in U.S.-Japan bilateral hearings scheduled tomorrow by the aviation subcommittee. DOT will be asked to testify. Slater's Feb. 10 letter to Rep. Bud Shuster (R-Pa.), chairman of the House Transportation Committee, said the brief delay "will allow the department to fully consider the procedures that it will employ to award the route authority afforded by this agreement, as well as to establish a timetable for processing this case which will enable U.S.
Canadian Airlines and LanChile asked DOT to authorize blocked-space code sharing between Canada and Santiago via points in the U.S. The service, planned to begin March 11, would not carry U.S.-Chile traffic. LanChile wants to display Canadian's code on Los Angeles-Santiago flights that connect with Canadian's Los Angeles-Vancouver flights, and on Miami- Santiago flights that connect with Canadian's Miami-Toronto flights.
United's Flight Operations department and FAA air traffic controllers have found ways to improve aircraft on-time performance at Chicago O'Hare and reduce runway taxi-out times. The O'Hare Air Traffic Working Group has reduced United's taxi time 10 minutes on average during the evening rush period, 8-9:30 p.m. The action will save United $1.8 million annually. United's recommendation that FAA provide two ground controllers instead of one during heavy departure periods led to less congestion and shorter taxi times.
Caribbean Air Services, a subsidiary of Amertranz Worldwide, has begun air cargo service between Indianapolis and Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, five days per week.
James Pierce, chairman and chief executive of ARINC, will speak on National Airspace System modernization and Free Flight at an Aero Club of Washington luncheon Feb. 24 at the Capital Hilton Hotel, Washington.
Tim Hannegan, organizer of The Airline Competition Committee, is affiliated with The Wexler Group, a consulting firm in Washington. D.C. A story in The DAILY Feb. 10 incorrectly identified Hannegan's employer.
TWA and US Airways have applied to be designated the fourth MOU carrier to Japan. TWA would fly daily nonstops on St. Louis-Tokyo under its own colors; US Airways would code share to Tokyo and Osaka with American, and to Tokyo with United.
Western Pacific offered 11 different fare sales from October until shortly before it folded last week. Some fares were deeply discounted - for example, $65 each way between Denver and Los Angeles, on which Westpac paid a 20% commission to travel agents. During the four-month period, Westpac offered Can Do fares, Fruitcake Fares, a Send 'Em Packin' sale, an NFC Playoff sale and a Go Broncos sale.
Sita said it signed a contract to provide Kuoni Travel Holding with a range of integrated services, including Global Voice Services and Managed Data Network Services. Sita said the voice and data services will enable Kuoni's staff to exchange management and operational information and make bookings "far more quickly, accurately and cost-effectively than was possible through paper-based communications."
Continental Airlines' regional carrier Continental Express will resume summer service to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket from Newark on June 25. Non-stop service will begin on July 1 to accommodate peak summer travel.
Frontier has agreed to honor vouchers for travel on Western Pacific Airlines that were part of a promotion between Westpac and King Soopers, a western grocery store chain. King Soopers will pay Frontier enough for each voucher to cover the cost of the travel, said Frontier spokesman Bob Schulman. He said there are an estimated 34,000 King Soopers vouchers, and Frontier will take them until June 15. Customers paid as much as $119.50 for each voucher. Frontier will let them book on any flight, with no blackout dates or advance notice.
World Airways lost $2.9 million in the fourth quarter of 1997 as it faced Asia's economic downturn and an October tail strike in Montevideo, Uruguay, that took an MD-11 out of service for nearly three months, reducing revenue by $4 million. The loss compared with a profit of $4.8 million a year earlier. Revenue for the quarter dropped 16% to $68.8 million from $82.3 million as the airline adopted a more conservative approach to accounting due to events in Asia. For the year, profits rose to $11.5 million from a loss of $14 million in 1996.
Cathay Pacific Airways is offering another all-inclusive fare for U.S. customers to visit Hong Kong and other Asian cities for a single price. When the "All-Asia Pass" was first unveiled last year, Cathay took in 80,000 orders from around the world. The latest version, available to U.S. passport holders only, costs $999, including roundtrip travel to Hong Kong and up to 17 other destinations. Choices include Thailand, Philippines, Japan, Korea and Malaysia. The price falls to $899 for people at least 55 years old and students 26 and under.
Saudi Prince Al Waleed's acquisition March 18, 1997, of a 5% interest in then-distressed TWA makes his predictions of the company's recovery profitable.Shares of TWA, priced at $6.88 when he bought 2.09 million shares, traded at $11.56 on Feb. 9. After 11 months, the prince's $14 million investment is worth more than $24 million.
Fields Aircraft Spares has signed a letter of intent to acquire Skylock Industries, which manufactures hardware and retaining devices for aircraft cabin interiors. Fields last month acquired Flightways Manufacturing, which builds replacement components for aircraft seats and interiors.
Boeing intends to increase its subcontracting in Europe and will order "many more" engines manufactured by European companies, Boeing Commercial Airplane Group President Ron Woodard said yesterday in Brussels. "Our 737- 700 generates more French jobs than the [Airbus] A319 because of the CFM56 engines they use," Woodard told the European Aviation Club in Brussels. "That's a fact, though you won't hear French officials say that very loudly." French engine company Snecma is an equal partner with General Electric of the U.S.
