American and Aero California asked DOT to act immediately on their request for authority to serve 23 U.S.-Mexico city-pairs under a reciprocal code share.
In Federal Register dated Jan. 30...Issued an airworthiness directive on Bombardier CL-600 aircraft requiring replacement of the anti-noise filter on the standby and auxiliary power unit fuel pump...Issued an AD on certain Airbus A330 and A340 aircraft to prohibit use of the autobrake during landing on contaminated runways...Issued an AD on Airbus A330 and A340 aircraft requiring removal of three electric motor-driven hydraulic pumps.
U.S. and Argentina have agreed to hold open-skies talks in Buenos Aires March 18-19, following Chile, which signed a tentative agreement, and Peru, meeting March 3-5 in Washington. Russia talks reopen April 21-23 in Washington. Other negotiations with firm dates include France, Feb. 25-27 in Paris; Senegal liberalization in Washington, Feb. 10-11, and Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum liberalization talks in Singapore Feb. 25-26. Portugal open-skies talks are expected in March.
India last week became the second country - after the U.S. - to make airborne collision avoidance systems mandatory on its carriers' fleets. The compliance deadline is Dec. 31. Last spring, when the Directorate- General for Civil Aviation issued a recommendation rather than an order, nearly 50 of India's 80-plus operators said they already had installed the systems or planned to.
Senate Commerce aviation subcommittee will hold a hearing Thursday on financing the Airport Improvement Program. Testimony is expected from the American Association of Airport Executives, Airports Council International, Air Transport Association and the National Association of State Aviation Officials.
United, the official airline of the U.S. Olympic Team, transported 196 U.S. athletes and 200 coaches, plus doctors and support staff, to Japan for the Nagano games. CBS television commissioned a 747 to send its own team from New York to Tokyo. United 777 pilot Bonny Warner Simi, a three-time Olympic luge team member, will appear as a commentator for CBS during the games.
Former Lufthansa Chairman Herbert Culmann, one the airline's original employees, died Thursday following a serious illness. Culmann, 76, was chairman from 1972 to 1982. Current Chairman Jurgen Weber praised Culmann as the "elder statesman" of German civil aviation.
MSAS Cargo International promoted Phyllis Berry to station manager- Houston, Michael Fountain to regional chief executive-Americas/Pacific; Geoff Corpe to regional chief executive-Europe; Stephen Chan regional chief executive-South and East Asia; Stephen Chipping to development director- Norway, Denmark, Finland and Sweden, and David Kennedy to director- marketing and planning.
Airbus has begun running A330 television advertisements in Washington, just as suburban Washington-based US Airways zeroes in on a choice between the A330 and the Boeing 777.
Continental's pilots union, in contract negotiations, is putting profit sharing back on the bargaining table in light of the recent Continental/Northwest code-share alliance.The union and management reached a tentative agreement on the profit-sharing portion of the contract in November, but Continental did not tell the union an alliance was a possibility.The National Mediation Board called an indefinite halt to the talks, and the union will meet today with the board to discuss a schedule for resuming them.
Norman Mineta, senior VP of Lockheed Martin and chairman of the National Civil Aviation Review Commission, will speak Feb. 17 at an International Aviation Club luncheon at the University Club, Washington, D.C.
IATA Director General Pierre Jeanniot said the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that overturned FAA's interim final rule on overflight fees (DAILY, Feb. 2) is a "vindication" of industry efforts to ensure that such fees are based on cost, not service. Jeanniot said worldwide user charges for aviation infrastructure services "should be directly related to the cost of providing them.
Southern Air Transport elected new board members Randall Becker, retired managing director of the Bank of Montreal; Ronald Fogleman, retired U.S. Air Force general; Lee Johnson, president emeritus of Limited Distribution Services, and James Neff, chairman and chief executive of United States Turbine Engine Corp.
Orally approved a one-year renewal for Air Pacific Limited to conduct scheduled combination service between Nadi, Fiji, and Los Angeles via the optional intermediate point Honolulu...Approved eight roundtrip cargo charter flights by Atlas Air between points in the U.S. and points in Brazil Feb. 1-28...Approved eight roundtrip cargo charter flights by Florida West International Airways between points in the U.S. and points in Brazil Feb. 1-28...Approved two roundtrip cargo charter flights by World Airways between points in the U.S. and points in Brazil Jan.
Continental asked DOT to reject American's request to start marketing new Japan service that has not been formally awarded (DAILY, Feb. 6), a filing American described as puzzling. American based the request on DOT's preliminary decision to grant, on an interim basis, seven new frequencies a week to non-incumbents American, Continental and Delta in the wake of the new U.S.-Japan bilateral. American also noted incumbent United has started publicizing service it will launch from Chicago.
American Trans Air parent Amtran Inc. reported a $13.5 million operating profit in 1997, reversing its $36.1 million operating loss in 1997. The airline posted record revenue, revenue per available seat mile (RASM) and yields for the fourth quarter and full year. It was aided by lower fuel prices and a 17% reduction in aircraft rental rates. Net profits were $1.6 million, versus a net loss of $26.7 million in 1996. Revenues, up 4.3%, reached $783.2 million. Cost per ASM rose 2.9% to 6.09 cents while revenue per ASM grew 9.6% to 6.19 cents.
Several carriers are offering discount fares to passengers who hold tickets on Western Pacific, which shut down last week. United will reaccommodate most of Westpac's passengers, for which Westpac will pay 50% of fares up to $6 million and 60% over $6 million (DAILY, Feb. 5).
