French aerospace companies set a sales record in 1997 - 130.2 billion French francs (US$21.4 billion), 19.4% more than in 1996 - according to their industry association, Groupement Industriel Francais Aeronautique et Spatial (GIFAS). Orders jumped 33.5% to FF157.9 billion ($26 billion), so GIFAS expects another strong sales increase in 1998. Last year's surge was largely due to growth in the air transport market. French commercial aircraft industry sales increased 18.5% to FF78.3 billion ($12.9 billion).
Bombardier's Belfast unit Shorts said it "warmly welcomed" a Maersk Air announcement that it will operate the Canadair Regional Jet from Northern Ireland, on a Belfast-Birmingham, U.K., route. Shorts designs and manufactures the center fuselage, engine nacelles and wing-mounted control surfaces for the 50-seat jet. The Canadair RJ is now in service or on order with 18 airlines. Bombardier had received 577 orders and options for the aircraft as of March 2.
Fairlines, the French business-class-only regional carrier, launched two daily services this week from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport to Milan Malpensa, as well as daily service between Nice and Milan. The company started Paris-Nice operations in January, using MD-81 aircraft in a 72-seat configuration.
Delta Connection Comair will increase its Canadair Regional Jet Service from Boston to Toronto and Montreal, Canada, April 6, adding two morning jet flights from Boston to Toronto and one afternoon jet flight from Boston to Montreal - giving it a total of six daily roundtrips in each market. Separately, Delta announced that June 1 it will discontinue service from Newburgh, N.Y., to Atlanta and Cincinnati, but Comair said it will launch three daily RJ flights to Newburgh from Cincinnati.
The Sabre Group announced it has reached $4 million in sales for two consecutive weeks, beginning Feb. 2, through its consumer direct online travel products, including Travelocity.
A U.S. district court judge in Cleveland ordered FAA to cancel its contract tower program in a suit brought by the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. Judge Ann Aldrich agreed with the union's claim that FAA failed to comply with Office of Management and Budget requirements that federal agencies determine whether services are inherently governmental functions before contracting out. FAA said it is "still studying" the decision. "We do believe the program saves taxpayers a significant amount of money without adverse effect on safety," a spokesman said.
Cathay Pacific will double its daily service from Hong Kong to Sydney but will cut other routes and change some nonstops to direct service. The carrier will serve Jakarta from Hong Kong via Singapore and serve Penang, Malaysia, through Kuala Lumpur. The carrier will begin twice-weekly service to Istanbul on Aug. 8. It will increase Hong Kong-Los Angeles service, build up Amsterdam-Manchester service to five flights per week and add daily frequencies from Hong Kong to Taipei on Oct. 1 and Hong Kong to Singapore Aug. 6.
Summary of U.S. Major Carriers Domestic Traffic, Third Quarter 1997 Summary of U.S. Major Carriers Domestic Traffic Third Quarter 1997 Total Operating % Passenger Freight Revenues Change Revenues Revenues American Trans Air 201,489,716 4.51 101,407,481 -- Carnival 63,298,630 (2.40) 49,949,689 245,075
DeCrane Aircraft Holdings posted revenues of $28 million in the fourth quarter 1997, up from $22 million in the same 1996 period. Operating profit was $3.4 million, up $2.2 million. For the year, revenues rose to $108.9 million from $65.1 million, while operating profit grew to $12 million from $4.2 million.
Politicians and State Department officials agree that the visa waiver pilot program should be made permanent, but some believe current criteria for deciding who gets a visa are not objective and affect which countries are allowed to participate. John Caulfield, State Department director of policy and public affairs, said State is "serious about keeping the bad guys out" and letting the "right guys in." But Thomas Wanley, legislative director for Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii), said criteria used to decide who participates are too subjective.
United has placed firm orders for 30 narrowbody aircraft from Airbus as part of a strategic plan that eventually will add 68 aircraft to its fleet, Chairman Gerald Greenwald said yesterday. The order, 20 A320s and 10 A319s for delivery in 2000 and 2001, will bring United's Airbus narrowbody fleet to 111 aircraft. The total fleet will grow from 571 aircraft at yearend to 639. Greenwald said United has made "great progress" in the first of four phases in its strategic plan, "which is to strengthen our balance sheet.
The Kuwaiti parliament has approved the formation of a leasing firm that will respect Islamic doctrine and share ownership with nearby Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. The new firm, which has not been named, will be funded with $50 million and will honor Islamic rules that forbid the earning of interest. The Saudi Islamic Development Bank will hold a stake in the firm, as will the Qatar International Bank and Al-Ahli Commercial Bank in Bahrain. Kuwait's International Investment Group will hold a stake as well.
Ryanair has hired its 1000th employee. From near-bankruptcy and 200 employees five years ago, the Irish carrier has become Europe's largest low-fare airline, carrying 5 million passengers per year. It plans to increase employment by 100 in the coming months.
Alaska Airlines' traffic for February increased 4.8% on 5.4% more capacity, resulting in a 64.9% load factor, down slightly. The load factor for the first two months of 1998 rose 0.5 percentage points to 63%. Subsidiary Horizon Air's traffic grew 14.1% to 73 million revenue passenger miles on 13.3% more capacity. The load factor was 60%, up from 59.6%. February 1998 February 1997 2 Months 1998 2 Months 1997 RPMs 762,000,000 727,000,000 1,529,000,000 1,449,000,000
Jouve Data Management said it was awarded data conversion projects in recent weeks by Air Canada, American, Delta and FedEx. The carriers are expanding the scope of their digital data programs to add out-of-production aircraft documentation by subcontracting to Jouve the conversion of paper manuals to Air Transport Association standard format, the company said.
Hawaiian Airlines and the Bank of Hawaii have been given the green light to sell Hawaiian Airlines interisland coupons via automated teller machines. Hawaiian spokesman Keoni Wagner said the carrier is "moving ahead" with the project and anticipates startup "later this month" (DAILY, Jan. 16).
An RTCA task force co-chaired by Tony Broderick and Edward Stimpson will look at FAA's certification process. Broderick is former associate FAA administrator for regulation and certification and Stimpson is chairman of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. FAA Administrator Jane Garvey said the task force will review the way FAA departments work and use its findings to define acceptable performance standards for operational systems and suggest improvements.
Senate Commerce Committee postponed indefinitely its hearing on National Civil Aviation Review Commission outcomes. The hearing was scheduled March 11, but the committee is awaiting DOT legislative proposals based on NCARC recommendations.
Asian carriers need help on safety, says Morten Beyer&Agnew consultants.According to MBA, 13 Asian airlines have experienced 14 fatal accidents involving 856 deaths in the last 10 months. Controlled flight into terrain was the major cause. MBA asks whether industry "could form a task force to review qualifications and training of Asian airmen."
Spanair will increase service between Madrid and Washington to six flights per week from four, effective May 1. The route has "exceeded expectations" since it began Nov. 20, said Bartolome Mercadal, marketing manager. Spanair has extended its introductory $299 roundtrip fare until April 30.
Britannia Airways leased a 757-200ER from International Lease Finance Corp. The Rolls-powered aircraft will be delivered in April 1999. Britannia has leased 23 Boeing aircraft from ILFC since 1977.
British Aerospace Asset Management-Jets (AMJ), celebrating its fifth anniversary, reported $1.3 billion in revenues for the period and announced new sales, leases and technical upgrades to aircraft in its portfolio. The British Aerospace sales and leasing arm's new general manager, Rory Fisher, said AMJ sold 22 BAe 146s and 10 Fokker 100s for cash and negotiated 235 leases during its first five years.
Birmingham Airport, the U.K.'s fourth-largest international airport, plans to offer merchandise at tax-free prices to passengers flying to Belfast, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Newcastle, starting in April. Tax-free sales currently account for 6% of the airport's total sales.
The five Central American airlines of Grupo Taca have joined American Airlines' AAdvantage frequent flyer program in a move American hopes is the prelude to their code-share alliance. Final action by DOT on its preliminary approval of the code share, with restrictions, is pending. The Central American carriers entering into the reciprocal frequent flyer agreement, effective immediately, are Taca International of El Salvador, Taca of Honduras, Aviateca of Guatemala, Nica of Nicaragua and Copa of Panama.
Summary of U.S. Major Carriers Domestic Traffic Third Quarter 1997 Total Operating % Passenger Freight Revenues Change Revenues Revenues Alaska 408,497,000 9.93 355,912,000 18,090,000 America West 455,743,850 9.24 421,569,577 6,783,260 American 2,712,648,000 3.53 2,485,574,000 45,344,000
