Iberia Chairman Xabier de Irala, although "preoccupied" by the Asian crisis, said his airline is concentrating on the Latin American market. In an interview with French business daily La Tribune, de Irala said, "If European airlines suffer long-lasting overcapacity on Asian routes, they will be tempted to turn to other zones, where Iberia has a strong position." The Spanish airline, which last year signed a letter of intent to create an alliance with British Airways and American, is placing a strong emphasis on the Latin American market.
United says it will take "appropriate action" against a flight attendant who, in a conversation with David Letterman on his television show last Thursday, described United passengers as "the enemy." A United spokesman refused to comment on what form the action would take.
Air cargo grew 10.1% in December and the same amount for 1997, "another strong year for the airline cargo industry," said Air Transport Association President Carol Hallett. Freight and express traffic was up 12.3% in December and 11% for the year. Domestic freight and express grew 8.4% and international 16.4% for December and 5.7% and 16.9% for the year. Mail continued to be disappointing, declining 1% in December domestically and 1.9% on international routes.
American will code share with Hawaiian Airlines on interisland flights, beginning March 2. Hawaiian will place the "AA" designator code on flights connecting in Honolulu with American's flights to and from the mainland. Flights under the code share operate to and from Hilo and Kona on Hawaii; Lihue on Kauai and Lanai, Molokai and Kahului on Maui. American's frequent flyer passengers will be able to accrue mileage on the interisland flights.
China National Aviation Corp., Dragonair's major shareholder, is financially healthy and positioned well to play a role in the restructuring of China's aviation industry, according to a report from Salomon Smith Barney. CNAC owns 43.3% of Dragonair, but the Hong Kong-based airline generates 88% of the company's pretax earnings. CNAC Beijing, CNAC's parent, began in aviation more than 50 years ago, and its board has had a long-term relationship with Beijing's Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).
Continental Micronesia filed last week against Airbus Transport International of France, which wants to operate charter cargo service between France and the U.S. via intermediate and beyond points. Continental Micronesia has thus far been unable to receive French approval for new service between Guam and Noumea, New Caledonia, authorized by DOT last October. The U.S. carrier said it was surprised that Airbus Transport would seek expedited authority for comprehensive charter service when France has delayed action on Continental Micronesia's application.
DOT issued interim awards of seven frequencies each to American, Continental and Delta for U.S.-Tokyo service, as proposed in its Feb. 3 notice. American will fly from Chicago, Continental from Newark and/or Houston, and Delta from Atlanta. It dismissed Continental and Delta requests for interim frequencies beyond those levels. Continental can choose to allocate its seven frequencies between its two hubs; it wanted seven for both.
Summary of U.S. Major Carriers International Traffic August 1997 Revenue Average Revenue Passengers Length of Passenger Enplaned % Travel Miles % (000) Change (miles) (000) Change Alaska 47 (3.52) 1,071 50,468 (1.95)
Barry Valentine, who stepped down recently as FAA acting deputy administrator, introducing himself to new members of the Aero Club of Washington board, on which he sits, identified himself as "Barry Valentine, recovering ex-FAA official."
New York state legislators are calling on the state to spend as much as $50 million annually to build high-speed intercity rail service in response to what they consider high air fares. Among the candidate routes are Albany- New York and Albany-Buffalo via Syracuse and Rochester.
Hawaiian Airlines cried foul over the TWA-Delta Japan code-share application (DAILY, Feb. 12). TWA-Delta filed one day after DOT's Feb. 10 deadline, and Hawaiian said its own code-share talks were derailed when DOT rejected its request for a 20-day deadline extension on Japan filings. If the department considers TWA-Delta, Hawaiian will continue its code-share talks and expect DOT to review a Hawaiian application as well.
United has integrated the Computer Assisted Passenger Screening (CAPS) program into its Apollo reservations system. CAPS automatically profiles customers as they check in at domestic locations. It determines which passengers will be subjected to further security screening - for explosives in baggage, for example - and it selects a predetermined number of people for random screening.
TradeWinds Airlines flew its first charter passenger flight Sunday - from Boston to Montego Bay and back to Boston - after 16 years as a cargo operator. The airline leased a 345-seat L-1011 from Interlease Aviation Group in Illinois and plans to lease a second L-1011 in about two months, said President and Chief Operating Officer Larry Scheevel. TradeWinds took advantage of the widebody passenger aircraft's availability to expand the company and invested about $350,000 in preoperational costs, he said.
DOT approved one-year renewals of authority for American and China Airlines to operate their code-share agreement on CAL's Los Angeles/San Francisco- Taipei service and American's Los Angeles/San Francisco-Dallas/Fort Worth/New York Kennedy/Chicago and Los Angeles-Washington Dulles flights. The department also renewed for one year the authorities for American and LOT to continue their code share on LOT nonstops between Warsaw and New York or Chicago and American's New York-Miami and Chicago-Los Angeles service.
Senate Commerce aviation subcommittee Chairman Slade Gorton (R-Wash.) is pushing airport and airline advocates to work together on funding initiatives because he expects future Airport Improvement Program spending to remain level (DAILY, Feb. 13). "The good news is that you're not going to get more taxes," he told witnesses at last week's AIP hearing. "The bad news is that you're not going to get more money."
Wexford Management has signed a definitive agreement to acquire US Airways Express Chautauqua Airlines from Guarantee Reassurance Corp., Jacksonville, Fla. The Indianapolis carrier has been on the block for several years. The deal, the value of which has not been revealed, is expected to close in about four weeks, said Ed Wegel, executive VP for Wexford Aviation, a wholly owned subsidiary of the management firm.
Aerospace Industries Association elected Robert Wulf, VP-engineering and technology of Northrop Grumman, chairman of AIA's Technical Operations Council for 1998.
