Airbus Industrie passed the milestone of 2,500 firm orders just days after the 25th anniversary of its first aircraft flight. Of 2,506 orders, 1,348 have been for the A320 family, or 54%. In 10 months this year, Airbus delivered 150 aircraft, up 50% from the same period last year.
TWA and Air Europa applied at DOT for reciprocal code-share authority on TWA flights from Madrid and Barcelona to New York and from New York and Miami to 24 additional U.S. destinations - for which Air Europa requested one-year exemption authority - and Air Europa flights from Madrid and Barcelona to 11 points in Spain and to New York and Miami, both of which it already serves. TWA will not place its code on Air Europa flights until the Spanish carrier upgrades its coach-only service to provide business class.
Orally approved a one-year exemption renewal for United to conduct foreign combination service between New York and Dhahran, Jeddah and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and for Saudi Arabian Airlines to display United's code on the routing; and for Saudia to conduct foreign combination service between points in Saudi Arabia and Los Angeles, and for United to display Saudia's code on the routing...Approved two roundtrip charter cargo flights by Atlas Air between points in the U.S. and points in Brazil Oct.
Formal U.S.-Japan talks will resume Nov. 14-15, this time in San Francisco. "We think the talks should take as much time as they need to get the solution right," a State Department source said when asked to respond to Japanese frustration and puzzlement over lack of progress in last week's informal session (DAILY, Oct. 31). "We won't rush into anything we don't think is appropriate."
SilkAir, the regional arm of Singapore Airlines, ordered three Airbus A319s and five A320s and took options for 10 aircraft from the A320 family on Friday. The twinjets will replace the airline's six 737-300s, all of which are less than 10 years old. The Airbus aircraft will be powered by International Aero Engines' V2500 powerplants and will be delivered starting in September 1998. SilkAir will look at the A321 when it considers the options, Airbus said.
Continental filed against American in American's accusation that Delta violated Rule 39 confidentiality procedures in the American/Iberia code- share proposal, and it asked for more extensive review of information on other American proposals. American said Delta abused the confidentiality process by using protected material from the American/British Airways proceeding in its American/Iberia comments (DAILY, Oct. 23).
Niche carrier Kiwi International's complaint about gate practices at Atlanta and Newark airports has broadened the scope of recent disputes over barriers to competition, which has focused on slot controls, predatory behavior and the perimeter rule. Airport officials expressed surprise at Kiwi's action, however, and Delta and Continental dismiss the charges. Writing Oct.
Access to slot-controlled airports will not be enough to ensure survival of new entrants, which are losing over $300 million a year, according to Morten Beyer and Agnew. The consulting firm advocates such measures as preventing major carriers from entering a market with direct service within three years of a new entrant's entry; requiring airports to set aside gates for common use and permitting new entrants immediate appeal from "increasingly vigilant" FAA actions.
American said it was in error announcing that it will begin daily service between New York and Cuzco, Peru, via Lima on Jan. 6. The airline hopes to start the service once government approval is received. It also erred in saying it operates New York-Lima nonstop. It only serves Lima from Dallas and Miami nonstop.
Atlas Air reported net earnings for the September quarter of $6.2 million, a decline from $8.2 million in the same quarter last year. Revenues increased 31% to $104.2 million and operating income 8% to $21.7 million. For the nine months, net income declined to $14.3 million from $24.4 million, revenues rose to $280.1 million from $210.9 million and operating income slipped to $55.3 million from $58.1 million.
DOT approved a two-year renewal and expansion of Delta-Finnair code-share arrangements. Finnair may continue displaying Delta's code on New York Kennedy-Helsinki flights, and the carriers will operate blocked-space/code- share service in new city-pairs - on Delta flights between New York and Washington, D.C., Atlanta and Miami, and Finnair service between Helsinki and Zurich and Frankfurt. Reflecting open skies, Finnair received an exemption for service from points behind Finland, via Finland and intermediate points, to points in the U.S. and beyond.
AirTran Airlines, formerly ValuJet, is offering 50% off walkup fares in all its markets for travel between Nov. 2 and Feb. 10. There are no roundtrip purchase or Saturday-night stay requirements. Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year holidays are blacked out. Tickets are limited and non-refundable and must be purchased by Nov. 10. Sample one-way fares: $99 Boston-Dallas and $89 Chicago-Orlando.
China's sustained traffic growth will peak in 2000, when the country expects 14 billion ton kilometers and 100 million passengers annually, according to Chen Guangyi, minister, General Administration of Civil Aviation. China has risen from 35th worldwide in airline sales in 1980 to 10th last year.
Vanguard Airlines is saluting football fans and the winners of tonight's game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the hometown Kansas City Chiefs. The carrier will triple the number of points scored by the winning team and give away that many free tickets for travel in January and February to fans of the team. Winners will be chosen Nov. 7 in a drawing. Vanguard is extending its fall fare sale through Nov. 7 with savings on selected flights, including its newest route, Pittsburgh-Washington Dulles.
AAR Allen Aircraft, promising "first-call satisfaction," has introduced toll-free domestic and dedicated international phone lines to connect a customer immediately with an aircraft parts professional "who takes responsibility for the transaction from start to finish."
Rep. John Duncan's (R-Tenn.) proposed Airline Service Improvement Act would tap into funds generated by new overflight fees to boost service for smaller communities. DOT would have $10 million a year to help carriers buy aircraft and slots, and to offset early financial losses. Carriers given a federal loan guarantee to buy regional jets would have to serve a market for at least two years.
