Bloomington-Normal Airport Authority asked DOT to reconsider its rejection of AirTran Airways' proposal for slot exemptions at New York LaGuardia for service to points in the Midwest, including jet service from Bloomington- Normal. Michael La Pier, airport authority executive director, made his case in the docket for AccessAir Holdings, which has a pending proposal for Des Moines-Quad Cities-LaGuardia and Des Moines-Peoria-LaGuardia service. Quad Cities is more than 100 miles from Bloomington and Peoria about 40.
Boeing and CSA Czech Airlines announced a joint venture in Prague to acquire a minority stake in Czech aerospace company Aero Vodochody. The venture will require government approval. Boeing, CSA and Aero Vodochody have been working together since May, when the Czech government selected what was then a Boeing-McDonnell Douglas-CSA tender offer.
Summary of U.S Major Carriers Domestic Revenues and Expenses Second Quarter 1997 (In Dollars) Total Operating % Passenger Carrier Revenues Change Revenues Alaska 345,680,000 7.56 294,485,000 America West 470,687,193 3.11 437,724,050 American 2,735,620,000 1.15 2,515,421,000
Aloha Airlines says it is offering its pilots a fair contract and wants federal mediation to keep the process moving. The carrier said Thursday it would seek federal mediation (DAILY, Nov. 21), and its Air Line Pilots Association unit called the request a delaying tactic and a veiled attempt to convince Aloha's other unions that it will seek mediation for them as well if they do not accept quick contract resolutions. The Independent Association of Mechanics began talks with Aloha recently and the Transport Workers Union starts in December.
Los Angeles Airport is beginning a "watch your bags" program to heighten security and avoid delays caused by unattended or suspicious baggage. Los Angeles World Airports Executive Director John Driscoll said public safety is the top concern of LAX workers, but passengers and visitors also should take responsibility. "Airport security is a team effort that includes them as well as airport employees, the airlines and their contractors, federal agencies, and other airport tenants." Reports of suspicious items have increased during the past few years at LAX.
Western Pacific is offering a student fare promotion with fares starting at $79 one-way off-peak or $99 one-way peak without Thanksgiving or Christmas blackouts. Fares are available for purchase through May 21 by accredited college or university students between the ages of 17 and 28. All fares are one way and a minimum stay and other restrictions apply. Tickets must be purchased within one day of booking.
Employment at Europe's airports during the last four years has remained stable, according to an Airports Council International-Europe survey of 14 airports accounting for a quarter of Europe's total air traffic. The Brussels-based group said 73% of airport employees work in operations, 17% in technical activities and the rest in support.
Frontier appointed Shari Buis city manager at Chicago Midway; Barbara Gessner city manager at New York LaGuardia; Pam Olsen city manager at Baltimore/Washington; Nancy White system manger of catering and support services and Jerry Schimetz manager of customer services, general offices.
Civil aircraft sales to economically troubled Asian nations may slow down and some Asian carriers may ask for delivery delays, Sally Bath, director of the Commerce Department's Office of Aerospace, said Friday as DOC and DRI/McGraw-Hill released U.S. Industry&Trade Outlook '98, formerly U.S. Industrial Outlook. Bath said, however, that her assessment does not apply to China, which has placed a large number of orders.
Internet technology is driving airlines to alter relations with the travel agent community, United Chairman Gerald Greenwald told the Economic Strategy Institute last week. The revolution is "pro-consumer" because it puts more choices at the traveler's fingertips.
Travel abroad still is safe, and the global travel and tourism industry cannot be held hostage by the threat of terrorism, the American Society of Travel Agents said. ASTA was rallying behind the Egyptian tourism industry and trying to counter the effects of last week's State Department advisory that Americans use "greater than usual caution" when traveling outside the U.S. State issued the warning because of the massacre of tourists at Luxor, the murders of four businessmen in Karachi and the general situation in the Middle East.
Fairlines, a business-class-only startup patterned after Midwest Express of the U.S., will be launched Dec. 8 in Paris. The carrier will operate two daily services to Milan Malpensa Airport, three to Nice and two between Nice and Milan using two customized, 72-seat MD-80 aircraft. Seats are leather, each with multimedia equipment, and a small lounge with a couch has been installed at the rear of each aircraft. Fares will be competitive with the business-class tariffs of established airlines. Investments total 80 million French francs (US$13.8 million).
New third-country code-share rights brokered by the U.S. and Canada set the stage for approval of pending code-share applications and rendered moot some U.S. majors' complaints that they could not conduct similar operations into Canada. The agreement was the result of bilateral consultations last week in Washington (DAILY, Nov. 21). A DOT spokesman said other liberalization was discussed and the parties will schedule another meeting.
Delta and Swissair ended their eight-year-old Global Excellence Alliance with Singapore Airlines Friday, setting the stage for Singapore to code share with Lufthansa and possibly United (see story to follow). Lufthansa confirmed that it and SIA will hold a joint press conference today in Singapore. Friday's disengagement ends a three-way link that included code sharing on routes such as Singapore-New York and cross- investments - each Global Excellence partner holds about 5% of each of the other two.
The International Civil Aviation Organization established a safety training center in Brussels at the location where a passenger boarded an aircraft with a time bomb for the first time in aviation history. Belgian Transport Minister Michel Daerden recalled the event last week in a ceremony inaugurating the training center, on the grounds of Brussels's former Haren Airport. The first hijacker in history intended to commit suicide after having gambled his fortune away at the Casino of Spa. He boarded an Imperial Airways flight to London Croydon.
- In Federal Register dated Nov. 17...Issued an AD on certain Boeing 777- 200 aircraft requiring replacement of certain overhead electronics units of the passenger address system...Superseded an AD on McDonnell Douglas MD900 helicopters concerning the collective drive link assembly.
