International Air Transport Association asked governments and regulatory authorities to adopt international reciprocal acceptance of simulator evaluations, a reform IATA believes would save member airlines up to $10 million a year. Director General Pierre Jeanniot said a given simulator may be used by airlines from many countries, but each airline requires evaluation of the simulator by its own regulatory authority, duplicating effort and wasting regulatory and training center resources.
A federal judge in Minneapolis has signed an order that allows disbursement of funds from the American Society of Travel Agents class action suit against major airlines for collusion. "Now that agents will be receiving their share of the settlement money, we can close the door on the lawsuit," ASTA President Mike Spinelli said. ASTA said more than $55 million, including accumulated interest, will be distributed.
Continental and Aeroflot applied at DOT to implement the cooperative agreement announced by the carriers earlier this year. It includes code sharing, marketing cooperation, coordinated flight schedules, frequent flyer participation and other areas of coordination. The carriers want to launch the service by April 1998, but much could depend on progress at this week's U.S.-Russia bilateral talks in Moscow.
Southwest's passenger load factor declines have been offset by breakeven load factor reductions - from 62% to 55.8% in the third quarter, for example. "In a normal year like 1995, Southwest's breakeven falls two points from the third quarter to the fourth quarter, as yields rise while costs remain flat," said Northwestern University Economics Prof. Robert Gordon. "So its breakeven load factor may be as low as 54% in this year's fourth quarter."
Continental's tentative agreement with its pilots union calls for wages to go up more than 45% within two years, said the Independent Association of Continental Pilots (IACP). Pilots would receive a 27% first-year raise, retroactive to Oct. 1, which would place them within 88% of industry standard. The raise would bring the salary of a widebody captain with 12 years' service to $168.24 per block hour as of Oct. 1 and $202.29 per block hour on the same date in 2001.
China Northwest Airlines has taken delivery of its first A320, one of 10 on order for delivery through 1999. The carrier's current fleet comprises three A310s and five A300-600Rs.
Aer Lingus signed agreements to acquire four A321 aircraft. The carrier will buy two of them directly from Airbus Industrie for delivery early next year. Aer Lingus currently operates five A330s.
Eastern Airlines, which paid out $5.6 million last week to creditors, invested with former Eastern asset manager Martin Shugrue, now chief executive of Pan Am.Eastern acquired 11% of the new Pan Am in a deal last year that enabled Pan Am to start up with Eastern's A300s and facilities. Eastern "deployed some cash and assets into Pan Am in exchange for the stake," said John Sicilian, Eastern president.
Orally approved a renewal of Gemini Air Cargo's exemption to conduct cargo flights between Seoul and New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, amending the authority to add Anchorage as an additional U.S. point... An exemption to Haiti Aviation for combination service between Port au Prince and co-terminal points San Juan, Puerto Rico; Miami, and New York, provided the operations are conducted by an authorized U.S. or foreign air carrier.
United and Northwest called US Airways' bid for Pittsburgh-Paris premature, since it must await changes hoped for in a new bilateral with France, but the local Allegheny County Department of Aviation supports the move as buttressing the region as a "economic epicenter" of the U.S.
LanChile and Canadian Airlines International have entered into a joint marketing and code share alliance, effective March 1. Passenger will be able to take Canadian's Vancouver-Los Angeles service and connect with LanChile's Los Angeles-Santiago flights. Canadian also operates Toronto- Buenos Aires, while LanChile serves Buenos Aires-Santiago. The carriers have linked their frequent flyer programs, Canadian Plus and LanPass.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued three citations covering 18 separate violations against FAA for what the National Air Traffic Controllers Association termed "mishandling of asbestos exposures and other life-threatening incidents" at the Boston air route traffic control center. FAA said it has been "working with OSHA verbally since the problems began" - in August - and will submit a formal report to OSHA soon.
Delta's pilots union is considering management's counterproposal on pay rates, rules and working conditions for new 737 aircraft. The union wants an industry-standard contract and is increasing its information campaign on the plan, permitted under the current contract, for pilots to park the new airplanes if no agreement is reached within six months of their delivery.
Delta, soon to become the first airline to carry 100 million passengers in one year, is even more of a behemoth when it stands next to its Atlantic Excellence partners. Swissair, Sabena and Austrian Airlines combined would need more than six years to equal Delta's 1997 passenger total.
United said American's and Iberia's failure to address adequately whether their proposed code share will affect the Miami-Central America market demonstrates why the proposal should be consolidated with the American/TACA proceeding. American has said that as long as Iberia retains fifth-freedom service in Miami-Central America, the code-share partners will compete for that traffic, adding that American is not in a position to know what Iberia's plans for the market are.
AAR Corp. said it will be Delta's only source except for original equipment manufacturers of engine parts and bare engine accessories. Its Delta contract includes a joint marketing program in which it will help the carrier dispose of excess engine parts. Delta engine overhaul facilities service more than 700 engines per year from all the major manufacturers.
Morocco has restored its civil aviation safety oversight system to compliance with international standards, FAA said after a reassessment. On April 22, 1996, FAA rated Morocco "conditional" after its inspectors found areas that did not meet International Civil Aviation Organization standards.
National Air Transportation Association is warning members that general aviation slots at Washington National Airport are at risk from two bills pending in Congress to provide opportunities for new entrants at slot- controlled airports. NATA says US Airways, the largest carrier at National, and "the airline pilots union" have threatened to take away GA slots. It is "distressed with recommendations to eliminate availability of GA slots at National."
European Aviation, U.K. airline parts supplier and parent company of European Aviation Air Charter, has taken delivery of the first of two 737- 200s it acquired from United as a "commercial opportunity." The company purchased 20 British Airways BAC-111s in 1993.
-- In Federal Register dated Oct. 31...Superseded an airworthiness directive on Airbus A320 aircraft concerning flap setting during landing...Issued an AD on General Electric CF6-50/80 engines requiring removal of defective high-pressure compressor rotor spools...Issued an AD on certain Raytheon 1900 aircraft requiring replacement of the bearings on the vent blower assemblies...Issued special conditions on Sino-Swearingen SJ30-2 aircraft...Proposed to supersede an AD on Twin Commander series aircraft concerning inspection of the flap system.
