Transport Workers Union is accusing Delta of trying to slow the union's election by fleet service workers so it can have time to spread "anti-union propaganda." TWU International VP George Roberts said the union filed a petition with the National Mediation Board asking to represent Delta's fleet service employees. As part of its regular investigation process, NMB asked Delta for the names and job descriptions of workers eligible to vote.
A written brief filed by parties challenging FAA's overflight fee cites the agency's failure to follow international law and requirements of the Administrative Procedures Act (APA). Counsel for Asiana, LTU, Air Transport Association of Canada, Qantas, British Airways, KLM, Air New Zealand, Lufthansa and others filed arguments last week with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (DAILY, Oct. 2). Oral arguments, likely a half-day affair, are scheduled Nov. 21, and a final decision could follow in two or three months.
Swissair is expanding its winter schedule to include a number of new destinations in Southeast Asia. Starting Oct. 26, it will add a twice- weekly flight from Zurich to Ho Chi Minh City with a stop-over in Bangkok. Kuala Lumpur will receive new Swissair service three times a week, operated jointly with Malaysian Airlines, while Bangkok will get nine weekly flights and Karachi three. Across the Atlantic, Swissair and Delta are stepping up their marketing cooperation with new services from Switzerland to Cincinnati, Las Vegas and Los Angeles.
British Airways and America West are enlarging their code-share agreement to include America West's Columbus and Las Vegas hubs. The current agreement, which began July 1, 1996, covers nine cities beyond BA's nonstop to Phoenix. Starting Nov. 1, the deal will include connections beyond London-San Francisco and London-Los Angeles to Las Vegas, and will extend London-Philadelphia bookings to Columbus, Ohio. Frequent flyer members of both airlines will have reciprocal benefits for mileage accrual and redemption.
Boeing said yesterday a more sophisticated flight data recorder would have enabled investigators to determine whether the September 1994 USAir 737 crash near Pittsburgh was caused by an aircraft or crew failure. In any event, the rudder power control unit (PCU) did not contribute to the crash, Mike Denton, 737 chief engineer, contended.
TWA announced this week it is joining other major carriers and cutting travel agent commissions to 8%. The cut will apply only to domestic tickets, and there is no cap. International commissions will remain at 10%.
Brussels South Charleroi Airport, struggling to attract charter, low- cost and regional airline passengers, will face competition in December from Europe's TGV high-speed rail service. Twice-daily service will begin Dec. 14 at the southern Belgian city, connecting it with Paris in one hour and 50 minutes in a trip that averages 160 kilometers per hour.
The 10 largest U.S. carriers posted a higher on-time arrivals rate in August than in July and August 1996, according to DOT's Air Travel Consumer Report. The mishandled baggage rate increased over July, but consumer complaints were down from the last month and year.
Hokkaido Air Systems has placed an order for two Saab 340Plus turboprops, Saab announced. Hokkaido Air is a newly established airline launched as a joint venture involving both Japan Air System and the government of the Hokkaido Prefect. The carrier, which will operate on a regional network on the Northern island of Hokkaido, Japan, will be based at Sapporo Chitose International Airport, Saab said.
Luxair of Luxembourg intends to purchase four EMB-145 regional jets, according to press reports. The first two aircraft would be delivered in August and September 1998, with one delivery each in 1999 and 2000.
El Al is suing the Dutch government, claiming that Dutch airlines have been favored in decisions arising from noise restrictions at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. El Al said that despite the recent night ban on widebody aircraft from 11 p.m. until 6 a.m., some flights by Dutch airlines have been exempted through the remainder of 1997.
Washington Dulles-based Atlantic Coast Airlines traffic rose 23.3% to 38.5 million revenue passenger miles last month, compared with September 1996. Capacity increased just 11.2% to 73.1 million available seat miles from 65.8 million in the same year-ago month. The load factor jumped 5.2 percentage points to 52.6%. Boardings rose 22% to 154,863. Sept. 1997 Sept. 1996 9 Mths 1997 9 Mths 1996 RPMs 38,475,000 31,197,000 298,331,000 267,326,000
United pilots have tentatively agreed to allow United Express affiliates to fly regional jets of no more than 50 seats. The agreement awaits ratification by the rank and file. Given that agreement, Atlantic Coast Airlines, which already has taken delivery of three of 12 Canadair Regional Jets on order, plans to place the aircraft in service Dec. 8 in United Express livery. If the agreement is not ratified, ACA will begin operations as Atlantic Coast Jet.
Standard&Poor's placed the corporate credit rating of US Airways on CreditWatch with positive implications following the airline's tentative cost-saving agreement with its pilots. About $3.1 billion in debt is affected.
Fairchild Dornier is evaluating 43-, 50- and 70-seat variants of the 32- passenger 328JET. Any announcement of a launch would come in early January following a December rollout of the 328JET. A 43-seat variant would require about a 10-foot fuselage plug, but the powerplants and systems would remain the same. A 50-seat version would require a larger plug as well as new engines, and a low-wing configuration is under consideration. A 70-seater would need a new fuselage with a low wing as well as a risk- sharing partner.
FAA said yesterday it is delaying until March 1 the start of overflight fees for flights between points in Canada that transit U.S. airspace. The fees were to be charged starting Oct. 1. FAA said the change is necessary to avoid disruptions of air traffic patterns along the U.S.-Canadian border and to "preserve current operational control relationships with Canadian air traffic authorities."
U.S. National Carriers Productivity, In Revenues and Expenses Per Employee Second Quarter 1997, In Dollars Total Total Operating Operating Revenues Expenses Total (000) (000) Employees American Trans Air 184,005 181,754 4,447 Carnival * 61,311 102,851 1,400
Burlington Air Express has changed its name to BAX Global, a change intended to reflect its evolution over the past 25 years from a domestic air freight forwarder to an international freight logistics company. BAX began operation in 1972 with 10 stations in the U.S. It is now a $1.6 billion company with more than 500 offices in 119 countries.
C-S Aviation Services is awarding British Aerospace Aviation Services a third contract to convert A300B4 aircraft to a freighter configuration. The new contract encompasses firm orders for 11 conversions and options for 10, bringing the firm-order total to 21. All 21 firm orders are for conversion of aircraft already acquired, including nine former Air France aircraft and eight from Alitalia.
US Airways Express affiliate CCAIR posted net income of $520,260, or seven cents per share, for the fiscal year ended June 30, up 443.3% from its net earnings for the previous year of $95,755, or one cent per share. The per-share rise was 600%.
Officials from the U.S. and more than 25 countries in Africa will meet in three venues this month to discuss improving and expanding air services. Separate groups of countries will meet with the U.S. Oct. 6-7 in Harare, Zimbabwe, Oct. 9-11 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Oct. 13-15 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.The meetings result from an African-American summit this summer in Zimbabwe and a Clinton administration initiative to promote stable markets and foreign investment in Africa.
United signed a contract with Pratt&Whitney for a three-year, $133 million program to upgrade the PW4000 engines on its 747-400 and 767-300 aircraft in an attempt to improve fuel burn and extend the range of the aircraft. Andy Studdert, United's senior VP-fleet planning, said the PW4000 Phase III upgrade will affect 47 aircraft. The upgrade option was available in 1994 but was too expensive, he said.
The upper house of Romania's parliament passed legislation paving the way for privatization and restructuring of state-owned flag carrier Tarom Airlines. The government wants to sell its 70% stake in the airline, retaining only a "golden share" with veto power over strategic decisions. The government also plans to place Tarom under its transport ministry, which intends to slash nearly 20% of the carrier's 3,360 employees by the end of the year.
United's Association of Flight Attendants unit yesterday voted on management's latest contract offer. More than 17,000 flight attendants, or 88% of those eligible to vote, turned in ballots, which were being tabulated late yesterday. Results were not available at press time, but AFA Master Executive Council President Kevin Lum predicted results would be close. He said AFA and management endured a "long and tough bargaining" period and both sides made concessions. If the contract offer fails, the union will enter into federal mediation, Lum said.
