Orally approved a two-year, initial open-skies authority for TACA de Honduras, to conduct via wet-lease scheduled foreign combination service from points behind Honduras, via Honduras and intermediate points, to points in the U.S. and beyond; scheduled all-cargo services between the U.S. and any points; charter foreign combination service between any points in Honduras and any points in the U.S.
Transavia is increasing service between Amsterdam and London Gatwick to as many as six flights a day in its winter timetable, which began yesterday. The first flight of the day leaves Gatwick at 7:05 a.m., and a late-night flight has been added on Sundays. Extra flights leave Amsterdam Thursdays and Fridays at 6 p.m., aimed at more convenient return times for business travelers, and the carrier is adding a flight on Sundays at 8:30 p.m. Transavia will serve the route mainly with a 148-seat 737-300 aircraft but may use a 757-200 on weekends.
Sen. Strom Thurmond (R-S.C.) is proposing to change a 111-year-old law and permit foreign flag cruise lines to carry passengers between U.S. cities. Cruise line cabotage could be a fly-cruise boon and it is supported by the American Society of Travel Agents, which stated that cruise lines are the largest private-sector purchaser of airline tickets. One motivation for the change: there is only one U.S.-registered cruise line.
Association of Flight Attendants will conduct a conference Nov. 13 on airline carry-on baggage policies and safety and security issues. Flight attendants have said that carry-on policies often are not enforced, and that excess carry-on baggage can cause injuries and delays in boarding and departures. The conference, "Carry-On Bags: An Everyday Risk," will be held at The Madison Hotel in Washington, D.C. Speakers will include airline crew members, aviation accident investigators, medical and security personnel and government and industry representatives.
Regional Airport Authority of Louisville and Jefferson County (Ky.) announced the retirement of Airport General Manager Robert Michael, effective July 2, 1998.
Virgin Express, which is expected to post surging profits today, will give its 500 employees $4 million in stock - $8,000 per person - when it goes public next month. "We think new airlines need to be progressive," said Chief Executive Jonathan Ornstein.
US Airways' tentative pilot agreement may not yield any near-term financial gain, according to Sam Buttrick, PaineWebber analyst. It is "unlikely" that the deal will lower the airline's cost structure next year, he said, and due to wage increases at other airlines he is unsure that the "parity- plus-1%" compensation agreement amounts to anything more than "a wage freeze."
Delta appointed Sophie Gaeta director-civic and promotional affairs and named Senior VP Tom Slocum to the Children's Miracle Network board of governors.
U.S. and Chilean negotiators meet in Washington today and tomorrow for open-skies talks. Peru is the only other South American country scheduled for open-skies discussions, Nov. 5-7 in Lima.
Fares cited in an Oct. 22 report on Delta's weekend escape promotion are samples and are not available at all times. Destinations are announced weekly.
Swiss World Airways of Geneva extended its call for capital through last week after raising 42 million Swiss francs in an offering Jean-Charles Simon, the company's manager, said already was a "success." Simon did not specify what portion of the initial response came from private investors. The project to launch an international airline serving transatlantic routes was begun this year, after Swiss flag carrier Swissair decided to concentrate its long-haul operations in Zurich.
The lawsuit between Scheduled Airlines Traffic Offices and Boulder-based Objective Inc. over highly specialized software Objective developed for SATO is scheduled to go to trial today in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia in Alexandria. Airline-owned SATO is suing Objective for breach of contract and $4.1 million (DAILY, June 20). Objective counter-sued for fraud, defamation, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, violation of trade secrets and misrepresenting Objective's system as SATO's.
DOT should follow the example of the Federal Maritime Commission and terminate existing authority to get the attention of Japanese negotiators, Northwest said in a filing on JAL exemptions for Kona and Atlanta service. Pressing longstanding U.S. objections that Japanese port practices discriminate against U.S. shipping, the FMC said two weeks ago it would impose heavy fines on Japanese shipping in retaliation, and it notified the Coast Guard it should prepare to intercept Japanese ships leaving and entering U.S. ports.
The House Appropriations aviation subcommittee will hold a hearing Thursday on the Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System (STARS) program to address complaints by air traffic controllers. Subcommittee Chairman Frank Wolf said he decided to hold the hearings after "very open" discussions with FAA officials Friday. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association said its main issue with STARS centers on human factors issues and the fact that controllers have not had enough participation in developing the system.
Continental intends to begin nonstop service in July 1998 between Newark/New York and Glasgow, its 14th European destination, subject to government approval. Flights will depart Newark at 6:45 p.m. and arrive in Glasgow at 6:15 a.m. Return flights will leave Glasgow at 12:25 p.m. and arrive in Newark at 3 p.m. The carrier will use a 757 offering business class.
Dortmund- and Nuremberg-based Eurowings took delivery of its first ATR-42-500 of five on order, the Aero International (Regional) consortium announced. The carrier also placed five options for the aircraft. Deliveries of the firm-ordered units will occur in the next three months.
Production reductions and completed extra internal and external work will result in approximately 450 lost jobs at the Toronto-based de Havilland division of Bombardier between October and January. "De Havilland has required a higher-than-normal work force to accomplish a changeover to an entirely new interior for a new supplier for the Dash 8Q regional airliner and to incorporate all changes for a new noise- and vibration-suppression system. This work is nearing completion.
Northwest and KLM are offering savings up to 55% off excursion fares on transcontinental coach travel Nov. 24 to Dec. 4. Tickets must be purchased within 24 hours of a reservation and by Oct. 31, and travel must be completed by Dec. 11. Sample one-way fares include $149 from Detroit or Minneapolis/St. Paul to London, $174 from Los Angeles or San Francisco to Paris, and $149 from Memphis to Paris.
Alaska Air Group, including Alaska Airlines, yesterday posted record third quarter profits of $42.2 million, up 28.7% from the year-earlier period. "This marks a significant milestone for our company and by far the strongest quarter in our corporate history," said John Kelly, chairman, president and chief executive. The results were due to improved yields and a strong general demand for air travel. Revenue grew 7.8% to $501 million, while expenses rose 5.7% to $425 million.
