World Airways reported a 7% increase in block hours for September 1997 over September 1996, mainly from shifting its business mix from scheduled service toward wet-lease operations. Average September 1997 daily utilization was 8.9 block hours, compared with 8.4 last year. Year-to-date block hours increased 12%, to 35,067 from 31,344, and average daily utilization was 9.7 block hours in 1997, consistent with 1996.
United has "totally changed directions" in its treatment of regional aviation, according to one source in the commuter community. After years of squeezing regionals for every penny, giving them little incentive to treat United's passengers well, the parent is building longer-term goodwill, as seen in its recent offer to pay Atlantic Coast's RJ costs before a pilot deal is final.
FedEx withdrew without further comment its objection to an emergency exemption for Fine Air, waiving the 45-day minimum fitness review period as Fine works to relaunch operations. FedEx had asked for a review of at least five days, so the withdrawal is moot since DOT did not act on the request and FedEx's proposed review-and-comment period has passed.
In a slot-exemption proposal that dwarfs all others or granted in recent years, American Eagle commuter Simmons Airlines has applied for 60 slots at Chicago O'Hare, saying it must protect its position against United Express, the recipient of 48 slots since 1994.
Appleton, Wis.-based United Express affiliate Air Wisconsin posted a 13.5% increase in revenue passenger miles last month to 50.1 million. Capacity climbed 4.5% to 78.4 million available seat miles, allowing the load factor to rise 5.1 percentage points to 64%. Passenger boardings swelled 9.6% to 154,340.
SAS September traffic rose 3% to 1.9 billion revenue passenger kilometers and climbed 4% for nine months. The load factor was 68.3% for the month and 65.6% so far this year. Cargo volume rose 12% in September and 13% for 1997.
Gemini Air Cargo asked DOT for exemption authority to begin scheduled cargo service linking Los Angeles and Honolulu with Sydney and Melbourne via Nadi, Fiji. The carrier asked for a shortened answer period in order to begin service Nov. 1.
American is offering golfers a frequent flyer miles deal - 5,000 miles when they enroll at a three-day program with the Nicklaus/Flick golf school, part of Jack Nicklaus's Golden Bear Golf Inc. Enrollment is worth 15,000 miles with attendance before May 31, 1998. A one-day faults&cures clinic earns 1,000 miles, as do joining The Leading Golf Courses of America, a network of 500 courses in North America, and using a first-time membership before April 30, 1998. Customers earn 100 miles each time they play on an LGCA course.
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association reconfirmed its support of the Wide Area Augmentation System and the Global Positioning System despite doubts about DOT's plan to phase out Loran C and rely solely on WAAS and GPS. AOPA also said the cost of the WAAS program should be shared by other users. Phil Boyer, AOPA president, recently told the House Transportation aviation subcommittee that while AOPA shares Congress's concerns about WAAS cost overruns, the satellite-based system is needed for smaller airports.
- Orally approved initial two-year exemption authority for Air Transat A.T. to conduct scheduled foreign combination service between any points in the U.S. and Canada ...Orally approved initial one-year exemption authority for Aero Rentas de Coahuila to conduct charter passenger service between the U.S. and Mexico...Approved a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries charter using a HeavyLift Volga Dnepr An-124-100 for a one-way flight carrying the fuselage and a tail section for Dash 8-400 aircraft on a Kansai-Anchorage- Toronto routing Oct.
Frontier reported a 56.3% increase in its September traffic to 85.8 million revenue passenger miles, compared with 54.9 million in the same 1996 month. Capacity rose 54.4%, raising the load factor 1.9 percentage points. Year- to-date RPMs rose 28.9% and capacity 31.9%, depressing the load factor 1.2 points.
Austrian Airlines and regional affiliate Tyrolean Airways asked DOT for authority to code share with alliance partner Delta on all Tyrolean flights within and beyond Austria in conjunction with alliance services between the U.S. and Austria. Requesting an exemption to display Delta's code on such flights, Tyrolean noted that DOT approved similar service by Swissair regional partner Crossair under Swissair/Delta alliance arrangements. The authority would be effective through April 30, 1999, the day the Delta- Austrian code-share authority expires.
Emirates is adding nonstop service between its domestic capital, Abu Dhabi, and Sanaa, Yemen. The four-times-weekly flights will begin Oct. 26, using A310-300s. Half the frequencies will begin in Dubai, stopping in Abu Dhabi. On Oct. 28, Emirates will start service to Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, via Nairobi, Kenya.
Days after announcing it would operate a full complement of flights despite last week's Chapter 11 filing, Western Pacific will introduce major changes in its schedule, including elimination of service to Colorado Springs, where the carrier was started. The change will require relocating 90 Westpac employees, but the reservations center and headquarters will remain in Colorado Springs. The carrier will offer all employees affected by the changes new positions in Denver or Colorado Springs, said Chief Executive Robert Peiser.
Air U.K., a wholly owned subsidiary of KLM based at London Stansted, has placed firm orders for four ATR 72-200 aircraft and an option for one more, Aero International (Regional) reported. The aircraft will be delivered from December 1997 to March 1998. Value of the deal was placed at $70 million. Total ATRs ordered has reached 555 to 95 operators worldwide.
Midwest Express reported a 15.9% increase in traffic for September 1997 over September 1996, with a 10.5% increase in capacity and a 2.8- percentage-point increase in load factor. The carrier flew 117.1 million revenue passenger miles, compared with 101 million a year earlier. Capacity was up to 188.5 million available seat miles from 170.5 million, and the load factor grew from 59.3% to 62.1%. Year-to-date traffic rose 12.7% to 1.1 billion RPMs and capacity 13.3% to 1.6 billion ASMs. The load factor dropped to 64% from 64.4%.
