Attempts in Congress to limit foreign repair stations' work on U.S. aircraft are aimed more at preserving U.S. jobs than improving safety, the Association of European Airlines complained to European Union Transport Commissioner Neil Kinnock. AEA said its members are "highly irritated" by attempts to portray European mechanics as unprofessional.
Fortis Aviation said it delivered the first of three former MEA 747-200 Combis to American International Airways. Fortis said MEA is replacing the 747s with Airbus Industie aircraft. AIA plans to convert the 747s for freighter service. It is to take delivery of the second and third aircraft in January, bringing its 747 fleet to 11.
DOT approved a one-year exemption for South African Airways to serve Germany as an intermediate point on scheduled all-cargo service between Johannesburg and New York, enabling it to operate fifth-freedom Frankfurt- New York service. SAA asked for emergency exemption to begin property and mail operations Oct. 10. The U.S.-South Africa bilateral entitles South Africa to select up to four intermediate points, with traffic rights, for all-cargo service. SAA operates to the U.S.
Northwest and Jet Airways signed a marketing agreement by which the Indian carrier will feed Northwest from 18 cities. Jet Airways has a similar agreement with Northwest partner KLM, and the U.S.-Dutch teammates began code-share service to Delhi and Mumbai Oct. 1. Northwest and Jet Airways will coordinate schedules at Delhi and Mumbai and airport services at Mumbai, and single-point check-in and seamless baggage check-in will begin at Delhi Dec. 1. Frequent flyer programs also will be linked. Jet Airways operates 737s and has six 737-800s on order.
DOT approved a one-year initial exemption for Spanair to operate service between Madrid and Washington Dulles. The Spanish carrier plans to begin nonstops in mid-November and "continue on a year-round basis, with possible seasonal variations." It will operate four weekly flights in each direction through the end of March 1998, using two leased 767-300ER aircraft configured for 269 seats in two classes. SAS, which owns 49% of Spanair, will provide heavy airframe and engine maintenance at its Copenhagen base or under SAS-Spanair technical supervision.
Stage 3 Transition Progress Report U.S. Major, National And Cargo Carriers, And Major Foreign Airlines Status As Of Dec. 31, 1996 Majors Base******* Operator Level Stage 2 Stage 3 Alaska Airlines 32 8 66 America West 33 23 81 American 174 78 564
DOT issued a consent order assessing Thai Airways $20,000 in compromise civil penalties for conducting 22 flights without authority. Between Dec. 1, 1996, and Jan. 13, 1997, Thai operated flights on a Bangkok-Osaka-Los Angeles routing without DOT authority to stop in Osaka. Thai, which filed Jan.
Involuntary deportations appear to be an increasing problem for airlines, according to the Flight Safety Foundation, citing several instances in which unescorted deportees disrupted flights or upset regular passengers. In one case in May, a United captain refused to accept 40 deportees. In another, the Spanish government acknowledged slipping tranquilizers into the drinking water of 103 deportees before they boarded an aircraft.
Reno Air has completed a private placement of preferred stock worth $35 million. The airline will use the net proceeds, $33.3 million, to increase its working capital and, possibly, acquire aircraft, engines and enhanced data processing and analysis systems. The airline currently operates 208 daily flights to 24 cities.
American thinks last week's congressional revision of the Wright Amendment, permitting more competition in Dallas, is "a step backward," according to an internal communique.The company believes the action, which would enable startup Legend Airlines to operate, could "siphon passengers away from DFW Airport to Dallas Love Field." Chairman Robert Crandall is promising that "whatever happens, American will do whatever it must to remain competitive."
AeroVIP, a newly formed Argentine carrier, will lease three Jetstream 32EPs from British Aerospace Asset Management-Turboprops, to be delivered by the end of next month. AeroVIP will be the first airline to operate the Jetstream 32EP in South America, BAe-AMT said. The Enhanced Performance Jetstream 32EP program was announced last month at the National Business Aviation Association 50th Annual Meeting and Convention in Dallas. U.S.
Reno Air reported a 5.1% increase in traffic for September 1997 over September 1996, to 253 million revenue passenger miles, and a 2.5% increase in capacity to 406 million available seat miles. The load factor moved up 1.5 percentage points to 62.4%. Year-to-date traffic was up 6.1% this year over last, capacity rose 5.3% and the load factor gained 0.6 points to 68%.
Avatar Alliance appointed Michael Mayer director-international sales, John Knapp manager-international sales and Brian Postel director-sales, North America.
British Airways traffic for September increased 4.2% on 7.5% more capacity, forcing the load factor down 2.4 percentage points to 75.2%. Premium traffic rose 1.2% and economy traffic increased 4.8%. Cargo volume was up 12.1%. Intercontinental traffic improved 4% on 6.9% more capacity and U.K.-Europe traffic 5.4% on 9.6%. Subsidiaries Deutsche BA, Air Liberte and TAT experienced a 117% traffic rise on a 112% capacity increase.
DOT made final its determination that Austin Express is fit to provide scheduled passenger service, and it issued the carrier a commuter air carrier authorization. Austin Express must notify DOT if it wants to increase its fleet beyond six aircraft.
Germany's Eurowings will take four BAe 146s on lease from British Aerospace Asset Management-Jets (AMJ) and extend leases on three other aircraft in a deal worth nearly $30 million, BAe-AMJ said. The deal, announced by Eurowings Chairman Reinhard Santner at the 1997 European Regions Airlines General Assembly at Baveno, Italy, calls for the airline to acquire two series 200 aircraft and two series 300s for deliveery in November and December. Lease terms are for five and one-half to six years.
All U.S. majors and national airlines and all but a few U.S. cargo and major foreign airlines met the Dec. 31, 1996, interim compliance deadline for either phasing out 50% or more of their Stage 2 aircraft or achieving a fleet mix that is 65% or more Stage 3, according to information supplied to DOT and FAA and included in a 1996 progress report to Congress. As a group, aircraft operators operating at U.S. airports, including small U.S. and foreign airlines and non-airline operators, achieved a 75.5% Stage 3 fleet by Dec.
The two Koreas concluded an agreement last week that permits civil aircraft to use air routes between North Korean- and South Korean-controlled airspace, the first of its kind since the Korean War. Discussions were held under the auspices of the International Civil Aviation Organization's Asia/Pacific regional office in Bangkok. After formal signing later this month, it becomes effective Feb. 28, 1998.
Thai Airways has sold three DC-10-30ER aircraft to Euro Aircraft Trading Co. in the U.K. for $27 million each. The sale eliminates the DC-10 from Thai's fleet.
