All Nippon Airways will resume service between Fukuoka and Bangkok on Oct. 28. ANA will operate a two-class, 217-seat Boeing 767 on the twice-weekly service. The carrier suspended service on the route in March 1993.
America West Vacations has signed with Mirage Resorts to offer leisure travel packages to three Las Vegas resorts - the Mirage, Treasure Island and the Golden Nugget - via its "one-call-does-it-all" service. The packages include roundtrip air transportation on America West Airlines and accommodations.
International Lease Finance Corp. said it leased a new A340-300ER to Air Canada. Delivery is scheduled next May. The carrier also is extending two existing ILFC A340-300 leases from June 1998 to June 2000.
Changes in type certification regulations and procedures proposed by FAA likely would cripple the supplemental type certificate market, effectively blocking safety improvements to existing aircraft and stopping a manufacturer from restarting production of a previously certificated design, according to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. AOPA was responding to FAA's notice of proposed rulemaking on changes to FAR Parts 21 and 25, which govern type certification of aircraft designs.
Airlines Reporting Corp. said travel agent sales for July totaled $5.49 billion, 12% more than in July 1996. Year-to-date sales rose 10% to $41.6 billion as domestic fares gained 1% and international fares 16%. Domestic commissions fell 3% year-to-date, while international commissions increased 14%.
Virgin Group plans to launch a #750 million (US$1.32 billion) tender this week to replace rolling stock and improve the quality of its West Coast Mainline railway network, which connects London, Birmingham and Glasgow. Richard Branson's group intends to introduce on rail some of the features of its air transport passenger entertainment and business services.
National Air Transportation Association (NATA) is urging its members to tell FAA they oppose a proposal to require fire detection and suppression systems for Class D cargo holds of transport category aircraft. The proposal grew out of the May 1996 ValuJet DC-9 crash, caused by a fire in the Class D cargo compartment. Operators of many Cessna, Learjet, Beechjet, Mitsubishi and other aircraft will have to make "expensive modifications" if Part 135 aircraft are included in the proposal, NATA told its members.
Fine Air Services, opposing FedEx's purchase of Florida West International's cargo authority to fly U.S.-Colombia, said possession of the authority is in question and should be reallocated in a proceeding or awarded to Fine. Fine has been trying to serve the market since 1995, when it received DOT authority to do so. Colombia did not approve, however - violating the bilateral then in existence, according to Fine - and the U.S.
Dutch Transport Minister Annemarie Jorritsma said she wants to put new legislation on night flight bans at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport in place by Oct. 1. The Dutch parliament is scheduled to debate the issue today. Schiphol was pushed to the top of the political agenda when the Haarlem district court ruled that a ban imposed this month by the airport authority was illegal. The judge said only the transport minister can impose such restrictions. Abiding by the judgment, Jorritsma outlined her own plans Friday.
Aviation Learning Systems, Chantilly, Va., said Gateway Technical College has acquired four of its Pro Series personal computer-based flight training systems. Gateway, part of the Wisconsin Technical College System, will use the FAA-approved devices to replace its aging flight simulators.
KLM representatives are due to meet with European Commission officials Sept. 9 regarding a dispute with low-cost British airline EasyJet, which has accused KLM of predatory pricing on the London-Amsterdam route. The Dutch airline denied last week it has been seeking an out-of-court settlement.
Vanguard Airlines filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission to allow shareholders to purchase common stock at a rate substantially below the trading price - $0.50 per share, compared with the $1.75 at which the airline traded yesterday. "It looks like a real reach for raising some cash," said one airline analyst. Vanguard's losses mounted to $7.2 million in the most recent quarter on revenues of $21.7 million, versus a $1.9 million loss a year earlier.
UPS pilots will vote on a contract that, depending on one's allegiance, is either "one of the finest in the industry" or a continuation of the "typical cowboy posture" that led to the Teamsters strike. The decision to forward the contract for a vote by membership came after brief talks in Louisville Sunday arranged by National Mediation Board member Magdalena Jacobsen (DAILY, Aug. 25). The rendezvous produced no public change in the position of labor or management.
FAA will make Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funds available for the first time to states and airport sponsors for routine maintenance of runways, taxiways and aprons. Eligible expenses will include cleaning, filing and sealing cracks; patching distressed areas and cleaning drainage structures.
Italair, a new privately owned Italian regional airline, launched operations yesterday. The Pisa-based carrier operates two 44-seat ATR-42- 300 aircraft on daily services linking the Sardinian seaside resort Alghero with Pisa, Bologna and Genoa. Italair also plans to start twice-daily flights between Rome and Cuneo, near the French border, and is considering international services within the European Union.
Continental Express, which notified DOT May 19 of its intention to terminate service to Worcester, Mass., effective Sept. 4, told the department it is "currently engaged in discussions" with Worcester about continued service from Newark. The carrier has agreed to amend its notice to continue serving the market through Jan. 7, 1998, with two daily roundtrips and an additional nonstop six days per week.
The U.S. Air Force is examining the possibility of contracting with the civil helicopter industry for aircraft and crews, according to Frank Jensen, president, Helicopter Association International.
Sunjet International is expanding its operations out of Long Beach Airport, launching nonstop service to Seattle and Las Vegas Oct. 1., and to Newark/New York and Houston Intercontinental Nov. 1. To promote the service, SunJet will offer free tickets on every seat to Seattle and Las Vegas on the first day of operation and fares of $79 and $49 for every seat during the first two weeks. SunJet started flying Newark-Fort Lauderdale and St. Petersburg in 1993 and also serves Dallas and Orlando. The new service will increase SunJet's daily departures from 12 to 23.
Five of the six largest airlines lost U.S. industry market share between July 1994 and July 1997. United's industry-leading position fell to 20.1% from 22.2%. Traffic increased at all airlines, but Northwest was the only market share gainer. More airlines and growth by Southwest, Reno Air and Western Pacific are reasons for the shift.
Sterling European Airways, Copenhagen, has leased three new 737-800s from International Lease Finance Corp. for delivery in April and May 1998 and in March 1999. The aircraft will operate primarily on European routes.
Delta and TAP Air Portugal defended their bid to expand code-share operations, an application American objected to in the absence of explicit assurances that other carriers also will receive the right to conduct third-country code-share flights to Portugal (DAILY, Aug. 18). Delta-TAP's existing code sharing includes a blocked-space agreement, under which TAP displays its TP code on Delta flights between New York Kennedy and Boston.
Gulfstream Aerospace said Friday its Gulfstream V carried out the first nonstop flight from New York to Tokyo by a business jet. The aircraft completed the 6,113 nautical mile flight in 13 hours, 22 minutes. It cruised at a speed of Mach .80 and at altitudes of up to 51,000 feet.
Thomson Training&Simulator said the second 777 full simulator it produced for Untied Airlines received FAA Level C approval and has entered service at Untied's training center in Denver. Level C is the highest certification possible with current aircraft data, and Level D certification is due following flight test updates later this year. The simulator, representing the B market 777, is configured for Pratt&Whitney engines with interchange capability to General Electric and Rolls-Royce engines.
UPS management and the Independent Pilots Association were scheduled to meet yesterday in Louisville with National Mediation Board member Magdalena Jacobsen to explore possibilities for a contract settlement. In a separate action, federal authorities overturned the election of Teamsters President Ron Carey, finding illegal activity by some of his supporters. The decision means a new election but has no bearing on the contract agreement that ended the UPS Teamsters strike.
