Orally approved an exemption for American to conduct scheduled combination service between Dallas/Fort Worth and Caracas, Venezuela....Approved an exemption renewal for Balkan Bulgarian Airlines to conduct scheduled combination service between Sofia, Bulgaria, and co-terminal points Detroit and New York via Malta and Bucharest, adding Split, Croatia, as an intermediate point on the Sofia-New York route with local Split-New York traffic rights, and for charters, but for only one year instead of the two requested...Approved an exemption for China Southern Airlines to cond
Kiwi International Air Lines is offering some passengers a return ticket for only $1 for a limited time. Tickets must be purchased by today for travel completed by June 13. Chicago-Atlanta and Atlanta-Orlando roundtrips are $70. Kiwi also is offering $90 roundtrips between Newark and Chicago, Orlando, West Palm Beach and Atlanta, and between Chicago and Atlanta and Las Vegas. Newark-Las Vegas costs $130 roundtrip.
Total passenger traffic at Russian airports declined 5.6% in 1995 - the latest year for which statistics are available - to 30.9 million passengers, the fifth consecutive annual decrease, according to new statistics compiled by Airports Council International-Europe. Russia's airports reported 90.7 million passengers in 1990. ACI-Europe said air services for northern and more remote regions, for example, are operating at 64% of levels five years ago.
Citing recent developments, FedEx filed late comments on a Japan Airlines application it already has opposed - renewal of expanded, scheduled all- cargo service between Japan and the U.S. that was granted under a 1996 Memorandum of Understanding (DAILY, May 1). FedEx cited Japan's recent grant of new routes from the U.S. to Tokyo and Naha, Okinawa, which increases FedEx's U.S.-Japan service options but skirts fifth-freedom issues (DAILY, June 3).
The Independent Association of Continental Pilots put out the bait Thursday and Continental bit Friday, calling on the union to get serious and enter round-the-clock talks toward a new contract. The request followed IACP's assessment that the two sides could not reach an agreement by the original target date, July 1, and more likely would take until Oct. 1. Continental responded in a letter to IACP President Len Nikolai signed by each member of the negotiating team.
US Airways, negotiating with its pilots toward a contract it says it needs immediately, apparently will have to wait some more. The Air Line Pilots Association unit said the company's comprehensive proposal on the US2 low- fare initiative, submitted last week, makes "some moves toward our positions" but departs from other items agreed to earlier. Talks continue tomorrow and Wednesday.
Alaska Airlines was fooled recently when a woman claiming to be President John Kelly's mother asked for a free upgrade to first class. The crew sent Kelly a note apologizing for not recognizing her, and Kelly said he knew it was a hoax because his mom would never ask for an upgrade. Mother Kelly is featured in a handful of radio commercials in Alaska's "for the same price, you just get more" campaign. Customers say her spots are more memorable than the others.
FAA and airlines appear to be in synch with each other on the installation of Class D cargo hold smoke detection and fire suppression systems, but a bottleneck may remain at Boeing and Douglas, according to an airline industry executive familiar with the issue. Safety and technical officials from airlines, FAA and aircraft manufacturers met late last month in Seattle, as scheduled, to review progress toward installing the systems.
May traffic for US Airways increased 9.9% over May 1996 on 5.8% more capacity, which pushed the load factor up 2.7 percentage points to 72.5%. In the first five months of the year, traffic grew 11.8% and the load factor 3.3 points to 70.2%. Domestic traffic rose 5.8% on 2.9% more capacity, while international traffic increased 67.4% on 48.7% more capacity. A passenger's average trip lengthened 6% to 701.7 miles.
Sabre computer reservations system is offering travel agents cash and vacation prizes for booking leisure travel on Sabre Tourguide and Sabre CruiseDirector. The Pack Your Bags promotion will award two agents $500 cash each week through July 15. Four winners chosen in a drawing will receive travel packages to Las Vegas, Europe or North America, or cruises to Mexico or the Caribbean.
Lufthansa's charter airline, Condor, is considering forming a new division, Condor Berlin, to handle leisure travel from the new German capital. The new unit may use some of the six A320-200s Condor will start receiving next year.
Airport and Airway Trust Fund - Income Statement, October 1, 1996 - January 31, 1997, January 1997 RECEIPTS (Revenues) Revenues: Excise Taxes (Transferred from General Fund): Liquid Fuel other than Gas $ 0.00 Transportation by Air, Seats, Berths, etc. 0.00 Use of International Travel Facilities 0.00
Alaska Airlines' Mileage Plan members will earn 500 miles for every qualifying stay at a Cavanaugh's hotel in Seattle, Spokane, Kennewick or Yakima, Wash., or in Kalispell, Mont.
In Federal Register dated May 30...Proposed an airworthiness directive on Fokker F28 Mark 1000, 2000, 3000 and 4000 series aircraft requiring visual and borescope inspection of the rear cargo door and luggage auxiliary structure for corrosion, drilling drain holes and applying a corrosion preventive and sealing compound inside the door, and modification of the door to aid in future borescope inspections...Proposed an AD on certain Boeing 747-100, -200 and -300 aircraft requiring replacement of certain cabin attendant's panel switches.
Aviation Distributors Inc. has received a commitment from the Bank of New York for a revolving $15 million credit facility that will more than double the company's borrowing power. ADI intends to use the money to finance receivables and buy big-ticket aircraft parts.
Eight regional-airline stocks increased an average 19.2% in May. The average price per share rose $1.83 from $11.06 at the April close to $13.18 on May 30. Market value for the eight issues ended the month at $2.58 billion, up $431.9 million. Five stocks gained during the month while three lost value. Leading the pack was Delta Connection Atlantic Southeast, which climbed $4.75 per share to $26.13. Delta affiliate Comair was not far behind at $26 per share - a $3.75 increase on the month.
Reno Air will offer free admission to the 1997 Vancouver International Air Races and Airshow to anyone presenting a Reno Air ticket or boarding pass. The Air Races will be held July 25-27 at Boundary Bay Airport in Delta, B.C. Reno is the official airline of the races this year.
Communist Party members will take over two French cabinet ministries in the shuffle following the Socialist electoral victory.One of them - Jean- Claude Gayssot, minister of equipment, transportation and housing - will be responsible for aviation issues.A political veteran, his experience in transportation appears to consist of work for a railroad as a teenager. The other Communist is Marie-George Buffet, minister of youth and sports.
Crossair has launched a twice-weekly direct service between Dublin and Switzerland's second city, Basel. The airline is operating the Saab 2000C Concordino on the route. Crossair, part of the Swissair Group, now serves a total of 67 destinations in 22 European countries from its main hubs in Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lugano and Zurich.
DOT instituted a proceeding Wednesday to allocate seven new weekly frequencies between the U.S. and Chile, an opportunity that Continental, United and Delta are pursuing. Continental applied for daily nonstop service between Newark and Santiago, Delta for daily service between Atlanta and Santiago, possibly via intermediate points with behind gateway service at Cincinnati, and United for daily service between Miami and Santiago via Sao Paulo. Excluded from the proceeding is authority for four nonstop frequencies held by United but not in use.
