The potential Delta/Continental merger, coming to be called "Deltanental," may never materialize due to the cost of integrating such dissimilar fleets, some industry observers said.The two airlines have 20 different fleet types and eight different basic engine types. Want a narrowbody? The merged airline would have 727s, DC-9s, MD-80s, MD-88s, MD-90s, 757s and four versions of the 737.
National League of Cities has asked DOT to reconsider its ruling that the City of Los Angeles should return $31.1 million to the city's Department of Airports. In a letter to Secretary Federico Pena, NLC Executive Director Donald Borut said the organization views DOT and FAA legal opinions on the issue "with grave concern because they appear to confirm the FAA's views that all airport entities are answerable only to the federal government." The instructions to return the money "could set an awkward precedent of intrusion."
Singapore Airlines (SIA) is negotiating to purchase a stake in private Indonesian airline Sempati Air. SIA officials have confirmed that talks are under way but have declined to provide details. Sempati Air, which was set up in 1968 as a charter airline flying oil crews and drilling equipment to sites within Indonesia, began scheduled domestic service in 1990, followed by international service in 1991. It now serves 25 domestic and five international destinations.
Aero International (Regional) named Jean-Michel Leonard president- marketing; Jean-Daniel Leroy president-American support and Alan Stiley VP- sales and marketing of AI(R) Marketing.
Alaska Airlines' November traffic rose 4% to 739 million revenue passenger miles on 3% higher capacity, forcing the load factor up 0.6 percentage points to 65.2%. For the first 11 months of the year, traffic jumped 14.9% and capacity rose 7.9%, boosting loads to 65.7%. Nov 96 Nov 95 11 Mths 96 11 Mths 95 RPMs 739,000,000 711,000,000 9,029,000,000 7,858,000,000 ASMs 1,134,000,000 1,101,000,000 13,739,000,000 12,733,000,000
Gordon Bethune, chairman and chief executive officer of Continental, will be the keynote speaker at the American Bar Association's 1997 Annual Update Conference on Air and Space Law, scheduled Jan. 30 at the Sheraton City Centre Hotel, Washington, D.C. Legislative and regulatory updates on FAA reform, victim assistance, tax treatment for heavy maintenance, computer reservations systems and fitness reviews for new entrants are planned. An international aviation panel will consider open skies, 1997 negotiating strategies, U.S.-U.K.
U.S. Major Carriers Yop 10 City Pair Markets Ranked By Passengers Per Day Second Quarter 1996 Passenger Rank Market Per Day Alaska 1 Los Angeles Seattle/Tacoma 903.3 2 Oakland Seattle/Tacoma 640.8 3 Anchorage Seattle/Tacoma 583.1
AlliedSignal Aerospace named Gjon Nivica VP and general counsel of AlliedSignal Engines and Robert Hibbard VP and general counsel of Marketing and Sales and Service.
Taiwan has unilaterally canceled its air agreement with South Africa in retaliation for Pretoria's decision to end diplomatic relations with Taipei in favor of Beijing. Officials in Taipei say the agreement may be reinstated if Taipei and Pretoria can work out a new relationship on terms agreeable to Taiwan.
Messier-Bugatti named Maurice Perrault VP-production and quality assurance, replacing Gerard Foucher, who moved to another position in the Snecma Group.
Air France unveiled Friday in Paris the details of its planned merger with sister company Air France Europe, to take effect April 1. Employee representatives denounced the proposal as "contradictory." The merger, announced initially in July by Air France Chairman Christian Blanc, has faced systematic opposition by workers at Air France Europe, the former Air Inter, who fear that their higher wages and better working conditions will be lowered to match those of their Air France colleagues.
TWA's withdrawal from the New York-Frankfurt and Boston-Paris markets already is leading to speculation about who might fill its shoes. Experts tell The DAILY American is likely to explore JFK-FRA and USAir could jump at the chance to serve Paris from another of its hubs. Currently, only American and TWA serve Paris nonstop from Boston.
An organization representing former PATCO controllers said Friday that concern expressed within FAA about its hiring and promoting policies (DAILY, Dec. 6) also have affected efforts to rehire the most qualified former controllers as the agency was directed to do by President Clinton.
DHL Aviation (Philippines), a unit of DHL Worldwide Express, has signed a preliminary agreement to set up an air cargo handling and distribution center at the Clark special economic zone. A final lease agreement for a 4,500-square-meter site at the Clark international aviation complex is expected to be signed in January 1997. If the agreement is completed as expected, DHL will use six Boeing 727s to serve the new facility.
Airbus Industrie, as expected, announced Friday that the 100-seat jet consortium members plan to build jointly with China and Singapore will become part of the Airbus aircraft family. The Chinese signaled clearly that they preferred Airbus leadership for the project. Airbus, together with Alenia/Finmeccanica, will establish a new company to head the European participation.
The 747-400 continues to generate one of the most heated battles among engine makers. Although earlier versions of the 747 typically are powered by Pratt&Whitney JT9Ds, the -400 is split evenly between Pratt (37%) and CFMI (36%), with Rolls-Royce next at 19%, according to data from GRA Aviation Specialists.
- In Federal Register dated Nov. 29...Proposed an airworthiness directive on Airbus A320, A321, A330 and A340 aircraft equipped with Westland-Sitec fire shutoff valves with Part Number EO3000 to require checks on the motors...Proposed an AD on Boeing 747-100/200/300 aircraft to require replacing certain switches behind the cabin attendant's panel.
