Continental yesterday announced firm orders for 60 Boeing 737s with a list price of $1.8 billion which, combined with an order this summer, will put the carrier in full compliance with Stage 3 noise rules by the end of 1999. Continental plans to split its order evenly between the current 737- 500 and the new-generation 737-600. The aircraft, to be delivered between July 1997 and December 1999, are replacements for 60 737-100/200 and DC-9 aircraft. Earlier, Continental placed firm orders for 48 737-700/800 aircraft as part of a revision of a previous order.
Bloomington, Minn.-based Great Lakes Aviation flew 24.7 million revenue passenger miles last month, a 9% increase from September 1995's 22.7 million. Capacity rose slightly faster - 10.3% to 56.2 million available seat miles from nearly 51 million in the prior September, pushing the load factor down one-half of a percentage point to 44%. Enplanements increased 13.8%. Sept. 1996 Sept. 1995 9 Months 1996 9 Months 1995 ---------------------------------------------------------------------
Northwest Airlink affiliate Mesaba Airlines flew 35.1 million revenue passenger miles in September, a 33% increase from September 1995's 26.4 million. Capacity increased 16.4% to 71.3 million available seat miles from 61.2 million and the load factor jumped 6.1 percentage points to 49.2%.
Delta is the favorite airline among cyber travelers, according to the Net Traveler Survey, which has been conducted for 17 months by CIC Research. CIC notes that because 75% of the online population are U.S. residents, U.S. carriers are cited most often. Delta was chosen as the favorite by 12% of the respondents, while American drew 11%, United 10%, British Airways 8% and Southwest 5%.
Largest Passenger-Carrying U.S. Regional Airlines, Second Quarter 1996 Revenue Passengers Percent Passenger Percent Rank Airline Carried of Total Miles (000's) of Total ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 Simmons 1,548,065 9.6 341,301 9.2 2 Comair 1,202,041 7.4 392,293 10.6
United's travel software, United Connection, has a new 2.0 release featuring SuperShopper, which finds the best available fares for a specific itinerary. United said SuperShopper searches up to 4,800 flights on more than 500 airlines worldwide. United Connection users will receive 500 frequent flyer miles for every roundtrip reserved and purchased on the software and flown by Dec. 31, 1997. United Connection now can be downloaded from United's World Wide Web site, at http://www.ual.com.
Appleton, Wis.-headquartered United Express affiliate Air Wisconsin reported record traffic in September: revenue passenger miles increased 8.1% to 44.2 million from 40.8 million. Capacity, meanwhile, dropped 5.8% to just under 75 million available seat miles from nearly 79.6 million, allowing the load factor to climb 7.6 percentage points to 58.9% from 51.3%. The number of passengers enplaned rose 8.8% to 140,771 from 129,392. Air Wisconsin operates 14 BAe 146 jets as United Express feeding United's Chicago and Denver hubs.
"I must tell you, the issues unearthed by the CRJ and the success of the aircraft for other carriers (notably Comair) were much farther reaching and complex than I had anticipated." Those were the words of Dan Akins, independent consultant to the United ALPA unit's Master Executive Council, which is trying to figure out what to do about regional jets and who might or might not fly them (see story below). "There are so many overlying facets involving pilot and corporate concerns it is difficult to maintain a focus...," he said.
Delta Connection affiliate Comair flew 122.1 million revenue passenger miles last month, up 21% from September 1995. Capacity, meanwhile, rose 16.4% to 224.2 million from 192.6 million, allowing load factor to rise two percentage points to 54.4% from 52.4%. The number of passenger boardings climbed 15.6% to 370,295 from 320,338. Sept. 1996 Sept. 1995 9 Months 1996 9 Months 1995 ---------------------------------------------------------------------
FAA experienced a nationwide failure yesterday of its network of 61 automated flight service stations, preventing aircraft from receiving notices to airmen or weather information. The blackout affected Air Force Two, which was taking Vice President Gore from St. Petersburg, Fla., to Tennessee. The agency's antiquated Model 1 "full-capacity" computer experienced a failure after a database update, The DAILY was told.
Mesa Air Group's traffic dropped 4.2% in September to 104.5 million revenue passenger miles from 109.1 million RPMs in September 1995 as capacity declined 7.9% to 192.5 million available seat miles from nearly 209 million. The load factor, as a result, rose 2.1 percentage points to 54.3% from 52.2%. Passenger boardings dipped 3% to 510,647 from 526,188.
FAA has established new rules of practice for filing and adjudicating most compliance issues involving federally assisted airports that are "intended to expedite substantially" the handling of complaints. The new Part 16 regulations, to be published in the Oct. 16 Federal Register, would be used in place of Part 13 regulations for certain proceedings. Disputes between airlines and airport operators over the reasonableness of airport fees still would be adjudicated under the expedited procedures adopted by DOT last year.
Delta Connection carriers Atlantic Southeast and Comair continued to record high profit margins through the June quarter. ASA's margin remained double-digit through the past nine quarters while averaging what is probably an industry high of 24.9%. Comair's operating margin dipped below two digits in only one of the last nine quarters but averaged 17.7%.
Frontier Airlines' traffic climbed 112% in September on 127% more capacity, for a total of 54.9 million revenue passenger miles. Available seat miles totaled 112.3 million, and the load factor fell from 52.1% to 48.9%. The load factor was much improved in the first nine months of the year, rising from 47.8% to 60.9%. RPMs during the period rose 160.5% from 228.4 million to 594.9 million, and ASMs were up 104.3% from 476.8 million to 973.9 million.
As expected, American Eagle passengers at Chicago O'Hare Airport beginning next month will be able to board aircraft using the first of 20 planned passenger loading bridges (DAILY, July 8). The specially designed bridges are a component in Eagle's $12 million hub renovation project . The program will turn Concourse "G" into "the first regional airline hub facility in the world to offer covered boarding on such a large scale," Eagle said in announcing the program formally this week.
U.S. airlines are beginning to take notice of a push by environmentalists worldwide to reduce air pollutants, which could lead the United Nations to set new standards or implement taxes to reduce engine emission levels. The U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change could attempt to make binding the voluntary commitments made by world leaders in 1992 during an Earth Day summit. Leaders at the Rio de Janeiro meeting promised to reduce gases that cause the greenhouse effect, such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide (NOx). The U.N.
MCI and InsideFlyer Magazine are accepting responses from travelers for the ninth annual Freddie Awards for excellence in frequent travel programs of the airlines, hotels and credit card companies. A new category of "best Web site" has been added to this year's contest. Travelers have four ways to cast a ballot: America Online subscribers can vote by using the keyword "insideflyer;" Internet users can access http://www.webflyer.com; the ballot is in the October issue of the magazine, and travelers can call 719-597-8889. The deadline for ballots is Nov. 29.
Alaska Air Group subsidiary Horizon Air posted a 2.2% increase in traffic to 72 million revenue passenger miles from 71 million in September 1995. But capacity gained 7% to 126 million available seat miles from 118 million, pushing the load factor down 2.6 percentage points to 57.5% from 60.1%. The number of passenger boardings was off 1.8% to 308,800 from 314,400 in the prior period. Sept. 1996 Sept. 1995 9 Mths 1996 9 Mths 1995 ---------------------------------------------------------------------
Midwest Express's Skyway Airlines unit flew 6.2 million revenue passenger miles last month, a 5.9% increase from 5.8 million in September 1995. Capacity increased just 0.9% to 13.8 million available seat miles from 13.6 million a year earlier, permitting the load factor to rise 2.1 percentage points to 45%, a record for the carrier.
LOT Polish Airlines this week ordered two 737-800s in an order that Boeing valued at $102 million. The aircraft will add to LOT's 737 fleet, which stood at 11 -300/400/500 models as of July. The two -800s, which can carry 168-189 passengers, will be delivered in the middle of 1998. The airline also operates four 767s.
FAA granted yesterday extended-range, twin-engine operations approval to 777 transports powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 800 engines, Boeing announced. The approval enables the twin-engine aircraft to fly up to 180 minutes from primary and alternate airports. Boeing said the latter part of the 1,000- flight validation program consisted to 90 flights totaling about 400 hours operated in conjunction with Cathay Pacific ground and flight personnel.
USAir's bid for Heathrow services has gained solid support from government and industry leaders in its hub areas. Proposing service to London from both Philadelphia and Pittsburgh hubs, the carrier has picked up backing from the Pennsylvania's congressional delegation, two Senators and governor. Boosting the service, Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell called the routes "essential building blocks both for competition in the U.S.-UK market and for Philadelphia's future." Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy also supports the service.
DOT has issued a show cause order tentatively granting Golden West Airlines a certificate to operate commuter service. Golden West plans one roundtrip each weekday between French Valley, Calif., and Ontario, Calif. using one five-seat Cessna C-201L aircraft. Depending on the demand, the carrier said it may expand the services at a later date. Between 1979 and 1990, Norman Mclnnis, the carrier's president, was president of Royale Airlines, general manager of Precision Airlines, president of Britt Airways and president and CEO of L'Express.
AAR Corp. said yesterday it has signed a multi-year contract with American Eagle to refinish its S340 and ATR 42/72 aircraft exteriors - up to 100 aircraft. Work is scheduled to begin this month and continue over the next 24 to 36 months.
Fearing competition from American Eagle, Continental Express and the Delta Connection carriers, all of which now or soon likely will operate regional jets, United is pressing its pilots on the issue. The carrier's new scope clause in its pilot contract "constrains" United Express carriers from operating jets of any size. The one exception is Air Wisconsin, which is grand-fathered to operate up to 15 BAe 146s.
