Alamo Rent A Car is offering members of Canadian Airlines' frequent flyer program a $50 membership to its Quicksilver program, which provides express checkin service. Quicksilver enables customers to use a countertop or free-standing kiosk to rent a car.
Mesa Air Group Inc. has merged with Mesa Holdings Inc., a move that changes the company's state of domicile to Nevada from New Mexico. The firm cited substantial tax savings from Nevada laws as the reason for the action. The legal action, which became effective last week, was approved by shareholders earlier this year. Existing shares of Mesa common stock will be converted one-for-one into shares of the Nevada corporation. Mesa still has not decided on where to locate its headquarters.
The Gore Commission On Aviation Safety and Security is looking into the number of air traffic controllers on the job at FAA and a White House official believes the commission's report next February will recommend hiring more, an official who represents former PATCO members said yesterday in Washington.
American Airlines posted declines in all seat mile and revenue passenger mile statistics for September. Total traffic fell 4.2% on a 4.9% reduction in capacity. The load factor rose 0.5 percentage points to 65%. American reported revenue passenger mile declines for domestic (-2.2%), Atlantic (- 13.9%), Latin America (-1.5%) and Pacific (-2.5%) operations. Capacity fell 4.2% on domestic routes and 12.8% over the Atlantic. Year-to-date, Atlantic revenue passenger miles have fallen 3.2% on 5.6% less capacity.
United has launched an "Arrivals by United" customer amenity program designed to attract and keep customers in Connoisseur and first classes. The first offering starts today - showers after transatlantic flights and shoeshine and clothes pressing services at Chicago O'Hare, London Heathrow and Miami airports. The Miami service will be available later this month.
GE Engine Services said it acquired majority control of Celma, a "rapidly growing jet engine overhaul and repair operation" headquartered in Petropolis, Brazil. Celma is projected to reach sales of more than $140 million this year, about half of them from overhauling Pratt&Whitney JT8D engines for airline customers, GE said. Other engines Celma services include GE's J85 and C610, CFMI's CFM56, P&W's PT6 and Rolls-Royce's Spey. Its customer base includes the Brazilian Air Force, major airlines and air cargo operators.
Congress voted Monday to extend the Visa Waiver Pilot Program for another two years. The program was scheduled to expire Monday. Industry efforts "now will be focused on making the Visa Waiver Pilot Program a permanent one," said Aubrey King, executive director of the Travel and Tourism Government Affairs Council. The program was created by Congress in 1986 to encourage travel to the U.S. by tourists considered "low risk" for immigration purposes and to reduce the administrative burden on U.S. consulates overseas. The U.K.
A Cook County Circuit Court of Appeals judge yesterday denied a request by the state of Illinois for a preliminary injunction to prevent the city of Chicago from demolishing Meigs Field (DAILY, Sept. 30). The state said it has the right to seize the airport because the city is in breach of state grant agreements. The state asked for a stay of the decision, and arguments are scheduled today.
The Senate is scheduled Thursday to vote on limiting debate on the FAA reauthorization bill (H.R.3539), which has been held up over a controversial labor provision. If successful, the cloture vote would prevent a filibuster and enable the Senate to vote on passage of H.R.3539. The reauthorization bill narrowly passed the House Friday but stalled in the Senate over a measure sought by Federal Express that would change last year's Interstate Commerce Commission termination act.
Kiwi began scaled-back service to three cities yesterday after filing for Chapter 11 reorganization in U.S. Bankruptcy Court of Newark, N.J., Monday. The carrier is continuing to operate full service among Newark, Chicago and Atlanta, using six of the 11 Boeing 727-200 aircraft in its operating fleet. The carrier also has four aircraft in C-check. It has temporarily suspended its service at West Palm Beach, Tampa, Orlando, Las Vegas and Bermuda, said Kiwi President Jerry Murphy, adding that it was looking at building back the Florida service in the middle of November.
Citing the U.S.-Belgium open skies agreement, Belgian carrier Skyjet is seeking a permit authorizing it to operate international charter passenger service between any point or points in Belgium via intermediate points to any point or points in the U.S. and beyond, provided the service makes a stop in Belgium. (Docket OST-96-1578)
Japan Airlines and Myanma Airways, both operating flights between Japan and Bangkok, Thailand, have agreed to pool their resources on the route. Under a new cooperation agreement, the airlines plan inauguration of direct service between the countries in the near future, and JAL will train Myanma's cabin crews. JAL operates 42 weekly flights and Myanma daily service.
American said it will begin new jet service between Cincinnati and Dallas/Fort Worth Dec. 2. The carrier plans to offer three-times-daily roundtrip service, using 97-seat Fokker F100s. American's regional affiliate, American Eagle, operates five daily roundtrips between Cincinnati and Chicago, using 46-seat ATR aircraft.
Douglas Aircraft is forecasting a requirement for 543 very large transport aircraft over the next 20 years, a number in line with Boeing's forecast for 470 over 15 years. That makes Airbus Industrie the odd man out - the European consortium believes the 600-seat-plus market will be three times greater. (See related story on Page 12 of the hard copy of this issue.)
DOT dismissed complaints against the government of Indonesia following separate motions by Northwest and United to withdraw their complaints. The carriers accused Indonesia in July of violating the U.S.-Indonesia air transport agreement by refusing to grant them the necessary authorities to operate their U.S.-Osaka-Jakarta services. Subsequently, Northwest and United said they received the necessary authority from Indonesia. (Docket OST-96-1547)
The State of Minnesota is boosting Northwest's bid for new Toronto service. One of five carriers to file applications in the U.S.- Toronto Third Year Service Proceeding begun in July, Northwest is seeking twice-daily nonstop service between Minneapolis/St. Paul and Toronto. "Improved service between Toronto and Minneapolis/St. Paul...will strengthen trade with Canada and clearly benefit Minnesotans," said the state.
National Transportation Safety Board recommended yesterday that FAA evaluate the effects of automatically stowing the speedbrakes on aircraft when high power is commanded, and that it determine whether it would be desirable to incorporate automatic speedbrake retraction on aircraft for windshear and terrain escape maneuvers. The recommendations, made with the concurrence of the Aeronautica Civil of Colombia, follow an investigation into the fatal crash Dec. 20 of an American 757 near Cali, Colombia. Aeronautica Civil blamed the cockpit crew for the crash (DAILY, Sept.
Air South President and Chief Executive John Tague has assumed the added role of chairman of the Columbia, S.C.-based airline, succeeding Clif Haley, who will remain on the board. When Tague joined Air South in July, the company announced he would be moving into the chairman's seat in September. Air South said the carrier is beginning to see the results of changes Tague has made in management, scheduling and pricing. It achieved a record load factor in August and a 98% reliability rating.
DOT Secretary Federico Pena will be at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport to take part in the official opening of DFW's seventh runway. Under construction since 1993, the new runway will enable the airport to accommodate three precision instrument approaches simultaneously. Denver International Airport is the only other airport to have this capability.
Continental yesterday elected Gordon Bethune, chief executive, to be chairman, succeeding David Bonderman. Chief Operating Officer Greg Brenneman, credited with many of the carrier's recent improvements, was elected president, succeeding Bethune in that post. Bonderman remains chairman of Continental's executive committee and board member. Bonderman's Air Partners investment firm is the carrier's largest shareholder.
China Airlines' engineering and maintenance division has been awarded ISO- 9002 certification, making CAL the first Taiwanese airline to reach this milestone. The division, established more than 30 years ago, conducts maintenance and repairs for fleets belonging to CAL, subsidiary Mandarin Airlines and more than 20 foreign carriers serving Taiwan's two international airports.
Philippine Airlines is seeking renewal of its exemption authority to serve Saipan as an additional point on scheduled combination services between Manila and Guam. (Docket OST-95-487)
Over the next 20 years, airlines will need nearly 13,600 new aircraft, valued at $1.1 trillion, according to a new forecast issued yesterday by McDonnell Douglas. This amounts to about 680 new airplanes a year, said Don Black, VP-general manager of sales and marketing for Douglas Aircraft. The forecast includes all 457 scheduled and non-scheduled airlines that operate jet aircraft, he said. Airlines in the former Soviet Union are not included.
