Qantas posted an operating profit of A$401.4 million and an after-tax profit of A$247.7 million for the year ended June 30, 1996. Significant increases over last year's totals - operating profit of A$320.4 million and after-tax profit of A$180.1 million - the results also were slightly better than the prospectus goals in the carrier's public float, issued in July 1995. The airline forecast an operating profit of A$400 million and after- tax profit of A$237 million for the fiscal year (DAILY, Aug. 25, 1995).
Lufthansa Cargo, which calls itself the "world's leading scheduled international air freight carrier," says it is the first cargo airline to offer shippers a 100% money-back guarantee on express airport-to-airport service. The carrier said the guarantee, which becomes effective Sept.
DOT Deputy Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs Mark Gerchick will speak on open skies in Asia - excluding Japan - at a Financial Times conference in London Thursday. The speech follows exploratory talks with Malaysian and Korean officials on a trip to Asia in June, led by Commerce Secretary Mickey Kantor.
Continental has signed a joint marketing agreement with Shared Technologies Cellular that will enable transatlantic customers to reserve a cellular telephone, effective Sept. 1. Share will arrange to hand over the phones to passengers, or ship them directly to the customer. In the U.S., customers will be charged a flat rate of $1.95 per minute, including long- distance and roaming charges. Delivery and pickup are free, and there are no equipment rental fees.
Canadian Regional Airlines said Friday that President Duncan Fischer has decided to take early retirement, effective Aug. 31. According to Kevin Grayston, senior VP of corporate services, a replacement will be appointed this week.
National Air Transportation Association advised its members what action to take to save air charter customers thousands of dollars after President Clinton signed legislation Aug. 20 reinstating aviation excise taxes. NATA explained to charter operators that a "reinstatement window" exists until Aug. 27 in which air charter customers can book trips without paying the taxes. "If your customers book any charter trips for any period during the remainder of 1996, and pre-pay for the service, that amount will not be subject to the 10% passenger excise tax," NATA said.
Continental Chairman Gordon Bethune reassured employees that the airline intends to serve Denver for a long time to come. Success at its hubs in Cleveland, Newark and Houston depends on serving Denver, Bethune said, and Continental is "a permanent fixture" there.
The Federal Aviation Service (FAS) of the Russian Federation formally succeeded Rosaeronavigatsia and the General Directorate on ATM Modernization Aug. 15, when Transport Minister Nikolai Tsakh ordered the two older organizations to "cease performing" their functions. He said FAS will have the rights and responsibilities of RosAir and the General Directorate until he issues an order spelling out the new organization's charter in more detail. Tsakh's Aug.
Continental Express, which saved $600,000 last year by cutting cleaning costs, now has acknowledged that this was a "foolish" move and will reinstate the full cleaning program by the end of October. The carrier also said that it is about one week away from announcing its selection of a new regional jet to expand its presence in Cleveland, where it is in discussions with city officials about assistance in building more facilities.
After a five-year hiatus, New Eastern Airlines has resurfaced and is aiming to start service next year. "We're about 70% there," New Eastern's chief operating officer, John Ruths, told The DAILY. New Eastern was formed in 1991 with an ambitious service plan and initial backing of $1 million from Pilot Vector, an organization that included former Eastern pilots. Atlanta-based Airline Acquisition Corp.
American Society of Travel Agents will conduct its annual industry march on Washington Sept. 12. The event is intended to educate and inform members of Congress on travel and tourism issues, and this year's focus will be on legislation to clarify the classification of independent contractors and employees, creating a public/private federally chartered organization to replace the U.S. Travel and Tourism Administration, and alerting Congress to that impact of excessive taxation on the industry. The march will begin at the Capitol Hill Hyatt Regency Hotel at 8 a.m.
Association of Flight Attendants has reiterated its call for a hearing on ValuJet safety and compliance disposition of its management in light of a report in Friday's Cleveland Plain Dealer that says that while grounded, ValuJet gave false information to FAA on the condition of its aircraft. An internal FAA document says ValuJet misled the agency about aircraft reinspections, according to the newspaper. ValuJet declined to comment on the report.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory has developed an infrared camera that could help airline pilots when weather conditions reduce visibility. Unlike costly military night vision devices, the cameras do away with the need for cryogenic coolers and sophisticated optics and could be mass produced for less than $1,000.
Raytheon Electronic Systems said its advanced air traffic control system for Amsterdam has passed its factory acceptance test. The system is to be installed this fall in a new building at Schiphol East. It will provide ATC en route services for the whole of the Dutch flight information region, approach control at Schiphol and flight data services to the Rotterdam ATC tower.
Air Transport Association Cargo Traffic June, 6 Months 1996 Revenue Ton-Miles (000) June June % 1996 1995 Change Domestic Freight 713,652 708,802 0.7 Mail 139,348 137,062 1.7 Total 853,000 845,864 0.8 International Freight 642,218 613,078 4.8
American is a sponsor of the third annual Black Enterprise/Pepsi Golf&Tennis Challenge, a national golf and tennis tournament for African- Americans, at the Doral Golf Resort and Spa in Miami during Labor Day weekend. American has sponsored the event since its inception, and it benefits from a link on Black Enterprise's Internet site and coverage in Black Enterprise magazine.
LOT, which banned smoking over a year ago in its transatlantic business- class section, will ban smoking altogether Oct. 2 on all transatlantic flights. LOT prohibits smoking on European flights under two hours.
American Trans Air has decided to pull out of Boston and five other markets in the next four months because it cannot compete with low-fare competition in them. The carrier has signed a letter of intent to cancel leases on five 757-200s with Pratt&Whitney engines and return them to the lessor by the end of November. More 757 capacity reductions can be expected during the next several months.
The new Pan Am has requested an exemption to carry revenue cargo on the proving flights it will conduct for FAA Part 121 certification. The company is scheduled to begin proving run flights this week and is asking permission to carry cargo on flights in the first week of September, saying it has tentative commitments for cargo shipments if it can gain the exemption. It asked DOT to act by close of business Friday. DOT tentatively approved Pan Am's request for a certificate last week (DAILY, Aug. 21).
Engine Lease Finance Corp., Shannon-based aircraft engine lessor, has been purchased by BTM Capital Corp. of Boston, which is part of the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi group. The seller is Potomac Capital Investment Corp. of Washington, D.C. ELF leases large, modern turbofan engines to airlines and other users. ELF Chief Executive Jon Sharp said that "what we are now seeing is the transfer of ownership to the largest bank in the world, which will facilitate the growth we have planned for."
British Aerospace unit Avro Aerospace has taken the RJ70 quadjet out of production. There were few sales of the aircraft, sized to meet U.S. airline scope clauses limiting regional partners to aircraft with a maximum of 70 seats. Subsequent scope clauses, however, have a maximum takeoff weight of 75,000 pounds, 10,000 pounds less than that of the RJ70. As a result, Aero International (Regional), in which Avro is now a partner, is proceeding with its new 58-, 70-, and 84-passenger designs, which in the two former configurations will fall below 75,000 pounds.
An initial decision on Wilcox's protest of FAA's Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) contract award to Hughes Aircraft Co. is due Sept. 30, according to a schedule document obtained by DAILY affiliate ATC Market Report. FAA's Office of Dispute Resolution will make a recommendation to Administrator David Hinson by Oct. 7, and Hinson will issue a final decision "some time soon thereafter," the document adds. Martha DeGraaf, the General Services Administration judge named special master in the case, confirmed the schedule.
