America West recorded a 10.2% gain in revenue passenger miles for August and a 10.7% gain in available seat miles, forcing the load factor down 0.4 points to 74.7%. It reported its July and August yields were "below expectations," even though its loads were on track. It anticipates earnings per share for the quarter ending Sept. 30 to fall below the $0.45 earned in the third quarter of 1995.
The House debated yesterday a revised version of the FAA authorization bill (H.R.3539) and is set to vote on the measure today. Among changes from the bill as reported by the House Transportation Committee (DAILY, June 7) are elimination of FAA's dual mandate to regulate and promote the aviation industry and incorporation of the committee-approved child pilot safety bill (H.R.3267) and the airline pilot record transfer bill (H.R.3536).
Requiring the airlines to conduct 100% domestic baggage match as ordered by President Clinton will create "enormous delays" and cost the industry $2.3 billion a year, the Air Transport Association said yesterday. ATA said it supports most of the Gore Commission proposals on ways to improve aviation safety and security, but the requirements for bag matching and fingerprinting will not improve security (DAILY, Sept. 19).
All Nippon Airways has started flights to and from India with a twice- weekly service from Mumbai to Osaka, airline officials said yesterday. The service, which is the first direct link between the two cities, is being offered in two classes, using a 204-seat Boeing 767-300 extended-range aircraft with 13 Club ANA business-class and 191 economy-class seats, they said.
American may reach the 200,000 subscriber mark this week on the E-mail system it launched in March to alert customers to short-term low fares not available elsewhere. International fares will be added in the fall. John Samuel, managing director of distribution planning, predicts a "steady stream" of new electronic products.
American Automobile Association and The Thomas Cook Group plan to form "the world's largest" leisure travel alliance pending regulatory approval. AAA's 1,000 travel agencies will join with Thomas Cook's 1,800 offices, and the combined entity would serve more than 54 million leisure travelers, beginning Jan. 1, giving AAA a much more global reach. "With AAA's extensive network in the U.S.
Open skies between the U.S. and the U.K. "will remain beyond reach for some time to come," and open skies between the U.S. and the European Union are even less likely, former U.S. aviation negotiator Jeffrey Shane said Monday at an IATA symposium in Cape Town, South Africa. Despite widespread speculation that the U.S. and the U.K.
Summary of U.S. Major Carriers International Traffic, First Quarter 1996 Revenue Average Revenue Passengers Length of Passenger Enplaned % Travel Miles Carriers (000) Change (Miles) (000) Alaska 188 13.70 1,059 198,903 Latin 188 13.70 1,059 198,903 American 3,544 5.72 2,096 7,427,249
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) this month will research wake vortices created by jet transports on Runway 33L at Baltimore Washington International Airport. APL said data collected by researchers at BWI and other locations will be used to develop a "reliable vortex detection system." It said such a system would increase airport safety by providing controllers with observed vortex location and intensity information to help them decide when to delay landings and takeoffs.
This week marks the second anniversary of the Sept. 8, 1994, crash of a USAir 737 near Pittsburgh that killed all 132 aboard. It also marks the longest period following an accident in which the National Transportation Safety Board has not issued a probable cause finding.
Jean-Louis Berrendonner has been named senior VP for Europe, Africa and the Middle East in the Large Commercial Engine business of Pratt&Whitney. He will have offices in Paris and East Hartford. He had been a VP at Snecma.
Reno Air's revenue passenger miles jumped 29% in August to 308.9 million from 239.6 million on 33% more capacity. Available seat miles totaled 423.8 million, up from 318.9 million, lowering the load factor 2.3 points to 72.9%. For the year-to-date, RPMs rose 46% to 2.022 billion from 1.388 billion, while capacity rose 34% to 2.960 billion from 2.212 billion ASMs. The load factor was up 5.5 points to 68.3%.
Summary of U.S. Major Carriers Domestic Revenues and Expenses, First Quarter 1996 (In Dollars) Total Operating % Passenger Carrier Revenues Change Revenues Alaska 263,535,000 21.42 215,695,000 America West 405,792,121 17.79 376,108,297 American 2,524,106,000 (4.18) 2,298,343,000 Continental 1,087,378,000 8.63 961,909,000
Delta Express will offer fares, starting Oct. 1, for travel through Dec. 13 between eight cities and Orlando at a cost of $49 to $89 one way. Delta Express will begin serving Boston, Hartford, Indianapolis, Louisville, Nashville, Newark, Philadelphia and Providence at that time, and will phase in service to more cities on Nov. 1, Dec. 1 and Jan. 1, operating 25 737- 200s by Jan. 1.
Strong traffic during the Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta helped Delta post record August numbers. Revenue passenger miles increased 13.3% on 2.7% greater capacity, and domestic revenue passenger miles grew 20.5%. Domestic capacity rose only 5.9%, so Delta recorded a booming 7.3-point gain in systemwide load factor, to 77.7%. "Our record traffic performance for August exceeded our expectations," said Thomas Roeck Jr., Delta's senior VP-finance and chief financial officer.
Midwest Express Airlines named Christopher White director of safety and regulatory compliance, effective Oct. 1. He also will be the carrier's representative on the Air Transport Association's Safety Council. White most recently was manager of internal safety evaluation. Before joining Midwest Express in 1992, he worked for Boeing Commercial Airplane Group for eight years.
Sabena Technics, the Belgian carrier' maintenance and engineering division, has renewed and extended its long-term contract with Luxair. The contract covers C-checks, maintenance for CFM56-3 engines and component support for Luxair's 737s.
Summary of U.S. National Carriers Systemwide Traffic, First Quarter 1996 Revenue Average Revenue Passengers Length of Passenger Enplaned % Travel Miles Carriers (000) Change (Miles) (000) American Trans Air 1,585 22.80 1,552 2,458,724 Carnival 641 35.01 1,180 756,201
India's Civil Aviation ministry has given final and formal approval for Lufthansa Cargo India (LCI) to begin cargo airline operations in the country, ministry officials said yesterday. A 60/40 joint-venture company formed by the U.K.-based Hindujas Group and Lufthansa Cargo AG of Germany, respectively, LCI will have its corporate headquarters in New Delhi and plans to launch its cargo services between major Indian cities later this year, besides linking them to Lufthansa's cargo hub at Sharjah, LCI officials said.
President Clinton ordered FAA yesterday to impose stricter security measures at 450 U.S. commercial airports - and asked Congress to come up with $429.4 million this session to pay for it - as part of the recommendations made by the Gore Commission on Aviation Safety and Security.
Japan Airlines will begin next month to revamp its international business- class service, and to improve the cabins of its widebody aircraft with upgraded interiors and new seats, in an effort to retain and attract international business travelers. In search of higher yields, the carrier will install newly designed and branded "Executive Class - Seasons" seats and interiors, with colors to reflect different periods of the year.
Northwest reported that August revenue passenger miles rose 8.1%, buoyed by a 10.4% increase in international RPMs. Total capacity was up 8.5% (international capacity gained 10.6%), which moved the load factor down 0.2 percentage points to 80.6%. Domestic RPMs increased 6.4% on 7.1% greater capacity, which forced the domestic load factor down 0.5 points to 76%. So far this year, Northwest's international RPMs have risen 15.7% on 10.5% greater capacity, raising the international load factor 3.5 points to 80.3% since January.
Kellstrom, engaged in the marketing of commercial jet engines and parts, said it opened an office in Dublin to serve a growing customer base. The company said that in the first half of 1996, European sales were up 491%. Martin Curtis, formerly with AAR Corp., was named to head the new operation.
Rosenbluth International's Consulting Services Group postponed its Air Safety Symposium, which was scheduled today at the Capitol Hilton in Washington, D.C.
Northwest and its Air Line Pilots Association unit have exchanged opening statements for the pilots contract, which becomes amendable Oct. 31. ALPA's negotiating committee and pilot leaders have scheduled road shows Sept. 30-Oct. 9 to educate the members on both openers. Northwest also is in negotiations with other unions, representing five employee groups. The carrier's unions invested wages and made work rule changes in 1993 in exchange for stock and corporate governance provisions to prevent a threatened bankruptcy filing.
