The U.S. and Colombia announced an agreement Friday that will allow American to operate New York-Bogota service and freeze the current level of service between the countries for two years. American will be able to operate three weekly roundtrips between New York and Bogota and transfer up to four weekly services to that route from its Miami-Colombia service (DAILY, Aug. 23). After two years, the U.S. may designate one new all- cargo carrier for the market.
Express Airlines I carried a record number of passengers in July, 171,427, even as its capacity decreased 0.1%. Revenue passenger miles rose 25.8% to 42.3 million while available seat miles fell to 72.5 million. The load factor was up 9.1 percentage points to 52.8%. July was the seventh consecutive month the Northwest Airlink carrier posted double-digit increases in both traffic and passengers carried.
In yet another study measuring use of the World Wide Web by travelers, the American Society of Travel Agents said most respondents to a recent survey conducted on its Web site said they had never used the Internet to book travel. Of 2,398 travelers polled, ASTA found 86.8% who never booked travel online, 10.7% who did so one or twice a year, 0.1% who regularly made bookings, and 0.42% who book frequently. Most of the respondents, 66%, were leisure travelers, and slightly less than half were members of a frequent flyer program.
United's $900 million order for 24 Airbus A319s and an unspecified number of options makes it the second largest customer for the A320 family of aircraft, along with its major foreign partner, Lufthansa (DAILY, Aug. 23). The Airbus order was made along with definitive numbers of three types of Boeing aircraft worth $3.5 billion, but United declined to specify how many of the orders were converted options (DAILY, Aug. 15). United and Lufthansa each will be operating 74 aircraft from the A320 family, which includes the larger A321.
The acquisition reform program FAA began in November 1994, including integrated product teams, has "made some progress," the General Accounting Office says, but the agency still has "difficulties in gaining the strong commitment of all employees who hold a stake in the acquisition process." GAO says it found that "agency officials acted in ways that did not reflect a strong commitment to its acquisition mission."
Microscopic explosive traces of "unknown origin" were found on TWA Flight 800, James Kallstrom, FBI assistant director, confirmed Friday. He did not reveal what kind of chemical was found, but said that "based on the scientific evidence, we cannot conclude" that the 747 crash on July 17, killing all 230 aboard, was caused by an explosive device. Forensic experts agree that microscopic explosives traces alone do not allow such a conclusion, Kallstrom said. He said other evidence, such as physical damage, also needs to be available.
U.S. National Carriers Traffic July, 7 Months 1996 July July % 1996 1995 Change American Trans Air Revenue Passenger Miles (000) 996,630 998,264 -0.2 Available Seat Miles (000) 1,365,719 1,281,920 6.5 Load Factor (%) 73.0 77.9 Passengers 548,138 526,370 4.1
Median age of the worldwide jet transport fleet was 12.5 years at the end of 1995, up from 10.5 years in 1985 and seven years in 1975. "The figures indicate that airlines are not only keeping their aircraft longer, but are opting for used aircraft more and more when they enter the market to purchase or lease additional units," says Edwin Laird, managing director of Air Cargo Management Group.
DOT issued a show cause order tentatively allocating American 3.5 weekly U.S.-Peru frequencies, effective Nov. 1, for nonstop service between Dallas/Fort Worth and Lima. The department is using show-cause procedures to allow for comments even though American was the only applicant for the authority, because United asked it to attach conditions to American's authority. The DOT proceeding offering the 3.5 additional weekly U.S.-Peru frequencies originally drew bids from Continental and United as well as American.
Forth Worth Outlet Square, a Texas shopping mall, will become the first mall to offer American AAdvantage miles on a continuing basis, beginning Sept. 7. Frequent flyer program members will receive one mile for each pretax dollar they spend at participating stores in the mall, and a new, automated system will award them miles at the point of sale. A minimum purchase of $25 is required. Members who use a Citibank AAdvantage Visa or Mastercard will receive double miles.
Major Asian carriers posted strong traffic growth in the first quarter of the year. Japan Airlines led the way at 20%, followed by Singapore at 12%, Cathay Pacific at 9.8% and Malaysia Airlines at 6%.
International Aviation Services Ltd. named J.R. Jones director-sales, Anthony Sanchez director-international sales and Alfred Escheu head of the parts/sales division.
The Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA) is urging DOT to approve International Air Transport Association agreements concerning passenger liability standards. The two related IATA agreements are the Intercarrier Agreement on Passenger Liability and the Agreement on Measures to Implement the IATA Intercarrier Agreement. The agreements would do away with the $75,000 limit on airline liability under the Warsaw Convention to any passenger killed or injured on an international flight to or from the U.S.
Canadian Airlines International is again offering Weekend Getaway specials within Canada and to the U.S. and Europe, which cut fares by as much as 85% in 133 markets. The fares require a three-day advance purchase for travel between Sept. 7 and Dec. 10, starting on a Saturday and ending on the following Monday or Tuesday. Customers flying to London can stay one more day. Examples of roundtrip fares are Toronto-London, $399; Montreal- Toronto, $99; Toronto-Vancouver, $289; Toronto-New York, $179, and Calgary- Las Vegas, $289.
Granted orally to Canadian Airlines International and Inter-Canadien (1991), operating as Ontario Express and Time Air, exemptions to conduct scheduled and charter service between any point or points in Canada and any point or points in the U.S., and authority for each carrier to conduct code-share operations with each of the other carriers in the authorized markets...Granted orally to Polar Air Cargo a two-year exemption to operate scheduled cargo service between New York Kennedy and Helsinki and beyond Finland to Pakistan and Singapore...Granted orally to Fine Airline
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.
