FAA has failed to follow through on congressional mandates that certain safety-related systems and measures at airports be made a high priority, the Air Line Pilots Association said in comments on the Airport Improvement Program reauthorization. In a statement submitted for the record to the House Transportation aviation subcommittee, ALPA President Randolph Babbitt noted that 10 airport-related safety items are spelled out by statute (Section 47101(f) of Title 49) as warranting FAA's highest priority.
Investor Warren Buffett wants out of USAir now. Buffett, known as a shrewd investor who buys and holds stock for the long term, said in a filing at the Securities and Exchange Commission that his investment firm, Berkshire Hathaway, tried to sell his 358,000 preferred shares back to the company. He also said he may try to sell the shares to a third party. Buffett threatened to liquidate his holding last year after airline employees failed to agree to concessions to help USAir lower its exorbitant costs. The holding represents about 10.5% of the USAir Group.
Northwest has issued "Getting it Right: A Response to Factual Assertions in Expanding the U.S.-Japan Aviation Market," its own study rebutting in detail assertions made by ACCESS U.S.-Japan. Prepared by Roberts, Roach&Associates, the study maintains that "the ACCESS case rests on two faulting propositions: First, that air service between the United States and Japan in some way doesn't 'measure up' and that this 'fact' can be benchmarked by service in the U.S.-United Kingdom market.
United Express affiliate Atlantic Coast Airlines offered 65.7 million available seat miles last month, a 16.8% increase from the figure recorded in April 1995. Traffic rose 7.3% to nearly 31 million revenue passenger miles, as load factor dropped 4.1 percentage points to 47.2% from 51.3%. The number of passengers boarded rose 10.1% to 127,691 from 115,998. Chief Executive Kerry Skeen said, "The results for April reflect ACA's continued growth in traffic while at the same time succeeding in our strategy of maximizing yield potential.
Taiwan authorities have nearly completed their investigation of bid-rigging allegations in the project to construct a second terminal at the Chiang Kai-shek Airport, an official of Taiwan's Investigation Bureau said. "The bureau finished its investigation into the allegations on May 7th," he said, "and will soon transfer the case to prosecutors in order that indictments can be issued." According to the official, the bureau found irregularities during two procedures related to bidding for the contract to install air conditioning at the new facility.
Taiwan, troubled by increasing numbers of birds near its airports and the increasing risk of bird strikes, has approved a new form of predatory practice - a one-year experiment in which 15 crested goshawks and 10 Asiatic sparrow hawks will be trained to attack lesser birds. A National Pingtung Polytechnic Institute professor, Fei Chia-Chi, believes hawks can be trained to patrol specific areas.
American Eagle affiliate Simmons Airlines in 1995 enplaned the most passengers, nearly 5 million, among the 124 carriers classified as regional airlines in the Regional Airline Association annual traffic survey published this week (DAILY, May 8). Meanwhile, Saab's 30- to 37-seat Saab 340 accounted for the most regional lift capacity in the U.S. airlines' 2,138-unit fleet, with 13.8% of total seating capacity.
An asset utilization group at United Parcel Service is looking at providing weekend passenger charters. UPS has 51 727-100s that have or will get new Tay engines, new cockpits, GPS and headup displays. "We have a lot of money in our fleet, and those aircraft get very little utilization," a spokesman said. The aircraft are used about two hours a day, compared with eight or more for most passenger-carrying airline aircraft. "We have been looking at the concept of creating a quick-change kit to convert them to passenger use on weekends," the spokesman said.
Air Alliance, an Air Canada affiliate, has ordered five new Beech 1900Ds for delivery in June through September. The transaction includes options for another five aircraft. The contract, including aircraft, spares, training and product support, is worth more than $25 million.
Slot Watch - AMR Eagle carrier Simmons was the largest slot-holder at the four FAA-designated "high-density airports" as of Wednesday. According to the agency's slot office, Simmons controlled 204 slots - two at New York Kennedy and 202 at Chicago O'Hare. Delta Connection Business Express was next with 136 - 16 at Washington National, 26 at Kennedy and 94 at New York LaGuardia. United Express affiliate United Feeder Service and TWExpress affiliate Trans States, which are corporately linked, occupied 119 slots - 17 at Washington National, 44 at Kennedy and 58 at O'Hare.
Lufthansa will increase the frequency of its nonstop Frankfurt-Madras service from twice to three times a week, beginning June 8. Three flights per week are as many as are permitted under the 1994 Indo-German bilateral aviation agreement, which gives the German carrier a total of 15 frequencies per week: seven to New Delhi, five to Mumbai (formerly Bombay) and three to Madras. Lufthansa plans to increase the number of Indian cabin crew members on Frankfurt-India flights.
Delta and Northwest have joined United in seeking third-country, code-share frequencies available to U.S. airlines under the recent U.S.-Poland agreement. Also applying for certificate authority, via intermediate European points, Delta has asked for one of the two available code-share designations and seven weekly frequencies. It would operate daily service, via Vienna, with its code-share partner Austrian Airlines between its U.S. gateways Atlanta and New York and Warsaw.
Atlantic Southeast flew 75.8 million revenue passenger miles in April 1996, a 19.9% jump from April 1995. Capacity rose 6.6% to 150.2 million available seat miles from 140.8 million, as load factor swelled 5.6 percentage points to 50.5%. Carrier President John Beiser said, "We are extremely pleased with our strong performance....Our traffic growth in April was highlighted by a new monthly boarding record set at our Atlanta hub, exceeding our previous high set in March despite one less day." April 96 April 95 4 Mths 96 4 Mths 95
DOT traffic data by market suggest that it will be increasingly difficult for ValuJet to grow in new markets as fast as it has in the past.The airline's load factor in December for flights out of Atlanta was 63%, compared with 53% from Washington Dulles and only 22% from Boston, where it has acknowledged problems.
Japan Air Lines (JAL) will start selling ticketless travel and take reservations over the Internet this summer. The carrier will begin offering ticketless travel within Japan on June 20 and Internet bookings on July 1. Internet booking will be available 24 hours a day for all JAL service and flights of a subsidiary, Japan Transocean Airways of Okinawa, in which JAL holds a 51% stake. The new service enables Internet users to check seat availability on flights and pull down departure and arrival information.
Cathay Pacific Airways and the Hong Kong Airport Authority signed an agreement this week for the airline to build a HK$3.5 billion - US$448 million - headquarters complex at Chek Lap Kok Airport. The complex, including a 10-level office facility, will cover 90,000 square meters.
British Airways Chairman Colin Marshall received the James Smithson Bicentennial Medal this week for leadership in science and world conservation. Smithson was the first benefactor of the Smithsonian museums. Past medal winners include Lyndon Johnson and Helen Hays.
Tower Air flew 4,382 block hours last month, a 6.8% decrease from April 1995 levels. Capacity increased 3.5% to 322 million available seat miles, while traffic grew 0.9% to 236 million revenue passenger miles. The increase in ASMs and RPMs came from more traffic in the San Juan, Los Angeles and Oakland markets, while the fall in block hours was attributable to the fact that the Hadj occurred in April last year, instead of May, Tower said. For the first four months of the year, block hours increased 3.1% to 13,398.
Sluggish growth last year at Paris airports is attributable directly to "the lack of an aviation agreement with the U.S.," Pat Murphy, DOT deputy assistant secretary for aviation and international affairs, said yesterday at the International Air Cargo Conference in Toledo, Ohio. The French said it was due to "several domestic factors."
American Society of Travel Agents praised United for extending the 24-hour ticketing rule to 72 hours in two test markets - Phoenix and Las Vegas - and urged the carrier to go systemwide with the practice.
Mercury Air Group said net income declined to $877,000 in the quarter ended March 31, the third of its fiscal year, from $1 million during the same quarter last year. Revenue increased 15%, from $50 million to a record $57.3 million. For the first nine months of its fiscal year, Mercury's net income increased 9% to $3.5 million and revenue rose 22% to $164.5 million, both records.
British Airways is offering savings of as much as 56% for spring travel from seven U.S. cities to more than 40 destinations throughout the world. The offer requires a 21-day purchase, tickets must be purchased by May 21, and travel must be completed by June 30.
Administration efforts to stress intermodal transportation and liberalize international aviation are boosting cargo operations, DOT Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and International Affairs Patrick Murphy said yesterday. "Beyond the administration having a strong interest in promoting this vital aerospace/airline industry, there are three policies at work in the department" affecting the cargo carriers, Murphy told attendees at the Fifth Annual International Air Cargo Conference in Toledo, Ohio.
General Electric and Pratt&Whitney agreed to form a 50-50 joint venture to work exclusively on an all-new engine at thrust ratings between 72,000 and 84,000 lbst., aimed at Boeing's hoped-for growth models of the 747, the engine companies said yesterday. In a joint statement, the rivals confirmed plans to structure the project like CFM International, GE's 50-50 venture with French enginemaker Snecma, whose CFM56 turbofan is among the most successful commercial jet engines ever built.
