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.
Japan Airlines will launch three-times-a-week flights between Japan and Kona, Hawaii, on June 2. JAL filed the plan May 8 with the Japanese Ministry of Transport. With the new flights the carrier will serve two destinations on the "Big Island" - the carrier also flies between Tokyo Narita Airport and Keahole Airport, a second airport on Kona. The new flights will operate nonstop from Tokyo to Kona using a 404-seat 747-300, with a stop in Honolulu on return flights. The U.S. and Japan concluded an agreement recently that allows the service to begin.
Hyatt Hotels Corp. has revamped its Cuisine Naturelle menu to help travelers maintain a healthy diet and boost energy while on the road. Meals feature low-fat, low-cholesterol foods and high-protein meals. The menu, first developed in 1992, represents 30% of Hyatt's total food sales. The latest version contains eight new entrees and is available in all 103 Hyatt hotels in North America.
Fuel Cost and Consumption U.S. Major, Nationals and Large Regionals April 1995 - March 1996 Total Total Cost Gallons (Dollars) 1995 April Domestic 1,023,098,895 537,964,806 International 353,736,924 210,795,692 System Total 1,376,835,819 748,760,498 May
Air Canada, Air Alliance and Air Nova have put in place electronic ticketing to 23 more destinations in Quebec and Atlantic Canada. Currently, Air Canada and regional partners AirBC, Air Ontario, Air Alliance and Air Nova offer ticketless travel to more than 60 destinations in Canada and several major cities in the U.S., including Seattle, Boston and New York.
Anne-Marie Idrac, France's transport secretary, and Daniel Goldin, NASA administrator, are the featured speakers at the American Bar Association Forum on Air&Space Law, scheduled June 5-6 at the Sheraton Washington Hotel in Washington.
