Delta, Swissair and Singapore Airlines, partners in the six-year-old Global Excellence Alliance, have formed what they say is the aviation industry's largest independent buying consortium. DSS World Sourcing AG, owned jointly by the three airlines and based in Zurich, will source a variety of items, including flight amenities, beverages, duty-free stationery, uniforms, and office and computer equipment.
Canadian Holidays, the charter and package tour subsidiary of struggling Canadian Airlines International, has been approached by potential investors interested in purchasing the operation. Canadian Holidays stressed that a firm offer has not been made.
Airport and Airway Trust Fund Balance Sheet As of June 30, 1995 Current Month ASSETS Undisbursed Balances: Available for Investment $ 1,184.87 TOTAL UNDISBURSED BALANCE (Cash in Account) Receivables: Interest Receivables $ 0.00 TOTAL RECEIVABLES
Air Transport Association and 59 airlines filed a rates and charges complaint Friday at DOT arguing that landing fees that took effect July 1 at Los Angeles Airport are unreasonable. Carriers also asked DOT to intervene and order airport officials to provide more consultation on landing fees. DOT issued a scheduling notice on the new complaint yesterday, providing procedural deadlines leading up to a Sept. 25 decision on the significance of the dispute.
United has expanded electronic ticketing nationwide, to all 2,000 of its daily domestic flights. The E-Ticket option is available, effective yesterday, on sales for travel beginning Sept. 18. United said its surveys show that 95% of its customers believe ticketless is the most convenient way to travel, and 88% said E-Ticket would be their preferred ticketing option.
Aerolineas Argentinas drops to fourth on the list of Latin America's largest airlines with LanChile's acquisition of a 57% interest in Ladeco.The LanChile/Ladeco combination is now the third largest entity in the region, behind the Aeromexico/Mexicana combination, which may be broken up during the next few years, and Brazil's Varig.
Air Canada plans to begin nonstop service between Toronto and Las Vegas Oct. 29 with five flights a week. The airline will operate the service with Boeing 767s configured for two classes of service. To promote the new route, Air Canada will offer double Aeroplan miles until Dec. 15. The carrier said its flights will be the only scheduled, nonstop service from Canada to Las Vegas.
Aeromexico plans to launch nonstop San Diego-Cabo San Lucas flights Oct. 29, with direct service to Mexico City, subject to government approval. The airline described its expansion into Cabo San Lucas, located on the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula, as "just another step in Aeromexico's continuing effort to address the international traveler's never-ending quest for outstanding destinations."
South African Airways is urging DOT to accept a South African government proposal increasing the number of frequencies available in the U.S.-South Africa market. In comments on the U.S.-South Africa Allocation Proceeding, SAA said the new direct service opportunities, offered by South Africa in the most recent round of U.S.-South Africa talks, would satisfy the needs of U.S. carriers seeking access to the market and resolve DOT's USAfrica uncertainties.
Miami-based Gulfstream International Airlines has named Tony Gattone senior VP-marketing and sales. He spent 38 years at United in operations, sales and marketing positions. Gulfstream said Gattone will focus on a planned route expansion into northern Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia, and Caribbean points. He also will oversee relations with major carriers.
U.S. Customs Service will begin a trial run this year at Miami Airport of a streamlined inspection process designed to speed passengers through customs and improve enforcement. A Customs spokesman said passengers who fit the profile of residents returning from a country where the risk of drug trafficking or terrorism is considered low will be allowed to declare orally what items they are bringing back into the country, instead of providing a written document. Customs already allows the oral declaration for land border crossing.
SF Wings, owner of Sportsflight Airways, has appointed former Kiwi International Air Lines President Danny Wright interim president of the Tucson-based charter carrier. Wright replaces Robert Fleming, who has been president and chief executive of Sportsflight since its inception in October 1993. The company received its FAR Part 121 certificate in April 1994. Fleming is leaving the company to pursue other business opportunities in aviation, Sportsflight said.
UPS plans to give its full-time, non-management employees the opportunity to make a personal investment in the company by purchasing stock, beginning Oct. 2. UPS currently limits employee stock ownership to managers and supervisors. UPS Chairman and Chief Executive Kent Nelson said, "Today, more than ever before, we are calling on our people at all levels to take direct responsibility for the customer's satisfaction." UPS allowed managers to buy stock beginning in 1945 and has more than 28,000 active manager-owners.
U.S. National Carriers Traffic July, 7 Months 1995 July July % 1995 1994 Change Alaska Revenue Passenger Miles (000) 881,000 788,000 11.8 Available Seat Miles (000) 1,346,000 1,167,000 15.3 Load Factor (%) 65.5 67.5
Flight demonstrations show that advanced-technology surveillance, communications and display systems can increase safety as well as capacity in ground operations at major airports, NASA reported. The agency's Langley Research Center equipped its 737 research aircraft with a high- speed data link from Arinc and its own moving map display for tests at the FAA Tech Center, Atlantic City, N.J. An air traffic controller sent taxi routes and hold instructions to the aircraft, and these were displayed for the cockpit crew on the moving map.
American has appointed Tommy McFall, director of the National Transportation Safety Board's regional office in Arlington, as managing director-safety and environment, effective Oct. 1. McFall will replace John Feil, who is taking advantage of American's early-out retirement program. McFall worked for Feil in 1986 as manager of flight safety.
Air Jamaica has appointed Jose Lorenzo VP-sales in charge of North America. He will also be responsible for airport operations in all seven of Air Jamaica's gateway cities. Prior to joining Air Jamaica, he was president of American Sales&Management Organization, responsible for all Avensa/Servivensa operations in North America.
Royal Jordanian Airline has named Motassem Kilani director-air services at New York Kennedy. He succeeds Omar Ismail, who has transferred to Karachi, where he is now area director for Pakistan. He was director-traffic procedures and systems for Royal Jordanian in Amman, and he was the airline's representative to the International Air Transport Association.
USAir is cutting fares in more than 7,500 markets in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean by up to 58%. As with other carriers offering fall fare specials, tickets must be purchased by Sept. 1 and travel completed by Dec. 15. USAir said tickets can be purchased in some markets until Sept. 15.
Continental is offering passengers four free nights in hotels in Europe, as well as car service from the airport, if they purchase a Business First ticket with the American Express card. The offer is good in London, Paris, Madrid and Frankfurt. Travel must be completed by Dec. 15, although applicable dates vary according to hotel and city. Continental, which offers two daily flights to Frankfurt in the summer, has made one of them smoke-free.
Delta has created a wholly owned subsidiary, Delta Staffing Services Inc., to provide temporary clerical and administrative support services beginning this fall, initially in Atlanta. Delta normally contracts with temporary agencies for such services. It expects to reduce costs by dealing with the subsidiary, which may sell its services to other companies in the future.
City and County of Denver reduced Denver Airport's airline rates and charges after determining that the amount needed to recover costs in 1995 is less than originally projected. As a result, the airlines will pay $8.7 million less annually to operate at Denver. The city said a contributing factor to the rates and charges reduction was its ability to increase the size of a June 1995 bond offering. Interest income on airport bond reserve funds has been higher than projected, the city said.
Air Transport Association staff has been working on concepts for FAA reform, which it plans to present to the ATA board in September. The association views financing as the single most important issue in FAA reform.
Continental has reached a tentative agreement during mediated talks with its Continental Express pilots, represented by the Independent Association of Continental Pilots, for a first contract. The union said the pact provides an increase in total compensation of 26% over the two-year term, but a company spokeswoman said the two disagree on the actual percentage.
