Cincinnati- and Orlando-based Comair flew 134.7 million revenue passenger miles in June, a 24.5% increase from June 1995. Capacity increased more slowly - 15.3% to 221.3 million from 191.9 million - allowing the load factor to rise 4.5 percentage points to 60.9% from 56.4% in the prior period. The number of passengers boarded rose 20.4% to 413,389 from 343,286.
Objections to the proposed British Airways-American alliance is "predictable, meritless and shortsighted," according to American. "It is clear that the objections are based on an intense desire by other carriers to deny American and BA the benefits of the alliances almost all of our opponents already enjoy," said Arnold Grossman, American VP, international planning. Noting that the deal is contingent on a U.S.-U.K.
Aero Personal, a Mexican air taxi operator of executive aircraft, applied to DOT for an exemption to provide charter passenger service with small aircraft between Mexico and the U.S. Aero Personal also requested stopover privileges and relief from the requirement to obtain advance approval for each Mexico-U.S. flight. The carrier estimated that it will operate 35 roundtrips annually between Mexico and the U.S. with an average of two to three passengers per flight. Half of the transborder trips are expected to serve more than one destination in the U.S.
The Senate Appropriations Committee yesterday approved the fiscal 1997 DOT appropriations bill (H.R.3675), adding $60 million to the Airport Improvement Program funding level approved by the transportation subcommittee (DAILY, July 17). The additional money brings the proposed funding for FAA to $8.336 billion, although $75 million of that total is provided through offsetting user fees.
United's Air Line Pilots Association unit showed support this week for fellow pilots at American, who are represented by the Allied Pilots Association. United's pilot leaders passed a resolution at their week-long meeting in Chicago to stress to United senior management that the airline's flight center must not be used to train any pilot attempting to take a union pilot's job at American.
Air Line Pilots Association has issued its own accident report on the Oct. 31, 1994 crash of American Eagle (Simmons Airlines) flight 4184 near Roselawn, Ind., which claimed all 68 people aboard. The report - referred to as a "magazine" and dated May 1996 - covers the final 30 minutes of flight 4184, including the cockpit-voice-recorder transcript, and was distributed to some 1,800 ALPA-member pilots of ATR 42/72 series aircraft.
DOT has issued an order soliciting proposals for essential air service at Goodland, Kan., and Lamar, Colo. Mesa Air Group's Mountain West unit filed notice of its intent to suspend its subsidized service between the communities and Denver Aug. 9 (DAILY, July 12). Mountain West's cessation will leave the communities without any scheduled air service, although both remain eligible for service within the essential air service program. (Docket OST-95-934)
DOT issued a show cause order tentatively awarding United Parcel Service a certificate to operate charter passenger services. The carrier plans to modify five Boeing 727-100 freighter aircraft for conversions to operate the passenger charters for cruise lines and tour operators, beginning next year (DAILY, June 14). UPS will operate mostly weekend charters from East Coast and Midwest cities to points in Florida, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas and Mexico. (Dockets OST-96-1384&OST-96-1385)
Fairchild/Dornier Chairman Carl Albert is now talking about turbofan powerplants for the 30-passenger Dornier 328 and for the 50-passenger stretch that he has committed the company to develop. Such products would require some modifications to the unique Dornier wing design to accommodate the under-wing installation. But Jim Robinson, the former president of both Learjet and AlliedSignal Engines, is now president of Dornier Luftfahrt and has lavished praise on the German manufacturer's engineering capabilities. Innovation can be expected in the long term.
Five former employees of Mesa Air Group face charges of conspiracy, wire fraud and lying to FAA inspectors in connection with the use of defective or substandard parts. The violations took place between 1990 and 1992 at Mesa's then-Skyway unit in Milwaukee. Mesa subsequently lost its contract to operate Skyway on behalf of Midwest Express, the regional's current parent. According to a statement issued Wednesday, Mesa immediately took 12 Beech 1900s out of service and replaced the suspect parts and fired all five of the now-indicted employees in 1993.
In response to growing demand, China Airlines has added a second weekly all-cargo flight between Taipei and Kaohsiung. The 747-200 flights provide the only scheduled all-cargo service between the island's northern and southern sectors.
Continental is urging DOT to turn down American's bid to operate code- share services with the TACA Group of carriers. American and the TACA Group - Aviateca, Compania Panamena de Aviacion, Lineas Aereas Costarricenses, Nicaraguense de Aviacion, TACA de Honduras S.A., and TACA International Airlines - signed an alliance agreement last month proposing to launch code-share services between the U.S. and Central America and other cooperative programs, beginning Nov. 1 (DAILY, June 28). "Not content with operating 68% of the U.S.
Continental Express revenue passenger miles increased 11.7% last month to 78.3 million, compared with 70.1 million in June 1995. Capacity rose 9.4% to 143.5 million available seat miles from 131.2 million. The load factor climbed 1.1 percentage points to 54.6% from 53.5%.
Emery Worldwide Airlines is seeking a one-year renewal of its authority to wet-lease DC-8-73 aircraft to Turkish Airlines for two weekly scheduled roundtrip flights between New York and Istanbul, with a technical stop at Shannon.
Cape Smythe Air Service, Barrow, Alaska, acquired its fourth Piper T- 1040, a used aircraft, from Meridian Jet Prop, Inc., Meridian said. The aircraft had previously been operated by Canadian airline Air Labrador of Goose Bay, Newfoundland. Meridian remarkets used turboprops, including de Havilland Dash 7s and Twin Otters, Embraer Brasilias and Bandeirantes and Fairchild Metro IIIs.
Alaska Air Group, Inc., generated $18 million in second quarter profits, or $0.88 per share on a fully diluted basis. The profit, a record for the carrier in the period, compares with $7 million, or $0.48 per share, in the same 1995 quarter. The company's operating income rose 15.05% to $416.7 million, while its operating income grew 62.04% to $39.7 million. By contrast, operating expenses rose only 11.6% to $377 million.
Kiwi's traffic jumped 34% in June to 120.9 million revenue passenger miles from 90 million in June of last year on 12% more capacity. The load factor rose 10 percentage points to 58%, with available seat miles totaling 208.1 million. Traffic for the second quarter rose 41% to 406.5 million RPMs on 21% more capacity, or 668.1 million ASMs. The load factor rose nine points to 61%. Kiwi carried 174,400 passengers in June and 581,400 in the second quarter.
American Eagle's four regional carriers logged an 0.2% increase in traffic last month, flying 228.6 million revenue passenger miles, compared with 228.3 million in June 1995. The traffic increase was recorded despite a 23.3% decline in Flagship Airlines' RPMs to 55.4 million. System capacity dropped 5.3% to 364.5 million available seat miles from 384.9 million. The load factor increased 3.4 percentage points to 62.7% from 59.3%, and enplanements were up 0.5% to nearly 1.09 million.
The state of Hawaii is urging DOT to renew Continental Micronesia's U.S.-Philippines service authority. Currently providing two weekly Honolulu-Guam-Manila roundtrip flights and five weekly Guam-Manila flights, the carrier has requested allocation of three additional combination frequencies that are available as of Oct. 1 for service to the Philippines via Honolulu, Guam and Saipan. These services provide important benefits to the traveling and shipping public, as well as Hawaii, said the state.
Travel Industry Association has selected Oklahoma Travel and Tourism Division Director Kathleen Marks as its 1996 state travel director of the year. The award is based on votes by fellow state travel directors. While Marks was state travel director, Oklahoma adopted a new theme, "Oklahoma. Native America," which became the guiding principle of a tourism campaign. A poll of out-of-state residents showed that before the campaign, 98% of respondents had no image of Oklahoma, which improved by 42% afterward .
WestJet Airlines of Canada ordered two 737 hushkits, which will enable it to operate the aircraft under Canadian noise rules, said Avaero, the Safety Harbor, Fla.-based manufacturer.
British Airways will move its Latin American operations from London Heathrow to Gatwick next spring. The switch is the latest in a series of systematic shifts of lower-yield, long-haul services to Gatwick, which is less crowded, so BA can add flights to Heathrow later. A spokesman for the carrier said the moves, planned for a year, are in no way tied to the proposed BA-American alliance. The carrier's East and Central African flights were transferred to Gatwick in March.
Air China Chairman Yin Wenlong's current week-long visit to Taiwan is fueling speculation that the Taiwan government will permit direct flights between Taiwan and China before Hong Kong reverts to Chinese control next July. Yin's agenda in Taipei includes talks with officials of the island's airlines on technical issues, including ticketing and coordinating transit flights.
Netherlands industrial firm Stork N.V. said yesterday it will acquire Fokker Aviation, the surviving services and components businesses of Fokker Aircraft, for 302.5 million guilders (about US$178.5 million). Terming the acquisition a "logical extension" of its businesses, Stork said its takeover agreement requires it to "provide the maximum possible support in the event of any decision to recommence Fokker aircraft production," something it would do anyway for the sake of the service business it is acquiring.
TWA turned in a strong second quarter financial performance with net income of $25.3 million, up from $5.17 million in second quarter 1995, on a 12.35% increase in revenues to $966.8 million. "Our fundamentals are quite strong and we continue to be on plan," said TWA President Jeffrey Erickson, who commented that the jump in profits was propelled by increased traffic as well as revenue. He said he is "a little bit disappointed," however, by an increase in unit costs to 8.71 cents per available seat mile from 8.2 cents a year ago.
