House Natural Resources Committee has thrown out a proposal that would have imposed user fees on commercial aircraft overflying U.S. national parks. The United States Air Tour Association, which lobbied hard against the fees - sightseeing tours would have had to pay them - said there are more than 650 million acres of parklands in the country that would fall under the proposed regulation.
Officials from Russian aircraft makers Tupolev and Yakovlev will return to Moscow today without a deal to acquire bankrupt Dutch manufacturer Fokker. After two days of talks in Amsterdam, the Russian delegation could not convince the court-appointed receivers of Fokker of the solvency of its bid. According to sources close to the negotiations, the Russians could not show proof of their claim that the Russian central bank issued a $260 million guarantee. The delegation was supposed to be led by G.P.
France is reconsidering its decision in February to drop out of Airbus Industrie's first military aircraft program, the prospective Future Large Airlifter military transport aircraft program in response to assurances from the Airbus Industrie-led contractor team that it already has come up with ways to reduce the cost of the program, industry and French defense officials told The DAILY. British Aerospace military adviser Patrick Hine, who commanded U.K.
The Los Angeles city controller has announced that, according to a consultant's report, Los Angeles Airport owes the city's general fund $252 million over and above the $102 million the consultant previously determined the airport owed the city. Controller Rick Tuttle this week issued the accounting firm's report and a March 29 letter to Mayor Richard Riordan that suggested the approximately $350 million balance should be repaid over 10 years.
DOT is inviting certificate and/or frequency applications from U.S. carriers interested in scheduled combination or all-cargo service between the U.S. and Thailand. There are 17 weekly combination and 21 weekly all- cargo frequencies available for service via intermediate points in the U.S.-Thailand market. Currently, Northwest and United each operate seven weekly combination frequencies to Bangkok via Tokyo with full traffic rights. Northwest operates two and Federal Express one all-cargo weekly frequencies.
Southwest will offer vacation packages to Orlando through Orlando- based Southwest Airlines Fun Pack Vacations when it starts service to the city this Sunday. The Mark Travel Corp. is the exclusive tour operator for Fun Pack Vacations. The joint venture with Southwest began in 1989 with only one destination - Las Vegas. It now has packages to 14 destinations.
Varig and Transbrasil filed a joint application for authority to carry out a short-term code-sharing arrangement for flights to and from the U.S. Transbrasil's designator code would appear on Varig's Sao Paulo-New York and Rio de Janeiro-New York/Miami services, and Varig's code would be placed on Transbrasil's Rio de Janeiro/Sao Paulo-Orlando and Brasilia-New York, via Miami and Washington Dulles, service.
Hawaiian Airlines will give away more than 133,054 prizes to travelers this month and in May to promote interisland and West Coast travel. Two grand prizes are available - fantasy Las Vegas vacations for two, including first-class air on Hawaiian, seven nights at the California Hotel and Casino, backstage passes to the Enter The Night extravaganza, photos with show stars, golf packages and $10,000 in cash. Two first prizes are similar vacation packages with $5,000 cash.
Standard&Poor's assigned yesterday a BB- rating to ValuJet Inc.'s $125 million senior notes, the carrier said. ValuJet's corporate credit rating is BB.
Gemini Air Cargo, an indirect air carrier, said it signed an agreement with World Airways for DC-10-30F service between the U.S. and Korea. The pact covers operations between New York Kennedy and Seoul Kimpo every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Gemini said it acquired the purchase right to six DC-10-30s from Potomac Financial Group in September and is converting the aircraft to cargo aircraft under an agreement with Aeronavali. Three of the six aircraft have been modified and are in operation.
Trans World Express operator Trans States Airlines will begin serving Richmond from New York Kennedy June 15, offering three daily roundtrips. Passengers will receive double frequent flyer miles until Aug. 15. The carrier will offer $99 roundtrip introductory fares between the two cities for tickets purchased by midnight April 9. The fares are good for travel June 16-July 16.
ALM Antillean Airlines will launch nonstop service between Atlanta and Aruba with continuing service to Curaao and Bonaire. The flight, which starts April 7, will be operated every Sunday.
Retaliating for DOT's inaction on Japan Airline's bid for Tokyo and Kona service, Japan's Ministry of Transport told United and Northwest March 29 that it will impose limits on the U.S. carriers' services. The MOT said it was deferring action on frequency increases requested for May and also would impose limits on the carriers' fifth freedom passenger composition. The U.S. put a hold on JAL's proposed Tokyo-Kona service because of Japan's continued inaction on United's applications for Osaka-Seoul and Osaka- Bangkok service, a U.S. government official said.
The avionics market will grow at double-digit rates through 1998, according to a forecast by Frost&Sullivan, Mountain View, Calif. "However, it is expected that only three or four companies will be able to take advantage of the emerging opportunities in this area because companies will need a wide range of products to succeed," the forecast says.
FAA Administrator David Hinson, taking advantage of the agency's new personnel system, named Carson Eoyang program director for training and Joel Taub deputy chief financial officer. Hinson estimated the new FAA Executive System reduced the hiring time for these positions by more than a month. Eoyang, who was training officer for NASA, will be responsible for management, research, forecasting and long-range planning of personnel activities. Taub will provide guidance for budget formulation, budget execution and accounting functions.
USAir has reduced fares from Nashville to Washington National, and from Savannah, Ga., to six cities. The Nashville tariffs are as much as $145 lower than regular fares each way, beginning June 15, when the carrier starts serving the route. Fares from Savannah have been cut as much as 35% to Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle. The fares require a 21-day advance purchase.
American is urging DOT to turn down Aeroflot's application to operate beyond-Miami service to Lima, Peru, with full local traffic rights. Although the U.S.-Russia agreement "provides for traffic rights beyond Miami to several points in South America, Lima is not one of them," American said. Commenting that several U.S.
DOT has granted Ansett Airlines affiliate Kendell Airlines authority to operate code-share service with United between Sydney and Canberra, Australia, beginning immediately. Kendell will display United's designator code on flights on the route. Operating Saab 340 aircraft, Kendell will replace Ansett Australia, which currently displays United's code, on the Sydney-Canberra route. Kendell and Ansett are jointly owned by the Australian corporations TNT Limited and The New Corporation (DAILY, March 15). Kendell will not code share on United's flights between the U.S.
American has signed a code-sharing pact with El Al, enabling the carriers to place their codes on each other's flights between Tel Aviv and Chicago O'Hare, Los Angles, Miami and Newark. The agreement takes effect Nov. 1. American's AA code will go on El Al flights from Tel Aviv to Chicago and Newark, while El Al will put its LY designator on some American flights operating between Chicago and both Los Angeles/Miami, and also between Newark and Chicago/Los Angeles/Miami.
Continental's operating success continued into the first quarter and the carrier is preparing to reveal record-breaking results, according to Chairman and Chief Executive Gordon Bethune.He told employees the numbers to be released this month are "far in excess" of expectations.
Contending for as-yet-unsecured U.S.-Japan rights, three U.S. carriers assailed United's bid for new service to Japan. One of four U.S. carriers applying for U.S.-Japan service, United tendered a bid to operate Chicago- Osaka, Seattle-Tokyo/Osaka and Washington-Tokyo/Osaka flights. It also asked DOT to lift limits on its frequencies between Chicago and Tokyo, or add eight weekly frequencies to its present six (DAILY, March 8).
Danish carrier Maersk Air will expand its scheduled network between the U.K. and Denmark this summer by adding 31 weekly flights serving four key destinations. The expansion is being driven mainly by growth in western Denmark, which this summer will receive 19 weekly flights operating between London Gatwick and Billund, increasing passenger capacity by almost 20%. Three flights daily will operate Monday to Friday with the introduction of a new lunchtime roundtrip, and twice-daily flights will operate at weekends.
Hawaiian Airlines is offering interisland flight coupons in conjunction with its million-dollar scratch-and-win promotion - Go Where The Action Is. The coupons come in booklets of five valid for travel on any Hawaiian interisland flight through Dec. 31 for $210 per book, or $42 a flight. The coupons can be purchased through April 12. For the next two months, Hawaiian's passengers have a chance to win cash and other prizes.
Gulfstream International Airlines plans to expand its Florida and Bahamas service April 26. The carrier said it will increase service to Miami, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Tampa, West Palm Beach and Freeport. New daily flights also will be added between West Palm Beach and Jacksonville and between West Palm Beach and Marsh Harbour, Bahamas. Gulfstream recently expanded its code-sharing arrangement with United to include intra-Florida markets.
