Southwest led the majors in February with an on-time arrival record of 82%, according to DOT's Air Travel Consumer Report, issued yesterday. Overall, the nation's 10 largest carriers recorded a 71.9% on-time rate, a marked improvement from the 62.7% rate posted in January, when harsh winter weather caused a record level of flight delays.
Standard&Poor's affirmed yesterday its A+ senior unsecured debt, A-1 commercial paper, and A preferred stock rating on the securities of International Lease Finance Corp., the ratings agency said. S&P revised its long-term ratings outlook on ILFC to "stable" from "negative." The rating action affects about $7.7 billion of debt and preferred stock.
American Trans Air will begin service from Chicago to six new points this summer - Indianapolis, San Diego, Seattle, Cancun, Grand Cayman and Montego Bay - at introductory fares ranging from $29 to $139 one way. The flights from Chicago Midway will start June 1. Fares to Indianapolis are $29, San Diego $99, Seattle $119 and Cancun, Grand Cayman and Montego Bay $139. Tickets on the introductory fare must be purchased by April 19 for travel June 1 through June 21. The fares do not require a minimum stay or advance purchase.
Aerolineas Argentinas has stationed a 727 in Miami to funnel passengers from Argentina to the Caribbean and Canada. The carrier started operating the 727 April 1 from Miami to Punta Cana, St. Maarten, San Juan, Cancun and Mexico City. It also will operate twice-weekly service to Toronto, with one weekly flight continuing to Montreal. Aerolineas Argentinas has the right to pick up passengers in Miami on flights to Punta Cana and St. Maarten, but the other flights are limited to connecting traffic, a spokeswoman said.
The European Commission said Merrill Lynch, Bankers Trust and Spanish state holding company Teneo may purchase Iberia's stake in Aerolineas Argentinas without waiting for formal authorization. A Commission official said the companies had asked European Competition Commissioner Karel Van Miert to let them proceed without having to put the deal on hold for three weeks, as required by EU competition law. The sale, encouraged by the Commission, is part of a rescue package for the Spanish carrier cleared in January.
Virgin Atlantic is promoting service to Boston and New York with giveaways to passengers who purchase a discount ticket for travel starting in June. The giveaways, which apply to 21-day advance Virgin Value Fares, include a roundtrip ticket on British Midland Airways, a roundtrip ride to Paris on the Eurostar channel tunnel train or a week's car rental from Avis. The fares start at $686 for travel between June 1 and Sept. 30. Fare levels drop in October.
America West reports a Rolls-Royce engine on one of its 757s established a new on-wing life record with 26,696 hours of operation. The previous longest engine life on a 757 - 25,000 continuous hours - also was held by a Rolls engine on one of its aircraft, according to the carrier.
Airbus Industrie said yesterday it has created a Large Aircraft Division to oversee predevelopment activities for a proposed 500-seat-plus aircraft, provisionally called the A3XX. Jurgen Thomas, who has held several senior positions at Airbus and in the German aerospace industry and who was the European project director for the Very Large Commercial Transport (VLCT) project with the U.S., was named senior VP of the new division.
Continental said it has repaid $256.5 million in debt to its largest creditor, General Electric, ahead of schedule. The carrier said it also has negotiated favorable changes in the terms and covenants on some of its remaining debt to GE. The payment was funded with the carrier's recent issuance of $230 million of 6 3/4% convertible subordinated notes due April 1, 2006, from the carrier's sale of America West stock, and from cash on hand.
Austrian Airlines has introduced a twice-weekly service to Osaka in co- operation with All Nippon Airways, and two new weekly services to Seoul. Austrian also is scheduling daily flights to Atlanta this summer and increased New York flights March 31 to daily frequency and Washington service to six flights a week. In Europe, Austrian is launching two weekly services to Kosice, Slovakia, and is scheduling 11 frequencies a week to Helsinki, up from five. It is awaiting Ukraine's authorization to include Dnepropetrovsk in its route network this summer.
U.S. Carrier Systemwide Market Share At Leading U.S. Airports U.S. Major, National and Commuter* Carriers The Year 1995 21 Orlando Enplaned Percent Passengers Marketshare Delta 2,484,715 26.91 USAir 1,683,550 18.23 American 876,716 9.50
A new air cargo airline, Golden Way Air Cargo Services, will begin operations in October between Russia and China using Il-76 aircraft with a payload of 40 metric tons. Early in 1997, GWACS will acquire a Western- built widebody freighter with payload of more than 100 tons, according to Richard Kost, senior director of international operations of Exparc Airlines, described as a certificated Russian cargo airline.
Lufthansa will prohibit smoking on all flights to Canada and the U.S. from Europe as of June 1. The ban also applies to service between Germany and 12 destinations in Europe, and flights operated by code-share partner United are covered as well. The move affects 114 weekly Lufthansa flights. In a survey of 5,000 passengers last year, the carrier found that 79% of those surveyed were non-smokers and 7% of the remaining 21% who smoked actually preferred sitting in non-smoking seats. Lufthansa started banning smoking in January 1995 on selected routes in Europe.
EVA Airways is splitting its Taipei-Seattle-New York route into two separate daily flights. Starting May 15, the carrier will fly Taipei- Seattle and Taipei-Anchorage-New York. Some of the flights to New York will operate through Kennedy Airport while others will fly into Newark. The Anchorage stop is considered technical with no passenger or cargo unloading allowed. EVA is adding two 747-400 Combis to make the new flights possible.
Chicago's O'Hare Airport will get its Display Channel Complex Rehosts (DCCR) in June, 10 months ahead of the original schedule, DOT Secretary Federico Pea said yesterday. Pea also commissioned a new Airport Surface Detection Equipment (ASDE-3) digital radar for O'Hare. He earlier announced that controllers and technicians in the Chicago area will get 10% pay bonuses (DAILY, April 2). The DCCRs will go to the Chicago Center, and the four other sites scheduled to get them - Cleveland, Washington, New York and Dallas - also will receive them ahead of schedule, Pea said.
Vanguard suffered a net loss of $12.2 million in 1995 and will lose money in the first quarter, the company said yesterday. The carrier, which started flying in December 1994, posted a net loss per share of $1.65 and an operating loss of $12.07 million. The net loss for the fourth quarter was $3.44 million, or $.70 per share. The Kansas City-based carrier flies among nine U.S. cities with six aircraft. The losses were "generally in line with our pre-startup expectations," said Vanguard Chairman Bob McAdoo.
EuroBelgian Airlines ordered two more 737-400s valued at $90 million for delivery next January, Boeing said. The carrier has a fleet of 12 737- 300s/400s and last year ordered two more 737-300s and two 737-800s, the updated version of the 737-400.
British Midland has linked its frequent flyer program to Lufthansa's Miles and More program. As of April 1, members of British Midland's Diamond Club can earn and redeem miles for Lufthansa flights, and Lufthansa members can do likewise for British Midland flights. The U.K. carrier's program is tied to frequent flyer programs at SAS, Virgin Atlantic, South African Airways and United.
Northwest has named Jeff McClelland as VP-system operations control. He joined Northwest in 1991 as a manager in the financial planning department, and in 1995 became VP-planning and finance for the technical operations department. He reports to John Kern, VP-aircraft operations and chief safety officer.
Midwest Express is introducing nonstop "moonlight" flights between Los Angeles and Milwaukee, beginning May 1. The service offers complimentary champagne, light snacks, hot towels and other amenities. The flights depart Los Angeles at night and arrive in Milwaukee in the early morning. The carrier also will begin service between Madison, Wis., and Las Vegas on the same day. No other airline currently provides nonstop flights in the market.
Beginning its international service expansion at Philadelphia Airport, USAir has moved its departure location for flights to Paris and Frankfurt to Concourse A. The carrier will add flights from Philadelphia to Munich and Madrid later this spring and is awaiting final DOT approval for service to Rome. James Forbes, Philadelphia station director, said, "These are additional gates for us, and they'll enable us to bring in more service.
Delta subsidiary DeltaTel is offering new services to communications cardholders to reserve rental cars and hotel rooms and order flowers and other gifts. Cardholders can call a toll-free number and enter their card number to be connected to Avis, Alamo, Crowne Plaza Hotels and Resorts, Hilton Hotels and Resorts, Hilton International, Holiday Inn, Radisson, Blooming Cookies and Cambridge Flowers.
United won a silver medal at the International Flight Catering Association's 1996 Mercury Awards in Rome for its Heart Smart special meals. United has worked with Heart Smart Restaurants over the past seven months to find meals that are low in calories, saturated fat and cholesterol.
USAir will add two daily flights from Nashville to Washington National Airport June 15 with continuing service to Boston. USAir serves Nashville from Charlotte, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Baltimore with 128-seat 737- 300s.
