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.
Cost of travel continues to increase faster than other goods and services. In March, travel prices were up 1.3% versus 0.5% for the consumer price index, according to the Travel Industry Association's Travel Price Index. The cost of lodging was up 3% in March from February and 5.5% from March 1995. Air fares fell 0.3% from the previous month and from March 1995.
World Airways flew 4,292 block hours in April, a 0.9% increase from April 1995 levels. Average daily utilization fell to 9.6 block hours from 12.8 in April 1995. Average fleet size was 14.9 aircraft units, compared with 11.1 a year ago. For the first four months, block hours increased 34% to 14,926, and utilization fell to 9.9 block hours per day from 10.3. Average aircraft units numbered 12.4, compared with nine in the same 1995 period.
Southwest has launched "Go West" discounts on fares from San Antonio, Austin and Houston to Nashville and destinations in the West. One-way fares range from $49 to $99. They require a seven-day advance purchase.
Strong international business helped generate another healthy month of traffic growth for Northwest in April. International traffic jumped 18.1% last month, compared with April 1995 levels, pushing systemwide traffic up 11.2%. Capacity for the month increased 7%, while the load factor increased 2.7 percentage points to 70.9%. The number of passengers carried rose 8.9%. For the first four months, traffic was up 11.9%, compared with the same 1995 period, on 8.1% more capacity. The load factor was up 2.4 points to 70.4%.
Reno Air, emulating Southwest, has started offering "Take A Friend" fares. The discounts enable a full-fare passenger to take up to three companion passengers on the trip for $50 roundtrip each between either Fairbanks or Anchorage and Seattle and Portland.
TriStar Airlines passengers can save $25 on a weekly car rental from Budget. TriStar's ticket jackets contain certificates for lower rates redeemable at Los Angeles and Las Vegas McCarran airports.
Export-Import Bank Chairman Martin Kamarck, defending the bank against charges of "corporate welfare," and "interference in the market place," said yesterday at Ex-Im Bank's annual conference in Washington that U.S. companies "time after time, deal after deal...face not just bruising competition on market factors, or price, quality, service, but also official, foreign government-sponsored financing support. Almost always that support is backed by proportionately greater resources than the U.S. has given to Ex-Im Bank and its sister agencies.
Hewlett-Packard Co., SkyTel Corp. and Etak Corp. are offering visitors to Atlanta faster, more accessible travel information June 1-Sept. 30 with the Personal Travel Guide, a hand-held PC and two-way pager with a digital street map of Atlanta and the surrounding area. The guide is being tested by the Federal Highway Administration, the results of which will help the three companies determine commercial applications.
American Trans Air launched a summer sale with fares as low as $71 one way to children and senior citizens. The carrier also is offering a special seven-day rate for an Avis car rental in Florida.
Canadian Airlines International reported marginally better first quarter results yesterday and lined up British Airways as its new European alliance partner. Canadian reduced its first quarter net loss by nearly 20% to C$110.9 million. The carrier's operating loss for the quarter was C$90 million. The results include a C$10 million gain on the sale and leaseback of five 737-200s, which helped the carrier increase its cash on hand at the end of the quarter to C$109.6 million.
The Pew Charitable Trusts have struck a $12 million public/private partnership with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to market the Philadelphia region as a tourist destination. The campaign is aimed at attracting extended-stay vacation travelers to the city and neighboring counties.
Rosenbluth International has been awarded the 1996 Triumph Award by the Fargo-Cass County Economic Development Corporation. Rosenbluth has 270 associates in its Fargo, N.D., IntelliCenter. It set up shop originally with the intent of providing jobs to 40 residents of drought-stricken Linton, N.D., and later decided to put a permanent office in North Dakota. The Triumph Award recognizes achievement and commitment to community by manufacturing and national service businesses.
