While fatigue has proved to be a factor in highway, rail and marine accidents, the finding does not apply to the airline cockpit, according to former National Transportation Safety Board member and current Delta executive John Lauber. "They are different worlds entirely, the tasks are much different," said Lauber, an opponent of FAA's proposed flight- and duty-time rule for commercial pilots.
Aerovias de Mexico (Aeromexico) sharply narrowed its fourth quarter loss last year to 130 million pesos (US$17.11 million at US$1=7.6 pesos), down from 2.68 billion pesos (US$352.63 million) lost in fourth quarter 1994. For the year, Aeromexico lost 173 million pesos (US$22.76 million), compared with a 3.43 billion peso (US$451.32 million) loss in 1994. The per-share loss for the year was 0.020 pesos, compared with 8.96 pesos for 1994. Aeromexico pegged its success to a 4% drop in costs and a 1% uptick in revenues.
The U.S. agreed Friday to schedule another round of cargo talks with Japan after Japan withdrew a threat to scrap last year's stopgap agreement unless the two sides reached a cargo deal by their March 31 target. "We were deeply disturbed by the linkage and protested it strongly," a senior administration official said. The threat, putting at risk the deal on beyond-Japan frequencies that enabled Federal Express to open its transshipment facility at Subic Bay, was included in a proposal put forward Wednesday night by Japan.
Aerolineas Argentinas has added a fifth weekly nonstop flight between New York Kennedy Airport and Buenos Aires. With two flights per week operating via Miami, the carrier offers daily flights in the New York-Buenos Aires market.
International passengers arriving at Atlanta can claim their bags from two new carousels in the North Terminal dedicated entirely to international flights. Delta is constructing an international-only baggage carousel in the South Terminal, to be operational by the end of the month.
Despite a projected debt level of $188 per enplaned passenger by 2004, Moody's confirmed Miami Airport's Aa rating on outstanding debt. Debt is estimated to rise 137% from the current $79 to finance Miami's $3.4 billion improvement plan, which includes American's Super A concourse.
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FAA canceled a news conference last week at which it planned to announce implementation of a Free Flight steering task force. A meeting of the task force scheduled this Wednesday also was canceled. Opposition by the chief counsel's office was described by a Free Flight proponent as an "overzealous interpretation" of the Federal Advisory Committee Act "by lawyers who seem determined to find ways not to get something done."
KLM plans to operate a fourth weekly flight between Seoul and Amsterdam this summer using a 747 combi. The extra flight is possible under a new aviation agreement completed last week by the Dutch and South Korean governments, KLM said. The accord will allow KLM to increase Korea- Europe capacity sharply, and the carrier estimates that demand in the market will grow 25% to 30% this year. Further negotiations will take place in September with an eye toward accommodating more growth in the market, KLM said.
Swissair launched five-times-a-week service between Newark and Zurich Friday and will increase the frequency to daily as of March 31. Including service between Zurich and New York Kennedy Airport, Swissair will have 21 weekly flights to the New York area.
BWIA Airways International has fired President and Chief Operating Officer Ed Wegel, the second top executive it has dropped this year. Michael Stanfield of Loebs Partners, the lead U.S. financial institution that took the carrier private last year, will replace him with the title of interim chief executive. Stanfield will hold the post four months while the carrier searches for someone to fill the slot vacated earlier by Edward Acker.
Galileo International computer reservations system, bucking an industry trend to raise CRS fees while airlines are searching for cheaper distribution methods, has revised its pricing structure - downward in most cases. Galileo said that by careful cost control, it has "stood alone in the industry by refraining from increasing its participation fees for over two years." The CRS will eliminate charges for open segments and charge airlines only for products used for booking.
Dutch government has extended the emergency credit line for Fokker for two weeks but without the extra 20 million to 30 million guilders requested by the court-appointed administrators of the troubled aircraft maker. The decision to give Fokker more time to find a buyer was reached in a cabinet meeting last week in The Hague. According to a spokesman for Dutch Economic Affairs Minister Hans Wijers, the credit line of 255 million guilders given a month ago will be enough for Fokker. The company will be under court protection from creditors until March 19.
Lufthansa's tentative contract agreement with its pilots union will limit duty time on long-haul flights. Final details of the pact are to be worked out at a meeting scheduled Thursday.
Delta, Austrian Airlines and Swissair are expanding their service from Washington to Geneva and beyond to Vienna. As of April 1, Delta and Swissair will purchase seats six times a week on Austrian's A310 flights, up from five times. Delta sells seats on the aircraft in the Washington- Geneva and Washington-Vienna markets, Austrian in the Washington-Vienna and Vienna-Geneva market and Swissair between Washington and Geneva and Geneva and Vienna.
DOT has approved USAir's application to operate daily nonstop service between Philadelphia and Munich, beginning May 23. USAir also received tentative approval last week to serve Rome form Philadelphia. It intends to operate to Munich with 767-200ER aircraft.
