German Transport Minister Matthias Wissmann, proclaiming the virtues of the new U.S.-Germany framework agreement on open skies, notes that the May 1994 alliance between United and Lufthansa generated about 250,000 new passengers during its first year.
Support and parts contractor Aviall, whose fourth quarter business problems led it into default on credit agreements, said it will sell its engine and component repair operations in Texas and Scotland, its accessories repair business in Miami and "other assets" related to aircraft engine services. Citing losses on fixed-rate repair contracts and other business problems, the company said the sale will enable it to reduce its debt and improve its long-term finances.
Kiwi President and Chief Executive Officer Jerry Murphy said the airline "strongly refutes" any assertions that Kiwi has refused to consider a potential $25 million investment by a wealthy family in the diamond trade. Murphy was responding to a story in The DAILY, Jan. 31, in which a Kiwi employee said employee owners are frustrated that the voting trust on the board is refusing to consider outside investment options. "At this point, we have not heard from the legitimate financial professional/investment banker representing this family," Murphy said.
ValuJet Airlines has slashed February fares as low as $19 one way for travel on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays; before 2 p.m. and after 7 p.m. on Thursdays; before 11:30 a.m. on Fridays, and before 9 a.m. and after noon on Saturdays. Reservations must be made by tomorrow. Sale fares are available to several markets from Washington Dulles and Atlanta. The highest sale price cited in the carrier's announcement is $88, from Washington to Dallas/Fort Worth or Kansas City.
Delta will inaugurate daily nonstop roundtrip service to Vancouver from Atlanta and Cincinnati March 2 with 50%-off discounts on flights from the two U.S. cities, and from 20 other cities on flights stopping at Atlanta and Cincinnati. The introductory fare, good for travel through April 1, is $247 roundtrip.
Yemen Airways selected Pratt&Whitney engines for two firm and two option Airbus A310-300s. The order is for five firm engines, four installed and one spare for the two firm aircraft, and four installed and one spare for the two option aircraft. Pratt valued the deal at up to $90 million. The two firm-order aircraft will be delivered in the first quarter of 1997, the two options in 1998 and 1999.
United has installed a business recovery computer system, co-designed by Unisys Corp., intended to give it complete data recovery in minutes if its Unimatic primary system suffers a complete shutdown. Unimatic controls flight operations, planning and scheduling around the world by tracking departures and maintenance, and coordinating the schedules of 27,000 pilots and flight attendants.
SAS is negotiating to buy 20-25 regional aircraft, sized between 50-70 seats, to replace its fleet of Fokker F-50s, Chief Executive Jan Stenberg told a Swedish weekly recently. A decision on the order is likely next year. SAS probably will spend $2 billion in 1998 to replace 15 767s, Stenberg said.
Sabre Travel Information Network is offering its Personal Trainer program on a three-volume CD-ROM set. Sabre subscribers currently attend five-day courses at the American Training&Conference Center in Dallas/Fort Worth, or at regional centers throughout the country. With Personal Trainer, Sabre subscribers can train from their own offices. Users need not be connected to Sabre during training, so they can use their own personal computers at home or in the office.
-- In Federal Register dated Jan. 26...Issued an airworthiness directive on McDonnell Douglas DC-9 aircraft requiring replacement of the attach fittings of the main landing gear...Issued an AD on McDonnell Douglas MD-80 series aircraft requiring hydraulic line restrictors in the main landing gear...Issued an AD on certain Airbus A330/A340 aircraft requiring locking plates at the guide bushings in the area of the spigot bolt for certain aft flap track attachments...Superseded an AD on Airbus A310 aircraft concerning cracks in the shock absorber attachment.
In an about-face, Air Canada has decided not to go forward with upgrading its maintenance facility at Montreal's Dorval Airport. "Challenges at the airline and in the industry make such a commitment too risky at this time," the carrier said. Late in December, Air Canada said it was close to securing loans for the project (DAILY, Dec. 26, 1995).
A loyal Alaska Airlines customer received 1,300 frequent flyer miles on his last trip - literally - between Seattle and Cordova. The man was deceased, being transported in a casket in the cargo hold, and his wife asked that he be awarded the miles because he would have wanted it that way, reports Alaska's employee newsletter. Alaska obliged.
United employees in Amsterdam and Argentina have joined 3,000 other international workers as employee owners of the airline. The international employees' stake does not dilute that of U.S.-based employees, United's pilots union notes.
Atlas Air said it entered a long-term, guaranteed-revenue contract with Lufthansa for a 747-200 freighter to be delivered to Atlas next month. The company said the contract will increase its annual revenue by about $25 million. It is the last of three contracts related to the delivery of 747- 200s Atlas financed in a public debt offering completed last November. The first two deliveries have been placed with China Airlines and SAS.
Southwest is giving free roundtrip tickets for future travel to fare-paying passengers who fly from Boise between Feb. 8 and Feb. 22. The free tickets are good between Boise and Burbank, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Oakland, Ontario, Phoenix, Portland, Reno/Tahoe, Sacramento, San Diego, San Jose, Seattle, Spokane and Tucson. Trips must be taken between Feb. 23 and May 22.
Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority said Deputy General Manager Hugh Riddle has retired after about 20 years with the Washington, D.C., airports.
Continental will begin 737 service between Newark and Cincinnati May 1. It intends to offer three daily nonstops to Cincinnati and two nonstops and one direct flight through Dayton to Newark.
Federal Express Corp. has promoted three senior managers to executive VP positions. Theodore Weise will be executive VP-worldwide operations, Alan Graf executive VP and chief financial officer, and Kenneth Masterson executive VP and general counsel. They will serve on FedEx's Executive Management Committee, to be chaired by Frederick Smith, chief executive. Weise replaces William Razzouk, who resigned to become chief operating officer at America On-Line. Graf and Masterson have been chief financial officer and general counsel, respectively.
