Air Transport Association has appointed David Fuscus director of federal legislation in the government affairs department. Fuscus joins ATA from Pennsylvania Gov.'s Tom Ridge's office, where he has been deputy chief of staff. Earlier he was director of public affairs for the House Public Works and Transportation Committee, and deputy chief of staff to Rep. William Clinger (R-Pa.).
Mesa Air Group's assault on the U.K. market is off to a good start, with Birmingham-Belfast flights doing "very well" and Birmingham-London Gatwick "a little bit slower," according to Mesa Chief Financial Officer Steve Jackson. The U.K. carrier in which Mesa holds a 44% stake, Community Express, probably will introduce 19-passenger Jetstream 31s into the operation to complement its two Shorts 360s, Jackson said.
Panagra Airways applied for a certificate to operate charter service. Based in Fort Lauderdale, the would-be carrier intends to provide supplemental non-scheduled charter service, including ad hoc services, sub- service to scheduled carriers and charters contracted by the government. Initially, Panagra intends to operate Boeing 727-200 aircraft in charter markets within the U.S. and between the U.S. and Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean Basin.
DOT has approved Northwest's bid to operate services between Detroit and Minneapolis/St. Paul, on the one hand, and Vancouver, on the other. The carrier also received an exemption to operate service between the U.S. points and Lusaka, Zambia, via Amsterdam, under its code-share arrangement with KLM. Northwest had amended its October 1995 application for new U.S.- Vancouver service, requesting a single daily service to the Canadian city from Detroit (DAILY, Dec. 22).
Charles Hunnicutt takes over officially today as DOT assistant secretary for aviation and international affairs. Mark Gerchick, who has been acting assistant secretary, will become the deputy assistant secretary.
The Travel Business Roundtable, comprising chief executives of major travel companies, will wage an integrated communications campaign to support the Travel and Tourism Partnership Act, said Jonathan Tisch, chairman of the roundtable and president of Loews Hotels.
LTU International Airways will resume weekly seasonal service to New York Kennedy and San Francisco from Dusseldorf between May and October. Kennedy flights begin May 3 and San Francisco service starts May 15. Tickets purchased by March 7 start at $598 for fall travel and $798 for summer travel.
U.S. Major and National Carriers Interest Expenses Third Quarter 1995 % Of Total Operating Systemwide Expenses America West $ 14,003,491 3.91 American 131,784,000 3.64 Continental 44,750,000 3.81 Delta 68,863,000 2.38
U.S. Major and National Carriers Landing Fee Expenses Third Quarter 1995 Average Amount Systemwide Spent Per Landing America West $ 7,984,393 $ 158.27 American 63,116,000 303.04 Continental 22,982,000 200.56 Delta 68,850,000 288.88 Federal Express 18,344,000 250.05
Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs Hans Wijers announced Friday an emergency credit package of 255 million guilders ($160 million) for ailing aircraft manufacturer Fokker. The government also will accept quick delivery of four aircraft, for which it will pay 110 million guilders ($69 million). The two actions give Fokker enough money to continue production for five or six weeks. The company has 75 aircraft orders for this year and in 1997.
Mesaba Holdings Inc., which operates Northwest regional partner Mesaba Airlines, posted a $1.6 million net profit for the December quarter, or 13 cents per share. That compares with a loss of $126,000 in the same 1994 quarter, or one cent per share. Results from the previous quarter include the selloff of AirTran Airways to company shareholders in September 1995. Operating revenue for the December quarter, which is Mesaba's third, was $37.5 million, a 5% increase from the December quarter last year. For the nine months ended Dec.
Taiwan and Hong Kong moved last week toward a fourth extension of their expired aviation agreement as opposition from China continued to prevent Hong Kong from signing the agreement negotiated last year. A spokesman for Taiwan's Civil Aeronautics Administration said the continued delay means the agreement will not be signed before Taiwan's presidential election in mid-March. The agreement was reached last November by CAA and Cathay Pacific Airways, representing Hong Kong, and was to have been signed by the end of 1995.
Continental Chairman Gordon Bethune phoned in a taped message to employees Jan. 19 saying he knew the weather was frustrating everyone, but they had to keep working together. Before the exhortation, Bethune noted that he was calling from Costa Rica, where he was spending the weekend.
The Air Line Pilots Association, not unfamiliar with staging work actions, is threatened by a strike from its own ranks. A unit of the Union of ALPA Professional and Administrative Employees has sent out strike ballots to be returned by Jan. 31. The unit represents 134 administrative employees stationed around the country. In a memo to UALPAPAE members, the union said, "The strike ballot signals to ALPA that we want management to engage in serious and meaningful negotiations, and that we will not tolerate further delays." The members' contract expires Feb. 7.
McDonnell Douglas's board voted to increase the quarterly dividend by 20% and recommend approval for a two-for-one stock split at the annual shareholders meeting April 26. Harry Stonecipher, president, said that for three years, "McDonnell Douglas has led its competitors in the aerospace industry in total return to shareholders. These actions are a continuation of our commitment to increase shareholder value." The board declared a dividend of 24 cents a share payable April 1 to holders of record March 1, an increase of four cents.
Extended the obligation of Flagship Airlines, operating as American Eagle, to serve Tuscaloosa, Ala., through March 4 or until replacement service begins, whichever occurs first.
TWA will co-sponsor celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Smithsonian Institution, which will offer the public a traveling exhibit in 1996 and 1997 featuring many objects that have never left the museum and other research facilities. TWA is shipping some of the exhibit to Los Angeles, the first city on the tour. Among the artifacts are the $25,000 check paid to Charles Lindbergh for his solo transatlantic flight, lunar maps carried aboard Apollo 11 and a Wright Brothers' biplane. Lindbergh pioneered TWA's original transcontinental route.
America West hired Bernard Han to be VP of financial planning and analysis. He has worked for five years for Northwest in financial management positions, most recently as director of corporate finance. He also worked at American for three years in financial planning and analysis, and for two years with Hughes Aircraft Co. in the space and communications group.
Zoltek Companies plans to increase its carbon fiber production capacity by more than 30 million pounds within five to seven years, implying ample supplies for aircraft manufacturers. "This capacity increase exceeds the entire current world capacity of carbon fiber," the St. Louis-based company says.
Textron reported revenues in the fourth quarter of 1995 increased 12% over the 1994 quarter, to $2.7 billion, and net income rose to $127 million from $112 million. For the full year 1995, revenues were up 3% to $10 billion while net income rose to $479 million from $433 million. Operating margin increased to 11.1% for the year, up from 10.7%. The company said the results set revenue and net income records.
