New applications to the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for Air Travel Organisers' Licences (ATOLs) show a marked drop in the number of holidays the major tour operators plan to offer this summer. The five largest companies, which together sell 60% of the air seats and holidays, have shown reduced levels of business in their license applications. The number of holidays applied for by these organizations is down 17.3% from last year, and 11.5% from last summer's sales.
United has unveiled a new Mileage Plus dining program that offers triple the number of miles awarded by most airlines. The program - for Premier, Premier Executives and 1K frequent flyers - begins Feb. 15. Members earn 10 miles for each dollar they spend, including tax and tip, at 4,000 participating restaurants. United will issue a restaurant directory every three months. There is a 6,000-mile cap on the mileage allowed per restaurant visit.
National Traveler Safety Team, created by the White House Conference on Travel and Tourism, is creating a toll-free multilingual emergency help line for travelers. The team also is compiling a kit on community safety plans, to be given to U.S. tourism destinations. In other efforts to promote tourism and curtail traveler anxiety, the U.S. Travel and Tourism Administration reports that by the end of February TWA will air an informational inflight video produced by the agency. USAir also will show the film.
Airport and Airway Trust Fund Balance Sheet As of October 31, 1995 ASSETS Undisbursed Balances: Available for Investment 941.60 TOTAL UNDISBURSED BALANCE 941.60 (Cash in Account) Receivables: Interest Receivables 250,348,926.73
Continental is seeking seven weekly New York-Ecuador frequencies to operate daily service between Newark and Quito, Ecuador, via Bogota, Colombia. If approved, the carrier plans to begin the service June 6, using Boeing 757-200 aircraft. In its DOT filing, Continental pointed out that under the U.S.-Ecuador bilateral "15 New York-Ecuador frequencies have been available to U.S. carriers since 1989, but no U.S.
U.S. Travel and Tourism Administration says it will work aggressively over the next two weeks to promote travel to the U.S. with international travel agents and tour operators who may have persuaded clients to travel elsewhere during the federal government shutdown. Those efforts would be stymied, however, if the government closes again Jan. 26, when the continuing resolution is scheduled to expire. The agency, because of its funding uncertainty, is prohibited from incurring large expenses, and has delayed mailing the final White House Conference Strategic Report.
American parent AMR Corp. kicked off the 1995 airline financial reporting season yesterday, logging net profits before special charges of $91 million ($1.15 per common share) for the fourth quarter and $501 million ($6.41 per share) for the year. Both reflected gains over last year's comparable totals of $51 million and $402 million, respectively.
ValuJet Airlines is offering $69 "escape the snow" one-way fares to Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Tampa and West Palm Beach. Travel must be completed by Feb. 29. Effective today, ValuJet will operate 17 peak daily departures from Boston, one of its new focus cities, to seven destinations, including the four Florida points. No roundtrip purchase or Saturday night stay is required.
The Supreme Court ruled this week that relatives of airline crash victims cannot recover "loss-of-society" damages when that accident occurs over international waters. In Zicherman vs. Korean Air Lines, a unanimous court said that damages in airplane crashes on the high seas are covered by the Death on the High Seas Act (DOHSA). Since recovery in such lawsuits is limited to pecuniary damages, there can be no recovery for loss of society, the court said. The case involves the Sept. 1, 1983, shooting down of Korean Air Lines Flight 007 over the Sea of Japan.
Air France reported yesterday a 232 million French francs net profit for the period April 1 through Sept. 30, the first half of its fiscal year 1995-96, compared with a loss during the same period last year of FF477 million. (One dollar equals five francs at current exchange rates.) The carrier said the improvement reflects the sale of Air France Group's share in Sabena, which netted nearly FF380 million.
The tourism industry is being asked to adopt "innovative technology" to preserve the environment by Orlando, Sea World of Florida and its parent company, Anheuser-Busch Companies. The city, Sea World and the Trane Corporation, which has manufactured chilling units for Sea World that contain no chlorofluorocarbons, are asking 300 organizations and businesses in the Orlando area to list their planned or current use of environmental technology.
Japan Airlines will try to do more with less for the rest of the 1990s, using its aircraft more efficiently, selling underutilized assets, continuing to shed employees and contracting out more work, the carrier said in its medium-range business plan. "Investments in ground facilities and infrastructure will be minimized and essentially, investment in associated businesses frozen," the carrier said in the plan, which covers activity through 2000 and was made public in English yesterday.
Airport and Airway Trust Fund Income Statement October 1, 1995 - October 31, 1995 Current Month Year-to-Date RECEIPTS (Revenues) Revenues: Excise Taxes (Transferred from General Fund): Liquid Fuel other than Gas 12,077,000.00 12,077,000.00 Transportation by Air,
Pleasant Hawaiian Holidays has created its first group fitness program for travel to Maui May 10-May 17. The package, priced as low as $1,064 per person, includes roundtrip airfare from Los Angeles or San Francisco, seven nights at the Royal Lahaina Resort, hotel transfers, $30 in activity certificates and other items, such as a farewell luau.
Golden Tulip International has joined Northwest as a WorldPerks hotel partner. WorldPerks members can earn 500 miles with every qualifying stay at Golden Tulip Hotels, and 250 miles with every stay at Tulip Inns. Golden Tulip is offering double miles for stays taken before March 31. The hotel company also participates in Northwest partner KLM's Flying Dutchman frequent flyer program.
Virgin Atlantic Airways is offering free three-day weekend stays at selected ITT Sheraton hotels to Virgin Freeway frequent flyer members for every two roundtrip Boston-London flights taken in Upper Class through May 31. The participating hotels are in Bal Harbour, Fla., Tucson, Ariz., and San Diego, Calif. Hotel vouchers must be redeemed by Feb. 1, 1997.
Delta Connection Atlantic Southeast Airlines flew 63.7 million revenue passenger miles in December, 6.1% more than in the same period last year. Capacity was up 7.7%, to 140.8 million available seat miles from 130.8 million. ASA's load factor declined slightly, to 45.2% from 45.9%. For the year, the carrier posted a 45.2% load factor, down 2 percentage points. December 1995 December 1994 12 Months 1995 12 Month 1994 RPMs 63,673,000 60,002,000 762,583,000 780,228,000
DOT has made final its tentative decision granting Laker Airways a certificate to operate scheduled domestic and international service. Laker plans initially to provide scheduled combination service between New Orleans and Fort Lauderdale, using 727-200 aircraft, and transatlantic charter passenger service using three DC-10-30s (DAILY, Oct. 30). (Docket OST-95-771)
Korean Airlines has selected "2500 cycle" carbon brakes, jointly produced by Messier-Bugatti and BFGoodrich, for its seven Airbus A330 and two A340-300 aircraft. First deliveries of the aircraft are scheduled in February 1997. Designed for the A330 and A340-300, the brakes thus have a life of 2,500 cycles for aircraft operated on short- and medium-distance routes. The brakes thus will have to be removed for servicing only every 12 to 15 months, rather than the usual six to eight months. For long-haul operations, the brakes have a 1,500-cycle operating life.
United will honor William Norwood, the first black pilot hired by the airline, in a retirement celebration Feb. 17. Norwood, whose flying career spanned 30 years, was the first black pilot to achieve the rank of captain. United said it currently employs 236 black pilots, the highest number in the industry.
Amadeus has enhanced its Negotiated Space function to enable travel agents to view the total number of seats available and sell them under Negotiated Space, making it possible for carriers to create an allotment of seats for selected agents. With the change, airlines can create more than one allotment of seats per flight. Seats sold are confirmed immediately regardless of the level of participation by the airline. Amadeus said the function also can be combined with the use of Negotiated Fares, facilitating pricing.
The European Commission formally cleared Lufthansa and SAS yesterday to carry out their cooperation agreement after the carriers accepted restrictions, including giving up some flights, making room for new entrants and shedding existing cooperative pacts with some other partners. The airlines agreed to give up slots in eight key markets where they would hold a monopoly - Dusseldorf-Copenhagen, Dusseldorf-Stockholm, Frankfurt- Copenhagen, Frankfurt-Gothenburg, Frankfurt-Oslo, Frankfurt-Stockholm, Hamburg-Stockholm and Munich-Copenhagen.
FAA Administrator David Hinson is the speaker for the next Aero Club of Washington luncheon, scheduled at 12 noon Jan. 23 at the Capital Hilton, 16th&K Streets N.W. For reservations, call 703-327-7082.
Canadian Airlines is operating what it calls the longest and most ambitious charter flight for its country, carrying a team of top business executives on a 14-day trade mission to India, Pakistan, Indonesia and Malaysia. The flight got under way Jan. 8. The 767 will land in seven cities around the world, including technical stops in Tokyo and Rome.
United has awarded certified public accounting and consulting firm Velma Butler&Co. a contract to assist with its auditing division. The company will complete a portion of United's internal auditing functions, including yearend financial statements.
