Air Baltic signed a memorandum of understanding with Avro International Aerospace to lease three RJ70 regional jet aircraft in a deal officials valued at $60 million. The lease agreement calls for delivery of the first aircraft this month with the other two early this year.
TWA has waived the rebooking fee for passengers affected by a winter storm that disrupted the carrier's St. Louis operations this week. The fees will be waived through today for travel that is rescheduled within seven days of the original departure date.
Amadeus intends to respond today from its Madrid headquarters to Delta's insistence that computer reservations systems reduce fees to help airlines cut distribution costs, but it is not likely to announce changes to the way it does business, a spokesman hinted yesterday. The carrier did not name any particular CRS Wednesday when it said rising fees could force it to reduce or eliminate participation in CRSs, but System One Amadeus and Sabre are the only CRSs to have boosted charges recently (DAILY, Jan. 4).
United Airlines and Hilton Hotels were the winners of the 1995 InsideFlyer Freddie Awards' top prize, sponsored by MCI, which honor each year the best frequent travel programs of airlines, hotels and credit cards. Program of the Year awards went to United's Mileage Plus and Hilton's HHonors programs. Mileage Plus also took the Freddie for the Best Overall Award Schedule, and Hilton won four others - Best Overall Award Schedule, Best Overall Promotions, Best Newsletter and Best Elite-Level.
United and America West frequent flyer members can earn double mileage when renting from Dollar Rent A Car on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays in the first quarter of this year. For United Mileage Plus members, the amount is 1,000 miles and for America West FlightFund members 2,000 miles. During the rest of the week, United members can earn 500 miles and America West members 1,000 miles. Dollar customers do not have to take a flight to earn the miles.
GATX A321 Partners, a new partnership managed by GATX Capital Corp.'s Air Group, placed an order for nine A321-200s valued at $580 million. Deliveries of this higher-performance version, which will be powered by CFMI CFM56-5B engines, will begin in April 1997. Glenn Hickerson, president of Air Group, said the A321 is the "most fuel-efficient per passenger of any single-aisle jetliner." GATX/CL Air, a partnership of GATX Capital Corp., Credit Lyonnais and others, has ordered, taken delivery of and placed 16 A320s with airlines.
The British should be getting their fill of Beaujolais, if British Airways' experience is a guide. The carrier's French cargo operation carried 750 tons of Beaujolais last year, surpassing by 28% its previous shipment record of 585 tons in 1989.
DOT has issued an order suspending conditions imposed on travel transactions involving the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro). Imposed after an Executive Order on June 5, 1992, called for economic sanctions against Yugoslavia, the conditions effectively prohibited transactions related to transportation between the U.S. and Yugoslavia. The order lifts measures prohibiting sale in the U.S. of transportation including a stop in Yugoslavia; prohibiting U.S.
Arinc pronounced operational its ADSATC Gateway (automatic dependent surveillance and air traffic control) for communications, navigation and surveillance/air traffic management (CNS/ATM). The new system "provides for the initiation of FANS 1 CNS/ATM services," Arinc said. It integrates the use of ADS (automatic dependent surveillance) with advanced air traffic control automation. Other related ATC communications products - controller-pilot data link communications (CPDLC) and voice transcription - also are operational.
The Teamsters union and Delta agreed to a consent order issued by a Georgia District Court that says Delta may not prohibit employees from wearing small lapel pins showing affiliation with the Teamsters or displaying small stickers but can prohibit employees from wearing or displaying campaign "message" buttons, stickers or other materials. The Dec. 26 DAILY reported the union lost the lawsuit it and several mechanics brought against the airline.
Worldspan launched electronic ticketing in the U.S. marketplace yesterday, with United as the first airline participant. The computer reservations system vendor said Northwest and TWA will join early this year, and it will offer ticketless travel on Delta in the second quarter. There is no added cost to the travel agent for electronic ticketing.
The federal government shutdown, already affecting visitor volume at national parks, museums and monuments, threatens to turn away international travelers to the U.S. The U.S. Travel and Tourism Administration is unable to operate its promotions campaigns in the U.K. and Japan that were touted last year as major initiatives to increasing tourism. The USTTA cannot answer requests for critical research data or market intelligence.
Air cargo grew only 0.5% in November, reflecting what Air Transport Association President Carol Hallett said could be the start of a "minimal growth trend which we saw in passenger traffic statistics for much of 1995."International cargo actually declined.
Video packages of the October White House Conference on Travel and Tourism are available from the Center for Organization Development. The videos comprise a five-minute tape of the conference, several segment tapes, including President Clinton's speech, and five hours of conference footage. They are available in VHS format for home use or 3/4-inch and high-end BetaCam SP format. To order, call 800-828-6306.
Japan Travel Bureau says the number of package-tour sales in the first half of 1995 rose 14% to 494,000. The bureau estimates sales for 1995 totaled 930,000.
Visa U.S.A. on Jan. 1 began offering car rental companies a peak-hour guaranteed reservations service that helps with fleet management. Customers who guarantee their rental with a Visa card during peak hours will be assured that a car will be waiting for them. Customers must cancel eight hours in advance of the scheduled pick-up time to avoid being charged as much as one day's rental fee. If a cardholder's flight is canceled or the airport closes, the rental can be canceled one hour before the scheduled pick-up time.
Travel industry executives and government officials ranked the White House Conference on Travel and Tourism the most important news story of 1995 for the travel industry, according to a survey conducted by Travel Advance. The newsletter, which monitors media coverage of the industry, said funding for the U.S. Travel and Tourism Administration came in second.
Hertz has a special deal for customers who take advantage of the 1996 Affordable Europe Early Booking Special. Customers who prepay by March 31 will receive a Hertz phone card, free one-class upgrade on a weekly rental of an intermediate or larger car and a $10 certificate toward the purchase of optional services. The program is for European-bound leisure travelers. The phone card provides eight minutes of free calling time from Europe to the U.S., or 20 minutes within the U.S.
Delta is asking computer reservations system vendors to reduce their distribution costs in light of changing distribution methods, and telling them that it and other airlines will be forced to reduce or eliminate their CRS participation otherwise. Citing emerging distribution technology, Robert Coggin, Delta's executive VP-marketing, said, "In this environment, CRSs will be forced to offer product distribution for lower participation fees, and the more efficient CRSs will have an advantage over other systems.
Delta is offering visitors to Atlanta discounted fares without the usual Saturday night stay requirement for three weeks during the Olympic Games. Delta's action comes in response to the dearth of hotel rooms in the area and the schedules of Olympic events.
