After much feedback from customers, Continental has brought back the snack of choice, peanuts. Coach passengers can choose between dry roasted or honey roasted, as well as pretzels and goldfish. First-class, business- first and long-haul passengers have more of a selection. They get mixed nuts and ramekins.
FAA's most important safety goal for the new year is the sharing of safety information by airlines and the agency. Other safety objectives for 1996 are improvements in crew training, air traffic control equipment and procedures, weather observation and reporting, aircraft maintenance procedures and inspections, and flight operations procedures.
American Airlines pilots have been involved in two accidents little more than a month apart involving or coming close to controlled flight into terrain (CFIT). On Nov. 20, an American MD-80 apparently dropped below the minimum descent altitude before making a crash landing at Bradley Airport, Hartford, Conn., according to NTSB. The later accident was the CFIT Dec. 20 in Colombia.
Teamsters union and former America West employees not represented by the union have filed a federal class-action lawsuit against the airline claiming the employees who were engaged in a union organizing drive were wrongfully fired. America West recently decided to outsource its heavy maintenance to Tramco and save an estimated $35 million over five years by cutting positions of about 500 mechanics and related workers (DAILY, Dec. 5). The suit, filed Wednesday in U.S.
Morten Beyer&Associates forecasts only 771 aircraft retirements during the 1995-1999 period, an average of 154 a year, compared with the average of 268 a year forecast by "ever hopeful" Airbus Industrie, Boeing and Douglas. MBA says it is "obvious" that, barring a major regulatory or economic change, older aircraft will continue in service "another decade or two." Most will be refurbished and hushkitted, "many by major operators."
U.S.-Canada open skies bilateral agreement, signed last February, has spurred a 40% increase in scheduled jet aircraft frequencies and a 15% increase in passenger traffic. Those totals will grow again early this year, when carriers designated for new Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver service begin operations.
American Trans Air applied for authority to operate scheduled combination service between New York and two points in Ireland, Shannon and Dublin. The carrier said it plans to begin operating one weekly New York- Shannon roundtrip May 3, a weekly New York-Dublin roundtrip May 5 and two weekly New York-Shannon-Dublin roundtrips in June, using 362-passenger Lockheed L-1011s and 216-passenger Boeing 757s.
Philippine Airlines ordered four A340-300, eight A330-300 and 12 A320 aircraft last week from Airbus Industrie. The carrier reportedly is ordering eight 747-400s from Boeing as well, but a Boeing spokesman was unavailable for comment on Friday. The Airbus deliveries will begin in the second quarter of 1997 with the arrival of the first A340 and A330, followed in the third quarter by an A320.
Japan Airlines asked DOT to amend its permit and authorize scheduled combination service between Tokyo and Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, and between Sendai and Honolulu. In April, JAL plans to begin operating seven Tokyo- Kona roundtrips per week, nonstop or via Honolulu, in place of its currently authorized nonstops to Washington and one-stops to Boston via an authorized gateway. Proposing an amendment of its current exemption to serve Sendai-Honolulu, JAL seeks seven weekly nonstops on the route. (Dockets OST-95-973, OST-95-972, OST-95-844, OST-95-841&OST-95-464)
Changing its acquisition strategy, FAA intends to fund all three of its would-be Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System contractor teams - Boeing, Loral and Raytheon - to begin software development for the system at the same time it receives and evaluates their proposals to carry out the full program. According to DAILY affiliate ATC Market Report, the agency intends to issue its often-slipped request for STARS proposals March 1, passing up the most recent target of Dec. 20, and allow the companies 30 days to respond.
U.S. and Japan are scheduled to resume all-cargo talks Jan. 25 in Tokyo, a DOT official said. Working toward their March deadline, both sides offered proposals in the November round, but they remain far apart.
Emirates plans to launch Boeing 777 service to Australia under a Dec. 13 Australia-Dubai agreement allowing it three weekly roundtrips between Dubai and Melbourne and a second point in Australia, using any type of aircraft. The service will include "multiple freedoms from Asia to Australia," said Tim Clark, chief director, but the routing and start date have not been chosen.
-- Granted orally an exemption to Mexicana to operate scheduled combination service between Guadalajara, Mexico, and Denver and between Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and New York...Granted orally an exemption to Northwest to operate scheduled combination service between Detroit and Beijing beginning April 7.
DOT has granted Northwest authority to operate the first nonstop service by a U.S. carrier between the U.S. and China, and the carrier plans to start with three roundtrip flights per week between Detroit and Beijing, using Boeing 747-400 aircraft. Northwest can begin the service as early as April 7 but has not decided on a startup date, a spokesman said. He added that the China flights "will be a very important part of our Asian service," benefiting its overall operations in the Far East.
The CIT Group named Jeff Knittel to assume supervisory responsibilities of the Rail Group and additional Specialty Groups, including Aerospace; appointed Jean Stein senior VP-Aerospace group, and promoted Kenneth Walters to VP and head of the Portfolio Acquisitions Group.
Kiwi is offering $89 fares from Newark to Orlando, Tampa and West Palm Beach until Feb. 29. The fare requires a roundtrip purchase and must be bought seven days in advance.
World Airways, restructuring its thinking to become more of a scheduled service-oriented airline, intends to take full advantage of open skies agreements in Europe. World generally gets 70% of its revenues from wet- lease operations, 13% from military passenger and cargo, 11% from passenger flights for tour operators, 5% from scheduled passenger service and 1% from freight shipping. Henk Guitjens, senior VP-sales and marketing, told The DAILY in an interview that scheduled service should comprise 15%-18% of revenues by the end of 1996.
U.S. commitment to pursue liberal aviation agreements throughout Europe stops short of war zones. Recent overtures from Bosnia for aviation negotiations are deemed premature, according to a U.S. official.
In FR dated Dec. 19...Proposed an AD on Beech 125-1000A and Hawker 1000 aircraft to require inspection for chafing damage to the hydraulic pipes adjacent to the hydraulic module...Proposed an AD on Fokker F28-100 aircraft to require measuring during refueling to determine the pressure in each collector tank...Proposed an AD on certain Jetstream 4101 aircraft requiring replacement of the flexible cables of the power and condition controls.
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Association of Flight Attendants at America West conducted informational picketing Friday at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport to protest the company's refusal to give them "award pay," based on operating income, to which they say they are entitled. The operating income threshold that triggers award pay is $145 million for 1995.
Tyrolean Airways has ordered a Fokker 70 and placed options on two more. A year ago, the carrier ordered three F70s and took options on three. The new order is a conversion of one of the options.
