FlightSafety International said Embraer of Brazil has named it the official training company for the EMB-145 regional jetliner. FlightSafety Simulation will start soon on design and construction of a Level D simulator and other training equipment for the Embraer center in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The simulator will have the Vital ChromaView visual system and MultiView display. Brit Air has ordered a Level D full flight simulator for the Canadair RJ from FlightSafety Simulation, for use at its flight training center at Morlaix, France.
ValuJet is offering a systemwide two-for-one fare special for reservations made by Jan. 25. Travel must be completed by Feb. 14. Roundtrip purchase and Saturday night stay are not required.
Alaska Airlines will inaugurate nonstop service between Portland and Spokane Jan. 7, and will add a second daily flight Jan. 21. The carrier also will increase flying from Seattle to Phoenix, Los Angeles and Anchorage, and between Portland and San Jose and San Francisco and Palm Springs. The Portland-Spokane flights, when added to those of sister carrier Horizon Air, enable customers to choose flights virtually every hour from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Alaska and Horizon Air are offering free roundtrip tickets until Jan. 18 to every fare-paying passenger boarding in Seattle or Portland who is traveling to or through Spokane, San Jose, Oakland, San Francisco and Sacramento. Any available fare qualifies for the free ticket, which can be used Jan. 19 through May 22 or given to one of three designated charities.
TWA's December traffic grew 1.2% on 1.1% fewer available seat miles. International capacity was down 8.1% from the December 1994 level. The load factor was 62.2%, up 1.4 percentage points. TWA carried 2.2% more passengers systemwide but 4.2% fewer on international flights. For the year, traffic was flat, compared with 1994, on a 3.3% capacity decrease, lifting the load factor 2.1 points to 65.7. TWA flew 3% more passengers in 1995 than in 1994. Dec 95 Dec 94 12 Mths 95 12 Mths 94
New Regional Aircraft Orders And Options Firm Orders Options Carrier No. Type No. Type Engines Air Express 1 Beech 1900D - - PT6A-67D Crossair 5 Saab 2000 - - AB2100A Ethopian Airlines 5 Fokker 50 - - PW127B Great China 1 DHC-8-300 - - PW123 Orca Air 2 Metro 23E 4 Metro 23B TPE331-12UA-701G
Western Pacific is dropping Wichita from its route network on Jan. 31. On Jan. 8, the carrier is beginning service to Atlanta, and on Feb. 1 to San Antonio, Nashville and San Jose. WestPac has been operating one flight a day to Wichita.
Financial blockbuster 1995 will be a tough act to follow, but Wall Street is banking that U.S. airlines will be able to make gains this year by doing more of what they did last year - keeping costs and capacity in check and air fares up. "This is going to be a good year, not a great year, but a good year" predicts Helane Becker, an analyst for Smith Barney. "1995 was a great year," she says.
Hilton Hotels and Resorts has joined Northwest's WorldPerks program. Members of the frequent flyer club can earn 500 miles when staying at any of Hilton's 200 U.S. hotels. From Feb. 1 through May 15, hotel guests will receive 1,500 miles for each business-rate stay charged to an American Express card. Northwest said Conrad International Hotels, in exotic foreign locations, also has joined WorldPerks.
Boeing Commercial President Ron Woodard predicted yesterday that the company will sell more aircraft this year than last. He said Boeing recaptured the lead for aircraft orders in 1995 by a wide margin over Airbus Industrie, which slid from No. 1 in 1994 to third place, behind Douglas Aircraft. Boeing received 346 orders in 1995, valued at $31.2 billion, for a 69.7% market share, Woodard said. Douglas received 114 orders, while Airbus Industrie received 106. "Our goal is to increase order volume in 1996 over 1995," Woodard said.
Northwest yesterday announced May 1 as the starting date for its newly authorized service between Detroit and Beijing, the first nonstops between the U.S. and China. The carrier will operate three roundtrip flights per week in the market, using Boeing 747-400 aircraft. The Dec. 23 aviation agreement between the U.S. and China cleared the way for the service (DAILY, Jan. 2), and Northwest President and CEO John Dasburg said the carrier is "grateful to U.S.
U.S. Virgin Islands has launched an advertising campaign to attract tourists. The theme uses humor to set the islands apart from others in the Caribbean. Major hotels on the islands begin offering discounted rates this month, and USAir will begin daily service from Baltimore to St. Croix Feb. 14. American, Delta and Prestige Airlines already offer direct service.
DOT has extended through Jan. 29 the obligation of SkyWest Airlines to provide essential air service at Ely, Nev. The carrier filed its 90-day notice of intent to suspend the service last Aug. 1 but was held in the market through Dec. 28 as DOT sought replacement service. Late last year, it selected Alpine Air to replace SkyWest on the service beginning Feb. 1, requiring SkyWest to maintain the service until that time.
USAir Express is adding a seventh daily flight from Tallahassee to Orlando, an eighth daily flight to Miami and new service - two daily flights - to West Palm Beach. It also will operate five daily roundtrips between Tallahassee and Charlotte, replacing four jet flights. USAir said the changes at Tallahassee, all effective Feb. 14, are part of its continuing effort to right-size itself and improve profitability. Piedmont Airlines will operate the Charlotte and Orlando services and FloridaGulf the Miami and West Palm Beach services.
Georgetown University Adjunct Professor of Law Joseph Schmitz, who has a number of airline clients in his private practice, says the constitutional provision against ex post facto laws should apply to retroactive federal taxes. Speaking at a recent Senate Governmental Affairs Committee hearing Schmitz noted that Roman Emperor Caligula, who notified the public improperly of new tax laws, was assassinated at age 29. Schmitz urged the Senate to "do better than Caligula."
Continental will spend $29 million over the next 12 years to rename the Brendan Byrne Arena in The Meadowlands Sports Complex the Continental Airlines Arena under a marketing partnership with the New Jersey Sports Authority that became effective Jan. 1. The complex will now be made up of the Continental Arena, Giants Stadium and the Meadowlands Racetrack. Continental's name will be put on signage throughout the arena and its logo will be placed on the roof, where it will be visible from Manhattan, Giants Stadium, the racetrack and aircraft.
American Trans Air is offering "anti-freeze" fares to sunny destinations from Indianapolis, Chicago, Milwaukee and Boston, starting at $74 one way. The fares are good for travel through Feb. 14, and tickets must be purchased by Jan. 19.
Sabena carried more than 5 million passengers in 1995, a 17% increase over 1994, the carrier said. Growth in Europe was strongest at 18.7%, and Sabena attributed the jump to development of its Brussels hub-and-spoke system, which enables passengers to make day trips on the Continent. The Brussels-Tokyo route grew 17.5%, passenger traffic on the North Atlantic gained 10.8%, and Africa service increased 9.5%. Sabena said it has doubled its passenger volume during the last seven years, from an average of 6,500 passengers per day in 1987 to 13,700 in 1995.
New Regional Aircraft Deliveries, September 1995 Last 12 Months Carrier No. Type Engines Delivery Air Dolomiti 1 AA ATR-42-500 PW127E 0 Air Littoral 2 Canadair RJ CF34-3A 2 Air Midwest* 2 Beech 1900D PT6A-67D 2
Summary of U.S. National Carriers Systemwide Traffic June 1995 Revenue Average Revenue Passengers Length of Passenger Enplaned % Travel Miles Carriers (000) Change (Miles) (000) Alaska 936 15.72 864 808,559 Aloha 426 2.42 136 57,785 American Trans Air 351 5.13 2,046 718,543
Airborne Express said it has become the first foreign-owned company to forge a partnership with Vietnam Post and Telecommunications to provide express and freight delivery throughout the nation. Paul McGee, county manager for the company, said that the "ability to tap into the Vietnam Post Office's infrastructure gives us an enormous competitive advantage."
Delta and American Express have agreed to offer a co-branded credit card that will automatically enroll cardmembers in Delta's SkyMiles frequent flyer program with a 5,000-mile enrollment bonus. The revolving credit card has an 8.9% introductory interest rate for the first six months. Miles do not expire unless a cardmember does not travel on Delta or Delta Connection at least once in three years.
Horizon Air is offering winter discounts between all cities it serves in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, California, British Columbia and Alberta, except for Sun Valley, Idaho. Prices range from $39 one way to $109, based on a roundtrip purchase. Tickets must be purchased by Jan. 15 for travel through Feb. 29.
DOT has postponed action to April 5, 1996, on Delta's complaint against the German government and Frankfurt/Main Airport. DOT responded to a request from Delta for yet another limited waiver of the 180-day statutory limit for action on the complaint. The department has postponed action repeatedly since Delta filed the complaint Dec. 29, 1993, with the last waiver deferring action until today.
Pratt&Whitney Canada said its PW530A turbofan engine was granted a type certificate by Transport Canada. The engine, a joint development with Germany's Motoren-und-Turbinen-Union Munchen, will power the new Cessna Citation Bravo business jet.
