The contest for U.S.-Germany frequencies for the 1996 summer season is sparking a spirited battle among U.S. carriers. Eight airlines are bidding for 316 third- and fourth-freedom weekly frequencies, 40 more than the 276 available (DAILY, Dec. 12). Of the 276, 260 are subject to automatic reallocation under DOT's grandfather policy, leaving 16 up for bid. Applying for the most frequencies, Delta called on DOT to grant 119 of the 121 frequencies it seeks under the grandfather policy.
American Society of Travel Agents, as planned, last week asked the Federal Trade Commission to launch an investigation into operators of credential mills, or "card" mills (DAILY, Dec. 14). In the complaint, sent to Joan Bernstein, director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection, ASTA said the card mills sell bogus identification cards to the general public along with "worthless" training materials that claim to teach the purchaser how to be a travel agent.
Continental said it will begin daily nonstop service March 14 between Newark and Lima, Peru, having received final authority from DOT Friday to operate on the route. The carrier plans Boeing 757-200 service with an introductory roundtrip fare of about $558. Continental also received authority to serve Bogota, Colombia, and said it will do so soon after the Lima launch. Issuing final authority to Continental, DOT rejected objections from American and Dallas/Fort Worth Parties to its earlier show cause order (DAILY, Dec. 18).
Japan and three Scandinavian countries - Sweden, Norway and Denmark - have agreed to allow joint cargo service among the four countries, with two weekly services via South Asia. Currently, Japan Airlines and Scandinavian Airline System are negotiating on potential joint service that would start next spring. Specific destinations have not been selected.
The Network Connection is offering a software application package - InterView - that enables passengers to access the Internet while flying on aircraft with seatback video systems. "This technology offers airlines a highly cost-effective inflight entertainment option because they can deliver digital video entertainment and Internet access at a fraction of the cost of existing conventional entertainment and equipment," said Wil Riner, chief executive.
Reno Air is offering low fares on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in selected markets. Fares are as low as $29 one way, or up to $99 for Reno- Chicago flights. Tickets must be purchased one day before departure.
APA International Air has joined the LatinPass frequent flyer program. The Dominican Republic-based carrier flies to New York Kennedy Airport from Santo Domingo and Puerto Plata, and to Santo Domingo from Miami and San Juan. LatinPass airlines operate nearly 1,000 daily flights to 200 cities in Central and South America.
Vanguard's lowest off-peak fare will be even lower until March 1. The sale offers prices from $19 to $69 one way, up to 45% off the regular fare. The $19 fare applies only to Kansas City-Wichita travel. The price is available with a one-day advance purchase. No other restrictions apply.
One of the first recommendations from the National Academy of Public Administration's study of National Air and Space Museum operations is the speedy appointment of a new director "who can implement changes in the organization." Smithsonian Secretary I. Michael Heyman, who requested the study, has named a seven-member committee to recommend a short list. The panel includes four high-level museum employees, and they or their immediate superiors will report to the new director.
Northwest Airlines said Friday that it has closed a new $300 million unsecured term loan which, with cash on hand, enabled it to pay down the remainder of the $837 million 1989 loan that financed the leveraged buyout of the company by an investment team led by Co-Chairmen Alfred Checchi and Gary Wilson. In a related action, Standard&Poor's raised its credit rating on $347 million of Northwest's debt, to double-'B' on Northwest Airlines Inc.'s airport revenue bonds and to double-'B' minus on the company's senior unsecured debt.
Western Pacific is further expanding its operations Feb. 1 to include service to San Antonio, Nashville and San Jose. The carrier intends to offer daily nonstop flights in the markets and special introductory fares from Colorado Springs as low as $59 each way to all three points.
Cordoba Air Cargo has requested authority to operate non-scheduled cargo service between Buenos Aires and Miami, via intermediate points. If approved, the carrier intends to operate three weekly non-scheduled all- cargo flights between Buenos Aires and the coterminal points Los Angeles, New York and Miami. The carrier also has requested Buenos Aires-Miami rights over intermediate points of Sao Paulo, Brazil; Santiago, Chile; Bogota, Colombia; and Caracas, Venezuela.
Trying to maintain low costs, ValuJet will contract out its reservations work to two companies, starting in January. Each of the companies, Amlease of Charlotte, N.C., and Foxtrot Aviation Services of Reston, Va., will hire and manage about 500 workers currently employed by ValuJet. A third firm will be retained in the first quarter of next year to handle additional workers in a new reservations location as the airline grows and needs more agents, a ValuJet spokeswoman said.
Percentage changes in Hawaiian Airlines' November traffic results were incorrectly calculated (DAILY, Dec. 18). The correct percentage changes are: Revenue passenger miles increased 39.8%, available seat miles 22% and passenger boardings 5.9%. The load factor rose 10 percentage points. Nov 95 Nov 94 11 Mths 95 11 Mths 94 RPMs 316,827,000 226,640,000 3,273,696,000 2,624,371,000 ASMs 402,928,000 330,240,000 4,240,405,000 3,618,306,000
U.S. Major Carriers Traffic November, 11 Months 1995 (000) November November % 1995 1994 Change America West Revenue Passenger Miles 1,068,633 931,728 14.7 Available Seat Miles 1,609,415 1,500,668 7.2 Load Factor (%) 66.4 62.1 American Revenue Passenge 8,150,631 8,066,929 1.0 Available Seat M 12,549,316 12,301,265 2.0
International Civil Aviation Organization will be asked to retain its current international aircraft noise limits "for the time being," the International Air Transport Association said yesterday. Also, a "definitive decision on any changes" in nitrogen oxide limits has been referred to a mid-1996 meeting of the ICAO Council, IATA said. The recommendations came from a meeting of ICAO's Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection, held Dec. 5-15 in Montreal, in which IATA participated as an observer.
The military followed up recent satellite-based Global Positioning System accuracy problems with a warning to its operators "not to be overconfident" about the system. The advisory followed incidents in which several types of GPS receivers experienced position signals that were in error by as much as 20 to 40 nautical miles.
Alaska Airlines will start nonstop service May 6 between Vancouver, B.C., and San Diego, Calif., offering two daily roundtrips in the market with 140-seat aircraft. Fares start at $95 one way.
Shuttle by United inaugurated low-fare service to Reno from San Francisco Friday. The Shuttle will operate five flights a day in the market with fares as low as $19 one way on its 737s. Reno is the Shuttle's 12th West Coast city.
U-Land Airlines, TransAsia Airlines and Taiwan's Civil Aeronautics Administration have locked horns over fare discounts triggered by U-Land's entry in the Taiwan-Kaohsiung market. The upstart startup carrier, which was fined last week by CAA on grounds that it broke the law with a free- ticket promotion inaugurating its Taipei-Kaohsiung service, refused to halt the sale, and competitors said they would launch their own price discounts in the market, with or without CAA's consent. TransAsia did so, and drew a higher fine.
Professional Pilots Federation yesterday filed a petition with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to review FAA's decision not to change the Age 60 rule (DAILY, Dec. 15).
DOT has approved North East Cargo Airlines' application for authority to operate all-cargo charter flights between Russia and the U.S. North East plans all-cargo service over a Magadan-Anchorage-Houston routing with 13 weekly roundtrips during the first quarter, 16 per week in the second quarter and 26 in the last two quarters of the first service year, all carrying general cargo (DAILY, Aug. 22).
Hawaiian AirlinesHawaiian Airlines is seeking a two-year renewal of its authority to operate scheduled combination service between Honolulu and Nadi, Fiji. (Docket OST-95-929)
