Siemens Nixdorf Information Systems said yesterday it has acquired the Distributed Applications Products and Services (DAPS) business of Covia Technologies, a division of Galileo International. The DAPS unit will bring to Siemens Nixdorf's Transportation Division "expanded knowledge of the information technology needs of airlines and airports," said Gaylord Milbrandt, VP of the Transportation Division.
National Transportation Safety Board said yesterday that the probable cause of a near-collision of an American MD-11 with a Lone Star SA-227 while trying to land Feb. 27 at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport was an "overloaded" local controller and the failure of his supervisor to "recognize that the controller had reached or exceeded his maximum threshold of workload capability and to take appropriate action." The three-engine jetliner passed over the turboprop regional aircraft, which was on the runway and holding, with a clearance of 35 feet, the safety board said.
TWA has filed a lawsuit against former owner Carl Icahn to block him from selling discounted airline tickets to the public. In exchange for a $190 million loan, the carrier agreed to sell discounted tickets to Icahn with the understanding that he would resell the tickets in blocks to corporations but not to the general public, a TWA spokesman said. "It's a matter of who he can sell the tickets to. We believe he has been selling the tickets to travel agents for the public, something which he cannot do," the spokesman said.
Frontier Airlines' November traffic jumped 114.1% to 48.8 million revenue passenger miles, compared with November 1994, its fifth month of service. Available seat miles were up 66.2% to 79.8 million, resulting in a load factor of 61.1%, up from 47.4%. The Denver-based airline carried 71,658 passengers, 65.6% more than in November 1994.
Virgin Atlantic Airways is planning a major expansion that would make it one of the four largest long-haul carriers in the world by 1998, according to media reports. The reports first surfaced in an interview by Richard Branson carried in The London Times over the weekend. According to a Bloomberg Business News report, Virgin plans to buy or lease $5 billion worth of new jets over the next three years, increasing its fleet of 15 aircraft to 40.
Delta will offer Hawaii residents special Mahalo fares on flights originating in Honolulu, Oahu or Kahului to about 250 cities. Passengers must be Hawaiian residents, start travel Dec. 16-25 and return between Dec. 26 and Jan. 7.
USAir honored more than 100 customers during its first Diamond Dinner, an event it plans to repeat annually to highlight its Special Market Sales program. USAir launched the program in 1990 to improve its business relationship with the African-American community and may expand it to target other market segments.
Federal Express, whose pilots are engaging in self-help measures over a contract dispute, has hired 548 pilots in the past 12 months. The airline hired 61 in November, the Future Aviation Professionals of America reports. One of the main complaints of FedEx's Air Line Pilots Association members is that they have to fly too much overtime because of a pilot shortage.
In the aftermath of the new U.S.-India agreement, Northwest and United have dropped their complaints against the government of India. (Dockets OST-95- 828&OST-95-830)
Strikes by French air traffic controllers scheduled for Friday and Saturday will not impact Air France's long-haul flights but will disrupt the its service in Europe, a spokesman for Air France said yesterday. All intercontinental flights still are scheduled, but the carrier has canceled 15 to 20 flights per day in other markets. The cancellations affect mostly markets in which the airline operates more than one flight per day, a spokesman said. Because of the strike, some flights may leave earlier or later than scheduled, he said.
Mexicana has applied for authority to operate scheduled combination service between Guadalajara, Mexico, and Denver. The carrier said it plans to begin a single weekly roundtrip flight Dec. 21, using Boeing 727 aircraft seating 156 passengers. Asking for an exemption of at least one year, Mexicana apologized to the department for giving short notice but said it had only a few days ago received notice from the Mexican government that it was authorized for the route. (Docket OST-95-917)
Midwest Express Airlines reported a 7.9% increase in revenue passenger miles in November over November 1994 on 4.9% less capacity. The carrier flew 84.2 million RPMs, up from 78 million, while available seat miles fell from 144.8 million to 137.7 million. The load factor was 61.2%, up from 53.9%. Midwest Express boarded 104,844 passengers during the month, up from 97,184. For the first 11 months, RPMs were up 19.6% to 1.1 billion and ASMs rose 14% to 1.6 billion, for a load factor of 64.4%, up from 61.4%.
Airlines Reporting Corp.'s board has endorsed committee recommendations to revise ticket security rules, and ARC is preparing guidance materials for travel agents, to be distributed early next year. The revisions are designed to protect agencies from financial loss from ticket theft. The directors also agreed that fees in 1996 will not be changed for dishonored drafts, non-reporting instances and unreported sales.
Japan and Myanmar agreed last week to inaugurate air services between the two countries, providing Myanmar accepts international hijacking prevention measures. Under the agreement, an airline from each country may operate three weekly services between Japan and Yangon, Myanmar, using aircraft with 250-300 seats. Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airways and Japan Air System all are interested in serving Myanmar. Japan's Ministry of Transport is expected to select one of the three soon, and the winner may begin operations as early as April.
Qantas Airways has developed and will launch tomorrow a new system to transfer passengers from domestic to international flights at Sydney Airport. The carrier hopes the service, which cost $15 million to develop, will give it a leg up on international competitors who also fly to Sydney. The service allows Qantas to use airside buses to move passengers between lounges in its international and domestic terminals, and a new passenger clearance process will make it easier for Qantas passengers to move through Customs.
Delta Connection Atlantic Southeast Airlines experienced a 3.5% traffic decrease for November, to 63.4 million revenue passenger miles, on flat capacity. Its load factor declined to 45.9% from 47.5%. Traffic also is down 3% for the first 11 months of the year. Nov 95 Nov 94 11 Mths 95 11 Mths 94 RPMs 63,384,549 65,682,034 698,909,961 720,225,795 ASMs 138,202,023 138,210,615 1,547,624,796 1,523,628,141 LoadFtr% 45.9 47.5 45.2 47.3
Delta is cutting fares from its Cincinnati hub to 42 destinations for travel from Dec. 23 through Dec. 25 and Dec. 27 through Jan. 1. Fares are reduced by as much as 50% off the 21-day advance purchase fare.
TWA is negotiating with major aircraft manufacturers to buy or lease aircraft to replace its L1011s and 727s, an airline spokesman said yesterday. TWA's 15 L1011s were to be grounded by the end of this year, but its reorganization slowed that down. "There was a hesitancy [to lease TWA] aircraft while the restructuring was underway," he said. "Now everything is shaking out." TWA hopes to replace the L1011s, currently used for domestic service, in the first quarter of next year, and the spokesman said the Boeing 757 is being discussed as a potential replacement.
World Airways has asked DOT for the rights to operate scheduled combination service between points in the U.S. and Belfast, Glasgow and Manchester, U.K. If approved, the carrier proposes six flights a week - one each between New York Kennedy and Belfast, Philadelphia/Newark and Belfast, Los Angeles and Belfast with beyond service to Shannon, Los Angeles and Glasgow, and San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Manchester. World plans to operate 347-seat DC-10-30 aircraft from New York, Philadelphia and San Juan and 409-seat MD-11s from Los Angeles.
Jet Air International Charters wants renewal of its authority to operate non-scheduled all-cargo services between the terminal point Caracas, Venezuela, and the co-terminal points Miami, New York, and San Juan, P.R.; and between the terminal point Maracaibo, Venezuela, and the co-terminal points Miami and San Juan. The carrier also is seeking authority to continue charter service to the U.S., which it operates under a wet-lease agreement with Emery Worldwide. (Docket 47126&OST-95-909)
Western Pacific, as part of its Winter Wonder Fare promotion, this week will operate a jet with a 37-foot Santa Claus painted on the tail. WestPac said the emblem is an appropriate symbol because the airline is playing Santa by delivering some of the lowest fares available.
Cape Air intends to inaugurate nonstop service Jan. 15 between Fort Myers and Key West, Fla. The 50-minute flights will be operated eight times a day as Key West Express. Cape Air plans to offer joint fares with several major airlines connecting at Fort Myers. It will continue to operate flights from Naples to Key West.
British Airways has begun participating in Worldspan's highest level of automated distribution services, Worldspan Airline Source, which provides real-time interactive connectivity for bookings. Availability requests are routed instantly to BA's database, and travel agents receive electronic acknowledgment immediately that a flight is booked.
Delta, making inroads toward lower unit costs, may earn higher credit ratings from Standard&Poor's as a result. S&P yesterday put Delta on CreditWatch with positive implications, a move affecting $7.4 billion in securities, including ratings on Delta Air Lines Inc. senior debt, equipment trust certificates, subordinated debt and preferred stock. Delta's corporate credit is currently rated double-"B", and even with an upgrade the carrier probably will remain in the rating agency's speculative category.
