Airlines Reporting Corp. said total travel agent sales processed for the first 10 months of the year were up 5% from the same period in 1994, while October's sales climbed 8%. Domestic commissions fell 2% for 10 months to $3.2 billion, and international commissions rose 5% to $2.2 billion. Domestic fares were up 6% and international fares 3%.
Peter Taylor Aircraft Sales Ltd., Brisbane, has been named an authorized sales agent by Dassault Falcon Jet Corp. to promote and sell Falcon jets in the Australian region.
Standard&Poor's said yesterday the impact on McDonnell Douglas's credit quality "would clearly be positive if the reported, although unconfirmed, merger negotiations between Boeing Co. and McDonnell Douglas Corp. are successful." The effect on Boeing's credit rating "would depend on the financing method," it said. The "most favorable scenario for creditworthiness would involve an exchange of stock," S&P said. "On the other hand, a substantial cash component in an acquisition bid would diminish Boeing's financial flexibility.
Sabre Travel Information Network has named Nancy Raynor VP-product marketing. Raynor was managing director-Eastern Division sales for the past two years.
Total Revenue Departures Total Revenue Departures America West 48,166 American 175,354 Continental 105,188 Delta 226,392 Northwest 134,168 Southwest 170,241 TWA 65,689 United 184,058 USAir 201,797 Total 1,311,053
Federal government shutdown last week, which closed the Grand Canyon and other national parks, was a boon to the air tour industry. The U.S. Air Tour Association - the newly renamed National Air Access Council - said tourists shut out of parks benefited from overflights, and operators in Nevada, Arizona and Hawaii reported "brisk" business. USATA is developing several new services for its members, including a planned first-ever air tour summit annual meeting and convention.
A laser beam "illuminated" the eye of the first officer of a Southwest 737 Oct. 30, causing pain and forcing him to turn over control of the aircraft to the captain. The laser beam strike, which emanated from a Las Vegas hotel, was the latest of 51 incidents, according to a National Transportation Safety Board official. The Oct.
Union officials said workers at all eight Daimler-Benz Aerospace plants in Germany were to demonstrate yesterday following the failure during the weekend of union-management negotiations aimed at saving 8,000 jobs DASA is abolishing as part of a restructuring plan to become more competitive against the U.S. dollar (DAILY, Nov. 20). The weekend talks ended without an agreement. DASA said it lost $1.1 billion in the first six months of the year.
Qantas reported traffic, capacity and load factor increases during its first fiscal quarter, which ended Sept. 30, but it said its gains were short of those in its 1995-96 forecast. The Australian carrier logged 8.4% more traffic than in the same quarter last year on 7.2% more capacity, increasing the load factor 0.8 percentage points. The capacity increase was greater than forecast, even though the average stage length decreased year over year, and the traffic increase was less, Qantas said. International routes to the U.K.
Hawaiian Airlines' traffic jumped 58% in October to nearly 332 million revenue passenger miles on 36% more available seat miles. As a result, its load factor was up 10.9 percentage points to 78.1%. Its cargo ton miles increased 25.7% to 3.7 million. For the first 10 months of the year, Hawaiian's traffic was up 23.3% to 2.956 billion RPMs. It carried 8.5% more passengers during the period. Oct 95 Oct 94 10 Mths 95 10 Mths 94 RPMs 331,979,000 210,106,000 2,956,868,000 2,397,731,000
United, in cooperation with Chicago and Denver radio stations, is offering $50 roundtrip fares Thursday through Saturday for selected seats on flights originating in Chicago and Denver. Half of the revenue generated will be donated to charitable organizations in the two cities. "Our Giving Thanks fares are a real demonstration of United's active involvement in the communities in which our employee owners live and work," said Chairman Gerald Greenwald. The fares are not available on United Express.
DOT Secretary Federico Pena signed the newly negotiated aviation agreement between the U.S. and the Philippines yesterday in Manila. The agreement, reached in September, allows both countries to designate two more all-cargo carriers, for a total of three, to fly between the U.S. and the Philippines. One of the carriers from each country also may operate in the Saipan-Guam-Philippines market with rights to fly beyond the other country. The pact gives cargo carriers rights to conduct hub operations at Subic Bay and Manila with increased operating flexibility, DOT said.
FAA relaxed during the weekend some of the vehicle inspection and parking restrictions it imposed in August and October in response to terrorist activities and threats. The restrictions caused delays at several airports. Other restriction, such as passenger identification requirements, will remain in place. Security was tightened after several Muslims were found guilty of terrorism in the bombing of the New York World Trade Center. Tighter security was kept in effect through the signing of a Mideast peace treaty, Pope John Paul II's visit to the U.S.
EVA Air of Taiwan announced formally yesterday its plans to launch newly authorized service to Macau on Dec. 8 and to Hong Kong on Feb. 1, 1996. The carrier intends to begin discussions with other airlines seeking interline agreements at the two destinations. It will serve Macau initially with Boeing 767-200 aircraft seating about 200 passengers in a two-class configuration. It will operate the Hong Kong flights with McDonnell Douglas MD-11 or Boeing 747-400 aircraft with four-class service.
Total Revenue Departures Total Revenue Departures America West 48,602 American 205,269 Continental 112,997 Delta 239,014 Northwest 141,658 Southwest 170,241 TWA 68,098 United 197,647 USAir 204,214 Total 1,387,740
Brian Mulroney, former prime minister of Canada, yesterday filed in Quebec Superior Court a $50 million action against the government of Canada, the commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and other federal government officials in response to "false and reckless allegations" that he received illegal payments to influence Air Canada's acquisition of Airbus Industrie aircraft. Both Air Canada and Airbus declined to comment yesterday on the allegations or the prospective lawsuit.
Southwest has extended the deadline for purchase of its 21-day advance Gotta Go sale fares to Nov. 30. Tickets are good for travel through April 5. Fare examples include $19 for Los Angeles-Oakland and Chicago-Cleveland flights.
Air South's Michael Weber, security chief and regional ground operations manager, will offer advice on how to conduct safe business in Atlanta during the Olympics, and how to accommodate air travelers, at a conference Jan. 11. Weber's speech at the conference, Workplace Atlanta-Solutions to Safety and Security Issues During the Olympics, will be aimed at Atlanta business owners.
AirTran Airways has cut fares by an average $20 for travel Nov. 29-Dec. 18 and Jan. 8-Jan. 31. The tariffs are good throughout its 18-city route system. Tickets must be purchased by Dec. 15. Seats are limited and blackout dates may apply.
Canadian Airlines International has issued a three-year contract to Transcontinental Publications Inc. to publish its English-French inflight magazine, develop versions of it in Chinese, Japanese and other languages, and create an inflight video magazine. Canadian's VP passenger marketing, Gregg Saretsky, said the Transcontinental Group division will provide "innovative inflight entertainment that raises the overall quality of our inflight service."
TWA has been approved by DOT to begin service between New York Kennedy and Santo Domingo Dec. 1. The carrier will operate daily L-1011 service. TWA beefed up service to Mexico and the Caribbean recently to offer better north-south winter travel options.
International Airline Passengers Association (IAPA) is offering members the opportunity to convert frequent flyer miles into LatinPass redeemable on 15 airlines. IAPA members earn IAPAMiles that can be converted into tickets through LatinPass.
Engineers have successfully made the first telephone call using a new Inmarsat system that will make satellite communications available for short- and medium-haul aircraft. The equipment, which will begin flight trials in January, makes use of a new generation of aeronautical services that employ smaller, lighter and cheaper avionics and antennas than those used on longer-range aircraft.
Lone Star Airlines is planning discount fares between Dallas/Fort Worth and Aspen when it starts serving the market Dec. 15. Two roundtrip fares are available through Feb. 18 - $390 for all flights between Dec. 15-Jan. 6, and $337 for travel Jan. 6-Feb. 18. Tickets must be purchased by Nov. 25.
