Air Line Pilots Association contract negotiators at Delta say the company has told them it needs an agreement on increased flying in 100-seat markets if it is to make the financial commitment necessary to carry it out.After that time, Delta says it will have to find "alternate methods" to serve those markets, according to ALPA.
Barfield subsidiary AVSCO appointed Bob Phillips VP-marketing and sales; Keith Windham director-commercial and airlines sales, and Roger Forand director-government programs development, a new position.
British Airways Chairman Colin Marshall is giving up the last of his day- to-day control of the company he helped transform from state-owned "Bloody Awful" to the publicly traded "World's Favourite Airline." Robert Ayling, group managing director since 1993, will become chief executive Jan. 1, filling a post that has been vacant since Marshall succeeded John King as chairman. King retired earlier than planned as a result of controversy surrounding Virgin Atlantic Airways' dirty tricks allegations against BA.
Proposed an AD on all McDonnell Douglas DC-10 and MD-11F aircraft to require checks of the lavatory drain system. Proposed to supersede an AD on certain Boeing 737-300/400 aircraft concerning checks for leaks on the forward lavatory service system. Proposed an AD on Eurocopter BO-105 series helicopters to require testing of the tandem hydraulic switchover system. Proposed an AD on Aerospatiale SA-365 helicopters to require inspection of the door jettison systems.
The lack of English language standards for cabin crew is a "disaster waiting to happen," and inadequate training in effective communication has resulted in tragedy in the past, Association of Flight Attendants President Patricia Friend warned in a presentation at the McGraw-Hill Chicago '95 aviation conference. In the past three years, the FAA Cabin Safety Working Group has been able to reach agreement on only one regulatory proposal - minimum English language standards for flight attendants - but progress on developing the requirements languishes, she said.
Atlas Air, Golden, Colo., has contracted with Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Co. (HAECO) to convert 10 747-200 aircraft to freighters within 24 months. Atlas currently operates nine 747 freighters for six airlines - British Airways, China Airlines, Emirates, KLM, Lufthansa and Varig. Michael Chowdry, Atlas chairman, said Alitalia delivered a 747-200 Combi to HAECO last week for conversion. A second Alitalia 747-200 Combi is to be delivered to HAECO on Dec. 31, and Chowdry said Atlas expects to place both aircraft in service in the first quarter of next year. On Oct.
The Pentagon will not buy militarized versions of Boeing's 747-400F freighter to supplement its planned fleet of McDonnell Douglas C-17s, Defense Department Acquisition Chief Paul Kaminski said Friday.
Swissair reintroduced scheduled service to Shanghai during the weekend. It will add the destination three times a week as a continuation of its current Boeing 747 flight from Zurich to Beijing.
Boosting his upcoming Asian trip, DOT Secretary Federico Pena outlined his travel plans to Asian industry and press groups last week. "Asia is the fastest-growing market anywhere," he said, noting steady growth in U.S. jobs and airline revenues coming from the region. "And that's why I'm taking this 17-day trade mission to Asia before joining the President at the APEC summit in Osaka - to help American businesses be more successful and to make certain we're competing on a level playing field."
FAA and NASA Ames are testing at Denver a device that provides proposed routes for fuel-efficient descents that accurately meet scheduled times of arrival. The new tool, called the Descent Advisor, is providing arrival time accuracy within 20 seconds based on a single clearance 25 miles prior to descent.
South African Airways said Friday it plans to order four 777-200s and two 747-400s and take options on three more 777s in a deal totaling about $1.3 billion, the largest in its history. It has not yet selected an engine. The carrier plans to take delivery of its first airplane, the longer-range version of the 777, in 1997. SAA currently operates 13 737-200s and 16 747s.
The possibility that United will move to acquire USAir is the starting point for a new wave of airline restructuring, but regardless of what happens, the industry will consolidate to three or four clusters of international carriers, Air Canada Chairman Hollis Harris said Friday. Speaking to the Society of Senior Aerospace Executives (SSAE) and to reporters afterward, Harris painted a frenzied picture of airlines merging and realigning with new partners. Because of its nearly 24% voting stake in Continental, Air Canada will be in the midst of the action, he said.
Projection that direct flights will increase 40% during the next 15 to 20 years are "good news economically for aviation" but have serious safety implications, FAA Administrator David Hinson told an international audience last week in Chicago. "More flights mean more accidents unless safety grows at a rate that matches or exceeds the growth in air traffic," Hinson told McGraw-Hill's Chicago '95 aviation conference. He cited such efforts as the Flight Operations Quality Assurance Program, which analyzes data collected by U.S. airlines, as vital to safety.
Ramp damage to aircraft occurs more often during arrivals than departures, according to a study by NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System. In more than a third of damage incidents, only one ground crew member was attending the aircraft. Pilots attributed error to ground crew in more than half the incidents but faulted themselves almost as frequently.
Virgin Atlantic Airways is offering roundtrip fares between Boston and London Gatwick for $348 for midweek travel and $388 for weekend travel. For flights from Milwaukee, Albany, Buffalo and Syracuse to London, the fares start at $506 and include connecting flights to Boston on Midwest Express or Business Express. The offer is valid for passengers originating in the U.S. Tickets must be purchased by Nov. 17, and all travel must be completed by March 31. Blackout dates and other restrictions apply.
Air Canada, which owns nearly 24% of Continental, stands to make a lot of money if another non-U.S. airline wants to buy in. Air Canada already has recovered its entire investment and has its Continental holding booked at $9 per share, but the U.S. carrier has been trading at about $40 per share lately.
SIA Group officially opened Friday its recently completed Airfreight Terminal 5 - dubbed the SIA Superhub by the airline company - at Singapore Changi. The S$215 million terminal was built and will be managed by SIA's ground-handling subsidiary, SATS Airport Services, and is dedicated to serving the two airlines in the SIA Group, Singapore Airlines and SilkAir. "The Superhub presents a new specialization in cargo handling at Changi," said SATS Chairman Cheong Choong Kong. "It is predominantly a facility for cargo transshipment.
Granted orally an exemption to Cargolux Airlines International to operate scheduled all-cargo service with passengers on the upper deck of its freighter aircraft, from points behind Luxembourg, via Luxembourg, to a point or points in the U.S. and beyond the U.S., via intermediate points. Granted orally an exemption to Servicios Aerolineas Mexicanas to engage in charter passenger service between Mexico and the U.S. and other charter operations to and from the U.S.
Senate Aviation subcommittee chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.), angered by the failure of U.S.-U.K. talks, promises to focus on them - and may try to hold DOT's feet to the fire - at international aviation hearings he plans this month.
