Laser beams from light shows around hotels and amusement parks have struck 52 aircraft pilots, according to a National Transportation Safety Board official. The issue is of growing concern to the aviation industry, and FAA met last week with the Food and Drug Administration, which controls laser devices. NTSB is investigating a laser incident in which a Southwest pilot had to turn over control of his aircraft.
Western Pacific Airlines intends to begin service to Atlanta Jan. 8 with daily nonstops from Colorado Springs. Introductory one-way fares for travel Jan. 8-Jan. 24 will be $79. The regular fare rates will be announced Dec. 6. Atlanta is WestPac's 17th destination since it started service April 28.
DOT announced Friday program-wide reductions in essential air service subsidies, effective Nov. 27, to accommodate the reduction in EAS funding for fiscal 1996 to $22.6 million from the $33.4 million that was appropriated in fiscal 1995. DOT said it is delaying the effective date until Nov. 27 to avoid disruptions during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. The department is accepting comments on the order through Nov. 30. In the same order, DOT tentatively selected GP Express d/b/a Continental Connection, to provide EAS at five Nebraska communities, beginning Nov.
Air Canada may petition the Canadian government to rescind its 1993 approval of AMR Corp.'s C$246 million investment in Canadian Airlines International, an Air Canada spokeswoman confirmed. She said that if the U.S. DOT approves the Canadian/American request for antitrust immunity for their alliance, then Air Canada would consider asking Canada's National Transportation Agency to review its decision on the investment. Air Canada may seek antitrust immunity for its alliances with United and Continental if the Canadian/American partnership gets the coverage.
- In Federal Register dated Nov. 9...Issued an airworthiness directive on certain Airbus A320 aircraft requiring reinforcement of the fuselage frame. - In FR dated Nov. 13...Issued an AD on Boeing 737 aircraft concerning procedures for shutting down the auxiliary power unit when an APU fire is indicated...Issued an AD on British Aerospace 111-400 aircraft requiring inspection of the rod ends of the lift dumper...Issued an AD on certain Teledyne Continental Motors reciprocating engines concerning damage due to use of the wrong octane avgas.
Lufthansa and United have added Colorado Springs, Madison, Rochester, Boise, Oklahoma City and Kahului/Maui to their list of code-sharing cities. Kiev was added recently to the international schedule, which now includes more than 400 daily flights to 87 destinations in North America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The airlines currently offer code-share service from a total of 52 cities in the U.S. The most popular destinations for European travelers on code-share flights to the U.S. are Denver, San Diego, Orlando and Tampa, Lufthansa said.
Air New Zealand is entering the Indian market with the appointment this week of New Delhi-based Inter Globe Air Transport as its marketing representative for the country. "A number of favorable factors in India give us the confidence that the timing is right to introduce the product we have to offer," said Air New Zealand Managing Director Jim McCrea. "Initially, we plan to work with a number of partner airlines to carry passengers to connect to Air New Zealand flights, principally in Bangkok, Singapore and Hong Kong," he said.
U.S. National Carriers Productivity, In Revenues and Expenses Per Employee Second Quarter 1995, In Dollars 20 Total Total Operating Operating Revenues Expenses Airline (000) (000) Alaska 298,588 275,049 Aloha 53,707 57,782 American Trans Air 165,560 159,907
Senate FAA reform legislation (S.1239) approved this month by the Commerce Committee is "out of the mainstream" and poses a safety concern because "it's not unreasonable to assume that some pilots may avoid using the air traffic control system to minimize charges," according to Phil Boyer, president of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. Although the bill would exempt sport and recreation aircraft from new user fees, more than 60% of AOPA members use general aviation aircraft for business purposes, Boyer said.
Spirit Airlines will inaugurate service from Detroit Metropolitan Airport to Philadelphia Dec. 15, offering fares that range from $49 to $89 one way and can be purchased until the day of travel. Spirit will operate one flight a day in the market. It currently flies from Detroit to four Florida points and Atlantic City.
U.S. Major Carriers Productivity, In RPMs And ASMs Per Employee Second Quarter 1995 Revenue Available Passenger Seat Miles Miles Airline (000) (000) America West 3,497,605 4,858,108 American 25,971,787 38,702,515 Continental 9,263,083 13,498,120 Delta 21,873,173 33,028,158
Northwest Airlines Corp.'s board yesterday adopted an anti-takeover "poison pill" over the objection of shareholder KLM, prompting the Dutch carrier's chief executive, Pieter Bouw, to suggest that his company may consider other U.S. partners.
Delta reported yesterday a $77 million operating profit on its transatlantic operations for the September quarter and a $7 million profit for the 12-month period that ended Sept. 30 - the first time Delta has made money on a full-year basis since it bought Pan Am's money-losing operation in 1991.
AMR Eagle has named Lance McDonald VP of flight operations. VP of flight operations for Simmons Airlines for seven years, McDonald replaces Robert Zoller, who is retiring from AMR Corp. He will direct development of "standardized, cost-effective flight operations policies and procedures," oversee revision of fleet-specific operations manuals, coordinate operational and regulatory issues with FAA, direct operations of Eagle's Emergency Management Center and supervise Systems Operations Control.
Vanguard Airlines said it plans to lease a 737-200, its eighth, from Mimi Inc. and place the aircraft in service in mid-December. Vanguard, a "simplified fare" airline which began operations in 1994, currently serves Chicago Midway, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Des Moines, Kansas City, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Salt Lake City and Wichita.
Miami, Fla.-based Gulfstream International Airlines flew a record 6.4 million revenue passenger miles in October, a 139.2% increase from the 2.7 million reported in October 1994. Capacity rose 106.8% to 13.2 million available seat miles; the load factor climbed 6.56 percentage points to 48.56%, and passenger enplanements rose 119.2% to 33,389. For the first 10 months, traffic was up 115.5% to 51.6 million RPMs; capacity climbed 74.1% to 99.2 million ASMs; the load factor increased 9.2 points to 52%, and enplanements rose 84% to 283,035.
Standard&Poor's affirmed yesterday its ratings of USAir and American and their respective parent companies, and removed them from CreditWatch, where it placed them Oct. 3 with positive implications. The action affects a combined $11.3 billion in debt at the two airline companies. S&P said the USAir action was based on UAL Corp.'s announcement this week that it has ended its exploration of acquiring USAir.
Greenwich Air Services reported that sales increased 86.6% to $196.3 million from $105.2 million for the fiscal year ended Sept. 30. The aircraft engine services company recently acquired several new airline customers, including Continental, VASP and Sun Country Airlines.
Royal Jordanian Airline, the national airline of Jordan, has acquired one leased 50-passenger de Havilland Dash 8 Series 300, which will be placed in service on a route network that includes service between Amman, Jordan, and Tel Aviv, Israel. Service with the -300 will be operated by Royal Jordanian's regional subsidiary Royal Wings.
Mesa Air Group earned a net profit of $7.6 million, or 23 cents per share, for its fourth fiscal quarter ended Sept. 30, on a per-share rise of 35.3% from the same year-ago quarter's $5.9 million, or 17 cents per share, but its yearend earnings totaled $14 million, or 42 cents per share, a 44.7% per-share decline from $27.7 million, or 76 cents per share, in the prior fiscal year. Mesa Chief Executive Larry Risley said, "While the Mesa Air Group, Inc.
Gulfstream Aerospace and Executive Jet International yesterday announced a partnership, Gulfstream NetJets Inc., that will market shared ownership of Gulfstream business jets. The partnership will complement Gulfstream's IV- SP and V programs and enable EJI to offer customers fractional ownership in a full range of business jets, the companies said. Earlier this year, Gulfstream and Executive Jet signed a 22-airplane contract valued at more than $500 million to initiate a fractional ownership program.
