Falcon Air Express applied to DOT for a certificate to operate charter combination service. If approved, Falcon plans to launch service Nov. 15 within the U.S. and between the U.S. and points in the Caribbean and Mexico, using a single leased Boeing 727-200 aircraft. The Miami-based startup wants to offer its own "low-cost" charter service as well as sub- service to U.S. certificated scheduled and supplemental airlines and foreign carriers on an aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance (ACMI) basis.
Lufthansa Cargo plans to reorganize its Texas cargo operations, creating a single sales organization based at Dallas/Fort Worth, in a bid to improve service and efficiency. Lufthansa's primary goal is to "develop and strengthen our market presence in order to support long-term Boeing 747 freighter services in Texas," said Michael Vorwerk, VP-cargo U.S. "DFW was a logical choice since it better serves the region with its central location, and offers more options for expansion and development of cargo facilities," he said. Lufthansa will maintain its gateway in Houston.
McDonnell Douglas DC-10 Systemwide Aircraft Utilization Per Day First Quarter 1995 DC-10-10 American Continental Number of Aircraft Operated 17 2 Total Fleet Operations Departures 39 3 Block Hours 175 15
British Midland ordered two more Fokker 70s for delivery in late 1996 and early 1997. The carrier, the European launch customer for the F70, has five F70s and four F100s in service.
Continental and SkyWest will offer new daily service from Los Angeles to 14 destinations, beginning Oct. 24. SkyWest will operate as Continental Connection to Bakersfield, El Centro/Imperial, Fresno, Monterey, Ontario, Orange County/Santa Ana, Palm Springs, Sacramento, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, San Jose, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria and Yuma, Ariz. (DAILY, Aug. 3).
Aeroflot has asked DOT for the rights to operate flights from Russia, via intermediate points, to Miami and beyond to Peru. It also seeks Russia- Honolulu service, via intermediate points. Aeroflot has asked DOT to grant the beyond rights to Peru, which would involve extra-bilateral authority, by Oct. 16, so it can begin twice-weekly service to Lima, using Il-62s.
Delta posted a June quarter operating profit of $42 million on its transatlantic operations, a $77 million turnaround from the June 1994 quarter, when it reported a $35 million operating loss. Robert Coggin, Delta's executive VP-marketing, attributed the profit to improvements in unit costs, yields and load factor. According to Coggin, June represented the 26th consecutive month of year-over-year transatlantic gains for Delta, which, when it bought the Frankfurt-based operation from Pan Am several years ago, greatly underestimated its money-losing potential.
EPA Deputy Administrator Fred Hansen and Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation Mary Nichols, speaking at a ceremony in Washington, recognized the contribution of major airlines and aircraft manufacturing companies to the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants final rule for aerospace manufacturing and rework facilities. The rule, published in the Sept. 1 Federal Register, aims at reducing emissions of air toxics and smog-forming volatile organic compounds by 123,000 tons annually.
Air South says it will offer nearly 2,000 seats at low fares on nonstop flights between Atlanta and Miami during the Thanksgiving weekend. It will provide four nonstop flights each way the day before Thanksgiving for $109 one way, and 44 departures and arrivals at Atlanta, its highest one-day level at an airport.
Delta will convey inflight safety information through videos using animated characters and high-tech computer graphics to gain the attention of passengers. English video producer SkyLine is developing the videos, which will be put on board in early November.
Frontier Airlines launched service from Denver yesterday to Phoenix and Chicago Midway, operating 108-seat 737-200s. The service to Chicago operates three times a day, one with a stop in Omaha, and the service to Phoenix twice a day. Special introductory fares are $49 each way to Phoenix and $79 to Chicago. On Sunday, Frontier terminated service to Billings, Bozeman, Great Falls and Missoula, Mont.
FAA issued separate final rules prohibiting flights between the U.S. and two countries, Libya and Iraq. The rules replace special regulations that expired April 16, 1993, and Nov. 9, 1991, respectively.
Delta is offering winter fare savings on flights to 13 European destinations - Amsterdam, Barcelona, Brussels, Frankfurt, Geneva, London, Madrid, Manchester, Milan, Nice, Paris, Rome and Zurich. Tickets are as much as 20% off the advance purchase excursion fare. Tickets, which are good for travel Nov. 1 until Feb. 25, must be purchased by Sept. 28.
Moody's Investors Service yesterday put the ratings of Northwest Airlines and NWA Inc. under review for possible upgrade, affecting $900 million in debt. The rating agency said its review will focus on the potential for continuing improvements in Northwest's financial flexibility, operating cash flow and debt protection measures. Among the numerous ratings to be reviewed are a B1 on Northwest's senior unsecured guaranteed notes and a B2 on senior unsecured notes.
FAA has completed Human Factors Guide for Aviation Maintenance, a publication intended to enhance air safety by offering ways to reduce human error and improve performance levels of airline maintenance workers, managers and safety inspectors. Preparing the book, FAA officials and contractors interviewed maintenance technicians and their line supervisors, set up laboratories at maintenance facilities, examined workplaces, shift records, personal and work-related records, and studied human and environmental factors related to human performance.
Deutsche BA, 49%-owned by British Airways, plans to launch London Gatwick- Berlin Tegel service Jan. 8 with two Fokker 100 flights per day. Berlin will be the fifth German city BA and its partner carriers serve from Gatwick. Deutsche BA serves Munich twice a day and will introduce three- times-a-day service to Bremen on Oct. 29. BA serves Frankfurt three times a day and City Flyer Express, operating as a BA franchise carrier, flies to Dusseldorf twice a day. The new Deutsche BA service will complement BA's four-times-daily London Heathrow-Berlin service.
Air Club International and Hawkair Aviation Services have applied in separate actions before DOT for renewal of their authority to operate charter flights between Canada and the U.S. Montreal-based Air Club International wants to continue operating one flight per week from Vancouver to Honolulu, using Boeing 747-200 and Airbus A310-300 aircraft (DAILY, Aug. 10, 1994) (Docket 49701). Hawkair, based in British Columbia, also seeks continued authority to serve third countries and the U.S.
Freddie Laker and Texas oilman Oscar Wyatt announced yesterday they will form Laker Airways Inc., giving Laker Airways another shot at operating successful transatlantic service. Wyatt will be senior shareholder, with a 51% stake in the company, which will operate from Florida to Great Britain, Italy and Germany. Laker has not yet filed at DOT for approval.
Burns&McDonnell Engineers-Architects-Consultants added Edmund Johnson as corporate director-transportation. CFM International named Gerard Laviec president and chief executive, succeeding Francis Avanzi, who returns to Snecma. Kaman Corp. named Huntington Hardisty president of affiliate Kaman Aerospace International. K-C Aviation appointed John Rahilly president. Sundstrand elected Robert Jenkins president, chief executive officer and a member of the board.
FAA Administrator David Hinson and Deputy Administrator Linda Daschle met recently with airline CEOs on airport security measures, which will get tougher. "We have to defend against possible terrorist attack," Daschle said, "and we want to come up with an acceptable package."
Federal Express, which reported a 23% increase in its August quarter net earnings to $75.3 million, said it managed to slow the rate at which its domestic yields are decreasing (DAILY, Sept. 15). The express carrier's average revenue per domestic package declined 3.4% from the August quarter a year ago, to $12.68. In the previous quarter, domestic yield per package was down 5% year-over-year. "We did a much better job of managing our U.S. domestic package yields this quarter," said Chief Financial Officer Alan Graf.
Swedish regional carrier Skyways, which posted a profit of 7 million Swedish krona last year, expects to make even more money this year as it continues to grow. Last year's profit turned around 1993 results, when Skyways lost 39 million krona. Jan Palmer, company president, said productivity, measured by revenue per employee, increased 27% during the past two years, and he attributed current success to a strong business focus, fulfillment of passenger needs, cost effectiveness and team spirit.
Airports Council International elected Paul Gaines chairman. Air Transport Association presented its third "Award of Excellence" to Robert Michael, general manager of the Regional Airport Authority of Louisville and Jefferson County, Ky.
