Delta Connection affiliate Comair logged 105 million revenue passenger miles last month, a 26.6% increase from the 82.9 million recorded in July 1994. Capacity did not keep pace, rising 19.6% to 197.1 million available seat miles from 164.8 million. As a result, load factor enjoyed a a three- percentage-point increase to 53.3% from 50.3%. Passenger enplanements were up 18% to 328,742 from 278,528.
"Buy European" has become the increasingly loud rallying cry within the European aerospace community - one that could affect U.S. manufacturers of engines, avionics and other aircraft components. Bombardier of Canada led the way with its selection of the Pratt&Whitney Canada PW150 for the new 70-passenger Dash 8-400. It now appears that Franco-Italian Avions Transport Regional will opt for a European engine to power the new high- speed version of the ATR 72, sources say. Although no large turboprop engines are currently built in Europe, the capability is there.
America West has decided to use the WorldTracer baggage management system, offered by SITA and IATA, to analyze its baggage return performance. The system enables employees to access baggage files on a real-time basis through every airport and reservations computer terminal. "This electronic baggage management system eliminates tedious searches through paper files and provides customers with immediate information on the status of their bag," said Bob Nichols, America West senior VP-customer service. WorldTracer is used by more than 120 airlines worldwide.
National Park Service overflight fees put airspace management policy in the wrong hands and should be eliminated, the National Air Access Council (NAAC), representing air tour operators, told the House Resources subcommittee on national parks, forests and lands. The fees, established in 1993 legislation, raised more than $1.7 million during the last nine months of 1994 after the Interior Department imposed them at the Grand Canyon, Haleakala and Hawaii Volcanoes national parks.
French regional carrier Flandre Air has placed orders for two Beech 1900Ds and taken options on another four aircraft, 1900 manufacturer Raytheon Aircraft said. Potential value of the deal was placed at about $32 million. Flandre Air, based in Lille, has a fleet of six 1900Cs, and serves domestic routes in France, including Lille, Rennes and Mulhouse - as well as other routes on behalf of larger airlines. Deliveries of the 1900Ds are scheduled to begin in February 1996.
Aeromexico's passenger traffic dropped 18.9% in the first six months of 1995 from the same period last year to 4.08 billion revenue passenger kilometers. The number of passengers boarded fell 18% to 3.3 million. Cargo traffic was up strongly, however, increasing 29.1% to 45.7 million freight ton kilometers. In June, Aeromexico's passenger traffic declined 20.1% to 668.9 million RPKs, and its passenger boardings were down 18.9% to 539,074. Freight traffic rose 44.8% to 7.5 million FTKs.
Embraer plans to fly its new 50-passenger EMB-145 for the first time tomorrow, preparatory to an official rollout and first flight Aug. 18. The aircraft, which carries the same price tag as the $13.5 million, 70- passenger N-250, also is Allison-powered and will occupy an important market niche. At $270,000 per seat, the -145 comes to market priced well below the 50-passenger Canadair Regional Jet, with a per-seat cost of $358,000. The -145 also is the first commercial product brought to market by the Brazilian manufacturer since privatization.
CCAIR's July traffic fell 11.6% from a year ago despite an 8.4% increase in capacity, resulting in a load factor drop of 9.8 percentage points to 43%. The USAir Express carrier said, however, that last year's traffic results were inflated due to discount fares offered throughout the system to compete with the since discontinued Continental Lite, and that the declines in load factor and traffic have been more than offset by increased passenger yields. The carrier said its July yield, which it did not reveal, was its highest since July 1991.
Air Canada hopes to wrest Canada-Italy authority from rival Canadian Airlines International by invoking the use-it-or-lose-it clause in Canada's new international aviation policy. Yesterday, Air Canada said it plans to apply to Transport Minister Doug Young for authority to fly to Italy from Montreal and Toronto using Boeing 767s because Canadian's service has dipped or soon will dip below mandated levels.
U.S. Major and National Carriers Rental Expenses First Quarter 1995 % Of Total Operating Systemwide Expenses America West $ 61,034,406 18.89 American 275,017,000 8.02 Continental 159,606,000 13.68 Delta 281,297,000 9.66
U.S. Major and National Carriers Commission Expenses First Quarter 1995 % Of Total Passenger Systemwide Revenues America West $ 28,893,856 8.99 American 303,841,000 9.68 Continental 94,442,000 9.24 Delta 285,578,000 10.65
Aeromar has applied for renewal of its authority to operate scheduled combination service between San Luis Potosi, Monterrey and Chihuahua, Mexico, and San Antonio, Texas. The carrier also wants renewal of its authority to operate charters between Mexico and the U.S. The carrier noted that while it is operating only San Luis Potosi/Monterrey-San Antonio, it wants to hold on to the Chihuahua-San Antonio rights and begin service when "the economics of the route improve." (Docket 46771&OST-95- 379)
DOT is requiring Air Midwest, operating as USAir Express, to continue operating essential air service at Topeka, Kan., through Sept. 15, or until a carrier capable of providing the EAS begins the service, whichever occurs first.
Chicago Express Airlines is celebrating its second birthday today by holding drawings at Midway Airport for free tickets. Any passenger whose birthday is today, and is traveling on Chicago Express will receive free unlimited travel for the rest of the year. The airline, which operates Jetstream 31s, flies to Grand Rapids, Green Bay, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Evansville.
The U.K. is offering options for a modest increase in London Heathrow Airport slots available to U.S. carriers in return for exempting U.K. carriers from Fly America restrictions.U.S. and U.K. aviation officials began working group meetings yesterday in Washington, following a three-day plenary session in which the U.K. introduced the Heathrow offer. Scheduled to meet through today, the working groups continue to study in greater detail pricing, cargo and charter issues.
Reductions in essential air service funding are being chipped away by exceptions, and criteria for the program are beginning to resemble tax legislation, which is notorious for site-specific loopholes. Late last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee modified the criteria so the program will fund two points in Montana. This week, the Senate exempted Hawaii from the criteria and, much like tax legislation, exempted a single airport in Arkansas that was inexplicably described, but not named. (See related story on Page RA3 of the hard copy of this issue.)
The power outage at Oakland knocked out both the primary system and the backup direct access radar channel (DARC) (DAILY, Aug. 10). Dropped words made it appear that DARC is the primary system.
Mexicana managed a first-half profit of 151.5 million pesos despite what it described as a "steep domestic market downturn." Mexico's economic problems produced an 18% drop in domestic traffic during the first six months of 1995, but Mexicana said it was able to offset the negative impact somewhat by capturing a larger share of available traffic. Mexicana said its domestic market share rose 2.6 percentage points from the same period a year ago to 30.1%, and its transborder traffic share inched up one point to 22.5%.
The civil aircraft recovery that began slowly last year is picking up steam, and Boeing is the biggest beneficiary, data issued yesterday by Aerospace Industries Association indicate. All three major aircraft manufacturers were better off at mid-1995 than when 1994 ended. Boeing's 133 net new orders through the second quarter outpaced 1994's full-year total by more than 96%. At 48 aircraft, Airbus Industrie is two-thirds of the way to its 1994 total.
Aeroperu plans to inaugurate nonstop service between Miami and Iquitos on Dec. 6 to meet the growing demand of "ecotourists" traveling to Iquitos and the Amazon rain forest. Last year, more than 6,000 passengers traveled to Iquitos and more than 8,000 are forecast for this year, the airline said. The new service will be operated weekly from Miami and will continue to Lima. The return to Miami is timed to connect with flights to major U.S., Canadian and European destinations.
TWA said yesterday it will lease three MD-83 aircraft from Ansett Worldwide Aviation Services. The MD-83s will be the first new aircraft in TWA's fleet since it acquired six MD-83s in 1993. The aircraft "demonstrate our forward momentum as we position TWA for the future with a more modern and efficient fleet," said President Jeffrey Erickson. Deliveries begin late this month at 30-day intervals.
American Airlines will conduct a three-month test of Airshow systems and software, including the random access digital video reproducer, on a 767- 300 aircraft. The system provides full motion/still video, audio, and map and flight data displays that give passengers destination/arrival information. The computer-based Interactive Airshow, which allows passengers to select languages, flight information and maps, also will be tested onboard.
Atlantic Coast Airlines, Jetstream Aircraft, Atlantis Aerospace and Ivex Corporation have formed what they called The "Regional Airline Pilot Training Working Group" to perform research on the training needs of regional operators and the matching of training tasks to training devices. Atlantis Aerospace and Ivex had launched a research initiative designed to quantify the extent to which airline flight training can be accomplished using a flight training device fitted with a visual system.
Eastern Australia Airlines, a Qantas subsidiary, has placed an order with Bombardier for one de Havilland Dash 8 Series 200 and secured options on another three aircraft, Bombardier said. The initial Series 200 delivery, scheduled January 1996, will be the first delivery of Bombardier's newest production Dash 8 model in that country, the manufacturer said. The Series 200 has 37 passenger seats and boasts excellent "hot-and-high" performance characteristics.
FAA officials said yesterday a circuit board that "burned" may have triggered Wednesday's power outage at the Oakland center that caused the loss of radar and radio contact with aircraft and may have led to as many as three traffic alert and collision avoidance system (TCAS) alerts. FAA, which is investigating each TCAS alert, has concluded that at least one involved a system error because aircraft separation standards were exceeded, Monte Belger, FAA associate administrator for air traffic, said yesterday.
