Federal Express pilots conducted informational picketing before the company's annual shareholders meeting yesterday in Memphis. The pilots continue to display their frustration with what they say is a lack of progress in contract negotiations after 16 months of bargaining. Joseph DePete, chairman of FedEx's Air Line Pilots Association unit, said, "FedEx management's intransigence at the bargaining table forced us several weeks ago to petition the National Mediation Board for a proffer of arbitration in an effort to bring this process to a close.
FAA yesterday announced the appointments of Sarah MacLeod and Steven Brown as chairman and vice chairman of the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee. ARAC, chartered by FAA in February 1991 at the request of Congress, comprises 64 aviation organizations and provides advice and recommendations on rulemaking. MacLeod, executive director of the Aeronautical Repair Station Association, succeeds Walter Coleman, president of the Regional Airline Association.
New Aircraft Orders And Options June 1995 Last 12 Months Firm Orders Options Orders Options Carrier # Type # Type Engines Del Dates # Type # Type Air Canada 10 A319 - CFM56-5A5 Dec96-Jun98 10 A319 10 A319 Air Canada 14 Canad- - CF35-3A1 Aug95-Oct96 2 A340-300 0 air RJ
SITA and the Brazilian government signed an agreement for implementation of VHF AirCom in Brazil. SITA was selected to supply the software, to be used for the Datalink Service Processor and Remote Ground Stations, as well as long-term consulting services for system implementation. The system, to be renamed DataCom, will be interconnected with SITA's VHS AirCom, providing fully transparent service to users. In service with 67 air transport customers, it provides a digital link between aircraft computers and ground-based installations.
Hughes Aircraft will upgrade and automate FAA's oceanic air traffic control system under a $141 million contract, Administrator David Hinson said, but he added that the contract could have been issued "in less than half the time" if FAA procurement were streamlined as called for in a Senate bill. Hinson said developing the Advanced Oceanic Automation System (AOAS) will improve aircraft fuel economy, increase traffic capacity and shorten flight times to Europe and Asia.
Euro Air Cargo applied to DOT for authority to operate all-cargo service between points in Spain and the U.S., and beyond. The carrier plans weekly service between Spain, on the one hand, and Miami, New York, Chicago and Puerto Rico, on the other, using DC-8/62-F aircraft with capacity for 14 cargo pallets. Euro Air began commercial operations in May and has flown 400 block hours on service throughout Europe. (Docket OST-95-673)
A Concorde Re-life Group at British Aerospace, trying to help British Airways keep its supersonic jetliner in service until as late as 2010, is expected to present structural analysis and a list of minor modifications to U.K. and French authorities next month. BA's first Concorde, G-BOAA, will reach the end of its lifetime - by regulation, 6,700 "reference flights" - in mid-1997.
TWA's board approved the appointment of Marilyn Hoppe as VP-revenue management. Hoppe, a 25-year industry veteran, is credited with a leading role in America West's revenue turnaround. She became America West's first female VP in 1990.
Boeing is delaying the delivery of British Airways' first 777, scheduled Thursday, because of problems experienced with General Electric's GE90 engine during the flight test program. BA was sanguine about the delay, saying yesterday that the lag is "not surprising" given that the GE90 is the first new-design engine type to be introduced in many years.
High landing fees at Chiang Kai-shek Airport jeopardize Taiwan's ambition to become a regional transportation center, industry sources say.A United Airlines official said landing a 747 costs about US$58,000 at Jakarta, little more than $64,000 at Hong Kong or Singapore, but $114,500 at CKS.
Mechanical problems with a T33 chase airplane yesterday forced the National Transportation Safety Board to postpone until today wake vortex tests at the FAA Technical Center in Atlantic City, N.J., to determine whether turbulence played a part in the crash of USAir Flight 427 near Pittsburgh last September (DAILY, Sept. 25). The tests, which also will involve a Boeing 727, are expected to take up to two weeks to complete.
Australian government introduced legislation yesterday that would permit Sydney Airport to fine airlines as much as $100,000 for breaking its noise curfew. The current limit is $25,000. The bill also reduces the quota of international flights allowed to break the curfew.
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.
