ValuJet plans to suspend its newly launched Washington Dulles-Montreal service July 11 for lack of traffic. "Whether we were affected by cultural, currency or language differences, we clearly were not able to generate enough business to operate profitably in this market," President Lewis Jordan said yesterday. ValuJet flies two daily roundtrips, and customers holding confirmed reservations after July 11 can receive a refund or fly on Air Canada or USAir, which serve Montreal from Washington National.
Nielsen AIR, a joint effort launched this year by Nielsen Media Research and AIR Marketing Services, Inc., will soon make available to airports, advertisers and airlines the results of a passenger survey on airport and inflight advertising. The company surveyed 3,000 passengers and visitors at Chicago O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Newark, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Portland and 14 other major U.S. airports.
America West will invest $5 million in the Arizona Diamondbacks major league baseball team, taking a 5% equity stake in the AZPB Limited Partnership, the owner of the baseball franchise. The airline has signed a 10-year marketing agreement under which it will become the team's official airline, providing all charter services when the club starts playing in 1998, other travel purchases, aircraft advertising and exclusive airline sponsorship in all media. America West said each party is expected to reap $20 million from the joint venture.
Taiwan's Civil Aeronautics Administration, ignoring complaints from the island's domestic airlines, says it will implement a system of special landing fees at nearly all Taiwan airports on Aug. 1. The fee, varying according to the size of the aircraft, will be about US$368 for a Boeing 747. A CAA spokesman said the more than US$19.5 million the new tax is expected to generate every year will be used to combat noise pollution near the airports.
Air Canada is offering an introductory fare of US$99 roundtrip to publicize the launch of its daily Montreal-Atlanta service Tuesday, July 4. The coach fare, which is available until July 17 with a three-day advance purchase, is good for travel until Sept. 30. The fare requires a minimum stay of one Saturday night and allows a stay of 30 days. Members of Air Canada's Aeroplan frequent flyer program and partner Continental's OnePass program will receive triple mileage on Air Canada flights in the Montreal- Atlanta market until Aug. 31.
Frontier Airlines will launch service from Denver to Chicago Midway, Kansas City, Phoenix and Salt Lake City in August. The new flights, part of Frontier's efforts to fill gaps left by the termination of Continental service, will be operated with 108-seat 737-200s. President Sam Addoms said Frontier will add service to other high-density markets as it takes on additional aircraft. Startup dates and fares will be announced in the future.
Alaska Airlines has appointed Dennis Hamel staff VP-employee services, as of July 1, in charge of recruitment, training, employee benefits and employee relations. He replaces Timothy Metcalf, who is leaving the company as the carrier continues to realign responsibilities in the division to focus on employee services.
Air Transport Association, in cooperation with the American Association of Airport Executives, has produced 30-second television ads on the impact of the federal aviation fuel tax and the airline industry's celebration of flying 10 billion passengers. The videos are running this month on the CNN Airport Network. Airlines were exempted from the 4.3-cents-per-gallon tax during its first two years but will have to pay it Oct. 1 unless Congress approves further relief.
Boeing 747 Systemwide Aircraft Utilization Per Day Fourth Quarter 1994 B747-100 Continental Northwest TWA Number of Aircraft Operated 2 23 9 Total Fleet Operations Departures 2 38 13 Block Hours 18 272 88
British Airways estimates that its 747 fleet will use 50,000 fewer metric tons of fuel a year, saving $12.1 million, through use of the Automatic Dependence Surveillance (ADS) system, otherwise known as the Future Air Navigation System. With other associated benefits, the carrier believes it can save $32.23 million a year with ADS.
Delta will provide new amenity kits and lavatory products for international first- and business-class passengers this year. The new kits will include Essential Elements aromatherapy, natural body care products. First-class passengers, beginning this fall, will receive a reusable case that includes a "disctraveler" storage case, document organizer, tie/scarf case and a sports pack, as well as lotions, lip balm, facial mist, in-seat exercise book, slipper socks and eye shades.
TWA's creditors have accepted the struggling airline's proposed capital restructuring plan, all but guaranteeing its second Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in less than three and a half years. TWA said yesterday that, subject to final tabulation, it received the votes needed from its creditors to implement its proposed restructuring through the filing of a prepackaged plan of reorganization.
European Commission will investigate whether the joint venture formed by British Aerospace, Aerospatiale of France and Alenia of Italy - aimed at cooperation in marketing, sales and support of regional aircraft - will satisfy European Union competition rules.The decision represents a setback to the joint venture, which envisions eventual development of a new aircraft.
The Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC) has recommended closing the Air Force facility at Chicago O'Hare Airport. Reporting last week, BRAC elected to keep open Air Reserve facilities at Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport, Niagara Falls Airport, Youngstown-Warren Municipal Airport, General Mitchell Airport and Greater Pittsburgh Airport. The Air National Guard installation at O'Hare would be moved to Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
DOT has tentatively approved the transfer of Evergreen International Airlines' U.S.-China all-cargo authority to Federal Express. Agreeing in February to acquire the authority, including scheduled service to Beijing, Shanghai and other points in China (DAILY, Feb. 27), FedEx plans service that maximizes all-cargo opportunities available under the U.S.-China aviation agreement, from small-package, door-to-door operations to general services for consolidated shipments using 747 freighter aircraft.
Sabre Travel Information Network has expanded its Bargain Finder Plus product to process international as well as domestic itineraries. The product had been available only for U.S. and Canadian city-pairs. Bargain Finder Plus automates the search for lower airfares, increasing agent productivity by reducing time in locating a lower fare. The product, which is available to Sabre subscribers in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Bermuda, the Bahamas and countries in the Caribbean, is host-based and does not require additional software.
FAA, under political pressure, failed to do its homework last winter when it rushed to issue a proposed rule within 100 days to bring safety requirements for smaller turboprop aircraft up to the standards of larger air transports, according to industry comments filed this week with the agency.
Consumer advocates and industry observers are pressing DOT to reconsider its proposed rulemaking to exclude mechanical delays and cancellations from on-time data in its Air Travel Consumer Report.
Cathay Pacific Airways wants the air services agreement between Hong Kong and Australia to be limited to operations within that market, avoiding the "unnecessary complications" of fifth-freedom issues.
French charter Corsair on Saturday launched weekly service from Oakland to Papeete, Tahiti. The flight, which originates in Paris and stops in Oakland before continuing to Papeete, is operated with a Boeing 747SP configured to seat 353 passengers.
A USAir employee stock ownership plan likely will be announced by the end of July, according to Gruntal&Co. analyst Steve Lewins, who said the ESOP will win the necessary and numerous approvals by yearend and take effect in January.Lewins also expects Continental to announce its recapitalization plan within two weeks.
Barbados-based Carib Express has signed an interline agreement with Air Martinique, bringing to six the number of pacts the startup airline has with regional and international carriers. The agreement enables each carrier to accept the tickets of the other on its services without endorsement. Other airlines that have signed interline deals with Carib Express are British Airways, which is a 20% owner of the new airline, BWIA International Airways, Air Canada, Air France and KLM.
United Express carrier Atlantic Coast Airlines (ACA) said yesterday it expects its second quarter earnings per share to exceed current analyst projections. The company based its optimism on continuing strength in revenue yield and passenger traffic. ACA did not offer projections, but analysts have been estimating earnings of 24 cents per share for the regional.
