United is urging DOT to approve "only for a limited time" Aeroflot's application for renewed authority to operate to the U.S. and beyond. By limiting the renewal to 179 days, United said the department will give "the Russian Federation an opportunity to reconsider and correct its policy toward U.S. carriers." United remarked that Russia recently refused to renew the carrier's right "to offer code-share services between the U.S. and Moscow via Frankfurt" with Lufthansa.
FedEx said it has added service to nine new countries - eight in the former Soviet Union and Myanmar, formerly Burma, in Indo-China. New service to former Soviet Union countries, through FedEx's Global Service Participants, will go to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. FedEx announced in February the acquisition of China route authority from Evergreen International.
Aeroflot-Russian International Airlines Co. has ordered 20 Il-96M aircraft, powered by Pratt&Whitney engines and using avionics from Rockwell Collins, according to Tass. Albert Mikhailov, director general of the Voronezh Aircraft Factory, told the Russian news agency that the order is valued at $1.5 billion, about half the price of equivalent Western aircraft. "We offered serious competition to world-known Boeing and Douglas firms, which were eager to put their planes on the Russian market," Mikhailov said.
The Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee, set to expire in 1995 after four years in existence, has been extended by FAA for two years, until February 1997. ARAC is credited with providing a forum in which industry can advise FAA and make recommendations to it on a wide range of rulemaking issues.
Jacksonville air route traffic control center has 20 goats in residence on its nine fenced-in acres, "brought in to keep down the foliage in the area because it is extremely difficult to keep mowed." Their water and feed troughs are surplus lavatory materials from an aborted project at the facility. "If they reproduce or cause problems, their lease will be terminated," FAA says.
Aero Technology promoted P.J. Mayes to general manager. Associated Air Freight named Jose Cosio district manager- Miami. Beck, DeCorso, Barrera&Oh named Bryan Daly an associate. BTI Americas named Lora Ellis director-affiliate sales. Garrett Aviation Services named Charles Trujillo regional sales manager- Europe. Intelsat elected Tetsuo Hashimoto, Japan, and John Stanton, Australia, chairman and vice chairman.
USAir intends to support a new aviation maintenance program at Fayetteville, N.C., Technical Community College, providing more than $250,000 in parts for 727s, 737s, DC-9s and F28s, plus training courseware and maintenance manuals to support the donated parts. The parts are surplus, and USAir will phase the 727 out of its fleet during the year.
USAir Group and Hawaiian Airlines stock prices moved dramatically in different directions Friday on speculation that USAir is interested in acquiring Hawaiian, TWA or both. A USAir spokesman called the reports "unfounded." USAir's stock price declined about 10% to slightly more than $12 per share, while the price of Hawaiian's stock, which resumed trading Wednesday after an 18-month hiatus due to its Chapter 11 bankruptcy, zoomed up 6 1/8, or 83% to $13.50 per share before trading was halted by the American Stock Exchange.
The carriers conducting sightseeing air tours of the Grand Canyon say they should not be included in an FAA plan to upgrade many small aircraft to comply with Part 121 safety standards, a move they believe would be "neither appropriate nor justified." A so-called white paper developed by Twin Otter International's Alan Stephen - former president of tour operator Scenic Airlines - concluded that requiring the upgrade for 10- to 19-seat Grand Canyon air tour aircraft would render the aircraft "completely uneconomic, resulting in eventual replacement with smaller aircraft
The government of Australia yesterday launched the oft-delayed privatization of flag-carrier Qantas with the pricing of its 75% stake in the airline. Finance Minister Kim Beazley said institutional investors will be offered shares in the airline for A$1.80 to $2.10, and retail investors will be able to invest in the carrier for A$2 to $2.10 per share for a minimum of 1,000 shares. The final prices will be based on demand and will be announced July 31. The retail offer becomes effective July 3 and will close July 21.
An Asian partner will "most likely" join any program to build a 90- to 120-passenger regional jet by the Alenia/Aerospatiale/British Aerospace joint venture, according to Avro International Aerospace Chief Executive Michael Donovan, speaking with DAILY affiliate Show News. BAe will contribute the Avro RJ regional jet line to the new venture, but a newer aircraft eventually will be needed, too.
Air France is offering a special summer sale fare of $599 roundtrip - which is 26% off the lowest published fare currently available - on its flights from New York Kennedy and Newark to Paris, subject to government approval. Travel to Nice, Bordeaux, Strasbourg and other cities in France is available on Air France or Air Inter for $70 roundtrip when purchased with the New York-Paris fare. Tickets must be bought no later than June 30 for departure July 5-Aug. 22 and return July 19-Sept. 22. The $599 fare is for travel Monday-Thursday.
FAA Administrator David Hinson and Netherlands Director General of Civilian Aviation Jan Weck have accepted the terms of what was called the world's first bilateral aviation safety agreement at a meeting in Amsterdam (DAILY, June 22). FAA described the pact as a "new type of agreement designed to promote the highest standards of aviation safety by increasing cooperation." When it is signed, it will form a regulatory partnership improving efficiency and expanding each nation's ability to respond to changes in the international aviation industry, the agency said.
Scope clauses in the pilot-union contracts of U.S airlines are having a further impact on the marketing strategies of aircraft manufacturers. AMR Eagle, for example, has long called its 64-passenger ATR 72 aircraft "super ATRs" because of sensitivity concerning the 70-seat limit on aircraft operated by American affiliates. Now the "proposed" stretched Canadair Regional jet (CRJ-X) is being billed as a 70-seater after promotional material earlier touted its nominally 74-seat and "up to" 76- seat capacities.
Gulfstream International logged a 96.7% increase in passenger enplanements last month, leading a group of 12 regionals in that category. The Florida-based carrier, which boarded 27,556 passengers, compared with 14,012 in May 1994, was followed by Mesa, with a 19.2% increase to 538,270 passengers from 451,491; Great Lakes, 19% to 65,132 from 54,708; Horizon, 18.8% to 309,000 from 260,200; Comair, 14.12% to 328,528 from 287,889, and Business Express, 9.3% to 157,621 from 144,158.
Hotel Reservations Network (HRN), a hotel consolidator, is offering frequent flyer miles on United, Northwest and Continental as part of its Award Miles program. Program members receive 500 miles each time they book a minimum stay of three nights in any of the cities served by HRN. The three nights need not be taken consecutively or in the same city. Travelers can accumulate up to 20,000 frequent flyer miles per year, per carrier.
The U.S. majors' combined passenger traffic rose 2.6% last month on 1.3% capacity, boosting the group's average load factor 0.9 percentage points to 66.9%. Five of the nine majors posted load factor increases for the month, led by Northwest and Continental, which reported increases of 4.3 points and four points, respectively. Northwest's increase came as a result of an 8.7% jump in traffic on 2.2% more capacity, while Continental's came because traffic fell only 1.1% despite a 7.2% drop in capacity.
Business Express, a Delta Connection carrier, last month recorded 157,621 passenger boardings, up 9.3% from May 1994. Traffic rose 12.8% to 36.9 million revenue passenger miles from 32.7 million; capacity increased 24.2% to 85 million available seat miles from 68.5 million, and the load factor decreased 4.4 percentage points to 43.4% from 47.8%.
Another unusual marketing promotion by United is off and rolling in Britain - a $600,000 advertisement the length of about 20 subway cars. The train, painted end-to-end with United colors and logo and with only United advertisements inside, goes from Piccadilly to London Heathrow. It stops at British Airways' terminal.
The Bombardier Business Aircraft Division detailed plans for a Canadair Special Edition (SE) version of the Regional Jet last week during the Paris Air Show. The Canadair SE, which will be powered by General Electric CF34-3B1 engines, will be modified for transatlantic corporate travel with a 3,000-nautical-mile range. It will be priced in the $21 million-$22 million range. Officials said maximum gross takeoff weight will be 53,000 pounds, allowing for an additional 4,000 pounds of fuel to be stored in two new auxiliary tanks located aft.
The American Society of Travel Agents reports that the recently convened White House Conference on Small Business adopted for recommendation ASTA's top priority issue involving a change in independent contractor rules. The conference supported a rule change under which employers would not be required to withhold taxes for contract workers.
Colorado Springs-based Western Pacific, the airline with the blue hair of Marge Simpson - from the TV cartoon family - painted on one of its tails and the Colorado Springs Broadmoor Hotel on another, soon will display other advertisements on the exterior of its airplanes.
