ValuJet had a passenger load factor in August of 78.1%, an increase of 13.5 percentage points from the same month last year. The airline boarded 151% more passengers. Through the first eight months of 1995, ValuJet's load factor rose 6.8 points to 72% and its passenger boardings increased 175%. ValuJet now serves 26 cities in 17 states. Aug 95 Aug 94 8 Mths 95 8 Mths 94 RPMs 282,454,000 105,209,000 1,634,983,000 539,549,000
Minneapolis-based Carlson Wagonlit's travel agent poll shows casinos are the most popular destinations for weekend travelers, followed by ocean and lakeside resorts. Sixty-nine percent of the agents surveyed said weekend travel is on the rise. Most travelers are accompanied by a spouse or significant other, while 10% travel alone. The survey also showed that bookings were split evenly for distances - half for destinations 150-500 miles away and half for more than 500 miles.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and FlightSafety International will establish jointly an advanced flight training center on the university's Daytona Beach campus. Embry-Riddle will design and construct a high-bay simulation training center to house 737-300 and Beech 1900D full-flight simulators produced by FSI. FSI will provide management services, including scheduling, maintenance and instructor training. FSI President A.L.
Terry Hallcom, chief operating officer of USAir Shuttle, is the leading bidder for MarkAir, the struggling carrier told an Anchorage bankrutcy court. Hallcom's offer does not preclude other investors from bidding for MarkAir's Denver operation (DAILY, Sept. 6). Hallcom signed a letter of intent on behalf of B&T Holdings, of which he is chairman. The court will hear arguments today on MarkAir's request to break its collective bargaining pact with its pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association.
Orlando, Fla., one of the most popular U.S. domestic leisure destinations, continued its steady growth in domestic tourism in 1994 but recorded a dropoff in overseas visitors. Foreign travelers to Orlando declined to 2.3 million from 2.9 million, while U.S. residents visiting the city increased to 30.8 million from 28.7 million, according to the Orlando/Orange County Convention&Visitors Bureau 1994 Research Report. The city dropped to fifth in popularity for overseas visitors in 1994.
Belgium signed its open skies aviation agreement with the U.S., concluding the U.S.'s nine-country European open skies initiative and clearing the way for a bid by Delta for antitrust immunity in its dealings with its European code-share partners. "This agreement with Belgium...and the successful negotiations with Canada which were concluded in February, represent by far the largest effort to open up airline service since domestic airline deregulation more than 15 years ago," DOT Secretary Federico Pena said yesterday.
Real estate concern Filinvest Development Corp., based in the Philippines, is planning to expand its business to include the tourism industry and high-rise condominium development, Reuter reports from Manila. The company plans to build a 400-room hotel on a beachfront property on Mactan Island near Cebu City for 1.4 billion pesos or US$53.9 million, the report said. The company wants to capitalize on the growing number of tourists to the southern Philippines by tapping into the resort hotel business, Reuter said.
U.S. State Department has reiterated an earlier travel warning for Israel following an Aug. 21 bus bombing in Jerusalem - the sixth terrorist suicide bombing in the country since last October. U.S. citizens are warned not to use public transportation, which does not include tour buses.
TWA's systemwide passenger traffic declined 2.3% last month from August 1994 on 5.9% less capacity, boosting the airline's passenger load factor 2.7 percentage points to 74.1%. Passenger volume increased 3%. TWA's domestic traffic declined 0.5% in August, while its international traffic dropped 5.6%. Domestic capacity was down 2.5%, while international capacity fell 12.7%. Through the first eight months of this year, TWA's systemwide passenger traffic declined 0.2% on 3.7% less capacity, producing a load factor increase of 2.4 points to 71.3%.
Competing for new service between the U.S. and Peru in the non-Miami phase of the U.S.-Lima service proceeding, American and Continental argued for their plans in separate filings. Seeking a Dallas/Fort Worth-Lima route, with one-stop service from Los Angeles, American pledged to begin operating daily 757-223ER service Oct. 1 or 15 days following the final DOT decision.
National Aircraft Resale Association (NARA) members accounted for 23% of worldwide sales of used jet aircraft and 13% of used turboprops in the second quarter of 1995, the association said. NARA said its members' jet sales were valued at $168 million and the turboprops at $32.5 million. Total sales in the resale market - NARA members and all others - were 284 jets and 279 turboprops. NARA also reported that Bank One is its newest associate member.
KLM's overall traffic - passenger, cargo and mail - increased 11% in August to 717.4 million revenue ton kilometers on 15% more capacity, pushing the load factor down 2.7 percentage points to 73.9%. Systemwide passenger traffic rose 9% last month from August a year ago, to 4.42 billion revenue passenger kilometers, on 8% more capacity, boosting the passenger load factor 1.1 points to 81.8%. Passenger traffic growth was strongest on routes to the Asia/Pacific region, where RPKs increased 23% from a year ago.
Aloha Airlines' fall schedule, which went into effect Tuesday, incorporates 188 daily flights, including new late-afternoon Kona-Maui flights. Aloha's regional partner, Island Air, offers more than 100 daily flights to "hidden Hawaii" - Princeville on Kauai, Lanai City on Lanai, Kapalua and Kahului on Maui, Hoolehua and Kalaupapa on Molokai and Honolulu on Oahu. Aloha is offering a $35 fare on selected flights through Dec. 15.
U.S.-India aviation talks got off to a slow start yesterday in Washington, U.S. industry officials said. There was little progress, they said, as Indian negotiators pressed for capacity restraints and other restrictions. The consensus: At least one more round of talks will be needed.
Kiwi and Air South yesterday began their marketing alliance, which is designed to provide seamless north-south travel to cities both serve. The carriers are offering 21-day advance-purchase fares as low as $209 roundtrip between Orlando and Columbia, S.C., and $258 between New York and Tallahassee.
EVA Air of Taiwan said yesterday it will buy six MD-90 aircraft from Douglas Aircraft in a joint acquisition with Makung International. The agreement gives EVA options to buy six more MD-90s. Douglas is to deliver four aircraft in the fourth quarter of 1996 and two in the first quarter of 1997, all configured with 12 first-class and 143 economy-class seats.
USAir Chairman Seth Schofield, who has been at the helm of the carrier through three of the most difficult years in its history, will retire after 38 years once a successor is found, the airline announced late yesterday. The USAir board has formed a special committee of non-management directors, led by Rouse Co. Chairman Mathias DeVito, to conduct a search for a new chairman. Schofield, chairman since July 1992, has agreed to remain until a successor is chosen.
A ban on overtime, quietly imposed last month by Air Canada after reporting surprisingly poor financial results, has employees so worked up that Chairman Hollis Harris reminded them yesterday that overtime is guaranteed, and that they still have it better than their counterparts at rival Canadian Airlines International.
Salt Lake City Airport is the customer satisfaction leader in a ranking of the 27 largest domestic airports, according to a new J.D. Power and Associates survey. The report is based on the opinions of 3,000 frequent flyers who evaluated the airports in terms of check-in and post-flight services, on-time performance and convenience of gate location. Salt Lake City scored a 110 on the satisfaction index, in which 100 is the industry average.
USAir will become a member of All Nippon Airways' frequent flyer program Oct. 1, enabling ANA travelers from Japan to earn and redeem miles on the USAir system. ANA passengers flying to Washington Dulles, Los Angeles and New York Kennedy will be able to connect with USAir flights and earn mileage throughout USAir's system. ANA joined USAir's frequent flyer program in 1991. USAir's international network includes the Caribbean, Canada, Mexico, Germany and France.
Swissair and Swedish domestic carrier Transwede are negotiating a blocked- space agreement, Swissair confirmed yesterday. A deal is expected within two weeks. The airlines would cooperate on flights to five of Transwede's destinations. If an agreement is reached, it will go into effect in January at the earliest. Swissair previously cooperated with SAS under the umbrella of the European Quality Alliance, but SAS is dropping out of the EQA as a result of its cooperative agreement with Lufthansa.
Qantas regional subsidiary Eastern Australia Airlines has ordered a de Havilland Dash 8-200, the first aircraft of its type delivered to Australia. The carrier also secured delivery positions for three more Dash 8-200s. The first airplane, scheduled for delivery in January, is for use primarily in the Sydney-Canberra market. Eastern Australia Airlines has six other Dash 8s in its fleet.
If USAir turns a pre-tax profit this year, it will have to book a charge for employee profit sharing that could reach $50 million. Such a charge makes it seem unlikely the airline will record earnings per share for 1995.
Birmingham (U.K.) Airport officials said they have selected Irish airport owner Aer Rianta to begin formal negotiations for a "strategic partnership." Under the agreement, Aer Rianta will take up a substantial minority shareholding while the existing owners, seven local district councils, will reduce their shareholdings below 50%. The remaining shareholder has yet to be named. Besides Aer Rianta, National Express and Airport Group International made final presentations to the Board of Birmingham Airport.
