The U.S. Virgin Islands was picked as the Caribbean destination of choice by 550,000 readers of the Caribbean Vacation Planner, according to a recent study conducted by BatesUSA advertising for the Caribbean Coalition for Tourism. The U.S. Virgin Islands was named by 100% of the respondents as a specific destination of interest, and one that would be considered for a vacation.
Air Line Pilots Association at Delta filed yesterday in Los Angeles District Court for an injunction to prevent the airline from transferring operations to Delta Connection carriers that use smaller airplanes and non- Delta pilots.
United said yesterday it presumes this week's announcement of the Delta-All Nippon Airlines agreement (DAILY, Aug. 2) means that the two carriers "have received assurances from the Japanese Ministry of Transport that Japan is finally prepared to recognize U.S. rights under the current agreement and is looking to thereafter expand upon those rights for both Japanese and U.S. carriers."
Newark-based Kiwi International Air Lines and Air South, Columbia, S.C., are considering a cooperation agreement for joint ticketing and passenger service arrangements, according to a Kiwi spokeswoman. Discussions are continuing, and no agreement has been reached.
The Global Positioning System Standard Positioning Service (SPS) Signal Specification is available, DOT announced yesterday. The specification, developed under an agreement with the Defense Department, defines GPS performance standards for signal accuracy and availability for civil users, and the conditions under which they will be maintained. It provides for less accuracy than the positioning used by the U.S. military and its allies. The SPS Signal Specification is available in electronic form from the U.S.
Delta and All Nippon Airways yesterday announced plans for a broadly based business and marketing alliance, including a code-sharing/blocked-space agreement. Pending government approval, the carriers plan to operate 13 code-share flights a week between Los Angeles and Tokyo Narita Airport, seven on ANA 747-400 aircraft and six on Delta MD-11s. Currently, both offer separate service on the route. Also, in advance of the award of new Osaka-U.S.
Back from a recent fact-finding trip to the U.K., including a tour of London Heathrow Airport, Sen. Larry Pressler (R-S.D.) offered an optimistic assessment in the Senate of the potential for U.S. airlines to gain additional access to Heathrow.
Sen. Paul Simon (D-Ill.) said yesterday he has asked the National Transportation Safety Board and the General Accounting Office to investigate computer tracking malfunctions at five air traffic control centers and report by Sept. 6. NTSB Chairman Jim Hall, in a letter to Simon, said the board "shares your concern and has been actively monitoring and tracking these outages, particularly at the New York and Chicago centers, since May of this year." Hall said the board's Chicago office began an investigation following the May 17 outage at the Chicago center.
U.S. all-cargo carriers are contending for access to new service opportunities in the U.S.-Peru market opened up by the recent agreement between the two countries. Struck May 5, the pact increased the number of all-cargo frequencies available from five to 11, immediately, and to 14 on Nov. 1, 1996. In its U.S.-Peru All-Cargo Service Proceeding, instituted in July, DOT consolidated existing bids for Peru service from Arrow Air, Fine Airlines, Millon Air and incumbent Challenge Air Cargo.
House Transportation Committee Chairman Bud Shuster (R-Pa.) said yesterday that legislation (H.R.842) to take the transportation trust funds off- budget now has 220 co-sponsors - two more than a majority of House members. House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Pa.) has named three new members to his transportation task force: Reps. Susan Molinari (R-N.Y.), Bob Franks (R- N.J.) and David Hobson (R-Ohio).
Continental's Senior VP-strategic business units and chief information officer, Daniel Garton, is going back to work for AMR Corp. as president of AMR Eagle. Garton is replacing Robert Martens, who left Eagle recently to pursue other opportunities (DAILY, July 24).
Summary of U.S. Major Carriers International Revenues and Expenses The Year 1994 (In Dollars) Total Operating % Passenger Carrier Revenues Change Revenues American 4,320,541,000 10.52 3,639,556,000 Atlantic 1,838,859,000 10.82 1,469,710,000 Latin 2,134,245,000 13.01 1,896,349,000
Summary of U.S. National Carriers Systemwide Revenue and Expenses The Year 1994 (In Dollars) Total Operating % Passenger Carrier Revenues Change Revenues Alaska 1,079,318,000 16.82 891,443,000 Aloha 229,821,699 7.41 188,808,035
Midwest Express Holdings has filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission for the initial public offering of up to 5.14 million shares of Midwest Express Airlines common stock. Owner Kimberly-Clark Corp. will retain 20%-30% ownership of the Milwaukee carrier. No significant changes in its operation are expected, and it will continue to be managed by President Tim Hoeksema. Included in the offering is Astral Aviation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Midwest Express Airlines and operator of Skyway Airlines, Midwest's commuter carrier.
TPI International Airways last week asked the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Savannah to force the DOT Inspector General (DOTIG) to turn over key evidence in the continuing battle over its shutdown in August 1990 and subsequent bankruptcy. DOTIG repeatedly has denied TPI Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for the 1993 "management review" of FAA Southern Region's handling of the case by IG Special Agent Dennis Dutch.
Securities and Exchange Commission will ask a federal bankruptcy court today in St. Louis to turn down provisions in TWA's bankruptcy filing that deal with liability exemption. An SEC attorney said yesterday the agency believes the bankruptcy code "does not permit a company going through bankruptcy to get releases for officers and directors and possibly other parties" from possible lawsuits.
Federal Express pilots conducted informational picketing Monday at an East Memphis FedEx Service Center out of frustration over the lack of progress in securing their first contract after a year of negotiating. Joseph DePete, chairman of the carrier's Air Line Pilots Association Master Executive Council, said, "We've been in contract talks for more than a year now, including seven months with federal mediators, and an agreement is still not in sight.
Air Line Pilots Association leadership have voted to give WestAir pilots immediate access to $500,000 from ALPA's major contingency fund (MCF) to support their contract negotiating efforts. Pilots at the Mesa Air Group subsidiary, which operates as United Express, have been in negotiations with management for two years.
Chances look promising for an accelerated discussion schedule with Hong Kong, a U.S. government official said. The two sides have been in contact, he said, adding that before setting up the talks, the U.S. wants evidence of Hong Kong's "intention to move forward to close the deal."
A U.S.-Germany open skies agreement still is "a while off" despite productive talks and a recent ministerial meeting, a senior U.S. government official said. U.S. negotiators still face "hard discussions" about a number of "German interests from a European point of view."
Reno Air is making an offering of $25 million, principal amount, of senior convertible notes due in 2002. The interest rate and price at which the notes may be converted into shares of common stock have not yet been determined.
Air Canada will begin operating daily, non-stop Toronto-Minneapolis/St. Louis service this fall. The carrier is scheduled to start the Minneapolis service Oct. 2 and St. Louis flights Nov. 13. Air Canada plans to operate three daily roundtrip flights on each route, using Canadair CL-65 jets. Seats went on sale yesterday. As an introductory offer, Air Canada is offering triple Aeroplan and Mileage Plus miles on the Toronto-Minneapolis service between Oct. 2 and Nov. 30, 1995, and on Toronto-St. Louis flights Nov. 13-Jan. 15, 1996.
Nordstress Australia is seeking renewal of its rights to operate wet-leased 767-33AERs for Alitalia on its Rome-Chicago/Boston and Milan-New York Kennedy/Newark routes for one year. (Dockets 50044&OST-95-262 and 50155&OST-95-192)
National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Jim Hall told Air Transport Association President Carol Hallett this week that he is "deeply disappointed" by ATA's reaction to his letter to FAA criticizing the agency for not expediting installation of updated flight data recorders on 737 aircraft. Hallett, in a letter to Hall last week, said ATA takes "strong umbrage" with the NTSB response to the FAA decision to work with the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee on 737 recorders (DAILY, July 26).
Moody's Investors Service this week downgraded Fairchild Corp.'s subordinated debt issues to Caa from B3 and its senior secured notes to B3 from B2. Moody's said Fairchild's balance sheet remains highly leveraged with a debt to capitalization ratio of 92% at the holding company level. The company's growing net deficit and weak returns on equity continue to offset the modest reductions in total indebtedness, Moody's said.
