Japan Airlines systemwide passenger traffic rose 1.8% from the same month last year to 4.76 billion revenue passenger kilometers. The carrier boarded 2.12 million passengers in February, a 10% increase from February 1994, and its cargo traffic increased 14% to 289.8 million revenue ton kilometers. Through the first two months, passenger traffic rose 8.1% to 10.34 billion RPKs.
ValuJet is hiring large numbers of pilots and flight attendants - 167 and 517, respectively, in the past 12 months - as it develops its plans to expand its fleet steadily over the next five years. The flight attendants are seeking union protection, however, saying they are among the lowest- paid in the industry, lack sick leave and paid vacations, and must pay for uniforms and parking, according to the Future Aviation Professionals of America.
DOT has found Hemisphere International Airlines fit to operate interstate and foreign charter cargo service. The Miami-based carrier plans to provide subservice for other carriers to Central American and Caribbean destinations, using its DC-6 aircraft (DAILY, Sept. 29, 1994). (Docket 49792)
United will assign Advanced Qualification Program-trained 777 pilots concurrently with the delivery of the first Boeing aircraft this month and with the first revenue flight in June, Bill Reichert, the airline's manager of fleet operations, said last week. United also will introduce advanced maneuvering training to teach its pilots how to recover from flights in unusual attitudes, Reichert said. "We think it is the thing to do," he said.
Amerijet International has requested authority to operate scheduled all- cargo service between a point or points in the U.S. and the Turks and Caicos Islands The carrier plans to begin as soon as possible once- or twice-weekly service using 727-100 or -200 aircraft. It said that it has polled American, Emery Worldwide, Federal Express, United Parcel Service and DHL, and it received no objections to the service; however, it has not yet heard from DHL. (Docket 50333)
Mike Buckman, a former president of Sabre Travel Information Network and most recently executive VP-travel management service, yesterday was named the new chief executive of Worldspan. Buckman, who spent 10 years with American before moving on to Lifeco and then American Express, succeeds Cal Rader, who announced his retirement earlier this year (DAILY, Feb. 13). Rader has been CEO of Worldspan since the Atlanta-based computer reservations system was founded in February 1990. Rader will remain at Worldspan until June 5, when Buckman officially joins the company.
Despite its new alliance with Swissair, which still is subject to approval by the European Commission, Sabena plans to continue its corporate strategy of developing its European network and its traditionally strong operation to Africa, and it also will continue efforts to improve productivity (DAILY, May 5). In announcing the signing of the investment and alliance agreement with Swissair, Sabena said it was "firmly fixed" on further developing Europe and Africa.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York on April 21 ordered Scot Spencer, former airline official now under criminal indictment, to halt business contacts with direct or indirect air carriers, including agents, pending the outcome of his Sept. 11 trial on charges surrounding his alleged involvement with Braniff International Airlines Inc.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration dedicated recently a new satellite-based weather communications system at its headquarters in Silver Spring, Md. The World Area Forecast System (WAFS) is expected to provide pilots with improved aviation weather forecasts as satellite broadcasts from the system will give pilots on the ground access to detailed, up-to-date significant weather forecasts and charts of forecast upper-air winds and temperatures for use in flight planning.
Airbus Industrie says 52% of its customers operate between one and four aircraft apiece, accounting for 13% of its delivered fleet. The consortium believes it can grow with successful startups and small operators, even though a small number of aircraft "presents training and logistics problems."
Emery Worldwide President David Beatson said yesterday the company is adding service to the West Coast, the northeastern, central and mountain states and Florida from its sortation center in Dayton, Ohio. The added service will bring Emery's nightly domestic fleet to 50 aircraft, the largest fleet dedicated exclusively to business-to-business cargo transportation, he said. Beatson said that "despite economic policies that have slowed last year's rapid growth of the U.S.
Hillsborough County Aviation Authority, operator of Tampa Airport, is urging DOT to grant "expeditiously" USAir's application for Tampa-Aruba service. USAir plans to operate the service under a cooperative alliance with Air Aruba. USAir also has asked for authority to operate scheduled code-share service with Air Aruba between Baltimore, Charlotte and Miami, on the one hand, and Aruba, on the other (DAILY, May 3). The carrier plans to begin placing its designator code on Air Aruba DC-9-32 and MD-80 flights on June 21. (Docket 50318)
Alaska Airlines' clerical, office and passenger service employees represented by the Machinists union have ratified a four-year contract tentatively agreed to last month. The agreement covers about 2,200 workers, and will go into effect upon formal signing by the union and company.
As 500 members of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) demonstrated yesterday at 55 airports, FAA Administrator David Hinson called the controllers' campaign an "important focus of attention on the need for the fundamental reform of the national air traffic control system" (DAILY, May 8). A NATCA spokesman said the campaign is aimed at members of Congress and that is why travelers were presented mail-back cards.
Delta's systemwide passenger traffic inched up 0.9% last month on 1.3% more capacity, shaving 0.3 percentage points from the carrier's load factor. The number of passengers boarded increased 0.1%. Delta's domestic traffic increased 1.9% on 2.9% more capacity, while international traffic declined 2% on 3.6% less capacity. "April marks the 20th consecutive month of systemwide traffic growth," said Robert Coggin, Delta's senior VP- marketing.
Federal Express is seeking renewal of its authority to operate all-cargo service between the U.S. and Chile in combination with its existing all- cargo flights to other points in South America. The carrier currently operates the service five times a week on a Memphis/Miami-Sao Paulo-Buenos Aires-Santiago routing. FedEx operates DC-10-30 aircraft between Memphis/Miami and Sao Paulo before changing gauge to 727-200 freighter aircraft for the Sao Paulo-Buenos Aires-Santiago leg. (Docket 48874)
Airport and Airway Trust Fund Income Statement, October 1, 1994 - February 29, 1995 Current Month RECEIPTS (Revenues) Revenues: Excise Taxes (Transferred from General Fund): Liquid Fuel other than Gas $ 18,391,000.00 Transportation by Air, Seats, Berths, etc. 350,892,000.00 Use of International Travel Facilities 23,711,000.00
Aeromexico has asked DOT for renewal of its authority to operate scheduled combination service between Mexico City and Phoenix, Ariz. The carrier initiated daily nonstop service on the route in June 1992. Because of market conditions, Aeromexico suspended Phoenix flights in January 1993, and currently is serving the city under a code-share arrangement with America West. (Docket 50334)
United's Association of Flight Attendants unit has issued a veiled threat that it will take action if the company does not address job security concerns. United and its flight attendants are at odds over the opening of a new Hong Kong domicile that United says will save $5 million a year and generate new jobs. The union believes it will ship more jobs overseas (DAILY, May 1).
DOT Secretary Federico Pena said the DOT has suspended until further notice the pre-employment alcohol test requirement for transportation industries and has sent to Capitol Hill legislation to halt the practice. The actions are "in keeping with the review of all government regulations called for by President Clinton," Pena said.
Air South's April traffic increased 1.8% from the March level, to 29.4 million revenue passenger miles, on 0.4% more capacity. The airline boarded 83,805 passengers, up 1.3%. The April load factor was 50.7%. Year-over-year comparison is not available because Air South began flight operations in September last year.
USAir is scheduled to resume negotiations tomorrow for wage and work rule concessions with its flight attendants, the last major hurdle in its plan to achieve labor savings from all of its unions. The Transport Workers Union - representing about 200 employees - has not yet reached agreement with the company. A USAir representative said, however, that the union has been talking to the company all along and that its issues are not as complex as those of the other unions.
Southwest's passenger load factor dipped 2.4 percentage points last month to 66% as its traffic increased 9.2% but failed to keep pace with a 13% gain in available seat miles. The number of passengers boarded rose 7%, and the average length of haul increased 2% to 514 miles. Through the first four months, traffic increased 4.8% on 13% more capacity, resulting in a load factor drop of 4.9 points. The number of passengers carried increased 3.2%. April 1995 April 1994 4 Months 1995 4 Months 1994
Delta said yesterday it is too early to say whether it will seek U.S. antitrust immunity for its cooperative arrangements with Swissair and Sabena. Reuters, citing unidentified sources, said such a move was in the offing as a way for the three airlines and Austrian to extend their cooperation. Delta had little to say but did leave open the possibility. "Delta has studied the possibility of such an arrangement with some of its code-sharing partners," a Delta spokeswoman said.
Tower Air's systemwide scheduled passenger traffic rose 61.4% from a year ago on 40.1% more capacity, boosting the carrier's passenger load factor 9.9 percentage points to 75.2%. The number of passengers boarded increased 53.1%. Through the first four months of this year, Tower's traffic increased 45.4% on 46.7% more capacity, pushing the carrier's load factor down 0.6 points to 71.9%. April 1995 April 1994 4 Months 1995 4 Months 1994 RPMs 234,000,000 145,000,000 891,000,000 613,000,000
