Zolkol Airlines, registered in Ukraine, has launched a weekly freighter service between Luxembourg and Kiev, the carrier's U.K. handling agent, Morline Aviation Service, said. Much of the cargo it carries is expected to originate in the U.K., where Morline is responsible for sales, as it is in Ireland, Holland, Belgium, France and the U.S. Luxair has been appointed handling agent for the new service in Luxembourg. Goods delivered to London Heathrow Airport by 2 p.m.
Eurocontrol Director General Yves Lambert and International Civil Aviation Organization Secretary General Philippe Rochat will be luncheon speakers June 7-8 at the Air Traffic Control Association Technical Conference/Exhibits at the Brussels Sheraton Hotel. ATCA said international aviation experts will discuss implementation of the Future Air Navigation System and its early operational benefits, and how technology can increase system capacity, decrease delays and achieve more operational effectiveness. For more information, call Carol Newmaster at 703-522-5717.
FAA Administrator David Hinson has targeted Free Flight as the agency's next major initiative for shaping the national airspace system, tasking RTCA to come up with a draft operating concept by August and a final report by the end of October.
Continental yesterday reported improved financial results for its first quarter, and Chief Executive Gordon Bethune cited them as evidence that the carrier's restructuring program, launched in January, is working. The airline's net loss declined to $30.2 million, or $1.21 per share, from nearly $71.6 million, or $2.86 a share, in the 1994 quarter. The carrier attained a $27.5 million operating profit, up from a $55.2 million operating loss.
The long-awaited transaction to split the System One computer reservations system's assets and liabilities between Amadeus and a new company owned by System One, the Amadeus CRS and EDS, will be announced today in New York. Under the expected agreement, the 10-year systems management pact between System One and EDS signed in 1991 will be terminated.
American Trans Air founder and Chief Executive George Mikelsons has been elected chairman of Allison Engine Co.'s newly formed board of seven directors, Allison parent Rolls-Royce said yesterday. "George brings to Allison a wealth of knowledge of the airline industry, a clear understanding of today's customer requirements and proven leadership abilities in what for some time has been a tough economic environment for the airlines," said John Sandford, president of Rolls' U.S. subsidiary, Rolls-Royce Inc.
SAS will resume service to India Sept. 5 after a 10-year absence from the market. The Scandinavian carrier plans to operate three nonstop flights a week between Copenhagen and Delhi using Boeing 767s in cooperation with Air-India. SAS put the size of the market at about 30,000 passengers a year and said it expects a lot of business travelers, more than 50% of them originating in India. Air-India and SAS will cooperate in marketing and launching India as a tourist destination, and they will offer joint service and travel alternatives.
American and its flight attendants have reached a "major agreement" resolving a number of issues, including all that resulted from the five-day strike in November 1993 that cost the airline $190 million, according to a joint statement from American and the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA). The deal does not cover issues now in arbitration, however.
Honeywell and Pelorus Navigation Systems have contracted to provide five local area differential Global Positioning Systems for airports in Canada. Installation and certification of the first DGPS is to begin this fall at the Regina Airport. Work at four other airports in Saskatchewan Province will start later.
KLM and Touristik Union International (TUI), one of Europe's largest travel organizations, are likely to conclude agreements soon that will give each a piece of The Netherlands' two largest tour operators, Holland International Travel Group and Arke N.V. KLM currently holds a 9% share in Holland International, but its majority partner in the venture, Kaufhof Holding AG, a European department store chain and catalog interest, decided late last year to withdraw from the travel and tourism industry to concentrate on its core activities.
U.S. helicopter industry shipped 308 civil helicopters valued at $185 million in 1994, rebounding from 1993's record low of 258 helicopters valued at $113 million, according to the Aerospace Industries Association's Aerospace Research Center. U.S. manufacturers also shipped 338 civil and military helicopters sold commercially to foreign governments in 1994, up from 322 in 1993.
The European Commission approved yesterday a draft negotiating brief for air talks between the European Union and the U.S. Proposed by Transport Commissioner Neil Kinnock, the document mandates that the EC represent all EU countries in talks with the U.S., and it outlines key EU demands in such talks. The proposal is aimed specifically at countering U.S. efforts to carve out open skies relations individually with EU member nations.
Dutch charter carrier Transavia said yesterday it is talking with Boeing and Airbus Industrie about acquiring between eight and 10 new airplanes valued at $645 million to replace leased aircraft. The carrier is considering the A320 and one of Boeing's next-generation 737s, the 737-800, and it could reach a decision within the next few months, according to a Reuter report from Amsterdam.
The weakness of the dollar "represents a threat to the aerospace industry and therefore to Germany as a high-tech location," Daimler-Benz Aerospace Chairman Jurgen Schrempp said in comments just before taking over as the chief executive of Daimler-Benz Group. "We are as determined as ever to keep this industry in Germany," Schrempp said in a Munich press conference. "But it is clear that under current circumstances we cannot do that without help." He called for "intensive and constructive dialog" with labor unions and politicians.
United's Association of Flight Attendants unit yesterday charged the airline with declaring war on flight attendants with its announcement this week that it plans to open a flight attendant domicile in Hong Kong. "Despite United's latest advertisement showing satisfied employees as owners, the company still refuses to treat its largest employee group, the flight attendants, with any amount of respect," said Kevin Lum, president of the AFA's Master Executive Council at United.
The world's airlines posted a net profit of $1.8 billion on their international scheduled services in 1994 - the industry's first such profit since 1989 - according to data issued yesterday by the International Air Transport Association. In the past five years, the world's airlines have lost a combined $15.6 billion on their international services, including $4.1 billion in 1993.
Tower Air's first quarter operating revenues and expenses grew considerably over a year ago but its net loss for the 1995 period was virtually the same as in 1994 - $3.581 million, compared with $3.578 million. Its operating loss increased 9.3% to $6.65 million from $6.08 million. The expanding carrier's operating revenues soared 43.6% and its operating expenses rose 40.3%. Tower attributed its increased operating revenues to growth in its scheduled passenger, commercial charter and military charter markets.
As the U.S. approaches completion of its open skies initiative with nine European countries, it is turning its sights to a new venture directed at Asian nations. The U.S. was expected to have initialed bilateral pacts with Sweden, Denmark and Norway yesterday or today, completing the first phase in the nine-country effort, launched in November 1994. Official signings are expected to be completed in May, a U.S. government official said. He acknowledged that other European countries are interested in gaining similar agreements but said the U.S.
Airbus yesterday rolled off the assembly line the 100th aircraft of its A330/A340 family, in this instance an A330 destined for Malaysia Airlines. Production of the A330/A340 began two years ago, and 78 are in service.
Continental yesterday said it will pay $2.3 million in on-time performance bonuses to full-time and part-time employees at the manager level and below for the month of March. The money is the second payment of a program announced in January that offers a cash incentive each month the airline ranks in the top half of DOT Consumer Report on-time arrival standings. Continental is making the payments even though publication of the monthly DOT report has been delayed since January because of proposed changes to the reporting process.
Crossair, Swissair's regional airline subsidiary, said it plans to raise at least 100 million Swiss francs in equity capital to finance part of its aircraft purchase program. A company spokesman clarified that the capital rise will take place in two steps, resulting in a total amount between 100 million and 150 million francs. Earlier, the company said it would generate equity in two steps of between 100 million and 150 million francs, giving the impression that each step would raise these amounts.
DOT yesterday published the final draft of its International Air Transportation Policy, the first such policy statement since 1978. Introduced last November by DOT Secretary Federico Pena, the document envisions a global industry composed largely of competitive international air systems linked by marketing or code-share arrangements.
Cross examination of airline witnesses in the Los Angeles Airport rates and charges proceeding ended yesterday after two days, and the hearing resumes today with the airlines' cross examination of airport witnesses. John Driscoll, executive director of the Los Angeles Department of Airports, is the first airport witness scheduled today. In action yesterday, attorneys for the City of Los Angeles finished questioning the airlines' accounting expert and cross examined the carriers' expert in economics and a properties official for American.
