Finnair has launched service between Helsinki and Osaka and plans to start Helsinki-Bergen flights via Stockholm on Saturday. The carrier operates the Osaka service twice a week and will serve Bergen at the same frequency. Finnair's 1995 summer schedule also includes twice-weekly San Francisco- Helsinki service from May 22 to Sept. 11, with a third weekly flight during the June 10-Sept. 7 period. Summer service will again be offered between Helsinki and Toronto twice a week from May 24 to Sept. 8, and between Helsinki and Murmansk once a week from May 22 to Sept. 8.
Avitas, the Reston, Va., aviation consulting firm, yesterday announced the resignation of Fred Klein, its VP- asset valuation. All aircraft appraisal inquiries or questions will now be handled by John Vitale. He can be reached at 703-476-2300.
Pre-Open Skies Service, Europe-U.S. As of May 1, 1995 U.S. Cities Served Operator Code Share AUSTRIA Vienna Chicago Swissair Austrian Miami Lauda Lufthansa New York Austrian Delta Washington Austrian Delta BELGIUM Brussels Atlanta Delta Sabena
German carrier LTU International Airways has licensed Sabre Decision Technologies' (SDT) Aircrews crew management decision support computer system. SDT said the system will reduce by 60% to 70% the time required for LTU to create and manage its crew schedules.
Abacus Distribution Systems and the Hotel Clearing Corp. (HCC) are offering Abacus's IATA travel agencies free use of HCC services from May 1 through June 30. HCC was founded by 13 international hotel companies to provide a central clearing house for paying hotel commissions to travel agencies. Every month, HCC provides travel agencies a single consolidated commission check in local currency for all commissionable reservations made at any HCC participating hotel.
The domestic route network realignment Delta unveiled Feb. 1 will take effect Monday with the introduction of nonstop service from Denver to the carrier's international gateway at New York Kennedy and the expansion of service at its Cincinnati and Salt Lake City hubs. As part of the adjustment, Delta is adding 15 flights at Atlanta for a total of 544 daily departures; 33 flights at Cincinnati for a total of 203, making Cincinnati its second largest hub, and 12 flights at Salt Lake City for a total of 166 per day.
Seventh annual Greater Washington Aviation Open charity golf tournament, scheduled May 8 at the Manor Country Club, Rockville, Md., is sold out. Space still is available in the tennis tournament and for the reception and dinner. Master of ceremonies and honorary chairman is Rep. Jimmy Duncan (R-Tenn.), chairman of the House aviation subcommittee. For more information, call 610-975-6604.
U.S. National Carriers Traffic March, 3 Months 1995 March March % 1995 1994 Change Alaska Revenue Passenger Miles (000) 663,000 575,000 15.3 Available Seat Miles (000) 1,115,000 904,000 23.3 Load Factor (%) 59.5 63.6
FAA is expected to announce this week that it will stick with Loral Corp. to continue development of the DSR, or Display System Replacement, the en route portion of the Advanced Automation Program, which used to be called the Advanced Automation System.The DSR will replace the old Initial Sector Suite System (ISSS) in the AAP, now years behind schedule and hundreds of millions of dollars above cost.
FAA Administrator David Hinson, reacting to the recent bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City, has ordered increased security at all FAA facilities nationwide. He said security personnel will perform more thorough checks of individual identification, personal packages and vehicles. "These measures may cause delays and some inconvenience," Hinson said, adding that FAA's security staff is working closely with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies. He said security will be tightened further if necessary.
Some 354 FAA employees decided to take buyouts during a five-day period last month, bringing to 3,322 the number who have elected to leave the agency since it launched a streamlining effort two years ago as part of the Federal Workforce Restructuring Act of 1994. The 354 took separations that are deferred to October through December of this year, and to 1996. The latest buyouts were offered mainly to employees in accounting, budget, personnel and procurement - jobs that were targeted in every federal agency by the National Performance Review.
An FAA rule to be issued tomorrow over the objections of the Air Transport Association will require pilots to log 100 hours of flight time within 120 days of completing training on an aircraft. Pilots no longer will be able to receive credit for operating experience by observing another pilot. In addition, the rule requires that the captain or the first officer have at least 75 hours experience in the aircraft type to which they are assigned. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Air Line Pilots Association had argued for requiring 100 hours of experience.
America West yesterday unveiled a new advertising campaign with the slogan "It Seems Silly to Pay More." The campaign, which company President Maurice Myers described as "somewhat whimsical, but always straightforward," features 14 television commercials, nine radio spots, more than 20 magazine advertisements and outdoor work in selected markets. Trade advertising also is being developed.
The U.S. scheduled airline industry's systemwide passenger traffic increased 3.6% in March and 5.9% in the first quarter, but Air Transport Association President Carol Hallett warned of problems on the horizon. "A relatively mild winter, coupled with good demand, helped the industry get through the first quarter with some pretty strong passenger numbers," Hallett said. "However, the storm clouds out there are the signs of a slowing economy and the question is what that will mean for traffic growth in the coming months," she said.
Sabre Decision Technologies is conducting a facilities maintenance study for the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport Board, developing recommendations for more efficient operation of many airport facilities, including emergency systems, shuttle trains, parking lots and terminals. The study is SDT's first for an airport involving non-flying assets.
Carnival Airlines and Chilean carrier Ladeco have signed an agreement to code share on new daily flights from Miami to New York Kennedy, beginning Friday. The Miami-New York service will be operated with a Carnival Airbus A300 configured to accommodate 24 passengers in business class and 230 in coach. The service will be staffed with a mixed cabin crew of Ladeco and Carnival flight attendants.
Aeromexico is seeking authority to operate scheduled combination service between Guaymus, Mexico, and Phoenix, Ariz. The carrier plans initially to perform twice-weekly flights, using either MD-88 or DC-9 aircraft. The route currently receives no nonstop service and "only limited multi-stop service," according to Aeromexico. (Docket 50294)
A Boeing official yesterday denied reports circulating at DOT that the $6 billion Saudi Arabia aircraft deal is "falling apart." The reports follow DOT Secretary Federico Pena's visit to the Seattle-based company last week. Don Ciminelli, manager of airline promotion for Boeing Commercial with responsibility for the region that includes Saudi Arabia, said he would "vigorously" deny that the deal is dead.
AirTrain is asking DOT to extend its three-month exemption from the dormancy rules to six, so that it can have more time to gain FAA certification. Originally aiming to begin scheduled and charter service from its Pittsburgh base by Jan. 24, the carrier earlier this year gained a three-month exemption until April 24 (DAILY, Jan. 13). Now, AirTrain says it needs until Oct.
United parent UAL Corp. yesterday reported its first profitable March quarter since 1989, posting net earnings (before dividend requirements) of $3 million and an operating profit of $38 million. The airline company's bottom line was helped by a $24 million one-time, after-tax gain on the sale of 10 aircraft to Mesa Airlines, however. UAL's operating results also reflected $89 million in employee stock ownership expenses related to last summer's employee buyout of the company.
Malaysian Airlines is the first airline to have a test cell approved for the new PW4168 engine, Pratt&Whitney reported. The carrier is one of three airlines flying Airbus A330 aircraft with the engine.
Seven airlines complaining about revenue guarantee arrangements at Lehigh Valley Airport argued last week that the airport authority's distinction between a budget item and a fee increase is not a valid reason for dismissing their complaint. The Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority argued earlier that DOT consideration of the amended complaint would "open Pandora's box," allowing airlines to use the process to fight individual airport budget items (DAILY, April 21).
Boeing is demonstrating to airlines attending this week's Air Transport Association Engineering Forum in Louisville a new online access to a central data base containing technical drawings and parts lists for aircraft maintenance and repairs. The new subscription service, the Reference Engineering Data Automated Retrieval System, is more efficient than the current method, which relies on a microfilm-based system to store and retrieve drawings and parts lists, the company said.
Qantas has appointed Robert Dandle group general manager-purchasing, with responsibility for all purchasing functions - aircraft and maintenance, airport services, information technology and property, corporate, and fuel. Dandle was most recently general manager-purchasing with Toyota Australia.
