ValuJet Airlines is expanding its operations at Atlanta and Washington Dulles March 15. It will begin operating three daily flights to from Atlanta, to Columbus, Ohio, four to Raleigh/Durham and one to Bradley Airport near Hartford, Conn. One-way fares to Columbus and Raleigh/Durham start at $49 and to Bradley at $89. The increase brings ValuJet's daily departures from Atlanta to 78. The carrier also will begin serving Raleigh/Durham from Washington with three daily nonstops offering fares as low as $39.
General Electric Aircraft Engines said FAA has certified new low-emissions combustors for its CF6-80C2/E1 engines, which enter service in October on UPS 767-300ER freighters. GE said it accelerated combustor development specifically for UPS, the launch customer for the 767 freighter. The new combustors will be standard on CF6 production engines, beginning next year, and they will be available as a retrofit in spring 1996. The technology reduces hydrocarbon emissions to 12% of ICAO standards, carbon monoxide emissions to 22% and oxides of nitrogen 49%, GEAC said.
Kiwi International Air Lines, responding to reports it has deferred payments to vendors and lessors because its financial position is desperate, said yesterday it is in better financial condition now "than we have ever been." The airline forced out its chairman, Robert Iverson, this month, partly because he took actions without board authorization, such as trying to sell the company, said Beth Mack, VP-sales and marketing. "Because that was against the wishes of the board, he was terminated," she said.
Alarmed by a lack of support for Loran C at DOT, state aviation and highway officials have approved resolutions calling on DOT to continue the navigation system until 2015. They and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association fear that the preoccupation of establishing the Global Positioning System as a sole-means system until GPS is proven is a mistake (DAILY, Feb. 14). The National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials support continuing the Loran program.
Fuel Cost and Consumption U.S. Majors, Nationals and Large Regionals January 1994 - December 1994 Total Total Cost Gallons (Dollars) 1994 January Domestic 985,058,799 524,556,941 International 330,843,322 201,833,361 System Total 1,315,902,121 726,390,302 February
Seaplane operators need "comprehensive information concerning operational hazards and the responsibilities of navigating on water" and this information "should include all applicable Coast Guard requirements," the National Transportation Safety Board told FAA this week. The board said FAA should work with the Seaplane Pilots Association and the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators to provide materials to educate seaplane operators about revised FAA regulations, advisory circulars and state requirements regarding operating aircraft on water.
The White House Conference on Travel and Tourism is considering developing a plan to turn the U.S. Travel and Tourism Administration into a new national tourism organization that is more market-driven in promoting travel to the U.S. The conference has organized a Framework Committee to formulate a strategy for a transition effective Oct. 1, 1996, and will pay particular attention to promotional models used by Canada and Australia for public/private partnerships. The committee will present its conclusions in October.
Groups representing general aviation said yesterday Congress should reject the Clinton administration's proposed air traffic control government corporation and instead adopt other options, including establishing FAA as an independent agency. In testimony before the House Transportation aviation subcommittee, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association President Phil Boyer highlighted the association's five-point plan for reforming FAA, including FAA independence, saying that the administration proposal is "extremely risky" (DAILY, Dec. 16).
Virgin Atlantic Airways is offering first-time Upper Class passengers from the West Coast enough Virgin Freeway miles to earn a free ticket to Hawaii or a pair of tickets to any of marketing partner Delta's continental U.S. destinations. To qualify, passengers enrolled in the Virgin Freeway program must purchase a roundtrip Upper Class ticket from San Francisco or Los Angeles to London with an American Express card and travel between Feb. 1 and May 15.
Nations Air, inaugurating service in the Northeast, will start low-fare flights March 6 from Boston to Pittsburgh with a stop in Philadelphia, offering five weekday flights and a reduced weekend schedule, using 737- 200s. The carrier will not issue tickets, and is referring to itself as the "Ticketless City Jet."
British Midland has signed a code-sharing agreement with TAP Air Portugal that went into effect yesterday. British Midland will feed passengers from Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds Bradford, Teesside and Dublin via London Heathrow to TAP flights to the Portuguese destinations of Lisbon, Faro, Oporto and Madeira. The TAP agreement is British Midland's third European code share and its seventh overall.
DOT has solicited proposals from U.S. airlines interested in being one of as many as four carriers designated to operate combination service to Ukraine, or one of two for all-cargo service. Under the bilateral agreement signed Jan. 13 by the two countries, carriers can operate over two routes - from the U.S. via four European intermediate points to Kiev and Odessa, with full traffic rights on regular flights and no local traffic rights on code-share service with third-country airlines; and from the U.S.
Malaysia Airlines has taken delivery of the first of 10 A330 aircraft, Airbus Industrie said. Deliveries of the remainder are scheduled this year. The Pratt&Whitney-powered aircraft will operate on Asian and selected Australian routes. MAS has equipped the aircraft with 12 sleeperettes in first class, 56 business-class seats in a six-abreast layout and 213 economy-class seats in eight-abreast rows. Airbus said it has delivered 14 A330s to five airlines since the aircraft entered service at the start of last year.
Startup Frontier Airlines had a net loss of $6.2 million on operating revenue of $13 million in the nine-month period ended Dec. 31. In the December quarter, the third of its financial year and its second full quarter of flight operations, Frontier had a net loss of $1.6 million, or 47 cents per share, on revenue of $9.9 million.
The Air Traffic Control Association will sponsor a symposium on "Free- Flight Concept and Implementation Issues" Feb. 22 at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City Hotel, Arlington, Va. The concept would accommodate user- preferred trajectories, cutting flight time and fuel burn. In the first session, representatives of user groups - airlines, general aviation and the Defense Department - will define their goals.
DOT's proposed air traffic control government corporation yesterday met mostly assertions of open-mindedness but concern from Republicans - and mostly opposition from Democrats - on the House Transportation aviation subcommittee. At a subcommittee hearing on ATC restructuring, several legislators of both parties suggested that the Clinton administration consider lifting FAA's procurement, personnel and budget constraints without removing ATC from the agency.
U.S. airlines have cut fares across the country and will offer a spring sale to Europe, Mexico and the Caribbean. American started the spring sale with reductions averaging 40% off 21-day advance purchase fares throughout the U.S., and up to 25% to Europe, 30% to Mexico and 29% to the Caribbean. Tickets must be issued by Feb. 24, and travel dates vary by destination. American is extending its fare sale to Mexico City, Monterrey, Guadalajara and Leon, and will offer discounts from select cities to Acapulco, Cancun and Puerto Vallarta.
Southwest has lowered fares from Salt Lake City to the west that are purchased 21 days in advance to $39. Effective immediately, the fare applies on flights to Boise, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Oakland, Phoenix, Portland, Reno/Tahoe, Sacramento, San Diego, Seattle and Spokane. A $79 one-way fare will be offered to St. Louis and Kansas City.
Airport and Airway Trust Fund Balance Sheet As of October 31, 1994 Current Month ASSETS Undisbursed Balances: Available for Investment $ 137.60 TOTAL UNDISBURSED BALANCE (Cash in Account) Receivables: Interest Receivables $ 236,509,479.58 TOTAL RECEIVABLES
Airport and Airway Trust Fund Income Statement October 1, 1994 - October 31, 1994 Current Month RECEIPTS Revenues Excise Taxes (Transferred from General Fund): Liquid Fuel other than Gas $ 11,596,000.00 Transportation by Air, Seats, Berths, etc. 416,654,000.00 Use of International Travel Facilities 22,923,000.00
AlliedSignal said its new auxiliary power unit for the next-generation 737 successfully completed its first test start more than a month ahead of schedule. The APU started on the first attempt and operated at 100% speed, meeting all projected performance levels promised Boeing, the company said. "We incorporated more than 50 Boeing and airline customer recommendations during the design and development of this APU," said Tim Beatty, program manager. He said "significant operational and growth margins" will mean longer on-wing APU operation and lower ownership cost.
A U.S. District Court in Los Angeles has found industry consultant Marvin Lashinsky and Georgetown Associates guilty of fraud. Judge William Rea concluded that Lashinsky and his companies violated the Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organization (RICO) Act and entered a judgment for more than $600,000. The judge found in favor of parts distributor Arger Enterprises, the defendant in litigation originally brought by Lashinsky and Georgetown Associates. The Lashinksy suit was dismissed earlier by the court.
National Transportation Safety Board yesterday blamed the pilots for causing a Continental Airlines MD-82 accident on March 2, 1994, at LaGuardia Airport. The aircraft sustained "substantial damage" when the pilot rejected a takeoff and overran the runway, and the aircraft's nose came to rest on a tidal mud flat off Flushing Bay. There were no fatalities or serious injuries among the 110 passengers and six crew.
American Trans Air's scheduled passenger traffic rose 71% last month from January a year ago on 74% more capacity, resulting in a load factor fall of one percentage point to 57.3%. The number of passengers carried rose 44.2%, and the length of the average passenger trip increased 18.6% to 1,396 miles. Its consolidated traffic, including scheduled and charter operations, rose 31.8% on 41.2% more capacity. Block hours flown in scheduled service were up 56.4% to 5,993, and block hours flown in charter service rose 24.1% to 4,361. Scheduled service results:
Fuselages for Douglas Aircraft's MD-11 airliner will be assembled at the company's plant in Long Beach, Calif., beginning early next year, the company said yesterday. The decision where to transfer the work, pending since last summer, will bring about 1,350 jobs to the area. It is being done now in San Diego by the Convair division of General Dynamics, but the companies decided last year to transfer it as General Dynamics scales back much of its aerospace contracting.
