Veteran Rep. Henry Hyde (R-Ill.) will work with the Illinois legislature and against the Chicago-Gary (Ind.) Regional Airport Authority if Chicago does not work out an agreement with Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar, Hyde warned Chicago Mayor Richard Daley. Saying he has "grave doubts about the legality of this so-called compact," creating an authority to run the two cities' airports, Hyde threatened to "do everything possible at the federal level" to help the Republican-controlled legislature.
House Ways and Means oversight subcommittee yesterday heard industry testimony seeking to extend the airlines' exemption from the 4.3-cent-per- gallon fuel tax beyond the Sept. 30 expiration date (DAILY, April 25). Air Transport Association President Carol Hallett applauded efforts by Reps.
BWIA International Airways is offering special sale fares from its two U.S. gateways, New York and Miami, to Antigua, Grenada and St. Lucia to stimulate the leisure market in the traditionally soft travel season in the Caribbean. The offer is valid until June 15, and all tickets must be purchased by May 31. "Experience has shown us that certain targeted pricing initiatives can boost traffic in the off-season, a perfect time to enjoy the soothing features of a Caribbean vacation," said Edward Wegel, president of BWIA.
The Transportation Section of the Federal Bar Association is presenting on May 16 a symposium on Trans-portation Restructuring: The Legal Challenges. The keynote speaker will be Mortimer Downey, DOT deputy secretary of transportation. Also speaking will be Stephen Kaplan, DOT general counsel. The program will take place between 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. at Media Center Room 2201 at DOT headquarters in Washington.
DOT is reminding consumers and tour operators that the "Truth in Ticketing" rules apply to tours that include tickets to the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. Adopted last fall, the rules protect consumers purchasing air tours that include admission to a sporting or other event. Under the rules, operators may not accept payment from a consumer unless a ticket is available for each traveler or the operator has a firm contract for tickets.
A proposed budget resolution issued yesterday by Senate Budget Committee Chairman Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) assumes that Congress will privatize FAA's air traffic control operations, beginning in fiscal 1997. The budget proposal, aimed at a balanced unified budget by 2002, assumes a reduction in ATC operations expenditures of $14.7 billion through 2000 (DAILY, May 3). The Senate committee will begin work on the resolution today, and the House Budget Committee will start marking up its version as well.
Denver Federal Court Judge Lewis Babcock has dismissed without prejudice for lack of jurisdiction a request for an injunction against startup carrier Western Pacific Airlines. The injunction, and a subsequent suit claiming breach of contract, were filed by Plane Purpose Promotions, which wanted the judge to prevent the carrier from operating its 737s with advertising on the exterior, claiming WestPac stole the idea and broke a confidentiality agreement (DAILY, May 1).
Fokker said in a statement last week that it will conduct a feasibility study for a new 100- to 120-seat jetliner jointly with its parent Daimler-Benz Aerospace, Aviation Industries of China (AVIC) and Samsung Aerospace Industries. DASA earlier signed a memorandum of understanding with AVIC and Samsung for joint development of a new aircraft. Fokker said the agreement will be signed May 15.
Emirates plans to launch service to Nairobi and Ho Chi Minh City from Dubai on Oct. 30, giving the international airline of the United Arab Emirates a total of 38 destinations in 31 countries. Emirates will fly twice weekly to Nairobi, using an A310. Ho Chi Minh City also will be served twice weekly with an A310. The Ho Chi Minh City flight will continue to Singapore, and the return flight will originate in Singapore.
Visa has launched a second frequent-user vacation travel program offering savings for all Visa cardholders on hotels, airlines, restaurants, rental car companies and entertainment attractions. South-west is one of 28 partners in the program, called Visa Rewards for Dining and Diversions. Cardholders earn credits each time they use their Visa card June 1-Aug. 31. Each cardholder will earn a one-time $50 discount coupon for travel on Southwest. Southwest Fun Pack Vacations also is a member of the program.
Aer Lingus plans to begin scheduled service from New York and Boston to Belfast via Shannon on July 13, giving the Irish carrier 30 flights a week between the U.S. East Coast and Ireland. Belfast will be served once a week from New York and once a week from Boston with an Airbus A330-300. To operate the service, Aer Lingus is bringing in a fourth A330 several months ahead of schedule to keep pace with demand. Originally, Aer Lingus planned to operate three A330s and a 747 through the summer, and then bring in a fourth A330 to replace the 747.
SAS and Lufthansa are expected to announce a marketing agreement tomorrow at a news conference in Copenhagen featuring CEOs Jan Stenberg and Jurgen Weber.
The GETS Marketing Co. has signed a contract with Worldmaster that will give GETS subscribers access to Worldmaster's database of tours and tour operating services. Worldmaster, an affiliate of Jet Set Travel and Technology Holdings of Melbourne, offers travel products from Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Southeast Asia and the U.S. The link between GETS and Worldmaster is expected to be in place during the third quarter.
China Airlines of Taiwan said this week it plans to establish a regional engine maintenance center on the island in a joint venture with Pratt&Whitney and Singapore Airlines. An official said a contract will be signed today, and the terms and financing will be made public.
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.
