Responding to National Transportation Safety Board recommendations on flight data recorder upgrades, FAA said yesterday it does not question the merit of the proposals but believes the board's timetable may be unrealistic (DAILY, Feb. 23). To determine a feasible schedule for fulfilling the NTSB recommendations, FAA will hold a day-long meeting today with representatives of airlines, aircraft manufacturers and other segments of the industry, said Tony Broderick, associate administrator for regulation and certification.
News Corp. appears ready to sell its 50% stake in Ansett Australia Airlines to Air New Zealand for A$400 million to A$600 million, according to wire service and local newspaper reports from Sydney and Wellington. The reports, which could not be confirmed independently yesterday, said a deal is imminent. The investment would give Air New Zealand its long-sought access to the Australian domestic market.
Consumers can now book flights on United through CompuServe with the launch of United Connection. Airline reservations and ticketing are available now, and hotel and rental car service will be available in the next few months. Mileage Plus members will be able to check their accounts, and customers will be able to scan flights and fares quickly. The service provides a variety of ticketing options, including electronic ticketing in city-pair markets where the service is available.
FAA will conduct a press briefing today to provide its "perspective" on National Transportation Safety Board recommendations to increase flight data recorder capabilities (DAILY, Feb. 23). It will conduct a public hearing on the recommendations tomorrow at 9 a.m. in the third-floor auditorium at its headquarters building in Washington.
A jury has awarded $19 million to the widow of a victim of the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. The attorney for Faith Pescatore said the award is the largest wrongful death award in airline history, according to a Reuter report, and the first damage case tried on behalf of a passenger since Pan Am and security company Alert Management Systems Inc. were found guilty of willful misconduct in the bombing. Pescatore, whose husband was one of 270 people killed on the flight, sued both Pan Am and the security company.
A representative of the nation's air traffic controllers is cautiously positive about FAA's plan to address runway incursions. "We are guardedly optimistic that the Airport Movement Area Safety System will improve air safety for the flying public," said Barry Krasner, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.
Northwest is urging DOT to deny American's bid to begin promoting and selling tickets for service to Osaka and London Heathrow. Northwest said its opposition is based on the same reasons that it opposed an application by United for similar authority with regard to Chicago-Heathrow service - American lacks the underlying route authority and should therefore not be allowed to promote the service. American filed its applications just before Round 2 of current U.S.-U.K. talks got under way in Washington last week (DAILY, April 10).
British Midland has upgraded its Diamond EuroClass service with chinaware, new meal trays and an expanded menu. British Midland said it is the first U.K. airline to offer European and domestic business passengers Kellogs Cornflakes and Muller bio breakfast yogurts in addition to the company's traditional cooked breakfast. Also, Diamond EuroClass passengers now have a choice of Earl Grey or traditional English tea, served individually in a china cup and saucer.
Jetstream Airlines' flight attendants have voted for representation by the Association of Flight Attendants. The 36 flight attendants, who were not previously represented by a union, are based in Pittsburgh and Akron.
Apollo Travel Services will begin late next month to deploy a new product that automates the search for lower air fare availability. Best Buy Quote for domestic itineraries will be made available on a limited basis late in May, and a related product for international itineraries is to be announced in early summer, Apollo said. Best Buy Quote is intended to help travel agents search for lower fares more efficiently and quickly, and enable them to suggest practical alternative flights while staying close to the traveler's initial time specifications.
USAir has signed a $140 million, five-and-one-half-year contract with Bell Atlantic that will save the airline up to $5 million a year by outsourcing voice and data communications. Bell Atlantic will manage USAir's voice and data communications network, which includes reservations, administrative and operational centers, sales offices and retail ticket centers in 150 cities. As part of the contract, Bell Atlantic Network Integration (BANI) will offer employment to up to 137 USAir network professionals from the Communications Services Group.
Canadian Airlines International (CAI) and Philippine Airlines have formed a commercial alliance and plan to launch joint operations between Canada and the Philippines this fall, subject to establishment of an air services pact between the two countries. The carriers will offer daily direct service, including at least two nonstop flights, between Vancouver and Manila. CAI said the service will start in late 1995 with three or four weekly flights and increase to daily frequencies next year.
Travel agent commission cap or no, agent sales set a record in March - $6.107 billion for the month, spurred by lower fares - according to the Airlines Reporting Corp.The month was only the second in which total sales exceeded $6 billion. Domestic commissions were up 2% for the year to date, to $1.025 billion.
Taesa, in response to a published report about financial difficulties at the Mexican airline, said it is in "excellent" financial shape with prospects for continued growth. "While Mexico's financial picture has not been very bright for the past several weeks, the situation has improved, and Taesa is in excellent fiscal shape," said Pierre Murphy, U.S. legal counsel to Taesa. "We have restructured our business plans based on the devaluation of the peso.
Airport and Airway Trust Fund Income Statement October 1, 1994 - January 31, 1995 Current Month RECEIPTS (Revenues) Revenues: Excise Taxes (Transferred from General Fund): Liquid Fuel other than Gas $ 17,373,000.00 Transportation by Air, Seats, Berths, etc. 288,035,000.00
ValuJet yesterday reported first quarter net earnings of $9.1 million, or 31 cents per share, and an operating profit of nearly $14.6 million, and it revealed that it is close to completing arrangements to add Boston to its route network in June. The earnings-per-share figure reflects the carrier's recent two-for-one stock split. "We are pleased with our outstanding operational and financial performance," said Chairman Robert Priddy.
Western Pacific Airlines will begin service April 28 with an unusual logo on the side of its 737s - corporate advertising. The Colorado Springs carrier's first flight to Oklahoma City will be painted with the colors and logo of The Broadmoor Hotel, a Colorado Springs resort. Under its "Air Logo" program, the airline is discussing selling its exteriors to American Express, Adolph Coors Co. and other companies. It begins service on April 28 to Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Kansas City and Oklahoma City, and on May 8 to San Francisco.
Chicago City Council, meeting Saturday in special session, approved Mayor Richard Daley's plan to create an alliance with Gary, Ind., for a Chicago- Gary Regional Airport Authority to run the cities' four airports (DAILY, April 17). Daley apparently drafted the plan quickly in cooperation with Indiana Gov. Evan Bayh and Gary Mayor Thomas Barnes. The new authority came into being at midnight on Saturday and will oversee Chicago's O'Hare, Midway and Meigs Field and Gary Regional Airport.
Airport and Airway Trust Fund Balance Sheet As of January 31, 1995 Current Month ASSETS Undisbursed Balances: Available for Investment $ 47.14 TOTAL UNDISBURSED BALANCE (Cash in Account) Receivables: Interest Receivables $ 62,601,801.50 TOTAL RECEIVABLES
Aviation Capital Group subsidiary ACG Acquisition Corp. V has leased a Boeing 737-200 Advanced to Ladeco Chilean Airlines for four years. The aircraft is equipped with Pratt&Whitney JT8D-9A engines. ACG V acquired the airplane recently from Aer Lingus.
The three cargo carriers currently designated for service to Russia are raising concerns about DOT plans to reallocate frequencies for U.S.-Russia cargo service. Saying that none of the authorized carriers - Northern Air Cargo, Federal Express and Evergreen - is currently serving the U.S.-Russia market, DOT issued an order saying it planned to approve a bid by Polar Air Cargo for Russian service, requiring reallocation of current frequencies, and to review the existing designations (DAILY, April 4).
Air Canada's March systemwide passenger traffic rose 5.5% from the same month last year, but again failed to keep pace with the growth in capacity, up 13.6%. The result was a load factor decline of 4.7 percentage points to 61.1%. International traffic increased 6.6% on 15.5% more capacity, and domestic traffic was up 3.4% on 10.4% more available seat miles. Through the first quarter, Air Canada's systemwide traffic increased 5.9% on 14.1% more capacity, pushing its load factor down 4.5 points to 57.7%.
Fokker has received type certification for its Fokker 70 transport from the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority and has delivered the first of five F70s to British Midland, the Dutch manufacturer said yesterday. The carrier ordered four Fokker 100s and five Fokker 70s in November, 1993, and it took options on three aircraft that it can order as either type. The F100s have been delivered, and delivery of the F70s will be completed early next year. The F70 and the F100 have same-type ratings, so pilots qualified to fly one can fly the other without additional training.
Surinam Airways is seeking to add San Juan, Puerto Rico, as a co-terminal for its service to the U.S. Currently authorized to operate scheduled service between points in Surinam and the co-terminal points of New York/Newark and Miami, the carrier is asking to fly cargo service carrying fresh fish to San Juan. Surinam charters or wet-leases cargo capacity from American International Airways and anticipates operating a weekly DC-8-55 cargo charter service between Miami and San Juan and Paramaribo with AIA. Surinam operates to the U.S.
