- In Federal Register dated Dec. 27...Superseded an airworthiness directive on Jetstream 4101 aircraft concerning inspections for damage of the ball bearings in the aileron quadrants...Issued an AD on certain Fokker F28 aircraft requiring inspection for cracking of the side stay attachment lugs of the fitting subassembly of the main landing gear...
Amerijet International is seeking authority to operate scheduled all- cargo service between Toledo, Ohio, and Mexico City. If its request is approved, the carrier plans to conduct five weekly flights on the route using Boeing 727-200 aircraft beginning Feb. 15.
USAir's Air Line Pilots Association unit will meet with the carrier's Association of Flight Attendants, Machinists and Transport Workers Union leaders in Washington tomorrow to provide an update on talks with management over wage cuts and other measures to see if a labor coalition solution can be reached. Not only have talks with the company stalled, but AFA and ALPA are bickering over pay cuts that AFA says would be a clear advantage to ALPA's members.
Four men who hijacked the Paris-bound Air France flight at Algiers on Dec. 24 snuck onto the aircraft wearing Air Algerie uniforms. Air Algerie handles Air France at Algiers.
Alliant Techsystems named Richard Schwartz president, chief executive and a member of the board. Amadeus Marketing appointed Julia Sattel director-markets, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. CIT Group/Industrial Financing appointed John Dorenbecher district manager-West and Northwest regions in the Business Aircraft Division. FlightSafety International named Donnie Nunn manager-San Antonio Learning Center.
More serious for Boeing was the lack of orders for its 777, while Airbus sold 29 competing A340s, including a Singapore Airlines order for 10 in December. Airbus' big twin, the A330, also did not sell, however. The story was the same among single-aisle twin-engine aircraft, with Airbus selling 120 of its A320 variants and Boeing 70 of its 737 and 757 series.
The Bombardier Business Aircraft Division has expanded its field service network by adding representatives in Toluca, near Mexico City, and Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. "This enables us to address the needs of the growing Challenger fleet based in both of these regions plus the increasing number of North American and European operators now flying there," said David Orcutt, VP-product support. The additions give Bombardier 22 field service representatives.
ChallengAir is seeking authority to perform charter passenger and cargo service between Brussels and points in the U.S. Despite the fact that several U.S. and other airlines fly between the U.S. and Belgium, ChallengAir maintains there "exists additional need for a Belgian charter airline to fly between the two countries, particularly to and from mid- sized market in the rapid growing American Southeast." At present, the carrier anticipates operating between Brussels and Orlando using DC 10-30 aircraft.
El Al Israel Airlines has been named "Best Airline For Travel to the Middle East" for the third year in a row by the readers of Business Travel International Magazine. The survey is conducted by Simmons Market Research Bureau. El Al currently serves 48 destinations worldwide from Tel Aviv.
LTU International Airways plans to add a fifth weekly flight from Dusseldorf and Munich to Miami to meet demand during the winter season. The German carrier is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 1995. During the year, LTU is scheduled to take delivery if its first A330.
Before Nov. 8, it appeared that the aviation industry was facing two big legislative issues in the first session of the 104th Congress: the transportation fuel tax and Airport Improvement Program funding. FAA reform would have survived as an issue, but the positions of the key members of Congress were so different from those of key Clinton administration players that dramatic change seemed unlikely. The air traffic control corporation was dead politically, and there was no reason to believe the administration would warm up to an independent FAA.
Air-India appointed Prannivas Sinha manager-USA. Emirates promoted Ghaith Al Ghaith to senior general manager- commercial operations, Middle East, Africa and the CIS, and Rashid Al Noori to general manager-commercial operations, Europe and North America. The new manager-UAE is Abdul Rehman Abdulla, and the new manager-Pakistan is Mohamed Qassim Ali. Federal Express named Lynn Gorman VP-vehicle maintenance.
January promises to be a busy month for U.S. negotiators. Formal talks between U.S. and Canada are expected to begin soon after New Year's, and there is an outside chance that the U.S. and the nine European countries offered open skies will begin nailing down agreements. Also scheduled are further talks with Ukraine, beginning Jan. 9, and the Philippines, Jan. 23.
Travel management firm Business Travel International has expanded into South America with the addition of American Lloyd of Brazil and Argentina's City Service Travel Agency to its list of partners. "The increase in companies doing business in South America has created more demand for business travel there," said David Radcliffe, chief executive of BTI, which bills itself as the world's largest corporate travel joint venture. American Lloyd is based in Sao Paulo, has a 96-person staff and recorded total 1993 billings of $24 million.
Airbus Industrie outdid itself in 1994, surpassing Boeing in aircraft orders for the year, according to a preliminary count.The International Lease Finance Corp.'s order for 30 Airbus aircraft in the waning days of the year pushed Airbus sales to about 120, compared with 111 for Boeing.
Korean Air Lines has ordered four modified Cessna Citation Ultras for crew training, the manufacturer said. The contract calls for the first Ultra to be delivered in the second quarter. "The Citation Ultras will provide KAL with a step-up aircraft between their piston-engined and turboprop fleet and their airliners," said Gary Hay, Cessna senior VP- marketing and product support.
Japan's Infini computer reservations system has successfully completed cut-over its Group PNR Handling Phase 2 product (GHP2), enabling China Airlines to delegate some of its basic group passenger processing functions to travel agents. The enhanced Infini group function allows specified travel agents selected by China Airlines to create the group PNRs (passenger name records) in the Infini system and to enter group passenger names and any other related information.
Northwest applauded DOT's code-share study findings, while Delta pressed to distinguish its proposed alliance with Virgin Atlantic from the BA/USAir pact, according to initial responses to the report issued Dec. 28. "We are pleased that the DOT report has so strongly endorsed code sharing in general and the Northwest/KLM alliance in particular as a model for such alliances," said Elliot Seiden, Nortwest VP-law and government affairs. The study reported that the Northwest/KLM pact provided "sizable benefits to U.S. passengers and small (but positive) benefits to U.S.
Northwest said its yearend fare sale, announced Friday, is superior to the recent promotion by Continental that was matched and, in some cases, expanded by other carriers because it covers Northwest's entire U.S. and Canadian network, as well as some Mexican and Caribbean destinations (DAILY, Dec. 30). Northwest also said it is offering deeper discounts. Examples of the fares are $298 for roundtrip travel between New York and Vail, Colo., $398 for Boston-Tucson and $598 for Kansas City-Honolulu flights.
America West and Mesa Air Group have entered into an agreement for America West Express jet service, to be provided with two Fokker 70s to broaden service to markets not receiving jet service by America West. The America West Express service will focus on operations in markets of 800 to 1,000 nautical miles, the carriers said. Mesa Air Group comprises five airline divisions, and Mesa Airlines of Farmington, N.M., operates the flights.
Air Line Pilots Association may ask FAA to ban the practice of airlines requiring pilots to pay for their own training, which can cost up to $10,000. ALPA President Randy Babbitt said he has discussed the situation with FAA Administrator David Hinson and asked him to look into the practice, which places "an economic barrier in front of qualifications."
A safety seminar scheduled Jan. 9-10 in Washington will focus on setting goals to improve safety for all airlines operating aircraft seating 10 or more passengers. The seminar, called Zero Accidents-The Challenge, is not voluntary except for those airline executives who are willing to risk the wrath of DOT Secretary Federico Pena and FAA Administrator David Hinson. Pena and Hinson called for the meeting following several fatal accidents in the latter part of 1994.
LOT Polish Airlines and Lufthansa will begin code-sharing flights between Berlin and Warsaw on Monday as part of a recently signed cooperative agreement. The six weekly Berlin-Warsaw roundtrips will be operated by LOT using a 737. Thirty seats on each flight, split evenly between business and economy classes, will be allotted for Lufthansa passengers. In November, LOT and Austrian Airlines began joint-venture flying between Krakow and Vienna. Under that agreement, the two carriers will share profits and costs, and coordinate flight schedules.
British Midland Chairman Michael Bishop, an opponent of state subsidies for airlines, says he is "delighted that Lufthansa is now putting its weight firmly behind the argument for reform." Bishop said the European airline community is now divided into two camps - the traditionalists and the reformers.
TAP Air Portugal has received authority from the European Commission to begin taking delivery of four Airbus A340s to replace Lockheed L-1011s. The EC had held up delivery to ensure that Portuguese government guarantees will cover loans from British, French and German banks for the aircraft.
