Two U.S. carriers plan to enlarge their code-share operations with current European partners. Continental and Alitalia would expand modestly as part of an application before DOT from Alitalia, seeking authority to operate scheduled combination service between Rome/Milan and Newark/Atlanta. Continental wants to place Alitalia's code on its own flights between Newark and Atlanta, beginning March 30.
Tower Air flew 22.9% fewer block hours in January for a total of 2,414, compared with 3,130 in January 1996. Its scheduled service revenue passenger miles decreased 23.7% to 216 million, and available seat miles fell 22.6% to 319 million. Scheduled passenger load factor was 67.7%, down from 68.7% the previous January.
Continental Chief Operating Officer Greg Brenneman, corporate development executives and former Senator and Treasury Secretary Lloyd Bentsen, a Continental director, met last week with government officials and Aerolineas Argentinas executives in Argentina to discuss "potential alliance agreements," according to Continental. American also is interested in hooking up with Aerolineas (DAILY, Feb. 5).
Kiwi International Air Lines has established travel agent advisory boards in New York, New Jersey, Chicago, Atlanta and West Palm Beach. It will unveil soon a "major promotion" emphasizing the value and importance of travel agents.
FAA and the European Joint Airworthiness Authorities have certified the GE90-90B-powered 777-200 IGW (increased gross weight) engine/aircraft combination, GE Aircraft Engines said Friday. FAA also granted GE90- powered aircraft 180-minute extended range, twin-engine operations (ETOPS) type design approval. British Airways took delivery of the first -200 IGW aircraft Friday and is scheduled to receive two more by the end of the month. BA plans to begin operating the aircraft on the ETOPS route from London to Philadelphia beginning today.
Varig is canceling its code-share agreement with Delta, according to documents filed Friday. Varig President and Chief Executive Fernando Sousa Pinto phoned Delta chief Ron Allen to inform him of the decision Feb. 3, and Varig is entering a code share with another U.S. carrier. The action strengthens Delta's case to be designated as a flag carrier to Brazil, Delta said. (Docket OST-96-2016)
Condor Flugdienst has equipped its pilots with 20-megabyte flash storage cards for their notebook computers. The SanDisk Corp. cards store Condor's new Electronic Flight Report and Runway Weight Chart Systems software application, replacing paper systems. The electronic systems improve calculation methods and make it possible to increase the maximum weight permitted on various aircraft by as much as four tons, SanDisk said.
United, seeing more opportunities to Tokyo from New York than from Honolulu, will use four of its Narita slots for extra nonstop service from The Big Apple. Flights from Honolulu will drop to 14 per week from 18, just as airlines report weaker Japanese leisure traffic to Hawaii.
House Ways and Means Committee has scheduled a markup Wednesday of legislation to reinstate the aviation taxes temporarily, and to restore permanently the Treasury Department's authority to transfer aviation tax receipts to the aviation trust fund. The committee will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 1100, Longworth Building.
Florida West International Airways asked DOT for an exemption to avoid the expiration of its authority to operate cargo service to new points in South America. The carrier was supposed to begin operations by Wednesday, within 60 days of receiving its certificate, but it said paperwork has delayed its approval in Peru. It asked for a 45-day extension. The authority is for service from Houston and Miami to Santiago via Lima and Iquitos, Peru. (Docket OST-97-2119)
TAP-Air Portugal has leased three new A319s and a new A320 from International Lease Finance Corp. It will take delivery of the A319s in January and March 1998, and the A320 in March 1999. Air Cargo
Embry-Riddle researchers have given FAA disturbing but not unexpected results of a three-year study of security screening at airports. "America's frontline defender against aviation terrorism earns $5.25 an hour and is likely to be quitting in a few months," researchers found. "He is also not very likely to recognize a gun or knife on his X-ray screen, or a radio-size bomb."
White House Commission on Aviation Safety and Security has pushed back release of its final report by one day, to Wednesday. The commission still will meet tomorrow in closed session to discuss draft recommendations, and in open session to receive a task force report on civil liberties implications of sophisticated security profiling techniques.
The City of Chicago is reopening Meigs Field today, and Great Lakes Aviation is reinstating scheduled service today between Meigs and Capital Airport in Springfield, Ill. Great Lakes discontinued service in the market Feb. 7. Chicago Mayor Richard Daley announced earlier this month that Meigs, which closed Sept. 30, would be reopened and operated as an airport for five years before being converted into a park as previously planned (DAILY, Jan. 7). The City Council approved Friday a license agreement with Great Lakes, landing fees and automobile parking charges.
Fiscal 1998 budget calls for a new user fee to offset part of the National Transportation Safety Board's commercial aviation accident investigation costs. The fee, estimated to raise $6 million in 1998, would be paid by commercial air carriers based on revenue flight hours of operation. NTSB has faced some expensive investigations recently, particularly that of TWA Flight 800.
Dobbs International Services received a six-year contract from Delta to provide food service in 39 cities, including its largest markets - Atlanta, Cincinnati, Dallas and Orlando.
McDonnell Douglas said Friday more than 45,000 non-executive employees from its commercial, military and transport aircraft businesses received bonuses totaling $54 million for contributions to the company's record 1996 performance. The Employees Performance Incentive Plan paid out the bonuses for nearly three quarters of the work force. In addition, nearly 8,000 members of the United Aerospace Workers in California received payments. The corporation reported revenues of $13.8 billion in 1996.
U.S. airlines recorded worse on-time performance, more mishandled baggage and a higher rate of consumer complaints in 1996 than the year before, according to data published by DOT. The yearend wrapup, which accompanied December performance statistics, showed an 18% increase in consumer complaints in 1996, to 7,105. The top 10 airlines' mishandled baggage rate was 5.3 complaints per 1,000 passengers, worse than 1995's 5.18. The on- time arrival rate was 74.5%, down from 78.6%.
