Icelandair is adding summer flights that will give it the most capacity to Europe it has ever offered from North America. The carrier will add service to Glasgow, London and several Scandinavian points and operate to 20 European cities by summer. Icelandair operates from five North American gateways: Boston, New York Kennedy, Baltimore/Washington, Orlando and Halifax, Nova Scotia, all with 757s through Keflavik.
Mexicana and Aeromexico are seeking authority to code share on a Miami/Cozumel/Merida routing, starting Feb. 13. Aeromexico plans to place its code on Mexicana's daily flight.
Haggling about the reform of European air traffic management institutions continued Saturday as European Union transport ministers decided to set up a "high-level group" to discuss the future of Eurocontrol. Meeting informally in Amsterdam, the ministers did not support proposals by EU Transport Commissioner Neil Kinnock for quick changes within the European air navigation organization, however. In particular, Kinnock wanted the EU to become a full-rights member of Eurocontrol.
The Allied Pilots Association has drafted a new economic analysis of its offer to settle its contract dispute with American, and the union will share it today with financial analysts in New York and tomorrow or Thursday with negotiators for the airline. The newly completed analysis, prepared by its negotiating committee with help from the union's technical resources and analyses committee and outside consultants, also may be made public today. The APA did not return phone calls yesterday.
United Airlines applied for an exemption to operate scheduled cargo service using Anchorage as a gateway to Japan, the Philippines and Taiwan. The carrier applied last year for an amendment to its existing all-cargo authority, and is applying for the exemption now because it is ready to start the service March 1, in advance of a pending decision on the amendment. United said it is already authorized to serve all-cargo routes to Japan and the Philippines from named U.S. points as gateways, and to Taiwan from all U.S.
Kiwi International Air Lines has filed a lawsuit against ValuJet, seeking $259,732 in compensation for termination of a contract, under which Kiwi was to operate about 120 charter flights to cover ValuJet's aircraft shortage in December. Kiwi was unable to round up enough crew members to perform the flights, which it had agreed to operate on short notice, leading ValuJet to cancel all flights from Atlanta to Dallas/Fort Worth and Fort Myers (DAILY, Dec. 24).
Air South, which recently launched a promotion allowing kids to fly free with a full-fare adult passenger, has extended the offer to anyone with the last name of Kid - spelled with one D, not two. Free tickets for travel through Oct. 11 are available to Kids who send Air South proof of their last name by Feb. 10.
Making the rounds at American is a "Help Feed the Pilots" signup sheet warning that "thousands of pilots in our very own country are living at or just below the six-figure salary line." For $300 a day, employees can sponsor a pilot in the event of a strike. "For you, three hundred dollars is nothing more than a half-month's rent or mortgage payment...but to a pilot three hundred dollars a day will almost replace his or her salary." It could mean the difference between "a vacation fishing in Florida or a Mediterranean cruise."
British Airways franchise partner CityFlyer has slashed its World Offer fares to 59 pounds return to all 11 destinations it serves from London Gatwick - Amsterdam, Antwerp, Cologne/Bonn, Cork, Dublin, Dusseldorf, Guernsey, Jersey, Leeds Bradford, Newcastle and Rotterdam. Tickets must be purchased before Feb. 19, and travel periods vary. The offer is available until at least April 24, excluding the Easter period.
Air France has set up Air France Servisair Limited (AFSL), a joint venture with Servisair Plc, to take over the French carrier's ground-handling operation at London Heathrow Airport. The new company, owned 51% by Air France and 49% by Servisair, is chaired by Etienne Rachou, Air France's general manager for the U.K. and Ireland.
Southwest is offering passengers who are 65 or older special senior fares between $29 and $99 one way for travel Mondays through Thursdays. Tickets must be purchased within one day of making reservations. Tickets must be purchased by Feb. 18 for travel by June 2.
FAA said it has commissioned an ASR-9 radar covering Columbia and Jefferson City, Mo., making it possible to transfer airspace control from the Kansas City air route traffic control center to the Springfield tower. Aircraft and flight information from the ASR-9 in Columbia will be transmitted to controllers at Springfield via telephone lines.
Orally approved part of startup carrier City Bird's application to conduct scheduled foreign air combination service between Brussels and the U.S., and to conduct certain charters. DOT dismissed the carrier's bid to fly beyond the U.S. to the Dominican Republic and Mexico, saying its homeland license does not authorize such service...Received notification of flights to be operated by certified charter carrier Airline Brokers Co. for Miami- Cancun roundtrips Feb.
Frontier Airlines has signed two agreements to code share on flights from Denver with Aspen Mountain Air and Maverick Airways. Passengers can connect at Denver to Aspen Mountain Air's six daily nonstop flights to Aspen on 32-seat Fairchild/Dornier aircraft, or on Maverick to Grand Junction and Steamboat Springs, Colo. Maverick began service Jan. 20 with two 46-seat de Havilland Dash 7 turboprops.
The approximately $1.5 billion shortfall in the aviation trust fund - resulting from the lapse in authority to transfer tax receipts to the fund - is "an artificially created crisis" that can and should be resolved immediately by a technical correction, a representative of the seven largest U.S. airlines said Friday (DAILY, Jan. 31).
Slovakia's flag carrier, Tatra Air, has ordered two Saab 2000 aircraft, representing a "breakthrough in East Europe," said Saab Aircraft. The first aircraft will be delivered in October and the second in March 1998. Tatra plans to use the airplanes to link Bratislava with London Gatwick and other destinations in Western Europe. The carrier is the fifth European airline to place a firm order for the Saab 2000, after Crossair, Deutsche BA, Nantes-based Regional Airlines and SAS.
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association is asking Congress to stop an FAA plan to charge overflight fees on international general aviation operations, saying the proposed user fees would have a particularly heavy impact on Canadian pilots and could affect safety. AOPA President Phil Boyer, speaking for AOPA Legislative Action, said the proposed fees discourage pilots from using U.S. safety services and "invite retaliation. If FAA charges for general aviation overflights, then Nav Canada will surely reciprocate with user fees for U.S.
U.S. District Judge Catherine Perry has found TWA Independent Federation of Flight Attendants President Sherry Cooper in contempt of court and issued the same finding for the Machinists union for aiding and abetting her. The court enjoined Cooper and others Oct. 31 from assisting the Machinists in a hostile raid against IFFA's representation of TWA's flight attendants. Cooper was found in contempt for sending a letter to all flight attendants - after the court order - asking them to vote for the Machinists in a representational election.
American is running a contest for IATAN travel agents regarding its proposed alliance with British Airways. To win the grand prize - roundtrip, first-class tickets for two to any of American's European destinations - agents must answer four questions. Sample question: Which carriers already have global alliances? Answers are Northwest/KLM, Delta/Swissair/Sabena/Austrian, United/Lufthansa or all of the above. Last question: What are the benefits of the alliance?
