Concluding that the transfer in September of $31.1 million to the City of Los Angeles from Los Angeles Airport (LAX) was not justified, FAA requested that the funds be returned to the airport, with interest, within 10 days (DAILY, Nov. 14). Susan Kurland, FAA associate administrator for airports, said the DOT general counsel and FAA chief counsel found that all unreimbursed city payments, dating back to 1928, were explicitly settled when the Department of Airports paid the city $5.29 million under a 1975 agreement approved by the mayor and city counsel.
System One Amadeus has cut over the first travel agency to its new advanced Amadeus computer reservations system (CRS), which is expected to serve more than 7,000 U.S. agencies by the end of next year. EDS, System One and Amadeus have been working toward the conversion for 18 months as a result of their joint venture with Continental. Travel Hub in Port St.
FAA has ordered airlines to inspect 747 aircraft for disbonding, corrosion and cracking in certain skin panels. It said the inspections are "intended to prevent rapid decompression of the airplane due to disbonding and subsequent cracking of the skin panels." The airworthiness directive follows a Boeing service bulletin issued Sept. 26, which describes procedures for the inspections. The service bulletin covers two more areas than FAA's AD, but the agency said it is considering requiring inspections of the other two areas.
Cathay Pacific Airways announced management changes yesterday that will place Chinese executives in more prominent roles at the top of Hong Kong's airlines. Philip Chen, director and chief operating officer of Dragonair, will replace Simon Heale as deputy managing director of Cathay Pacific. The appointment of Chen, 41 years old and Hong Kong-born, will take effect in mid-March. At the same time, Heale will become finance director of Swire Pacific, a major shareholder in both carriers.
Continental OnePass members receive a special offer when they use Continental On Line (COOL) - the carrier's weekly E-mail update on available low fares. OnePass members can choose a combination of discounted fares and OnePass miles as payment for travel. Continental said the frequent flyer members will receive additional offers with deeper discounts. It will advertise fares for OnePass members at $29 roundtrip, plus miles, depending on the market. Continental said it plans to enhance its World Wide Web site to include real-time departure and arrival data.
British Airways Chairman Colin Marshall will present BA's 1996 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards Feb. 27, honoring companies or projects for displaying environmental responsibility. The awards are co-sponsored by the American Society of Travel Agents, the British Tourist Authority, the Association of British Travel Agents and the Pacific Asia Travel Association. The awards are given in five regional categories plus two special classes - Europe and long-haul - and a new category for hotels.
Fourteen regional airlines pumped traffic up by an average of 13.8% during October while capacity increased at a rate of 10.2%. Gulfstream International continued to post the greatest percentage growth with revenue passenger miles up 56.4% over October 1995 and available seat miles up 48.5%. Traffic declined at two of the larger carriers in the sample. American Eagle traffic was down 6.3%, but its capacity fell at a greater rate of 8.5%. The other carrier with lower traffic was Mesa Air Group.
New Dash 7 operator Maverick Airways expects to begin scheduled service Dec. 2 from Denver to Steamboat Springs and Grand Junction, Colo., offering introductory fares as low as $59 on four daily flights to each city. The airline received its FAA certificate yesterday and is awaiting final DOT authority to start service. Its regular fares will be $69 for a 14-day advance purchase to Grand Junction, $89 for seven days, $109 for three days and $129 walk-up. Fares to Steamboat Springs are $10 less.
Travel agent bookings for the coming holiday season are expected to exceed last year's demand, said the American Society of Travel Agents. In a survey of its members, ASTA reported that 33% said their Christmas bookings increased over 1995. More than 80% of agents said they have received requests for travel packages and gift certificates designed "to give the gift of travel" to others.
Delta began offering electronic ticketing this week on nonstop flights from Atlanta to New York LaGuardia, Newark and Chicago, bringing its ticketless network from LaGuardia to seven airports. Systemwide, Delta electronic travel is available to 23 airports, representing 20% of its domestic flights. It plans to expand to all domestic markets by early 1997.
Cincinnati- and Orlando-based Comair flew slightly more than 139 million revenue passenger miles last month, a 23.4% increase from October 1995's 112.7 million. Capacity increased 18.2% to nearly 242 million available seat miles from 204.6 million, sending load factor 2.4 percentage points higher to 57.5% from 55.1%. Separately, Comair said it will begin jet service Dec. 20 on one of four daily flights between Grand Rapids and Cincinnati. Oct. 1996 Oct. 1995 10 Mths 1996 10 Mths 1995
Midwest Express regional subsidiary Skyway Airlines flew 6.7 million revenue passenger miles last month, an increase of 7.8% from the same 1995 month, as capacity rose 7.6% to 15.1 million available seat miles from 14.1 million. As a result, the passenger load factor inched up 0.1 percentage points to 44.3% from 44.2% in October 1995. Enplanements rose 7.5% to 30,273 from 28,159. Oct. 1996 Oct. 1995 10 Mths 1996 10 Mths 1995 RPMs 6,702,003 6,216,903 60,950,516 56,495,367
Aviation consultant Judith Trent forecast "some good and bad changes" with Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) as chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, if he takes that position in the next Congress as expected.
Mesa Air Group President Clark Stevens this week called the public scare over turboprops over and said traffic has rebounded. "The traffic is definitely back on turboprops across the board," said Stevens, whose company's airlines operate nearly 170 of the type. The public image of commuters, and turboprop operators in particular, suffered after an ATR-72 and a Jetstream 32 aircraft crashed within a two-month span at the end of 1994 and the International Airline Passengers Association called for the public to avoid the regionals.
Allied Pilots Association has moved the date on which its board will vote on the tentative contract agreement with American to Tuesday, Nov. 19. APA said it elected a new Chicago domicile chairman this week, and APA's constitution requires the chairman to have seven days to study a tentative agreement before voting on it.
Pilots at four Mesa Air Group subsidiary carriers will work under a single agreement worked out with Mesa management, Air Line Pilots Association reported this week. The 950 pilots, at Air Midwest, Florida Gulf, Liberty Express and Mountain West, won pay increases, improved work rules and opportunities for advancement, ALPA said.
New Aircraft Orders And Options August 1996 Last 12 Months Firm Orders Options Orders Options Carrier # Type # Type Engines Del Dates # Type # Type Air Macau1 2 A321-200 - V2500 Feb97-Apr97 - - Dragonair1 1 A330-300 - Trent 700 Jun97 1 A330-300 - Great
Regional Airline Association has appointed David Lotterer VP-technical services, the association announced. Lotterer formerly was director of airworthiness and technical standards at the Air Transport Association for 12 years.
Minneapolis-based Northwest Airlink affiliate Mesaba Airlines flew 40.1 million revenue passenger miles in October, a 34% increase from nearly 30 million in October 1995, as capacity increased 19.3% to 756.5 million available seat miles from 63.3 million. The load factor rose 5.9% to 53.2% from 47.3%. Passenger boardings were up 27.2% to 173,000 from 136,000. Oct. 1996 Oct. 1995 10 Mths 1996 10 Mths 1995 RPMs 40,141,000 29,955,000 353,451,000 267,562,000
Twin Cities-based Great Lakes Aviation reported a net loss of slightly more than $1 million, or 13 cents per share, for its third quarter ended Sept. 30, compared with a $49,000 net profit, or one cent per share, for the comparable 1995 period. Operating income dropped 75.1% to $513,000 from $2.06 million in the comparable 1995 quarter.
St. George, Utah-based SkyWest Airlines posted a 12.8% traffic increase in October to 59.2 million revenue passenger miles from 52.5 million in October 1995. Oct. 1996 Oct. 1995 10 Mths 1996 10 Mths 1995 RPMs 59,214,279 52,492,036 590,258,220 464,448,647 ASMs 119,964,279 108,315,471 1,139,014,274 972,744,929 LF (%) 49.4 48.5 51.8 47.7 Passengers 220,922 199,314 2,186,356 1,818,559
British Airways' scheduled traffic for October rose 6.5%, the carrier's highest year-over-year growth this fiscal year. Cargo traffic also increased, gaining 7.2%. Overall airline capacity grew 7.9%, lowering the load factor 1.5 percentage points to 75.3%. The intercontinental load factor declined 0.9 points to 76.5% and the U.K.-Europe load factor fell 1.3 points to 70.4%.
Continental Express will receive the first two of its EMB-145s Dec. 16, with another two to be delivered Dec. 27, Embraer said. The carrier has ordered 25 firm aircraft and has options for 175. Certification by Brazil is expected at month's end and by the U.S. FAA in early December.
InVision Technologies said it has teamed with EG&G Astrophysics Research Corp., a leading supplier of X-ray security products, to develop an explosives detection system (EDS) specially for countries using a multi- level detection approach. InVision said it is the only FAA-certified EDS manufacturer. As part of the alliance, EG&G will invest $2 million in InVision, in return for 91,885 shares of common stock, and the companies will enter into a joint sales and marketing agreement.
Delta Connection affiliate Atlantic Southeast flew 78.6 million revenue passenger miles in October, a 17.7% increase from October 1995, as capacity grew 8.3% to 156.3 million available seat miles from 144.3 million. The load factor, as a result, jumped four percentage points to 50.3% from 46.3%. The number of passengers increased 22.1% to 326,052 from 267,113. Oct. 1996 Oct. 1995 10 Mths 1996 10 Mths 1995 RPMs 78,604,100 66,784,536 740,885,649 635,525,412
