Association of Professional Flight Attendants at American says union members in U.S. industries are paid an average $5,241 more a year than nonmembers. The APFA unit quotes Labor Department data showing that union workers can count on $2.52 more per hour in wages and $4.35 more in benefits.
DOT Secretary Federico Pena last week dedicated a new $28 million control tower at Chicago O'Hare Airport and a new $90 million approach control facility in suburban Elgin.
U.S. Major Carriers Productivity, In RPMs And ASMs Per Employee Second Quarter 1996 Revenue Available Passenger Seat Miles Miles Total Airline (000) (000) Employees Alaska 2,504,341 3,809,041 7,007 America West 3,848,442 5,353,210 10,122 American 26,630,976 38,392,650 83,463
DOT has granted the application by United and Saudi Arabian Airlines to conduct blocked-space code-share services. Under the arrangement, Saudia will on operate behalf of United in the New York- Dhahran/Jeddah/Riyadh markets. United will operate similarly between New York and Los Angeles, enabling Saudia to offer Saudi Arabia-Los Angeles service. To facilitate the arrangement, DOT granted exemptions to Saudia, to serve Los Angeles as an additional U.S. point on its Saudi Arabia-U.S. services, and to United, to serve New York-Dhahran/Jeddah/Riyadh.
Airbus Industrie officials are amused by a Boeing advertisement for 500-plus aerospace engineer openings, offering "top pay rates, per diem, travel, full benefits and more." The ad appears in the main daily newspaper of Toulouse, headquarters of Airbus
- Granted orally to Northwest an exemption to conduct scheduled combination service between the terminal point Minneapolis/St. Paul and Cancun, Mexico...Granted orally to La Valenciana Taxi Aereo an exemption permitting the carrier to conduct passenger charter operations between Mexico and the U.S. and other passenger charters, using small equipment...Granted to Gemini Air Cargo certificates of public convenience and necessity to engage in interstate and foreign scheduled air transportation of property and mail.
Some elements of FAA's new reauthorization bill, including a provision for pilot record sharing, are distressing members of the National Air Transportation Association. One NATA member, Bill Giannetti, president of the Flightstar Corp., Savory, Ill., complained the bill will have "absolutely no effect on safety yet will have a major effect on my business." He said it will be a "tremendous hassle to weed out one pilot in 10,000 who is unqualified.
Supreme Court's refusal last week to review a ruling by the U.S. district court in North Carolina on disclosure of USAir's internal safety documents (DAILY, Oct. 8) had little impact on litigation over the airline's July 1994 crash at Charlotte, N.C., but it leaves up in the air the scope or even existence of the airline industry's ability to keep such documents confidential in the discovery process.
U.S. Major Carriers Productivity, In Revenues and Expenses Per Employee Second Quarter 1996, In Dollars Total Total Operating Operating Revenues Expenses Total Airline (000) (000) Employees Alaska 342,014 304,590 7,007 America West 466,688 404,607 10,122
Air Caribbean has received new international route authority and expects to expand to several islands south of its homebase in Trinidad and Tobago. The airline, which said it wants to become "the dominant force in the southern Caribbean region," recently acquired operating licenses to fly to and from Barbados and Grenada and is awaiting additional authority from St. Lucia and St. Vincent. The three-year-old airline is the exclusive operator between Trinidad and Tobago, flying three Japanese-made, 60-seat YS-11-500s.
Air Transport Association has petitioned FAA to change its rules regarding emergency training of pilots and flight attendants. ATA says it is trying to "promote safety by increasing flight attendant emergency preparedness through increased current hands-on emergency equipment training, and by making more training time available for pilots in areas deemed important by FAA, the National Transportation Safety Board and the airlines."
Just days after the European Commission decided to investigate a cash injection to Alitalia, the struggling carrier faces another legal hurdle. An Italian antitrust agency found that Alitalia used its dominance to make it hard for competitors to gain landing slots at Italy's airports. Domestic startups Air One and Noman filed the complaint, and disciplinary action is expected Nov. 11.
Persistent troubles retaining fan blades will slip certification of CFM International's new CFM56-7 medium turbofan for Boeing's next- generation 737 jetliner series from late October to sometime "before year's end," a spokesman for CFM partner GE confirmed Friday. Engineers hope to have a fix in hand and tested in mid-November, well before the engine is needed to begin flight tests on a Boeing 737-700 in February. Aircraft/engine certification remains scheduled for next September.
TriStar Airlines is offering customers coupons for free trips, on the ground, to the Golden Nugget Casino, Laughlin, Nev., from any major destination resort in Las Vegas. The coupons are good for a deluxe buffet, roundtrip transportation in a private motorcoach, provided by Royal Crown Resort Travel Partners, and VIP service.
- In Federal Register dated Oct. 4...Revised a proposed airworthiness directive on certain Douglas DC-10 aircraft concerning inspections for cracks in a horizontal stabilizer support....Proposed an AD on Pratt&Whitney JT8D-200 engines to require inspections and other work for the front compressor fan hubs. -- In FR dated Oct. 7...Proposed an AD on any transport aircraft equipped with certain Day-Ray lights in the upper and/or lower cabin sidewall.
TWA will award Frequent Flight Bonus Program miles to customers buying or selling homes in 29 states through the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Service. Eligible members will receive as many as 40,000 bonus miles when they conduct the sale or purchase through the real estate firm. Members who want to participate must call a toll-free number to sign up before they list their property for sale or begin working on a purchase with a real estate agent.
Advanta Corp. named William Razzouk, former executive VP of Federal Express, chief executive and director of Advanta Information Services, a newly formed subsidiary. Aero International (Regional) appointed Giancarlo Fre director-press and information, replacing Elizabeth Broge, who has moved to SOGERMA, an overhaul and maintenance company in Bordeaux. Aviall named Margaret Bouline director-information services. Garrett Aviation appointed James Thompson, formerly of Rohr Inc., director-marketing and programs.
Air France appointed Bernard Frattini VP-cargo, based in New York. American International Freight named Mark Neal manager-market development for Minneapolis/St. Paul, Omaha and Kansas City, and Eric Neuhoff manager-market development for Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Toronto in addition to his responsibilities for Detroit, Grand Rapids, Columbus and Dayton.
Airbus Industrie, Boeing and McDonnell Douglas will need to build some 600 new, mostly large freighter aircraft by 2015, representing a market opportunity of about $65 billion, according to Boeing's latest annual air cargo forecast. This year's estimated cargo traffic growth rate of 6% is only about half of 1994's torrid pace, but Boeing economists and analysts think worldwide growth will average about 6.6% each year through 2015, outpacing passenger growth in all major markets.
USAir will launch daily service from Philadelphia to Montego Bay, Jamaica, on Feb. 12. It currently flies to Montego Bay from Charlotte. Robert Fornaro, senior VP-planning, said the new service "complements our efforts to expand our international gateway service from Philadelphia." Beginning Nov. 6, USAir will offer two daily roundtrips between Boston and Fort Lauderdale.
FAA last week directed the Los Angeles Department of Airports to confirm by the end of this week that it has transferred $31 million to the city treasury and to explain its justification for doing so (DAILY, Oct. 9). FAA also is seeking a statement that the transfer represents only the principal amount of funds allegedly contributed and not reimbursed, and that it does not include any amount for interest.
Delta is letting Alaska residents cash in their Permanent Fund Dividend checks for three roundtrips between Alaska and the West or Midwest for $1,130. A check stub or direct deposit form must accompany ticket payment by Nov. 30. Flights to the East Coast, Mexico and Hawaii can be taken for an additional charge. The fund, a development tax unique to the state, pays dividends to Alaskans at the end of the year. Alaska Airlines is offering a separate special (DAILY, Oct. 1).
Unionized air traffic controllers of Europe are "very concerned" about problems Controllers United says it experienced getting FAA to rehire former Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization members. The Air Traffic Controllers European Unions Coordination (ATCEUC), several of whose members have sent messages to the White House, will review the U.S. "situation" at a general meeting Oct. 25-26.
FAA has been asked to prohibit U.S. carriers from serving - and passengers from consuming - alcoholic beverages on foreign and domestic flights. The petitioner said this would "enhance safety for passengers in the plane and people on the ground" by reducing the number of "offensive and criminal acts" associated with alcohol consumption.
Hong Kong Tourist Association's Internet site, Wonder Net, receives one million hits per month and has won several awards, including Best of the Net by U.S. communications organization Envision Group and Best of Asia Pacific by the Singapore Internet Community, the association said. The site, which takes users on a tour around Hong Kong with full-color graphics, superlinks, sound and video clips, is found at http://www.hkta.org.
