ValuJet will restart operations Monday with service to four cities from Atlanta after receiving DOT clearance to resume service yesterday. DOT's action came after protracted review of ValuJet's fitness following a tentative fitness finding on Aug. 29. Stretching two weeks beyond the last procedural date, the department received a "voluminous number of proceedings...[and] wanted to go the extra mile" to consider these responses, said John Coleman, director of DOT's Office of Aviation Analysis.
U.S. Major and National Carriers Rental Expenses Second Quarter 1996 % Of Total Operating Systemwide Expenses Alaska $ 43,343,000 14.23 America West 68,822,617 17.01 American 280,108,000 8.15 Continental 161,108,000 13.08
Las Vegas-based TriStar Airlines will discontinue its daily roundtrip service to Eugene, Ore., from both Los Angeles and Reno, effective Oct. 1. The carrier said the move would enable it to realign it flight services "to provide a more focused flight schedule, geared to times most preferred by passengers in its core markets of Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas." TriStar operates BAe 146 quadjets that accommodate 86 to 100 passengers in an all-coach configuration.
Turmoil continues at the Allied Pilots Association (APA) over the issue of AMR Eagle acquiring regional jets. Although the union's proposed contract with American would allow Eagle to operate up to 67 of the aircraft, approximately 20% of the pilot group is sharply opposed to the prospect and is talking strike. The proposal currently is being put into contractual language to be presented to the pilots, "But it is not over yet," said one pilot.
South Florida-based Gulfstream International continued last month to record steep increases in traffic and capacity, but its available seat mile growth outstripped revenue passenger mile gains by 80.3% to 69%. The carrier posted 9.9 million RPMs, versus 5.9 million in August 1995, and 19.7 million ASMs, up from 10.9 million. The resulting load factor was 50.4%, off 3.4 percentage points from 53.8%. Gulfstream carried 54,147 passengers, compared with 31,531 in August 1995.
Greenwich Air Services, stung by the loss of engine work for USAir, said yesterday it has signed a new two-year, non-exclusive contract with FedEx covering JT8D engines (DAILY, Sept. 24). Greenwich estimated the contract, which has two two-year extensions, will generate up to $30 million. The engines power FedEx's 150 727 aircraft. The carrier also has a long-term contract with Greenwich for repair and overhaul of General Electric CF6 engines, which power its DC-10 and A300 aircraft.
Two House Democratic leaders yesterday urged their colleagues to vote down the FAA reauthorization bill (H.R.3539) after House and Senate negotiators included a controversial provision sought by Federal Express that would change last year's Interstate Commerce Commission termination act (DAILY, Sept. 26). In a "Dear Colleague" letter, Reps.
Frequent flyer members of United and Alaska Airlines will receive double miles when renting an automobile from Budget. Members must rent an intermediate or larger size vehicle for two days or longer to receive 1,000 miles. The offer is good through Jan. 31. To take advantage of the deal, plan members must use the special reusable insert in their statements.
Responding to British Airways' new U.S. campaign to win support for its proposed alliance with American, a senior DOT official said, "If BA were as active in moving its own government toward real open skies as it appears to be in lobbying in U.S., we might be making more progress now."
FAA said yesterday that it has rated Indonesia as "conditional" under international aviation safety standards. This means the agency will negotiate with the Indonesian government to bring its oversight functions up to International Civil Aviation Organization standards. It also means that Indonesian air carrier operations to the U.S. will be limited and FAA operations inspections and surveillance tighter.
British Airways is launching an autumn "super sale" next month, offering up to 69% off the 21-day advance purchase fare to 40 destinations. The fares are available from all 21 of BA's U.S. gateways, via London. Sample roundtrip fares include $298 to London, $570 to Tel Aviv and $524 to Larnaca. Fares must be booked or purchased by Oct. 16, with outbound travel beginning in November.
FAA has proposed special conditions for the LET Aeronautical Works Model L61OG 40-passenger aircraft. The agency said the aircraft will have a "novel or unusual design feature" associated with the use of the landing gear fairing during emergency evacuation. For more information, contact Frank Tiangsing, Regulations Branch, ANM-114, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service, FAA, 1601 Lind Ave., S.W., Renton, Wash. 98055-4056.
Aero International (Regional) plans a major thrust into the used regional aircraft market. "It is in AI(R)'s interest to develop the second-hand aircraft sector in order to gain market share and maybe generate a development within those companies that could enable them in the future to buy new aircraft," said Chief Executive Officer Patrick Gavin at the Farnborough Air Show. "This is part of our commercial sales strategy that did not exist before in ATR or any of our main competitors."
Air Transport Association said yesterday that airline and repair station industries have won approval from DOT and FAA for maintenance personnel to participate in the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS). Both ATA and the Machinists union had worked to develop a maintenance-specific reporting form aimed at improving safety by eliminating maintenance errors. The ASRS has been in use for several years by pilots. Until the new form is published and distributed, maintenance personnel can use the current form for reporting.
Amadeus Global Travel Distribution will hold its fourth Customer Conference in Barcelona, Spain, Sept. 17-20. Details about the schedule and registration are not yet available.
CFM International has launched a marketing attack on rival International Aero Engines with a recent mailing to airline customers and suppliers pointing out in unusual detail CFM's claimed maintenance cost advantage over IAE. Typically, engine marketers have reserved detailed counterpoint arguments for conversations with customers - prepared materials have focused instead on an engine's strengths without naming competitors.
Sabena Airlines is introducing a new interior look and seating configuration on its A340-200 aircraft in transatlantic and Europe-Africa service. The Belgian carrier is restyling its first-class cabin with fully reclining "bed seats," complete with sheets, cushions and duvet covers. The carrier also has seat dividers available to ensure privacy. Sabena will offer the amenity to six first-class passengers. The carrier's A340s will be configured with 44 business and 186 economy seats.
United, commenting on the British Airways campaign to inform key stakeholders about BA's investment in U.S. products and jobs, said BA does not help either side, and that it is time for the U.S. government to "take all the conflicting public statements and make a decision about it," said Cyril Murphy, United VP-international affairs. All of BA's assertions of its heavy U.S. investment in the U.S.
The Air Charter Guide has published its 10th anniversary edition, "with a revised format and tightened editorial standards," the company said. The publication has been streamlined to eliminate aircraft duplication, and editorial coverage has grown to include 120 countries and tens of thousands of aircraft.
U.S. Major and National Carriers Commission Expenses Second Quarter 1996 % Of Total Operating Systemwide Revenues Alaska $ 23,684,000 7.78 America West 34,607,052 8.55 American 299,874,000 8.72 Continental 112,272,000 9.11
Eleven of 15 regional airlines reported load factors exceeding 50% during August. Three posted load factors greater than 60%. United Express Air Wisconsin, which operates 14 BAe 146 quadjets out of Chicago and Denver, posted a load factor of 67.1%, up from 58.8% in August 1995. At the other end of the spectrum and 21.7 percentage points below Air Wisconsin was United Express Great Lakes Aviation. Its load factor fell from 48.1% in August 1995 to 45.3% in the month just ended.
This week's Aviation News Today will present an address by Gerald Kauvar, staff director of the White House Commission on Aviation Safety and Security, given Sept. 24 to the Aero Club of Washington. The program will air on Washington's NewsChannel 8 Sunday from 12:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Airlines Reporting Corp. said that Chalks International Airlines a.k.a. Flying Boat Inc. d/b/a Pan Am Air Bridge has withdrawn from ARC participation. ARC will cease processing Chalks's validated transactions Oct. 13. The carrier's designator code "OP" will continue to be used by Pan Am Airways Inc. Pan Am Airways became an ARC participant with sales effective Sept. 23.
DOT yesterday sent an evidence request to Mesa Air Group as part of the department's newly launched fitness review of the carrier. The review was prompted in part by FAA's concerns about maintenance at Mesa and in part by the carrier's plans to bring jet service to Texas next spring. Mesa must respond to the evidence request by Oct. 11.
Air 21's "Fly a Friend for Free" fare promotion has produced a "tremendous" response from customers, the carrier reports. It also said it anticipates "guest" - passenger - loads of 50,000 per month and load factors of more than 60% after it places its fifth F28-4000 jet aircraft in service in November. Air 21, a wholly owned subsidiary of International Jet Engine Supply, launched service Dec. 20, 1995.
