Sabena Technics, the Belgian carrier' maintenance and engineering division, has renewed and extended its long-term contract with Luxair. The contract covers C-checks, maintenance for CFM56-3 engines and component support for Luxair's 737s.
Summary of U.S. National Carriers Systemwide Traffic, First Quarter 1996 Revenue Average Revenue Passengers Length of Passenger Enplaned % Travel Miles Carriers (000) Change (Miles) (000) American Trans Air 1,585 22.80 1,552 2,458,724 Carnival 641 35.01 1,180 756,201
India's Civil Aviation ministry has given final and formal approval for Lufthansa Cargo India (LCI) to begin cargo airline operations in the country, ministry officials said yesterday. A 60/40 joint-venture company formed by the U.K.-based Hindujas Group and Lufthansa Cargo AG of Germany, respectively, LCI will have its corporate headquarters in New Delhi and plans to launch its cargo services between major Indian cities later this year, besides linking them to Lufthansa's cargo hub at Sharjah, LCI officials said.
President Clinton ordered FAA yesterday to impose stricter security measures at 450 U.S. commercial airports - and asked Congress to come up with $429.4 million this session to pay for it - as part of the recommendations made by the Gore Commission on Aviation Safety and Security.
Japan Airlines will begin next month to revamp its international business- class service, and to improve the cabins of its widebody aircraft with upgraded interiors and new seats, in an effort to retain and attract international business travelers. In search of higher yields, the carrier will install newly designed and branded "Executive Class - Seasons" seats and interiors, with colors to reflect different periods of the year.
Northwest reported that August revenue passenger miles rose 8.1%, buoyed by a 10.4% increase in international RPMs. Total capacity was up 8.5% (international capacity gained 10.6%), which moved the load factor down 0.2 percentage points to 80.6%. Domestic RPMs increased 6.4% on 7.1% greater capacity, which forced the domestic load factor down 0.5 points to 76%. So far this year, Northwest's international RPMs have risen 15.7% on 10.5% greater capacity, raising the international load factor 3.5 points to 80.3% since January.
Kellstrom, engaged in the marketing of commercial jet engines and parts, said it opened an office in Dublin to serve a growing customer base. The company said that in the first half of 1996, European sales were up 491%. Martin Curtis, formerly with AAR Corp., was named to head the new operation.
Rosenbluth International's Consulting Services Group postponed its Air Safety Symposium, which was scheduled today at the Capitol Hilton in Washington, D.C.
Northwest and its Air Line Pilots Association unit have exchanged opening statements for the pilots contract, which becomes amendable Oct. 31. ALPA's negotiating committee and pilot leaders have scheduled road shows Sept. 30-Oct. 9 to educate the members on both openers. Northwest also is in negotiations with other unions, representing five employee groups. The carrier's unions invested wages and made work rule changes in 1993 in exchange for stock and corporate governance provisions to prevent a threatened bankruptcy filing.
National Air Traffic Controllers Association, at its biennial convention this week in Pittsburgh, will vote on whether to expand its membership to such groups such as FAA engineers. Currently, only controllers may become full-fledged members of NATCA. Its membership now totals 15,000.
CCAIR reported a 10.3% increase in traffic in August on 3% more capacity. Revenue passenger miles totaled 13.5 million and available seat miles 28.3 million for a load factor jump of 3.2 points to 47.9%. CCAIR carried 72,709 passengers during the month, up 4.3%. The USAir Express carrier said advance passenger reservations for the winter are up 16%, compared with the same point last year. For the first eight months of the year, RPMs were up 10.8% to 100.9 million from 91.1 million and ASMs were flat at 209.2 million. The load factor was up 4.6 points to 48.2%.
FAA, charged by a coalition of African-American employees with workplace discrimination, said it is "firmly committed to creating and maintaining a positive work environment where all employees have the opportunity to develop to their potential and contribute fully to the organization" (DAILY, Sept. 9).
Casino Air, which intends to serve riverboat gambling businesses in Louisiana, has taken delivery of a Jetstream 31 from British Aerospace Asset Management Inc.-Turboprops and has options for two more. Casino Air has proposed operating five daily flights from Dallas Love Field and two from Baton Rouge to Shreveport, La. It is awaiting approval from FAA for a Part 121 certificate but expects to begin the service by yearend. British Aerospace Asset Management is a Chantilly, Va.-based subsidiary of British Aerospace Holdings.
Taiwan's Fair Trade Commission has approved the application of China Airlines to purchase a 42% stake in Taiwanese domestic carrier Formosa Airlines. Under Taiwanese law, any purchase of more than 33% of the outstanding stock of a company requires FTC approval. An FTC official said that a study of the proposed purchase indicates that it would not have a negative impact on Taiwan's domestic airline industry or on the rights of air passengers. The acquisition is expected to increase CAL's share of domestic air market to 13.2% from the current 4.6%.
Southwest's revenue passenger miles jumped 14.7% in August on 13.6% greater capacity, increasing the load factor 0.6 percentage points to 71.2%. The results helped the carrier counter the trend of a declining load factor through much of the year. The load factor for the first eight months was 65.4%, however, still 0.6 points below January-August 1995. Southwest flew 65,482 trips in August, an average of 2,100 per day.
System One Amadeus has hired Karen Slater as staff VP-marketing. Slater most recently held the position of senior VP-marketing with a subsidiary of ECI Telecom in Tel Aviv. She also worked for 12 years for British Telecom, North America. At System One, she will be responsible for all strategic and tactical marketing, including product marketing for Travel Agency Solutions, Corporate Travel Solutions and Electronic Commerce Strategy.
North American Mortgage Company is offering frequent flyer miles on United to customers who purchase or refinance a home. The program, called HouseMiles, is available throughout the U.S. from 105 branch offices.
American Society of Travel Agents Marketing Services has announced that West Coast Business Systems and Supplies has joined its list of preferred vendors. The company provides products such as ticket jackets, document envelopes, invoices, baggage tags and tour vouchers, and conducts searches for hard-to-find business supplies.
Alamo Rent A Car is giving customers free upgrades if they belong to the frequent flyer programs of TWA, United or Northwest and rent a car for three consecutive days. A qualifying flight is not necessary. The upgrades are available through Dec. 15 for customers who are members of the plans of TWA and Northwest, and through March 31 for United.
DOT's $25,000 assessment against United for violation of advertising rules (DAILY, Sept. 9) grew out of a two-for-one sale last fall and an "up to 40% off" promotion in January.
TransAsia Airways has introduced Taiwan's first shuttle service on the company's Taipei-Kaohsiung route. Passengers need only purchase their ticket a minimum of 30 minutes before the scheduled departure time of the flight they intend to take. The service is not currently available on weekends or holidays. If seating is unavailable on the flight for which the ticket is purchased, a customer will be offered the choice of a seat on the next available flight by another carrier or a free ticket on a TransAsia flight the following day.
Summary of U.S. Major Carriers Domestic Traffic, First Quarter 1996 Revenue Average Revenue Passengers Length of Passenger Enplaned % Travel Miles Carriers (000) Change (Miles) (000) Alaska 2,388 23.66 807 1,927,347 America West 4,203 10.83 810 3,405,582 American 15,267 (4.70) 1,124 17,154,397
Allied Pilots Association's board of directors meets Thursday, Friday and Saturday to decide whether the company's final proposal, tentatively accepted by the union last week, should be put into formal contract language. At least one more special board meeting will be needed before the union's leaders accept or reject the offer, subject to member ratification. No votes on the agreement will be taken this weekend.
America West has been cleared of charges brought by the Teamsters union that it violated federal labor laws when it outsourced heavy maintenance in December. U.S. District Court Judge Roger Strand dismissed those charges when he endorsed the election of the Teamsters over America West's challenge on grounds that the vote included 400 mechanics who had been fired (DAILY, Sept. 9). Strand said the claims of the individual and class plaintiffs should be dismissed because each had entered into a severance arrangement with the airline.
Mountain Vacations ski packages in several states in the West are available through Worldspan Tour Source. The packages include air transportation by Air Canada, American, Continental, Frontier, Northwest and TWA.
