Air France's traffic increased 8.7% in July compared with the same period last year, to 5.3 billion revenue passenger kilometers. Capacity increased 6.5% to 6.9 billion available seat kilometers. The passenger load factor for the month was 76.2%, up 1.5 percentage points. The number of freight ton kilometers increased 5.7% to 410 million.
Alaska Air Group's board adopted an amended and restated stockholder rights agreement the company said protects its stockholders from "coercive takeover tactics." The board said it is not aware of any imminent takeover action, and the amended agreement replaces the current rights plan, which was to expire in December. An individual or group now can exercise the rights only by acquiring 20% or more of Alaska Air Group's common stock, or by announcing a tender offer that would result in ownership by a person or group of 20% or more of the common stock.
United kicked off another round of fare savings with a fall domestic fare sale offering reductions of as much as 35% off the standard 21-day advance purchase price. Tickets must be purchased by Aug. 19 for travel Sept. 4- Dec. 15. The cheapest tariffs apply to off-peak days, except for Florida fares, which are lowest Sunday through Wednesday southbound and Tuesday through Friday northbound. All discount fares require a Saturday night stay and roundtrip purchase. In Hawaiian markets, the minimum stay is three days.
Northwest is looking again for bilingual or multilingual flight attendants, saying it intends to hire an additional 150 in the near future. With extensive services in the Pacific, the carrier wants flight attendants who speak English and Japanese, as well as other Asian and European languages. Northwest employs 9,500 flight attendants, 850 of whom were hired last year.
McDonnell Douglas DC-10 Systemwide Aircraft Utilization Per Day First Quarter 1996 DC-10-10 ----------------------------------- American United Total Number of Aircraft Operated 15 28 44 Total Fleet Operations Departures 33 77 110
Raytheon won a $620 million contract to provide 213 digital airport surveillance radar systems to the U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon said Friday. Raytheon beat three competitors to replace radars at civilian and military airfields.
AlliedSignal Aerospace named Jerry Rockstroh director-international procurement; Michael Chan director-manufacturing training; Jeff Augustin director-financial planning and analysis; Tim McClung space station hybrid manager, and David Yaney general manager-Microelectronics and Technology Center.
IATA is aiming for 100 international airline signatures by Nov. 1 on the umbrella agreement on passenger liability. The current total is 59, including all the major U.S. carriers. Varig is the most recent to sign, and Lufthansa's signature is "imminent," according to IATA.
Boeing will supply up to four leased VIP-configured 757-200 jetliners for the 89th Airlift Wing at Andrews AFB, Md., under a $365.5 million contract for the VC-X program to replace VC-137B aircraft. To be designated the C- 32A, the 757s "will provide executive and congressional airlift support," the Air Force said. The aircraft will be equipped for secure communications and configured for three service classes, first-class sleeper seats in a distinguished visitor area and business-class sleeper seats in the crew rest and staff area.
Granted orally to Corporacion Aeroangeles an exemption to conduct passenger charter operations between Mexico and the U.S., and other passenger charters, using small equipment...Granted orally to Transportacion Aerea del Norte an exemption to conduct passenger charter operations between Mexico and the U.S., and other passenger charters...Granted orally to Polar Air Cargo an extension from Aug. 4 to Sept. 18 of its startup condition for U.S.-Brazil all-cargo service...Granted orally to American International Airways an extension from Aug. 4 to Sept.
United's electronic ticketing service, E-Ticket, is the choice of at least 30% of customers eligible to select the option, the carrier said. United and United Express carriers began offering electronic ticketing 11 months ago. Recently, the question has been raised whether electronic ticketing still can be used with increased security at airports. United said the E- Ticket system is actually more secure because travelers must present identification before boarding. Currently, passengers with and without paper tickets must show some form of ID.
Carnival Air Lines has been assessed $10,000 in compromise civil penalties as part of a consent order, issued Friday, on violations of advertising regulations.
Arrow Air said Friday it has been reinstated by the Defense Department as an authorized air cargo carrier. DOD suspended the airline from its Air Transport Program in March 1995 after Arrow said it "voluntarily halted its operations to cooperate with the FAA in a complete inspection and revalidation of its operating certificate." Arrow resumed flight operations in June 1995 and earlier this year sought reinstatement by DOD.
Colombian officials were scrambling late Friday to put together a plan to save the country's aviation system from being placed in Category 3 by FAA, barring service by its carriers to the U.S. DOT Secretary Federico Pena and his Venezuelan counterpart Moises Orozco met for a second day of talks Friday. "We continue to have serious concerns and [are] skeptical" about Venezuela's ability to put together a plan that will be acceptable, said a U.S. official, adding that officials from the two countries likely would continue talks into the weekend.
When Delta and Southwest do battle in Delta's new low-cost markets, Gruntal's Steve Lewins says, "both probably will win a 'cost war,' not a 'price war,' that may leave USAir with little more than its original Allegheny franchise...and certain other smaller, less powerful airlines tails up."
The pace of U.S. transport manufacturing quickened in the second quarter as deliveries grew to 70 aircraft from 50 in the previous quarter, but the delivery total still is five aircraft short of second quarter deliveries in 1995, according to the Aerospace Industries Association. The trade group's quarterly tally of manufacturers' reported data shows that McDonnell Douglas delivered eight aircraft in the second quarter, versus 15 in the same quarter a year earlier, while Boeing shipped 62 aircraft, two more than in the year-ago period.
Midwest Express recorded in July its highest level of traffic in any single month during its 12-year history. The Milwaukee-based airline posted a 13.4% increase in revenue passenger miles over July 1995, but capacity increased 19.1% and the load factor fell 4.4 percentage points, to 66.7%. For the first seven months of the year, traffic was up 3.6% on a 3.1% increase in capacity. July 96 July 95 7 Mths 96 7 Mths 95 RPMs 112,551,099 99,270,325 714,961,090 689,874,984
Top Gun Over Moscow, to be shown on the NOVA television program Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 8 p.m. EST on PBS stations. Offers an up-close look at Russia's most powerful flying machines, including footage of the Russian Knights as they demonstrate the flight capabilities of Russia's combat jets. The film also provides a historical perspective with a look at images that were locked away in Moscow military archives for generations.
Continental has a new service to ease the pain of lost baggage. Having consolidated baggage tracking and claims in Houston, the carrier is making a toll-free telephone number available to customers to track their own bags "no matter where they're lost," said Continental Chief Executive Gordon Bethune. Although Bethune would rather not lose the bags in the first place, "for the bags we do lose, it's a great way to keep customers happy."
Citing "a number of multiple turbine engine power-loss and instability events, forced landings and accidents," FAA is preparing to change its water and hail ingestion standards. The decision follows a study by Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee, which recommended the upgrade.
Boeing engineers are working with airline customers to try to solve a false fire alarm problem on the new 777 widebody twin, apparently related to humidity in the cargo hold, without having to re-work the fire alarm system itself. Problems have turned up when carriers tried to haul tropical fruit in the hold, a company spokeswoman confirmed to The DAILY, in some cases leading to diversions and emergency evacuations. In one incident, an Emirates aircraft bound for London had to divert and land in Cyprus after mangoes set off the fire-detection system.
