Delta Connection carrier Comair will expand service from Birmingham, Ala., to Cincinnati, Ohio, and Orlando, Fla., Sept. 9 by adding a daily flight to Orlando and upgrading another to jet service, and operating the Cincinnati flights with jets. In all, Comair will offer nine daily flights from Birmingham - four to Cincinnati and five to Orlando. Delta will continue its one daily flight in the Birmingham-Cincinnati market. The new jet flights will be operated with the Canadair Regional Jet.
Spurred by economic improvement, structural changes and cost cutting, airlines - especially U.S. airlines - are on target for record returns this year and continued financial improvement in the near term, Standard&Poor's said this week in a preview of its annual Global Sector Review: Transportation.
Senior officials in the U.K. Department of Transport see the current negotiations with the U.S., spurred on by the proposed British Airways -American alliance, as the best chance to hammer out a new bilateral between the two countries. Sources in the U.K. DOT concede, however, that the deadline of Nov. 5, set by the U.S., is very tight. U.K. officials are pleased with the progress so far.
Air tour operators urged the administration to abandon what they call FAA's "ill-advised" proposal to nearly double the amount of restricted airspace over the Grand Canyon available for sightseeing flights, saying the plan "spells air disaster." FAA, in a joint effort with the National Park Service, issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) last week to further restrict operations over the Grand Canyon in an effort to restore the park's "natural quiet" (DAILY, July 29).
Senate passed the DOT appropriations bill (H.R.3675) Wednesday night, sending it to a House-Senate conference (DAILY, Aug. 1). The Senate version provides $8.337 million for FAA, $152 million more than the House approved. The principal difference is the Airport Improvement Program funding level - $1.46 billion in the Senate, $1.3 billion in the House.
CityFlyer Express, the Gatwick-based British Airways Express franchisee, has placed an order for two 100-passenger RJ100 quadjets, built by British Aerospace. The aircraft will be delivered in March and April 1997. The carrier currently operates a fleet of seven ATR 42 and four ATR 72 turboprops on a variety of routes throughout the U.K. and to Ireland, Germany and The Netherlands. Managing Director Brad Burgess said the carrier has been "experiencing consistent growth on some of our routes and needs to increase the capacity to match the market demand.
Hwa-Hsia Leading Ltd. of Taiwan has ordered three MD-90 aircraft and plans to order as many as seven more, Douglas Aircraft said yesterday. The three aircraft are to be delivered in August, September and October of 1998, and Hwa-Hsia, a subsidiary of China Development Corp., will lease them to airlines operating in the Asia/Pacific region. MD-90 operators now include Delta, Reno Air, Japan Air Systems and China Northern Airlines. SAS will take its first delivery later this summer.
Firm orders for the ATR 42/72 reached 500 recently with orders for six aircraft from three customers. The ATR program was launched in 1981 by Aerospatiale of France and Alenia of Italy, joining British Aerospace in January to form Aero International (Regional). The orders comprise 321 46- passenger ATR 42s and 179 64-passenger ATR 72s. Air Mauritius, the first ATR customer in Africa and the Indian Ocean in 1986, ordered two ATR 42- 500s to be delivered in April and June 1997.
The perception in Japan of the flight attendant as a glamour job has not worn off. A survey of female university students who will graduate next year chose the Japan Travel Bureau, followed by cosmetic company Shiseido, as the top two places to work. Working for Japan Airlines ranked fifth, up three from last year, according to JAL Newsletter.
Lufthansa Technik Chairman Wolfgang Mayrhuber criticized this week "attempts by manufacturers to elbow their way into the maintenance and overhaul market and attempt to restrict current suppliers." Speaking in Hamburg, Mayrhuber said that when original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) market their aircraft and engines with "seductive terms that include promises of servicing," the offer "carries with it the seeds of monopoly." He asked airlines to join with "technically qualified partners in the maintenance and overhaul industry" to "resist the rise of such monopolies.
International Lease Finance Corp. has leased two new 737-400s to Asiana Airlines for delivery in February and October 1997, on six-year terms. At that time, the carrier will be leasing five 737-400s and two 767-300s from ILFC.
AlliedSignal Aerospace said it has received FAA certification - and has begun deliveries - of the Bendix/King KLN 900, its new Global Positioning System receiver for business turboprop and light jet aircraft.
DOT has once again extended American Eagle operator Flagship Airlines' service obligation at Tuscaloosa, Ala., 30 days or through Sept. 3, as it continues to seek replacement service in the market. The carrier filed on June 2, 1995, its 90-day notice of intent to suspend service at Tuscaloosa, as of Sept. 5, 1995. Lacking replacement service, DOT repeatedly extended American Eagle's hold-in obligation in 30-day increments, the most recent through Aug. 2, (Docket OST-95-371)
New Regional Aircraft Deliveries, May 1996 Last 12 Months Carrier No. Type Engines Delivery ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Air Canada 1 Canadair RJ CF34-3A1 13 Air Stord 1 Do 328 PW119B - AMR Eagle * 4 Saab 340B Plus CT7B-9A 16
Frederick Smith, founder and chairman of Federal Express, was selected by the National Aeronautic Association as the 1996 recipient of the Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy. The former Marine captain revolutionized the package delivery industry when he founded FedEx in 1973. The trophy will be presented at a Dec. 13 dinner in Washington sponsored by the Aero Club.
Airline Industry Stock Trends Closed Closed Exchange 7/31/96 6/28/96 Majors Alaska Air Group NYSE $ 24.000 $ 27.370 AMR NYSE 78.875 91.000 America West (Class B) NYSE 16.000 22.000 Continental (Class B) NYSE 25.500 61.750
American, faced with crew shortages and unable to cover its schedule, is offering recall to all 376 of its furloughed pilots. Factors in the shortage include a high number of early retirements, an increase in sick time and a decrease in the number of pilots accepting increased flying assignments. The Allied Pilots Association, whose negotiations with American have stalled, asked members to fly no more than required by contract. Furloughed pilots who return immediately will be back on the payroll by Aug. 22.
Air UK is offering an introductory return fare of 49 pounds to highlight the launch of a new route between London City Airport and Edinburgh on Aug. 19. The fare, which can be booked until Aug. 19 for travel between that date and Sept. 8, carries no minimum-stay restrictions.
Commerce Department's Tourism Industries office is producing a chart forecasting travel to the U.S. from countries that are not among the top markets. Passenger traffic from Thailand, which grew 21% in 1995 to 91,000, is expected to increase 11% this year to 101,000 and by 10% next year and in 1998. Healthy gains also are expected from Chile, whose passenger traffic jumped 23% in 1995 to 152,000 and is expected to grow 7% this year and 6% in 1997 and 1998.
The National Transportation Safety Board, the Association of Flight Attendants and others renewed their call yesterday for FAA to require the use of child restraint systems (CRSs) for children less than two years old. Legislation (H.R.1309) sponsored by Rep. Jim Lightfoot (R-Iowa) would require CRSs, and at a House Transportation aviation subcommittee hearing on the bill, FAA stood by its policy against mandates - encouraging parents to use CRSs and encouraging airlines to offer incentives.
The Teamsters union said it will begin distributing leaflets today at 13 airports, warning air travelers that FAA's plan to hire 500 new air traffic controllers "falls far short of the number needed to ensure safe skies and prevent lengthy delays." Teamster President Ron Carey said hiring "what amounts to only a handful of controllers is a recipe for disaster.
Malaysia Airlines has joined Delta's SkyMiles program. SkyMiles members who live in North America, Central America, South America and Mexico will receive mileage credit for worldwide travel on Malaysia, Delta said. Passengers traveling in First Class will receive 150% of the mileage flown, and Business Class passengers will receive 125%.
Era Aviation, Anchorage, Alaska, added a 50-seat Convair 580 and an 18-seat de Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter to its fleet. The aircraft, which are based in Anchorage, will be used for Era's airline and charter service. The aircraft bring Era's fleet of Convairs to five and Twin Otters to 10. Era, an Alaska Airlines Commuter Service carrier, also operates two de Havilland Dash 8s in scheduled service.
Northwest and KLM matched American's European fall-winter sale and said they will expand it to include all European cities they serve with their code-sharing program. Most fares are reduced 25% and flights to Paris and Frankfurt are down 35%. Atlanta-Amsterdam flights will cost $504, compared with the usual $646, and the Detroit-Paris fare will be $420 versus $646. The fares must be purchased by Aug. 5 for travel Sept. 3-Dec. 18.
French aviation authorities and the manufacturers of the ATR-72 turboprop that crashed Oct. 31, 1994, near Roselawn, Ind., did not ignore or suppress technical data that could have prevented the accident, according to FAA's former top aircraft certification official.
