Citing lack of reciprocity from Russia, Federal Express asked DOT to reject applications filed last week by Heavylift-VolgaDnepr to operate one-way fifth-freedom An-124 cargo charter flights tomorrow and July 3 between Houston and El Yopal, Colombia, to carry outsized cargo shipments of drilling cranes and related equipment.
Russian President Boris Yeltsin has ordered major changes in his nation's civil aviation affairs, including development of a code of aviation regulations and performance standards for airlines, airports and civil aviation personnel. The code is to be submitted to the legislature by Nov. 1, according to a June 13 decree signed by Yeltsin.
Garuda Indonesia announced yesterday a $1.6 billion order for six 777-200s and 17 737-300s/500s. It also reserved the right to acquire six 747-400 options, Boeing said. The 737s will be delivered between 1997 and 1999 and the 777s between 2000 and 2002. The 737s will be powered by CFM56 engines. Garuda has not yet selected powerplants for the 777s. Boeing President Ron Woodard said Garuda is the 10th Asian airline to order the 777 and the 21st worldwide. This brings total 777 orders to 274, he said.
Swissair has named Bernhard Mueggler general manager-northeast region, U.S. Mueggler, to be based in Boston, will be responsible for Swissair's sales, marketing, administrative and operational activities throughout the New England states. Mueggler joined Swissair in 1979.
Summary of U.S. Major Carriers International Traffic Fourth Quarter 1995 Revenue Average Revenue Passengers Length of Passenger Enplaned % Travel Miles Carriers (000) Change (Miles) (000) American 3,564 5.40 2,184 7,782,436 Atlantic 889 8.57 4,130 3,671,361
The U.S. hopes to clear immediate issues when it meets with Japan Thursday and Friday in Washington. Those issues are securing Los Angeles-Tokyo services for United, which is operating on short term now; beyond-Japan services to Jakarta for Northwest and United, and several cargo routes for Federal Express. Once these issues are cleared away, the U.S. is "anxious" to begin broader talks looking to liberalize the U.S.-Japan regime, said a DOT official.
American International Airways has asked DOT to amend its existing exemption by adding Guam as a co-terminal point on its Honolulu-Melbourne- Jakarta all-cargo service. Initially, AIA proposes operating once-weekly Boeing 747 service on a Honolulu-Guam-Melbourne-Jakarta-Honolulu routing, with service starting June 29. Pointing to the proposed June 29 startup date, the carrier requested expeditious treatment of its application. (Docket OST-96-1378)
LIAT ordered three 50-passenger Dash 8s from Bombardier valued at US$43 million. The aircraft will be used mainly in the southern part of its network. The aircraft are to be delivered this summer, giving LIAT an all- Bombardier fleet of 18 de Havillands of various sizes.
Aviation Capital Group said a subsidiary, ACG FS Partners, has purchased three 727-200s and three spare engines from PNC Leasing Corp. The equipment remains on lease to American, which took delivery new in 1980.
America West plans to add flights to new cities - Acapulco and Cleveland. Acapulco-Phoenix daily flights begin Nov. 22, and two flights a day from Phoenix to Cleveland and one from Las Vegas to Cleveland will start Jan. 9. In addition, the carrier will begin operating one daily flight between Columbus and Los Angeles Sept. 5, and two flights a day between Seattle and Santa Ana Oct. 4. "We continue to move forward with our strategic growth plan," said John Garel, senior VP-marketing and sales.
All Nippon Airways and Air Canada have applied at the Japanese Ministry of Transport to operate code-share service between Osaka Kansai Airport and Vancouver, beginning Aug. 1. The carriers plan to offer daily flights on the route, using Air Canada-operated 284-seat Airbus A340s.
FAA Administrator David Hinson yesterday denied allegations of political motivation in the grounding of ValuJet, saying the decision to bring its operations to a halt preceded a June 17 White House meeting at which DOT and FAA officials briefed Chief of Staff Leon Panetta and others on the decision.
A TWA 747-100 that was delivered in May 1970 and has served continuously since then has surpassed 100,000 flight hours, according to Avmark. "This is the first transport aircraft to have exceeded 100,000 hours and is probably the first aircraft of any kind to have achieved such a record," Avmark says. A Northwest DC-9-10 has completed well over 100,000 flights, Avmark notes.
Jet Vacations Inc., Air France's tour partner, has named Graham Hotchkiss chief executive, succeeding Allen Stolz. Hotchkiss will retain his position of director of advertising and communications for Air France in the U.S. He is based in New York. Jet Vacations promotes air and land packages to Europe in conjunction with Air France and other carriers, and is planning to redesign the product this winter to put more emphasis on its core business - Air/Plus France and Flexi-Plan France.
Infini Travel Information, the computer reservations system owned by All Nippon Airways and Abacus, has implemented its Locator Back function at Lufthansa. The system gives travel agents an added assurance that the airline has processed the passenger name record.
World Airways has been accepted into the International Air Transport Association. IATA's board of governors will vote on ratification of World's membership at its Nov. 3 meeting.
Sabena has introduced a "Summer Breeze" fare offer for service between New York Kennedy Airport and Brussels until Sept. 15. Travelers who book on Flight 542 from New York and return on Flight 547 from Brussels will get $699 roundtrip economy fare and one week's Avis car rental.
With U.S. and Japanese negotiators set to meet Thursday, United Chairman and Chief Executive Gerald Greenwald is keeping the pressure on the two sides to clear up existing disputes before proceeding with negotiations on a new agreement. "It's time that we release the hostages," he said, referring to current services being held up or limited by the Japanese government, including United's beyond-Osaka services to Seoul and Jakarta.
Summary of U.S. Carriers Domestic Traffic The Year 1995 Revenue Average Revenue Passengers Length of Passenger Enplaned % Travel Miles Carriers (000) Change (Miles) (000) America West 16,685 6.92 789 13,166,512 American 64,961 (4.08) 1,096 71,195,927
American has launched AAccess, an interactive travel network it says "leapfrogs current ticketless travel, automated boarding and interactive software systems." Arguing that travelers have experienced "frustrations" in other airlines' ticketless travel and online distribution systems, President Donald Carty said American's ticketless system will allow consumers to make or change their domestic travel plans over the telephone or by using AAccess software, bypassing ticket counters.
TWA is seeking authority to institute code-share service with Brazilian carrier Transbrasil between New York and Miami, on the one hand, and Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Brasilia and Porto Alegre, Brazil, on the other. Under the arrangement, TWA would place its code on flights operated by Transbrasil between the U.S. and Brazilian points. TWA would provide single-plane service between New York and Washington, on the one hand, and Brasilia, on the other, and between Los Angeles and Sao Paulo.
World Airways, which recently said it would put more attention toward its profitable core business of wet-leasing aircraft and operating military charters, said yesterday it is withdrawing from its unprofitable European scheduled charter business. At the same time, President Charles Pollard predicted second quarter earnings will reach $4.5 million, and the third quarter will show a net loss of $3.8 million as it sheds the European business.
Abacus Distribution Systems has opened its first office in Cambodia, in downtown Phnom Penh. The office will handle travel agent inquiries, provide training and work with the travel industry on using Abacus. The computer reservations system announced in March it was working with Royal Air Cambodge to introduce the CRS in Cambodia, and is completing talks with the carrier on creating a joint-venture national marketing company in the country. Abacus said it will cut over five Cambodian travel agencies on a trial basis at the end of this month.
