After about two years, the U.S. has made a breakthrough in its attempt to gain access for business jets at Tokyo Narita Airport. Japanese officials informed the U.S. last week that Japan will allow 14 new slots a week for business jets at Narita, FAA Administrator David Hinson said yesterday at the American Bar Association's Forum on Air&Space. It is "a terrific concession for Japan" and a great gain for the U.S., he said.
Recurrent training for mechanics2 will figure in the next series of National Transportation Safety Board recommendations to FAA growing out of its investigation into the crash May 11 of ValuJet 592.
Northwest's traffic increased 10.6% in May to 5.80 billion revenue passenger miles from 5.24 billion in May 1995 on 7.2% more capacity. Available seat miles totaled 7.86 billion, compared with 7.34 billion in May 1995. Load factor for the month rose 2.3 percentage points to 73.8%. The traffic increase was split between gains of 15.7% in international RPMs and 6.7% in domestic RPMs. For the first five months, traffic was up 11.6% to 26.7 billion RPMs, and ASMs rose 7.9% to 37.55 billion.
Alaska Air Group subsidiary Horizon Air flew 69 million revenue passengger miles last month, up 2.9% from May 1995. Capacity fell 0.8% to 121 million available seat miles from 122 million in May a year ago. The load factor increased 2.2 percentage points to 57.1% from 54.9% in the comparable 1995 month. For the first five months, RPMs totaled 344 million, up 8.2%; capacity reached 589 million ASMs, up 5%; load factor was 58.4%, up 1.6 points, and boardings stood at 1,507,700, up 2.6%.
Delta is offering two fare specials to Gainesville, Fla., from 28 cities - a three-day advance purchase business saver roundtrip fare, and a seven-day advance purchase companion roundtrip fare. The latter requires one passenger to buy a ticket seven days in advance to receive a free companion ticket. Both fare specials require a stay of at least one day.
Aloha Airgroup Inc. reported a first quarter operating profit of $4.3 million, the best first quarter in its 50-year history. The carrier also said it won a state contract for interisland travel. Aloha generated net income of $2 million on operating revenues of $64.8 million for the three- month period that ended March 31. The gain compares with a first quarter 1995 operating loss of $925,000 and a net loss of $972,000 on revenues of $57.7 million. Stronger yields, more traffic and sharp cost reductions accounted for the change.
American's traffic grew 3.4% last month, compared with May 1995, while capacity sank 0.4%. The load factor increased 2.5 percentage points to 67.7%, and boardings were up 0.2%. Traffic in the first five months rose 2.9%, compared with the same period in 1995, although capacity was flat. The load factor climbed 1.8 points to 66.4%, and passengers boarded shrank 1.7%. May 96 May 95 5 Mths 96 5 Mths 95 RPMs 8,736,535,000 8,452,496,000 41,823,110,000 40,650,378,000
Flight attendants at Aer Lingus ended a one-day strike Tuesday after managers agreed to hold talks with the union about the carrier's blocked- space agreement with Delta, which allows Delta flight attendants to work some of Aer Lingus's flights. "Aer Lingus are committed to working speedily to find a solution to this issue which is commercially acceptable," the carrier said.
United and Air Canada have applied for immunity for their alliance from U.S. antitrust laws. The application was filed late Tuesday, at the closing of the comment period on DOT's show cause order tentatively awarding immunity to American and Canadian International Airlines, and United and Air Canada cited that tentative order in their argument for similar treatment.
Finnair and Lithuanian Airlines have established a marketing alliance providing for cooperation on flights between Helsinki and Vilnius and beyond both home bases. The carriers will work closely on ground- handling and conduct joint route planning, but they will not exchange equity. "The most significant immediate result of the cooperation will be an increase in the number of flights between Helsinki and Vilnius," said Bo Long, general manager of Finnair for the Americas.
U.K.-based charter carrier Leisure International Airways has ordered four A321-200 aircraft. It will take delivery of the first aircraft next spring, followed by one per year through 2000. The aircraft will be configured for 220 passengers in a single class of service.
Several new but relatively minor user fees and a conditional reduction in aviation excise taxes are among proposals expected to be adopted at today's House Transportation Committee markup of the FAA bill (H.R.3539). Three user fees - for overflights, airport obstruction review and general aviation licensing - would raise $50 million. The tax "trigger" provides that if airport grant funding falls below the authorization, excise taxes in the following year would be reduced by the dollar amount of that difference.
Aerolitoral has applied for renewal of its authority to operate combination services between U.S. and Mexican destinations, and to hold out the designator code of its parent, Aeromexico, on the services. The carrier holds authority to operate Chihuahua-El Paso/Albuquerque, Hermosillo- Tucson, Ciudad Juarez-Albuquerque and Obregon-Tucson. It also is wants renewal of its authority to use DC-9s in the Hermosillo-Tucson market, and of Aeromexico's authority to wet-lease that equipment to Aerolitoral, which operates Metro IIIs. (Docket OST-95-835)
Northwest said yesterday it has signed a marketing agreement with Japanese cargo carrier Nippon Cargo Airlines (NCA). Under the pact, the carriers have started joint all-cargo 747 freighter service between Osaka Kansai Airport and Chicago O'Hare. Each operates two weekly flights in the market and will coordinate services through an interline agreement. They currently provide interline cargo service between Tokyo Narita and Seoul and from Narita to Taipei and Singapore.
Missouri Tourism Commission has two new members appointed by Gov. Mel Carnahan - Consuelo Washington and Louis Hamilton. Washington was elected to a term ending Jan. 15, 1997. She has worked for TWA for nearly 30 years and is manager-area reservations in St. Louis. Hamilton was appointed to a term ending Jan. 15, 2000. He is president of Hamilton&Company, a community and public affairs consulting firm.
American Automobile Association and AAA clubs will launch a campaign June 12 to generate public interest in the deteriorating state of the country's air traffic control system, bridges and highways. Without giving away too much, a spokesman said news conferences around the country will "try to bring home what a sorry state" ATC and roads are in, arguing that the government is not spending transportation trust fund money on infrastructure.
USAir will add flights to Philadelphia June 15 from San Diego, Seattle, Denver and Minneapolis, operating two daily roundtrips from Minneapolis and one per day from the other three points. The carrier will begin Philadelphia-Madrid service June 15. USAir serves Paris, Frankfurt, Munich and Rome from Philadelphia.
Air cargo traffic remained stagnant in April after declining 2.6% in March, the Air Transport Association said yesterday. "While domestic cargo showed a small gain in April, the growth in that segment wasn't enough to outweigh the drop in international cargo, which fell for the second straight month," ATA President Carol Hallett said.
American Airlines Cargo has decided to charge a 4.3% fuel surcharge on domestic cargo and priority packages beginning July 1 to offset a spike in fuel costs. The charge applies to all shipments between points in the U.S., Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Bill Boesch, president of AA Cargo, said American's average fuel price has increased more than 15% since last year.
Pleasant Hawaiian Holidays is offering free air fare for children flying with two paying adults on American Trans Air flights out of Los Angeles and San Francisco to Hawaii June 16-Aug. 28. The free tickets must be requested in conjunction with a seven-night minimum stay in selected room categories on Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Hawaii or Lanai. The fare is for children two to 16 years old.
The mission of the newly created Tourism Industries (TI) office within the Commerce Department focuses more on helping exporters and travel suppliers than promoting the U.S. as a destination, which was a large function of the now defunct U.S. Travel and Tourism Administration. TI's mission is to bring more exporters to the international travel and tourism market, and to function as the official government tourism office for international purposes.
The Customs Service is asking members of the American Society of Travel Agents for help with informing consumers of its regulations. ASTA is being asked to make sure travelers are aware of regulations or restrictions before arriving at the gate. President Jeanne Epping said Customs is moving in the direction of customer service, which "is unique for a law enforcement agency."
