Airline News July 2005.Jul 30, 2005 Seats matter to savvy airline travelers. Experienced travelers know the worst seat on a commercial airline is the seat next to the lavatory, writes The Washington Post's Keith L. Alexander. While most airlines have seats next to the facilities, others configure their planes to avoid them. Frequent fliers often visit Seatguru.com, a Web site devoted to seat placement, to learn which seats are located next to a restroom, which seats do not recline re·cline v. re·clined, re·clin·ing, re·clines v.tr. To cause to assume a leaning or prone position. v.intr. To lie back or down. and which offer the most legroom leg·room n. Room in which to stretch the legs while seated. legroom Noun space to move one's legs comfortably, as in a car legroom n → . Jul 26, 2005 Fliers face stingy stin·gy adj. stin·gi·er, stin·gi·est 1. Giving or spending reluctantly. 2. Scanty or meager: a stingy meal; stingy with details about the past. skies as airlines trim perks. Commercial flying has morphed from a luxury experience into a no-frills affair. Airlines have dropped free pretzels, meals, pillows and magazines. Meanwhile, the number of customer complaints climbed 37% last year, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the Department of Transportation. Jul 24, 2005 Soaring demand means few free seats for airline workers. Airline employees are struggling to take advantage of free flights this summer because of strong demand for air travel. Many large airlines are seeing record numbers of paying travelers, which means fewer free seats for employees. Jul 21, 2005 Business fares hit five-year low in first quarter, Amex says. Business fares hit a five-year low in the first quarter, averaging $202 for a one-way trip, according to American Express American Express (NYSE: AXP), sometimes known as "AmEx" or "Amex", is a diversified global financial services company, headquartered in New York City. The company is best known for its credit card, charge card and traveler's cheque businesses. Business Travel Monitor. Average fares have declined 13.7% from the same period a year ago. However, fares may be on an upward swing: In April, the average domestic fare increased to $210 for a one-way ticket. Jul 20, 2005 Battling high fuel prices, Maxjet pushes back launch. High fuel prices have prompted Maxjet to push its launch date back. The airline plans to offer low-cost service to London from New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of and from the Washington area. "The fuel issue is hurting everybody in the airline industry," said Mike Malik, Maxjet's chief marketing and information officer. "But when you're starting out it hurts even more." The company now hopes to start operating flights from John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport (IATA: JFK, ICAO: KJFK, FAA LID: JFK in November and from Baltimore-Washington International Airport in March. It still needs final certification from regulators. Jul 20, 2005 High demand for travel makes voucher redemption difficult. Many airline travelers are having trouble redeeming vouchers they received after volunteering to be bumped from flights. Some airlines say holders of vouchers compete with frequent fliers for available seats. High demand for air travel has made award seats scarce. Jul 15, 2005 Fuel sensor malfunction cancels Discovery's launch. NASA NASA: see National Aeronautics and Space Administration. NASA in full National Aeronautics and Space Administration Independent U.S. canceled the launch of the space shuttle space shuttle, reusable U.S. space vehicle. Developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), it consists of a winged orbiter, two solid-rocket boosters, and an external tank. Discovery Wednesday two hours before the scheduled liftoff. Flight controllers blamed a sensor that monitors the flow of liquid hydrogen Liquid hydrogen is the liquid state of the element hydrogen. It is a common liquid rocket fuel for rocket applications. In the aerospace industry, its name is often abbreviated to LH2 or LH2. into the shuttle's external fuel tank. Engineers will decide how to fix the malfunction today. Officials said they may reschedule re·sched·ule tr.v. re·sched·uled, re·sched·ul·ing, re·sched·ules To schedule again or anew: rescheduled the meeting for the following week; rescheduled the debts of many developing nations. the launch for Saturday, but said that date could change. Jul 14, 2005 Record fuel costs threaten industry, says ATA (1) (AT Attachment) The specification for IDE drives. See IDE. (2) See analog telephone adapter. ATA - Advanced Technology Attachment , industry experts. A group of airline industry experts yesterday told a federal Senate subcommittee that airlines have reduced costs to the point that were it not for higher fuel prices, some would be reporting significant profits. The Government Accountability Office The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is the audit, evaluation, and investigative arm of the United States Congress, and thus an agency in the Legislative Branch of the United States Government. is scheduled to release a report on the airlines in September. Jul 14, 2005 Poll finds many workers make fewer business trips. Nearly half of business travelers participating in a recent poll said they travel less for business than they did five years ago. Corporations have cut back on travel allowances in the past few years and issued stricter travel guidelines. However, the poll of 1,000 people found 36% of business travelers travel more frequently. Jul 13, 2005 North American airlines North American Airlines is an American airline based in New York City, USA. It operates scheduled international services from the USA to Africa and Guyana, as well as domestic and international charter services and wet lease services. Its main base is John F. face steeper road to recovery. Five years after the downturn in the airline industry, some carriers are close to posting profits and others continue reporting large losses. North American airlines, which face steep competition from discounters, continue to lag behind carriers in other parts of the world. Jul 12, 2005 Packed planes leave travelers with few opportunities to rebook re·book v. re·booked, re·book·ing, re·books v.tr. 1. To book again. 2. To change a booking for (a performance or reservation). v.intr. . Planes are packed this summer, and travelers encountering delays and cancellations have fewer opportunities to catch alternative flights. In May, major airlines said domestic flights were 78.7% full, a record for the month. Fewer domestic flights and less expensive fares are driving demand for air travel. Jul 11, 2005 First airline pet report released. Airlines were required to report animal injuries and deaths for the first time in May. Of the roughly 2 million animals aboard commercial planes each year, four died, five were injured and one was lost. Eight of the incidents were not the fault of the airline and were either caused by inadequate kennels, natural causes and, in one case, an attack by another animal. Congress passed a law several years ago requiring carriers to report the information. Jul 8, 2005 Airlines waive change fees as Hurricane Dennis This article is about the Atlantic hurricane of 2005. For other storms of the same name, see Hurricane Dennis (disambiguation). Hurricane Dennis was an early-forming major hurricane in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico during the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. moves in. Many airlines are waiving change fees for travelers holding tickets to cities affected by Hurricane Dennis. The storm is moving through the Caribbean and toward the Gulf Coast. Jul 7, 2005 Airlines add capacity to meet growing demand. The world's airlines are quickly adding seats to their flight schedules to meet demand for air travel, Bloomberg News reported. The trend indicates air travel is recovering from a downturn triggered by the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Jul 6, 2005 Corporate clients pressure airlines to cut emissions. Corporations are pressuring airlines to lower their greenhouse gas greenhouse gas n. Any of the atmospheric gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect. greenhouse gas emissions, use solar energy solar energy, any form of energy radiated by the sun, including light, radio waves, and X rays, although the term usually refers to the visible light of the sun. and manage their waste efficiently, the Financial Times reported. Corporate clients have asked their travel management companies to monitor flights booked and report on the environmental impact. Jul 6, 2005 Carriers add flights to Europe as demand surges. Strong demand for travel to Europe is good news for U.S. carriers, The New York Times reports. Major U.S. airlines have added European flights and destinations to their schedules this summer and some plan to add more this fall. Foreign carriers have also expanded service to the U.S. Prices on these routes are high, passengers will pay $1,000 or more for a ticket to a popular European city. Jul 5, 2005 Sabre to cut up to 150 jobs in reorganization. Travel reservations company Sabre Holdings Sabre Holdings or Sabre, Inc. is an American travel technology company, encompassing several brands in three global travel distribution channels: travel agency, airline, and direct to consumer. These areas are serviced by TSG's three main business groups. is expected to eliminate up to 150 jobs as it reorganizes its technology group, The Dallas Morning News reported. The company also lowered its second-quarter forecast. Jul 1, 2005 Air Canada to launch new nonstop flights to U.S. cities. Air Canada will launch new nonstop flights this winter to the U.S. and increase the frequency of routes it already serves. The new daily nonstop routes include Calgary to Orlando, Fla., and Vancouver to San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. . Jul 19, 2005 Oil-rich destinations attract airline service. Airlines are searching for routes that attract passengers willing to pay high fares. Air France Air France in full Compagnie Internationale Air France French passenger and cargo airline with more than 200 destinations in some 80 countries. It introduced supersonic Concorde service in 1976, but financial loss led the company to cease its Concorde , for example, recently started flying small, long-range jets to Pointe Noire in the Republic of Congo because people who work in the oil industry travel the route. Continental Airlines, Lufthansa and British Airways British Airways in full British Airways PLC International passenger airline based in London. In 1936 British Airways Ltd. was founded through the merger of three smaller airlines. also offer exclusive service to destinations that draw oil industry travelers. Jul 15, 2005 Air New Zealand Parameter not given Error... ''Template needs its first parameter as beg[in], mid[dle], or end. Parameter not given Error... has made public its first refitted Boeing 747-400, featuring lie-flat beds, digital in-flight entertainment In-flight entertainment (IFE) refers to the entertainment available to aircraft passengers during a flight. After World War II commercial aviation flights became a daily event in which entertainment was requested by passengers to help the time pass. at every seat and a new class of travel for the New Zealand New Zealand (zē`lənd), island country (2005 est. pop. 4,035,000), 104,454 sq mi (270,534 sq km), in the S Pacific Ocean, over 1,000 mi (1,600 km) SE of Australia. The capital is Wellington; the largest city and leading port is Auckland. market, called Pacific Premium Economy. The seat itself is manufactured by Contour and is very similar to that fitted in Virgin Upper Class. The carrier claims to be the only airline to offer a truly lie-flat bed at a business class price, into and out of New Zealand. Further aircraft of the eight strong 747 fleet, will be refitted approximately every six weeks, with completed aircraft to be progressively introduced on the Auckland - Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. - London route, from 5 November and other routes during 2006. The same interior design will be used on Air New Zealand's eight new Boeing 777-200ER aircraft, the first of which is due to arrive in October this year. For its total long haul Long distance. Long haul implies traversing a state or a country. Contrast with short haul. fleet of 16 aircraft, ANZ ANZ Australia and New Zealand ANZ Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited ANZ Air New Zealand (NZ national airline) will require 101,737 items of crockery including 13,735 salt and pepper
Alaska Airlines attendants reject contract proposal. Alaska Airlines flight attendants have rejected a tentative contract agreement. The union representing the workers had recommended the contract and will now return to negotiations with the airline. Alaska Chief Executive Bill Ayer said the company still hopes to reach an agreement "with the features Alaska needs to compete, grow and offer good jobs and a secure future." Jul 20, 2005 Alaska Airlines pilots overwhelmingly reject contract. Alaska Airlines pilots voted down a contract that would have cut health and pay benefits. The rejected agreement called for pay cuts less than those imposed by an arbitrator. Almost 90% of the pilots voting rejected the deal. Chief Executive Bill Ayer said he was disappointed but noted the current contract will allow the airline "to be competitive." The contract was the result of the arbitrator's ruling; the pilots union is asking a judge to vacate To annul, set aside, or render void; to surrender possession or occupancy. The term vacate has two common usages in the law. With respect to real property, to vacate the premises means to give up possession of the property and leave the area totally devoid of contents. the decision. Jul 12, 2005 America West to announce new Hawaii flights. America West Airlines America West Airlines was one of the United States' ten major airlines. The airline was based in Tempe, Arizona, and is now a part of US Airways Group. At the time of its integration into US Airways, the airline maintained two hubs, one at Phoenix Sky Harbor International on Monday is expected to announce new daily service to Hawaii. The airline has already listed flights on its Web site. Service is expected to start Dec. 16. Jul 11, 2005 No competing bids proposed for US Airways. No other offers were submitted for US Airways before the July 1 deadline, Bloomberg News reported. The airline has agreed to merge with America West Airlines. The deal still needs approval from creditors and a bankruptcy court bankruptcy court n. the specialized Federal court in which bankruptcy matters under the Federal Bankruptcy Act are conducted. There are several bankruptcy courts in each state, and each one's territory covers several counties. . Jul 5, 2005 Airlines say daylight-saving plan would make competition harder. Some airlines think a plan to extend daylight-saving time will make it harder for them to compete with international carriers. The chief executive of American Airlines said he is "quite concerned." The Air Transport Association has said the proposal would make passengers less likely to fly at certain times and instead book tickets with non-U.S. carriers. Congress will vote on the plan this week; changes would take effect in 2007 if the bill passes. Jul 28, 2005 Airlines use familiar sounds from ads to lure customers. American Airlines customers now hear the airline's "signature sound" when they are on hold waiting for a representative. The six notes are from music in the airline's advertising campaign. Executives said the airline tested the signature sound on customers and "they really liked it." Southwest Airlines also uses sound in its "Ding" campaign to attract fliers. Jul 22, 2005 Competition heats up on Washington-to-New York shuttle route. Competition has become intense for passengers on the New York-to-Washington shuttles, writes The Washington Post's Keith L. Alexander. US Airways and Delta Air Lines have battled for passengers for the past ten years. Now, American Airlines, which flies 50-seat regional jets, and Amtrak Amtrak, the National Railroad Passenger Corp., authorized to operate virtually all intercity passenger railroad routes in the United States. Amtrak was created by Congress in 1970 in response to more than two decades of continuous operating deficits by privately run , which has added more seats, are attracting more customers. Jul 5, 2005 British Airways hires Doctor of Sleep. British Airways has hired what it calls "aviation's first Doctor of Sleep." Chris Idzikowski, director of the Edinburgh Sleep Center, will prepare for the airline a report on sleeping at 35,000 feet. He will report on factors affecting business class and economy customers, including how to fight jet lag jet lag Period of adjustment of biological rhythm after moving from one time zone to another, experienced as fatigue and lowered efficiency. It reflects a delay in the synchronization of changes in the level of blood cortisol, the major steroid produced by the adrenal cortex and the effects of the cabin environment on sleep. Jul 22, 2005 Higher fares fail to offset soaring oil prices: Recent increases in business fares are not enough to offset the skyrocketing cost of oil, analysts say. Delta Air Lines recently lifted a $499 cap on one-way business fares. The move will generate revenue, but carriers will continue to lose money if oil stays at $60 a barrel. Jul 20, 2005 U.S. airlines boost overseas business, lure corporate travelers. Large U.S. airlines expanded in international markets in the first half of 2005, adding markets and increasing frequencies to cities already served. Airlines continue to market their international service to corporate travelers. Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines hope their SkyTeam partnership is granted antitrust immunity, which would help them design joint corporate programs. Jul 19, 2005 Florida men restore classic Eastern Airlines plane. Two Florida men are restoring a 1958 DC-7B once flown by Eastern Airlines, The Miami Herald reported. Marc Wolff and Carlos Gomez plan to put the 99-seat, four-engine plane on a U.S. air show circuit. "It's nostalgic. This is Marilyn Monroe. This is Mickey Mantle. It's glamorous," Wolff said. Jul 6, 2005 EasyJet has added a further six routes bringing its total to 261 serving 64 airports. New is Gatwick to Murcia (commencing September 23 and to Grenoble (December 16), Dortmund to Barcelona and Milan-Malpensa (both on October 30) and Geneva Geneva, canton and city, Switzerland Geneva (jənē`və), Fr. Genève, canton (1990 pop. 373,019), 109 sq mi (282 sq km), SW Switzerland, surrounding the southwest tip of the Lake of Geneva. to Lisbon (October 30) and Malaga (November 1). The airline is now the largest operator at Geneva and finds that its biggest base is not Luton but Gatwick. http:www.easyjet.com Jul 15, 2005 Gulf Air is taking Emirates on at its home base with the offer of a private car transfer service from Abu Dhabi International Airport Abu Dhabi International Airport (Arabic: مطار أبو ظبي الدولي) (IATA: AUH, ICAO: OMAA direct to the popular Jumeirah beach resorts in Dubai. Business class clients already have a chauffeur service, the new offering taking in economy class passengers. The scheme, which will last until the end of October, also bypasses Dubai International Airport Dubai International Airport (IATA: DXB, ICAO: OMDB) (Arabic: مطار دبي الدولي) is the international airport serving Dubai, the largest city of the United Arab Emirates. with its extremely long walking concourses. Abu Dhabi is compact with the holiday hotels just 45 minutes away. Gulf Air points out that it now goes twice daily from Heathrow to Abu Dhabi and that Y class passengers also gain the use of the airline's unique nanny service (left). http://www.gulfairco.com Jul 15, 2005 JetBlue's arrival may lower prices out of Newark airport. JetBlue Airways' Newark, N.J., service may lower prices out of the airport by as much as 50%, analysts said. Earlier this week, JetBlue said it would launch flights in October from Newark Liberty International Airport For the massive interchange outside of Newark Liberty International Airport, see . Newark Liberty International Airport (IATA: EWR, ICAO: KEWR, FAA LID: EWR), first named Newark Airport and later Newark International Airport . The airline will compete with Continental Airlines, which operates a Newark hub. JetBlue will fly to Puerto Rico and to five Florida cities. Continental said it would add more Florida-bound flights and match JetBlue's promotional fares. Jul 14, 2005 JetBlue to launch New Jersey service in October. JetBlue Airways will start service Oct. 15 from Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. The airline will fly from Newark to Florida and Puerto Rico. Jul 13, 2005 Lufthansa is further extending its network of flights to the Ukraine, bringing this region, bordering the Black Sea, closer to Europe. Two cities, hitherto without easy flights from London, will be linked through Frankfurt and Munich. Donetsk comes on line from Munich with six weekly flights from 11 September and Dnipropetrovsk for the start of the winter timetable on 30 October, also six times per week. Donetsk is a mining city far to the east whose original development is credited to a Welshman called John Hughes in the 1860s. Dnipropetrovsk, with a population of just over one million, is a major traffic junction and one of the most important industrial cities in the Ukraine. http://www.lufthansa.com Jul 15, 2005 Mexican discount carriers prepare for takeoff. Discount airlines are springing up in Mexico, bringing competition to skies dominated by two large airlines, the Dallas Morning News reported. One of the large airlines, Compania Mexicana de Aviacion SA, launched a low-fare startup called Click Mexicana on Friday. Another low-cost airline is set to launch by the end of this year. Critics point out that Mexico already has several quasi-discount carriers and note that the planned sale of the two large carriers will shake up the industry. Jul 5, 2005 Midwest Airlines launches flights at Houston's Hobby. Midwest Airlines launched service Sunday from Houston's Hobby Airport. Midwest is the first new carrier to start serving Hobby since AirTran launched flights in 1998. Midwest will operate two daily flights between Houston and its Milwaukee hub. Jul 12, 2005 Northwest to no longer cover passenger facility charge. Northwest Airlines will no longer absorb government-imposed passenger facility charges. The fee varies from airport to airport and can be as much as $18 on a round-trip ticket. The airline previously marked down its base fares to shield passengers from the fees. Jul 14, 2005 New reality show will feature Frontier flight attendants. A new reality show featuring Frontier Airlines flight attendants will offer a look into flight attendant training school. The 18-week series, to be produced by GRB GRB Gamma Ray Burst(er) GRB Graduate Recruitment Bureau GRB Grid Resource Broker GRB Grootschalig Referentiebestand (Dutch: large scale mapping program) GRB Gharb Entertainment, will run later this year on the Travel Channel. Jul 13, 2005 Carriers offer travelers incentives for shipping pets. Some airlines are offering travelers incentives to ship their pets with cargo. United Airlines is considering reinstating its "United Pet Class" promotion, which gives owners 1,200 frequent-flier miles for flying with their pets. Virgin Atlantic has launched a program allowing pets flying in cargo to accumulate frequent-flier points. Jul 29, 2005 Airlines hope fewer seats attract high-end customers. Some airlines are removing seats from flights to appeal to business travelers willing to pay top dollar for tickets. United Airlines, for example, launched its Premium Service on several transcontinental flights and removed 57 seats from its Boeing 757s. United said business grew 6% on the Premium Service flights. Start-up Eos Airlines plans to launch similar service on flights from New York to London. Jul 24, 2005 |
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