Industry Briefs

Airline Industry Information, July 3, 2003

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2003 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

Delta Connection carrier Atlantic Southeast Airlines (ASA) has taken delivery of its 100th regional jet aircraft from Bombardier Aerospace. The aircraft, a 50-seat Bombardier CRJ200, features a special paint scheme commemorating the airline's record-setting growth since the delivery of its first CRJ in October 1997.

Uzbekistan Airways will tomorrow (4 July) resume its services to China, with three flights per week to Beijing. The airline was forced to suspend its services to China in May due to the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The carrier has also recently resumed flights to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Bangkok, Thailand, which had been suspended due to SARS.

Relatives of 71 people killed on 1 July 2002 when a Bashkirian Airlines aircraft and a DHL International cargo aircraft collided over southern Germany gathered at the crash site on Tuesday (1 July 2003) to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the tragedy. About 160 relatives, friends and officials flew to Uberlingen, Germany, to take part in a three-day tribute to those killed. During the trip, relatives will lay a wreath at the site and local officials are to unveil a memorial. They also will be given information on a compensation fund set up by German and Swiss authorities.

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) has today (3 July) resumed its flights from Kuching to Kota Kinabalu and Hong Kong. The flights will be operated three times per week. MAS cancelled the route in April due to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The airline has also announced plans to launch direct flights from Kuching to Guangzhou in October 2003.

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