Industry Briefs

World Airline News, April 2, 1999

* Dragonair added three weekly flights to Beijing for a total of 17 weekly flights, using A330s March 28 through Oct. 30. Two additional flights to Kunming (currently two) will be operated by A320s May 1. Frequency to Xian will rise from two to three flights weekly.

* Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines began codeshare service from Hong Kong to Osaka March 28. The daily non-stop flight is operated by Cathay using A330-300, Boeing 777-200 or 777-300s. Daily codeshare service between Hong Kong and Nagoya began April 1 on Cathay's A330-300s and Boeing 747-300. The carrier's 747-300s will be replaced by 777-200s July 1. Both airlines will participate in each other's frequent-flyer programs.

* The Air Transport Association (ATA) reported that 44 percent of airline passengers are between the ages of 35 and 54. Speaking at the recent FAA Forecast Conference, Carl Haub, demographer with the Population Reference Bureau, Inc., noted that the middle-age business traveler is willing to pay the most for a ticket. "They can't do the Saturday night stay, they have to get back," he said. Citing that market growth will occur in the 55+ age group, he urged airlines to keep an eye on age distribution.

Passenger Age-1998
           Age            % Passenger Traffic
           18-34          38 %
           35-54          44 %
           55+            33 %
           Source: ATA

* The European Union decided March 29 to postpone the final adoption of the proposed law on hushkits for one month, now expected April 29. The legislation would freeze hushkitted aircraft in the EU as of April 29. No new registrations would be accepted after that date. "The extra contracts in the next month will provide a good opportunity to take account of the U.S. concerns without compromising the content or effect of the legislation," said the EU's Neil Kinnock. In retaliation, Congress has threatened to ban the Concorde.

* Delta has revised its policy for transporting live animals in anticipation of the summer travel season. New guidelines for transporting pets as checked baggage include notification to Delta of plans to check a pet as baggage when reservation is booked or as soon as plans are made; and that future flight plans requiring checking a pet as baggage book travel either in the morning (prior to 12 noon) or in the evening (after 6 p.m.), when temperatures are cooler. New guidelines for shipping animals via Delta Air Cargo include not accepting live animal cargo shipments if the temperature will reach 85 degrees Fahrenheit or more during any travel segment.

* United Airlines and Annapolis-based ARINC have conducted the first end-to-end Y2K test between ground-based computers and a United 747-400. The test successfully demonstrated that communications between the aircraft's flight management system and ground-based computers will function correctly as they make the transition to the year 2000.

* China Southern and Delta began non-stop codeshare service between Guangzhou and Los Angeles March 28. China Southern operates the route three times weekly using a Boeing 777. China Southern will purchase seats on Delta flights from Los Angeles to Atlanta, Las Vegas, Honolulu, Dallas/Ft. Worth, New York (JFK), Portland, Ore., and San Francisco.