REGIONAL AVIATION NEWS :: APRIL 7, 2008

DL Reductions Hits Freedom with Contract Termination
Mesa is challenging the termination notice issued by Delta on March 28, notifying Mesa of its intent to terminate the May 3, 2005 Delta Connection Agreement with Mesa’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Freedom Airlines, Inc. Delta is citing Freedom's alleged failure to maintain a specified completion rate with...

European Regionals Experience Dramatic Growth
Airline members of the European Regions Airline Association (ERA) have reported continued scheduled passenger growth of 7.5 percent and the highest load factor on record of 65 percent for the year 2007. This compares with smaller growth for U.S. regionals which have been experiencing load factors of nearly...

Aloha Runs out of Time
The 61-year history of Aloha Airlines ended last week when its final inter-island and trans-pacific passenger flights land in Hawaii. Code Share partner, United is stepping in, along with other airlines, including Mesa’s go! operation, to assist stranded passengers. On March 31, Aloha operated its...

Gulfstream International Group, Inc. Issues Preliminary 2007 Results
Gulfstream International Group, which includes Gulfstream International Airlines and Gulfstream Training Academy, incurred a net loss for 2007 of $3.1 million, or ($1.52 per diluted share)compared to pro forma net income of $1.0 million for 2006, or $0.43 per diluted share. Gulfstream posted revenue of...

Strong FY 2007 Results for BBD, Small T-Props Phased Out, MRJ Comments
Regionals continue to increase the size of their aircraft with the CRJ 900 being the preferred choice, according to Bombardier which briefed reporters and investors at its FY08 results. In addition, it reported that deliveries for business jets will each increase 10 percent this year in order to meet the...

Congestion Pricing Won’t Fly
Adding to the strong opposition voiced by the Regional Airline Association (RAA) recently, airlines may sue to stop the Department of Transportation-proposed congestion pricing schemes at busy airports. Related Story In also opposing the $25 user fee proposed as part of FAA reauthorization, RAA...

ATA Urges Support for R&D, Alternative Fuels and Modernized Routes
In recounting aviation’s environmental record before House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, the Air Transport Association (ATA), set forth its plans for further enhancing airline efforts to protect the environment and urged Congress to support research and development into...

Sukhoi Select Pace for Cabin, Engine Passes First Test Run
Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company (SCAC), a subsidiary of the Sukhoi Aircraft Manufacturing Holding, purchased Pacelab Cabin to promote the sales of its Sukhoi Superjet 100 regional jet family. The cabin configuration tool by software provider PACE enables cabin engineers to rapidly create validated and...

Affordable Internet Connectivity for Regionals
While TriaGnoSys offers the first internet capability designed for regional and business jets, ARINC announced Oi – its newly developed onboard Internet service for passenger laptops. The two companies made their announcements in Germany at the Aircraft Interiors 2008 show. TriaGnoSys Designs Internet...

RAA Convention Fast Approaching
With less than a month before the U.S. regional airline industry convenes in Indianapolis, the Regional Airline Association set the agenda to include discussions on hiring and training tomorrow’s pilots today and airport congestion pricing, which threatens regional airlines nationwide. The title of the...

Colgan Rebids EAS Routes, FA’s Reach Agreement
Facing rising fuel costs, Colgan Air Inc. will re-bid the majority of its Essential Air Service (EAS) routes. Because EAS does not have a mechanism to provide for unforeseeable cost increases, Colgan must file to exit the market, followed by a re-bid at a higher rate. Colgan filed to terminate service at...