Briefs

Midway Airlines has requested a 90-day extension on its deadline for filing a reorganization plan. It initially had until Jan. 30 to file the plan outlining how it planed to come out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. It has now asked for the deadline to be pushed back to April 30. Since going into Chapter 11 in August 2001, the airline formed an alliance with US Airways, going into service Jan. 1 as an affiliate. However, it is still facing claims filed by creditors, and must pay off debts accrued since filing for bankruptcy as soon as its reorganization plan is accepted by the court. It currently has two aircraft and expects another to be delivered on Jan. 30. Two additional aircraft are scheduled to be delivered and put into service in February. Its long-term plan is to add about three aircraft per month to a total of 18.

Embraer delivered 131 aircraft in 2002, including 41 in the last quarter. The total was one airplane less than it projected for the year. The company said that it is sticking to its 2003 delivery projection, spurred by the order from the Polish national airline LOT. Of the delivered aircraft, 121 were regional jets, including three ERJ 135s, 36 ERJ 140s and 82 ERJ 145s. Eight of the deliveries were to the corporate market and two to the military.

Australia's Qantas Airways Ltd. said it is buying three Dash 8 aircraft from Bombardier to add to its regional fleet beginning in May. They will replace leased earlier model Dash 8 planes. No financial details were immediately available. Qantas Executive General Manager of Subsidiary Businesses Narendra Kumar said the acquisition of the three new 50-seat aircraft demonstrate the airline's long-term commitment to regional Australia. Qantas operates its regional services as QantasLink. "QantasLink is a substantial operation throughout Australia, with 32 Dash 8 aircraft and 29 jet aircraft, and it is continuing to support industry and tourism in regional areas," Kumar said in a statement. QantasLink flies to 55 cities and towns throughout Australia, and operates more than 400 flights daily.

US Airways will operate service to Augusta, Ga., for the week of April 7-14 to provide customers greater access to the 2003 Masters Golf Tournament. The nonstop service will fly between Augusta and New York's LaGuardia Airport, Washington (D.C.) Reagan National, and Philadelphia (Pa.) International, using 50-seat regional jets. Three Charlotte, N.C.-Augusta flights will also be added to the five existing daily turboprop flights. Expanded Charlotte service will use both 50-seat regional jets and 126-seat Boeing 737 aircraft. "Every year, our customers are excited about the Masters, and we are pleased to accommodate them with this added service," said Steven Tracas, US Airways vice president of sales. "This special service allows our customers in many East Coast cities the opportunity to easily travel to one of the most anticipated golfing events of the year." Expanded service to and from Charlotte will begin on April 7, 2003. Service to the new destinations of New York LaGuardia, Washington Reagan National and Philadelphia will begin on April 9 and continue through April 14.

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