Briefs

The Federal Aviation Administration's planned program to review and revamp FAR Part 135 regulations could be back on as early as the end of this month, when Congress is expected to approve the budget for the FAA. Kathy Perfetti, program manager for the review, told members of the Regional Air Cargo Carriers Association (RACCA) that it will be full speed ahead for the Part 135 rewrite once the program continues. Formal notice for the Part 135 rewrite will be published in the Federal Register. RACCA has been assured of its place on the steering committee and its participation on the various working groups, according to RACCA President Stan Bernstein. Bernstein said that he and other RAACA members were in Washington last month to meet with various FAA officials, to include Perfetti and FAA Associate Administrator Nicholas Sabatini. Members also met with the staff of the Senate Aviation Subcommittee to provide a briefing on RACCA.

Jet Magic is now the world's newest start-up air carrier. The new regional airline is based in Cork, Ireland, and flies 37-seat Embraer EMB 135 regional jets. The carrier says it plans to operate services from Cork to the UK and Continental Europe. The company's chief executive, Patrick Rafferty, said flights would begin in April, but details of destinations and prices would not be announced until next month.

Avro's RJX prototype has made its last flight, arriving at Manchester International Airport where it will form the centerpiece of a new static aircraft display to be opened later this year. Originally designated the DH146, and first flown in 1981, the HS 146, BAe 146 AVRO RJX and finally AVRO RJX has led a charmed life, loved by some airlines, and hated by others (not usually the operators). It is still flown in large numbers by British Airways, Air France and Lufthansa affiliates, a tribute to its online accomplishments. A total of 394 of all versions (including three RJX) were built and it can be argued that the success of London City Airport today could not have been achieved without the 146.

Eastern Airways has taken over the British Airways CitiExpress route Aberdeen-Leeds Bradford on Feb. 3. The service will operate twice daily, Monday through Friday, with one service on Sunday, using BAe Jetstream turboprops. Eastern will be taking over a further five regional routes on March 30 from British Airways CitiExpress, together with 12 BAE Jetstream 41 aircraft. It will also be adding two more daily flights on its long established Aberdeen-Norwich route and revising the Aberdeen-Leeds Bradford timetable.

US Airways Express will increase its regional jet service from New York LaGuardia Airport to seven Southern U.S. destinations, including Louisville, Ky., Charleston, S.C., Birmingham, Ala., Knoxville, Tenn., Columbia, S.C., Savannah, Ga., and Myrtle Beach, S.C. All service will be flown using 50-seat Embraer ERJ-145 regional jets operated by US Airways Express carrier Chautauqua Airlines. On April 6, US Airways Express will begin daily nonstop LaGuardia-Knoxville service and twice daily LaGuardia-Columbia service. Nonstop LaGuardia-Birmingham service will also begin, with outbound flights departing Sunday through Friday and return flights departing Monday through Saturday. The company also will introduce more flights to destinations in the South already served by US Airways Express from New York LaGuardia. A third daily nonstop roundtrip flight to Louisville and a second daily nonstop roundtrip flight to Charleston will begin on April 6, 2003. In addition, US Airways Express will introduce seasonal weekend service between New York LaGuardia and both Savannah (two roundtrip flights) and Myrtle Beach (one roundtrip flight), beginning on March 15.

The European Regions Airline Association (ERA) has confirmed that James Hoblyn, vice president of sales, marketing and asset management for Bombardier Aerospace, and Richard Heinrich, director of strategic initiatives for Rockwell Collins, will speak at the forthcoming Regional Airline Conference to be held in Stuttgart, Germany, on March 12-13. They will both contribute presentations on "fleets in 2015" and "navigation and communication." ERA said that the spring meeting is now set to become an annual event as a complement to the autumn General Assembly.

Qantas hasintroduced new service between Australia's capital city of Canberra and Sydney, offering 24 flights each weekday flown by Qantas regional carrier Cityflyer. Qantas Executive General Manager Sales and Marketing John Borghetti said Cityflyer, which already operates on Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth routes, "is ideally suited to our business customers, streamlining the airport process with dedicated check-in, service desks, departure gates and baggage carousels, and offering extra benefits such as complimentary newspapers on weekdays, and complimentary beer and wine on services after 4 p.m." The new service will operate "at least every half-hour" in peak business travel periods. "We are also on track to introduce QuickCheck, our self-service check-in kiosks, to Canberra next month." Borghetti also said that CityFlyer is "working closely with Canberra International Airport to significantly upgrade existing facilities including the Qantas Club and check-in area, improve baggage reclaim facilities, and provide new carpet and refurbished seating."

Horizon Air and Alaska Airlines have introduced interline electronic ticketing with American Airlines and American Eagle to providing customers with more convenient booking options. The agreement will allow passengers to use a single electronic ticket even when their itineraries include travel on any combination of the four carriers. Customers will also have the ability to book interline electronic tickets on any of the carriers' web sites, as well as with the reservation centers and ticket counters of each of the airlines. In addition, customers will now be able to book numerous flights on the same ticket. In the past, electronic tickets were limited to four flights. Passengers may also check in and receive their boarding passes for the Horizon and Alaska flights at the airlines. Should the need arise, passengers with e-tickets can rebook between American, Horizon and Alaska without having to obtain a paper ticket first. Previously, customers with e-tickets were required to convert to a paper ticket before transferring between carriers.

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