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Monday, December 12, 2005

Quick Takes

  • At its recent fall meeting, the Regional Airline Association (RAA), elected its new slate of officers. Jeff Pinneo, president of Horizon Air [ALK], will serve as chairman, replacing Peter Bowler, president of American Eagle Airlines [AMR]. Paul Foley, CEO of MAIR Holdings [MAIR], was elected vice chairman; Bryan Bedford, CEO of Republic Airways Holdings [RJET] was elected treasurer; and Dan Wolf, president of Cape Air, was elected secretary. The 26 regional airline CEOs attending the meeting also elected three new board members: Bedford; Tom Cooper of Gulfstream International Airlines; and Ron Reber of SkyWest Airlines [SKYW]. RAA's Associate Member Council elected Steve Alexandris, of AIG Aviation, as its 2006 chairman.
  • At its first "speed-dating" convention, the Community Air Service Coalition (CASC) drew 19 airlines and 37 airports last week to 2005 Connections in Orlando. The participating airports got 30 minutes with each of the carriers. US Airways [LCC] and United Airlines [UALAQ] along with a number of regional carriers, independent commuters and charter operators attended. "It was a real diversity of non-hub airports, from larger to very small non-hub airports," said Mark Courtney, a director of CASC and manager of the Lynchburg, Va., airport. "Once more of the non-hub airport directors learn of this, it will be easy for us to start filling out our program with other major carriers that service the smaller communities with regional carriers," Courtney said. The group has already scheduled 2006 Connections for next December, again in Orlando.
  • Island Air recently finalized its separation from the bankrupt Aloha Airlines. While Aloha spun off the regional carrier in December 2003 to Gavarnie Holdings, a restated confidential purchase agreement was signed on Dec. 1 and all of its terms satisfied. Island Air also has obtained a $5.5 million line of credit from California Bank & Trust. The loan will be used for infrastructure, training and ground equipment to support the new Bombardier [BBD] Q400 fleet that will arrive in February.
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