Comair Averts Strike

Comair averted a strike on New Years after cutting a deal with pilots to allow more time for negotiations. The reprieve is set to last until February 2. The move came just before previous agreements mandated it pay an additional $8 million in pilot wages effective January 8 because it failed to provide more flying by enlarging its fleet.

The pact calls for Comair to stay its planned $15.8 million in court-approved cuts while the union waived the snap-back clause during the negotiations. Comair, in its reorganization plan, seeks to save $70 million annually when it emerges from bankruptcy. Pilots are the last remaining holdout among the carrier's collective bargaining units.

Commonwealth Expands Portfolio

United Business Media's Commonwealth Business Media division has aquired the UK-based Aviation Industry Group (AIG) for ?6 million with another GBP1 million on meeting certain conditions. AIG organizes 21 annual exhibitions and conferences for the aviation industry and is supported by three print titles and associated online platforms. These shows generate approximately GBP3 million in total revenues.

The acquisition will extend CBM's portfolio which includes BACK Aviation Solutions and its most recent acquisition, the OAG, acquired last month.

New Cargo Hub, Improved Web Site

Bishop International Airport in Flint, MI is building a new, $34 million cargo hub which is expected to open in 2009, according to the Regional Air Cargo Carriers Association (RACCA). The plan would consolidate cargo operations now scattered throughout the airport and offer new facilities which, it hopes, will double the amount of cargo handled to 60 million pounds. It will also include a new storage facility with truck docks and access roads and ambitions plans to include rail lines in the future. The new facility is expected to generate 200 jobs.

In other news, RACCA has updated its web site to include a member search feature that eases the link between shippers and cargo carrier members. It also includes a way to access and update membership information. The new feature includes contact information, web site and email links as well as a description of a member's business or flight operations.

go! Continues Island Fare Wars, Mesa Adds Service

In the latest round of low fares, go! introduced its "Mahalo Hawaii for a Great Year" $20.07 inter-island fare to thank passengers for their support during their start up. The new fares were available from New Year's Eve to last Monday for travel through the end of February. The airline now operates 60 flights per day from its Honolulu hub to Lihue, Kahului, Kona and Hilo. In addition to its new code-share operation with Mokulele Airlines, go! also launched go!Vacations, offering holiday packages through its web site.

In other news, Mesa (MESA) announced plans to serve Cedar City, UT, one of the points that served to build SkyWest (SKYW) over 30 years ago. SkyWest ceased service last May because of subsidy issues. The USAirways Express service to Las Vegas begins February 1 and will be operated with two roundtrips to Salt Lake City and one to Las Vegas. Mesa is also adding new service beteen Farmington, N.M. and Las Vegas on February 1 with a single roundtrip with a stop in Cedar City.

Horizon Adds Service To CA

Horizon will launch new nonstop jet service between Spokane and Sacramento and Los Angeles. It will offer one daily roundtrip to Sacramento, a flight time of two hours and 10 minutes, ushering in the first nonstop service to the market. Its new LAX service, at two hours and 40 minutes, complements the daily roundtrip already operated by its parent company, Alaska Airlines. Both flights will be operated with the 70-seat CRJ-700.

Porter Airlines Ups Frequency

Porter increased frequencies last week between Montreal and Toronto City Center Airport growing the service from five to nine weekday flights as well as two on Saturday and four on Sunday. The airline uses the 70-seat Q400.

UAEX In Passenger Sting

A United Express passenger inbound from Chicago to Burlington, VT, was stung by a hitch hiking scorpion last week. The Vermont resident, David Sullivan, who took the incident in stride, suffered the flu-like impact of the bites he got during his flight. However, his wife, who accompanied him on their visit to sons in San Francisco, offered this sardonic quote. "The airlines tell you you can't bring water or shampoo on a plane. All the security we go through" apparently didn't apply to the scorpion.

The airline is investigating how and where the scorpion boarded the aircraft, which also stopped in Houston. The scorpion bit the back of his leg before crawling through his pants to lodge in his other pant leg until he was at the baggage carousel. Sullivan was stung again before the scorpion fell to the floor where another passenger killed it. Armed with the offending insect, Sullivan was treated and released from the local hospital. He knew something was wrong during the flight when his leg was numb after waking from a nap shortly before landing. Owing to the dearth of such bites in Vermont, the local emergency doctor was prompted to research what ailments could be expected and found, to a healthy adult, a scorpion bite can mean numbness or shooting pain extending out from the bite, or flu-like symptoms.