January
The French government partially opens Paris/Orly to intra-European traffic after complaints to the European Commission from Lufthansa, KLM, SAS and Lauda Air.
The new European Commission begins its five-year term, with Neil Kinnock taking over the transport portfolio. Karel van Miert remains competition commissioner.
The Spanish government puts in an official request to Brussels to inject Pta130 billion into Iberia.
The US Supreme Court rules that passengers can sue airlines over changes to frequent flyer programmes.
Southwest Airlines offers electronic ticketing system-wide.
A US court rules Virgin Atlantic can proceed with its antitrust case against British Airways, citing that acts outside the US can still violate US laws.
Air New Zealand first indicates interest in taking a 50 per cent stake in Ansett Australia.
Royal Air Cambodge starts up with support from Malaysia Airlines' parent.
Aerospatiale, Alenia and British Aerospace form a marketing alliance for their current portfolio of regional aircraft. The joint venture, later to be named AIR, will also develop future products.
February
Delta's lead on imposing domestic commission caps on US travel agents is followed by Alaska, American, Continental, Northwest, TWA, United and USAir.
The US Department of Transportation approves the Delta codeshare agreement with Virgin Atlantic giving the US carrier indirect access to London/Heathrow.
Continental scales back its low cost Lite operation as a precursor to its closure in late 1995.
USAfrica files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy following repossession by American Airlines of two MD-11s.
Canada and the US sign an agreement that will lead to open skies between the two countries within three years. Unrestricted service is allowed between all points, except for a two-year phase-in at Montreal and Vancouver, and a three-year phase in at Toronto.
Switzerland becomes the first of the so-called G9 countries to sign up to the US open skies accord.
Swissair starts talks with Sabena about a proposed 49 per cent stake in the Belgian flag carrier.
Aero Zambia, owned by a consortium of Belgian shareholders, starts scheduled regional operations out of Lusaka filling the gap left by the demise of Zambia Airways.
El Al emerges from bankruptcy protection after more than a decade.
BWIA completes its partial privatisation selling 51 per cent of its equity to a group of Caribbean and US investors. Employees will hold 15.5 per cent while the government of Trinidad & Tobago will retain 33.5 per cent.
March
US travel agents file three antitrust class actions against the US majors commission capping initiative.
British Airways and Virgin Atlantic settle their UK legal case, with each carrier paying the other's legal expenses.
British Midland proposes a code of conduct for codeshare agreements.
Lauda Air establishes a scheduled services hub at Milan, using seventh freedom rights.
Internal borders are dropped between seven European Union member states under the Schengen agreement.
China National Aviation Corporation applies for an air operator's certificate in Hong Kong.
Air China becomes first Chinese carrier to finance a new aircraft without a full bank guarantee.
Royal Jordanian receives overfly rights from Israel and plans cooperation with El Al.
Alliance Airways, a joint venture between South African Airways and the national airlines and governments of Tanzania and Uganda, starts services from Entebbe, Uganda, with scheduled operations beginning in July.
April
Zambia Express, a joint venture between South Africa's SA Express and Zambian company Matani, begins domestic and regional operations from Lusaka.
The European Commission clears the way for the construction of Athens' new airport at Spata.
KLM moves to increase its stake in Air UK from 14.9 per cent to 45 per cent.
All Nippon Airways angers travel agents by launching P2, a direct sales scheme for domestic tickets.
American International Group teams up with local interests, led by China Development Corp, to take a 56.1 per cent stake in Taiwan's largest domestic carrier Far Eastern Air Transport.
EVA Air takes stakes in two Taiwanese domestic carriers: 20 per cent of Great China Airlines and 32 per cent of Makung Airlines.
May
TWA breaks ranks from the US majors' commission capping initiative.
Amadeus buys the US CRS System One from Continental Airlines in return for 12.4 per cent of the European CRS' equity and an undisclosed sum.
Lufthansa becomes the first carrier in Europe to trial smartcard technology.
Iberia takes back all scheduled flights from its low-cost subsidiary Viva, which returns to charter operations.
Ryanair takes the European Commission to the European Court following the decision to award Aer Lingus its second tranche of state aid, despite the carrier's failure to meet all conditions.
British Airways writes down half of its $400 million investment in USAir.
Swissair agrees to buy 49.5 per cent of Sabena, following an exemption by the Belgian government on additional payments to the state pension fund. The deal awaits European Commission approval.
Lufthansa and SAS announce plans for a comprehensive commercial alliance pending European Commission approval.
British Airways and Qantas win approval for revenue pooling and price fixing on the Australia-UK route from the Australian Trade Practices Commission.
Indian independent NEPC Airlines buys rival Damania Airways.
June
Japanese officials complete a diplomatic offensive to garner support for a regional aviation forum.
Japan Air Lines announces plans to follow ANA's P2 scheme from October.
Taiwan's transport ministry presents a plan for phased direct links with China, including flights, to the government's executive council.
United Airlines makes the maiden revenue flight with the Pratt & Whitney-powered Boeing 777.
Saudia confirms its $6 billion all-US aircraft order.
July
The Australian government completes the privatisation of Qantas with the flotation of the remaining 75 per cent.
The European Commission approves Swissair's stake in Sabena.
China and the UK agree a financial support deal for the new Chek Lap Kok airport.
August
Delta Air Lines and All Nippon Airways propose a codesharing alliance.
TWA emerges from Chapter 11 protection, after less than eight weeks in the prepackaged filing, which erased $500 million in debt. TWA last came out of creditor protection only 20 months ago.
Aeromexico completes a $530 million recapitalisation programme and exchanges $137.5 million in Eurobonds for new five-year debt.
Chilean antimonopolies commission clears the way for LanChile to take a 56.9 per cent stake in Ladeco.
Vasp takes a 50.1 per cent stake in the partial privatisation of Ecuatoriana.
Air India unveils plans to double its fleet to 54 aircraft by 2002 and increase its equity base.
South African international startup Avia enters provisional liquidation after only three months of operations.
KLM signs commercial agreements with Garuda Indonesia and Indian independent Jet Airways.
Alitalia takes its holding in Italian domestic Avianova to 100 per cent.
The Latvian government establishes a new flag carrier in a joint venture with Baltic International USA, SAS and two Scandinavian investment funds.
The Airbus A319 makes its maiden flight.
The Embraer EMB.145 is rolled out and makes its maiden flight.
September
Belgium becomes the last country of the G9 group to sign up to the US open skies agreement.
Delta applies for antitrust immunity for its four-sided alliance with Austrian, Sabena and Swissair.
United offers electronic ticketing system-wide.
Alitalia sells its 56.2 per cent stake in Aeroporti di Roma.
Aer Lingus sells its Copthorne hotel chain for $350 million.
SAS swaps it codeshare agreement with Continental for one with United, beginning January 1996.
Caricom, the grouping of 12 Caribbean nations, finalises an open skies agreement.
The Nigerian government sacks the entire management of Nigeria Airways and merges the Federal Civil Aviation Authority with the Airports Authority.
The Indian civil aviation ministry rejects the proposed joint SIA-Tata airline.
Fokker sends a rescue plan to the Dutch government, its minority shareholder, asking for help in a recapitalisation led by main shareholder Daimler Benz Aerospace.
October
USAir woos both United and American as possible suitors.
Lufthansa abandons its domestic Express product.
Beijing declares plans to shrink the number of carriers from 31 to 20.
The new owners of South African independent Phoenix Airways file for provisional bankruptcy.
Iata brokers the signing of an inter-carrier agreement aimed at waiving global liability limits. Target date for implementation is November 1996.
The UK's Export Credit Guarantee Department becomes the first European export credit agency to use securitisation.
November
KLM sues the other major Northwest investors involved in the 1989 buyout of the US carrier over changes in the shareholder rights plan aimed at preventing a hostile takeover.
American applies for antitrust immunity for its alliance with Canadian Airlines.
Air New Zealand reaches an 'in-principle' deal to buy TNT's 50 per cent stake in Ansett Australia, but initially plans to take 25 per cent for $148 million.
Asiana starts its flights to Europe and Australia.
The Thai government lifts Thai Airways' monopoly on international routes.
Macau International airport opens.
Lauda Air winds up its scheduled services hub in Milan under pressure from Lufthansa.
Air France and Aeromexico sign a block space and codeshare agreement.
Italian startup Air One goes head-to-head with Alitalia on the Milan-Rome route after Milan/Linate increases slot availability by 45 per cent.
Israel and Jordan agree to build a joint airport to serve the two countries' Red Sea resorts at Eilat and Aqaba.
Vasp closes the deal to take a 49 per cent stake of Bolivian flag carrier LAB for $47.5 million.
December
The European Commission approves an initial state-backed capital injection for Iberia of Pta87 billion ($715 million), subject to the sale of the carrier's 83 per cent stake in Aerolineas Argentinas.
Lufthansa and South African Airways sign a cooperation agreement which will come into effect from April 1996.
Alitalia's low cost European operation starts up with subsidiary Avianova operating on Turin-Paris with the first of 15 Fokker 70s on order.
KLM sues partner Northwest for adopting the 'poisin pill' in the revised shareholder rights plan.
China gives the green light for the sale of 25 per cent of Hainan Airlines to a US investment group led by financier George Soros for $25 million.
Abacus gains access to the Thai domestic market.
Daimler Benz Aerospace sets up debis AirFinance to take over Fokker's portfolio of leased aircraft.
Boeing and McDonnell Douglas begin exploratory merger talks.
ValuJet launches the MD-95 with a 50-aircraft order.
Source: Airline Business
