Another theory for crash. How many now? Jim
---------------------------------------------
Possible Cause of TWA Crash
Federal investigators reportedly have zeroed in a possible cause
of the crash of TWA Flight 800 off Long Island, N.Y., 14 months ago.
CBS News, citing unspecified sources, says the theory focuses on the
fuel measuring system and seven tube-like probes inside the 747's
center fuel tank, which exploded shortly after the Paris-bound flight
left New York, killing all 230 on board. The probes are connected by
low-voltage wires to cockpit gauges, but in places those wires are
tightly bundled with high-voltage wires. The sources say high voltage
could have leaked onto a low-voltage wire, triggering the deadly
^^^^^^
explosion.
04:07 09-25-97
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Atlanta, GA -- Sept 23 _ ValuJet Airlines is ending its use of
the name associated with last year's crash in the Florida Everglades
and will offer reserved seating and a business class as part of a
new business strategy.
In the first phase of its merger with AirTran Airways, ValuJet
begins operating Wednesday as AirTran Airlines. The company will
soon offer business-class seats, as well as computerized seat
assignments for all passengers.
"This merger gives us the opportunity to relaunch the airline as
an airline more friendly to business travel," AirTran Airlines
President and Chief Executive Officer Joseph Corr said Tuesday.
Business class fares will be $25 more than the regular one-way
full coach fare on nonstop flights and $40 more on multistop
flights, the company said.
Still Committed to Affordable Travel
The company is seeking to appeal to a broader travel audience
but "will always be committed to the affordable fare niche," Ponder
Harrison, the company's senior vice president for sales and
marketing, said.
AirTran's new business-class section, to be offered on all air-
craft beginning Nov. 22, will feature four rows of two-by-two seats.
Instead of the current 115 seats, AirTran's DC-9s will initially be
reconfigured to hold 16 business-class and 90 coach-class
passengers.
Corr said the business class seats would have seven more inches
of legroom and four more inches of seat width than typical coach
seats. "We're going to call it business class rather than first
class, even though the pitch is greater than (in) most modern narrow-
bodies," he said. Pitch is the distance from the back of one seat to
that of the seat in front of it or behind it.
Launching New Logo
The company's new livery features a large "a" on aircraft tails,
which Corr said stands for "affordable." The logo was used in teaser
newspaper advertisements that began running in Atlanta this week.
ValuJet, which began operations in October 1993, has received
federal approval for a code-sharing agreement with its merger part-
ner, Orlando-based AirTran Airways. The former ValuJet flies to 22
cities with 31 airplanes. AirTran AirWays operates flights to 22
cities with 11 aircraft.
AirTran will also begin full participation in computerized
reservation systems, allowing travel agents to book flights
without telephoning the airline.
Corr said no decision had been made on where the merged airline
would have its headquarters, though Orlando has been mentioned as a
front-runner.
During the second quarter of this year, ValuJet lost $9.2
million. Corr said costs associated with the merger and the react-
ivation of aircraft would hurt the company's financial performance
during the third and fourth quarters.
-------------------------------------
--- DB 1.39/004487
---------------
* Origin: Volunteer BBS (423) 694-0791 V34+/VFC (1:218/1001.1)
|