Notams

High fuel prices and reduced passenger demand led to the demise of three airlines during the first week of April: Aloha, Skybus, and ATA. Aloha blamed unfair competition in its core interisland markets. Rising fuel prices made it impossible for Skybus to keep offering deeply discounted one-way fares. Thirty-five-year-old carrier ATA shut its doors, parked its airplanes, and cut loose 2,230 workers. ATA's corporate parent, Global Air Logistics, will continue flying air cargo and charter flights through other subsidiaries.

Goodbye Skyway; hello SkyWest

Midwest Airlines ditched Skyway, a company-owned regional carrier, in favor of Utah-based SkyWest and its fleet of 50-seat regional jets. Midwest announced in January it planned to jettison its regional subsidiary, and in April it cut more than 300 Skyway employees. SkyWest is based in St. George, Utah, and owns ASA Airlines, a Delta Express carrier.

Delta launches Shanghai route

Delta Air Lines inaugurated its first flight to China with a nonstop, 15.4-hour trip from Atlanta to Shanghai. A Boeing 777-200 ER will make the 7,659-mile trip daily between Delta's Atlanta hub and China's main business center.

A new unlucky number?

London Heathrow's new Terminal 5 might have to be renumbered--it's been unlucky for British Airways. The state-of-the-art facility has experienced baggage woes and weather problems that forced BA to cancel hundreds of flights. The terminal opened March 27.

Career-related news is updated weekly on AOPA Online.