AIRLINES

COMAIR’S PRESIDENT QUITS AF TER CHRISTMAS FIASCO

The president of Delta subsidiary Comair resigned Monday, weeks after the failure of an overloaded computer system stranded hundreds of customers on Christmas. An internal Delta memo said Randy Rademacher had stepped down to pursue other unspecified opportunities. Asked whether Rademacher was pressured to leave, Comair spokesman Nick Miller said: “It was his personal decision. We don’t want to speculate on his reasons.” A telephone message seeking comment from Rademacher was not immediately returned. Rademacher was immediately replaced by Fred Buttrell, who has been serving as the head of Delta Airlines Inc.’s Delta Connection group, which works with the airline’s regional carriers. Comair, which is based at the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport, is owned by Delta. At least one analyst blamed Rademacher’s departure on the Christmas fiasco that resulted in the cancellation of approximately 1,100 flights. The company blamed numerous passenger scheduling changes because of an ice storm for overloading the computer system. “It’s pretty obvious what happened over the holiday was very serious,” said Doug Abbey, a partner of The Velocity Group, an aviation consulting firm based in Washington, D.C. “That’s what this is all about.” Comair, which operates in 119 cities, carries about 30,000 passengers daily in America, mostly east of the Mississippi River, and to Canada and the Bahamas. Its Christmas meltdown came during the same weekend that financially plagued US Airways Group experienced a similar fiasco because of labor issues and bad weather.

– Associated Press

PETS TO EARN FREQUENT FLYER MILES FROM MIDWEST AIRLINES

Midwest Airlines is focusing on four-footed customers in hopes of wooing more of the two footed kind. Midwest announced a program yesterday that gives pets a free round-trip ticket for every three domestic round-trip flights they take with their owners. By contrast, Midwest’s human passengers get free round trips at 25,000 miles – a mileage requirement that frequently requires more than three domestic round trips. “While in the past their owners have been racking up miles on free trips, all the pets have been getting is a pat on the head,” Midwest CEO Tim Hoeksema said Monday. “We decided that it was high time to throw a bone to our frequent customers – and their best friends.” The promotion follows a similar one announced last week by United Airlines, which is offering pet owners 1,200 bonus miles on up to two round-trip tickets when they fly with their pets before May 27. Midwest, which serves 50 American cities through hubs in Milwaukee and Kansas City, Mo., says it racks up about 3,000 one-way trips by dogs, cats, and other pets each year. Pets fly round-trip with their owners on Midwest for $150 or one-way for $75.

– Associated Press

INTERNATIONAL

PROXIES TO BE MAILED ON PROPOSED BANKNORTH-TD BANK MERGER

Tens of thousands of proxies will be mailed to Banknorth Group shareholders this week ahead of next month’s vote on Banknorth’s proposed merger with Toronto Dominion Bank. Toronto Dominion, or TD Bank, is buying a controlling 51% stake in Banknorth in a deal valued at $4 billion. If approved by shareholders, the deal is expected to be completed around the beginning of March. Now, 4 months after first being proposed, there are no obvious obstacles in sight to derail the merger. Banknorth’s largest shareholder filed a statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission last month saying it intends to vote for the deal after first voicing concerns in September. The deal, announced in August, will give Toronto-based TD Bank a banking presence in America while giving Banknorth the resources to continue its growth strategy of acquiring small community banks. Banknorth has $29 billion in assets and nearly 400 branches in New England and upstate New York. TD Bank has assets of nearly $260 billion and more than 1,000 branches across Canada.

– Associated Press