bmi, launch's a pre-flight Lounge Dining service for Business Class customers flying on bmi’s evening flights to Moscow and Tel Aviv from 1 July 2009.  Customers heading to Tel Aviv or Moscow can enjoy three-course meals in the new bmi international lounge – bmi Number One Heathrow before they fly, meaning that they can then relax or sleep on the flight without being disturbed for meals.  Once on board, customers can also choose a lighter meal or a nightcap from bmi’s new Night-Time Supper menu.

The move comes as bmi continues to improve services and benefits for those travelling for in Business Class whether for business or pleasure. Earlier this month, bmi opened its flagship international lounge bmi Number One Heathrow which offers a quintessentially British environment in which to work, relax, dine and refresh.  

Lounge Dining will be available daily to all customers using the international lounge from 8.30pm and is ideal for customers who are taking the night-time flights to Tel Aviv and Moscow, or connecting via London Heathrow.   Customers taking advantage of the pre-flight dining can start with steaming hot soup served fresh from bmi’s bespoke AGA.  Followed by macaroni cheese, salads, dressed with Mark Hix salad dressings, created by the reknowned English chef, or hot salt beef bagels with rye and pickles.  The perfect finish to the pre-flight dining is a selection of Mark Hix ice-cream, exclusively available in the bmi international lounge and onboard. Round off supper with a generous pot of either ‘Credit Crunch’ (caramel and honeycomb chocolate) or Blueberry and Dorset Honey flavours.  In addition, the bmi pub ‘The Local’ will be open, serving champagne, English rosé Wine, Pimms and Fullers London Pride, as well as brandies and whiskeys for a pre-flight nightcap. 

Once on board, customers can then either go straight to sleep without being disturbed – only being woken 30 minutes before landing or enjoy the Night-Time Supper menu in subdued lighting.  The Night-Time Supper menu  boasts light and comforting dishes such as duck and potato hash with gooseberry chutney or salmon fishcake with baby spinach and parsley sauce.  For those who would just like a sweet treat or a nightcap then Mark Hix ice cream will be available onboard or the ultimate comforter drink – hot chocolate served with marshmallows. 

7/1/2009 11:27:09 AM UTC    Comments 

Maintaining a company’s level of business travel is vital to the individual organisation and has far reaching implications for the state of the economy, according to research released today from the annual Barclaycard Commercial Business Travel Survey.  The survey, now in its 13th year, polled more than 2,200 business travellers across the country, forming a comprehensive picture of the business travel landscape.

Three quarters of respondents (75%) stated that they expect to travel more or the same amount in 2009 compared to 2008 with 50 per cent, of those planning to travel more, citing planned business expansion in the UK (29%) or overseas (21%) as the reason.  The findings illustrate that whilst companies compete to survive and budgets are tightened face-to-face meetings and networking are seen as crucial to keeping businesses going, even if this incurs travel costs.  In addition, 85 per cent believe that face-to-face business meetings are more effective than using technologies such as video and web conferencing.

Market contraction has the worst effects on those organisations and individuals that are most exposed in terms of risk and debt. The converse of this is that small organisations and medium size enterprises in the beginning of their life cycle stand most to benefit from the current stimulus deal and interest rates and there is a real opportunity for entrepreneurs and SMEs in the latter half of 2009.

It is vital that business people continue to travel not only because of the immediate effects of a contraction in the market but also because so many industries and businesses around the globe rely on revenue from business travellers.

Neil Radley, Managing Director of Barclaycard Commercial said:

“The travel and tourism industry is one of the world’s biggest employers with business travel playing a significant role in the industry.   The Barclaycard Commercial Business Travel Survey is a positive indicator for economic recovery with a third planning to travel more in 2009 – this will have a knock-on effect on the economy and the parallel industries that survive because of it.  The fears of the recession have not deterred some businesses from expansion – whilst the media reports stories of businesses downsizing, the Travel Survey shows positive signs for business expansion in both the UK and more globally.”

With the Government’s confirmation in the Budget that the Airline Passenger Duty (APD) is going to rise in November 2009, results from the survey suggest that this is not set to dramatically affect business travel.  84 per cent of the survey’s respondents have not changed their travel plans due to the initial introduction of the APD and 53 per cent agreed that an additional environmental tax should be brought in on airlines.

Reflective of last year’s findings whilst business travel is on the up there are clear signs that businesses are making a conscious effort to cut back where possible.  Those staying in budget hotel accommodation has risen from 53 per cent to 55 per cent, between 2007 and 2008 and Flybe (ranked 4th with a one per cent increase in market share) now joins other low cost airlines easyJet (ranked 2nd) and Ryanair (ranked 3rd) in the top four airlines most used for business travel.  British Airways remains the most used airline for business travel (29%).   In contrast, travel in business and first class has increased by two per cent from last year (13% in 2008 compared to 11% in 2007).

The survey, now in its 13th year, polled more than 2,200 business travellers across the country, forming a comprehensive picture of the business travel landscape.  

6/29/2009 11:07:37 AM UTC    Comments 

Gulf Air has introduced half price flights for children under the age of 12 years on all its services from London Heathrow. 

Until 27 July 2009, families booking with children will get 50% off the adult ticket price, adding to the reasons for holidaymakers to choose Gulf Air for their travels this year.   The offer is available on all travel taking place from now until 11 December 2009. All travel must be completed by 14 December. 

The airline has also introduced a number of unbelievable all inclusive return flight offers on services from London Heathrow to fantastic holiday destinations outside the expensive euro zone including Kuala Lumpur from £386, Bangkok from £390, Muscat from £245, Kochi from £330, Shanghai from £360, Bahrain from £330 and Dubai and Abu Dhabi from £247.  And don’t forget, KIDS GO HALF PRICE, a 25% saving on the normal Gulf Air children’s fare.

Gulf Air prides itself on recognising the needs of families travelling with them.  It was the first airline in the world to introduce the onboard Sky Nanny, a dedicated service for the individual needs of all its customers, no matter how young or old they are.  Sky Nanny takes the strain off parents travelling with young children and keeps the younger passengers amused during the journey making it a memorable and enjoyable experience for both parents and children.

Working on board all three of Gulf Air’s service from London, Sky Nanny offers help with boarding and disembarkation, gives parents that much-needed break during a long flight and generally provides a watchful eye on the little ones. 

Every Gulf Air Sky Nanny is specially trained for inflight childcare services so parents can be assured that children will receive the best care and attention every step of the way.

www.gulfair.com

6/27/2009 6:17:44 AM UTC    Comments 

The guest list read like a ‘who’s who’ of the Jewish community which gathered together on Tuesday 23rd June to celebrate EL AL’s 60th anniversary of flying to London. The reception was held at the Zabludowicz Arts Projects in Chalk Farm, which was decked out in blue and white and images of the history of EL AL over the last 60 years brought from the archives in Tel Aviv.

Members of the Jewish community, Jewish organisations, EL AL’s top frequent flyers, travel agents, tour operators and the media mingled together to celebrate 60 years of uninterrupted services between London and Tel Aviv.

From left to right. Uri Danor - EL AL GM UK and Ireland, Haim Romano - President and CEO EL AL, Amikam Cohen - Chairman EL AL , Pujo Zabludowicz - EL AL share holder and owner of the Zabludowicz Gallery.

Welcome speeches were given by Haim Romano, President and CEO of EL AL, Amikam Cohen Chairman of EL AL as well as one from Pujo Zabludowicz, who generously allowed EL AL to use the venue for the evening. On behalf of the guests Geoffrey Ognall, Vice Chairman of the UJIA gave a heart felt response highlighting the special ties between EL AL, the Jewish community in the UK and Israel.

6/26/2009 10:06:38 AM UTC    Comments 

From 1st November 2009 Air Malta will increase capacity on the London Gatwick – Malta route, with 2 flights per week during the months of November and March. This means that instead of a daily service to London Gatwick, Air Malta will operate 9 weekly flights. In addition the airline will increase 1 weekly flight for the Christmas travelling period, whilst larger aircraft will be deployed on all the daily Gatwick services in the remaining winter months.
 
Brock Friesen, Chief Officer Commercial said “This is line with the airline’s commercial strategy to extend the summer season and reduce the traditional traffic slowdown between the summer and winter months. The additional shoulder traffic will bolster the local tourism industry during this challenging period. Gatwick airport is one of most attractive London airports vis-à-vis leisure short break traffic that requires frequent and convenient schedules. Air Malta is committed to offer both all year round.”
 
The airline has also taken the decision to increase the Summer 2010 frequency from 12 to 14 weekly flights. These decisions are Air Malta’s first steps to ensure that Malta has sustainable seat capacity available to the London area for the next 18 months.
 
Air Malta is confident that through its strong relationship with bmi, the airline will be well positioned to sustain traffic growth from this London gateway as the global economy moves out of the economic recession. The code-share partnership with bmi, enables the Maltese airline to extend its sales and marketing reach throughout the United Kingdom.

The London capacity increase is further proof of Air Malta’s commitment to the local tourism industry and is the only airline that has supported continuously the major London routes throughout its 35 year history.
 
www.airmalta.com

6/24/2009 6:49:07 PM UTC    Comments 

Aer Arann has introduced connecting flights to Cork from Donegal, Derry, Galway and Knock Ireland West via Dublin. From as little as €45 one way including taxes, business and leisure passengers can now travel conveniently throughout Ireland, saving hours of additional driving time in the process.

Customers travelling to Cork from Donegal, Galway and Knock Ireland West can simply proceed directly to their onward departure gate. Derry passengers will need to follow the airport’s straightforward international transfer policy for travel between the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

“These new flight services open up the possibility for short but important business and leisure trips that would otherwise involve lengthy and often frustrating car journeys” comments Andrew Kelly, Aer Arann’s Director of Corporate Affairs. “By opting for a connecting flight rather than driving, customers can save significant travel time, as well as enjoying the added comfort of travelling with Aer Arann” he adds.

www.AerArann.com

6/24/2009 12:13:29 PM UTC    Comments 

Air New Zealand is increasing the checked and cabin baggage allowances for its Pacific Premium Economy (PPE) customers from June 2009.  Premium Economy passengers will now be entitled to the current Business Premier allowances and priority tags on Air New Zealand operated services.

For passengers travelling via the US the piece system applies and Premium Economy passengers can now check-in two pieces with a maximum weight of 32 kgs per piece. Premium economy passengers travelling on flights via Hong Kong will be able to check in one bag weighing up to 30kgs.

All customers with an Airpoints standby upgrade to a higher class will also be entitled to the Business Class baggage allowance.  This will apply to all checked and cabin baggage and priority bag tagging, regardless of whether the upgrade is awarded.

6/23/2009 9:11:01 AM UTC    Comments 

Virgin Atlantic, today celebrated its 25th birthday in style by recreating the very first flight to New York that departed on 22 June 1984. Sir Richard Branson, President of Virgin Atlantic, was joined onboard by frequent travellers, travel trade VIPs and a host of special guests including leading fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, international cricketer Kevin Pietersen and his wife, former Liberty X singer Jessica, as well as Ian Botham and Christopher Biggins, who was a passenger on the very first Virgin Atlantic flight 25 years ago.

As part of the celebrations at Heathrow Airport before the historic departure, Sir Richard Branson was joined on the wing of the Boeing 747-400 Virgin Atlantic aircraft, named ‘Birthday Girl’, by acclaimed supermodel and icon, Kate Moss who came to personally wish the airline a Happy Birthday.

Speaking at Heathrow Airport, Sir Richard Branson, said: “I am so proud of what we have achieved in the last 25 years.  It is a tribute to the staff of Virgin Atlantic that we are in the leading position we are in today.  It seems a long time ago that we took that first flight in 1984, and so much has been achieved since then. We would like to thank the millions of travellers that have put their faith in us and the thousands of staff who have created such a great airline.”

Steve Ridgway, Chief Executive of Virgin Atlantic said:
“Today’s milestone is a huge accomplishment for Virgin Atlantic.  In the last 25 years, our 8500 staff worldwide have helped us build a fantastic airline against all the odds, whether battling with our competitors or enduring the ups and downs of the aviation industry.   Since 1984 Virgin Atlantic has grown up a lot but thanks to the creativity, enthusiasm and hard work of our staff, we are definitely still red hot!”

The airline also received a special birthday message from Prime Minister Gordon Brown who said:

“I’m delighted to congratulate Virgin Atlantic on your 25th anniversary. Britain is rightly proud of having the world’s most innovative and competitive airlines. Virgin Atlantic and Richard Branson’s vision and pioneering spirit have changed the global airline business over the last twenty-five years. People can now afford to fly to places they previously only dreamt of. Aviation underpins our economic well-being. Virgin Atlantic is now also at the forefront of developing new technologies to meet the challenge of climate change. May this pioneering spirit continue throughout your second quarter century.”

Today’s special birthday flight will be under the command of Captain Geoff Andreasen, Virgin Atlantic’s Chief Boeing Pilot, and First Officer Niamh O’Connor. The Flight Service Manager on the flight operated the very first Virgin Atlantic flight in 1984.  Chris Morley, who has been with the airline for 25 years, will be leading the team of 18 cabin crew across the Atlantic.

During the birthday flight guests will enjoy a taste of the 1980s, with specially themed music and meals designed with an 80s twist.  Among the movies onboard will be ‘Airplane’, which was famously shown on the airline’s first ever flight.  Entertainers will also be onboard to ensure that everyone is in the party spirit.  Once in New York guests will be invited to the exclusive Virgin Atlantic Red Hot Birthday Party in Manhattan.

Over 65 million passengers have chosen to travel with Virgin Atlantic since its launch in 1984. The airline now flies to 30 destinations around the world, from its main bases at London Heathrow and London Gatwick, using a modern, young fleet of Airbus A340 and Boeing 747 aircraft.

www.virginatlantic.com
 

6/22/2009 10:52:41 AM UTC    Comments 

The low-cost airline, has announced that it plans to launch a new route between Cologne / Bonn and Manchester from October 2009. Introduced as a part of its winter timetable, the carrier will offer five services a week from its German headquarters, allowing travellers from Manchester to connect to destinations across Europe.

The announcement comes as a part of Germanwings’ ongoing focus on business travel. More than 40% of the airline’s customers are now made up of corporate travellers and it will look to build on this by adding Manchester, the UK’s fastest growing economy outside of London and the economic powerhouse of the North West, to its route network.

The news also reiterates the carrier’s commitment to the UK and Ireland. Germanwings already serves London all year round and Edinburgh and Dublin during the summer months, and is reviewing additional options within the market for future opportunities.

Commenting on the launch, Thomas Winkelmann, CEO of germanwings said: “Manchester is an important step for us. It has one of the fastest growing economies in Britain today, and is seen by many as the UK’s second city. By launching a service connecting it directly with Cologne / Bonn we hope to tap into a major business market which continues to grow rapidly.”

“At the same time we also expect the route to be extremely popular with leisure travellers in the North West, who will now not only be able to visit Germany’s oldest city, Cologne, but will also be able to connect to more than 60 other European destinations quickly and efficiently.”

www.germanwings.com

6/19/2009 9:35:44 PM UTC    Comments 

Malaysia Airlines has launched a ‘pay economy, fly business’ offer, giving passengers the chance to travel in the business class section at economy fares.

The offer is available on routes to Kuala Lumpur (prices from £1499), Bali (from £1539), Sydney (from £1889) and Auckland (from £1859) and ensures a luxurious start to anyone’s holiday.

Services available in business class include: spacious seats; a wide choice of food and drink; an amenity kit with pampering products; an in-flight shopping service offering designer brands; and the best multimedia in-flight entertainment system on the market. Over 100 hours of movies and TV, plus games and music are available on personal 10.4” LCD touch screen monitor and portable media player.

The offer is valid for bookings made before 30 June inclusive and on flights departing on or before 8 July, between 15 August to 9 December and between 16 January to 31 March 2010. Prices quoted above are inclusive of all fees and taxes, subject to availability at time of bookings.
 
www.malaysiaairlines.com.

6/19/2009 6:52:48 AM UTC    Comments 

Five Star Alliance member carriers - Austrian, Croatia Airlines, Lufthansa, SWISS and TAP – have moved from Terminal 2 to the refurbished Terminal 1 at London’s Heathrow Airport. They join Air New Zealand, Asiana, bmi, LOT Polish Airlines, South African Airways, United and US Airways who were already operating from Terminal 1.

As part of this move, a common Star Alliance branded check-in area used by Austrian, Croatia Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa and TAP has opened. This area features dedicated check-in counters for First, Business and Economy Class passengers as well as for Star Alliance Gold Card holders travelling on any of the five member carriers. A number of self-service check-in kiosks as well as a bag-drop area are also available. After check-in, passengers pass through a separate security line, which also features a fast track lane for top-tier customers.

Air New Zealand, Asiana, South African Airways, SWISS, United and US Airways each have dedicated check-in counters in the completely redesigned main hall of Terminal 1, with bmi offering a check-in zone conveniently located to both international and domestic departure gates.

Once airside, eligible customers have a choice of three different lounge facilities. bmi offers two lounges, one mainly for U.K. and Ireland departures and the newly opened international lounge – bmi Number One Heathrow - located next to the main international departure gates. In addition, the Star Alliance First and Business Class departure lounge is available to First and Business Class passengers, invited guests and Star Alliance Gold Card holders travelling on any member carrier from Terminal 1. The lounge features separate First Class and Business Class sections, food service areas, two business centres with computers, printers, faxes and Wi-Fi Internet access, shower facilities and a special area for children.

The relocation is part of Star Alliance’s ongoing “Move under one Roof” strategy, bringing airlines together to improve the travel experience for customers and create efficiencies for the member airlines.

Star Alliance now is the largest alliance operating out of the core Central Area at Heathrow. The Central Area is the only area at Heathrow that has direct access to the full range of public transport - Heathrow Express and the London Connect Service, Underground trains to Central London as well as local and regional bus services.

6/18/2009 2:41:07 PM UTC    Comments 

Qantas has introduced international online check-in and advance seat selection, expanding the range of services available to customers. Group Executive Manager Customer and Marketing, Lesley Grant, said the new services would ensure an enhanced travel experience for customers. “The ability to check-in online for international travel means customers can check-in at their leisure between 24 hours and two hours before their flight from their home, office or hotel,” Grant said.

“Customers who check-in online will enjoy a faster airport experience with dedicated online check-in counters for bag drop and necessary visa checks.

“And we are rewarding our top tier Frequent Flyers, (Platinum, Gold and Silver) with even more choice - the ability to choose their seat online.

“Immediately after making a booking, whether at qantas.com or through other booking channels, eligible Frequent Flyers are now able to request their seat for international flights.*”

“Our aim is to provide travellers with a wide range of services to ensure a seamless travel experience, and customers can expect to see even more enhancements to domestic and international customer services later in 2009.”

6/18/2009 2:35:38 PM UTC    Comments 

Eurostar has introduced single fares to all its destinations. The new fares start from the wholly inclusive price of £35 for London to Paris/Brussels.

As part of a commitment to greater transparency, Eurostar is helping travellers find better deals, by simplifying its fare structure. Travellers can expect more flexibility with the removal of “stay away” conditions such as Saturday Night Away, One Night Away, Midweek Day Return and Weekend Day Return.

Nick Mercer, Eurostar’s Commercial Director, commented: “We want to help travellers who are planning a tour of Europe or who need the flexibility to return by a different route, by making low priced single fares available. 

“We hope this greater range of fare options will allow travellers to make even more use of Europe’s high-speed rail network and exploit the environmental advantages of train over plane for seamless rail journeys.”

As part of the changes and in a move that more accurately reflects the product offering, Leisure Select fares have increased. The new lead-in fare for Leisure Select return travel from London – Paris/Brussels is £175 return. Passengers travelling Leisure Select benefit from more spacious seats, roomier carriages, a 3-course meal with wine*, complimentary newspapers and magazines, and excellent ‘at seat’ service.

Eurostar continues to offer its widely available lead-in return fare of £59 which has gone unchanged for over six years.

www.eurostar.com

6/18/2009 8:27:12 AM UTC    Comments 

Akbar Al Baker the CEO said that Qatar Airways will launch Australian services initially to Melbourne and the inaugural flight will take place on December 6.

Qatar Airways will begin operating three weekly services using a brand new Boeing B777-200 Long Range aircraft to be delivered to the airline later this year. Operations will quickly become daily early in the New Year.

Al Baker said that he has been waiting patiently for Boeing to deliver aircraft that Qatar Airways has on order to begin operating the first of its two planned routes into Australia.

“I know the travelling public is eager for us to begin serving Australia and I’ve had many people ask me about our direct routes to Melbourne and Sydney. We’re finalising some details with regulatory authorities in Australia, and once we’ve received the necessary aircraft from Boeing, we will be ready to operate.

“Qatar Airways already has 4,000 frequent fliers in Australia that are part of our loyalty programme, though the local market remains largely untapped. The Australian economy was one of the few in the world that grew in the first quarter of 2009, so this shows that the market there is still very strong, and we believe there is demand,” said Al Baker.   

The new operation will connect travellers from the United Kingdom and Europe to Australia with a one-stop service and a planned one hour connection time in Doha. From Qatar Airways’ hub in Doha, passengers can also link to numerous destinations across South Asia, the Middle East and North Africa.   

Qatar Airways Senior Manager Europe Paul Johannes said that the prospect of European passenger traffic connecting to the Australian services from Doha was good news for travellers.

“Qatar Airways is a well-established brand in the UK and key points in Europe, so we already have a built-in market in this region that will feed into Australia which is an important destination for a lot of Europeans,” he said.

The Boeing 777-200 Long Range aircraft operating on the route will offer a two-class configuration of 259 seats. In Business Class, there are 42 seats with passengers able to enjoy comfort and space offering a pitch of up to 78 inches with each seat converting into 180-degree fully flat beds. With a 2–2–2 seat configuration, Business Class passengers are assured of either a window or aisle seat and plenty of space.

www.qatarairways.com

6/18/2009 6:05:59 AM UTC    Comments 

TAM, is offering its Business Class passengers a free 20 minute helicopter transfer service between São Paulo’s international airport at Guarulhos and the mid-town airport of Congonhas. A considerable time saving on the road transfer that takes an hour in normal São Paulo traffic and two hours or more in rush hour.

The courtesy helicopter transfer is being offered through August 31 subject to confirmation, availability and weather. After August 31 the cost of the one-way transfer will be R$829 (£260) if booked more than 24-hours in advance, and R$989 (£315) if booked less than 24 hours in advance. Passengers not flying in Business Class can book and pay for the helicopter transfer, while all TAM passengers are offered a free bus transfer between Guarulhos and Congonhas.

TAM operates the hourly helicopter service from 06.00 to 22.00 at Congonhas and from 06.30 to 22.30 at Guarulhos. Passengers can choose to have their luggage collected or delivered for them at any address in Greater São Paulo. São Paulo, along with New York, is considered the helicopter capital of the world with one of the largest helicopter fleets of any city and over 260 heliports.

Reservations for the helicopter transfer can be made with TAM in the UK on 020 8897 3700.

Passengers travelling in Business Class on TAM flights from London can also request a complimentary airport transfer service in a chauffeur driven Mercedes E Class, S Class or MPV Viano. The passenger(s) will be picked up from or dropped off at their home, office or hotel within a 65-mile radius of London Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 4.

To request the car transfer service, Business Class passengers should contact TAM’s Customer Service Centre 48-hours before their flight on 020 8897 3700.

TAM’s Business class passengers are also offered a courtesy chauffeur driven transfer to-and-from their hotel, house or office at a number of South American destinations including Buenos Aires, Lima, Montevideo and Santiago.

6/16/2009 9:36:57 PM UTC    Comments 

The Statue of Liberty has been a symbol of freedom and democracy since its inauguration in 1886. What is not a symbol of freedom and democracy is Air Passenger Duty (APD), especially as applied by the current UK government.

APD is a stealth tax that aims to rip off any traveller based in the UK or flying through the UK. The money raised does not go to improve the transport infrastructure, nor does it help environmental causes. Put simply the money goes into the government’s one large pot, that same pot that the MPs dipped into for their expenses or to buy the banks.

Potentially APD is a catastrophe for the UK travel industry, the travelling public and British airlines. We at TravelPlus urge every one of our readers to engage in defeating this unfair and unnecessary tax. You can read more about its implications on page 5 in our latest issue.

So what can we do to defeat APD and how do you get your voice heard?

In a way we are fortunate that a General Election has to be held in the UK before 3 June 2010 and that politicians have never been less loved. That means they will be looking at every which way to get our votes. We need to make it clear that any candidate that supports APD will not get our vote. It is that simple.

We ask all readers who have a vote in the UK to write to the candidates in their constituency and ask them what their position is on APD. We would also urge you to write a similar letter to both David Cameron and Nick Clegg to ask how they and their parties view APD. Make it clear that if they support it, they don’t get your vote. While Labour is committed to APD, we must not take it for granted that the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats won’t over turn the tax if it wins them support. Both Cameron, Clegg, and in fact any MP, can be written to at the House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA.

If we don’t overturn this tax now we never will. The Dutch government has decided to reduce APD to zero while the British government plans to bleed travellers by up to £170 per person per trip while offering nothing in return. By next year the average £365 return fare from London to Los Angeles will consist of £319 in taxes with just £46 going to the airline, assuming any are still flying.

Join us on the barricades or don’t complain when you do have to pay through the nose to travel while the MPs put the cost of their APD down on expenses!

Simon Ward, Publisher & Editor-in-Chief
 

6/16/2009 11:09:18 AM UTC    Comments 

The countdown is on to the official launch of MSC Cruises’s second flagship, MSC Splendida, on 12 July in Barcelona.

In an exciting first for MSC Cruises – and the first time this has featured on a European cruise ship - MSC Splendida will feature two innovative mini-bowling alleys in its high-tech Sports Bar.

Every aspect of these ten-pin bowling alleys has been carefully designed to provide the maximum entertainment, including a traditional-looking bowling surface that is actually made of a tough phenol compound which allows guests to join in the fun without having to change into special bowling shoes. 

The alleys are scaled down to work perfectly in a bar environment, to encourage people to mix and mingle. The bowling balls have been sized slightly smaller than usual, so they are manageable for youngsters while still presenting a challenge to older players.

Increasing the fun, there are two large LCD electronic screens featuring interactive videogame animations, with a choice of Ten Pin Tour and Turkey Shoot. And of course, surrounding the bowling alleys, you’ll find all the feature-rich facilities of the sports bar itself, with big screen TVs and a wealth of interactive sports games for solo and group play, making the Sports Bar the ideal place for a change of pace to meet friends old and new.

MSC Splendida is the twin sister to MSC Fantasia which was launched in December 2008. Together, they are the largest cruise ships ever commissioned by a European owner and set new standards in spaciousness, comfort, facilities, design innovation and refinement. Despite being sister ships, their themed areas feature many differences, such as the bowling alleys, which are unique to MSC Splendida.

MSC Splendida has a choice of six restaurants, including the a la carte Mediterranean L’Olivo, along with 18 bars and lounges, MSC Aurea Spa, solarium, shuffleboard, jogging track, sports centre, squash and tennis courts, five swimming pools and an incredible 19 leisure and entertainment venues, with a casino, theatre and 4D cinema – making every day different!

www.msccruises.com

6/15/2009 2:17:52 PM UTC    Comments 

The Spanish airline and its Australian oneworld partner signed an agreement over Madrid-Sydney flights via London and Frankfurt.

Starting on July 15 Iberia will offer its customers flights from Madrid to Sydney, under a new code-sharing arrangement with Australia’s Qantas airline. This is the first time the Spanish airline offers flights to Australia.                                                                               
Iberia passengers can choose among three daily options for the Sydney flight, two via Heathrow in London, and one via Frankfurt, Germany.

The arrangement extends the options of Iberia customers and strengthens relations between Iberia and Qantas which, as partners in the oneworld airline alliance, already honour each others’ frequent flyers points and share the use of VIP lounges, among other privileges.

6/15/2009 1:01:18 PM UTC    Comments 

Singapore Airlines launch their Exceptional Value sale, offering incredible fares to all. Customers who access the singaporeair.com website between the 13th and the 30th of June 2009 will be able to purchase flights to Singapore from as little as £295.00. For those who would like to experience the award winning Singapore Airlines Business Class, there has never been a better opportunity with the all new Simply Better Business fare for £1585.

Return fares are available from London Heathrow or Manchester Airport and are valid for outbound travel from the 1st of September to the 9th of December 2009 and the 16th of January to the 31st of March 2010.

“We are delighted to be able to offer these fantastic new fares to our customers,” said Joey Seow, General Manager of Singapore Airlines UK and Ireland. “We hope that many of our existing customers, and those still yet to experience flying with Singapore Airlines, will take this opportunity to enjoy our award winning service, fine dining and state of the art in-flight entertainment when travelling to Singapore and beyond."

*Singapore Airlines Simply Better Business fares are now available when two passengers travel together on all sectors from London Heathrow or Manchester Airport.

www.singaporeair.com.

6/12/2009 3:08:53 PM UTC    Comments 

This may be the 11th successive month of cutbacks in global airline schedules; however the rate of decline in seat capacity is lower than at any time since October 2008 according to OAG, as it releases its monthly report on trends in the supply of airline flights and seats. 

The world's airlines have scheduled 4% (104,216) fewer flights for June 2009 compared with the same month last year, with a 2% drop in seat capacity of 6.7 million fewer seats. The total number of flights scheduled to operate worldwide this month is 2.43 million, offering 297.5 million seats to travelers around the globe. 

Last month, the year-on-year global frequency and capacity figures were down by 5% and 3% respectively. Global year-on-year capacity reductions had remained at 3% every month since November 2008, apart from a sharp 7% decline in February this year.

David Beckerman, vice president OAG Market Intelligence, said, "As the Northern Hemisphere begins its summer holiday season, the airline community is curbing its capacity cuts in anticipation of a welcome boost in air travel.  However, we shouldn't assume that this is the start of recovery and growth; the outlook remains uncertain and figures are still down year-on-year, but it does indicate a glimmer of economic confidence."

6/12/2009 10:36:10 AM UTC    Comments 

As an official sponsor of the national Brazilian football team, TAM flew the players, coaches and accompanying journalists from Brazil to Johannesburg on June 11 to take part in the FIFA Confederations Cup. The tournament, a warm up for next year’s World Cup which begins on 11 June 2010, takes place in South Africa from 14-28 June and as well as Brazil includes the national teams of Spain, Italy, New Zealand, USA, Egypt, Iraq and South Africa.

The Brazilian team flew the “Magic Red Carpet” to South Africa aboard a specially painted TAM aircraft. The plane had been painted in the team colours that include the five gold stars that represent Brazil’s five world championships. The nose cone was painted to look like a football.

While global expectations are growing ahead of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, there is already great interest in the 20th World Cup that will be held in Brazil in 2014. It will be the first time that consecutive World Cups have been staged in the Southern Hemisphere and the first World Cup to be held in South America since 1978.

FIFA recently announced the host cities for the 2014 World Cup. Given the size of Brazil a total of 12 cities, rather than ten, have been selected. The cities that will now become global household names thanks to the World Cup include Belo Horizonte, Brasília, Cuiabá, Curitiba, Fortaleza, Manaus, Natal, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and São Paulo.

As Brazil and the Southern Hemisphere’s largest airline, TAM is the only major international carrier to fly to all 12 of the Brazilian cites that will host the games at the 2014 World Cup. TAM currently flies to 42 cities in Brazil, and serves another 37 through commercial agreements with regional carriers. It also offers flights to 18 international destinations, including a daily service to London utilising Boeing 777-300ERs.

As in 1950, the final of the 2014 World Cup will be played at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. In 1950 just 13 teams played in the 4th World Cup that was spread across the cities of Belo Horizonte, Curitiba, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. England played in Belo Horizonte and Rio de Janeiro, while Uruguay famously won the championship by beating Brazil in the last game of the tournament.

6/12/2009 10:08:54 AM UTC    Comments 

Singapore Airlines will fly the world’s largest passenger aircraft, the Airbus A380, on the Singapore-Hong Kong route from 9 July 2009. Hong Kong will be the fifth international destination and second Asian city which Singapore Airlines operates the superjumbo aircraft to. The Airline started operating the A380 in October 2007 to Sydney and subsequently added services to London, Tokyo and Paris.

"The operation of the A380 to Hong Kong shows our confidence in the demand for both business and leisure travel between Singapore and the famed ‘Pearl of the Orient’.  Hong Kong is a vibrant business hub and at the same time it has much to offer leisure travellers looking for great places to shop, eat and play,” said Mr. Huang Cheng Eng, Singapore Airlines’ Executive Vice President, Marketing and the Regions.

Exclusively available on the A380 are the Singapore Airlines Suites. Each Suite customer enjoys a high level of privacy in his own cabin in the sky, behind sliding doors and adjustable roller blinds. The Suites come furnished with a luxurious and fully adjustable leather seat, upholstered by world-renowned Poltrona Frau, and a full-sized bed. For entertainment, customers can enjoy crystal-clear images on a sleek 23-inch high-resolution LCD monitor, mounted on the wall in each Suite.

The Singapore Airlines A380 Business Class is in a league of its own. Measuring 86 centimetres (34 inches) in width, the Business Class seat is one of the widest in the world and each has direct access to the aisle. Each seat can be converted into a comfortable wide bed, simply by folding down the seat back.  

Singapore Airlines’ new Economy Class seats offer customers unprecedented comfort and space. The ergonomically designed seat not only maximises knee and legroom, it also boasts intelligent features such as a non-intrusive reading light and height-adjustable leather headrests with side panels.

Customers across all three classes can enjoy a wide range of the latest movies, TV programmes and a library of CDs on KrisWorld, Singapore Airlines’ award-winning inflight entertainment system. Come mealtime, delectable inflight meals, designed exclusively by world-class chefs like Matt Moran from Australia, Zhu Jun from China and Sam Leong from Singapore, are served and presented on exclusive Givenchy-designed service ware.

Singapore Airlines currently has eight A380s in service, a further 11 on firm order, and options on six more. 

6/11/2009 4:16:11 PM UTC    Comments 

Lufthansa will relocate its Heathrow passenger operation to Terminal 1 on Tuesday 16th June 2009.

The recently refurbished Terminal will provide Lufthansa passengers with a bright and spacious environment as well as greatly enhanced facilities. The £100 million refurbishment has transformed the terminal into a more open, clean and simplified facility. The overall passenger experience will be greatly improved thanks to a new check-in area, baggage reclaim and arrivals concourse which result in shorter walking distances from kerbside to check-in and to the improved departure gate area.

Announcing the move to Terminal 1 Marianne Sammann, Lufthansa General Manager UK & Ireland, said, “I believe this move will further enhance the Lufthansa travel experience for our customers. Our refurbished, Star Alliance-branded check-in area in Zone K is light and airy offering 17 check-in desks, 12 check-in machines and six quick bag drops to help speed up the overall check-in process. After checking in, passengers are able to proceed directly through a bespoke security facility located directly behind the check-in area of Zone K.

“For First Class customers, HON Circle Members, Senators and Star Gold Card holders, there is an exclusive First Class lobby at one end of Zone K. As well as four First Class check in counters. A furnished waiting area is available and the lobby provides direct priority access to the fast track security control. Frequent Travellers, Star Silver Card holders and Business Class customers will also be able to use this fast track using an alternative route around the First Class lobby.

Terminal 1 will also become home to many of Lufthansa’s Star Alliance partners. Austrian Airlines, Croatia Airlines, SWISS and TAP Portugal will move from Terminal 2 with Lufthansa in June. They join Air New Zealand, Asiana Airlines, bmi, Lot Polish Airlines, South African Airways, United Airlines and US Airways which already operate out of Terminal 1.

Once the moves are completed, the 22 Star Alliance member carriers serving Heathrow will be nearly evenly split between Terminals 1 and 3, the core Central Area at Heathrow - the only part of Heathrow that has direct access to both the Heathrow Express and the London Connect Service, all Underground trains to central London and local and regional bus services.

www.lufthansa.com

6/11/2009 4:08:14 PM UTC    Comments 

Scandinavian Airlines System’s (SAS) Summer Sale kicks off 11 June - meaning great discounts on SAS flights from the UK to Scandinavia.  What’s more SAS offers child discounts – which makes a family holiday in Scandinavia an even more attractive proposition this summer.  Children qualify for a 25 per cent discount off all sale fares.

Example one way fares including taxes during the Summer Sale include:

• London Heathrow – Oslo from £61, saving £18 on the normal lowest fare
• Manchester - Oslo from £61 pounds, a saving of £36 on the normal lowest fare
• Birmingham – Copenhagen from £73, a saving of £10 on the normal lowest fare
• London – Stavanger from £61, a saving of £20 on the normal lowest fare

For a ten day period, ending 21 June, SAS fares will be discounted by up to 38% on a range of key routes.  These discounts apply for travel between 29 June and 31 August. 

SAS has a comprehensive network out of the UK into Scandinavia with direct flights from London Heathrow, Gatwick and London City, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Aberdeen to the Scandinavian capitals and beyond.

www.flysas.co.uk
 

6/11/2009 10:41:00 AM UTC    Comments 

Travel to the Far East in style and upgrade to premium economy for as little as £220 – saving up to 25 per cent off EVA Air’s premium economy Elite Class with the launch of exclusive online fares.
 
Return fares from London Heathrow to Bangkok start from just £706 and from £729 to Taipei including taxes. The standard starting price for a return airfare with EVA Air from London Heathrow to Bangkok in Elite Class usually costs from £890 and from £990 to Taipei including taxes.

Flights are on sale now until 15 July 2009 and are valid for travel until 9 December 2009 excluding the period 11 July – 27 August 2009. These fares are subject to availability and are only bookable online.

EVA Air’s award-winning Elite Class offers many of the comforts usually only associated with business class travel, at a fraction of the price. Forming just 20 per cent of the aircraft’s total seat capacity, the airline’s pioneering premium economy product gives passengers increased privacy during the flight.

Travellers benefit from a dedicated check-in desk and increased baggage allowance of 25kgs, as well as 18.5 inch wide ergonomically designed, memory foam seats with a generous 38-inch seat pitch.

EVA Air flies to Taipei via Bangkok six times a week from London Heathrow and offers passengers a choice of three classes of cabin service: Premium Laurel business class, Elite Class premium economy and Economy class.

www.evaair.com

6/10/2009 10:59:00 AM UTC    Comments 

SkyTeam have announced that the first level of its co-branded alliance lounge in Terminal 4 at London Heathrow International Airport (LHR) opened on 04 June 2009. The two-level lounge occupies more than 1,600 square metres and offers space for more than 300 passengers. Eligible passengers travelling through Terminal 4 on Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Kenya Airways operated flights can enjoy access to the first level of the co-branded SkyTeam lounge. Other eligible passengers will gain access once additional SkyTeam member airlines begin operating from Terminal 4.

www.skyteam.com

6/8/2009 8:06:12 AM UTC    Comments 

Swiss International Air Lines will be one of the first of the first Star Alliance airlines to move to London Heathrow Terminal 1 on 11 June 2009.
 
The improved lounges and facilities along with the bright and spacious check-in area will offer customers extra comfort and convenience.   The check-in area has been designed to create a more organised and less congested environment, which in turn will lessen waiting time and stressful queuing.
 
In addition, SWISS HON Circle and Miles & More Senator members, as well as First and Business Class passengers can enjoy the designated First or Business class areas in the new Star Alliance CIP Lounge. Both areas will feature private seating, complimentary food and beverages as well as shower facilities and the latest in business technology including Wi-Fi Internet access. The BMI lounge also welcomes Miles & More Frequent Travellers.
 
Gregor Koncilja, Country Manager UK & Ireland for SWISS commented: “We are very much looking forward to moving to our new home and are pleased and proud to be one of the first Star Alliance airlines to do so.  We are confident that Terminal 1 with improved facilities and lounges will offer an increased comfort and better travel experience to our customers even before they step on board.”
 

6/5/2009 11:20:32 AM UTC    Comments 

Air New Zealand has announced that they will be reducing flights on the London-Hong Kong route from seven services a week to five services a week.  NZ38/39 flights scheduled to depart on Wednesdays will cease effective from 23 September and NZ38/39 flights on Mondays from 12 October. Services between Hong Kong and Auckland are unaffected.

Scott Carr, Air New Zealand General Manager, UK and Europe, said: “As everyone is well aware the airline industry is facing exceedingly tough times at the moment and regrettably, the Asia markets have been hit hardest. It is in this context that Air New Zealand has taken the decision to reduce flights on the London-Hong Kong route”

He continues, “These are not easy decisions for any airline but we are confident that this is the right action for our business at this point in time.  However while times are tough overall we firmly believe we are well placed to deal with the current environment to deliver a great flying experience for our customers”.

6/5/2009 9:06:47 AM UTC    Comments 

A new early morning year-round flight is being introduced by Eastern Airways from Southampton International Airport to Newcastle, offering greater convenience for south of England business travellers.

The independent business-focused airline, which recently announced new services from Southampton to Liverpool starting in July, will launch the 7am timing to Newcastle along with a new 4.05pm Southampton departure from 6 July 2009.  Flights will arrive in Newcastle at 8.20am and 5.25pm respectively.

The new weekday flight will be offered along with the existing 7.05pm weekday Southampton to Newcastle departure and will replace the current 9.20am 4.25pm services.  Also, flights to Southampton will leave Newcastle at 8.50am, 2pm and 5.30pm.    

“We’ve responded to business traveller requirements as it was evident there was a gap in the market for early morning departures from Southampton to Newcastle,” said Chris Holliday, Eastern Airways’ chief operating officer.  “Adjusting the timings allows our Southampton passengers to arrive in Newcastle city centre before 9am and helps maximise their time in the north east.” 

Eastern Airways will start its new three times a day weekday service from Southampton to Liverpool on 6 July 2009 and also flies to Leeds Bradford and Aberdeen from the Hampshire airport.

www.easternairways.com

6/4/2009 8:50:20 AM UTC    Comments 

bmi, announces the opening today of its new international lounge, bmi Number One Heathrow.  The flagship lounge has been conceived with customer comforts in mind and provides a stylish environment in which to work, relax, dine and refresh.

bmi Number One Heathrow is the perfect stop for bmi customers connecting to any of bmi’s international destinations where they can choose to relax, refresh or rehydrate between flights and enjoy some homely British comforts.

bmi has created a new series of partnerships for the opening of the lounge that showcase Britain’s finest.  Mark Hix, renowned and award-winning champion of British food is exclusively featuring his new line of salad dressings and ice creams on bmi’s midhaul Business Class menus and in bmi Number One Heathrow. The Hix branded ice-cream will be stocked in a freezer where bmi customers can help themselves to Hix’s generous pots of either ‘Credit Crunch’ (caramel and honeycomb chocolate), Rhubarb Crumble or Blueberry and Dorset Honey flavours. What better way to spend an idle hour waiting for your connecting flight than enjoying a sweet treat in the comfort of bmi’s flagship lounge.

bmi Number One Heathrow is open to bmi Business Class, Diamond Club (Gold and Silver) and Star Alliance Gold customers travelling to bmi international destinations. Located above Gate 5 in Terminal 1, bmi Number One Heathrow has a unique layout.  It does not feature a reception desk – instead customers are welcomed inside by members of the Lounge Team.  The space is divided into informal zones that cater to the varying needs of the international traveller – the emphasis being on providing a sense of comfort and familiarity. 

Customers are welcomed in to bmi Number One Heathrow where style and comfort are paramount.  A range of different chair designs allow travellers to rest, work or even nap in daybeds.  Great views over the runway add to the experience. The Study offers a work oriented environment with desk seating as well as a boardroom-style table and free Wi-Fi is available.

The Café is centred around a stunning custom-made black Aga where steaming hot soup is available all day as well as a range of delicious food around the clock. From 1 July bmi will be launching their new dining-on-the-ground service for their evening flights where customers can choose to enjoy a tasty evening meal in bmi Number One Heathrow enabling them to relax and sleep once on board.

An informal, but sophisticated British pub environment  is created in The Local where customers can unwind around a welcoming leather-buttoned horseshoe shaped bar and enjoy a choice of branded beverages including Fullers London Pride ale and English rosé wine in keeping with the strong British theme. 

The new international lounge is the latest in a series of innovations from bmi. The airline recently launched its new Chauffeur Drive and Premium Check-in area at London Heathrow’s Terminal 1 to provide a fast and hassle free check-in service for Business Class and Premium Economy customers as well as bmi Diamond Club Gold and Silver card holders.

6/1/2009 1:16:49 PM UTC    Comments 

This month Virgin Atlantic celebrates 20 years of flying to Tokyo, they first launched flights between London and Tokyo in May 1989 and has since carried nearly 3m passengers on the popular route. Originally departing from Gatwick, the service moved to Heathrow in 1991.

Steve Ridgway, Chief Executive of Virgin Atlantic said: “To be celebrating 20 years of flying to Tokyo is a real achievement for Virgin Atlantic and we are proud to have been offering passengers our excellent service on this route since 1989. “Twenty years on Tokyo still remains a very popular business and holiday destination, with an increasing number of passengers taking city breaks to the region for its diverse culture, great food and stunning city-life.
All of us at Virgin Atlantic thank the people of Tokyo for supporting us over the last 20 years and we are pleased to play such a key role in the Japanese Community.”

Red hot fares are available on this route. Return Economy fares start from £620, Premium Economy fares start from £1098 and Upper Class fares start from £2686. All these fares include taxes and charges. These fares to Tokyo are available from 1st May to 21st July and 26th August to 13th December.

6/1/2009 10:12:39 AM UTC    Comments 

Singapore Airlines commenced daily Airbus A330-300 services between Singapore and Nagoya, Japan, with effect from today. The daily services replace the Airline’s five times weekly Boeing B777 operations on the route. The inaugural A330-300 flight to Nagoya took off from Singapore’s Changi Airport at 0100 hrs this morning, arriving at Central Japan International Airport at 0830hrs (all times local). The arrival of the aircraft into Nagoya coincides with the 20th anniversary of the Airline’s operation of services into the city.

Nagoya is the first Japanese city to receive Singapore Airlines’ A330-300 aircraft. Osaka will be the second when the Airline replaces its daily B777 services to Osaka with A330-300 services in early 2010.
 
Said Singapore Airlines’ Executive Vice-President Operations and Services, Mr Mak Swee Wah: “We are delighted to commence A330-300 services into Nagoya. We are confident that our Japanese customers will be happy with our latest product offerings, specially designed for regional and medium-haul routes. It also reaffirms our commitment to constantly enhance our product offerings to provide our customers the very best travel experience.”

6/1/2009 8:18:28 AM UTC    Comments 

Aer Arann has launched its summer schedule which will see the return of the airline’s routes to La Rochelle, Nantes and Lorient in France from Cork beginning on May 30th. The airline will also be re-introducing its flights to Jersey and Southampton from Cork on the day. Flights to Lorient in the beautiful Brittany region of France will also be available from Galway and Waterford airports. 

Fares to France from €60 and to Jersey and Southampton from €49, all one way including taxes. 

Commenting on the summer schedule Andrew Kelly, Aer Arann’s Director of Corporate Affairs said “Our summer routes proved very successful in 2008 so we are delighted to be offering them to customers once again this year. The accessibility of Cork airport combined with our own convenient, pleasant service makes these destinations an ideal choice for people who want a holiday without the hassle”.

www.aerarann.com

5/29/2009 8:36:48 AM UTC    Comments 

With the goings on in the UK Parliament the decision to increase Air Passenger Duty (APD) has managed to slip by without too many complaints. This despite the fact that APD could be catastrophic for the UK’s travel industry with its value set to rise by up to 122% in 2010. This for a pure stealth tax that brings no benefit to transportation infrastructure or environmental projects.

From November the tax paid on flights departing the UK will fall into 4 bands, with passengers charged according to how far they fly and where the capital is located. For the US the APD will be £60 per passenger in economy from November 2010 (£120 in a premium cabin, including Premium Economy), regardless of if you are flying to New York or LA. For the Caribbean, South Africa, India, Mexico and Brazil the 2010 rates will be £75 (£150 in a premium cabin), while in the top band, which includes the likes of Australia, Argentina, Malaysia and Singapore, the rate will be £85 (£170 in premium).

For a family of four flying from the UK to Australia in Premium Economy that means a tax bill of £680. Ironically the decision was made at the time when the Dutch government has zero rated APD. Smart travellers living in the UK will, therefore, fly to Schiphol, paying the £12 short haul tax and then pick up their long haul ticket from a Dutch operator for a saving of  £632. The losers will be UK tour operators and the likes of British Airways, bmi and Virgin. It will also make it less appealing for foreign long haul carriers to fly direct to the UK.

customs.hmrc.gov.uk

5/26/2009 7:40:03 AM UTC    Comments 

Air Astana, the flag carrier of the Republic of Kazakhstan, is celebrating its seventh anniversary with plans to significantly expand its Central Asia network to include more cities in southern Russia and other neighbouring countries. The airline initiated this strategic programme with the recent launch of services from Almaty to Baku, capital of Azerbaijan, Bishkek, capital of Kyrgyzstan and Urumqi in western China. A fleet of new generation Embraer EM190 airliners have been selected to specifically operate on Air Astana’s expanding Central Asia network, with the first two leased aircraft scheduled for delivery in early 2011. Airbus A320 Family aircraft will operate these services in the interim.

“Over the past seven years, Air Astana has established itself as the industry leader in the CIS/ Central Asia region, with an outstanding reputation for providing safe, reliable and comfortable air services on both its domestic network and long-haul routes to major cities in Europe, Middle East and Asia,” said Peter Foster, President of Air Astana. After detailed market analysis, we have identified enormous opportunities to expand further over next five years with a new network of services to neighbouring countries operated by a fleet of low cost, high comfort, Embraer EM190 aircraft.”

Despite challenging conditions in 2008, Air Astana continued to achieve growth and profitability, with available seat kilometers up by 16% to 7.5 billion compared to 2007. Passengers carried increased by 8% to 2.3 million.  Almost 28,000 scheduled passenger flights were undertaken, with an average load factor of 64%. The fleet grew to 21 all western aircraft  (2 Boeing 767 /4 Boeing 757 /10 Airbus A320 Family / 5 Fokker 50) during the year and will increase further to 28 aircraft by 2013.
 
www.airastana.com

5/22/2009 12:31:29 PM UTC    Comments 

Since 25 February, Iberia is using the remodelled Terminal 3 at London-Heathrow for all its flights to and from the English capital, including those operated by British Airways to/from Madrid and Barcelona and Clickair flights to other Spanish cities.

The move means that eight members of the oneworld airline alliance now use the same Heathrow terminal, facilitating connections between them. Joining Iberia at the terminal are Qantas, Finnair, Royal Jordanian, Cathay, Japan Airlines, and American Airlines. Most British Airways flights continue to operate from Terminal 5

.

Iberia’s check-in counters are in zone F of the building terminal, where four auto check-in machines are available, along with an Iberia ticket sales office, and a service counter for customers and unaccompanied minors. Iberia’s business class passengers and holders of the Iberia Plus frequent flyers Gold or Platinum cards will have access to the terminal’s VIP lounge.

5/21/2009 6:11:36 AM UTC    Comments 

Air Namibia is to suspend its twice weekly service between Windhoek and Gatwick. The last departure outbound from Windhoek will be 28 May returning out of Gatwick 29 May. The airline stresses that the London direct route has only been suspended, until further notice. It will continue to operate five flights per week from its well-established primary European gateway at Frankfurt, offering good connections from the UK. From Namibia it serves other Southern Africa destinations including Cape Town and Johannesburg.

www.airnamibia.com

5/10/2009 4:29:12 PM UTC    Comments 

Continental Airlines has introduced a daily Heathrow - Cleveland summer only service. Flights will be by a two-class Boeing 757. The flights will be operated by Boeing 767-200ER aircraft, seating 25 passengers in the award-winning BusinessFirst cabin and 149 in economy.

www.continental.com

5/10/2009 4:27:27 PM UTC    Comments 

There have been three routes introduced from Stansted Airport recently. Making a popular return is Jersey, which has been added as a 'same plane' service to the daily Guernsey flight by Aurigny. The return leg is direct.

Also new is Bodrum, on Turkey's Aegean coastline, with a Monday only service flight operated by Pegasus Airlines. And lastly, Air Arabia Moroc arrives with the new airline's first ever scheduled flight inbound from Casablanca. The carrier is part of the Air Arabia Group and will use Airbus A320s.

www.stanstedairport.com

5/10/2009 4:21:49 PM UTC    Comments 

Virgin Trains has smartly refurbished and significantly extended its First Class lounge at Euston Station. Open seven days a week the facility can be used by anyone with a valid First Class ticket from Virgin or First ScotRail. With capacity for 140, the first floor lounge offers an environment catering for both business and leisure travellers.

www.virgintrains.co.uk

5/10/2009 4:18:54 PM UTC    Comments 

Hertz has sliced 15% off daily rental rates to the UK, Europe, US and Canada, in a special offer, which makes car rental even more affordable. The special deal applies only for Hertz vehicles booked before 30 June 2009, for a minimum five day rental between 1 June and 31 August 2009.

www.hertz.com

5/10/2009 4:10:12 PM UTC    Comments 

Austrian Airlines has expanded its route network into the Middle East to 15 with the launch of a three times a week service from Vienna to Amman. The capital of the Kingdom of Jordan is a highly popular destination for tourists and business travellers alike, and flights there will operate using an Airbus A320 equipped with Austrian Premium Service. Every amenity required to create a comfortable and relaxed travel experience will be provided in the Business Class section of the aircraft, giving passengers the opportunity to enjoy a unique mix of Austrian hospitality and Oriental flair.

www.aua.com/uk/eng

5/10/2009 4:08:03 PM UTC    Comments 

Eurostar has unveiled a new look and feel for the onboard branding of “Leisure Select” - its first class accommodation for leisure travellers. 

The rich and colourful imagery of the new branding re-defines the Leisure Select experience by using pictures of cultural hotspots - particularly cafes, bars and restaurants - in London, Paris and Brussels that have been selected as offering great value for money. 

Leisure Select offers style, quality and value, and includes a choice of meals and drinks served at seat.  All-inclusive fares start from just £119 return for a weekend day return, or from £149 return for a Saturday night away, with no airline-style extra charges.

Uniquely, Eurostar offers three classes of services on its trains, including two first class products: “Business Premier”, “Leisure Select” and  “Standard Class”.

www.eurostar.com

5/10/2009 9:17:09 AM UTC    Comments 

Air France, Cityjet and VLM Airlines are to operate twice a day during the week and once a day on weekends to Nantes. The 100-minute flights will be operated by VLM Airlines' Fokker 50 aircraft and will offer a choice of Business and Economy Class services.

Passengers using this service can check in at London City Airport just 15 minutes prior to departure (hand luggage only - 20 minutes with hold luggage).

 www.flyvlm.com

5/3/2009 11:40:19 AM UTC    Comments 

London City Airport is now available on your mobile phone with real time flight status information, travel and airport information. Just text LONDON to 60707 and you will be sent a text message enabling you to access the airport’s mobile site. Texts cost £1 per message.

www.londoncityairport.com

5/3/2009 11:37:53 AM UTC    Comments 

Regional airline Air Southwest has started its new double daily service from London City Airport to Plymouth in Devon and Newquay in Cornwall. With a travel time of just under one hour the flights are priced from £29. “These flights fit the busy working lives of our business customers and are ideal for London City customers looking to visit friends and family or make the most of a short break in Cornwall and Devon without the high costs of the Eurozone,” said Peter Davies, Southest MD. He said that more than 5000 seats had already been sold since the routes were announced just a few weeks ago. The services are being operated using Dash 8-300 aircraft.

www.airsouthwest.com

5/3/2009 11:36:03 AM UTC    Comments 

British Airways is offering 5,000 return flights worth up to £15 million to help UK small and medium-sized enterprises win new business abroad.

The airline has teamed up with UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) and British American Business (BAB) to help SMEs fight the recession.

Chief executive Willie Walsh said: “SMEs are the backbone of the British economy and they are hurting badly, with 120 of them closing every week.

“We’d love to see other British businesses pulling together in order to help the UK out of the recession. We’ve put up the flights to allow the SMEs to travel to do business and we’d be delighted if other companies would join us by offering services and skills that will bring real value and benefit.”

BA said it will also announce further plans to benefit British business and travellers throughout the next six months as part of its campaign to get Britain moving again.

British businesses wishing to join BA and offer help to SMEs, should email business.development@ba.com.

5/3/2009 11:16:22 AM UTC    Comments 

EL AL, the national airline of Israel, has introduced its Business Plus loyalty reward scheme to the UK market.  Particularly appealing to SME’s, EL AL’s Business Plus benefits both the company business travel budget and the employees, as it awards frequent flyer points to both for the same trip.  Business Plus is the most generous travel reward and incentive programme on the London to Tel Aviv route.

The company accumulates points from each flight, which can be redeemed to benefit the travel budget, with bonus tickets and upgrades to premium classes.  The account is easily managed online and companies can authorise their Travel Agent or Travel Management Company to manage their Business Plus account. 

The individual employee also earns points for every flight, in any class, between London and Tel Aviv and these are allocated to a personal MATMID account.  These points can be used for bonus flights and upgrades including personal leisure use. 

Uri Danor, EL AL’s CEO, UK, Ireland and Northern Europe said: “Having recently launched a programme for families (family Flyers Club) we have now introduced Business Plus for the business market. We know that this will encourage more companies to fly EL AL to Israel for business and by rewarding the employees as well as the companies we know it will stimulate the individuals to fly with us for leisure as well.

“This announcement comes at the same time as EL AL adding a third weekly frequency from London Luton Airport that will start in May. The third flight provides business (and leisure) travellers further opportunities to get to Israel. The new flights are timed to connect with onward services South Africa and Asia.”

To celebrate the launch of Business Plus EL AL is giving companies that register online two complimentary passes for the King David lounge at Heathrow.

Any UK & Ireland registered company is eligible to join the Business Plus scheme free of charge – registration is online at www.elal.co.uk

4/27/2009 2:04:41 PM UTC    Comments 

During a trial period (15 April and 1 July), SAS passengers can experience the increased simplicity of travelling with Scandinavian Airlines between any of the following seven airports: Copenhagen, Gothenburg, Helsinki, London Heathrow, Oslo, Stavanger and Stockholm.

The service will be available to all passengers with mobile internet (WAP). Once checked in via SMS or the SAS Mobile Portal, all that is needed is one click to confirm flight details and a Mobile Boarding Pass with a 2D bar code will be displayed. The Mobile Boarding Pass contains the flight number, seat number, departure and arrival time.

The 2D bar code can be used when registering luggage at the SAS Self Service Kiosks, as well as for security, Fast Track security and lounge access.

www.flysas.com

4/19/2009 4:24:20 PM UTC    Comments 

Air New Zealand is doubling the number of Pacific Premium Economy seats available on its Boeing 777-200 ER fleet from 18 to 36, with the first of eight aircraft re-entering service this week after being refitted in Auckland.

Air New Zealand are introducing more legroom with seat pitch increased to 41 inches (from 38 inches) and a new self-service bar area for customers travelling in premium cabins.

It is the third Pacific Premium Economy capacity increase in two years, with Air New Zealand twice increasing the number of seats available on its Boeing 747-400 aircraft, now up to 39 Pacific Premium Economy seats.

www.airnewzealand.co.uk

4/19/2009 4:18:49 PM UTC    Comments 

Etihad Airways is now offering its most frequent customers the opportunity to upgrade their seats at the airport before they fly.

Members of Etihad Guest, the Abu Dhabi-based airline’s loyalty programme, can now use their Etihad Guest miles to upgrade from economy class to business class at any airport on the Etihad global network before they fly. Etihad Guest Gold members can redeem miles to upgrade from business class to first class.

Etihad passengers can also secure an upgrade up to 48 hours before their flight by using the Etihad Guest Service Centre.

www.etihadairways.com

4/19/2009 4:15:07 PM UTC    Comments 

Star Alliance has unveiled the next phase of its move to Heathrow Terminal 1.

Terminal 2 carriers - Austrian, Croatia Airlines, Lufthansa, SWISS and TAP – will relocate to T1 this summer.

Terminal 1 will have a new common and Star Alliance branded check-in area and a separate security line located directly behind the check-in area, which will also feature Fast Track for top-tier customers.

Passengers travelling on Air New Zealand, Asiana Airlines, bmi, South African Airways, SWISS, United and US Airways will also benefit from the new layout of Terminal 1, with check-in and ticketing facilities for these carriers located in the redesigned main concourse.

Bmi will launch a new lounge product in June as it relocates its international lounge closer to its primary gates.

Once the next phase of the move is completed, the 21 Star Alliance member carriers serving Heathrow will be nearly evenly split between Terminals 1 and 3.

www.staralliance.com

4/11/2009 9:46:35 AM UTC    Comments 

Flybe has announced its new Dusseldorf service. The new route, effective 22nd June 2009, will operate three times a day weekdays, daily on Saturdays and twice daily on Sundays, providing passengers with a convenient and affordable service to this key German destination. The new business-friendly schedule to the capital of North Rhine-Westphalia strengthens Flybe’s commitment to growing its presence at Gatwick.

Lead in fares from £29.99 one way including taxes and airport charges are available through 17th April.

www.flybe.com

4/9/2009 9:30:17 AM UTC    Comments 

Lufthansa First and HON Circle passengers can now make use of the new Spa failities in the First Class Lounge in Concourse B at Frankfurt Airport. The spa’s extensive bathing area is equipped with six superior-quality shower rooms (two of them with jacuzzis), and - for the first time at a Lufthansa Lounge - two massage rooms. Here, guests can freshen up, unwind, recharge their batteries and also choose from a range of cosmetic treatments and massages.

A new addition to Lufthansa’s Lounge product is the limousine service for passengers whose flight is departing from Terminal areas A and C – or, in the case of flights to a non-Schengen or non-EU destination, from an apron position.

www.lufthansa.com

3/28/2009 1:15:43 PM UTC    Comments 

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has announced that its direct services between Islamabad and the UK’s Leeds- Bradford International Airport will increase from two to three times a week from 30 March.

The route, which was launched last year, has experienced high demand from the large Pakistani communities in Leeds, Bradford and the surrounding area.

www.piac.com.pk

3/28/2009 12:54:43 PM UTC    Comments 

Air France will introduce a new premium economy cabin called Premium Voyageur that will be phased in gradually on all long-haul flights operated by 777s, A340s and A330s.

Premium Voyageur will feature a new seat especially designed for AF and equipped with a fixed shell. Seats will be 48 cm. wide, have 97-cm. pitch and offer 123 degree back recline and the Seatback IFE includes a 26-cm.-wide video screen.

The new cabin comes with business class amenities such as a travel kit, a bottle of water, noise-reducing headphones, a feather pillow and new wool blankets. At the airport, Premium Voyageur passengers will have priority check-in desks, a 30kg baggage allowance and priority baggage delivery. The new class necessitates a seat capacity reduction. On average, an area with 40 economy seats will be converted to the Premium Voyageur cabin with 22 seats.

www.airfrance.co.uk

3/28/2009 11:31:44 AM UTC    Comments 

EL AL is pleased to announce the start of third frequency from London to Tel Aviv. The additional 6 times a week service will fly from London Luton Airport from Sunday 3 May* and is timed ideally for both business and leisure travellers. 

Uri Danor CEO, UK, Ireland and Northern Europe for EL AL said: “We are excited about our new venture and have had good co-operation from Luton to enable us bring this service to the market.

“The timings are good as our departures and arrivals will be at times when the airport is probably at its quietest enabling swift boarding and disembarkation. We will be using B767 aircraft offering both Business and Economy cabins with full meals and drinks services.”

Flights will depart London Luton from Sunday to Thursday at 12.15 in the afternoon and arrive at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport at 19.05. On Fridays they will depart London at 09.45 and arrive in Tel Aviv at 16.35. The return flight will leave Tel Aviv Sunday to Thursday at 07.30 arriving Luton 10.50. On Fridays the flight arrives at 08.15.

The new service means that EL AL will no longer be flying from London Stansted.

3/26/2009 8:11:10 AM UTC    Comments 

Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) has extended the sales period of the airline’s superb spring seat sale. Customers are now able to take advantage of generous discounts on 17 routes between the UK, Scandinavia and Finland, when booking before 22 March. Scandinavian destinations on offer include Oslo, Stavanger and Bergen in Norway; Stockholm and Gothenburg in Sweden; Copenhagen in Denmark and Helsinki in Finland.

The offer is valid for travel to Sweden and Norway between 15 April and 15 June. Book early for one-way fares from £56 including taxes.

www.flysas.co.uk 

3/16/2009 12:56:43 PM UTC    Comments 

Air Tahiti Nui, the national carrier for Tahiti & Her Islands has announced that it will consolidate flights to Tahiti via its Paris hub for the peak 2009 Summer season.

From June to September 2009, Air Tahiti Nui will operate up to seven flights per week from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport to Faa’a International Airport in Tahiti’s capital, Papeete via Los Angeles.

Following a review of the current services and economic conditions, the decision was taken to streamline the flights concentrating on the most popular route to Tahiti & Her Islands.

Connections with a single e-ticket from London Heathrow and Manchester Airports to and from Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport are now available via the airline’s pro rata agreement with Air France.  Existing fares from London Heathrow via Los Angeles remain the same.

For more information including a full list of routes and fares www.airtahitinui.com

3/16/2009 10:12:05 AM UTC    Comments 

Virgin Atlantic is temporarily suspending flights from London Heathrow to Mumbai from early May.

The airline said passenger numbers on the route have been falling for many months, even before the global economic slowdown. It said over capacity on the route meant other airlines are operating “irrationally” and servicing the route at a loss. The airline said it would reinstate the service when it is economically viable to do so.

The last flight will be VS350 on Saturday May 2 from London Heathrow and flight VS351 on Sunday May 3 from Mumbai.

Virgin will continue to operate its daily service between London Heathrow and Delhi and said it would explore flying to other Indian cities in future.

www.virginatlantic.com

3/15/2009 7:26:29 PM UTC    Comments 

UK regional airline Air Southwest is launching a new twice-daily service between London City Airport and Plymouth and Newquay airports from 20 April.

The new service will stop at Plymouth en-route to Newquay, allowing travellers from both Devon and Cornwall to benefit from the new connection to London City Airport, the capital’s most centrally located airport.

For passengers from the capital, the new route puts the far South West within easy reach for short breaks at a time when travellers are increasingly looking to holiday closer to home and avoid the high costs of euro zone breaks.

Fares on the new flights have been designed to make the new service better value than either rail or road travel, with seats starting at £29 each way including taxes, charges and baggage.

Business customers will be able to take advantage of Air Southwest’s Business Plus service, which offers a range of benefits including flexible booking and complimentary refreshments.

The new service will operate twice daily, Monday to Friday, and once a day at weekends.

www.airsouthwest.com

3/15/2009 7:08:55 PM UTC    Comments 

Reduced fares from seven UK airports to Norway and Sweden - One-way fares from £56 including taxes -

Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) has discounted fares on 17 routes between the UK and Scandinavia in its spring seat sale. Travellers can book from now until 15 March 2009 to take advantage of great deals. Sandinavian destinations on offer include Oslo, Stavanger and Bergen in Norway; Stockholm and Gothenburg in Sweden; Copenhagen in Denmark and Helsinki in Finland.

The offer is valid for travel to Sweden and Norway between 15 April and 15 June. Book early for one-way fares from £56 including taxes.

Commenting on the spring seat sale, SAS General Manager United Kingdom & Ireland, Lars-Ove Filipson said: “SAS is the leading airline group servicing Scandinavia from the UK, with more than twice as many direct flights than any other airline. Our outstanding spring sale fares are now available from seven major UK airports.  With SAS there are no hidden charges, unlike the low cost carriers, and with a further 25 per cent off the spring sales fares for children under 12 years, it’s time to go to Scandinavia.”

www.flysas.co.uk

3/9/2009 12:15:54 PM UTC    Comments 

EL AL, the national carrier of Israel, has increased discounts for children, students and senior citizens on return economy fares to Tel Aviv from the UK. EL AL is the only carrier from the UK to Israel to offer these types of discounts. The incremental discount will apply to certain fare types, with a maximum discount of 15% for Senior Citizens, up to 25% for Students and up to 40% for Children. These fares are valid for tickets issued on/before March 31 2009 when the discounts will revert to previous levels.

Fares to Tel Aviv from the UK start from £292 return. Tel Aviv is only a four and ½ hour flight from London and with current average daytime temperatures in the mid-20s you can bask on the beach, revel in the 24 hour nightlife, shop till you drop or simply enjoy a relaxing break of museum-hopping and café culture.

For more information visit www.elal.co.uk or call reservations on 020 7121 1500 or 0161 834 6553.

3/5/2009 5:08:18 PM UTC    Comments 

The ultimate in comfort for Lufthansa passengers at Frankfurt Airport

An oasis of calm and relaxation awaits Lufthansa First Class passengers and members of the HON Circle at the new First Class Lounge in Concourse B at Frankfurt Airport following the opening of an exclusive First Class Spa on the premises. The spa’s extensive bathing area is equipped with six superior-quality shower rooms (two of them with jacuzzis), and – for the first time at a Lufthansa Lounge – two massage rooms. Here, guests can freshen up, unwind, recharge their batteries and also choose from a range of cosmetic treatments and massages.

“Frequent flyers and business travellers are constantly on the go, and so time becomes a precious asset. Far removed from the hustle and bustle of the airport, we offer guests at the new First Class Lounge an opportunity to use the time in hand to relax in an exclusive atmosphere or to work,” says Lufthansa Hub Manager Dr. Karl-Rudolph Rupprecht.

3/5/2009 9:29:52 AM UTC    Comments 

Following the success of its Top Secret Hotels, online travel and leisure retailer lastminute.com has launched its brand new Top Secret Flights.

Customers booking Top Secret Flights can save up to a massive 22% on top of the current branded discounted fares. However customers will only find out the exact destination airport, the airline and timings once the booking has been paid for.

Top Secret Flights sell standard economy seats and the discounted fares are exclusive to lastminute.com and come from airlines’ distressed inventory.

www.lastminute.com  

2/22/2009 12:24:43 PM UTC    Comments 

Eurostar has announced a return to full capacity and timetabling, effective from February 23.

After the fire in a freight train last September, Eurostar drastically cut it services and passengers suffered severe delays while the tunnel's operator carried out repairs.

Up to 19 London-Paris services and 10 London-Brussels services per day will resume. A new direct Ashford-Brussels service, originally planned for December, will begin the same day.

www.eurostar.com

2/22/2009 11:18:15 AM UTC    Comments 

Oman Air has launched the first ever non-stop, daily flights from London Heathrow to Muscat. The flights took off on 15th January from Terminal 3, linking the busy British hub of London Heathrow and the undiscovered jewel in the crown of the Arabian gulf, Muscat.

The new and perfected daily flight times from Heathrow will also make life a lot easier for travelers, as times change from overnight flights which can often leave travelers feeling tired and out of sync with the local time, to much more accommodating flights.

Flight WY 911 will depart from Muscat International Airport at 1255 hours and arrive London Heathrow Airport Terminal 3 at 1740 hours local time. The return flight WY 912 will depart London Heathrow Airport Terminal 3 at 2130 hours and arrive at Muscat International Airport at 0900 hours the following morning.

1/29/2009 2:52:56 PM UTC    Comments 

Eurostar is to launch a direct service between Ashford International and Brussels from Monday 23 February 2009.

The new service will begin the same day that Eurostar restores faster and more frequent services through the Channel Tunnel, with up to 19 trains per day between London and Paris, and up to 10 per day between London and Brussels.

Richard Brown, Chief Executive, Eurostar said, “We’re delighted that the growth in passengers on the London – Brussels route since the opening of High Speed 1 has enabled us to reintroduce a direct link between Ashford International and Brussels, and we very much hope it will prove attractive to travellers.”

www.eurostar.com

1/21/2009 9:01:31 AM UTC    Comments 

Eurostar, the high-speed passenger train service linking UK with the Continent, has announced that its lead-in fare of just £59 return will remain the same in 2009 – and has now gone unchanged since March 2003.

The highly competitive £59 return fare is available up to four months in advance of the date of travel and there are no surcharges or taxes. It is valid to Paris, Disneyland Resort Paris, Brussels and any station in Belgium.

Eurostar also offers good value fares from 150 towns and cities across the UK in conjunction with domestic train operators, with return tickets from just £71 from Brighton and from £92 from Edinburgh.

www.eurostar.com

1/4/2009 12:44:00 PM UTC    Comments 

Enjoy daily flights from London to Amman with Royal Jordanian Airlines and take advantage of fares from £410 including taxes when you book by the 15th November 2008 (travel period 02/12/08 - 31/12/08)

www.rj.com

11/4/2008 9:47:20 AM UTC    Comments 

Berlin’s Tempelhof airport finally closes its departure gates today after 81 years. The German capital’s hub, once the world’s largest airport, has become a monument to Germany’s history, having been expanded under Hitler, and being central to the 1948 Berlin airlift. Passenger numbers at Tempelhof fell to just 350,000 last year, and was reported to be running at significant losses. The airport has been featured in several films, including the 1966 espionage thriller, “Funeral in Berlin” starring Michael Caine.

11/3/2008 8:33:53 AM UTC    Comments 

Virgin Atlantic has launched a second service between London Heathrow and Hong Kong and will take it daily from December 4.

The new service will operate three times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and then operate daily from December 4.

www.virgin-atlantic.com

11/2/2008 5:37:51 PM UTC    Comments 

Easyjet is to start flights in January between Gatwick and Copenhagen. This follows the collapse of Scandinavian carrier Sterling Airways.  The UK budget airline is to run a daily service starting on January 15, with tickets going on sale on November 15. Frequency is likely to be raised for next summer.

The new route will mean that Easyjet will serve the Danish capital from both Gatwick and Stansted where three flights a day are operated.


The airline also starts a Gatwick-Helsinki service on November 3.

www.easyjet.com

11/2/2008 5:35:09 PM UTC    Comments 

The German carrier, which already owned 30% of the airline, is buying the 50.1% share owned by the UK airline's founder Sir Michael Bishop.

Lufthansa signed an agreement with Sir Michael in 1999, which said that if he ever wanted to sell his stake, it would make the purchase.

Analysts now expect Lufthansa to make a bid for the remaining 20%, currently owned by SAS.

Bmi controls 11% of landing and take-off slots at London Heathrow, making it the second largest airline operating out of the airport behind British Airways.

If concluded, the deal would open the door for Lufthansa to start transatlantic flights from Heathrow.

www.lufthansa.com

11/2/2008 5:30:36 PM UTC    Comments 

Austrian introduces Amman from May 2009 building its position as a major carrier to the Middle East with a total of fourteen destinations. The new service will feature the recently launched Premium Service Business Class.

The Austrian Airlines Group continues to expand its route network into the Middle East adding Amman, capital of the Kingdom of Jordan, from 6 May 2009. Services will operate four times a week using an Airbus A320 featuring the Austrian Premium Service Business Class; passengers can enjoy the unique mix of Austrian hospitality and Middle Eastern luxury.

www.austrian.com

10/26/2008 8:56:59 PM UTC    Comments 

Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, has signed a new five-year deal with the Formula One extending the existing sponsorship of the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix.

Gulf Air has been the title sponsor of the Bahrain Grand Prix since it made history in April 2004 as the first Formula One Grand Prix to be held in the Middle East at the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC). The next race in Bahrain will be in April for the 2009.

www.gulfair.com

10/21/2008 9:13:52 AM UTC    Comments 

Oman Air is to launch an additional flight between Muscat and London Gatwick, which will operate every Sunday from 26 October 2008. The additional frequency will bring the number of flights per week to seven, fulfilling the airline’s ambition to operate a daily service.

Operated with an Airbus A310 aircraft, Oman Air offers both a Business Class and Economy Class service.

Oman Air currently operates a fleet of 2 Airbus A310 aircraft, 10 Boeing 737 aircraft and 4 ATR 42 aircraft to 27 destinations worldwide.

www.omanair.aero

10/21/2008 8:55:36 AM UTC    Comments 

Will it be Kingjet or Jetfisher in the future? Who knows but for now Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines, India's two largest private carriers, have announced the formation of an "alliance" that will include code sharing on both domestic and international flights and a wide-ranging pooling of resources.

Each airline is losing money as they contend with rising costs and overcapacity in the Indian market and see cooperation as a way to lower costs and increase efficiency.

The carriers insisted they are not planning to merge.

The two, which collectively control nearly 60% of the domestic Indian market, have agreed to cross-sell tickets, share crews on similar aircraft types and combine ground handling and fuel management operations. Passengers will be able to earn and use frequent-flier miles across both carriers.

The Federation of Indian Airlines, of which both Jet and Kingfisher are members, in recent days asked for a $1 billion bailout from the government to help carriers manage the financial crisis. FIA predicts collective losses of more than $2 billion for India's airlines this year.

www.jetairways.com www.flykingfisher.com

10/14/2008 9:15:55 AM UTC    Comments 

Brazilian carrier TAM Airlines will join the Star Alliance filling a space in the allliance’s network created by the collapse of Varig. Varig withdrew from the alliance on 31 Jan 07 leaving Star’s rival oneworld as the only major alliance with a South American member, LAN Airlines. TAM operates 116 aircraft to 42 domestic and 16 international destinations and already has code share agreements with Star members Air Canada, Lufthansa, TAP Portugal and United Airlines. The integration process is expected to take up to 18 months after which the Star Alliance network will expand to more than 1000 destinations in 170 countries. Star ceo Jaan Albrecht said adding TAM would “make us the leading alliance in terms of capacity offered within Brazil and Latin America.”

10/12/2008 1:20:35 PM UTC    Comments 

Turkey’s largest private airline, Pegasus Airlines, has just launched a 5th flight on London Stansted – Istanbul/North Cyprus route: Prices from just £40 one-way inc. taxes & charges.

Pegasus Airlines is delighted to announce the launch of a fifth-weekly flight (Friday) on its London (Stansted) – Istanbul (Sabiha Gökçen) / North Cyprus (Ercan) route, effective 1 October 2008. Friday flights will depart London Stansted daily at 13.15, arriving in Istanbul at 18.50.  The return leg departs Istanbul 10.40, arriving at London Stansted at 12.25 (local times apply).

“By investing in London and increasing the frequency this route, we are able to offer our valued customers greater choice and flexibility than ever before,” said Ali Sabanci, the airline’s Chairman, “appealing to holiday makers and business travellers alike, especially with the wide availability of quick and easy connecting flights from our Istanbul hub to 16 destinations around Turkey and North Cyprus”.

Indeed, with 16 connecting routes across Turkey and North Cyprus, Pegasus brings all your favourite holiday destinations within easy reach – and, being outside the Euro-zone, Turkey offers fantastic value and variety - from Bodrum and Izmir on the Aegean and the wonders of Cappadocia near Kayseri, to Dalaman and Antalya on the Turkish Riviera – and North Cyprus in just over an hour.

Prices start from £40 one-way including taxes and charges. Established in 1990, Pegasus Airlines prides itself on providing low-cost yet comfortable flights, with a strong emphasis on service.  Ali Sabanci, Chairman of Pegasus Airlines has declared that "Europe is an important market for us, with annual growth projected at approximately 20 percent.”

www.flypgs.com/en,

10/10/2008 11:11:00 AM UTC    Comments 

From 26 October, Gulf Air, the Kingdom of Bahrain’s national airline, will offer passengers travelling from London to the luxury holiday destination Oman even better connections via its hub in Bahrain.

The airline will operate a two times daily service from London Heathrow to Muscat with no longer than a 60 minute stopover at its hub in Bahrain. The new schedule will include an overnight service, which arrives in Muscat at 0915hrs in the morning allowing passengers to check-in to their hotel and have the whole day ahead to discover the charms of Oman.

James Harrison, General Manager UK and Ireland, Gulf Air said:
“We are delighted to be able to now offer our passengers this improved connectivity to Oman. Oman is becoming even more popular for long weekends and short breaks. Our new schedule gives them the chance to enjoy our renowned service and hospitality and the choice of night flights in both directions to maximize their stay and enjoy the stunning beaches, diverse landscapes and wonderful sea life that Oman has to offer.”

Economy Class fares start from £338* including all taxes and charges. Business Class fares start from £1188* including all taxes and charges. These introductory prices are available from now until 31 October 2008.

www.gulfair.com/uk

10/7/2008 9:32:30 AM UTC    Comments 

National Express Dot2Dot is cutting its prices during October by 20%, making the door-to-door executive class airport shuttle service less expensive than the Heathrow Express.

The 20% price cut will be valid on all bookings made in October for travel until 24th December 2008. Under the new pricing, a one way ticket between central London to Heathrow will cost from just £16, compared with £16.50 for the Heathrow Express standard class.

The price offer coincides with the launch of free WiFi across Dot2Dot’s new fleet, making it the only service to offer free WiFi between central London and Heathrow.

The price cuts will mean that even more travellers will now be able to experience Dot2Dot’s door-to-door service; each shuttle boasts air conditioning, leather seats through out, table-seating configurations with free Wifi across the new fleet and the same legroom as British Airways first class.

Dot2Dot also offers services between Heathrow and London’s Kings Cross and Liverpool Street stations, making the journey across London to Heathrow more reliable, comfortable and affordable for travellers using the National Express East Coast and East Anglia train lines.

www.dot2.com

10/1/2008 9:28:13 AM UTC    Comments 

Delta Air Lines is to offer its Shuttle customers the option of traveling in First or Economy class beginning 1 December 2008 as the airline reconfigures its MD-88 Shuttle fleet to offer two classes of service. In the new configuration, Delta Shuttle will offer 14 seats in First Class and 128 seats in Economy with the airline’s open-seating policy remaining in place for each class of service.

SkyMiles Medallion members will be eligible for complimentary upgrades on Delta Shuttle flights; First Class seats also will be available for sale via normal ticketing channels.

www.delta.com

9/30/2008 9:37:57 AM UTC    Comments 

Air New Zealand is to double the number of available Pacific Premium Economy seats on its fleet of eight Boeing 777-200ER aircraft in line with growing demand.

Expected to be reconfigured by June 2009, each aircraft will have an additional 18 Pacific Premium Economy seats added taking the total available to 36.

It is the third Premium Economy capacity increase in two years, with Air New Zealand twice increasing the number of seats available on its Boeing 747-400 aircraft, now up to 39 Pacific Premium Economy seats.

Pacific Premium Economy seating is situated in its own dedicated cabin on the 777 and, when the additional seats are installed, will feature 41 inch seat pitch, nine inches of seat recline and business class style food and beverage service and amenities.

"Pacific Premium Economy is a particularly popular class of travel on our Auckland - London services and with our decision to operate the 777 on the Auckland-Los Angeles-London route from later this month we need to boost capacity on this aircraft to meet demand," said Air New Zealand Group General Manager International Airline Mr Ed Sims .

www.airnewzealand.co.uk

9/30/2008 9:32:00 AM UTC    Comments 

EL AL Airlines, the national carrier of Israel's has confirmed its collaboration with the Israel Cancer Association (ICA) in the fight against cancer. During September-October 2008 on all EL AL flights to Israel and across all of EL AL's international routes, passengers will be able to buy limited edition, signed prints by famous Israeli artists. Each print will cost $180 (less than half the normal market price). Every dollar raised will be donated to cancer research and for the care of Israeli cancer patients. All original works of art can be viewed by passengers in the EL AL web site and some of them are presented at the EL AL King David Lounge at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv.

www.elal.co.uk

9/29/2008 12:49:59 PM UTC    Comments 

AirAsia is adding four additional daily direct flights between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. These additional services will commence on 1 December, and take AirAsia’s total daily services on the route to six. Tony Fernandes, AirAsia’s CEO, said: “We are building the world’s biggest hub. These additional flights further demonstrate our commitment to making air-travel convenient and affordable for everyone.”

www.airasia.com

9/29/2008 12:35:43 PM UTC    Comments 

Tim Clark, the president of Emirates, has declared his support of plans for a new airport in the Thames estuary so that Britain can compete with foreign rivals threatening to eclipse Heathrow. Mr Clark said building the new international hub at sea would enable both Heathrow and Gatwick to close, providing land for development and bringing environmental benefits across southeast England.

9/29/2008 12:31:44 PM UTC    Comments 

Emirates Airline has launched a new offer in partnership with the Atlantis, a luxury resort and water park recently opened on Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah.

Passengers flying Emirates Airline’s First Class or Business Class to or via Dubai over the coming months will receive a complimentary stay in this special hotel and enjoy its incredible world of aquatic wonders. The offer includes unlimited access during their stay at Atlantis to the amazing water playground Aquaventure, featuring thrilling water rides as well as The Lost Chambers, a maze of underground tunnels offering fascinating underwater views.

Passengers flying Emirates Business Class to or via Dubai during the offer period will enjoy a complimentary one-night stay at Atlantis, while eligible Emirates First Class passengers will enjoy not one, but two nights’ complimentary stay.

This unprecedented opportunity is offered to customers on a bed and breakfast basis, based on single or double room occupancy and is valid for new bookings made on qualifying Emirates flights between 4th October and 24th December 2008, excluding 18th November – 23rd November 2008 inclusive. The accommodation must be pre-booked via Emirates and confirmed before arrival in Dubai. Terms and conditions apply.

www.emirates.com

9/28/2008 10:28:59 AM UTC    Comments 

Following the success of Virgin’s Upper Class Wing and private security channel at Heathrow Terminal 3, the airline has introduced a new 40-minute minimum check in time for its Upper Class passengers offering them the fastest journey through an airport in the UK – quicker than T5.

This means Virgin Atlantic’s Upper Class passengers can now arrive at the airport and check in 40 minutes before the flight departs, pass through the airline’s private security corridor and go straight to the gate in time for their flight.

To make the airport experience even more seamless for its passengers Virgin Atlantic has launched a brand new interactive T3 microsite which offers comprehensive information, virtual tours and check in demos for all passengers who are travelling in and out of its facilities at Heathrow.

www.virginatlantic-t3.com  

9/26/2008 7:56:59 AM UTC    Comments 

The US Department of Homeland Security has unveiled new ‘Future Attribute Screening Technology’ which it claims could be used to spot terrorists. The ‘physiological screener’ scans passengers as they walk past, measuring pulse, body temperature, breathing rate and other indicators which the DHS said could show anxiety.

“We’re picking up things with sensors that can’t necessarily be detected by the human eye,” said a spokesman, who added that it would probably be some years before the system is ready to be used at airports.

9/26/2008 7:47:17 AM UTC    Comments 

Dubai-based airline Emirates is reducing fares by up to 20 per cent on routes from six UK departure points to Australasia, China, Europe, the Far East, the Middle East, Indian Ocean, Indian Subcontinent and South Africa.

www.emirates.com

9/26/2008 7:41:35 AM UTC    Comments 

Nine airlines have joined forces with Boeing and biofuel specialist Universal Oil Products to accelerate the development of sustainable aviation fuels. The Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group, which includes Air France, Air New Zealand, All Nippon Airways, Cargolux, Gulf Air, Japan Airlines, KLM, SAS and Virgin Atlantic, has drawn up a charter aimed at the development, certification and use of biofuels in conditions ‘respectful of the environment and of economic and social development’.

9/26/2008 7:38:59 AM UTC    Comments 

Ryanair considers setting up a transatlantic off-shoot.
The Irish budget carrier believes the turmoil in the sector which has led to multiple airline casualties following soaring fuel prices strengthens its hand in winning European approval in its bid for Aer Lingus. If successful, Ryanair would use some of the 15 long haul aircraft the Irish flag carrier has on order for the new low cost transatlantic service, telegraph.co.uk reported.

The new arm is also to negotiate with leasing companies about the potential for acquiring new generation Boeing 787 Dreamliners.

Routes to New York from Stansted, Prestwick and Birmingham have been identified as part of the plans. The strategy was described as being at an advanced stage, although it could take a few years before the new carrier takes off.

Ryanair first raised the prospect of running low fare flights across the North Atlantic more than a year ago.

www.ryanair.com

9/26/2008 7:36:27 AM UTC    Comments 

British Airways is increasing the frequency of services from London City airport to both Glasgow and Frankfurt from this October. The airline will also start services from the Docklands-based airport to both Geneva and Lyon for the winter from 15 December.

Glasgow services will increase to five daily with the introduction of a 06:50 departure from London City and a return service from Glasgow at 20:10. Frankfurt services will increase from three to four flights a day.

Luke Hayhoe, commercial manager with BA subsidiary CityFlyer, said: “We have responded to our business customers and introduced additional flights on key business routes. Passengers flying to Glasgow particularly will now be able to spend a full business day in the city and return home at night.”

The schedule increases at London City follow a reduction in services from Gatwick and Heathrow to Glasgow and Frankfurt revealed when the airline's winter schedule was announced last month.

www.ba.com

9/21/2008 4:33:01 PM UTC    Comments 

With airline fuel prices on the slide Air Canada has acted quickly, dropping its fee of CAD$25 that was introduced earlier this year for a second piece of luggage.

9/19/2008 7:59:46 AM UTC    Comments 

TAP Portugal will increase its services to Oslo, launching two more flights per week between Lisbon and the capital of Norway, where it currently operates 1 daily flight.

The two new frequencies will begin in early January 2009 and will operate on Fridays and Saturdays, departing Lisbon at 23:25 and arriving in Oslo at 04:25 (flight TP508).  From the Norwegian capital, flights will depart on Saturdays and Sundays at 05:10 and arrive in Lisbon at 08:20 (flight TP509).

In the first half of 2008, TAP carried a total of 32,549 customers between Portugal and Norway, which represents a growth of 28 percent compared with same period last year.

www.flytap.com

9/18/2008 2:54:59 PM UTC    Comments 

Ukraine International Airlines has increased frequency on its popular non-stop service between London Gatwick and Kiev to 10 times per week. Afternoon departure times from Gatwick South Terminal have been secured to offer passengers maximum travel flexibility and same-day connections to most major Ukraine cities, including Simferopol and Lviv.

www.fly-uia.co.uk  

9/18/2008 7:40:49 AM UTC    Comments 

International passengers traveling to mainland China on SkyTeam partner airlines can now take advantage of discounted flight coupons on China Southern Airlines to explore up to nine cities of their choice. The China Pass is an excellent option for business and leisure travellers looking to make the most out of their trip to China.

Customers can purchase three-to-nine discounted flight coupons for travel within China in conjunction with an international round-trip ticket to China on any SkyTeam partner. While all flights will be operated by China Southern, passengers can book the China Pass through any of the 11 SkyTeam members and the three Associates. There is no minimum requirement on length of stay and rerouting is allowed after first flight.

The China Pass offers a discount of approximately 40% in high season and 45% in low season. For example, a three city, low season itinerary on the SkyTeam China Pass can cost US$ 330 versus the conventional fare of US$ 600.

The China Pass is an addition to the SkyTeam fare pass offerings, including the America Pass, the Europe Pass, the Asia Pass and the Round-the-World product.

www.skyteam.com

9/17/2008 7:38:33 AM UTC    Comments 

From 26 October 2008 SWISS will begin operating its thrice-daily service between Manchester and Zurich with an Airbus A319, replacing the route’s current 100-seater Fokker operation. The A319s are 124-seater aircraft, representing a 24 per cent increase in seats on this route.

www.swiss.com/uk

9/14/2008 8:45:09 AM UTC    Comments 

Among the many anniversaries this year 2008 celebrates 100 years of cross channel car ferrying.

In 1908 the SS Onward, owned by South Eastern and Chatham Railways, carried the first car across the Dover Straits. The cars had to be hoisted aboard by crane.

Rumour has it that some owners took their cars abroad to escape the Motor Car Act which only allowed driver to travel at 20 miles an hour!!

9/14/2008 8:32:03 AM UTC    Comments 

Continental Airlines will launch a third daily non-stop flight between Heathrow and Newark Liberty International on October 26.

Subject to government and slot approval, Continental will on the same date discontinue flights from Gatwick Airport to both New York and Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

From Heathrow, Continental will continue to operate two daily flights to Houston in addition to three daily flights to New York Liberty.

“Our focus on Heathrow is a response to the changing realities of the marketplace,” said Jim Compton, Continental’s executive vice president marketing.

“Our customers have shown a clear preference for Heathrow, and our main competitors have focused their operations there. We regret the need to end year-round operations at Gatwick, but it is imperative that we remain competitive and continue to meet the needs of our customers.”

Continental’s Heathrow flights will go from Terminal 4 and will be operated using three aircraft types: the 285-seat Boeing 777-200, the 174-seat Boeing 767-200ER, and the 175-seat Boeing 757-200.

Continental will continue to operate non-stop services to New York Liberty from Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Manchester, as well as Dublin and Shannon.

In addition, Continental and Virgin Atlantic codeshare on several Virgin-operated flights from Heathrow and Gatwick.

9/10/2008 11:16:23 AM UTC    Comments 

The new Royal Jordanian Crown Class lounge at Queen Alia International Airport has opened. The lounge represents a qualitative leap toward improving air and ground services; through inaugurating it, RJ, the oneworld carrier, brings its development projects in line with the government's plan to develop the air transport industry and modernize QAIA, the main gateway for Jordan visitors.

The lounge to be used by RJ and oneworld frequent flyers is designed to accommodate 340 passengers; it comprises a meeting room, a business centre equipped with the latest computers to enable passengers to use internet communication and email services. It also has a library, an isolated room for relaxing, hotel-like bedrooms, showers, play and entertainment areas for children and adults. Additionally, there are areas for praying. The passengers can also buy what they need from the duty free shop from the comfort of the lounge.

www.rj.com

9/8/2008 7:30:28 AM UTC    Comments 

Lufthansa has expanded the services it offers to customers flying to Brazil by launching code share flights in partnership with the Brazilian carrier TAM.

Lufthansa and TAM passengers can book any of the flights operated jointly by either carrier between Frankfurt or Munich and São Paulo. Customers have a choice of 21 code share flights per week between Germany and Brazil.

In addition, both carriers will offer connecting flights to their respective domestic destinations on a code share basis.

www.lufthansa.com

8/22/2008 8:03:51 AM UTC    Comments 

Facial recognition scanners are being tested at Manchester Airport as part of government efforts to improve security and reduce congestion. The system, which works by scanning passengers' faces and comparing them to the photographs digitally stored on their biometric passports, could be installed in airports across the country if the trials are successful.

8/20/2008 7:41:25 AM UTC    Comments 

Shannon Airport will be the re-fuelling stop for British Airways’ planned business-class only flights from London City to New York.

During the stop at the west Ireland airport, customers will benefit from a special arrangement that will allow them to complete USA arrivals checks, meaning they will by-pass the normal arrivals checks when they land in New York and speed straight through the airport.

The airline announced in January plans to launch twice-daily business class flights between London City and New York. It is expected the new service will launch in autumn 2009.

Eastbound flights will be non-stop.

Flights will be operated by Airbus 318 aircraft, the largest aircraft that can take-off and land at London City airport. The service – the only long haul flights to and from London City - will offer a one-cabin business class product with 32 seats. Customers will enjoy a specially designed personal onboard service that will include a flat bed and a dining service similar to that of British Airways’ Club World business class.

On the ground, customers will be able to arrive at the airport up to 15 minutes before departure. This combined with the ability to by-pass the usual arrivals checks in New York makes it the most convenient way for people travelling between the heart of the City of London and New York City.

Robert Boyle, British Airways commercial director, said: “Our planned business-class only service will be the most convenient way to travel between London and New York for those people based in or travelling to the heart of London. Many city workers will be able to get from desk to aircraft in as little as 30 minutes. This combined with Shannon airport’s ability to complete USA arrival checks during the planned refuelling stop will ensure customers can make the most of their time and travel desk to desk in the quickest time possible.

“Combined with our 10 flights per day service between Heathrow and New York and our new daily service from Gatwick, it means that British Airways customers will have the biggest choice of flights between the world’s two biggest business capitals.”

www.ba.com

8/20/2008 7:37:48 AM UTC    Comments 

For the 3rd time in 10 years, Singapore Airlines has been named World's Best Airline, winning the 2008 Airline of the Year title in the latest Skytrax World Airline Awards.

According to Skytrax, over 15 million eligible survey interviews were completed during the 11 month survey period. From Seoul to Sao Paulo, Copenhagen to Cape Town, the scale and breadth of the 2008 survey strengthens Skytrax's reputation as one of the world's largest passenger surveys.

Singapore Airlines also collected the award for Best Business Class in a very competitive section of the survey.

Cathay Pacific took 2nd place overall in the 2008 Awards (up from 3rd in 2007), and picked up the award for World's best First Class thanks to its new onboard 1st Class product and service concept.

Qantas ranked 3rd worldwide (5th in 2007) and won the award for the Best First Class Lounge - achieved in a period where the airline has seen competition ramped up both in its domestic and regional market.

Asiana Airlines was one of the biggest improvers across the 2008 results, ranked 5th worldwide (up from 12th in 2007), as well as taking the sought-after World's Best Cabin Staff Award and also collecting the Award for Best Economy Class.

Qatar Airways is another 5-Star airline achieving a top-10 ranking (placed 7th worldwide), and collecting the award for Best Airline and Best Cabin Staff for the Middle East region, as well as the Best Business Class Catering category.

Air New Zealand ranked 8th worldwide (7th in 2007), and also collects the 2008 Award for Best Airline Transpacific, ahead of Qantas in that category.

Emirates maintained the same ranking as last year, placed 9th worldwide. The Dubai-based airline picked up the award for Best Airline Inflight Entertainment for the 4th year in succession,  ahead of Singapore Airlines in 2nd. 

A new entrant to the world's Top-10 airlines is Abu Dhabi based Etihad Airways, securing 10th position in the 2008 Awards.

A repeat win was achieved by Virgin Atlantic in being named winner of the Best Business Class Lounge Award, having secured the title in 2007 for their Clubhouse facility at London Heathrow Airport.

Cathay Pacific won the Best First Class Onboard Catering Award.

In the year that Austrian Airlines celebrates it's 50th anniversary, the airline has another honour to mark the achievement, winning the award for Best Business Class Onboard Catering for the second year running. Qantas was named winner of the Best Economy Class Onboard Catering Award, based on their longer haul, international operations.

8/18/2008 8:05:02 AM UTC    Comments 

Turkish Airlines will fly from Birmingham International Airport to Istanbul from December 15, 2008 using a Boeing 737-800.

The Turkish flag carrier, which is a member of Star Alliance, will operate five flights a week (no Wed or Sat) to Istanbul with a flying time of four hours.

Prices start from £180.00 return.

www.thy.com

8/18/2008 7:49:00 AM UTC    Comments 

Air France will operate a new timetable from London City Airport from September 8, 2008.

Edinburgh will have 20 per cent more seats with the introduction of two more Avro RJ85 jets, which will replace the smaller Dornier 328 turbo-prop aircraft. The Dornier will fly on one of the seven daily flights only. Geneva will get a fifth flight added to the existing route from September 15. 

To Paris’s Orly airport Air France flights will be reduced from six to five times a day.  Strasbourg will also be reduced – from three to two flights a day, to allow for the increased Geneva and Edinburgh routes. 

Other routes Air France says it will suspend flights to Zurich with the last service set to run on September 7. Air France says this service is being cut so that it can “optimise other routes on its network.” Both British Airways and Swiss currently ply the route from City.

Smaller changes to the timetable will also be made from September 8 on the routes to Paris CDG, Dublin, Geneva and Nice.

Air France flies to 10 destinations from London City Airport. These are: Dublin, Dundee, Edinburgh, Eindhoven, Geneva, Nice, Paris Orly, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Strasbourg and Zurich. The airline also flies from Heathrow.

www.airfrance.co.uk

8/18/2008 7:43:03 AM UTC    Comments 

Finished your book, ran out of sweets and bored of your mate’s chit-chat? Well, fear not because Iceland Express has broken new ground by becoming the first budget airline to launch an in-flight entertainment system that will keep both adults and children amused for the entire journey.

The Bluebox lite unit or “Airplay” allows customers to watch movies, TV shows, listen to music and play computer games while in the air.  Plugging in USB headsets, travellers aboard the London Stansted to Reykjavik flight can watch their favourite show or sing along to their favourite band using the handheld device.

www.icelandexpress.com

8/14/2008 3:59:20 PM UTC    Comments 

For the second year running, Virgin Atlantic has won the Best Business Class Lounge Award in the SkyTrax World Airline Awards 2008, for its flagship Clubhouse at Heathrow Airport.

The World Airline Awards are based on the annual World Airline Survey by Skytrax and are recognised around the world. The awards are renowned for being the only truly global independent passenger survey of airline standards. Virgin Atlantic beat off BA’s new T5 lounge, Cathay Pacific’s Hong Kong Business Class lounge and Qatar Airways’ Business Class lounge to win the prestigious award.

www.virginatlantic.com

8/14/2008 7:58:30 AM UTC    Comments 

Car Hire 8, a revolutionary new online car hire service, launched in the UK this weekend. Their site provides car hire reservations from the leading brands like Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar Rent a Car and Europcar.

What makes it different from other car rental brokers is that you choose which brand you want but benefit from Car Hire 8’s great prices. Available in 125 countries at 17,000 locations worldwide.

To celebrate the launch, consumers can receive 10 percent off on car hire anywhere in the world throughout the month of August by using promotional code 10OFFCH8 upon booking.

www.carhire8.co.uk

8/10/2008 11:46:36 AM UTC    Comments 

Don’t miss Turkey’s fastest growing airline’s one-way prices starting from 66 Euros (£52) on international routes and 41 New Turkish Lira (YTL) (£18)* on domestic routes.

Pegasus Airlines launches its winter flight schedule with tickets onsale today.  Valid from 26th October 2008, the new schedule boasts unbeatable one-way prices starting at 66 Euros (£52) on international routes and 41 YTL (£18) on domestic routes*, available until 29th March 2009. 

Pegasus Airlines’ winter schedule tickets go on sale today, 6th August 2008, with one-way prices starting at 66 euros* (£52) on international routes.  Pegasus Airlines operates flights between Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir in Turkey to Amsterdam, Dusseldorf, Copenhagen, Cologne, London, Lefkosa, Munich, Stuttgart and Zurich.

Domestic flights prices start at 41YTL* (£18), making it the cheapest and easiest way to get to your favourite holiday destination in Turkey.  Pegasus Airlines flies to Adana, Ankara, Antalya, Bodrum, Diyarbakır, Erzurum, Gaziantep, İstanbul, İzmir, Kayseri, Malatya, Mardin, Samsun, Trabzon and Van.

www.flypgs.com/en,

8/7/2008 11:09:57 AM UTC    Comments 

Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, home of EL AL Israel Airlines, has been voted number one airport in the Middle East in a customer satisfaction survey.

The World Airport Survey is conducted by UK-based aviation research organisation, Skytrax, with more than 8.2 million questionnaires completed by passengers across the world, during the 10 month survey period.

Passenger interviews include a detailed appraisal for more than 40 categories of product and service quality from check-in to departure, from arrivals to baggage collection - including terminal cleanliness, staff efficiency, staff courtesy, terminal signage, security processing, immigration and customers, walking distances, as well as features like shopping, dining options, internet services.

www.airlinequality.com

8/4/2008 2:59:20 AM UTC    Comments 

Continental Airlines has announced that its lie-flat seat for the BusinessFirst cabin on its Boeing 777 trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific routes are due to appear in the winter of 2009.

www.continentalairlines.com

8/2/2008 7:30:56 AM UTC    Comments 

Hong Kong Express Airways has launched a new four times a week direct service to Seoul, Korea. Earlier this year the airline also launched new routes to Japan and daily services to Shanghai and Beijing.

Hong Kong Express will continue to expand with the launch of more new routes, including Manila, Philippines and Osaka, Tokyo in September.

www.hongkongexpress.com

8/2/2008 7:00:22 AM UTC    Comments 

U.S. News argues that air travel keeps getting more stressful and reports that in 2007 US airlines turned in their second-worst on-time performance ever, with just 73.4 percent of flights arriving on time. It also says planes have never been more crowded, with an average load factor of 80.5 percent.

To gauge where the pain is deepest, U.S. News crunched US government figures to develop an Airport Misery Index: a ranking that shows which of the 47 busiest US airports have the best and worst combination of delayed flights and crowded planes.
With 33.5% of flights delayed and an 83% load factor, for an overall “misery” ranking of 47, America’s most miserable airport - according to U.S. News - is Chicago, O’Hare. O’Hare was closely followed in the misery stakes by Newark, San Francisco, Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami and Las Vegas. Rounding out the top ten were Charlotte, JFK, Atlanta and Seattle.

The least miserable of the 47 airports polled was San Jose where only 16.8% of flights were delayed and the load factor was 77.3%. The next five best were Memphis, Kansas City, New Orleans, Santa Ana and Oakland.

7/4/2008 11:14:52 AM UTC    Comments 

EL AL, the national carrier of Israel, is offering a huge saving of £1100 on it’s first class companion return fare this July and August, making it just £2,400 for two people!

EL AL’s First Class experience begins with a return limousine transfer to the airport both in the UK and Israel. At the airport, First Class passengers can access EL AL’s King David Lounge, the perfect place to freshen up before a flight. Once on board passengers get to experience full flat seats with 100” pitch; a varied menu created by promising young Israeli chefs, with a choice of award winning Israeli wines; and personal VOD entertainment.

To book this deal, please call 020 7121 1400 or see your travel agent.

*  Subject to availability; valid from 1st July – 31st August; 2-week advance booking restriction; max stay 21 days; min stay 3 nights.

6/23/2008 10:57:32 AM UTC    Comments 

Japan Airlines are now offering twice-daily code share flights operated by British Airways (BA) between Manchester and London Heathrow.

The expanded code share agreement adds Manchester to JAL's Japan- Europe network by providing smooth connections from the UK city onto daily services operated by the airline between London - Tokyo (Narita) and London - Osaka (Kansai).

www.jal.com

6/9/2008 11:29:40 AM UTC    Comments 

Emirates Airline will receive the first of its 58 Airbus A380 superjumbo aircraft on order, from Airbus’ Hamburg facility on 28th July 2008.

Emirates’ A380 interiors and onboard product, which has been kept under wraps thus far, will also be revealed for the first time during the delivery ceremony in Hamburg.

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group said, “The A380, with its large capacity and excellent operating economics, will be one of the pillars of Emirates' future growth. We've been working very closely with Airbus since the A380 programme’s inception back in 2000, and all through the ups and downs from the drawing board to production, we have remained unshakable in our belief that this is the aircraft for the next chapter of aviation.

“Despite the high oil prices, for us, demand remains strong and the A380’s combination of range, capacity and fuel efficiency will help Emirates to continue achieving our growth targets. We very much look forward to receiving our first A380 aircraft next month.”

www.emirates.com

6/9/2008 7:44:12 AM UTC    Comments 

The fast growing Russian airline, KD avia, is celebrating the first anniversary of its inaugural flight into the UK by announcing the opening on a new route to the city of Yekaterinburg, which is a major stop on the world famous Trans-Siberian Railway.

KD avia's first flight to the UK touched down at London Gatwick Airport on 16th June 2007 and the airline now operates a daily scheduled service to its hub at Kaliningrad with easy onward connections to 12 cities in Russia.

KD avia's UK Sales Manager, Loreta Durell, Said: "Yekaterinburg is a major extra destination - particularly for tourists with its numerous museums, art galleries and famous theatres. However it is perhaps most famous as the place where the family of Nicholas II were executed in 1918. It is also Russia's fifth largest city and has many business links to the UK."  

www.kdavia.co.uk

6/9/2008 5:44:49 AM UTC    Comments 

Members of US Airways' frequent-flyer program, Dividend Miles, now have more ways to earn miles as the airline teams up with Accor, one of Europe's leading hotel companies, to offer miles, including a special limited-time triple-miles offer, on stays at any of Accor's premium hotel brands: Sofitel, Pullman, Novotel and Mercure, with more than 1,300 locations around the world.

The new partnership lets Dividend Miles members earn 500 miles per stay at Sofitel and Pullman hotels and 250 miles per stay at Novotel and Mercure hotels.

As a special introductory offer, Dividend Miles members can, until August 31, 2008, earn:

- Double bonus miles on stays of two nights or more at Sofitel, Pullman, Novotel and Mercure properties
- Triple bonus miles on stays of three nights or more at Sofitel and Pullman properties.

"Our new partnership with Accor Hospitality complements our service to 20 favourite destinations in Europe," said Travis Christ, Vice President, Sales and Marketing for US Airways. "We're pleased to give our frequent flyers yet another way to earn miles to use toward award travel to more than 950 destinations worldwide."

www.usairways.co.uk

6/9/2008 4:53:57 AM UTC    Comments 

The new SkyTeam Round-The-World fares start from just £1500.00, plus taxes, for an Economy Class ticket to up to five destinations, with additional options for Economy, Business or First Class travel to a maximum of 15 destinations.

The new SkyTeam Round-The-World fares offer travel with up to 14 airlines to over 840 destinations in 162 countries, giving travellers a vast range of options to choose from.

SkyTeam’s full member airlines are Aeroflot, AeroMexico, Air France, KLM, Alitalia, China Southern, Continental Airlines, Czech Airlines, Delta, Korean Air and Northwest Airlines. There are also three associate partners - Air Europa, Copa Airlines and Kenya Airways. 

www.skyteam.com

6/9/2008 4:07:50 AM UTC    Comments 

Flights from Southampton International Airport to Angers Loire in France by UK regional airline, Eastern Airways, have increased to coincide with the world famous Le Mans 24 hour motor race.

The independent carrier has introduce a Friday service prior to the start of Le Mans (14-15 June), which is located 46 miles from Angers Loire Airport.  Friday services will continue to operate over the summer season, taking the number of flights to four a week.

Eastern Airways first started flights between Southampton and Angers Loire in November 2007 and its service also appeals to industry sectors including truck manufacturing, IT, technology and liqueurs.

www.easternairways.com

6/9/2008 4:05:44 AM UTC    Comments 

What goods are prohibited or restricted when entering the UK?

HMRC customs expert Mark Fuchster explains goods you can, and can’t, bring back from abroad Covering a whole range of subjects including food, plants, wildlife souvenirs, prescription drugs and counterfeit goods,

Download for free from www.hmrc.gov.uk/podcasts

6/9/2008 3:28:16 AM UTC    Comments 

SINGAPORE CROWNED BEST AIRLINE FOR 6th TIME

SINGAPORE CHANGI WINS BEST AIRPORT AT THE 26th OAG AIRLINE INDUSTRY AWARDS
EASYJET LANDS BEST LOW COST AIRLINE TITLE
BRITISH AIRWAYS, EMIRATES AND SINGPORE MULTIPLE AWARD WINNERS
AIR CANADA TEAM AT HEATHROW HONOURED FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE

Singapore was the major winner at the 26th OAG Airline Industry

Awards with the country’s airline, Singapore Airlines, voted “OAG Airline of the Year”, and the country’s main international airport, Singapore Changi, voted Best Airport. The Award winners were announced on the night of Wednesday, 4 June in the art deco setting of The Bloomsbury Ballroom in central London.

“This is a very special night for Singapore,” says Alan Glass, CEO of OAG. “Our congratulations go to the airline, the airport, the Government and the people of Singapore. The level of service and innovation that Singapore Airlines and Singapore Changi have consistently offered the travelling public is reflected by the way OAG subscribers, the world’s frequent fliers, have voted. The slogan for Singapore Changi is ‘Enjoy the experience’. Travellers who use the airport and the airline clearly do.”

Singapore Airlines last won the coveted Spirit of Flight trophy for “Airline of the Year” back in 2003. The trophy was presented by President of Boeing UK, Sir Roger Bone, which sponsored the Awards. Singapore Airlines has now won the “OAG Airline of the Year” award on six occasions since the inception of the awards in 1982, more than any other carrier and one more than British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.  Other airlines nominated this year for “OAG Airline of the Year” included American Airlines, British Airways, Emirates and Lufthansa.

As well as winning “OAG Airline of the Year”, Singapore Airlines won awards for Best Airline Based in Asia and Best International First Class. Singapore Airlines’ home base, Singapore Changi, fought off extremely stiff competition to reclaim the Best Airport crown it last won in 2006.

UK-based easyJet took the title of Best Low Cost Airline for the first time, beating last year’s winner jetBlue as well as Jetstar, Ryanair and Southwest Airlines.  This was the first time this award has gone to a European low cost carrier.

Multiple winners on the night included last year’s “Airline of the Year”, British Airways, which retained its crown as Best Transatlantic Airline and also won the Best Business / Executive Class category, an award that had been won for the last five years by Continental Airlines. Continental Airlines, however, did retain its title as Best Airline Based in North America, for a fifth successive year, and also won the new category for Best Airline Finance Deal for its EETC (enhanced equipment trust certificate).

Emirates retained its title as Best Airline Based in the Middle East / Indian Sub-Continent and also won the category for Best Airline between Europe and Asia / Australasia.

Reflecting the global reach of the OAG awards other regional winners on the night for best airline included Qantas (Australasia / Pacific), LAN Airlines (Central/South America and the Caribbean), South African Airways (Africa), Virgin Atlantic (Western Europe), and CSA Czech Airlines (Central/Eastern Europe). Air New Zealand was voted Best Transpacific Airline and American Airlines was recognised for Best Economy / Coach Class.

Lufthansa Cargo won the Best Freighter Operator Award and AWAS was voted Best Airline Lessor.

“We all know how the airline industry is vital for world trade, our economies and our prosperity,” commented Alan Glass, CEO of OAG, during his welcome address, “but we are also cognizant of the significant challenges we face. However we need to put some perspective on all the negative talk. Compared with this time last year, OAG statistics reveal the world’s airlines are operating 40,000 more flights and offering 10.1 million more seats, although some rationalization is anticipated. The aircraft order books are looking pretty healthy, with a 35% increase year on year. This indicates that despite current financial pressures, the industry as a whole is gearing up its investment for long-term sustainability.”

The recipient of the Outstanding Service Award was the Air Canada Customer Service team based at Heathrow Airport.  The team of five people were honoured for their personal generosity and effort in making a real difference to the lives of young children in South Africa.

The annual “OAG Airline Industry Awards”, sponsored by Boeing, celebrate the very best in global air travel and publicly recognises the highest standards within the industry.  The complete list of winners and nominees for the 26th OAG Airline Industry Awards follows, and can also be accessed at www.oagairlineawards.com.

The Winners and Nominees for the 26th OAG Airline Industry Awards

OAG Airline of the Year 2008: Singapore Airlines
American Airlines, British Airways, Emirates, Lufthansa

Best Airline Based in Asia: Singapore Airlines
Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Thai Airways

Best Airline Based in Australasia/Pacific: Qantas
Air New Zealand, Air Pacific, Jetstar Airways, Virgin Blue

Best Airline Based in North America: Continental Airlines
Air Canada (Commended), American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines

Best Airline Based in Central/S.America & Caribbean: LAN Airlines
Aeromexico, Copa Airlines, Mexicana, TAM Brazilian Airlines

Best Airline Based in Western Europe: Virgin Atlantic
Air France, British Airways, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Lufthansa (Commended)

Best Airline Based in Central/Eastern Europe: CSA Czech Airlines
Aeroflot Russian Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines (Commended), MALEV Hungarian Airlines, TAROM Romanian Air Transport

Best Airline Based in the Middle East/Indian Sub-Continent: Emirates
Etihad, Gulf Air, Jet Airways (Commended), Qatar Airways

Best Airline Based in Africa: South African Airways
Ethiopian Airlines, Egyptair, Kenya Airways, Virgin Nigeria

Best Transatlantic Airline: British Airways
American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic

Best Transpacific Airline: Air New Zealand
Cathay Pacific, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, United Airlines

Best Europe – Asia/Australasia Airline: Emirates
British Airways, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines

Best Low Cost/No Frills Airline: easyJet
jetBlue, Jetstar Airways, Ryanair, Southwest Airlines

Best Economy/Coach Class: American Airlines
British Airways, Delta Air Lines, Korean Air, Singapore Airlines

Best Business/Executive Class: British Airways
American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines

Best International First Class: Singapore Airlines
British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Lufthansa

Best Airport: Singapore Changi
Amsterdam Schiphol, Dubai International, Hong Kong International,New York JFK, San Francisco International
Sponsored by Travelplus

Outstanding Service Award: Air Canada Customer Services, London Heathrow
Presented to Fiona Puglia, John Choules, Wayne Birnie, Shabana Khokhar & Ahjaz Osman

6/5/2008 12:37:17 AM UTC    Comments 

bmi is testing an innovative new paperless boarding system, allowing customers checking in online for bmi flights to have their boarding pass delivered electronically to their mobile phone or PDA (personal digital assistant).

The new paper-free system will deliver a two-dimensional barcode boarding pass to mobile phones with picture messaging (MMS) capabilities. The service is part of bmi’s commitment to reducing time spent at the airport and will assist in maintaining its position as one of the UK’s most punctual airlines.

Peter Spencer, managing director of bmi, said, “bmi’s new paperless boarding system is a significant step forward and will offer customers the opportunity to bypass check-in processes at the airport. Customers who check in online can have a boarding pass delivered straight to their mobile phone allowing them to proceed straight to security or to bmi’s fast bag drop stations if they have luggage to check-in.”

bmi’s new mobile check-in service will initially be launched on services from London Heathrow to Edinburgh and Manchester (one way) and from Belfast City to London Heathrow (return), with plans to roll the system out to more destinations on the airline’s network soon after.

www.flybmi.com

6/1/2008 4:16:46 PM UTC    Comments 

Titan Travel, the award-winning tour operator of quality escorted tours, is building on the success of its VIP Home Departure Service, to launch a new luxury private transfer vehicle service for business and leisure travellers across England and Wales, using a fleet of over 150 VW Caravelle people carriers. Each air-conditioned vehicle will carry a maximum of six passengers from their front door to their destination.

The service is predominantly aimed at travellers needing transport to and from airports and ports and through monitoring all flights, clients will be met by a uniformed driver in the airport arrivals hall, or for cruises passengers at the UK dock of their choice.

The service can be arranged from any location in England and Wales and is exclusive to each booking, so they will not pick up any other passengers en route.

www.titanprivatehire.co.uk

5/26/2008 5:55:39 AM UTC    Comments 

Etihad Airways has opened a new dedicated business class lounge at its Abu Dhabi airport home base which offers the airline’s business class customers a wealth of state-of-the-art relaxation and entertainment facilities in addition to around-the-clock dining.

The new Terminal 1 business class lounge follows the opening in January of a separate new lounge dedicated to first class customers and is part of a major overhaul of Etihad’s premium customer experience at Abu Dhabi airport.

The new business class lounge includes a Wi-Fi area, library, relaxation zone, well-being spa, hi-tech electronic games room, smoker’s lounge and gallery showcasing work by local Arab artists.

www.etihadairways.com

5/26/2008 5:53:57 AM UTC    Comments 

Emirates Airline has launched Business Rewards, an innovative new rewards programme tailor-made for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the UAE that will be rolled out in other markets soon.

An online-based programme, Business Rewards offers SMEs the opportunity to benefit from employee flights. Each time a registered employee books their Emirates flight through Business Rewards, the business earns Business Rewards Miles while the individual traveller continues to earn their Miles from Skywards, Emirates’ frequent flyer programme. The company can then redeem accumulated Business Rewards Miles against future flights.

Keith Longstaff, Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations Worldwide said, “Business Rewards is a result of months of research and planning, to understand what our SME customers want in a reward programme, and how we can transact and add value to them in an online environment. We believe the SME community in the UAE will embrace Business Rewards, and we look forward to introducing the programme to other markets in the coming months.”

In addition to reward miles, Emirates’ Business Rewards programme also provides a convenient online portal for administrators in SMEs to manage employee travel on Emirates Airline. The company must register with Business Rewards in the country where it is located, but it can accumulate Miles for travel undertaken by employees at all their branches into one central account.

www.emirates.com

5/26/2008 5:38:09 AM UTC    Comments 

Singapore Airlines is to add an additional A380 service on the Singapore-London route on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays bringing the number of Singapore Airlines A380 flights between the two cities to 11 times.

The new service between will take effect from 16 July 2008. However, there will be a temporary break when the aircraft will be deployed to Beijing for a week, to cater for increased demand in the lead-up to the start of the Olympic Games.

www.singaporeair.com

5/26/2008 5:23:21 AM UTC    Comments 

Passengers at Abu Dhabi International Airport can enjoy free Wi-Fi access from June 1.

www.abudhabiairport.ae

5/26/2008 4:55:52 AM UTC    Comments 

For the first time in 10 years, a new low-cost scheduled transatlantic air service between any European airport and Fort Lauderdale, took off today (Thursday). Zoom Airlines’ inaugural flight from London Gatwick to Fort Lauderdale took off at almost full capacity with 241 passengers onboard revolutionising air travel to one of the most popular US summer holiday destinations.

The service will operate twice weekly on Thursdays and Sundays with fares starting from as low as £299 return including all taxes and charges. The commencement of this new route confirms Zoom’s position as being the leading low-fare airline across the Atlantic.

Launching the service today (Thursday), Jonathan Hinkles, Managing Director of Zoom UK said: “We are delighted to be launching the start of the London to Fort Lauderdale service which has proved extremely popular with not only the UK, but the European travelling public. What’s appealing is that all our flights are high standard at low-cost and offer a full scheduled service onboard with economy and premium economy seating available.

Zoom operates an ‘easyJet-style’ booking service with flexible one-way fares and the flights offer Economy and Premium Economy services with allocated seating, meals and soft drinks included in the fare in all cabins, and an enhanced service available in the Premium Economy cabin.

Zoom’s new service from London Gatwick to San Diego will commence next month.

www.flyzoom.com

5/22/2008 10:56:56 AM UTC    Comments 

OpenSkies, the new transatlantic airline from British Airways, will take flight on June 19th, the airline announced today.  Tickets for premium flights between Paris and New York on OpenSkies will go on sale this Thursday, May 22nd, Bookings can also be made through travel agents, all British Airways channels including the BA.com website, and via the OpenSkies Concierge Desk - featuring personalized services available to all customers commencing with the purchase of their ticket and throughout their journey.

With no more than 82 passengers on each flight, OpenSkies will offer a unique travel experience between Paris’ Orly Airport and New York’s JFK Airport.  The company’s simplified pricing approach is designed to provide true value for money compared with what has been traditionally offered by the long-time incumbent carriers operating on the Paris-New York route.  OpenSkies will feature three cabins:  Biz, a business class service featuring the only fully lie-flat beds in that market will be offered at prices starting at EUR2269 roundtrip; Prem+, a completely new service category featuring reclining seats with a 52” pitch will be offered from EUR1159 roundtrip; and economy, featuring a cabin containing only thirty seats that will be offered at prices beginning at EUR830 roundtrip.  Prices include fuel, insurance and security surcharges and have limited availability but require only seven days advance purchase.

OpenSkies will initially operate one daily round-trip flight on a fuel-efficient Boeing 757.  A second Boeing 757 is scheduled to join OpenSkies later this year from the British Airways fleet and it is planned that there will be six OpenSkies aircraft in total by the end of 2009.  OpenSkies plans to serve additional routes from European cities including Amsterdam, Brussels, Frankfurt and Milan to New York.  
OpenSkies received approval to begin operations from the U.S. Department of Transportation last week.  It is the first airline created as a result of the Open Skies agreement, which allows airlines to fly between any U.S. and E.U. destination.

www.flyopenskies.com.

5/22/2008 4:45:05 AM UTC    Comments 

The lives of travelling Brits just got easier. Aer Arann’s new website makes flight bookings quick, simple and crystal-clear.

One of Europe’s fastest growing regional airlines, Aer Arann has simplified its previous five step booking process into an easy three steps with no hidden costs. Hopeful travellers booking through other online providers are forced to click through several pages of additional expenses while watching flights double and triple in price. Aer Arann customers can select and book their flights without all that hassle and uncertainty.

“A lack of price transparency is too often practiced in the airline industry, much to the displeasure of hopeful passengers,” says Colin Lewis, Head of Sales and Marketing at Aer Arann. “Our new website has no unexpected charges.  What our customers see is exactly what they pay – tax, luggage and check-in included.” 

Aer Arann’s website has no price add-ons or click-throughs. The full cost of the ticket is reflected in the first and only total, making bookings user-friendly and fully price transparent. Future travellers need only enter their origin and destination and click once to see their truthful flight costs. No hidden fees, no click-throughs and no scrolling required.

www.aerarann.com

5/22/2008 4:44:07 AM UTC    Comments 

Qatar Airways has announced an increase in capacity on the Doha – Bahrain route with the addition of five flights a week, beginning June 1. The new early evening departures from the Bahraini capital Manama offer excellent connections via Qatar Airways’ operational hub of Doha to a host of cities across the airline’s global network covering Europe, Middle East, Africa, Far East, Indian subcontinent and North America.
 
Addressing Bahrain-based media in Manama, Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said the extra capacity would be a great boost for the travelling public from the Gulf state to cities around the world. “The addition of five new flights each week increases capacity between the two Gulf capitals from 42 to 47 flights a week and ensures the route only goes from strength to strength,” he said.
 
From November this year, Qatar Airways takes delivery of the first of its Long Range version Boeing 777-200 aircraft, capable of flying to virtually any key city in the world non-stop from Doha. The first Boeing 777-200 will be introduced on the Doha – Houston route from November 10 with a non-stop flying time of 17 hours.
 

5/22/2008 4:38:30 AM UTC    Comments