Weekly news round-up

The past week has seen several exciting deals being offered by UK airlines, in addition to the usual glut of new seasonal routes.

SWISS is discounting business class fares to a number of key international destinations, and Aer Lingus is offering free seats on some of its most popular routes with passengers just paying taxes and airport charges. Both deals expire tomorrow (May 31).

Also this week, VLM confirmed that it will be operating additional services to the Isle of Man service following the collapse of EuroManx. Meanwhile, bmibaby's Birmingham to Warsaw service took to the skies for the first time, as did Scottravel Holidays' service to the Turkish city of Dalaman.

Additional flight to France from Eastern Airways

Flights from Southampton Airport to Angers Loire, in France, by Eastern Airways are to be increased to coincide with the world famous Le Mans 24-hour motor race.

The airline will introduce a Friday service from June 6, prior to the start of Le Mans (June 14 - 15), which is located 46 miles from Angers Loire Airport, and will continue to operate it throughout the summer season, taking the number of flights to four a week.

Increase in fuel surcharge from British Airways

British Airways has announced another increase in the fuel surcharge it adds to flights and it comes just weeks after a similar hike at the beginning of May.

The airline has said the surcharge for short haul flights will increase by £3 per flight to £16, or £32 for a return ticket, coming into effect on all tickets sold from June 3.

Business class airline Silverjet folds

Silverjet has ceased operations, ending its business class service operating from Luton to New York and Dubai.

It is the third niche operator to go out of business in recent months joining MaxJet who folded late last year and Eos who ceased trading in April.

SWISS discounts long-haul business class fares

Book by May 31: Swiss International Air Lines is running a promotional offer on a number of its business class fares.

The airline is discounting flights to several key global hubs, including the Asian cities of Bangkok, Delhi, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore.

Two South American destinations - Santiago and Sao Paulo - are also included in the offer, as is the South African metropolis of Johannesburg.

Move to accelerate Robin Hood Airport expansion

Plans to expand Robin Hood Airport have been put at the forefront of a number of South Yorkshire councils' agendas, reports The Star.

Intervention by Doncaster council and a number of neighbouring local authorities has resulted in development work at the airport being placed higher up on the list of priorities for airport authorities.

Plans for the expansion - which also have the backing of regional development authority Yorkshire Forward - are to be presented to the government by Yorkshire and Humber Assembly.

Cathay Pacific switches to full electronic ticketing

Cathay Pacific has become the latest airline to confirm that it is switching over to 100 per cent e-ticketing from June 1.

The Hong Kong-based carrier is making the move in accordance with a new mandate by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which aims to stamp out waste caused by paper tickets.

Other major foreign carriers who have already rolled out a purely electronic system include British Airways, Air France, Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, Emirates and Gulf Air.

Air Southwest sponsors 'fear of flying' course

Air Southwest is backing the first ever Fear of Flying course to be held at Plymouth City Airport next month.

The seminar, taking place on June 21, is intended to help people who crave the freedom of being able to travel overseas, but are held back by the thought of taking off in an aircraft.

An experienced captain will give a presentation on the ins-and-outs of aircraft functions, while attendees will also benefit from a talk on anxiety management by eminent psychologist Patricia Furness-Smith.

Renewed fears over Edinburgh Airport congestion

Expansion of a park-and-ride facility on the outskirts of Scotland's capital city has raised concerns over congestion around Edinburgh Airport.

Following a £2.7 million extension, the Ingliston park-and-ride site just off Eastfield Road this week saw its capacity more than double to 1,085 spaces, The Scotsman reports.

But according to airport officials, the additional parking spaces will place additional strain on the already overburdened roads leading into Scotland's busiest airport.

Rising fuel costs continue to adversely affect airlines

The rising cost of fuel is currently having an impact on all areas of business, from small entrepreneurs to huge conglomerates.

Airlines have, of course, failed to escape the escalating price of fuel, and as such many are now starting to drop routes in a bid to recoup some of their losses.

Yesterday (May 28), American Airlines announced that it plans to scrap its Stansted to JFK route as part of its capacity reduction plans.

Leeds Bradford to NY popular with female travellers

Jet2Holidays.com's new Leeds Bradford to New York route has proven to be extremely popular with female travellers.

The low-cost carrier has revealed that 72 per cent of the bookings for the route have been made by women.

BA flights moving to Terminal 5 in two phases

British Airways is to complete the relocation of its long-haul flights from Terminal 4 to Terminal 5 in two stages.

In announcement made yesterday (May 28) on its official website, the carrier said that had reached its decision together with airport operator BAA.

A number of the remaining long-haul flights will be moved on September 17, 2008, including those to destinations such as Mumbai, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Philadelphia and Mexico City.

Newquay to Glasgow for £39

Air Southwest is offering flights from Newquay to Glasgow for as little as £39 one-way.

The carrier operates a direct route to the Scottish city every day of the week, with flights departing Newquay at 4.55pm and arriving at 5.40pm.

Ticket prices include taxes and charges, with no additional cost applied for check in or hold baggage (an allowance of 20kg).

MEPs want emissions trading introduced earlier

Members of the European Parliament have pressed for airlines to be included in the emissions trading scheme a year ahead of schedule.

The Guardian reports that members of the parliament's environment committee want to see airlines involved in bidding for carbon credits by 2011 rather than 2012, the year targeted in the past by the EU.

Premium service offered by Jet2.com

Jet2.com has announced the launch of a premium upgrade service offering passengers the chance of perks such as fast track boarding, meals and access to airport lounges.

The low-cost airline's Jet2Plus service will be available at all its bases on flights from the UK taking more than two hours, a total of 27 destinations, and cost £24.99 per passenger.

People taking advantage of the service will enjoy priority check-in and passage through fast track security, as well as the chance to relax in a lounge and a premium in-flight meal and drink.

Eastern Airways to change terminals at Birmingham

Eastern Airways has announced plans to alter the terminal from which it operates flights from Birmingham International Airport.

In a statement released yesterday (May 27), the airline revealed that as of next month, it will be operating from Birmingham's Terminal 1 instead of Terminal 2.

The move will take place on June 4 and will be permanent.

Extra A380 for Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines has announced the deployment of another Airbus A380 aircraft for its London Heathrow to Singapore service.

The carrier will begin using the plane from July 16 this year, boosting its London to Singapore service from seven weekly flights to 11.

Singapore Airlines currently flies to Singapore daily.

Aer Lingus: “free seats” on all UK routes

Book by May 31: Irish carrier Aer Lingus is offering "free seats" on all of its UK routes.

Passengers who book by Saturday can buy tickets for a host of destinations around the country and only pay the taxes and charges.

The travel period runs until December 31, 2008 and passengers are reminded that there may be limited availability on some routes.

There is a handling fee of €6 (£4.75) per person per ticket for transactions made with a credit card and €2 (£1.58) per person for debit card transactions.

Extra VLM flights for TT Races on Isle of Man

VLM Airlines has announced that it will operate additional flights to the Isle of Man to cope with demand from travellers making their way to see this year's TT Races.

The carrier will be operating three additional flights on Friday, May 30; Saturday, May 31 and Saturday, June 7 from London City Airport.

It is offering the additional series to compensate for reduced flights to the Isle of Man as a result of the collapse of EuroManx.

bmibaby Birmingham to Warsaw route takes off

bmibaby's new service to Warsaw has officially launched at Birmingham International Airport.

The inaugural flight to the Polish capital took off yesterday (May 27). The route will now operate three times a week on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

One-way flights start from just £21.99, including all taxes and charges. Seats are bookable via www.bmibaby.com.

Text message boarding pass trialled by bmi

bmi is trialling a new boarding pass which is sent directly to travellers’ mobile phones.

Flyers on routes from London Heathrow Airport to Manchester, Edinburgh and Belfast will get the chance to experience the new paperless system which will be sent as a text message displaying a barcode. This barcode will be scanned at security and at the boarding gate.

New Glasgow Prestwick to Turkey route

Scottravel Holidays has launched a new route from Glasgow Prestwick International Airport to Turkey.

The carrier began operating the service from the Scottish airport yesterday (May 26).

It will fly to Dalaman once a week, from which travellers can reach holiday spots such as Marmaris, Icmeler, Olu Deniz and Ovacik.

EuroManx flights will be honoured, says Flybe

All bookings made with failed airline EuroManx will be honoured, low-cost airline Flybe has asserted.

According to the carrier's bosses, claims made by passengers that they have not been transferred free of charge as promised are unfounded, iomtoday.co.im reports.

Sarah and Cedric Flower, a couple from the Isle of Man, have said they were told that they would be unable to change their tickets without written proof of their telephone booking. As such, the pensioners had to purchase new seats with Flybe.

easyJet May sale ends tonight

Book by midnight tonight (May 27): easyJet is offering thousands of seats for £19.99 as part of its May sale.

There are 100,000 seats to a range of destinations for travellers looking to get away during the next two weeks.

Seats are available on every route from the UK and flyers can "jet off as soon as tomorrow" if they so choose.

Think tank predicts sale of Derry airport

City of Derry Airport will eventually be sold, a think tank has predicted.

According to the north-west public sector review group, the sale of the Northern Irish airport is "inevitable".

It is thought that the sale of the airport will be given confirmation in the next 18 months.

Weekly news round up

Special offers:
Qantas offers special Hong Kong fare
Book by May 29: Qantas has unveiled sale fares on its London Heathrow to Hong Kong route

Jet2.com launches winter flights sale
Jet2.com has launched a sale on winter flights to the Canary Islands.

£10 off seats in Bank holiday sale
Book by May 27: Monarch is offering £10 off all of its summer seats.

Upper class summer sale from Virgin
Book by 10pm, June 24: Virgin Atlantic has launched a summer sale on its upper class seats.

Shetland sees return of summer link to Stansted

The tourism industry in Shetland is hoping for a boost this summer as flights start between Sumburgh and Stansted.

A direct service operated by Atlantic Airways took off today (May 23) and will run until August 29, offering passengers the choice of two flights a week on Monday and Friday.

The 90 minute flight, which is now in its third year of operation, puts Shetland within easy reach of visitors from the south of England while offering added travel opportunities for island residents.

XL Airways to begin using new 737-900s from Manchester

XL Airways is to expand the number of seats available on several of its services from Manchester Airport thanks to its investment in a new generation of aircraft.

The carrier will begin using Boeing 737-900s from May 29 this year. These planes have 26 more seats than their predecessors, the B737-800s, and as such there will be more space for passengers on XL's flights from the northern hub.

Destinations served by the airline from Manchester Airport include Spain, the Canary Islands and Egypt.

Cardiff prepares for launch of new Barcelona route

Cardiff International Airport is preparing for the launch of its new Barcelona route, which is due to take off for the first time tomorrow (May 24).

The route is being operated by bmibaby and during its first week it will carry more than 370 passengers to the Spanish city.

It will be a twice-weekly service until June 18, when bmibaby will increase it to three times a week thanks to an additional service on Wednesdays.

Virgin Atlantic discounts seats to India

© Virgin Atlantic

Book by 10pm on Saturday, May 31: Virgin Atlantic is offering reduced fares on flights to India.

Travellers can book Economy-Class flights from Heathrow Airport to cities such as Mumbai from £397 return, including taxes charges and surcharges, while Premium-Economy fares are available from £737.

All Economy sale fares are for outbound travel before June 22. Premium-Economy fares are for travel before June 26.

easyJet marks 10th anniversary at Stansted

easyJet has marked its tenth year of operations at Stansted Airport.

The low-cost carrier's inaugural flight took off from the London hub on May 21, 1998, under the brand name Go. Go merged with easyJet in 2002 to become one of the biggest budget carriers in Europe.

easyJet now has 14 permanent aircraft and 522 members of staff at Stansted.

Fly to Rhodes for £89.99 with Jet2.com

Jet2.com will start flying to Rhodes from Newcastle Airport weekly (on Wednesdays) on June 4.

One-way fares are available from £89.99 excluding taxes and charges, with return fares starting from £49.99.

Flights depart Newcastle at 9.40am and arrive in Rhodes at 4pm, while return flights leave at 5pm and arrive at 7.40pm (local time).

BA predicts 'challenging' year ahead for aviation industry

The ensuing problems of the global credit crunch are causing trouble for consumers and businesses alike, and it seems that the aviation industry is not going to escape without experiencing some difficulty.

With fuel prices continuing to rise and the US economy teetering on the verge of a recession, the coming year looks set to be a bumpy ride for airlines.

That is according to British Airways, which has asserted that the current economic climate is going to make the next few months rather difficult for a number of carriers, least of all BA itself.

Chief executive Willie Walsh made his comments earlier this week at an investor presentation in New York, indicating that he believes there will continue to be mergers and bankruptcies this year.

Winter schedule announced by Aer Lingus

Irish carrier Aer Lingus has announced its winter schedule from Cork Airport.

Winter flights to Cork went on sale yesterday (May 21) and passengers can travel to a variety of destinations such as Tenerife, Lanzarote and Malaga

The schedule also includes the addition of a new service to Geneva which Aer Lingus will begin operating in early December this year.

Manchester expansion planned by bmibaby

bmibaby has announced plans to expand the size of its operations at Manchester Airport by 50 per cent.

The low-cost carrier revealed on Tuesday (May 20) that it intends to add new destinations and increase the frequency of existing routes, The Manchester Evening News reported.

According to the newspaper, bmibaby's plans could create more than 100 jobs, which would double its number of staff based at the northern airport.

New Gatwick to Nantes route from easyJet

easyJet has launched a new daily service from Gatwick Airport to Nantes.

The carrier began operation of the route from the London hub to the French city yesterday (May 21).

Prices for one-way seats start at £23.99, with return fares available from £43.60 including taxes.

easyJet has predicted that the new route will be popular with travellers looking for a new city-break destination.

Loganair's new flights take off

Loganair's new flights from Dundee Airport took off today (May 21), with the first aircraft heading out to Belfast and Birmingham.

Scotland’s longest serving airline launched its two new routes from Dundee Airport, marking a return to the city where Loganair started its first scheduled air services 45 years ago.

Scotland Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson joined Loganair chairman Scott Grier at the airport to welcome passengers off the first inbound flight from Birmingham at 10.30am and watch the departure of the inaugural outbound flight to Belfast at 11.00am.

Inverness flights served by new Flybe aircraft

Flybe is to upgrade the aircraft it uses on its recently launched services from Inverness to Manchester and Southampton, effectively doubling seat capacity.

The airline will now use a 78-seat state-of-the-art Bombardier Q400 aircraft, with the changeover set to start from July 10 and has come about after ticket sales exceeded expectations.

More police officers at Stansted Airport

An agreement between airport bosses and Essex Police has been made to station more police officers at Stansted Airport.

An additional 18 officers, one inspector and two new police vehicles will be based within the police station at Stansted, bringing the total number of officers serving at the airport to 109.

Upper class summer sale from Virgin

Book by 10pm, June 24: Virgin Atlantic has launched a summer sale on its upper class seats.

The carrier is offering return flights to destinations such as Miami and New York from £1,119.

All fares include pre-paid passenger taxes, fees, charges and surcharges (which are subject to change).

The travel period is from May 23 and December 31, 2008, with the minimum stay being one Saturday night and the maximum stay being three months.

£10 off seats in Bank holiday sale

Book by May 27: Monarch is offering £10 off all of its summer seats.

The offer covers all routes and all flights from June 2 to November 2 this year for passengers who book by midnight next Tuesday.

Travellers are reminded however, that it only applies to online scheduled flight bookings.

The web discount is £10 for one-way flights and £20 for return journeys. Usually, this discount is £5 and £10 respectively.

New check-in area for Manchester Airport

Details of the new procedures for ground-level check-in at Terminal 1 in Manchester Airport have been released.

As of May 28, eight airlines including Jet2.com and Aer Arran will be located in the new check-in facility in Terminal 1.

The new check-in facility is accessible via passenger lifts stopping at level 0.

In a statement on its website, the airport explained: "When entering Terminal 1 take one of the three main lifts to level 0 and follow the signs for Ground Level Check-In."

Jet2.com launches winter flights sale

Jet2.com has launched a sale on winter flights to the Canary Islands.

The low-cost carrier is offering reduced one-way fares to top destinations such as Lanzarote from £49.99.

Other holiday spots included in the offer are Gran Canaria and Tenerife. Flights are available to book from today (May 21) and include taxes and charges.

Wizz Air celebrates fourth year in operation

Low-cost airline Wizz Air has celebrated its fourth anniversary this week.

The carrier, based in Hungary, officially marked its fourth year of operating flights on May 19.

Wizz Air's first flight took off from Katowice International Airport and in 2007 it carried 4.2 million passengers – a 40 per cent increase on the previous year. In 2008, it expects to carry more than six million passengers.

Cheapflights strengthens board

Rick Medlock appointed Non-Executive Director

London and Boston, May 20, 2008: Cheapflights Ltd. ("Cheapflights"), a leading UK and North American internet media travel company, which pioneered online flight price search and comparison in 1996, announces the appointment of Rick Medlock to the Board as Non-Executive Director with immediate effect.

Mr Medlock, who is currently Chief Financial Officer of Inmarsat Plc, the LSE-listed mobile satellite communications company, will Chair the Audit Committee of the Cheapflights Board. He brings more than 25 years’ experience in senior and board-level financial positions in private equity funded and public companies in Europe and the US. Mr Medlock’s previous roles include CFO of NDS, the leading pay-TV technology company, and CFO of Policy Management Systems, a leading insurance software provider. He also chairs the Audit Committee and is a non-executive director of Thus plc, the alternative network telecom operator. A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales, Rick qualified with Arthur Andersen in 1985. He graduated in 1982 from St Johns’s College, Cambridge with a BA in economics.

Eastern Airways Norway flights affected by strike

Strike action at Norwegian airports has forced Eastern Airways to cancel its services to Stavanger from both Newcastle and Inverness.

Durham Tees Valley winter routes launched

Flyglobespan has launched its programme of flights to the winter sun from Durham Tees Valley Airport, offering regular services to the popular destinations of Malaga, Alicante and Tenerife.

The airline will operate weekly flights to Tenerife every Friday and Alicante every Sunday, while flights to Malaga will be twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Cork gains link to Warsaw

Low cost operator Wizz Air has announced the launch of a new service between Cork and the Polish capital of Warsaw.

The service will operate twice a week, on Thursday and Sunday, and the first of the flights to Cork takes off on July 13 with tickets available for booking through the Wizz Air website.

Qantas offers special Hong Kong fare

Book by May 29: Qantas has unveiled sale fares on its London Heathrow to Hong Kong route.

Australia's national carrier is offering economy seats on its service from the British capital to Hong Kong for just £437 return, including all taxes, fees and airport surcharges.

Valid departure dates run from now until June 4 and then from August 19 until September 30.

The offer comes alongside a number of other discounted Asian route promotions by the carrier, with connections to Singapore, Bangkok and Bali also being put on sale.

High Court to review Heathrow noise case

The High Court is to hear arguments by three councils that the government has ignored the damaging effects of aircraft noise at Heathrow Airport.

According to Richmond, Wandsworth and Windsor & Maidenhead councils, the Department for Transport (DfT) needs to re-evaluate which aircraft should be permitted to land at the hub during night-time hours.

At present about 16 flights arrive at London Heathrow each day between 4.30am and 6am.