Weekly news roundup

The sudden collapse of yet another low-cost carrier, Sterling.dk, has failed to deter airlines from rolling out a raft of promotional offers and new route announcements this week.

EasyJet and Ryanair were first off the mark by announcing rescue deals for stranded Sterling.dk passengers, while British Airways has also sought to drum up demand by launching a new global sale.

LTE plans resumption of Norwich flights

Spanish low-cost carrier LTE (website: http://www.lte.es/default.aspx?lang=en) hopes to resume flying out of Norwich Airport by December this year, it has emerged.

The no-frills carrier was forced to pull all its chartered and scheduled services earlier this month after its financial situation left it incapable of meeting operational expenses.

But it announced on Tuesday (October 28) that it has resumed limited charter operations from some airports, with Norwich services due to get off the ground shortly.

World Traveller flight sale from BA

Book by November 11: BA is offering discounts on a huge number of its World Traveller economy airfares.

The national carrier has cut prices on scores of routes across the globe, giving travellers the chance to snap up bargain autumn holidays before winter well and truly kicks in.

Glasgow Prestwick Airport outlines expansion plan

Glasgow Prestwick Airport has outlined ambitious master plans for expansion over the next 25 years.

The airport's owners envisage the number of passengers it is capable of handling more than doubling to 5.7 million by 2018, before rising as high as 12 million by 2033.

New airline launches from Stansted and Manchester

A group of entrepreneurs are defying the economic downturn by pressing ahead with the launch of a new airline.

Air Sylhet (website: www.airsylhetonline.com/) will fly to the Austrian capital Vienna before connecting on to Dubai, with services operating out of London Stansted and Manchester airports.

New Copenhagen route from easyJet

EasyJet is launching a new route from London Gatwick to Copenhagen in a bid to fill the void created by the collapse of Sterling.dk.

The low-cost carrier already operates a thrice-daily service from Stansted to the Danish capital, but following this week's failure of Sterling.dk it is now boosting capacity out of Gatwick.

Labour 'faces revolt' over Heathrow expansion plans

Labour 'faces revolt' over Heathrow expansion plans A growing number of Labour MPs are joining a backbench chorus urging the government to look at "alternative solutions" to a third runway at Heathrow.

Representatives from all major political parties have signed up to the Commons motion, which urges prime minister Gordon Brown to heed warnings from environmental campaigners about the plans.

They say the added noise burden would be unbearable for west London residents, while the expansion would also increase the nation's carbon footprint - hastening the progress of climate change. But Whitehall appears to be standing by its proposals, with one recent report in The Times suggesting the decision to build a third runway is a "done deal".

Virgin seeks tie-up with bmi and Lufthansa

Virgin Atlantic has expressed a desire to team up with bmi and Lufthansa after the German national carrier committed to pay £318 million for the British airline.

Lufthansa now owns 80 per cent of Heathrow's second-largest carrier, (as reported by Cheapflights) and Virgin is reportedly seeking to join the partnership.

EasyJet and Ryanair help Sterling.dk passengers

EasyJet and Ryanair have unveiled special fares for travellers affected by the collapse of Sterling.dk (see related Cheapflights story).

The low-cost carriers are offering reduced airfares exclusively to people who were left stranded by the collapse of the Nordic airline, which filed for bankruptcy yesterday (October 29).

Icelandair suspends winter flights at Glasgow

Icelandair (website: www.icelandair.co.uk) has cancelled almost all winter flights from its base in Glasgow Airport due to ongoing economic difficulties in its home country.

The national carrier is reeling from Iceland's wider financial turmoil, which has seen the value of the Krona plummet and made it all but impossible for firms to secure finance.

Lufthansa finalises deal to take over bmi

Bmi, Heathrow's second biggest airline, is to be taken over by German national carrier Lufthansa. The foreign airline is complementing its 30 per cent stake in bmi with a 50 per cent holding currently owned by its chairman, Sir Michael Bishop, who forced through the deal.

Analysts predict that the carrier will follow-up the move by placing a bid on the remaining 20 per cent, currently owned by Scandinavian Airlines.

Seven new Ryanair routes from London Luton

Ryanair has unveiled seven brand new routes from its base at London Luton Airport.

Europe's largest low-cost carrier launched four new services yesterday (October 28), opening up connections with Derry in Northern Ireland, Kaunas in Lithuania, Trapani in Sicily and Szczecin in Poland.

Early winter blast prompts flight diversions

A number of flights were diverted from London Luton airport last night (October 28) as the UK got its first taste of winter weather.

In total seven services were diverted to Birmingham and London Stansted, with airport workers struggling to clear snow from the runway at Luton.

Meteorologists put the unexpectedly early snowfall down to a blast of northerly Arctic winds, with temperatures across much of the UK falling below zero.

Final nail in coffin of Thames Estuary airport

Plans to build a new airport on the Thames Estuary have been dismissed as unrealistic by transport secretary Geoff Hoon.

In a move that is widely expected to spell the end of the controversial proposals - backed by London mayor Boris Johnson - Mr Hoon said the four-runway plan was "not practical".

He cited environmental concerns about the construction of the facility, as well as voicing fears that the local bird population could pose a safety risk to incoming aircraft.

How to find cheap ski holidays

With the snow falling even in London, our thoughts are turning to this season’s ski holidays. But bearing in mind the economic climate, this isn’t the time to be spending big on the traditional ski package. Cheapflights has a few suggestions up its sleeve to help keep costs down, and enjoy a week on the piste.

Firstly, steer clear of those all-in-one chalet package holidays, which include airport transfers, ski hire and cake every tea time. Heading out by snow train, or booking flights to local airports and then arranging independent onward transfers can immediately save pounds.

Many low-cost airlines now fly to airports convenient for the slopes. See our travel tip on Ski Airports to work out which resorts you can reach from which European airports, details on who flies there and how to arrange onward transfer. Keep an eye on the seat sales for cheap flights, book your train ticket as soon as possible and you should be able to get out to the piste for next to nothing.

Second daily Hong Kong service from Virgin

Virgin Atlantic has confirmed that it is to begin operating a second daily service from London Heathrow to Hong Kong. From December 4, the transatlantic carrier will complement its evening service to the Asian metropolis with an earlier 4pm departure, which touches down at 12.30pm the following afternoon.

Icelandic-owned Sterling.dk files for bankruptcy

Thousands of travellers have been left stranded around the world after Danish no-frills airline Sterling.dk (website: www.sterling.dk) filed for bankruptcy.

The Copenhagen-based carrier's entire fleet of 27 aircraft have been grounded, leaving up to 700 passengers stuck at London Gatwick, according to an airport spokesperson.

Sterling.dk had previously flown from Edinburgh and East Midlands airports, though it pulled those services earlier this month as part of a wider cost-cutting initiative.

Poll: hidden airline costs

This poll is now closed

Ever feel like you’re constantly having to pay extras when flying with a low cost airline? First it was the refreshments, and then they started charging for checked-in luggage, now some airlines even charge you for using a credit card. What’s next? Will they start charging us for looking out the window or using the loo perhaps?

Vote now and tell us what you think low cost airlines will start charging for next.

Winter upper class sale from Virgin Atlantic

Book by 10pm on November 25, 2008: Virgin Atlantic is offering a winter sale on first class seats. Passengers can choose from a variety of world-wide destinations for travel between selected dates in December 2008 and January 2009.

All flights depart from London Heathrow, with the exception of the airline's Barbados route which flies out of Gatwick.

Virgin's first class travellers are asked to note that a chauffeur driven car is not included in these sale prices.

Joint Gatwick bid to be launched by Citigroup and Vancouver Airports

 A joint bid for Gatwick Airport is being planned by Citigroup and the Vancouver Airports Authority. The partnership is aiming to offer £2 billion for the airport, which is currently owned by BAA, reports The Sunday Times.

If the report is true, the partnership will have to battle it out against several other potential buyers for Gatwick, with Manchester Airports Group and Virgin Atlantic having already expressed an interest.

According to the newspaper, approximately six consortiums are expected to come forward with bids for the airport in the next few weeks. When approached by Reuters for comment on the potential offer, Citigroup was unavailable and BAA declined to say anything.

New summer routes launched by Aer Lingus

Irish carrier Aer Lingus has announced nine new routes for its summer 2009 schedule. The routes from Dublin, Cork and Belfast are on sale from today (October 28) and include destinations such as Milan and Lisbon.

Aer Lingus will also be offering additional capacity on 17 of its existing routes, including Paris, Edinburgh, Malaga and Faro.

Chief executive, Dermot Mannion said: "Today's announcement marks the continued development of Aer Lingus' short-haul network, with a focus on capitalising on our most popular European services."

"Moreover, it reaffirms Aer Lingus' commitment to providing direct, low fares access for Irish customers to new destinations as well as providing real growth opportunities in inbound tourism from emerging markets."

Seven new Ryanair routes from Liverpool

Ryanair is to launch seven new routes from Liverpool John Lennon Airport (JLA).

The low-cost carrier will launch six of the routes this week: to Gdansk and Szczecin in Poland, Knock in Ireland, Faro in Portugal and Fuerteventura and Tenerife.

On November 3 this year the seventh route to Paris Beauvais will officially depart from JLA.

Aer Lingus extends 'No Fare' offer

Irish carrier Aer Lingus has announced that it has extended its "No Fare" special deal.

The airline is offering flights to various locations in the UK and Europe for just the cost of taxes and charges. Passengers can travel from Dublin and Cork to places such as Manchester, Rome and Berlin during two travel periods.

The first runs from November 4 to December 18 this year, while the second runs from January 12 to February 12, 2009.

Passengers against mobiles on planes, claims website

Air passengers are opposed to the use of mobile phones on planes, a holiday home website has claimed.

DirectHolidayBookings.co.uk has received a large amount of negative feedback from its customers regarding the potential roll-out of mobile phone use across all airlines.

Jet2 to increase baggage allowance

Jet2 has announced that it will be increasing the allowance of hold baggage on its flights.

The carrier, which is based at Leeds Bradford Airport, will raise the amount of checked in baggage allowed from 17 kilograms to 22 kilograms per passenger.

Bristol Airport expansion plans revealed

Plans to expand Bristol International Airport have been unveiled to representatives from the local community.

Computer-generated images of the proposed extension to the terminal extension were shown at the quarterly meeting of the Airport Consultative Committee on October 22.

Long-haul BA flights from Manchester scrapped

British Airways ceased operation of its long-haul flight from Manchester Airport over the weekend. The daily 10am flight from Manchester to New York took off for the last time yesterday (October 26).

BA announced in April this year that it would be cancelling the route after experiencing a lack of demand from business travellers and the NY service will now move to Gatwick, Crain's Manchester Business reported.

Cheapflights launches new website in Germany

www.cheapflug.de - The Next Step in Cheapflights' International Expansion

27 October 2008: London: Cheapflights Ltd, the pioneer and international leader in independent flights price comparison, is expanding its reach and market position further with the launch of a new site in Germany - www.cheapflug.de. The German site is based on Cheapflights' new common technology platform which successfully powers Cheapflights' successful websites in the UK and US. This approach will enable Cheapflug.de to introduce new features rapidly beyond the initial “light” site launched earlier this month. Cheapflug.de is Cheapflights' first non-English language site and will initially be managed from London which is the Company's technical hub for European operations. Cheapflights selected Germany as its first continental European launch due to Germany's leading position in outbound tourism from Europe, its strong business economy, plus the positive encouragement from leading German flight providers. The Cheapflug.de site carries flight deals departing from Germany and from airports in Austria as well as those airports close to Germany's borders with neighbouring countries.

London City Airport open after earlier evacuation

London City Airport was evacuated earlier this afternoon following the discovery of a suspicious package in one of the passenger toilets.

Credit crunch fails to deter holidaymakers

The credit crunch may be taking a toll on personal finances, but according to one new survey few consumers are willing to postpone plans to take a well-deserved break.

With the UK on the brink of a recession and no end in sight to the painful banking crisis, research firm TripVision conducted a survey to discover whether people were changing their travel plans.

Ryanair confirms closure of Valencia base

Ryanair has confirmed that it is closing its base in the Spanish city of Valencia, axing 70 weekly flights. Europe's leading no-frills airlines said the withdrawal had been prompted by a dispute with local authorities about the allocation of marketing funds.

The move is expected to affect some 750,000 passengers each year and could cost the region up to 750 jobs. Ryanair had operated services out of Valencia Airport to ten destinations across the continent, including services to London Stansted, Liverpool and East Midlands airports. All those connections will be cancelled from November 4, with replacement services from neighbouring bases expected to be announced some time next week.

US Airways adds new Philadelphia service

US Airways has confirmed that it is launching new flights from Birmingham to Philadelphia next summer. The carrier will begin the transatlantic service on May 13, operating daily flights that depart from Birmingham at 8.45am local time and touch down in Philadelphia at 11.50am EST.

On the return leg of the journey, flights will leave the US city at 6.05pm local time and arrive the following morning at 6.25am BST. US Airways will deploy a Boeing 757-200 on the route, configured with 164 economy seats and 12 business class seats.

Glasgow Airport opens Skyhub extension

Glasgow Airport has completed phase one of the launch of its multimillion pound Skyhub extension. Earlier this week, the ground floor of the massive building was officially opened, becoming the airport's new arrival's meeting hall and departure security screening area.

The football pitch-sized facility also offers a wide range of shops and eateries, including a new JD Wetherspoon bar and restaurant. Next Tuesday (October 28), airport owners will begin phase two of Skyhub's launch when they unveil a brand new £12 million security search area on the first floor of the building.

Virgin Atlantic discounts flights to America

 Book by 10pm, October 29: People looking to visit the States during the next few months can take advantage of a new offer that has been unveiled by Virgin Atlantic.

Sir Richard Branson's airline has discounted a number of key services between the UK and the US, offering return flights for as little as £300 including all taxes.

Flights depart from London Heathrow, with valid travel dates running until next summer depending on the route.

XL passengers to start receiving compensation

People whose flights were cancelled following the collapse of XL Leisure Group are to begin receiving refunds, Travel Weekly reports.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has confirmed that it will start paying out claims next week, with an estimated 80,000 customers expected to file for compensation.

Only people who booked through an Atol-protected tour operator will receive refunds from the regulator, while others will have to seek compensation from their credit card firm.

Embraer trialling new aircraft at London City

Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer (website: www.embraer.com) has scheduled a number of flight trials for its new E-190 aircraft at London City Airport, Air Transport Intelligence reports.

The bustling gateway, located next to the Canary Wharf business district, has been selected as it is regarded as an ideal place for Embraer to secure steep approach certification. That is because all inbound flights to the airport must perform a 5.5 degree approach, with manufacturers legally required to demonstrate up to 7.5 degree capability.

New west London coach service to Stansted

Stansted Airport is to benefit from a brand new 24-hour coach service linking the airport to west London.

The new connection, operated by Orbis Air Link, will depart every two hours from the London Underground stations Hammersmith, Acton Town and Ealing Broadway.

Prices start from just £8 one-way, making it easier and more affordable to get to Stansted than ever before. Discounts are also available for families and group bookings.

Air travellers 'concerned about more than price'

Holidaymakers and business travellers are concerned about far more than just price when it comes to booking an airline ticket, according to one industry expert.

Despite the worsening financial climate, James Fremantle, Industry Affairs manager for the Air Transport Users Council (AUC), said that price is just one factor that passengers bear in mind.

He insisted that the recent collapse of XL Leisure Group had significantly impacted the mindset of travellers, heightening awareness of consumer protection schemes.

Airbus A380 'will drive regional airport expansion'

The arrival of the Airbus A380 will spur on expansion at a number of regional airports in the UK and around the world.

That is according to Leo Murray of Plane Stupid, a protest group which has opposed the construction of a third runway at London Heathrow Airport on environmental grounds.

He said that as well as raising overall passenger numbers, the A380 will encourage smaller gateways to expand in order to accommodate the massive aircraft.

British holidaymakers 'committed to the US'

Bookings to America placed by British holidaymakers held their own during the first half of 2008, despite the deteriorating economic situation.

That is according to the latest United Kingdom Travel Trade Barometer from the US department of commerce, which found that America remains one of the top destinations for vacationing Brits.

The report singled out the favourable exchange rate as one of the top reasons for the high demand, though economists note that sterling has since fallen in value against the dollar.

Oman Air boosts London Gatwick services

Oman Air (website: www.omanair.aero) has announced that it is boosting the frequency of flights that it operates between London Gatwick and the capital city of Muscat.

From October 26, the national carrier will run one extra weekly service to the popular holiday destination, fulfilling its target of providing a daily service.

The new connection takes to the skies on the same day that Gulf Air launches its London Heathrow to Muscat service via Bahrain.

Thomsonfly cancels all Coventry services

Thomsonfly (website: www.thomsonfly.com) has announced that it is terminating all services from its regional base at Coventry Airport.

The low-cost carrier said that the cancellations had become necessary due to increased demand for charter flights, which had placed its scheduled services under strain.

Its announcement comes just one week after the airport lost a High Court appeal to construct a new passenger terminal.

SAS adds news services to Lapland

Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) is teaming up with Finnish subsidiary Blue 1 (website: www.blue1.com ) to launch two new winter services to the heart of Lapland.

The airline will begin operating twice-weekly services from Heathrow Airport to the snowy retreat of Kittila, using either Stockholm or Helsinki as a stopover.

Return economy fares start from just £279, including taxes, and extra flights will be put on during Christmas and the New Year to cope with the expected surge in demand.

Expansion on cards for Belfast City Airport

An additional 3,000 scheduled flights could be cleared to take off and land at George Best Belfast City Airport, the BBC reports.

Under new plans outlined by the airport's owners, some 500,000 additional passengers could make use of the gateway every year with the number of flights rising from 45,000 to 48,000 per year.

The announcement has enraged local communities, but Northern Ireland environment minister Sammy Wilson said it was good news for the city.

Watchdog renews call for consumer protection

The Air Transport Users Council (AUC) has written to Geoff Hoon, the Transport Secretary, urging him to improve financial protection for scheduled airline passengers.

Under new proposals drafted by the passenger watchdog, scheduled carriers would guarantee compensation for bankruptcies in the same way that tour operators are required to.

The industry group is making the call in the wake of a raft of recent airline failures, particularly the collapse of XL which left tens of thousands of holidaymakers out of pocket.

Jet2.com crowned best short-haul airline

Jet2.com has been named the best short-haul airline by readers of The Guardian and The Observer, scooping the accolade for the third successive year.

The Leeds-based low-cost airline also received the award for the second-best European short-haul airline in the Guardian and Observer Travel Awards 2008.

It fought off stiff competition from all no-frills and full-fare airlines that operate routes across Europe, including industry-leader Ryanair which came 15th.

British Airways defends fuel surcharge policy

British Airways has rejected suggestions that it is relying too heavily on fuel surcharges to fund rising costs, Travel Mole reports.

The national carrier hit back at claims that it is now meeting the cost of fuelling its aircraft almost entirely through the levy imposed on passengers.

Despite recently lowering its surcharge after a similar move by rival carrier Virgin Atlantic, British Airways rolled out a raft of staggered price hikes over the summer.

CAA report gives insight to traveller habits

The Civil Aviation Authority (website: www.caa.co.uk) has published the findings of its 2007 air passenger survey, which is based on input from more than 210,000 departing passengers at several UK airports.

After polling business and leisure travellers at all four major London airports, as well as four regional hubs, researchers found a number of distinct passenger habits at different UK bases.

Overall, some 137 million people passed through Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Luton in 2007 - more than 50 per cent of the total 241 million people flying out of the UK last year.

Stansted Airport expansion 'could hurt Gatwick'

Boosting the number of flights landing and taking off at London Stansted could have a negative impact on neighbouring airports, it has been suggested.

Jeremy Taylor, director of Gatwick Diamond Business Association, told the Crawley News that plans to boost capacity by ten million a year could lead to stiff rivalry between the two airports.

Transport secretary Geoff Hoon has already thrown his weight behind the Stansted proposals, though no specifics have been finalised about whether a second runway will be built.

Qantas celebrates inaugural flight of A380

Qantas (website: www.qantas.com.au) has become the first airline to operate a commercial Airbus A380 service across the Pacific.

The carrier's inaugural superjumbo flight took off from Melbourne at 11.15am local time today (October 20), and was due to touch down at 7.30am local time in Los Angeles.

The plane was configured with 450 seats in four cabins - including 14 in First Class - and sports interiors designed by world-famous Australian industrial designer Marc Newson.