Dutch drop air passenger tax today

London, 30 June 2009: Cheapflights Ltd, the pioneer and an international leader in independent online flight price search and comparison has been a long-term opponent of the UK’s regressive Air Passenger Duty. Cheapflights believes the tax to simply be a revenue generator to fill Treasury coffers rather than an environmental tax. The Dutch Government have recognised that their version of the tax was actually counterproductive for their economy as a whole and that since aviation is a global industry, it also had no meaningful environmental impact on the industry’s global carbon foot-print.

Chris Cuddy, Cheapflights’ CEO said: “We applaud the Dutch Government’s willingness to drop a tax that they recognised as having serious knock-on and un-looked for negative effects on their aviation industry and national economy. We again call on the UK Government to follow the Dutch Government’s lead – the planned November increases in APD are a tax too far which will actively hinder the UK’s economic recovery.”

Virgin offers rewards for online check-in

Virgin Atlantic is offering discounts on duty free purchases for passengers who check in online at Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and Glasgow airports.

Customers who take an outbound flight between July 1 and August 31 will be given a £6-off duty free shopping voucher, which is redeemable on orders over £30.

Bmi Regional strengthens Scottish connections

Bmi Regional has boosted capacity on its services from Leeds Bradford Airport to Glasgow and Edinburgh during the peak summer season.

As of yesterday (June 29), the low-cost carrier has been operating twice daily connections between the two Scottish airports and its Yorkshire base.

Budget airline plans standing-only flights

China's first private airline, Spring Airlines, is pushing the concept of no-frills travel to the extreme, announcing plans to strip its aircraft of seats.

Spokesman Zhang Wuan unveiled the proposal yesterday, telling CCTV that standing-room-only cabins could accommodate up to 40 per cent more passengers.

The move follows comments by China's vice premier, Zhang Dejiang, who argued that citizens "should be able to get on a plane like catching a bus".

Jet2.com boosts Manchester to Tel Aviv link

Jet2.com is doubling the frequency of its Manchester Airport to Tel Aviv service during key dates in the winter schedule, TravelMole reports.

The low-cost carrier will be operating an additional weekly flight from December 21 to January 4, and then again from March 22 to April 26.

Luton Airport welcomes new Italian carrier

London Luton Airport is preparing to add Italian low-cost carrier Wind Jet to its route network.

From this Thursday (July 2), the no-frills airline will be operating twice weekly services between Luton and Forli Airport, situated in the north of Italy.

New Gatwick to Dusseldorf service takes off

Low-cost carrier Flybe has begun operating a brand new connection between London Gatwick Airport and the German city of Dusseldorf.

The service will be operated three times a day on weekdays, daily on Saturdays, and twice daily on Sundays. Fares start from £34.99 one-way, including taxes.

Storm clouds gather for ailing SkyEurope

The future of SkyEurope remains in doubt after the continental low-cost carrier was forced to file for bankruptcy protection from its creditors last week.

Followings months of declining passenger numbers, the Slovakia-based airline has sought protection from a Bratislava District Court in an effort to restructure its debt.

Normal service resumes at Heathrow Terminal 5

Services at Heathrow Terminal 5 are operating as normal once again after a glitch in the baggage system forced the closure of check-in desks on Sunday.

Thousands of passengers were delayed yesterday, with many being given the unenviable choice of either re-booking their flight or boarding without their luggage.

But airport regulator BAA says the mechanical fault that caused the incident has now been fixed, and it is apologising for any inconvenience caused.

The Cheap Flights News weekly roundup

British Airways' CEO's request to staff to work part-time (or free or take unpaid leave) to help save the airline was granted. Well, by almost 7,000 employees. Their sacrifices are expected to save the airline about £10 million. At the other end of the scale, Virgin, the other big British airline, revealed that it has spent £1.27 billion on an order for ten Airbus A320s. It also launched a new social media site called vtravelled.com. Speaking of social media, Jet2 followed in Pegasus Airlines' vapour trail with an eye-catching competition on Twitter - the Free Flights Friday Competition. For a digest of the week's travel news, read on...

NEW - AND BOOSTED - ROUTES

Wind Jet to fly from London Luton to Forli
The Catania-based airline will start flying from Luton Airport to Forli on Thursday, July 2.

Brussels Airlines discounts summer flights by 25%

Sale starts at 6pm tonight (Friday, June 26) and ends at midnight on Sunday, June 28: Brussels Airlines (website: www.brusselsairlines.com) has discounted the cost of summer flights by 25 per cent.

The discount applies only on flights via Brussels. From Brussels, travellers can connect to popular destinations including Bologna, Budapest, Frankfurt, Geneva, Hamburg, Lyon, Prague, Toulouse, Turin, Vienna and Warsaw.

New baggage charge for Aer Lingus flyers

Aer Lingus is to introduce a new baggage charge on long-haul flights to and from the United States.

Economy-Class flyers will still be able to check-in one bag free of charge, but it will cost €40 (£36 or $50) to check-in second and subsequent bags.

Wind Jet to fly from London Luton to Forli

There will be a new way for travellers to reach Italy from next week.

Wind Jet, the Catania-based airline, (website: w4.volawindjet.it) will start flying from London Luton to Forli on Thursday, July 2.

bmibaby swipes up to 40% off the cost of flights

Book by midnight on Tuesday, June 30: bmibaby has discounted the cost of its flights by up to 40 per cent.

Travel with the "tiny" airline until December 16 to a host of popular destinations such as Alicante, Almeria, Barcelona, Faro, Malaga, Palma and Murcia.

Swiss International Air Lines' discount for young flyers

Prior to the low-cost airline revolution, child fares were the norm. Then, the low-costers shook up the market and children aged two and over were treated as adults and charged accordingly.

Now Swiss International Air Lines has introduced a child fare that is 33 per cent less than the standard adult fare. The taxes, fees and other charges will still be applied to tickets for children.

Nice flights to Nice from £24.99

easyJet is offering flights to Nice from £24.99 each way including taxes. There are 50,000 flights at this price up for grabs.

The capital of the French Riviera, Nice lies at the centre of the popular, glamorous region of Southern France. Apart from the guaranteed sun and fabulous way of life there are a couple of great reasons to take flights to Nice this summer. The Nice Jazz Festival (website: www.nicejazzfestival.fr) is on from July 18-25 and Concerts du Cloitre Festival (website: www.hexagone.net) runs from July 16 to August 16.

Jet2.com gives away free flights on Twitter

Jet2.com is rewarding people who follow it on the microblogging service Twitter by dishing out free return flights to several top European destinations.

The low-cost carrier will be handing out prizes today (Friday, June 26) as part of its Free Flights Friday Competition.

British Airways' workers agree to pay cuts

British Airways staff have responded to Willie Walsh's calls to dig deep for the future of the airline. Almost 7,000 employees agreed to voluntary pay cuts, which will save the airline as much as £10 million.

About 4,000 staff will take unpaid leave, 1,400 will work part-time and 800 employees will work for free in July. Among those working for free next month will be Walsh, the Chief Executive, and Keith Williams, the Finance Director.

Re-branding campaign for Heathrow Airport

BAA has launched a new advertising campaign for London Heathrow Airport in the hopes of boosting the gateway's reputation as a world-class hub.

The re-branding drive – which will feature the strapline 'Making every journey better' – aims to highlight improvements made to the hub over recent months.

Flybe boosts Edinburgh to Shetland service

Low-cost carrier Flybe will boost the number of daily flights it operates between Edinburgh Airport and Shetland, The Scotsman reports.

The addition of the extra service, to be run by Glasgow-based partner Loganair, brings the number of daily Shetland flights from Scotland's capital to three.

Walsh to staff: British Airways future at risk

Willie Walsh has given his gloomiest assessment yet of the future of British Airways, effectively telling staff that the flag carrier faces potential bankruptcy.

In a startling internal email sent to employees, the chief executive confirmed that BA is "definitely at risk" if trade unions reject its call for voluntary redundancies.

He warned that the £401 million loss BA made last year left it in a perilous situation, saying the downturn was "beyond anything that we can save from our costs".

British Airways amends winter schedule

British Airways has made a number of revisions to its winter timetable from Gatwick Airport, ditching some services but boosting several others.

The flag carrier will no longer offer Gatwick flights to Alicante, Malta, Krakow and Palma during the season, though it will be operating extra services to Bermuda, Barbados, St Lucia and Port of Spain.

BA is also transferring five routes from Gatwick to Heathrow Airport on October 25, shifting connections with Barcelona, Gibraltar, Madrid, Malaga and Pisa.

Virgin Atlantic unveils vtravelled social site

Virgin Atlantic has launched a new social media site, vtravelled.com, which enables globetrotters to organise and share their travel itineraries.

The polished site has a strong emphasis on visuals, with travellers being encouraged to upload their own photos as well as write about their experiences.

Ryanair pledges to axe check-in luggage

People travelling with Ryanair will soon have to lug their suitcases through airport security, as the carrier has confirmed plans to scrap all check-in facilities.

The coach-style handling policy, which could be introduced as soon as next year, will see passengers haul their luggage right up to the tarmac beside the cargo hold.

No-frills charges exposed by BA 'value calculator'

British Airways has gone on the offensive against its no-frills competitors by launching an online Value Calculator that exposes their hidden charges.

The new facility allows would-be passengers to select preferences such as baggage and optional extras, before comparing surcharges from BA, Ryanair and easyJet.

Scorched Brits ignoring sun safety warnings

Millions of British holidaymakers continue to ignore government advice about sun protection, according to a new survey by Superdrug.

Up to nine million Brits admit to getting sunburnt every single time they go abroad, while a further one in ten say they get burnt twice in the same trip.

Air Canada to allow pets as hand luggage

Air Canada passengers will soon be able to carry their pets as hand luggage on international flights, following a change to the airline's baggage policy.

The Canadian national carrier, along with its regional affiliate Jazz, will become one of the few airlines to allow cats and small dogs in the cabin from July 1.

Virgin marks 25 years with aircraft orders

Virgin Atlantic has marked its 25th anniversary by placing what it has described as a recession-busting order for ten new Airbus A330s, worth £1.27 billion.

The airline also operated a special flight to New York yesterday as part of the commemorations, with celebrities such as Kate Moss joining Sir Richard Branson on the trip.

But the party mood did not extend to Virgin's main rival, British Airways, which is still reeling from financial woes after posting record losses of £401 million.

Poll: Travelling Habits

This poll has now closed

When you travel, do you prefer cloud watching out the window or stretching your limbs from the aisle? Or perhaps you're that rare breed of traveller who actually enjoys the middle seat?

Whatever your preference, please share your thoughts and vote now.

Need-to-know advice before and during your visit to America

UK passport holders

June 23, 2009: With the holiday season upon us Cheapflights.co.uk, the international online flight and travel price comparison company, suggests that before visiting the USA it pays to check that you know the new visa rules before flying.  Cheapflights also has some useful tips to help smooth your transit through domestic US airports once you are there.  Also be sure to print out our “before you fly check list” – this and lots of other travel information can be found on Cheapflights' Travel Tips.

Under the United States Visa Waiver Program (VWP), UK citizens entering the US by air or sea have to apply online for the new American Department of Homeland Security’s mandatory Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) - this is intended to replace the current paper visa and allows you to stay for up to three months.  However, if you want to stay longer you will still need a tourist B2 paper visa.   At present though, even with the mandatory ESTA, you will still be given the old I-94W (for VWP Citizens) on board the aircraft.  This is a temporary measure until all airlines flying into the US are able to process ESTAs electronically. DO remember without fail to save the portion of the I-94W given back to you on passing through immigration so as to be able to hand to immigration when you leave.

Air Berlin sale - Germany flights from £24

Sale starts at 9am tomorrow (Tuesday, June 23) and ends at midnight on Wednesday, June 24: Air Berlin is having a lightning-fast sale on flights to Germany. Fares start from £24 one-way including taxes and charges.

bmibaby flights one-third cheaper - fly to December

Book before Tuesday, June 30, to snap up a discounted flight with bmibaby. The regional off-shoot of BMI has swiped a third off the cost of its flights. The travel window is wide; you can travel right up to December 16 at the discounted prices.

bmibaby flies to popular holiday destinations such as Alicante, Malaga, Faro, Murcia, Paris and Nice from regional airports including Manchester, East Midlands, Birmingham and Cardiff.

British Airways to fly 'City to Wall Street'

© BA

British Airways' (BA) new business-only service from London City Airport to New York JFK is to start on September 29.

The flights will not come cheap. Costing about £5,000 return, the service will be for travellers with deep pockets. However, BA is touting the service as the most convenient link between the City of London and Wall Street.

Germanwings to fly Manchester to Cologne-Bonn

Germanwings, the low-cost German airline, is to start flying from Manchester Airport to Cologne-Bonn in October.

The five-times-per-week service is being introduced for business flyers, but leisure travellers will be able to benefit from the connection too.

The Cheap Flights News weekly roundup

This was the week of the much-reported British Airways offer - work free to help save the airline. Unsurprisingly, perhaps, the unions balked at this, but it's a sign of how much pressure airlines are under these days. However, the airlines' difficulty is the traveller's opportunity. Carriers announced several sales and eye-catching promotions this week, such as Pegasus Airlines' offer via its Twitter page.

Passenger numbers may be down but the airports are looking to the future and investing in infrastructure. And finally, as the peak summer season edges closer there is some helpful advice from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on how to avoid causing offence abroad...

Weekend discount: save 25% on Czech Airlines' flights

Book before Sunday, June 21: Czech Airlines' weekend discount is 25 per cent off the cost of flights to some of Europe's most happening cities.

Fly from Manchester Airport to Rome from £151 and Bologna from £154.

Depart from London Heathrow to Odessa, the capital city of Ukraine, from £224 and Zagreb, Croatia, from £154.

Cheap flights to Newquay from Air Southwest

Sale ends at 9am on Monday, June 22. Air Southwest has discounted the cost of its flights by up to 25 per cent.

With the discount, the cheapest fares start from £21.75 one-way including taxes and charges. The UK regional airline flies to Newquay, the surfing capital of the UK, from Bristol, London City, London Gatwick, Manchester, Leeds Bradford, Newcastle, Glasgow, and Cork and Dublin airports.

easyJet: summer flights for less than £34.99 one way with taxes

Peak season savings are on offer from easyJet. The orange-liveried airline has released 100,000 seats to the most popular holiday destinations including Malaga, Faro and Nice.

Travel in July and August - there are no blackout dates around the school holidays.

'Kiss and drop' levy to go ahead at Luton Airport

Drivers dropping off family and friends at Luton Airport (LTN) will be charged £1 in a controversial new "kiss and drop" fee.

Although the airport had scrapped the fee before it had come into operation (as we reported on May 14) the charge will now come into effect next month.

The airport has said that the charge is necessary to improve traffic flow and encourage the use of public transport. LTN has seen a surge in passenger numbers over the past few years. In 2002, seven million travellers used the airport. By 2008, this figure had grown to more than ten million.

Ryanair cuts flights from Dublin and Shannon

Ryanair has reduced the number of winter flights it operates from Dublin and Shannon airports, amid warnings that further cutbacks could be made.

The low-cost carrier will remove one plane from each of the two Irish bases during the season, axing 44 flights per week from Dublin and 36 at Shannon.

It blamed the decision on the government's continued support for Air Passenger Duty (APD), which according to Ryanair has dampened passenger demand.

BA and bmi perform badly for lost luggage

British Airways and bmi are among the airlines with the worst record in Europe for losing luggage, newly released performance figures show.

People travelling with bmi have a 1-in-58 chance of having their bags misplaced, while for BA passengers the ratio improves only marginally to 1-in-64.

That places Britain's flag carrier 22nd and bmi 23rd in a league table of 26 European airlines.

Baggage allowance reminder for UK travellers

Passengers are being reminded of cabin baggage restrictions in place at all UK airports.

The Department for Transport has set a maximum size of 56cm x 45cm x 25cm for carry-on luggage, which includes space taken up by wheels, handles and external pockets.

It also continues to impose heavy restrictions on liquid containers, which must be carried in a transparent, re-sealable plastic bag and cannot exceed 100ml.

Brits still taking holidays despite crunch

Brits who are worried about the recession will cut back on almost anything except for their prized summer holidays, a new study by easyJet has shown.

The research found that seven out of ten people cannot bring themselves to give up their fortnight in the sun, opting instead for a raft of penny-scrimping tactics.

British Airways unions spurn 'free work' bid

Unions have reacted with disdain to a letter from Willie Walsh, the chief executive of British Airways, who is asking employees to sacrifice their pay packets.

Mr Walsh made the appeal in an in-house newspaper, warning that the flag carrier is in a "fight for survival" and calling on staff to volunteer for unpaid work.

But his plea appears to have fallen on deaf ears, with a spokesman for the GMB union saying that its members would have difficulty taking it seriously.

Cheap flights to US spurred by strong pound

Bookings to Florida saw a dramatic 49 per cent increase in June against the previous year, as the strengthening pound enticed Brits back to the States.

The surge follows an eight per cent slump in May, new research shows, while rising demand has also been reported for other destinations such as Egypt.

Stansted Airport launches noise consultation

London Stansted Airport has launched a 16-week public consultation exploring the various ways to minimise aircraft noise over the coming years.

The investigation will solicit feedback from local residents at a series of public meetings, which will be held in towns and villages under the flightpath.

Council to consider Bristol Airport expansion

Officials from North Somerset Council are today reviewing details of an ambitious plan to increase capacity at Bristol International Airport.

The radical proposals - which involve doubling the overall floor size of the terminal - would create 4,000 jobs and pump £340 million into the local economy.

British holidaymakers 'flouting local customs'

Brits routinely fail to respect the laws and customs of their host country when overseas, according to a new warning from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO).

The government department said that hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers behave indecently while abroad each year, causing offence and running the risk of prosecution.

Topless sunbathing accounts for the lion's share of offences, the FCO revealed, with half of all women who engage in the practice failing to check local laws.

Twitter users offered free flights to Turkey

Fans of the microblogging service Twitter now have the opportunity to win a flight to the Mediterranean every day of the week, thanks to Pegasus Airlines.

The low-cost carrier is running a daily quiz on its UK Twitter page - twitter.com/flymepegasus - with the 50th respondent to each question being awarded a free trip.

Ryanair to shut down website for 10 hours

Essential maintenance work will close Ryanair's website for ten hours next week, making it impossible for passengers to check in online.

People due to travel on Thursday June 25 should print their boarding passes extra early, as the down-time will run from 7pm the previous evening to 5am in the morning.

Anyone with an early morning flight who fails to check in online by 6pm on Wednesday will be charged a £40 "boarding pass re-issue fee" at the airport.