The Cheap Flights News weekly roundup

British Airways totally dominated this week's travel news – first announcing plans to scrap meals on short-haul flights, and then posting record losses of £148 million. But the challenging climate took a toll on others too, with Ryanair axing winter flights and lowering its profit forecast.

Worst of all, storm-clouds were also on the minds of ordinary Brits. The Met Office admitted that it got it wrong yet again when officials predicted a "barbecue summer" for the UK – which leaves sun-seekers just enough time to book a last-minute trip abroad. And with research showing that more and more of us are now haggling with travel agents, the August rush looks set to be busier than ever. 

Airports strike confirmed as talks break down

Passengers flying into UK airports next Wednesday (August 5) could face heavy delays after immigration officers voted to stage a 24-hour walkout.

The Home Office failed to reach an agreement with the Public and Commercial Services union over working conditions, prompting the strike by 1,200 staff.

British Airways smarts from historic £148m loss

British Airways posted first quarter losses of £148 million this morning (July 31) as the airline warned the industry to brace itself for tough times ahead.

This is the first time BA has posted a Q1 loss since privatisation in 1987, with the three months to the end of June traditionally being its most profitable quarter.

During the same period last year the flag carrier raked in profits of £37 million, but the recession has taken a heavy toll on demand for its premium business products.

Ryanair axes 20% of Dublin flights this winter

Ryanair has said it will scale back its presence at Dublin Airport by 20 per cent this winter.

The low-cost carrier revealed that it plans to re-locate four aircraft away from the gateway during the season, cutting the total number of flights to fewer than 1,000.

Its drawdown follows an dramatic 40 per cent reduction at London Stansted and comes as the airline expands its bases in the Canary Islands (see related story).

Cash-strapped Brits haggling for holidays

British holidaymakers are making sure their holiday budgets stretch as far as possible by haggling with tour operators, new research has shown.

Rather than accepting prices advertised in brochures, an estimated one in four Brits is digging in their heels and attempting to negotiate a better deal.

Poll: Summer holiday patterns

Are you off on holiday soon? If so, what type of break would represent your ideal summer holiday? Are you hoping to spend days or weeks lounging on a beach?

Share your thoughts by taking our latest poll and vote now to tell us what you’d most enjoy.

Aeroflot promises more 'eye-catching' stewardesses

Aeroflot, the Russian carrier seen by many as a rusty emblem of Soviet-era brusqueness, is vowing to hire sultry air hostesses in a bid to modernise its image.

Like most of the country's former state-run enterprises, the airline has long struggled to overcome its reputation for treating customers with cavalier indifference.

But after seeing a "wonderful" video clip of Virgin Atlantic's nubile cabin crew, CEO Vitaly Savelyev reckons he has found the solution: "[Hire] very eye-catching girls." 

Now BA scrimping on business class meals

Further details of British Airways' reduced in-flight catering service have emerged, with business class meals now being targeted for cost-cutting.

According to a report in today's Financial Times, the flag carrier will be axing complimentary canapés and chocolates from all of its long-haul First and Club cabins.

Met Office predicts damp and dreary August

The Met Office has revised its forecast for the remainder of the summer, admitting that earlier predictions of baking hot weather were wildly optimistic.

Despite promising a "barbecue summer" in April, the national weather service now says that August will be characterised by overcast skies and regular downfalls.

Branson: Let inefficient airlines die peacefully

Sir Richard Branson, founder and chairman of Virgin Atlantic, has said that inefficient airlines which continue to lose money "should be allowed to die peacefully".

The entrepreneur made his comments during an interview with Reuters, in which he also renewed his opposition to "anti-competitive" mergers between rival airlines.

"I'm not sure that carriers merging is actually a good idea," he told the news agency. "I think that, generally speaking, carriers should get on and compete with each other."

No more free meals on short-haul BA flights

British Airways has announced that from next week it will no longer provide lunch or dinner on short-haul flights – a move that will save it £22 million.

The flag carrier is replacing its sandwiches, rolls and meals with more basic snacks such as crisps, nuts and chocolates, with no option to purchase extra food.

Ryanair unveils 39 new routes to Canary Islands

Ryanair has added 39 routes to the Canary Islands in its winter 2009 schedule, opening up links from across Europe including several UK airports.

The low-cost carrier appears to be seeing good on its pledge to strengthen operations in countries where airport operator charges are kept to a minimum.

British Airways announces new flight cutbacks

British Airways has begun unveiling details of the cutbacks to its winter 2009 timetable.

The airline's Heathrow to Sydney via Singapore connection will be scaled back throughout the winter months, with passengers being re-accommodated on alternative flights.

Alongside the cancellations, unconfirmed reports suggest that BA services to Chicago, New York, Seattle and Johannesburg are also facing reduced frequencies.

Ryanair tempers forecast but steps up price war

Ryanair has said it will continue slashing fares in the coming months, even as it predicts that full-year profits will be at "lower end" of its previous forecast.

The low-cost carrier followed up yesterday's announcement of record-high first-quarter profits with a much more depressing financial outlook for the year ahead.

In spite of the gloomy forecast, however, flamboyant Chief Executive Michael O'Leary is pledging to continue cutting airfares throughout the summer.

New airline spies Tees Valley to London link

The first airline to be based in the Tees Valley region for more than 35 years has moved a step closer to its official launch, The Northern Echo reports.

Excelsis Airways, which will operate flights from Durham Tees Valley to London City Airport, has now started a recruitment drive for 100 staff at the base.

Monarch adds flights to Larnaca from Birmingham

Monarch Airlines has added a new winter service from Birmingham Airport to Larnaca in Cyprus.

The low-cost carrier will operate flights to the popular resort twice a week during its 2009/10 winter programme, with all-inclusive fares starting from just £64.99 one way.

Green light for £28m Leeds Bradford development

Plans for a radical overhaul of the passenger terminal at Leeds Bradford Airport have been given the go-ahead by Leeds City Council's Planning Committee.

The £28 million project will see the creation of a brand new airside departure lounge, in addition to the re-design of key facilities including the baggage reclaim hall.

The Cheap Flights News weekly roundup

It's been a tough old week for the airline industry. Ryanair continued to scale back services, while rumours mounted that BA is planning a quick sale of its loss-making subsidiary OpenSkies. The flag carrier was also forced to shell out refunds over a price-fixing scandal with Virgin – and to top it all off we learnt that air passengers complained in record numbers in 2008/09.

But then perhaps they have good cause to grumble? The government has once again been chastised for its flawed environmental policy, while the Tories fared no better by refusing to scrap Air Passenger Duty. A ray of hope shone through from BA and Qantas, though, who gave cricket fans the deal of the century by selling return flights to Australia for £215 after England's Ashes victory.

Gatwick re-opens after emergency Flybe landing

The runway at Gatwick Airport was shut down this afternoon following an emergency landing by a Flybe plane from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.

Flight BE1432, carrying 46 passengers and four crew members, was forced to divert en route to Cardiff Airport after smoke was reported by the crew.

Everyone was safely evacuated at around 12.25pm and the runway re-opened half an hour later.

Brits determined to take holiday at all costs

Eight out of ten UK residents are adopting cost-cutting techniques in order to safeguard their holiday during the recession, new research shows.

While a clear majority of Brits remain committed to heading abroad, they are deploying ever-more imaginative tactics to ensure they can afford their vacation.

Robin Hood Airport 'the stuff of folklore'

Officials at Robin Hood Airport in Doncaster have acknowledged that many of its potential customers are completely unaware that the gateway is real.

In an unusually frank admission, members of the airport's project board were quoted as agreeing "that many people are largely unaware that [the airport] exists".

Smart phones 'spell end to in-flight entertainment'

The advent of iPhones and other handhled mobile devices could spell an end to traditional in-flight entertainment systems, it has been suggested.

Keeping passengers happy on long-haul trips has always been a costly business for airlines, who are forced to spend millions on maintenance and studio licensing fees.

But with the capabilities of smart phones advancing in leaps and bounds, experts say the familiar backseat TVs on aircraft could soon be a thing of the past.

EasyJet puts spring flights on sale early

EasyJet has revised the way it releases seats for forthcoming travel seasons, allowing passengers to book cheap flights earlier than ever before.

The low-cost carrier is now taking bookings for its Spring 2010 schedule, which includes flights from Belfast, Bristol, East Midlands, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle.

Compensation for 211,000 BA, Virgin customers

More than 211,000 customers of British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have applied for refunds in the wake of the carriers' fuel surcharge price-fixing scandal.

Some 170,000 of the claims were filed by UK-based passengers, newly released figures show, but they form just a fraction of the millions eligible for partial refunds.

Aer Lingus boosts Heathrow to Shannon link

Aer Lingus is adding an extra daily flight from London Heathrow to Shannon Airport, less than two years after it dropped the service from its network.

The route will be operated three times a day from this October, with an additional midday flight complementing existing morning and evening services.

Next Tory govt 'would not scrap APD'

An incoming Tory government would not scrap the widely opposed Air Passenger Duty (APD), Shadow Transport Secretary Theresa Villiers has revealed.

Despite committing to immediate reform of the controversial levy, which will more than double by next year, Ms Villiers said axing it would not be a viable option.

Her comments will disappoint both passenger watchdogs and industry groups – the vast majority of whom view APD as a regressive tax which punishes travellers.

Report: Airline complaints on the increase

Complaints by airline customers have risen 11 per cent over the past year, according to passenger watchdog the Air Transport Users Council (AUC).

A total of 12,307 complaints and enquiries were received in 2008-09 – the majority of which related to cancellations, delays and mishandled baggage.

Birmingham benefits from new Jeddah flights

Passengers living in the Birmingham area will next week benefit from the launch of a brand new connection with the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah.

Hellenic Imperial Airways is preparing to launch a weekly service on Saturday (July 25), with plans afoot to double its frequency next month, subject to demand.

Outbound services will depart from Birmingham Airport on Saturdays at 5pm, stopping over in the Greek capital Athens before flying on to Jeddah.

BA to sell OpenSkies 'within two months'

British Airways could be just two months away from offloading its loss-making business class subsidiary OpenSkies, according to a report in Reuters.

The news agency cited "a person familiar with the matter" as saying that investment bank Reynolds Partners has been drafted in to find a buyer for the carrier.

Govt biofuel strategy 'should focus on aviation'

Efforts by the government to expand uptake of energy-efficient biofuels should focus on airplanes rather than automobiles, a leading think tank has said.

Policy Exchange argued that by shifting the emphasis onto aviation it is more likely that Whitehall's ambitious targets for developing the technology can be met.

Virgin Atlantic is among the airlines that is already trialling biofuels, which are produced by mixing crops such as sugarcane and rapeseed with petrol.

Aer Lingus - fly from Gatwick to Europe from £9.99 ow with taxes

Book by midnight on Thursday, July 23: Aer Lingus is offering flights to popular European destinations from £9.99 one-way including taxes.

Among the European bargains - departing from London Gatwick Airport - are:

Munich, Nice and Eindhoven (the Netherlands) from £9.99.

Ryanair to reduce Stansted Airport service

© BAA Stansted

Ryanair is to reduce significantly the number of flights it offers from Stansted Airport (STN) this winter.

The Irish low-cost airline will cut the number of aircraft based at the airport by 40 per cent while the number of flights will be cut by 30 per cent.

Corking offer: Flybe sale and Virgin Wines voucher

Book by Thursday, July 30: Flybe has released seven million seats priced from £21.99 one-way including taxes.

As an extra sweetener, with every flight booked before Thursday (July 23), the airline will gift customers a £40 voucher to use towards a case of wine from Virgin Wines.

Qantas and BA offer flights to Australia from £215 return inc taxes

Sale starts at 8am today (Tuesday): Qantas has released details of that fantastic Ashes-related fare sale it is running with British Airways.

Thanks to the England cricket team's efforts yesterday there are 425 seats on the London-Sydney run available for £215 return including taxes, fees and airport-related charges.

Ryanair adds flights at Oslo, but may cut at Glasgow

As airlines finalise their winter flights schedules, there is a bit of chopping and changing going on at Ryanair.

The Irish airline is to add 11 new routes to and from Oslo (Torp and Rygge airports). Cities gaining flights to Oslo include London (Stansted Airport), Alicante, Barcelona (Girona), Brussels (Charleroi), Bremen, Madrid and Milan (Bergamo).

Flights to Australia from £215

Following the England cricket team's triumph over Australia this afternoon, British Airways and Qantas have made good on their promise (as reported on July 15 - Ashes victory spells cheap flights to Australia) to offer flights to Australia based on the first innings scores of the second Test.

British Airways and Qantas will be giving away 425 flights to Sydney for £215.

Tom, Dick, Harry campaign plays round the Med

A cheeky campaign aimed at young holidaymakers is underway in popular resorts around the Mediterranean.

The Foreign Office has launched the "Don't be a Dick" campaign in popular destinations including Majorca, Crete, Greece and Turkey to educate teenage and 20-something travellers of the hidden dangers of holidaying abroad.

British Airways, Virgin may turn away swine-flu sufferers

British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have both issued guidance to their check-in staff to refuse passengers boarding if they appear to have the H1N1 virus.

A British Airways spokesman told the Guardian: "The symptoms for H1N1 can be similar to other illnesses. If we have concerns about a customer, or a customer is concerned, then we have a 24-hour medical service we can call to give advice to staff.

Monarch - £20 off return flights to Spain and Portugal

Book by midnight on Tuesday, July 21, to save £20 on return flights with Monarch. The holiday airline is offering the saving on flights to some of Europe's sunniest destinations in September and October.

Fly to Malaga, the under-discovered city on the Costa del Sol that's the gateway to the popular resorts of Torremolinos, Benalmadena, Fuengirola and Marbella.

The Cheap Flights News weekly roundup

See-saw. This was the week when British Airways announced that luxury air travel is a thing of the past, but then a very new kind of airline - Pet Airways - took to the skies in the USA. It was reported that a court in Germany ruled against Ryanair in a booking-fees case, but then it emerged that several airlines have increased their booking fees over the past few months.  And, back to the future, the recession is prompting a surge in the popularity of family holidays.

NEW SERVICE

Ski specialist offers direct flights to Valais
Snowjet is to operate a new route this winter between London Stansted and Sion Airport in the Swiss Valais Region.

Czech Airlines - save 25% on return flights

Book by midnight on Sunday, July 19, to get 25 per cent off the cost of flights to Bucharest, Kiev, Athens and St Petersburg.

Czech Airlines' (www.czechairlines.com) weekend discount is available on flights from London and Manchester airports.

Airlines increase booking fees

The cost of booking flights by credit or debit cards has risen by a whopping 614 per cent over the past 18 months, a report by Which? Holiday has found.

Paying by debit card was, for many years, a cheaper option to paying with a credit card, but this is no longer the case.

Ryanair has scrapped its 70p debit card fee (per person per each way flight) and replaced it with a £5 fee to bring it in line with its credit card fee. That too has increased; it used to be £2. Payments by Visa Electron are still free.

London-Helsinki flights from £59 one-way with taxes

SAS/Blue1 has a quick little sale on flights from London Heathrow to Helsinki. You'll have to book before Monday, July 20, to snap up a flight costing from £59 one-way including taxes and charges.

Book via Blue1's website (www.blue1.com). Travel between August 1 and September 30.

Virgin Atlantic calls on customers to oppose APD

Virgin Atlantic is raising the bar in the campaign against Air Passenger Duty (APD) by emblazoning its e-tickets with criticism of the controversial tax.

The airline is being backed by industry groups and passenger watchdogs – all of whom say Whitehall views the levy as little more than a cash cow.

Recession prompts surge in 'family holidays'

The economic downturn has paradoxically prompted a surge in family holiday bookings, according to an intriguing new study by Jet2holidays.com.

Growing numbers of over-18s are reportedly opting to join Mum and Dad for a traditional family getaway, rather than splurging on their own trip abroad.

Liverpool Airport hosts easyJet's busiest route

Liverpool John Lennon Airport can now lay claim to hosting the busiest connection operated across easyJet's entire 437-strong network of routes.

The airport's Belfast service takes to the skies 12 times each way per day and remains as popular as ever, marking its 10th anniversary this month.

Ashes victory spells cheap flights to Australia

Cricket fans will have an extra reason to cheer on England this week, with two airlines vowing to peg their ticket prices to the results of the second Ashes Test.

British Airways and Qantas have both promised to lower their return fares to Australia, matching the score achieved by its players during their first innings at Lord's.

Meanwhile, the availability of seats will be pegged to England's number of runs in the same innings, meaning that an all-out thrashing will be great news for holidaymakers.

Pet Airways starts flights for 'pawssengers'

The world's first pet-only airline took to the skies yesterday (Tuesday), operating its inaugural flight between New York and Los Angeles.

Pet Airways offers to transport cats and dogs – affectionately known as "pawssengers" – between five major US hubs, with one-way fares starting from $150 (about £90).

BA: Luxury air travel a thing of the past

Demand for Business and First-Class travel is unlikely to return to the levels seen before the recession, British Airways has acknowledged for the first time.

Signalling a seachange in the airline's reliance on premium travel, Chairman Martin Broughton said that corporate cutbacks on travel expenses are here to stay.

He warned: "This is no ordinary downturn; no cyclical swing that will automatically turn up again. The market for premium travel may never fully recover."

APD charges 'discriminate against Caribbean'

Government proposals to increase Air Passenger Duty (APD) arbitrarily discriminate against flights to the Caribbean, the House of Commons has been told.

Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Teather said that destinations in the Caribbean will incur a higher tax than those on the US West Coast, even though they are closer to the UK.

Her Early Day Motion has been welcomed as an indication that Westminster is finally waking up to the significance of APD as a major election issue next year.