Ryanair promotion waives fee for carrying skis

Book by Thursday, October 1: Ryanair is giving winter sports fans the chance to fly their skis and snowboards to the Alps without incurring a charge.

Until midnight tomorrow, the airline will waive its £80 surcharge for anyone carrying the equipment on popular ski routes such as Grenoble, Lourdes and Salzburg.

Samoa travellers offered refunds after tsunami

Holidaymakers planning to fly from Australia to Samoa are being offered full refunds without incurring charges in the wake of yesterday's tsunami.

Air New Zealand and Polynesian Blue website: www.polynesianblue.com have both said passengers who no longer wish to travel to the South Pacific island will have their cancellation fees waived.

Flybe slashes airfares by as much as 50%

Book by Wednesday, September 30: Flybe, Europe's largest regional carrier, has slashed fares on some of its most popular routes by up to 50 per cent.

The low-cost carrier is giving holidaymakers the chance to snap up savings on flights from its UK bases at London Gatwick, Manchester and Southampton airports.

Flyglobespan reinstates Cardiff flights to Orlando

Flyglobespan will re-launch its popular service from Cardiff to Orlando next summer, with fares starting from just £170 one-way.

The first flight is scheduled for May 2010, opening up a direct link to Florida's world-famous theme-parks and shopping promenades.

Last of Ryanair check-in desks set for the chop

From this Thursday (October 1) onwards, all passengers flying with Ryanair will be required to check-in online at least four hours prior to their departure.

The mandatory service, which costs £5 each way, has been billed by the low-cost airline as a way of enhancing customer service and reducing queues at the airport.

But for many it is just the latest in a long line of stealth charges rolled out by Ryanair, which some accuse of flouting EU rules over ticket price transparency.

Far East offers best value for holidaymakers this autumn/winter

With thoughts turning to winter sun, travellers looking for a bargain should look to the Far East, to Thailand, Bali and Malaysia, rather than to destinations around Europe or Down Under, according to the Long Haul Holiday Report 2009 compiled by the Post Office.

The Post Office looked at the cost of a typical basket of goods in 16 countries. The "basket" includes items such as a cup of coffee, bottle of lager, mineral water, Coca-Cola, suncream, a postcard and stamp to the UK, insect repellent, a packet of Marlboro Lights cigarettes and a three-course evening meal for two including a bottle of house wine in a local restaurant.

British Airways' London-New York flights ready to take off

British Airways' (BA) new all-Business-Class service to New York JFK is scheduled to take off from London City Airport tomorrow (Tuesday, September 29).

While the cost of flights (starting at about £2,000) are not at the cheap end of the spectrum, there is one interesting new development - onboard internet access.

Passengers on the converted A318 aircraft, which has seats (that convert to flat beds) for just 32 travellers, will be able to text, email and tweet from 30,000 feet.

Worth the trip? The world’s top tourist attractions

A recent article on bootsnall.com - the Nine most disappointing attractions in Europe – made me wonder whether there is more to the appeal of an attraction than the attraction itself.

Looking through the list of “underwhelming” statues, monuments, buildings and bridges, a common theme emerges: they’re too small or too popular (too many fellow tourists).

Lots of the fun of visiting a world-famous attraction is the sense of anticipation stoked by years and years of childhood stories, cartoons, documentaries, newspaper articles and blog posts. Entering a crowded Salle des États, alight with excitement and hushed murmurs, will only enhance the moment when you finally set eyes upon the Mona Lisa.

The Cheap Flights News weekly roundup

The week started with exciting news for Cheapflights as we were featured, for the sixth consecutive year, in the Sunday Times Microsoft Tech Track 100 awards. We also launched a new online game that gives holidaymakers the chance to test their travel knowledge and win terrific prizes. And we canvassed our users' opinions in our new poll on connecting flights. Perhaps unsurprisingly, cost is shaping up to be the reason why travellers might take indirect flights. Let us know what you think, and then, read on for our roundup of the week's travel news.

Dubai flights from Lufthansa - £249 return with taxes

Book by Tuesday, September 29: Lufthansa has flights to the Middle East from £249 return including taxes and fees.

The standout bargain is London-Dubai from £249, but the German airline also has the following cheap flights from London:

Beirut from £259 
Amman from £299

British Airways to reverse surfboard policy - some allowed

When British Airways (BA) stopped passengers from bringing their surfboards (and other pieces of equipment such as windsurfing boards and sails, hang gliders, kayaks, canoes, pole vaults and javelins) on flights in November 2007, it caused consternation among surfers. BA said at the time that it was due to "the large size and handling complexities" of the items.

Now, thanks to a campaign on Facebook that gained support from more than 14,000 surfers, BA has said it will allow surfboards in padded bags up to 190cm (6ft 3in) long.

Aer Arann: 25% off adult fares, 75% off kids' fares

Offer ends at midnight on Sunday, September 27: Aer Arann has an eye-catching "back to school" offer - 25 per cent off adult fares and 75 per cent off children's fares - for travel until Christmas including the October half-term school holidays.

The discounted fares are available on all seats, all flights and all routes. The Irish regional airline flies from several airports around the UK (including London Luton and City Airport, Manchester, Birmingham and Cardiff) to Galway, Knock, Donegal, Sligo, Waterford and the Isle of Man.

Air Baltic's birthday bargains - flights to Riga and Vilnius

Air Baltic, the Latvian national airline, is marking its 14th birthday with a sale. Book before Monday, September 28, to land a cheap flight to Eastern Europe.

The cities of Riga, capital of Latvia, and Vilnius, Lithuania's capital, are included in this sale. Depart from London Heathrow and Gatwick airports. Travel between October 19 and December 16.

Malaysia Airlines' sale: flights from £659 return inc taxes

Malaysia Airlines' sale ends next Wednesday (September 30). The airline is offering flights to popular destinations such as Kuala Lumpur, Phuket, Perth and Sydney from £659 return including taxes. Travel to December 11. Here's the line-up of bargains:

London Heathrow to Denpasar, the capital city of Bali, Indonesia, from £659
London Heathrow to Phuket, Thailand's largest (and stunningly beautiful) island, from £669
London Heathrow to Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, from £719

British Airways to charge for seats

British Airways (BA) has already cut its baggage allowance and abolished free meals on short-haul flights in attempts to balance its books, its latest money-making idea is to charge for seating.

From October 7, passengers who wish to sit together or who wish to secure a window, aisle or emergency-exit-row seat will have to pay.

The charges will start at £10 per person per flight for short-haul domestic UK or Europe-bound flights in Economy Class.

Gatwick Airport transit passengers face delays

Passengers travelling between terminals at London Gatwick Airport are being advised to allow extra time for their journeys due to upgrade work.

As of next Monday (September 28) the transit system which currently ferries passengers around the airport will be replaced by replacement bus services.

Ryanair issues reminder over new ID policy

People who have booked flights with Ryanair are being reminded about changes to the airline's ID policy which will come into effect on October 1.

The carrier will no longer accept driver's licences as valid ID on domestic UK flights, with passengers who lack proper travel documents being turned away.

Manchester scoops 'Airport of the Year' award

Manchester Airport has scooped the prestigious 'Airport of the Year' award at the TTG Travel Industry Awards 2009, held in London on Tuesday.

The regional gateway was selected as the winner of the coveted prize by a panel of judges comprising travel agents and independent industry observers.

Iceland Express adds Gatwick to Akureyri service

Iceland Express has added a new route from London Gatwick Airport to the northern city of Akureyri, opening up an alternative to the capital Reykjavik.

The new service is due to launch in June 2010 and will give people flying from Gatwick a direct connection to Iceland's second city – famed for its natural beauty.

Ryanair and SAS duke it out in Facebook spat

SAS Scandinavian Airlines has ignited a war of words with Ryanair after the Irish low-cost carrier jokingly offered SAS executives free seats on its flights.

A Ryanair spokesman made the tongue-in-cheek gesture last month, inviting senior bosses at the rival carrier to "experience how a successful airline operates".

But despite the offer being hastily rescinded, SAS Director of Communications Claus Sonberg rose to the challenge and promptly issued a scathing appraisal on Facebook.

Gulf Air bucks trend by raising baggage allowance

Gulf Air is going against the grain of trends in the airline industry by raising its baggage allowance at a time when other carriers are cutting theirs.

Bahrain's national airline has announced that it will increase its free checked allowance for passengers in all three classes from October 1 onwards.

Jet2.com boss ups the ante for customer service

Philip Meeson, the chief executive of Jet2.com, is fast earning a reputation for being a consumer champion after angrily confronting his own check-in staff.

The airline boss reportedly launched into a tirade when he discovered that Jet2.com employees at Manchester Airport were ignoring customers waiting to check in.

Mr Meeson's outburst was so vociferous that police were eventually called in to calm him down, but he was cheered on by passengers for deciding to get involved.

Exchange rate ignorance 'costs Brits dearly'

British holidaymakers are throwing away money because of their ignorance about currency exchange rates, new research has revealed.

Thomas Cook found that one in four Brits makes no effort to convert local prices into Pound Sterling, meaning they often end up paying over the odds.

New travel competition puts globetrotters to the test

Cheapflights.co.uk has launched a new online game which gives holidaymakers the chance to win fantastic prizes by testing their travel knowledge.

TravelPursuit.co.uk whisks you through six different continents, posing country-specific questions which are designed both to both challenge and inspire.

British Airways mulls leisure routes for London City

British Airways is considering launching leisure routes from London City Airport in a bid to boost volumes during the off-peak season for business travel.

Bloomberg reports that the flag carrier is looking at deploying its new fleet of Embraer 190 jets to open up links with destinations such as Majorca and Ibiza.

Ryanair and easyJet back industry emissions pledge

Europe's two largest low-cost carriers have thrown their weight behind ambitious industry plans to cut carbon dioxide emissions by half by 2050.

Ryanair and easyJet both came out in support of the strategy after it was unveiled yesterday in New York by British Airways Chief Executive Willie Walsh.

The no-frills sector has come in for heavy criticism from environmental groups, which accuse it of fostering a "binge-flying" culture that hastens climate change.

Airlines pledge to halve CO2 emissions by 2050

The aviation industry is committed to slashing CO2 emissions by half by 2050, delegates at the UN's climate change summit in New York will hear today.

British Airways Chief Executive Willie Walsh will outline what he calls "the best option for the planet," pledging to cut emissions by 50 per cent against 2005 levels.

His proposal would plug a gaping hole left by the now defunct 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which excluded air transport, but critics have been quick to voice doubts.

Backlash over Glasgow Airport rail link decision

The decision to axe an improved rail link between Glasgow Airport and the west of Scotland has provoked an angry reaction from Labour ministers.

Some £182 million had been set aside for the project, which was seen as a crucial component in Glasgow's successful bid for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

But the ruling Scottish National Party (SNP) has now scrapped its plans, insisting that pressure on public funding outweighed the benefits of the rail link.

Polls: Connecting flights

Your next holiday is on the horizon, and you’re pondering over your flight search. Do you fly direct, or will you connect? What’s your preference and why – share your thoughts, and vote now.

Jet2.com unveils 'free checked bag' scheme

At a time when most airlines are hiking baggage fees, Jet2.com has bucked the trend by announcing a novel 'free bag' scheme at Leeds Bradford Airport.

The low-cost carrier will allow passengers flying from the regional base to check in one piece of luggage free of charge between May and October of next year.

All flights to Spain and Portugal will be included in the special promotion, which covers bags weighing up to 22kg and results in a saving of £9.99 each way.

Virgin Atlantic to offer visas via its website

Virgin Atlantic customers can now organise travel documents for most destinations at the same time as they book their flights, thanks to a new partnership.

The airline has teamed up with CIBT, the largest provider of visa and passport services, to enable passengers to secure travel documents through VirginAtlantic.com.

Cheapflights sets record with six years in a row

Sunday Times Microsoft Tech Track 100 Award

London, September 22 2009: Cheapflights Limited, the global leader in flight price search and comparison, is proud to announce that it has been recognised as the only private UK technology company to have been featured in the prestigious Sunday Times Microsoft Tech Track 100 awards for a record six years in a row. The survey of the UK’s fastest growing private technology firms ranked Cheapflights #64 in this year’s list.

Ban on liquids at large airports to lift in 2012

The ban on carrying liquids in hand luggage that has caused much confusion among travellers is to be lifted in two phases, the Guardian reports.

Travellers departing from major airports (those that handle more than ten million passengers per year such as Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Manchester) will be able to carry greater amounts of liquids in 2012, but the ban will stay in place at smaller airports until 2014. However, smaller airports will be able to lift the restrictions sooner than 2014 if they invest in approved scanners that can detect suspicious liquids.

Iceland Express lightning-fast sale, flights from £55ow

Book by midnight tonight (Monday, September 21): Iceland Express (icelandexpress.com) has a lightning-fast sale on flights to Iceland. The quirky low-cost airline is offering flights from £55 one-way including taxes and fees.

The airline flies to Iceland daily from London Gatwick and will fly twice a week from London Stansted starting on November 2.

Travel between October 1 and December 10.

Swiss: winter Manchester-Geneva flights

Swiss International Air Lines is to repeat its winter service from Manchester Airport to Geneva. TTG reports that the popularity of the flights last year has ensured its return this ski season.

The twice-weekly flights will start on Sunday, December 20, with a 10am flight. The Saturday service (scheduled for Boxing Day, December 26) will depart at 5.15pm. The service will continue until April 11, 2010.

Ryanair to sell smokeless cigarettes

Ryanair is to introduce "smokeless" cigarettes on its flights. The cigarettes look like real cigarettes and contain nicotine so smokers can satisfy their cravings while in the air, but they do not need to be lit.

The Irish airline says the cigarettes contain no toxins or chemicals and are harmless for the user and for fellow passengers.

The Similar Smokeless Cigarettes will be available to passengers aged 18 years and older and will cost €6 for a pack of ten. They will be available on all flights.

The Cheap Flights News weekly roundup

The week started with encouraging news for travellers. The restrictions on carrying liquids, which have been in place since 2006 and have caused much confusion, could be lifted within a year. New scanners are being trialled around Europe, including at Manchester Airport, that will be capable of differentiating between harmless and potentially dangerous liquids.

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, and Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York, have struck a deal to boost tourism in the two metropolises. Under the terms of the deal, New Yorkers waiting at bus shelters will see advertisements for London and Londoners taking the tube will see ads for New York.

Brussels Airlines' flights to Portugal from £251 return

Book by midnight on Sunday, September 20: Brussels Airlines has 10,000 cheap seats to three popular Portuguese destinations up for grabs. This sale is for travellers outside London. The departure airports are Birmingham, Bristol and Manchester.

The destinations in Portugal are Faro, gateway to the sunny Algarve, Lisbon, the charming hilly capital, and Porto, the beautiful port city in the north of the country.

Return fares, with taxes and fees, range from £251 for flights from Manchester to Lisbon to £266 for flights from Bristol to Lisbon.

Book flights to the fairways with Aer Lingus, clubs go free

Offer ends on Tuesday, September 22: Aer Lingus is offering free carriage of golf clubs on a host of routes from London Gatwick and Heathrow airports. What's more, flights to several popular destinations are going for a snippy £9.99 one-way including taxes.

The routes covered by this offer are, from Gatwick:

Eindhoven from £9.99
Knock-Ireland West from £9.99
Munich from £9.99
Vienna from £9.99
Zurich from £9.99

Air France worldwide sale - plus voucher to save £35

Book by Wednesday, September 30, to snap up one of the bargain flights with Air France. The airline has a decent sale, packed full of bargains across its route network - from Paris to the Seychelles.

Note: flights to the US and Canada have a book-by date of Wednesday, September 22, flights for all other destinations should be booked by Wednesday, September 30.

Starting with France, there are flights to Paris from several airports around the UK from £79 return including taxes. These include Birmingham, Manchester or Southampton.

Ski deals from easyJet - fly from £23.99 ow with taxes

EasyJet has launched a new ski site (ski.easyjet.com) for the winter season and is offering flights to the slopes from £23.99 one-way including taxes.

Here's a sample of the deals easyJet is offering, all from £23.99 one-way with taxes and charges:

Basel, Switzerland (fly from London Gatwick)
Geneva (departure airports include London Gatwick, Luton and Stansted, Belfast, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle)
Grenoble, France, (from London Gatwick and Luton, Birmingham, Bristol)

Lufthansa 2-for-1 ticket deal

Book by Sunday, September 20: Lufthansa has unveiled an eye-catching two-for-the-price-of-one offer. You and a companion can fly to Germany and other destinations in Europe from £149 (Economy Class, return, including taxes, fees and charges) on nonstop flights or connecting routes from £239 (Economy, return, with taxes, fees and charges). The £149 fares are available on the following routes:

- London Heathrow to Milan, Berlin, Cologne, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich and Stuttgart.
- Birmingham to Munich, Dusseldorf and Frankfurt.
- Edinburgh to Frankfurt. Manchester to Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg and Munich.
- Newcastle to Dusseldorf.

Free City Card with SAS flights to Copenhagen

Book return flights to Copenhagen this autumn with SAS Scandinavian Airlines and receive a free 24-hour Copenhagen City Card worth £27. 

Europe's most punctual major airline is offering flights from several airports around the UK to Copenhagen from £65 one-way including taxes and charges.

American adds Manchester to New York service

American Airlines has confirmed that it plans to launch a new daily connection between Manchester Airport and New York JFK Airport next summer.

The announcement comes just one week after rival US carrier Delta Air Lines said that it is axing its daily Manchester to New York JFK service from January 7.

Survey: Eastern Europe offers best value for money

Holidaymakers looking to snap up the best deals would be well advised to consider Eastern Europe, according to new research by Tesco Travel Money.

The firm found that holidays in Hungary, Poland and Bulgaria offer the best value for money, whereas Reykjavik, Rome and Nice were the most expensive.

A week-long family holiday in Iceland's capital will currently set you back £2,602, Tesco found, compared with just £1,038 for an equivalent trip to Bulgaria.

Bmi axes flights on Heathrow to Tel Aviv route

Bmi will be cutting two flights per week from its twice-daily service between London Heathrow and Tel Aviv, Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz reports.

From November onwards, the route will only be operated once on Friday and Saturday, with bmi blaming the reduction on falling demand and stiff competition.

Low-cost rival easyJet announced earlier in the summer that it plans to operate a five-times weekly service between London Luton and the Israeli city.

SAS holds onto 'most punctual major airline' title

SAS Scandinavian Airlines has retained its accolade of being Europe's most punctual major airline, newly released figures by FlightStats reveal.

During the summer months of June, July and August, 92.65 per cent of all SAS flights arrived on time, making it the most reliable large carrier in Europe.

Flybe in new drive to woo business travellers

Flybe has launched a new campaign aimed at coaxing business travellers back to the skies.

The low-cost carrier is promoting its initiative under the strapline "Business is better face to face" – closely mirroring a parallel campaign spearheaded by British Airways.

IATA: Cheap flights here to stay, some airlines not

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has said that high fuel prices coupled with concerns about the economy will keep fares low for years.

Issuing the latest in a series of glum industry assessments, IATA Chief Executive Giovanni Bisignani said he believed prices will remain depressed until at least 2013.

He revised predicted losses for 2009 up to $11 billion (£6.7 billion) across the sector – $2 billion higher than previously forecast – and said more airlines will falter.

Liberal Democrat MP slams 'rip-off' airport parking

A senior Liberal Democrat MP has gone on the offensive against rip-off airport parking charges, singling out London City Airport for the heaviest criticism.

Norman Baker, a member of the Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet, told The Daily Express that in many cases the charges outweigh savings from cheap flights.