Ryanair takes to the skies with new Agadir flights

Ryanair has launched a new service from London Stansted to the southern Moroccan city of Agadir.

Its inaugural flight took off today, with future services being operated every Wednesday and Saturday and costing as little as £33 one-way including all taxes.

The no-frills airline also recently celebrated the launch of two brand new services to the Canary Islands.

Spike in alcohol-fuelled air rage incidents

The chance of your next flight being disrupted by fellow passengers slugging it out is rising, if new figures from the government are to be believed.

Research published by the Department for Transport shows that there were 3,529 reported incidents of air rage aboard UK aircraft between April 2008 and March 2009.

That marks a dramatic increase against the previous year's figure of 2,702, and what's more alcohol is being singled out for blame in many of the most serious incidents.

Baby named 'AirAsia' after in-flight birth

It might lead to a lifetime of resentment, but a woman who gave birth on an AirAsia (website: airasia.com) flight has decided to name her baby after the budget airline.

Little AirAsia, or Asia Liew Ya Hang as he is known in Mandarin, was born on Flight AK 6506 from Penang to Kuching while the jet was still 2,000 feet in the air.

British Airways in fresh talks to avert strike

British Airways chief executive Willie Walsh is to meet with union chiefs today as part of a renewed bid to avert looming industrial action this winter.

The airline boss, himself a former negotiator for the Irish Airline Pilots Association, will spearhead efforts to persuade frontline staff that cutbacks are necessary.

Cabin crew have already said they will go to the ballot box in a row over new contracts, but the latest talks focus on check-in staff and other employees.

London City gains new connection to Geneva

London City Airport is celebrating the launch of a brand new twice daily connection to Geneva, courtesy of the city's very own airline, Baboo (website: flybaboo.com).

The first flight took off on Sunday (October 25), with one-way fares starting from just £51 and seats being sold via a codeshare agreement with Cityjet (website: cityjet.com).

Passenger smuggles Chihuahua in hand luggage

Security staff at Dublin Airport must have thought they'd gone barking mad after spotting a Chihuahua wriggling about on their X-ray machine last Friday (October 23).

The customs officers noticed the tiny dog in hand luggage on a flight from Madrid, initially suspecting it was a stuffed toy.

But after searching the bag they quickly realised that the figure on the screen was alive and kicking, prompting its detention along with the immediate arrest of its Bulgarian owner.

Government to reconsider Caribbean APD charges

Hopes are growing that the government will look again at disproportionate increases to Air Passenger Duty (APD) slated for flights to the Caribbean.

Cheapflights reported in July that the simplistic way in which the controversial tax is calculated means that Caribbean passengers will be unfairly penalised.

When the new rates come into effect next month, travellers to the Caribbean will pay more than those flying to America – despite much of the US being further away.

Competition fears dog British Airways tie-up

The proposed transatlantic alliance between British Airways and American Airlines looks set to run into familiar difficulties, according to The Financial Times.

European regulators have resurrected concerns that any tie-up would stifle competition on transatlantic routes from Heathrow Airport, potentially driving up fares.

In a confidential document sent to the carriers, Brussels said that closer cooperation between BA and AA appears "likely to result in appreciable competitive harm".

22 new winter routes from easyJet

EasyJet has unveiled its new flights for winter including popular sunny destinations such as Marrakech, Tel Aviv, Porto and Lanzarote.

The first flight will take off from Manchester to Marrakech this Thursday October 29 from only £34.99 one-way including taxes.

The sky’s the limit with Flybe’s new winter schedule

Domestic low-cost carrier Flybe has just announced its winter schedule which will offer travellers a plethora of cheap flights to more than 140 routes including popular winter sun and ski destinations in Europe.

However travellers looking for a bargain this winter should start thinking about booking soon since these low fares won’t be around for long.

British Airways now offering direct flights to Las Vegas

With the introduction of British Airways’ new direct service to Las Vegas, there’s never been a better time to visit Sin City.

Nevada's largest city attracts people from all over the world to book flights to Las Vegas and promises an experience like no other. The city is home to some of the wackiest themed hotels and resorts in the world, from acrobats performing in the lobby to rooms built inside a pyramid.

DfT to airlines: Buck stops with you on CO2

The UK Director General of Civil Aviation has issued a stern reminder to the airline industry that it will soon be held accountable for its carbon footprint.

Writing to the heads of 891 UK-regulated aircraft operators, Jonathon Moor urged carriers to prepare for a tough new EU directive governing aviation emissions.

From January 1, 2010, all European airlines will be held responsible for monitoring and recording the volume of carbon dioxide their flights emit into the atmosphere.

Air passengers face steady rise in surcharges

Legacy carriers will continue their move towards Ryanair-style no-frills service as doubts grow about traditional business models in the ailing sector, it has been claimed.

According to a new study by ancillary revenue specialist Collinson Latitude, the majority of global airlines are now committed to boosting their profit margins with add-on charges.

It found that almost two thirds (65 per cent) of the world's carriers say they will grow their ancillary revenue by between six and 20 per cent during the course of the next year alone.

Heathrow voted world's worst airport, again

It's not the first time and it probably won't be the last, but London Heathrow has hit the headlines today after being voted the worst airport in the world.

The global hub retained its dubious title in the annual Priority Pass survey, which quizzed 14,500 frequent travellers who each take an average of 17 flights a year.

While last year's result was widely put down to the bungled launch of Terminal 5, the new poll shows that even one year on passengers still have plenty to gripe about.

EasyJet sounds alarm bells over Gatwick sale

The sale of Gatwick Airport may have been billed as good news for passengers, but one no-frills airline has already begun voicing concerns about the deal.

Within hours of the agreement being reached, easyJet, Gatwick's largest carrier, went public with a warning over excessively high charges at the airport.

The airline cautioned new owner GIP that a previously approved 50 per cent hike in operator fees is likely to have negative consequences for passengers.

Delta reinstates Manchester to New York JFK link

Barely a month after scrapping its Manchester to New York JFK service, Delta Air Lines has confirmed that it will reintroduce the route next summer.

The connection, which is jointly operated by codeshare partner Air France / KLM, will be reinstated next May after being temporarily taken out of service on January 7.

European skiers 'beat Brits to the piste'

Brits who are planning to take to the slopes this winter have been advised to book early due to an influx of European skiers at resorts on the continent.

Independent bed bank Holiday Brokers is warning that while UK bookings are down 30 per cent against last year, sales in the euro-zone have skyrocketed.

Something different for your next ski break

Skiing is probably fun. I wouldn't know – I've never tried it. But I have tried shattering a major bone and, in all honesty, that's not fun at all. It's positively unpleasant, in fact.

So perhaps I was being paranoid when on my last trip to Whistler (an odd place for a non-skier to visit, I'll grant), I obstinately refused to touch anything resembling a pair of skis. Yes, this was small-minded of me; yes, it was childish; and yes, it may well have contributed to my partner's decision to hastily extricate herself from our relationship once back in London.

But amid my forlorn recollection of what in retrospect was perhaps not the wisest choice of holiday destination, I have one memory of Whistler which will stay with me forever. I am referring, of course, to my experience of dog-sledding in the vast alpine wildnerness.

Sold! Gatwick snapped up for a bargain £1.5bn

The UK's second busiest airport has gone under the hammer for just £1.51 billion – a whopping £500 million lower than initial estimates of its value.

London Gatwick's owner, BAA, grudgingly agreed to put the gateway up for sale after the Competition Commission accused it of anti-competitive behaviour.

Regulators had said that the Spanish-owned company – which runs seven major UK airports, including Heathrow and Stansted – has a stranglehold in the south-east.

Boris defiantly stands by Thames Estuary airport

Boris Johnson has renewed his controversial support for the construction of an airport on the Thames Estuary which he says could replace Heathrow.

The London mayor this week presided over a feasibility study that endorsed proposals for a £40 billion airport located several miles off the Essex and Kent coasts.

Despite being labelled "ludicrous" by a panoply of environmental groups and aviation experts, Boris is now pressing ahead with the plans by setting up a steering group.

Competition Commission slams BAA accusation of bias

The Competition Commission (CC) will today seek to rubbish accusations of bias levied by airport regulator BAA, whom it has ordered to be broken up.

Addressing the Competition Appeal Tribunal, the CC will spell out its rejection of the charges while once again accusing the regulator of pursuing delaying tactics.

BAA has been ordered to sell three of its bases in Scotland and the south-east of England after the commission concluded that it operates an effective monopoly.

Free ski and board carriage to Alps with Swiss

Swiss International Air Lines has declared that it is the only carrier which lets passengers carry ski and snowboard equipment to the Alps free of charge.

Its claim follows the decision by British Airways to axe free carriage of winter sports equipment, which must now be included in standard baggage allowances.

Bmibaby announces new tie-up with Germanwings

Bmibaby and Germanwings have entered into a new agreement that will see the airlines list details of each other's flights on their booking websites.

The new partnership, which comes into effect on October 25, will also make it easier for passengers to book connecting flights across both carriers' networks.

Birmingham Airport responds to Heathrow decision

Birmingham Airport could take pressure off London Heathrow following the decision to block a third runway at the international hub, it has been claimed.

Officials at the Midlands airport said the base is capable of accommodating a further nine million passengers each year without changing its infrastructure.

The Cheap Flights News weekly roundup

It has been a notable news week, with many points of interest for travellers - a cure for jet lag, "naked" scanners and greater protection for holidaymakers should things go wrong. We also reported on recent,  and useful, Post Office research that shows where a savvy traveller should go for cheap skiing this season. Another piece of research - from PricewaterhouseCoopers - suggests frugality may not be necessary. The top-end holiday industry is doing very nicely thank you. And then there was the mid-air ruckus over a stolen miniature beer can on an Air Canada flight. When the plane landed, the Mounties were waiting and, true to form, got their man...

EasyJet to switch Luton flights from Belfast Int'l to George Best

EasyJet will move one of its routes to George Best Belfast City Airport from the city's other airport - Belfast International Airport - early next year.

The twice-daily flight to London Luton will switch airports on January 7, 2010.

In a company statement, the low-cost airline said that most of its operations would remain at Belfast International, but moving the route to George Best would give the carrier an opportunity to see if passengers prefer to use an airport closer to Belfast city centre on short hops.

Flybe's 'free' flights sale - just pay taxes and charges

Book before midnight on Wednesday, October 21, to pick up one of Flybe's "free" flights. The regional airline is having a "just pay the taxes and charges" sale to several popular cities including Amsterdam, Paris, Edinburgh, Dublin and London. A sample of the routes is as follows:

Exeter or Southampton to Amsterdam
Exeter to Paris (Charles de Gaulle)
Exeter or Southampton to Dublin
Leeds or Newquay to London

SAS Economy Extra flights to US and Asia from £869 return

Book by Saturday, October 31, to save on flights with SAS. The Scandinavian carrier is offering Economy Extra flights to the US and Asia from £869 return including taxes and charges.

Economy Extra is SAS's premium economy class, a happy place between Business and Economy Class, with extra legroom, wider seats, Business class check-in and laptop power, and, free access to SAS's Business Lounge in Copenhagen and Stockholm - these flights go via Copenhagen.

Lufthansa offer: cheap flights to the US, Asia

Get your promotional code by tonight, Friday, October 16. Here's an exciting offer from Lufthansa.

Visit the German airline's website at promotion.lufthansa.com/lmgb, fill in the form, retrieve the personal promotion code that will be sent to your email address and save £65 off the next flight booked with Lufthansa to the US or Asia/Pacific.

You must book flights by Monday, October 19.

First ever natural gas commercial flight takes off

Qatar Airways is claiming to have made aviation history after operating the world's first ever commercial passenger flight fuelled by natural gas.

The Middle Eastern carrier flew an Airbus A340-600 from London Gatwick to Doha on Monday (October 12) using a synthetic blend of gas and oil-based kerosene.

Major breakthrough in development of jet lag pill

There is new hope for sufferers of jet lag after scientists in Manchester made a groundbreaking discovery about the way our body clocks work.

It has long been known that the human body regulates sleeping patterns by using dusk and dawn as cues for complex neuron activity deep within the brain.

But following an intensive new study, researchers have found flaws in several previous studies about the enigmatic region known as the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN).

Cabin crew hopping mad after mid-air beer theft

A pilot on an Air Canada Jazz (website: flyjazz.ca) flight had to divert his plane on October 13 after a row broke out over the alleged theft of a beer can.

The Vancouver to Fort McMurray service was forced to make an unscheduled detour when cabin crew complained that a passenger had raided their beverage cart.

Top-end holidaymakers undeterred by recession

Luxury travel operators have chalked up significant success in weathering the economic downturn, according to new research by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

The financial firm revealed that just one in five luxury travellers is cutting holiday spend during the recession, suggesting fears of a collapse in the sector are misplaced.

Lufthansa app brings Twitter to the skies

Twitter and Facebook addicts can now keep friends up-to-date on their precise status even when they're 30,000 feet in the sky and their phones are switched off.

Though most airlines still prohibit passengers from using mobile devices, Lufthansa has developed a brand new app which automatically posts flight data to your followers.

British Airways in talks to avoid strike action

British Airways is to take part in a new round of talks aimed at heading off potential industrial action by unions angered with the airline's latest job cuts.

The flag carrier last week unveiled plans to axe 1,700 jobs, and with rumours circulating of a further 1,300 redundancies unions say they may have "no alternative" but to strike.

If industrial action goes ahead, it would most likely be timed to cause maximum disruption to passengers during the hectic holiday period around Christmas.

Thomson and First Choice eye Robin Hood Airport

Robin Hood Airport (website: RobinHoodAirport.com) in Doncaster will benefit from the addition of two new holiday destinations thanks to First Choice and Thomsonfly (website: Thomsonfly.com).

The low-cost carriers said that from next May they will expand their route networks at the base, adding new services to Antalya in Turkey and Lanzarote in the Canary Islands.

'Naked' scanners on trial at Manchester Airport

Passengers travelling through Manchester Airport have begun taking part in a trial of full-body scanners which effectively render them naked on screen.

The machines use X-rays that penetrate clothing and relay a precise image of your physical contours, even detecting prosthetic limbs and breast implants.

Airport employees admitted that the technology "does not leave much to the imagination," but advocates insist it could dramatically speed up security checks.

BAA defiant over third Heathrow Airport runway

BAA has vehemently denied suggestions that it has scrapped plans for a third runway at Heathrow Airport in light of Conservative Party opposition.

The airport regulator was responding to comments by Shadow Transport Secretary Theresa Villiers, who said the Tories had forced BAA to "give up" its expansion plans.

She claimed last week that the operator conveyed to her that it "will not be submitting a planning application before the election" – a charge it rejects.

Ryanair hits back at BBC with free seat giveaway

Ryanair's chief executive Michael O'Leary has come out with all guns blazing following yesterday's BBC Panorama programme about the Irish low-cost carrier.

Unveiling details of a 1.1 million seat giveaway – 100,000 for every "false or misleading claim" made by Panorama – the airline boss said the BBC had "no case, no facts and no clue".

Its broadcast, which featured an impromptu interview with Mr O'Leary in a Dublin car-park, effectively alleged that the carrier dupes customers with hidden charges.

Montreal Accord confirms ICAO as aviation’s interface with governments on climate change

Stringent Environmental Objectives Set

According to Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO, the world’s aviation industry achieved “significant progress” and a “step in the right direction”, toward a global sectoral approach in achieving ambitious environmental targets proposed at last week’s International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) High Level Meeting on International Aviation and Climate Change (HLM-ENV).

More protection for DIY holidaymakers

A new European Commission directive looks certain to improve the lot of travellers who have put together their own trips.

A change to the Package Holiday Directive will mean that holidaymakers who have booked the different parts of their trips (flights, accommodation, rental car etc) via the internet, rather than using a travel agent, will be covered should things go wrong.

Meglena Kuneva, the European Commissioner for Consumer Affairs, will signal the change in Brussels later this month while plans are expected to be finalised in 2010.

Ski resorts in Eastern Europe are best value this year

Cash-strapped skiers and snowboarders should look east for value this year. According to new research by the Post Office the best-value destinations are Romania and Bulgaria.

The Post Office looked at the cost of lift passes and equipment hire for six days as well as the cost of a meal for a family of four in Europe and North America's top ski resorts - Poiana Brasov in Romania, Borovets in Bulgaria, La Thuile in Italy, Courchevel in France, Soldeu in Andorra, Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Germany, Obergurgl in Austria, Verbier in Switzerland, and in North America Vail and Banff.

Monarch offers 'free' flights for winter sun

Book by midnight tonight (Monday, October 12) to snap up a "free" flight with Monarch. The holiday airline is offering flights for taxes and charges only to choice winter-sun destinations including Malaga, Alicante, Murcia and Barcelona in Spain and Faro, Portugal.

This offer applies to scheduled flights booked online at www.monarch.co.uk only; charter flights are not covered.

EasyJet to offer Kosher snacks on Tel Aviv service

Passengers on easyJet's new service from London Luton to Tel Aviv, on Israel's Mediterranean coast, will be able to have a Kosher snack on board the flights.

The low-cost airline has announced that Hermolis, a Jewish company based in north-west London, will provide the fare, which will include an egg mayonnaise with tomato and cress bloomer, smoked salmon and cream-cheese bagel, mozzarella and tomato panini and chocolate-orange mini-cake.

The Cheap Flights News weekly roundup

It has not been a great week for flag carriers. British Airways announced 1,700 job losses, Aer Lingus said that it will axe 670 jobs. Meanwhile, Air India hit the headlines for very different reasons - a brawl between pilots at 30,000 feet.

While the restrictions on carrying liquids on flights look likely to remain in place until 2012, travellers at big airports such as Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Manchester may be able to bring more than 100ml in hand luggage sooner than that. Travellers from non-EU countries may also be able to bring their duty-free purchases on board. For the smaller airports, passengers may have to pack that resealable bag for another five years...

Shannon Airport hard hit by Aer Lingus cutbacks

Seventy-five per cent of Aer Lingus's cabin crew based at Shannon Airport (SNN) are to lose their jobs and the airline will shut its US base at the West of Ireland airport as part of its survival plan.

The cuts were announced yesterday (Thursday, October 8) by Christoph Mueller, Aer Lingus Chief Executive Officer, at a company meeting in Shannon.

The Irish flag carrier is also proposing to end its direct flights from Shannon to New York and will instead run a three-days-per-week service via Dublin. This service would be staffed by cabin crew based in Dublin.

Top travel firms commit to a 'green' future

British Airways and other prominent names in the travel industry such as the Association of British Travel Agents (better known as Abta), Thomas Cook, TUI Travel (Thomson Holidays' parent company), Carnival UK, The Co-operative Travel Group and Advantage have pledged their commitment to a "green" future at Abta's annual convention in Barcelona this week.

The initiative - called Tourism 2023 - looks at four challenges facing the UK travel industry. These are: climate change, resource scarcity, the impact of growing domestic demand, and increasing travel from emerging economies.

£20 off Aer Lingus flights to Europe

Book by Monday, October 12: Aer Lingus is offering £20 off the cost of return flights to Europe for travel between November 4 and March 24, 2010.

The destinations covered by this offer are a neat mix of city break and beach. Depart from Gatwick Airport, from where the Irish airline has launched a slew of new routes, to the following cities: Eindhoven, the Netherlands; Bucharest, capital of Romania; Knock-Ireland West; Munich; Vienna; Vilnius, Lithuania's capital; Warsaw; and Zurich, Switzerland.

Restrictions on liquids on flights to remain until 2012

European transport ministers due to attend a meeting in Brussels later today are expected to confirm that the ban on carrying large amounts of liquids on board flights will stay in place until 2012.

The current restrictions, which have caused much confusion among travellers, were put in place in 2006 following the detection of a plot to blow up transatlantic airliners by using explosives in hand luggage. While the ban is scheduled to run out in April 2010, the fact that scanners that would detect bomb-making chemicals inside bottles are not yet in place means that passengers will still have to bag their liquids, gels and aerosols in bottles with a capacity of no more than 100ml.

Fears Aer Lingus cuts could alienate customers

Aer Lingus may have to dramatically lunge towards the no-frills sector if it is to emerge from its dire financial situation, industry experts have warned.

The Irish flag carrier – which has fended off two hostile take-over bids by low-cost rival Ryanair – saw its half-year losses triple to €73.9 million (£68 million) in June.

It has already announced 800 job cuts in response, but according to the Consumers' Association of Ireland further changes to its services are likely to follow.