Ryanair cut Newquay flights

Ryanair are to cut the number of flights into Newquay Airport from Stansted in protest at the Cornwall council's new passenger surcharge.

The airline says it will drop 12 flights a week to the southwest claiming the £5 per person charge is an ‘anti-visitor’ tax.

US Airways to charge for paper tickets

US Airways has announced that it will begin charging passengers who request paper tickets.

From October 1, all passengers who request a hard copy of their tickets will pay an additional £25 per ticket.

The airline currently offers full online e-ticketing (electronic ticketing) services for all UK passengers, enabling them to buy their ticket and print out their boarding card online, without the need for a paper copy.

US Airways says that the majority of its customers already use its e-ticketing services, and the airline is keen to phase-out paper tickets altogether in the near future as it seeks to cut costs as well as minimise paper wastage.

Slow down to save the planet

The next generation of planes look set to sacrifice speed in order to save the environment.

A European Commission research project headed by the world's leading aircraft manufacturer Airbus has drawn-up blueprints for a new jet which would fly more slowly than planes currently in operation, using 20 per cent less fuel as a result.

The new model would fly at 430 miles per hour once it reaches top cruising speed, compared with the 500 miles per hour top speed of most planes operated by leading airlines at present.

This would add around ten minutes onto an average European flight.

However, with global governments concerned about the environmental damage caused by air travel, the new, greener model would enable airlines to continue to offer passengers more choice and greater frequency of flights whilst decreasing harmful emission levels.

bmi launches first direct flights to Riyadh

bmi will begin non-stop flights to the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh on September 1.

The airline will fly three times a week from London Heathrow Airport to the Saudi capital, on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday mornings.

The new route represents the first direct flights between the UK and Riyadh.

bmi is planning to tailor its in-flight service to cater to the needs of Middle Eastern passengers, using Halal meat in its meals and including a choice of Arabic dishes.

It is the first time bmi has flown to the region, with the airline planning to offer flights to other Gulf destinations if the Riyadh flights prove popular with passengers.

SN Brussels begins flights to Bulgaria

SN Brussels is launching its first flights to Bulgaria.

From tomorrow, the Belgian budget airline will fly non-stop between Brussels and the Bulgarian capital, Sofia.

It will fly three times a week between the two cities, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

In addition, SN Brussels has announced a new code-share agreement with Bulgaria Air, giving passengers the choice of three additional flights a week between Brussels and Sofia, on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

Swiss Air and TAP to increase flight options

Swiss Air and TAP Portugal have agreed a code-sharing agreement on all flights between Portugal and Switzerland.

From September 1, the two airlines will jointly-operate flights from Geneva to Lisbon and Porto, as well as from the Swiss capital, Zurich, to the Portuguese capital, Lisbon.

Both airlines are hoping to expand the number of flights between the two countries, flying to more regional destinations.

Swiss Air and TAP are both Star Alliance members, meaning that frequent flyer air miles for all member airlines will be redeemable on the Swiss-TAP flights.

Timetables will be adjusted to reduce waiting times for passengers transferring to connecting flights operated by Swiss and TAP at Geneva, Lisbon and Zurich airports.

Ryanair considering Norwegian expansion

Low-cost airline Ryanair is planning to expand the number of flights and destinations it serves in Norway.

At present, the airline flies from Glasgow Prestwick, Liverpool, London Stansted and Newcastle airports to the Norwegian capital, Oslo and from Stansted to the west-coast city of Haugesund.

However, following the success of Scandinavian low-cost airlines SAS Braathens and Norwegian Air Shuttle in Norway, Ryanair is planning to set up a base in the country and offer flights to other popular Norwegian destinations, including Trondheim and Bergen.

"We know that there is a market for domestic flights. We know that Norway is a very long country and that people need transport from north to south. We believe a low-price campaign can work," Ryanair's European head of operations, Sinead Finn, told Norwegian TV reporters.

Tickets for Ryanair flights to Oslo and Haugesund currently start from five pence.

Passengers no longer going hungry at Dublin Airport

Passengers waiting to board flights at Dublin International Airport will no longer be left regretting their decision not to pick up some food before passing through security.

A number of restaurants and cafes have been moved from the main section of the terminal to the departure lounge area.

This means that a full range of hot and cold food will be available in the boarding area at the airport for the first time.

Airport authorities took the decision following complaints from passengers.

Dublin International has introduced more stringent security checks over the past year, requiring passengers to arrive at the airport up to three hours before take-off and advising them to pass through security as soon as they have checked in their luggage.

SN Brussels teams up with Eurostar

Budget airline SN Brussels has announced a new partnership with cross-Channel train operator Eurostar.

The plane and train operators are merging their loyalty programmes, meaning that passengers who regularly travel with Eurostar can now redeem their loyalty points for flights with SN Brussels.

Members of the airline's Privilege scheme will also be able to redeem their points against Eurostar tickets.

SN Brussels is hopeful that the new link-up will persuade travellers who usually go by train from London to Brussels to take advantage of the airline's cheap flight deals to the Belgian capital.

All points earned as part of the Eurostar Frequent Traveller Programme are eligible to be swapped for flights.

Read up on your destination with Virgin Atlantic

Virgin Atlantic has announced a new partnership with travel book publisher Rough Guides enabling passengers to read up on their holiday destinations before they arrive.

The deal will enable Virgin passengers to access material from all Rough Guides written about destinations served by the airline.

Passengers will have access to the material from their personal in-flight entertainment systems on all planes fitted with the v:port entertainment system.

The content will include accommodation guides and detailed descriptions of the major cities and sights in each destination country as well as detailed cultural and historical backgrounds.

France and Belgium airline blacklist

FRENCH and Belgian authorities have published a list of airlines that are banned from flying in their airspace.

The French civil aviation authority (DGAC) and Belgium's Transport Ministry posted their lists on their websites today.

Fly Virgin to D.C. and see pumpkins fly

Virgin Atlantic is offering cheap flight deals for flights to the USA in November, just in time for the annual World Pumpkin Chucking Championships.

The three-day pumpkin-fuelled extravaganza sees hundreds of competitors take part in a contest to find the most prodigious pumpkin propeller on the planet.

Competitors spend months working on ingenious machines designed to smash leftover Halloween pumpkins into smithereens.

Tens of thousands of spectators gather in the small coastal town to watch the events, while a panel of judges assesses each contraption according to power, length of flight and crowd-pleasing value.

Party the White Night away in Rome

A number of airlines are offering cheap flight deals to Rome's White Night festival next month.

On Saturday September 17, the Italian capital is staying up all night in order to celebrate La Notte Bianca – the White Night – an all-night spectacular encompassing art, cinema, food, music, shopping and theatre.

More than two million visitors flocked to the inaugural festival last year, which saw the city's shops, restaurants and bars opening their doors from 8pm on Saturday night until 8am on Sunday morning.

At least 500 acts and events have so far been confirmed, ranging from innovative new theatre performances to banging club nights at some of Europe's top venues.

A number of the city's major historical landmarks, including the iconic Colosseum, the Villa Medici and the Palazzo Farnese, will also be opened up to the public for the event, providing a unique setting for an all-night party.

Highlands airport completes royal expansion

Wick Airport has completed an overhaul of its passenger terminal facilities.

The £800,000 expansion has seen the introduction of new, enlarged check-in and baggage handling facilities at the airport in a bid to reduce waiting times and increase passenger capacity at the airport.

The departure lounge has been expanded and retail and catering facilities have been improved.

Local artists have worked on the designs for the new terminal, which is expected to provide a boost for the local tourism sector.

Wick is the most northerly airport on the British mainland, close to John O'Groats and to some of the most remote and rugged terrain in Europe.

VLM increases City flights to Antwerp

Belgian airline VLM is increasing the number of daily flights between London City Airport and Antwerp.

It currently operates five flights a day to the Belgian city, but will increase this to six from Monday October 3.

The new flight will leave London at 6:50pm, arriving in Antwerp at 8:50pm.

VLM has enjoyed high demand on its Antwerp flights from City, with business travellers accounting for the bulk of the passengers.

Antwerp is Belgium's second-largest city, a major business destination and port city, with excellent transport links to towns and cities throughout Belgium and the Netherlands.

Jet2.com launches new Irish flights

No-frills airline Jet2.com has announced that it will fly to Ireland from Newcastle airport.

The airline will begin flights from the north-east to the southern Irish city of Cork on October 20.

It will fly four times a week, on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays.

Cork is the current European Capital of Culture and a popular holiday destination for UK travellers.

BA increases fuel surcharges on flights down under

British Airways has announced that it is increasing fuel surcharges on all tickets for flights to Australia.

The airline will add an additional £31.60 charge on flights to Australian destinations in order to cover rising fuel costs.

However, BA has stressed that fuel charges on flights to all other destinations will remain unchanged.

The increased charges will come into effect from September 2.

Newcastle to Cork

JET2.COM is to start its second route from Newcastle Airport, this time to Cork in Southern Ireland.

The airline will start flights on October 20, with prices starting from £9 one way including taxes.

Compensation claims taking off

COMPLAINTS by airline passengers have increased dramatically since the introduction of new European legislation covering flight delays and cancellations.

A recent Air Users Council (AUC) report says in the six weeks between February 17, when the regulation came into force, and the end of the reporting year on March 31, the AUC received more complaints and enquiries about delays and cancellations than it had in the previous 46 weeks.

Under the legislation, passengers have gained new rights when subject to a flight disruption on a flight on any airline from an EU country or on a flight into an EU country on an EU airline

Speak more French

With tongue firmly in cheek Ryanair are offering one-way flights to France from 5p, plus taxes and charges, to ensure students take up learning French.

The low cost airline says that the cut price deals will be on offer for flights to Toulon and Grenoble because there has been a 50% drop in students choosing French A-levels over the past decade.

Inverness boost from easyJet

INVERNESS Airport has seen a boost in passenger numbers after the launch of easyJet services to Bristol and Belfast.

In the first month of operation the combined number of passengers travelling on the two services, which fly seven days a week, topped 21,000 people.

And the airport is quick to stress that Scots have also taken the opportunity to explore the two cities that are now just a short flight away.

Ryanair announces 5p offers to French destinations

Low cost airline Ryanair has announced the launch of a 5p offer on its flights to Toulon and Grenoble in France.

From today, August 26, until midnight on Thursday September 1, customers will be able to book cheap flights with the airline for travel between September 9 and February 9 2006.

A blackout period of 12 days between October 21 and November 2 corresponding to the school half-term period applies, and taxes are not included in the 5p figure.

However passengers should note that both Ryanair routes, which fly from London's Stansted airport, are not yet operating. The Toulon route starts September 23, while the Grenoble route starts October 30.

Virgin Atlantic to offer spa treatment to Heathrow business flyers

Business class flyers with Virgin Atlantic can now benefit from a number of luxury treatments including a spa at the airline's new business class lounge at Heathrow airport.

The newly updated Clubhouse is twice as big as Virgin Atlantic's previous business class lounge, and comes with a range of new amenities for the business class customer.

These include a luxury bar, dining area and a poolside lounge with a water feature, all in an open plan spacing scheme.

Supersonic aircraft could succeed Concorde

A new supersonic aircraft to replace Concorde could soon be a commercial reality, following its first trial run to take place as early as this September.

A prototype plane is to complete a test run over the Australian desert, travelling at what the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) believes will be nearly twice the speed of sound.

New advances in technology mean that the new plane will be much more environmentally friendly in comparison with the world's only other supersonic commercial airplane, the Concorde.

The new airplane will reportedly give off only a quarter as many nitrogen oxide emissions, while noise pollution caused by sonic booms is also expected to be lower than previous models.

If the flight is successful, JAXA will be one more step along the way to its goal of offering a passenger plane capable of carrying 300 people at twice the speed of sound.

KLM considers business transatlantic service

Dutch airline KLM is reportedly considering offering an all-business transatlantic service to its customers.

The airline is currently conducting a feasibility study into the new route, which would probably be offered from Amsterdam Schiphol airport to Houston, Texas, Flight International reports.

KLM is considering such factors as passenger demand and in-flight product offering, which are likely to influence the decision to open a new route.

In addition, the airline has said that its unions and works council would need to agree to the proposals.

Passenger demand for business services on flights is currently high, as international travel continues to boom, with company travel taking a significant proportion of the market.

Corendon.com increases low-cost Turkish options

Budget airline Corendon.com has announced that it is increasing its number of flights and routes to Turkey.

The airline is launching new weekly flights from Amsterdam and Eindhoven in the Netherlands, the Belgian capital, Brussels and the German city of Dusseldorf to the popular holiday resort of Antalya.

It will also begin flights from Brussels to the Anatolian city of Eskisehir.

Corendon is hoping that the new flights will prove popular with holidaymakers as well as those with friends and family in Turkey.

Antalaya is situated on the Turkish south coast, close to dozens of popular beach resorts.

Eskisehir is one of the oldest cities in Turkey, home to a number of fascinating archaeological sites and ancient ruins.

Air Berlin axes Southampton flights

Air Berlin will stop flying from Southampton Airport this October.

The German low-cost airline is withdrawing all flights to the German city of Paderborn from the south coast airport from October 29.

It currently flies three times a week from Southampton to the Westphalian city, but has decided to axe the route due to disappointing passenger demand.

At present, it has no plans to launch any additional routes from Southampton.

However, the airline will continue to fly to Paderborn from London Stansted and Manchester.

Tickets for the Paderborn flights start from £9 each-way, excluding taxes.

easyJet adds additional flights to capital destinations

No-frills airline easyJet is increasing the number of flights from London to two of its most popular city destinations.

The airline will begin flying twice a day from London Heathrow to Berlin Schoenefeld next month.

This brings the total number of daily flights from London to the German capital to five. It already flies three times a day from London Luton to Berlin.

easyJet is also adding two new daily flights from London Gatwick to the Spanish capital, Madrid, in November, bringing the total number of daily flights between the two cities to five.

New Bristol flights for Eastern Airways

British low-cost regional airline Eastern Airways is launching new flights from Bristol.

Starting on October 24, the airline will begin flying from the south-western airport to Durham Tees Valley airport.

The flights are mainly aimed at commuters, with three flights a day between the two airports during the week.

Eastern Airways flights will also operate a Sunday flight to Durham, leaving Bristol at 3:50pm, with the return flight leaving the north-east at 5.30pm.

In addition, the airline is increasing the number of flights offered on its popular Bristol-Aberdeen route.

Excel Airways launches new Humberside sunshine flights

Low-cost charter airline Excel Airways has announced the launch of a number of new flights from Humberside Airport for next Summer.

Excel will fly from the airport to nine popular Mediterranean holiday resorts.

Starting in May 2006, it will fly to the Canary Islands destinations of Lanzarote and Tenerife, Majorca, Alicante and Malaga in Spain and to the Portuguese Algarve.

It will also offer flights to the Greek island destinations of Rhodes and Paphos as well as to Dalaman on the Turkish Aegean coast.

Blue Air announces new Romania flights

No-frills airline Blue Air is launching new flights between Bucharest and Madrid.

The airline will fly twice a week from the Romanian capital to the Spanish capital, with flights starting on October 30.

Madrid will be the sixth destination served by the Romanian budget airline, which already flies from Bucharest to Barcelona, Lyon, Maastricht and Milan as well as to the Turkish city of Istanbul.

It is hoping that the new route will prove popular with travellers looking for cheap flight deals to the eastern European country.

Known as the Paris of the East, Bucharest is an elegant city with cafes and bars lining its shady, tree-lined boulevards.

New SkyEurope Slovakia flights from Stansted

Eastern European low-cost airline SkyEurope has announced new Winter flights from London Stansted.

The airline will fly twice a week from Stansted Airport to the Slovakian city of Poprad.

Starting on December 2, it will fly at 9am on Wednesdays and Saturdays, with return flights leaving Poprad at 1.10pm.

SkyEurope is hopeful that Poprad, situated in the High Tatras mountains, will prove popular with winter sports enthusiasts, with a number of ski and snowboarding resorts located close to the eastern Slovakian city.

The surrounding landscape also offers opportunities for hikers to explore the verdant alpine landscape and has been used as the location for a number of films.

Stansted speeds-up security screening

London Stansted Airport is introducing new streamlined security measures aimed at minimising waiting times for passengers over the bank holiday weekend.

The airport has re-designed its security search area, which will be able to process up to 4,500 passengers an hour.

It has added a number of additional x-ray machines, fitted with longer conveyor-belts so that more bags can be scanned at the same time.

Long waits while the person in front is subject to a body and bag search should also be eliminated, with additional staff being drafted in to conduct searches away from the x-ray machine area.

The large central search area at the airport will also open an hour earlier in order to handle the large number of passengers expected to travel on early-morning flights from the airport this weekend.

Hapag Lloyd Express withdraws flights

German airline Hapag Lloyd Express is axing a number of flights which have not proved popular with passengers.

The low-cost airline will stop flying from Newcastle Airport to Cologne/Bonn, Shannon and Munich in October.

Hapag Lloyd Express is also ceasing flights from the German capital, Berlin, to Naples, Olbia, Palermo and Pisa in Italy.

It is also scaling-back its flights to Spain by giving up its routes from Hanover and Stuttgart to Bilbao and Valencia.

However, the airline will continue to fly from Newcastle to the northern German city of Hanover and from Cologne/Bonn to Bilbao and Valencia.

Flybe allows passengers to choose their seats

Budget airline Flybe has announced that passengers will now be able to choose where they want to sit when they book their flight.

Passengers will be able to specify the seat of their choice, meaning that those with a preference for window or aisle seats are now able to make sure they get what they want choice if they book early.

In addition, the no-frills airline is offering passengers the chance to book seats with extra legroom.

It is hoping that the new reservation system will prove popular with groups, who previously had to book together in order to ensure they could sit together in-flight.

Passengers keen to check out the view will also now be able to ensure that their window-seat vista is not obscured by the engines or the wings.

London Stansted courting China

Officials representing London Stansted Airport are hoping to lure Chinese markets to its runways at a World Development Forum in Copenhagen this September.

Called "Routes", the forum brings together more than 275 airlines and 500 airports for the industry's largest networking event.

The Chinese government has recently relaxed travel restrictions to the United Kingdom and several officials at Stansted believe it is a great opportunity to get Chinese airlines to fly to the airport.

Previously Chinese citizens could only come to the UK as students or for business, but last month the first package tour from China arrived in Britain and the number of these tours is expected to grow rapidly.

Currently an estimated 25 million Chinese are wealthy enough to afford travel to the UK, and that figure is expected to double in three years.

Transavia updates its fleet

Amsterdam-based low-cost carrier Transavia has updated its entire fleet of Boeing 737-800s and 700s.

The jets will now receive Blended Winglet technology that should significantly increase the aircraft's performance. Installation will begin in November, and should be finished by 2006.

The new technology will help Transavia's smaller and short-distance jets conserve fuel, an expense that is cutting in to revenues of airlines across the industry.

It has caused many airlines to increase their airfares, but the hope is that the new technology will help Transavia maintain its discount prices.

The upgrades also have environmental benefits. Blended Winglets reduce carbon monoxide and nitrous oxide emissions by an overall four per cent.

Star Alliance to improve Munich service

Star Alliance, a cooperative service agreement of 18 global airlines, has announced it is opening a flight connection centre at Munich International Airport in an effort to improve its service.

Munich is one of Star Alliance’s key hubs, with more then 600 daily flights. Overall, the Star Alliance has more than 15,000 daily flights to 795 destinations in 139 countries.

The connection centre will be mostly "behind the scenes," but it will involve a team of employees dedicated to passenger and baggage transfers. It will be able to help fliers should delays or cancellations affect their travel plans.

The Star Alliance has said this could even involve a staff member meeting an incoming flight and guiding passengers through the terminal on foot or with a direct bus transfer from plane to plane.

New technology in Virgin's lounge

Passengers in Virgin's first-class lounge at London's Heathrow airport are the beneficiaries of the latest in mobile phone technology advertising.

Text messages are being sent out to the passengers as they relax in the lounge, inviting them to watch a video advertisement on their phone, the Wall Street Journal reports.

So far, under the new programme devised by London companies Maiden Group and Filter UK, just one video clip is available: an advert for the new Range Rover Sport SUV.

"It’s done very well because it enables the customers [to choose]. It doesn't force it on them," said Charles Vine, the manager of Virgin Atlantic's airport lounges.

Virgin Atlantic teams up with Saville Row

Virgin Atlantic has announced that it is working with the British designer Oswald Boateng to develop stylish new in-flight products.

The airline has teemed up with the designer to produce a new designer travel wallet for its Upper Class passengers.

All passengers will receive a travel wallet, including a wash bag, toothbrush and socks all designed exclusively for the airline by Oswald Boateng.

The menswear designer is also in discussions with the airline regarding the possibility of redesigning the clothing worn by flight attendants on Virgin Atlantic flights.

China Southern brings Mongolian plains to Europe

China Southern is launching flights to three new destinations in Inner Mongolia.

The airline, which flies from Amsterdam to Beijing and Guangzhou, will begin flying to the cities of Hailar, Manzhouli, and Xilinhot.

Starting in the autumn, it will fly twice a day between the southern city of Guangzhou and the three Inner Mongolian destinations.

The Guangzhou – Hailar flights will operate on Thursdays and Sundays, flights to Manzhouli will depart on Tuesdays and Saturdays and flights to Xilinhot leave the southern Chinese city on Mondays and Fridays.

All three cities are located in the vast grassland plains which dominate the Inner Mongolian landscape.

Ryanair launches Tyneside flights to Norway

Budget airline Ryanair has announced new flights from the north-east to Norway.

The Irish airline is launching a new route from Newcastle to the Norwegian capital, Oslo.

Starting on September 27 it will fly daily from Tyneside to Oslo Torp Sandefjord Airport.

It is hopeful that as well as appealing to business travellers, demand will be high from residents in the north-east looking for a weekend city break.

Oslo is a stylish continental city, with chic boutiques, enterprising restaurants and a burgeoning nightlife scene, with some of Europe's largest and most dynamic house and techno clubs. It is also popular with holidaymakers looking to commune with nature, with the surrounding fjords offering breathtaking settings for hiking, fishing and sailing trips.

The sound of silence

The roar of planes taking off and landing from airports could soon be a thing of the past.

Engineers at Cambridge University have unveiled designs for a new silent aircraft that could be flying within the next 20 years.

The new model resembles a giant flying wing, with its developers claiming that it will be completely inaudible once it has left the airport.

It will be windowless and streamlined, absorbing the noise from the engines, which will be situated on top of the main passenger cabin.

This means that the majority of noise generated by airlines will rise upwards, away from passengers and people on the ground.

SAS launches cheap one-way flight deals

Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) has announced that it is introducing one-way fares without restrictions to all its European destinations.

The airline is following the lead of low-cost airlines such as easyJet and Ryanair by enabling passengers to book combinations of one-way flights without extra charges or restrictions.

In addition, SAS will become the first airline to allow passengers to combine classes, enabling them to fly economy class on the outward flight while returning in business class.

SAS is hoping that the new flexible tickets will prove popular with European passengers as they will no longer be tied down by ticketing restrictions or fixed return dates.

Currently, many traditional airlines, including SAS, require Saturday night stays and a certain number of days between inbound and outbound dates for their cheaper flight deals.

BA compensates passengers with free air miles

British Airways is giving free air miles to passengers in order to make up for the disruption to its Heathrow flights last weekend.

The airline is giving all Executive Club members 50,000 frequent flyer miles "in recognition" of the poor service during the walkout.

Members will have the miles credited to their accounts automatically in the next few days, regardless of whether they were affected by the industrial action or not.

It is also offering full refunds to all passengers whose flights were cancelled during the walkout by baggage staff last week.

However, passengers whose flights were delayed as a result of the walkout by the airline's ground staff at Heathrow will not receive a refund.

Aer Arann link to Isle of Man

A NEW service has been started between the Isle of Man and Liverpool by Irish based airline Aer Arann.

The daily service will begin on October 3 with the first departure from the Isle of Man at 07:00 arriving in Liverpool at 07:30 and the last flight leaving the Isle of Man at 18:00.

The airline will operate four return flights per day with fares on the route starting from £29.99 one-way including tax.

Abu Dhabi Airport undergoes major expansion

Two new terminals have been completed at Abu Dhabi airport, enabling it to handle up to three million additional passengers.

The new buildings will reduce overcrowding and waiting times at the airport and improve shopping and dining facilities at the airport.

It is the first stage in an ambitious multi-billion pound project aimed at making Abu Dhabi a major stop-over point for long-haul European passengers heading to Africa, Asia and Australasia.

Abu Dhabi international airport is the main destination for Etihad Air, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates and is also a major regional base for Gulf Air.

The new Terminal 1A will be exclusively given over to Gulf, providing additional check-in, baggage and passenger facilities.

Hot meals back on the menu for BA

British Airways will begin serving hot meals to passengers on long haul flights from Heathrow again next week.

The airline's caterer, Gate Gourmet, has announced that it is close to resolving the trade dispute with its workers, which led to last week's disruption for BA passengers.

It announced today that it hopes to reinstate a full meals service from next Monday, August 22.

Since last Wednesday, passengers flying with BA have only been served tea, coffee and cold snacks on flights.

Flyglobespan to take on easyJet between Glasgow and Geneva

Scottish airline Flyglobespan has vowed to take on low-cost rival easyJet on the popular Glasgow-Geneva route.

In response to the launch of new easyJet flights to the Swiss city this December, Flyglobespan has announced that it will also be offering low-cost flight deals to Geneva.

It will fly direct to Geneva every Saturday, with the first flight taking-off on Christmas Eve.

The airline's boss, Tom Dalrymple, is confident Flyglobespan can compete with easyJet for passengers heading for the Alps during the Winter Ski season by offering lower fares than its rival.

Geneva's proximity to a number of popular Alpine ski resorts make it a popular Winter destination.

New Isle of Man flights for Aer Arann

Low-cost airline Aer Arann has announced the launch of new flights from Liverpool John Lennon Airport to the Isle of Man.

The Irish regional airline will fly four times a day from the island to Liverpool, starting from October 3, 2005.

The flights are primarily aimed at commuters, with the first morning flight leaving the Isle of Man at 7am, arriving on Merseyside at 7:30am and the last evening flight leaving Liverpool at 6pm.

However, the airline is also hopeful that Manx residents heading to the mainland for shopping trips or excursions will use the new flights.

The Isle of Man is also a popular weekend tourist destination, offering miles of rugged coastal and inland walking trails, beaches and ample opportunities for fishing and boating trips.