Trabber News

news about cheap fares and airlines from travel search engine Trabber


News of April 2011


London 2012 Olympics: Transport ‘biggest risk’

17 April 2011

Transport problems remain “‘one of the biggest risks'” to the 2012 Olympic Games, a London Assembly report has claimed.

The report, by the assembly’s transport committee, found the city’s transport network was already running at near-full capacity.

During the games more than a million extra journeys are expected across the busiest nine days.

source: BBC.co.uk


Ryanair found guilty of disability discrimination case

16 April 2011

Ryanair left a wheelchair-bound passenger on the runway at Luton Airport because “‘all it was interested in was getting the plane airborne on time’” according to a judge.

Jo Heath, who suffers multiple sclerosis, had to be carried on to the aircraft by her husband Paul using a fireman’s lift. Northampton County Court ruled the airline broke disability discrimination laws and breached its contract with Heath after its staff refused to help the couple in June 2008. The court awarded the Heaths £1,750.

Ryanair said it would appeal on the grounds that Luton Airport was responsible for assisting the passengers under European Union law.

source: travelweekly.co.uk


US: New rule could require airlines to refund bag fee if luggage is lost

15 April 2011

With airline baggage fees raking in $3.3 billion for airlines each year, the least they can do is give your money back if they lose or delay your bags.

The new rule would require airlines to refund fees if your luggage is lost or not delivered in a “‘timely'” matter.

U.S. airlines mishandled more than 2 million bags last year.

source: freep.com


UK refuses to relax airline liquid ban

15 April 2011

The government has blocked relaxation of a ban on carrying liquids in airline hand luggage amid warnings from carriers that the move would trigger chaos at airports.

The Airline Operators Association has lobbied for a hiatus in the partial lifting of the liquids ban after warning that the x-ray technology to detect suspect liquids is not ready. Darren Caplan, chief executive of the association, said. “‘Airports have always supported a lifting of the ban for the benefit of our passengers, to ensure they have a positive experience when they are travelling – but only when appropriate technology has been developed and properly tested.'”

The EU now faces calls to issue a new timetable for lifting the ban, given the UK’s important role in the transfer passenger market – Heathrow carries around 6 million connecting customers from outside the EU every year.

source: guardian.co.uk


BA crew won’t strike over Easter

15 April 2011

British Airways cabin crew will not strike over the Easter and royal wedding bank holidays, the airline and Unite union said in a joint statement yesterday. BA’s new chief executive Keith Williams and Unite boss Len McCluskey have agreed to extend a prior deadline of 15 April for any strikes to be announced, meaning crunch talks can continue and Unite will hold off from calling disruptive action over the holidays.

source: cityam.com


American Airlines sues online travel giant Orbitz

14 April 2011

The nation’s third-biggest airline has filed suit against Orbitz Worldwide, the second-biggest online travel site, and Travelport, the company behind Orbitz’s reservation system, saying they’ve taken “‘unprecedented’” steps to discourage use of American’s preferred direct booking pipeline.

American’s push for travel agents to start using its direct link to find its fares and flights rather than the centralized systems that currently pool most airlines’ price information has set off a series of clashes.

Brian Hoyt, a spokesman for Orbitz, called the lawsuit “‘completely baseless. … Their goal is to make it harder for consumers, to make it harder to comparison shop.’”

source: USA Today


Air Canada plans relaunch of low-cost airline concept

14 April 2011

Canada’s largest airline wants the new discount carrier to be a competitive answer to its lowercost rivals, like WestJet Airlines Ltd., Air Transat and Sunwing Vacations, which have been growing at a faster pace than Air Canada in recent years and eroding its market share on certain routes.

It wouldn’t be the first time Air Canada entered the low-cost market. It launched two other low-cost carriers, Tango and Zip, in the past. Both ceased operations after two years.

source: vancouversun.com


Syria travel advice warning by Foreign Office

12 April 2011

UK citizens are being warned against “‘all but essential'” travel to Syria, after three weeks of unrest which have reportedly left 170 protesters dead.

The advice was issued in an update from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Middle East and North Africa Minister Alistair Burt said that security in the country was “‘deteriorating'”. he also added that “‘We recommend that those in Syria exercise caution and maintain a high level of security awareness, particularly in public places and on the roads, and avoid large crowds and demonstrations.'”

source: BBC


EU to rewrite passenger rights regulation

12 April 2011

The European Union is planning changes to its law on airline passenger rights, following heavy criticism by both carriers and passenger groups.

Shortcomings in the regulations were highlighted last year during the airspace closures that started a year ago this Thursday, after Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull erupted.

Airlines, which faced a bill of £2.2 billion as a result of the closures, argued the rules were not originally conceived to deal with such circumstances outside of their control.

source: travelweekly.co.uk


TripAdvisor set for Expedia split

10 April 2011

The world’s largest online travel company Expedia has unveiled plans to spin off its TripAdvisor brand.

Expedia said it hopes to split into two public companies – Expedia and TripAdvisor – by the third quarter of 2011.

TripAdvisor allows travellers to post reviews and attracts more than 40 million visitors a month across 29 countries.

Expedia, which trades on the New York Stock Exchange, employs 8,900 staff worldwide.

source: Press Association