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The flights of hundreds of thousands of passengers were placed in doubt, especially during the Christmas holiday period, after Spain’s government threatened to suspend the operating license of low-cost carrier Air Madrid for continuous departure delays.

The airline has come under fierce criticism in recent months for delays that have kept hundreds of passengers stuck at Madrid’s Barajas international airport for days.

A month ago, an Air Madrid flight from Madrid to Buenos Aires departed with a one-day delay. Police had to intervene when passengers protested at the airport’s terminal.

Air Madrid said on Wednesday that the company has sold some 300,000 tickets to passengers in the coming months.

source: Internacional Herald Tribune

JetBlue Airways Corp. said Tuesday it launched new daily nonstop service to San Juan, Puerto Rico, from Boston for the winter season.

The service will operate through April 30 and is the low-cost carrier’s 22nd nonstop destination from Boston.

JetBlue has recently scaled back its growth plans as part of its goal to return to consistent profitability.

source: MSN

The new route sees Thomsonfly’s low-fare routes from the airport up to seven, with other destinations from Cardiff including Jersey, Faro in Portugal, and Alicante, Malaga, Ibiza and Palma in Spain.

“‘The introduction of flights between Cardiff and Barcelona is a very exciting milestone for both Cardiff and Thomsonfly, this is the first time a major new international route has been launched from Cardiff Airport with the support of the Welsh Assembly,'” said Guy Stephenson, Thomsonfly’s commercial director.

The airline says it plans to work closely with the airport and the Welsh Assembly to develop more routes in future.

source: travelbite.co.uk

Greece’s ailing state carrier Olympic Airlines, posted a net loss of EUR123.7 million (USD$163.4 million) for 2005, based on financial statements published in Greek newspapers.

The European Commission is in a legal battle with Greece over subsidizing the loss-making carrier in the past. In October it asked the EU’s top court to impose daily fines of more than 10,000 euros on Athens until it recovers the cash.

The Commission’s move refers to about EUR160 million (USD$211.4 million) in state aid given to the airline from 1995 to 2002.

source: Airwise

Two European airlines have adopted special precautions for flying in Brazil, a leading Brazilian newspaper reported on Sunday, a day after the country’s president pledged to resolve a nationwide air traffic crisis.

The airlines will tell pilots they doubted the safety of Brazilian air space and instruct them to fly at the edges of air traffic lanes and take other defensive measures, Christoph Gilgen of the Federation of International Air Traffic Controllers Associations (Ifatca), told Folha de S. Paulo.

Ifatca seriously discussed rating Brazil’s air space “dangerous” — a label it uses for some African nations – but opted instead for “under suspicion,” the newspaper said.

SriLankan Airlines introduced an additional flight between Colombo, Doha and Bahrain from December 6, as part of an ongoing initiative to improve service in the Middle East region.

The circle flight operating on Fridays, adds to the two non-stop flights from Doha to Colombo and another two flights via Bahrain.

source: ameinfo.com

The national flag air carrier Vietnam Airlines has become an official member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the biggest aviation association in the world, with 270 members.

After a period of surveying and assessing the development process of Vietnam Airlines, the capability and prestige as well as the quality of Vietnam Airlines’ services, IATA has officially accepted Vietnam Airlines as a member of the organisation, putting the name of the Vietnamese air carrier on a level with other big airlines in the region and in the world.

source: Vietnamnet

A fantastic deal for travelers flying to multiple European destinations is the little-known Sky Team Europe Pass.

Europe Pass, new this year, lets you to fly all over Europe for as little as $60 per segment. It also offers flexibility on dates and destinations, with no minimum or maximum stays.

“‘You can save a lot of money,'” says Northwest Airlines spokesman Dean Breest.

Northwest is a member of Sky Team, the alliance of 10 world airlines that also includes Air France, KLM, Alitalia, Aeroflot, CSA (Czech), Korean, Delta, Continental and Aero Mexico.

Turkey’s flagship carrier, Turkish Airlines, is to join the Star Alliance in a move that would give the world’s biggest airline confederation new destinations in Turkey, Central Asia and the Middle East, the company said Saturday.

Turkish Airlines and Star Alliance officials signed a pre-accession deal in a ceremony in Istanbul on Saturday, formally launching the integration process.

source: Chron.com

GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes, Brazil’s low-cost, low-fare airline, has announced that beginning January 1, 2007, commissions paid to travel agents on GOL ticket sales will be reduced to 7 percent for domestic flights and 6 percent for international flights.

The decision is part of the GOL’s overall cost reduction plan which is expected to reduce operating costs. The Company also expects annual cost savings of R$95-105 million in travel agency commissions in 2007. “‘Reducing our costs will allow the Company to offer even lower airfares and continue to popularize air transportation,'” says GOL’s Vice-president of Marketing and Services, Tarcisio Gargioni.

source: Yahoo! Finance