news about cheap fares and airlines from travel search engine Trabber

Brazilian airline Gol Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes had net revenues of 1.041 billion Brazilian reais (US$ 499.2 million) in the first quarter of this year. The value represents an increase of 21% over the same period last year, 863 million reais (US$ 424 million at current exchange rates for comparison purposes). The company registered net profit of 117 million reais (US$ 57.6 million) in the first three months of the year.

source: ANBA

European Union regulators delayed by a year a size limit on airline passengers’ carry-on bags, bowing to industry demands for more time to enact the anti- terrorism measure and for a reexamination of its necessity.

The European Commission said it was convinced by airlines and airports that they would be unable to meet the original deadline of May 6, 2007, for enforcing the limit, which will be 56 centimeters by 45 centimeters by 25 centimeters (22 X 18 X 10 inches). The commission said travelers would be inconvenienced by any uneven application of the rules.

source: Bloomberg.com

Southwest Airlines Co., the low- fare carrier famed for no-frills service, may add wireless Internet connections to its planes to attract more business fliers.

Southwest will seek proposals within a few weeks to outfit several jets to serve as prototypes, Chief Executive Officer Gary Kelly said today in an interview. With such a system, passengers would have Internet access in flight, e-mail and “‘potentially delivery of entertainment services,'” Kelly said.

“‘We are very seriously exploring that,'” Kelly said. “‘We’d be acutely interested in the cost of doing that. It would be a very exciting development if we could make that work.'” Southwest is studying the idea as part of a broader review of ways to generate revenue apart from ticket sales. The Dallas- based airline offers only peanuts and other snacks and drinks on its flights so it can stay profitable at lower fares.

source: Denver Post

A new airline is taking to the skies over Saudi Arabia after being set up by Mango Aviation Partners, a UK based advisory business which specialises in the start-up of low fare airlines. Mango was awarded the contract to set up Sama by HRH Prince Bandar bin Khalid al Faisal, founder and chairman of the newly launched airline.

Mango was founded in 2004 by former senior executives of Go and Easyjet, and has worked on low fare airline start-ups all over the world.

source: pressdispensary.co.uk

JetBlue Airways has been named Best Low Cost/No Frills Airline by OAG, the global travel and transport information company, as part of their 2007 OAG Airline of the Year Awards. This marks the second year running that JetBlue has been named top airline in this category. The New York-based low-fare, low-cost carrier was among 42 airlines and airports that received nominations in 15 regional and global categories during the 25th Anniversary ceremony this week in London.

source: Webwire

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released its annual Safety Report, which says that 2006 was the safest year on record. There were 77 accidents in 2006, compared to 111 in 2005. Of these 77 accidents, 46 involved jet aircraft and 31 involved turbo-props.

“‘The safety results for 2006 are impressive. Air transport remains the safest form of travel. But we must do even better. With demand for air travel increasing at 5-6% per year, the accident rate must decrease just to keep the actual number of accidents in check. The goal will always be zero accidents. And the interim target is to reduce the industry rate to 0.49 accidents per million flights in 2008-a 25% improvement,'” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s director general and CEO.

source: domain-B

The Czech low-cost carrier Smart Wings will start a service between Prague and Dubai, the airline said Tuesday.

The airline will operate one flight a week from May 15, it said in a statement.

The airline, which flies regularly to several Mediterranean and European destinations, claims to have carried 1.8 million passengers last year.

source: iht

British Airways has shrugged off its recent difficulties to be named airline of the year for the first time in almost 20 years.

The company was also voted top airline in three other categories – best transatlantic airline, best Europe to Asia and Australasia carrier, and best airline based in western Europe in the Airline of the Year Awards organised by travel information company OAG.

Last month figures showed that BA had lost more bags in 2006 than any other major European carrier.

The airline was also the hardest hit by the counter-terrorist measures introduced for passengers’ luggage last August, which led to BA having to cancel hundreds of flights. And last Christmas, the carrier had to put up with thick fog which wrecked schedules at Heathrow.

source: Guardian

Four days after acquiring Sahara Airlines, the Naresh Goyal promoted Jet Airways India Ltd. announced on Monday that it will operate the troubled rival as a separate company, which will be profitable in its first year.

New Delhi-based Air Sahara will be renamed Jet Lite, Goyal said on the sidelines of a news conference in Mumbai yesterday to unveil a new corporate identity of Jet.

source: indiainfoline.com

Ryanair is due to outline its opposition to the planned new terminal at Dublin Airport during an oral hearing in the city today.

The airline is one of seven objectors making submissions to An Bord Pleanala in relation to the planned development.

Yesterday, the Dublin Airport Authority made its case in favour of the terminal, which its plans to build for just under €400m.

source: belfasttelegraph.co.uk