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International air passenger traffic rose by 6.7 percent in the first four months of the year, driven by a relatively strong global economy, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said on Wednesday.

Cross-border freight traffic was up a more sluggish 2.6 percent compared to the same period a year ago as carriers faced heavy competition from other types of transport, IATA said in a statement.

Middle East airlines saw the strongest growth with a 17.6 percent passenger demand increase and 12.2 growth in freight. Those in Latin America saw a 1.6 percent decline in passenger traffic and a 5.5 percent drop in freight.

source: Airwise

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines on Thursday confirmed that 20 people were injured when one of its aircraft hit heavy turbulence a few hours after it took off on an overnight flight from Amsterdam to Japan.

Seventeen passengers and three crew were injured when a sudden drop in air pressure over St Petersburg caused the Boeing 777 to drop 50 metres, Bart Koster, a spokesman for the airline said.

source: monstersandcritics.com

Ryanair has announced plans to begin operating eight new routes from Shannon Airport later this year.

The airline says it will be starting services to Birmingham, Fuerteventura, Kaunas, Leeds, Luton, Riga and Tenerife in November.

It will also be starting a twice-daily domestic service to Dublin and increasing the frequency of flights to Edinburgh and Manchester.

source: irishexaminer.com

A leading Indian airline will begin flights from Toronto to India this summer on a route that Air Canada has failed to make profitable several times in the past.

JetAirways (India) Ltd. will begin five flights a week from Toronto through Brussels, destined for New Delhi beginning Aug. 23. The Indian carrier aims to deliver daily service by the end of October as part of a major push into North America, said Abraham Joseph, a senior general manager for the airline.

source: canada.com

Skybus Airlines Inc. plans to boost service from Port Columbus International Airport to southern California, Florida and New England in mid-July.

The fledgling Columbus airline will add flights to San Diego starting July 16, as well as service to Westover Metropolitan Airport in Chicopee, Mass., to serve Hartford, Conn., and Springfield, Mass.

The low-cost carrier is scheduled to begin flying July 18 into St. Augustine (Fla.) Airport to serve Jacksonville and Daytona Beach. It will add a second daily nonstop flight to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., beginning July 16.

source: msn

Low-cost carrier Jetstar has committed to being the cheapest domestic airline in Australia by offering customers travel vouchers if they find a cheaper flight advertised.

Jetstar’s chief executive officer Alan Joyce today announced the company’s latest marketing strategy at the Australian Tourism Exchange in Brisbane.

Under the plan, any customer who finds a lower fare online for a similar domestic flight will receive a voucher for double the difference in cost if they book through Jetstar.

source: The Sidney Morning Herald

From May 24, 2007, Monarch will launch up to five scheduled flights a week to Ibiza from London Gatwick. Fares, including taxes, start from just £38.99 one way (£63.50 return).

source: This is Local London

Emirates Airline will add four additional flights a week to its existing double-daily Johannesburg service from June 01.

Operated Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sunday, the additional flights will be operated by a two-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, offering 42 Business and 385 economy class seats.

source: luchtzak.be

Skybus Airlines’ bright orange Airbus A319 arrived in Bellingham this morning nearly full and left the same way less than an hour later.

Skybus, a startup, low-cost airline based in Columbus, Ohio, reported 137 passengers on its inbound flight from Columbus that arrived at Bellingham International Airport at about 8:45 a.m., and 124 departed for Columbus at about 9:20. The plane holds 144.

source: bellinghamherald.com

Australia’s national carrier Qantas has been voted worst international airline in a consumer survey conducted in the country.

The survey of 4,000 subscribers to consumer magazine ‘Choice’ also found Qantas’ low-cost subsidiary Jetstar, to be the worst domestic airline.

Singapore Airlines was voted top international airline while minnow Regional Express was the favoured domestic operator.

source: Bernama