German low-cost airline Germanwings announced the launch of new destinations in Bulgaria.
The airline will service flights from Berlin and Cologne/Bonne to the Bulgarian seaside hotspots of Varna and Burgas. The company has been servicing since the end of March flights from Cologne and Bonne to the capital Sofia three times a week.
The flights to the Black Sea coast will be conducted once a week.
source: novinite.com
Brazilian airline TAM is planning a direct flight between Rio de Janeiro and Miami, a first for the carrier, TAM officials say.
There is no start date for the operation but it is in the works, according to the airline’s press office in Brazil.
“‘We know we’re going to be up by the second half of the year, maybe by the end of the year,'” said Jose Sampol, TAM’s general manager for North America based in Miami.
The flight, he said, is to be available year-round and offer passenger and cargo service but all other details are pending. “‘At this point, we don’t have anything about the flight,'” Mr. Sampol said. “‘We don’t have any details about this route.'”
source: Miami Today
Twin strikes stranded thousands of Alitalia passengers on Tuesday as the Italian government said it was willing to quit the state-controlled airline entirely by selling its whole 49.9 percent stake.
The strikes by air traffic controllers and Alitalia cabin crew caused travel chaos which also affected other airlines, threatening to frustrate fans of soccer club AC Milan planning to travel to Wednesday’s Champions League final in Athens.
source: Reuters
Finnair will enable passengers to send mobile text messages and e-mails on flights to the Far East starting next month, the Finnish airline said Tuesday.
The service will become possible on satellite telephones provided at each seat of the airline’s new Airbus A340 aircraft, to be delivered in June. It will first be available on routes from Helsinki to the Japanese cities of Tokyo and Nagoya, and Shanghai, China.
source: International Herald Tribune
Frontier Airlines will begin flying from Denver to San Jose, Costa Rica Nov. 30, the carrier announced today.
Frontier said its introductory fares start at $298 roundtrip.
The carrier will fly to Costa Rica on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays. Denver-based Frontier is the only airline to fly direct between Denver and Costa Rica. The carrier also flies to Mexico and to Canada.
source: denverpost.com
A new discount airline gets off the ground tomorrow, with flights between Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and Columbus, Ohio.
Skybus Airlines hopes travelers are willing to fly to secondary airports and then drive 30 minutes or more to reach destinations such as Boston.
The company plans to fly to 25 cities from its Columbus hub, using a model aimed at competing with Southwest and other no-frills airlines. Every Skybus flight will offer at least ten tickets for $10 each.
source: wcax.com
Emirates has been voted ‘Best Middle East Airline’ by readers of the Daily Telegraph’s luxury travel magazine Ultratravel. The airline was announced as the winner of the prestigious Ultratravel 100 award during a ceremony at the InterContinental London Park Lane, attended by key representatives from the travel industry.
source: Easier
Eos Airlines announces today that it has increased its fleet to four Boeing 757-200ER aircraft in preparation for future new routes and additional frequencies to its current schedule. A fifth aircraft is scheduled to be received in December with negotiations for a sixth underway. As part of an “‘uncrowded'” travel experience, the planes will be outfitted for Eos Class service in a configuration which features individual “‘suites'” for every guest, with 21 sq. ft. of personal space and a patented, award-winning seat that converts to a 6’6″ horizontally flat bed. This innovative cabin design was one of the many reasons Eos was named 2007’s “‘Best Long-Haul Business Airline'” by Business Travel World.
source: earthtimes.org
Brazil’s TAM Linhas Aereas and United Airlines, a founding member of the Star Alliance, signed Friday, May 18, a memorandum of understanding to develop an agreement that enables the airlines to offer code-share flights with each other and expands international destinations and frequent flyer opportunities for customers of both carriers.
The agreement will result in more options for customers traveling between Brazil and the United States and includes the implementation of codeshare on TAM and United flights, giving customers of United’s Mileage Plus and TAM’s Fidelidade programs the opportunity to earn and redeem miles to destinations never-before served.
source: brazzilmag.com
The U.S. department of transportation has finally given approval for Virgin America Airlines to start its services as soon as it secures necessary safety clearances. The department has been reviewing the case for the last 18 months in view of shares held in the company by British entrepreneur Charles Bronson.
The department has granted the approval, which was initially rejected in December 2006, after the company assured regulators it would adhere to the legal norm of restricting ownership of domestic airlines to U.S. citizens.
source: earthtimes.org
