news about cheap fares and airlines from travel search engine Trabber

The airline’s expansion to Bucharest and Gdansk represents the airline’s commitment to growth in Central Eastern Europe, whilst the addition of Innsbruck to the network will continue to position the airline as the first choice for independent skiers.

This announcement follows the recent news that the airline will also expand with new services from; Bristol to Madiera and Lisbon (starts 29 October and 31 October respectively); Gatwick to Lisbon (starts 1 October); Stansted to Madiera (starts 29 October); Edinburgh and Bournemouth to Krakow (starts 29 October and 30 October respectively).

source: Boarding.no

British Airways relinquished a top airline of the year prize – plunging from first place in 2006 to tenth in this year’s popularity table.

But there was some consolation for beleaguered BA when it was named best airline in Europe and best transatlantic carrier in the 2007 awards by research company Skytrax.

source: scotsman.com

Two people were killed and four others seriously injured on Thursday in an explosion at an airport in the California desert, news reports said.

The Bakersfield Californian newspaper reported that two people had been killed and four others were in critical condition following the blast at Mojave Airport.

Private spaceship designer Burt Rutan, who has partnered with Microsoft billionaire Paul Allen and British airline tycoon Richard Branson to form a space tourism company, has facilities at Mojave Airport.

source: Reuters

Virgin Blue Holdings Ltd. on Wednesday named its new long haul international airline “V Australia,” which it hopes will commence flights between Australia and the U.S. west coast late next year.

Virgin Blue, the Australian branch of British mogul Richard Branson’s budget airline, received Australian regulatory approval Monday to fly 10 services a week to destinations expected to include Los Angeles and San Francisco.

However, under the existing bilateral rights agreement between the countries, U.S. regulatory approval is still needed.

source: Forbes

Flybe’s new rewards system gives its passengers two points per return flight, or four points for its “‘economy plus'” upgraded service per return flight, with half as many points offered for single flights.

For 16 points Flybe will give customers a free return flight, and for 20 points the airline offers a year’s free access to its VIP airport lounge.

source: travelbite.co.uk

Australian airline Virgin Blue Holdings Ltd said on Wednesday it planned to invest A$70 million ($62 million) in a new long-haul carrier it hopes will be flying on lucrative United States routes by late 2008.

The new airline, called V Australia, still needs U.S. regulatory approval for its plan to operate 10 weekly services between Australia and the United States, which requires changes to existing bilateral air service agreements.

source: Reuters

Air India Express, the low-cost international subsidiary of Air India (the new carrier being formed by merging Air-India with Indian Airlines), has finalised plans to fly limited domestic routes in the southern and eastern sectors.

Starting this October, Air India Express will fly Cochin-Chennai, Cochin-Hyderabad, Cochin-Bangalore, Bangalore-Chennai, Chennai-Kolkata, Hyderabad-Kolkata and Kolkata-Agartala.

“‘These services will be point-to-point domestic services and not seamless operations to international destinations. We have plans to start daily services on the Cochin-Bangalore-Chennai route later,’” said an official spokesperson.

source: business-standard.com

Air Asia X has said that it will announce its first Indian and Australian destination in the coming days, including the UK, Middle East, India and China.

Air Asia is an offshoot of Asia’s biggest low cost airline Air Asia.

source: luchtzak.be

Fly540, the low cost Kenyan airline, has introduced thrice-weekly flights between Nairobi and Eldoret.

This is in response to requests from potential passengers affected by the poor state of roads in Western Kenya, the airline said.

Fly540 will fly to Eldoret via Kisumu on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, starting July 20. The flights leave Nairobi at 8.15 am to arrive in Eldoret at 9.40 am. The return flight departs Eldoret at 10.10 am arriving in Nairobi at 11.30 am. Return fares begin with a pay-and-go starter fare of Ksh 7,540 ($113) exclusive of taxes.
source: allAfrica.com

Aer Lingus is to launch a new low-cost service between London Gatwick and Dublin – taking on rival Ryanair.

The London Gatwick service will operate four times daily at times scheduled to suit both business and leisure travellers.

The schedule – which will include the first morning departure of any carrier from Dublin to London Gatwick – will complement Aer Lingus’ highly successful Dublin to London Heathrow service.

source: irishpost.co.uk