news about cheap fares and airlines from travel search engine Trabber

Emirates Airline has ordered a jaw-dropping 245 new widebody planes, but the company’s president shuns suggestions that he wants to create the world’s biggest airline.

“‘I’m not bothered personally if that makes us the biggest or not,'” Emirates President Tim Clark said in an interview with The Associated Press.

Aviation analysts say that the airline’s unprecedented rate of growth would make it the world’s largest within the next decade. At last month’s Dubai Air Show, Emirates ordered 120 Airbus A350XWB jets, 11 additional A380 super-jumbos ” increasing its total order to 58 ” and a dozen Boeing 777-300ERs ” which more than double its current fleet of 112 planes.

source: USA Today

Ultra low cost carrier Spirit Airlines is launching new daily non-stop service from Orlando to Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. Located on the northwestern tip of Puerto Rico, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, Aguadilla is known for its beaches, crystal clear waters, and excellent surfing. This new service compliments Spirit‘s existing connecting service from Orlando and non-stop service from Fort Lauderdale to Aguadilla.

source: PR-USA.net

Lufthansa is continuing to extend its route network to growth markets in Africa. On 1 April 2008, following the introduction of the summer timetable, a new service will be launched between Frankfurt and the Angolan capital, Luanda. The non-stop route will be operated once a week by an Airbus 340-300 with 221 seats.

source: Boarding.no

budget airline Flyglobespan has reviewed its prices across all routes for next summer.

The airline, which has headquarters in Colinton, said it could now offer passengers its “‘biggest ever sale'” of cheap seats.

Flyglobespan chief executive Rick Green said: “‘As soon as the Christmas presents are unwrapped, people’s thoughts turn towards their holidays.'”

source: scotsman.com

All Skybus Airlines Inc. flights are back in business after damage to two planes in the discount airline’s fleet sparked cancellations for more than 1,000 travelers during the holiday.

Problems surfaced Christmas Day when the Columbus-based company cut its seven-plane fleet down to five after one airliner’s rear door was damaged when stairs were being set in place, Skybus spokesman Bob Tenenbaum said. A second plane’s fuselage was damaged while on the ground, an event whose cause is still unknown. The door damage was repaired in Columbus while the second plane was flown to Alabama for repairs and returned before Thursday morning.

source: Columbus Business First

Maxjet, a two-year-old company that touted itself as the first low-fare business class airline, has declared bankruptcy due to rising fuel costs, its president said.

The US company said it had made a deal with competitor Eos Airlines “for seats on Eos’ scheduled all-Premium service to accommodate passengers awaiting a return flight between New York and London.”

It also vowed to provide hotel accommodations for affected travelers in London, New York, Las Vegas and Los Angeles through early January 2008.

source: AFP

After some 250 travelers were stranded Christmas Day, discount airline Skybus has canceled more flights out of Columbus, where the company is based.

Flights to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Bellingham, Washington, were scrubbed Wednesday morning.

The problems began a day earlier when a Skybus plane that flies to multiple cities each day was found to have a mechanical problem.

That triggered a chain of Christmas cancellations, sending customers scrambling to make alternative travel arrangements.

source: WTOL

The board of Alitalia chose Air France-KLM as its preferred buyer on Friday, saying the French-Dutch carrier was a better match than a small Italian airline favored by the unions.

Its unanimous decision on Air France-KLM’s non-binding offer must still be approved by the government, which holds a 49.9 percent stake in the money-losing flagship airline and might face pressure against letting it pass into foreign hands.

source: Reuters

Low-cost airline easyJet PLC has said it will start a new four-times weekly service from London Gatwick airport to Biarritz, in the south of France, from July 4, 2008.

The service will run every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, easyJet said. The carrier also launched a six-times weekly service from London Gatwick to Innsbruck earlier today.

source: Hemscott

European Union (EU) countries have agreed to introduce pollution limits for airlines as part of efforts to tackle climate change.

The measure is due to come into effect in 2012, and will apply to all flights between EU countries, as well as in and out of the EU.

source: ABC News