news about cheap fares and airlines from travel search engine Trabber

Passengers looking for more legroom can now opt for Germanwings‘ “‘comfort zone’” at the front of the aircraft.

Part of the Lufthansa group, the low cost airline has installed ten rows of seats with an extra three inches of legroom on all its 30 A319 aircraft. Also included in this ‘Best tariff’ is a seat reservation, one item of luggage, plus a snack and beverage onboard.

According to Germanwings, booking with the bundled ‘Best tariff’ means customers can save up to 35% compared with booking each extra individually.

source: abtn.co.uk

The world’s largest airlines collected an estimated $21.46 billion in passenger fees and other extra revenue last year, about double the amount collected in 2008, according to a new study.

For some airlines, revenue generated from extra fees, the sale of frequent flier points, and commissions for booking passengers into hotel rooms and rental cars now represents 15 percent to 30 percent of all airline revenue, according to the report by IdeaWorks Co., a Wisconsin consultant on airline fees, and Amadeus Corp., a Madrid technology company for the travel industry.

The annual report released Tuesday said 47 airlines worldwide reported some type of ancillary revenue last year, compared with only 23 airlines in 2007.

United Airlines and Continental Airlines, which have merged but operate as two airlines, reported a combined $5 billion in ancillary revenue in 2010, the most for any airline, followed by Delta Air Lines with $3.7 billion and American Airlines with $1.9 billion, according to the report.

source: vancouversun.com

easyJet, have marked becoming the world’s youngest and quickest airline to reach a fleet of 200 Airbus aircraft, at a ceremony in Toulouse.

easyJet already operates the world’s largest fleet of A319s with over 166 in service today. Including their A320s, which have recently joined the fleet, the airline has grown to be Europe’s largest A320 Family operator. Since easyJet took delivery of its first Airbus aircraft (an A319) in September 2003, Airbus has delivered an aircraft on average every 14 days over the last eight years.

source: eturbonews.com

American Airlines was ordered by a judge to let Orbitz Worldwide Inc. (OWW) resume ticket sales, the same day Sabre Holdings Inc. asked a federal court in Texas for permission to sue the carrier over access to flight data.

Illinois Circuit Court Judge Lee Preston in Chicago yesterday ordered AMR Corp. (AMR)’s American to reinstate Orbitz.com’s and Orbitz for Business’s ability to ticket its flights. Preston overturned a decision denying a request by Travelport LP for a preliminary injunction. Travelport owns about 48 percent of Chicago-based Orbitz.

“‘The court agreed with Travelport that an injunction should have been granted against AA in December which would have prevented AA from terminating its contracts with Orbitz,’” Travelport said in an e-mailed statement.

source: Bloomberg

Ryanair staff in Belgium are literally tearing their hair out at a sudden surge in testing for cannabis use.

“‘Every week, a nurse comes from Ireland and takes stewards and stewardesses into an office where they cut hair samples for drug tests,'” an employee reported.

The controls were bi-annual, but have been conducted three times in the past three weeks, Ryanair spokesman Stephen McNamara confirmed.

source: smh.com.au

Monarch Airlines has scrapped debit card surcharges in a bid to win business from budget rivals like Ryanair and Easyjet.

The British-based airline, which is currently undergoing a major rebrand, said there was ”no justification” for advertising one price and then stinging customers with hidden charges when they come to pay for their flights.

Monarch said it would no longer be charging extra for any bookings made  with debit cards, but that credit card payments would still incur a flat  fee of £10 per booking. However, the airline claims to be in  negotiations with credit card companies to reduce that fee further.

source: which.co.uk