news about cheap fares and airlines from travel search engine Trabber

New Spanish budget airline Iberia Express is considering entering the German market, and could be flying from Berlin or Frankfurt to Spanish coastal resorts before the end of this year.

Pilots from parent airline Iberia have been striking since December in protest at what they see as a piecemeal outsourcing of their jobs.

The budget airline is projected to save Iberia company €100 million by 2015, much of it recouped from staff costs that will see Iberia Express pilots pocket on average €4,000 a month less than their colleagues at the main airline.

source: thelocal.de

Europe’s competition watchdog has started its latest probe into whether Ryanair benefits from illegal state subsidies to airports.

The European Commission is to investigate the carrier’s deals with Nimes airport in France, which allegedly gave Ryanair “‘undue economic advantage’” over its competitors at the expense of French taxpayers.

The regulator will probe rebates and marketing agreements between Ryanair and the airport that may have given the airline an “‘undue economic advantage,’” as well as financial arrangements between French authorities and Nimes airport.

EU regulators opened a similar probe into Ryanair’s agreements with Carcassonne airport earlier this month, adding to several reviews of discounts and subsidies offered by small, regional airports across Europe to attract budget airlines.

source: travelweekly.co.uk

The airline that pioneered charges for checked-in baggage has abandoned its £9 flat fee for paying with debit cards.

Flybe, Eeurope’s largest regional carrier, says it has removed the charge as part of “‘A fair, open and transparent approach to sales and service policies'”.

Until its removal today, the fee earned Flybe an average of £4.50 for each passenger flown. But the airline’s UK managing director, Andrew Strong said “‘I’m not looking to put up fares to offset the removal. People will choose us because we offer a better product.'”

source: belfasttelegraph.co.uk

Airberlin is planning to install Etihad‘s popular fully flat business class beds in all its long-distance planes, which means a more comfortable sleep, direct aisle access and better privacy.

The airline, which is partner to both Qantas and Etihad, hopes that superior seats will woo business travellers onto its Germany-bound flights.

Southwest Airlines and Amadeus IT Group announced last week that they have entered into a joint contract for Amadeus’ Altea reservations solution that would support the carrier’s international service.  Now that the contract is finalised, the two companies will work closely together to implement Amadeus’ technology to allow Southwest to operate international flights in 2014.

AirTran Airways, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Southwest Airlines, currently serves international destinations.  As the AirTran international flights transition to Southwest, Amadeus will support Southwest’s international flying.

source: breakingtravelnews.com

Ryanair passengers face forking out even more money for their flight this summer, even though they have already booked and paid for it.

The budget airline is threatening to impose a surcharge on flights back from Spanish airports in an escalating row over airport fees.

This week, the airline sent an email to customers warning them of the backdated cost.

Ryanair, is now the leading airline between the UK and Spain so the charges could aeffect millions of pople who have already booked their summer flights.

source: Dailymail.co.uk

A plane had to make an emergency diversion after a passenger died on board.

Airline Jet2 said the incident happened on board a flight from Leeds Bradford Airport to Prague last Friday.

A Jet2 spokeswoman said the pilot made an emergency diversion to Dusseldorf in Germany to “‘seek urgent medical attention'”.

source: BBC.co.uk

Easyjet has launched a virtual card intended to make payment easier for TMCs and travel buyers.

The no-frills airline has teamed up with Travelport’s Enett payments specialist to offer agencies use of its virtual account numbers (VANs).

This system allows both IATA and non-IATA companies to use what Enett describes as a “‘more secure and effective means of payment’” to Easyjet and other travel suppliers.

source: telegraph.co.uk

Ryanair customers are to face extra charges on flights they have already paid for because of planned increases to airport tax by the Spanish government.

Customers who already have bookings to or from a Spanish airport received an e-mail from the budget airline yesterday, explaining Ryanair may be “‘forced’” to charge more because of “‘government-imposed increases’” expected to come into effect in the next few weeks.

Ryanair claimed it could not give details of how much these charges will be or when they will be made – but told passengers they will be contacted before any money is debited from their accounts.

source: scotsman.com

India’s Kingfisher airline has said it will resume paying its staff beginning this week after tax authorities unfroze its bank accounts.

Chairman and managing director Vijay Mallya said all junior staff would be paid by Wednesday and engineers and pilots would be paid early next week.

source: BBC.co.uk