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The chief executive of Southwest Airlines Co. today said there is “‘growing evidence'” a slowing U.S. economy is dampening on travel demand, which will make it tough for the discount carrier to achieve its earnings target for the year.

Speaking at the Bear Stearns Global Transportation Conference, Southwest CEO Gary Kelly said the long-standing 15 percent earnings-growth target remains in place for this year. He added, however, the Dallas-based company may be forced to reevaluate targets for 2008 and beyond if the market continues to be sluggish.

source: Daily southtown

Budget airline Ryanair plans to double its passenger number to 100 million within five years, chief executive Michael O’Leary said today.

“‘We are still the fastest-growing airline in Europe and I expect that we double from 50 million passengers this year to 100 million passengers in five years’ time,'” Mr O’Leary said.

The airline also plans to increase its number of bases over the next five years. “‘The number of bases will be doubled from 19 or 20 to about 40,'”  O’Leary said.

source: ireland.com

JetBlue on Thursday replaced Dave Neeleman as chief executive as the US low-cost carrier continues its recovery from operational issues during the winter and an increasingly challenging domestic market.

Dave Berger, president of the New York-based carrier, will take on the CEO role, with Mr Neeleman becoming non-executive chairman.

JetBlue has strengthened its executive team in recent months following the disruption of hundreds of flights by winter storms, which highlighted the inability of its systems to cope with rapid growth. Mr Neeleman founded JetBlue in 1998 after selling his Morris Air business to Southwest Airlines and spending a short spell with the largest US domestic carrier before launching another airline in Canada.

EasyJet became the latest airline to warn of difficult trading conditions yesterday as shares across the sector came under pressure.

The no frills airline said its passenger load factor – a measure of how full its planes are – fell to 83.1% last month compared with 86.4% last year. Shares in the company fell 7%, closing 49p down at 631p. Other stock in traditional carriers such as British Airways and Lufthansa also fell. Analysts warned that stronger profits are encouraging airlines to buy more planes and fly more routes, flooding the market with capacity and putting fares under pressure. EasyJet admitted yesterday that fare revenue was one of its biggest concerns.

source: Guardian.co.uk

Executives from Oasis Hong Kong Airlines are giving away more than a thousand free tickets to drum up interest in their new service to Vancouver.

On Monday, Raymond Lee, the company’s chairman, and his wife, Priscilla Lee, the company’s executive director, handed out 40 Vancouver-Hong Kong return business-class tickets to VIP guests at a luncheon.

source: canada.com

Wizz Air, a budget airline that operates in various eastern European countries, has announced an expansion of its services between the UK and Bucharest.

Holidaymakers and property investors from Liverpool be able to fly to Bucharest from John Lennon Airport from October 1st 2007 using Wizz Air, with services scheduled for three times a week.

source: ready2invest.co.uk

Another budget airline will be servicing Brussels Airport starting 28 October this year. Scandinavian carrier Sterling Airlines will start offering service to Denmark, Sweden and Norway, according to a press release from the company.

Over the past few months Brussels Airport has been trying to attract not only more long-haul flights but also budget airlines. The airport’s strategy seems to be working. Both EasyJet and SkyEurope recently announced their arrival at Zaventem, and Air Berlin is also interested in servicing Brussels, according to reports in the media.

source: expatica.com

JetBlue, the low-cost airline hoping to forget a chaotic February of storms and stranded passengers, has a new lease on life.

The stylish, 6-year-old carrier has just begun regular coast-to-coast flights from New York to San Francisco and founder David Neeleman hopes it will mean an end to the airline`s tough times.

The New York-based JetBlue has been flying to the West Coast but not to SFO because of high fees. Those fees have been reduced and JetBlue is in.
source: monstersandcritics.com

A new study from the University of California, Irvine suggests that it might pay to shop around before booking that Southwest ticket. The report concludes that last-minute airfares are more expensive on Southwest, on average, than on other airlines when consumers use online searches such as Orbitz or Travelocity.

The study’s author says his conclusions deflate the long-standing belief that Southwest, the dominant airline at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, is always the low-fare leader on last-minute flights.

source: Baltimore Sun

More options for travellers out of Hamilton International Airport.

Low-cost European style carrier Flyglobespan has launched its service between Hamilton and 13 destinations in the United Kingdom.

Federal Transportation Minister Lawrence Cannon was among those on hand for the launch, calling it the first example of the federal government’s “blue sky” policy at work. The open-skies agreement has eliminated certain restrictions on International travel.

source: AM 900