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It’s now known that Air Madrid tripled the number of its passengers in 2006, despite the fact that it remained with the same 9 planes in its fleet. Passenger numbers jumped from 395,155 to 1.2 million. A statement from the company which has suspended trading, has promised to continue to pay the wages of its workers.

It’s now thought that as many as 60,000 immigrants have not been able to return to Spain because of the airline’s collapse.

source: Tipically Spanish

Malaysia’s low-cost airline AirAsia today launched a new long-haul budget airline named AirAsia X which will begin flying to destinations in China, India and Europe in July.AirAsia X will be a collaboration between AirAsia, owned by Tony Fernandes, and Fly Asian Express, or FAX, a small airline serving rural routes in Malaysia.

“‘The launch of AirAsia X will bring independence to the long haul low-cost traveller, by providing a choice of service for their long haul travel requirements,'” Fernandes said at the launch of the newairline.

The airline has received approval to fly to several destinations in Europe, China, India and Australia, he said.

source: Sun2surf

AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings,  today reported record traffic results for the full year 2006 as well as December 2006 and the Fourth Quarter. The airline reported that revenue passenger miles (RPMs) and passengers enplaned represent company records for December and the quarter, while available seat miles (ASMs) represent an all-time record for December and the quarter.

For the year, AirTran Airways traffic grew 22.4 percent on a capacity increase of 23.7 percent, and the load factor was 72.8 percent. The airline has enplaned a record number of passengers with 20,051,219 boardings this year, an increase of 20.5 percent from 2005.

source: PR Newswire

easyJet, Europe’s leading low-fares airline, has announced it would be adding the beautiful and vibrant island of Ibiza to its choice of destinations from Belfast, Bristol and Glasgow for summer 2007.

David Osborne, UK General Manager for easyJet, said: “To kick off easyJet’s expansion plans for 2007, we are delighted to be announcing three new routes from Belfast, Bristol and Glasgow to Ibiza bringing even more low-fares to these regions. Ibiza has already proved a popular summer destination from many of our other UK bases and now even more holiday-makers seeking fun in the sun or a relaxing break on the famous White Isle can do so easily from their local airport“.

source: Easier

Sterling offers good discounts in January and February that allow you to save up to 50%. However, special offers will be available until mid June. Note that the offers only apply to selected departures and not, for example, during Easter, Whitsun and other holidays.

Virgin Group has re-entered talks with AirAsia about taking a stake in the Malaysia-based low-cost airline, in a move that would give the British company a wider foothold in the Asian market.

It is understood that AirAsia has approached Virgin in the hope that its Virgin Atlantic subsidiary would invest in the Malaysian airline. It is the second time that the two companies have spoken after Virgin Blue, the group’s Asian unit, and AirAsia discussed investment in 2003.

source: Times On Line

The airline filed for bankruptcy last week after having abruptly suspended operations Dec 15, leaving thousands of flyers stranded.

The company and the airline’s unions have said they are ready to incorporate the business into another company immediately, even though it may have “‘another management policy,'” the newspaper said.

Separately, the newspaper cited the same sources as saying they hope to postpone the demonstration planned for this Sunday by various groups of passengers affected by Air Madrid’s demise.
source: Sharewatch

Malaysia’s budget airline AirAsia is in discussions to form the world’s first low-cost global air network with Britain’s Virgin and easyJet, a company official said Tuesday.

Talks have begun to form an alliance that would result in long-haul, low-cost flights, the AirAsia spokeswoman said on the condition of anonymity.

“The discussions aren’t finalised yet, so we’ll have to wait for an official announcement before we can give details,” she said.

AirAsia was expected to make an “important announcement” by Friday, fuelling speculation that statements would be made regarding its long-haul plans, the Star daily reported Monday.

LTU, a German holiday-charter airline which has shown interest in taking over Air Madrid, said Friday it had ended talks on acquiring any stake in the Spanish airline.

“‘LTU has no intention of acquiring shares in Air Madrid,'” a spokesman for the Dusseldorf-based company told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa. The talks had ended and there were no arrangements to resume them. He did not state the reason.

source: Playfuls

Startup airline Virgin America Inc. got an expected rejection from the government Wednesday, when the Department of Transportation ruled that the company must change its corporate structure before it can get an operating certificate.

The Burlingame, Calif.-based branchild of Sir Richard Branson — head of England’s Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. — had planned to begin low-cost flights in 2007. Branson raised $177 million in startup capital for the airline in December 2005 from U.S. private equity firms and from himself.

However, the DOT said Virgin America doesn’t meet a requirement that the president and two-thirds of the board of directors are Americans, and Virgin America’s relationship with the British Virgin Group in the U.K. “‘indicates that the carrier is not under the actual control of U.S. citizens.'”

source: Dallas Business Journal