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Five people got the lavish ride of a lifetime as the only passengers on a transatlantic flight, causing environmental groups to criticize the major carrier for leaving a wasteful carbon footprint.

Using about 68,000 liters (15,000 imperial gallons) — or 13,000 liters per passenger — of jet fuel for the nine-hour trip from Chicago to London, American Airlines is being accused of unnecessary waste.

Each passenger left a footprint of 35.77 tons of carbon dioxide, enough to drive an average car 160,000 kilometers (100,000 miles).

American Airlines said it chose to continue with the flight because of the full load of passengers waiting at London’s Heathrow airport to return to the United States.

Germany’s leisure airline sector could be set for a major consolidation with Germanwings, Eurowings and TUIfly discussing a merger. If completed, the deal would create a group with a combined fleet of more than 100 aircraft and a network of about 185 destinations.

TUI Travel confirms it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Lufthansa and Eurowings majority shareholder Albrecht Knauf concerning the merger, but little else has been revealed.

The airlines will be brought together under a joint independent holding company in the proposed deal, but the companies stress that the process is at an “‘early stage'” and there is “‘no guarantee'” it will lead to an integrated airline group.

fuente: flightglobal.com

German airline Lufthansa said on Monday its pilots had averted a crash at Hamburg airport after a strong gust of wind caused a plane, with 130 passengers on board, to veer dangerously on landing.

The plane approached the asphalt runway at an odd angle, then swerved sharply before touching down, with one of its wings scraping the ground. The pilots averted disaster by quickly taking off again, going into a so-called go-around manoeuvre.

“Just before landing, the plane was hit by a very strong gust of wind that led to the left wing touching the ground very briefly,” said Juergen Raps, Lufthansa executive vice president of operations.

“The pilots reacted outstandingly by inducing a go-around.”

No passengers or crew were injured and the plane, which had taken off from Munich, circled for about 10 minutes before landing safely on another runway.

source: Reuters

Airports in France recorded a 4.9 pct gain in passenger traffic last year, thanks to low-cost carriers and international operations, the French airport association UAF reported.

”We have a right to be satisfied with what has happened and believe it will continue,” UAF head Claude Terrazzoni told at a press conference.

French airports handled 153.8 mln passengers in 2007, of whom 86.3 mln came through Paris.

source: Forbes

London’s Luton airport is now one of the most important in Britain in terms of passenger numbers and routes, with passenger traffic five times the levels seen ten years ago.

Over ten million passengers passed through Luton airport in the 12 months to February, making it one of the fastest-growing airports in Britain.

More than 40 new routes in the past two years and the introduction of new airlines have contributed to the significant increases in passenger numbers.

source: Travelbite.com

Toronto-based Porter Airlines on Friday will begin selling tickets to Newark, N.J., the first U.S. destination in its expansion plans.

The privately owned airline said service between the Toronto City Centre Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport will begin March 31. Porter will run seven daily round-trip flights as well as limited weekend service.

source: CBC News

One hundred and thirty-three airline passengers are safe tonight after their American Airlines plane made an emergency landing at the Miami Airport.Flight 862 was headed from West Palm Beach to Chicago — but had to be diverted because of nose gear problems.

source: Kauz.com

BA’s performance deteriorated in 2007, with a larger proportion of bags failing to reach destinations with their owners.

BA mislaid 26.5 bags for every 1,000 passengers it carried last year, compared to 23 in 2006, the Association of European Airlines. (AEA) reports.

fuente: Telegraph.co.uk

French air traffic controllers started a five-day strike Monday that immediately forced the cancellation of several flights, mainly at Paris-Orly airport.

France’s General Directorate for Civil Aviation (DGAC) said one flight in two has been cancelled at Orly and there were average delays of two hours, which could increase during the day, according to spokesman Patrick Gandil.

At the main Paris airport Charles de Gaulle, operations were relatively normal with only half-hour delays reported on some flights, the DGAC said.

source: Inquirer.net

A Spanish clothing company is suing a charter airline for failing to deliver British actress Sienna Miller — “the face” of its company — to New York City from London for a photo shoot.

In a lawsuit filed on Thursday in Manhattan federal court, Pepe Jeans said it paid Jet Set Private Air Service $160,000 for a chartered plane that would deliver Sienna Miller, along with the actress’ associates, to a New Jersey airport.

source: Reuters