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British low-cost airline easyJet reported a 13.8 per cent increase in May passenger numbers today, and said it would offset falling revenues per seat by cutting costs.

Average loadings fell 0.3 percentage points to 83.6 per cent of capacity. “‘Strong load factors, which were broadly in line with last year, were supported by targeted promotional activity and low lead-in fares,'” it said in a statement.

“‘For the second half we anticipate total revenue per seat to decline in the region of 5 per cent to 10 per cent versus last year,'” it added.

source: ireland.com

Korean Air has confirmed that it is to launch a new low cost carrier within the next 3 years.

Since 2005, Korean Air organized a special task force to study the feasibility of operating its own low cost carrier. For the new airline, Korean Air is considering using one of its Hanjin Group affiliates, Korea Airport Service, which has charter flight operation experience, rather than setting up a new company. Korean Air is part of the Hanjin Group, one of the world’s largest transportation conglomerates.

source: asiatraveltips.com

U.S. airlines, already taking a beating in surveys of customers, took another hit last week when a guest-satisfaction poll by a California market research company gave them their lowest ratings in four years.

“‘The drop in passenger satisfaction reveals unprecedented angst … caused, in part, by disenchanted employees, increasing fuel costs, bankruptcy and new record levels of lost, delayed and damaged luggage,'” said Jonathan Barsky, chairman of Market Metrix.

Among the 14 airlines in the survey, JetBlue and Midwest Airlines ranked No. 1 and 2, respectively, even though they showed the biggest declines over the last survey. US Airways was at the bottom of the overall ratings. United Airlines, the No. 1 carrier at LAX, ranked third from the bottom, just above American Airlines. The top seven spots were all claimed by low-cost carriers.

A Southwest Airlines jet was forced to make an emergency landing at an Oakland International Airport after its landing gear collapsed.A spokesperson for the airline said the nose landing gear on the 737 malfunctioned forcing the plane to land on its belly.

Luckily, no passengers or crew were injured.

source: WHDH

Virgin Atlantic chairman Sir Richard Branson on Saturday announced a programme aimed at saving elephants in Kenya, as he boarded his airline’s first flight to the east African nation.

He pledged 250,000 dollars (186,000 euros) to help create Virgin Mount Kenya Elephant Corridor that would benefit about 2,000 elephants threatened by human encroachment.

“‘Historically, the African elephant has roamed across the continent from South Africa to the Mediterranean coast but its population is under serious threat,'” Branson told reporters in Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

source: Sunday Times

Ryanair came in for renewed criticism from environmental campaigners yesterday after it launched a route in direct competition with Eurostar.

Europe’s largest low-cost carrier reopened its Stansted to Brussels service yesterday, taking on the cross-channel train operator, whose passengers generate a tenth as much carbon dioxide per journey as plane travellers.

source: Guardian.co.uk

International air passenger traffic rose by 6.7 percent in the first four months of the year, driven by a relatively strong global economy, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said on Wednesday.

Cross-border freight traffic was up a more sluggish 2.6 percent compared to the same period a year ago as carriers faced heavy competition from other types of transport, IATA said in a statement.

Middle East airlines saw the strongest growth with a 17.6 percent passenger demand increase and 12.2 growth in freight. Those in Latin America saw a 1.6 percent decline in passenger traffic and a 5.5 percent drop in freight.

source: Airwise

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines on Thursday confirmed that 20 people were injured when one of its aircraft hit heavy turbulence a few hours after it took off on an overnight flight from Amsterdam to Japan.

Seventeen passengers and three crew were injured when a sudden drop in air pressure over St Petersburg caused the Boeing 777 to drop 50 metres, Bart Koster, a spokesman for the airline said.

source: monstersandcritics.com

Low-cost carrier Jetstar has committed to being the cheapest domestic airline in Australia by offering customers travel vouchers if they find a cheaper flight advertised.

Jetstar’s chief executive officer Alan Joyce today announced the company’s latest marketing strategy at the Australian Tourism Exchange in Brisbane.

Under the plan, any customer who finds a lower fare online for a similar domestic flight will receive a voucher for double the difference in cost if they book through Jetstar.

source: The Sidney Morning Herald

Irish low-cost airline Ryanair accounted for 60 per cent of complaints to Ireland’s Commission for Aviation Regulation, The Irish Times reported Friday.

Complaints about flight cancellations and delays at Irish airports were much higher for Ryanair than any other airline, figures from the commission showed.

source: monstersandcritics.com