news about cheap fares and airlines from travel search engine Trabber

Starting today, seven major airlines are giving away the social network on their Wi-Fi networks all month, just as they would soft drinks and peanuts. It’s part of a promotion with Gogo Inflight Internet.

The free Facebook service will be available on North American flights for Virgin America, United Airlines, American Airlines, Delta, AirTran, US Airways and Alaska Airlines. Those who wish to use services other than Facebook must pay extra.

Facebook is the most-visited site via Gogo, which serves 1,100 commercial aircraft (or about 3,800 flights a day) and 5,000 private planes.

source: US Today

Lufthansa says it will start using Airbus A380 superjumbo jets on its route from Frankfurt to San Francisco starting in May.

The company said in an statement that from May 10 its daily flights will be able to carry up to 526 passengers — 420 in economy, 98 in business and eight in first class.

Lufthansa says it will be the first airline to have regular flights with an A380 in and out of San Francisco International Airport.

source: BusinessWeek

The deal enables customers booking with a travel agent or at a Lufthansa sales office to purchase, for example, an outward flight with Lufthansa and a return flight with Germanwings.

Passengers benefit from a greater selection of flight connections and attractive price combinations; while, Germanwings will benefit from having a stronger presence in the central reservation systems, thereby considerably expanding its international sales.

The expanded cooperation is the second step in an intensive sales  collaboration which began in September 2010 between Lufthansa and its  low-cost subsidiary.

source: traveldailynews.com

As one of the Europe’s largest airlines it is quite logical that Lufthansa should fly fans and spectators to Düsseldorf for the largest European television event of the year.

Lufthansa will be offering fans, who would like to follow the event live, especially affordable tickets to Düsseldorf from all over Europe on the official website of the Eurovision Song Contest.

Last year the final of the Eurovision Song Contest was witnessed by a total of 65 million television viewers, of which 14.7 million in Germany alone. The international singing contest has been hosted by the winning country since 1956.

source: The Finantial

A messy legal battle between American Airlines and Sabre, a travel-data provider, is now on hold.

Earlier this month, American sued Southlake-based Sabre Holdings Group after the company said it planned to stop distributing information about American flights later this year.

A statement issued by American on Monday said the litigation is now on hold until June 1 while the companies attempt to work out a new agreement.

source: wfaa.com

US airline Delta is trialling a new method of dealing with compensation for flight overbooking which could mark a permanent change in the way passengers are repaid.

The airline, which merged with Northwest in 2008 to form the world’s largest commercial carrier, is using a new system that allows passengers to “‘bid'” on the amount of compensation they would accept for being bumped to another flight.

In the new setup some Delta travelers in the US are asked how much they would accept for being bumped when they check-in online or at an airport kiosk.

Passengers who choose a low amount are more likely to be selected to receive the compensation and be moved, meaning that those with a higher compensation cost will be allowed on the flight.

source: The Independent

British Airways’ new parent company International Consolidated Airlines Group (IAG) enjoyed a quiet opening day’s trading on the stock markets of London and the linked exchanges of Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao and Valencia on Monday.

Shares in IAG opened in the City at a price of 288.1p and closed at 287.19p after touching 289p. IAG shares in Spain finished the day at €3.31, broadly in line with the London price allowing for the exchange rate.

IAG chief executive Willie Walsh and chairman Antonio Vazquez were at the London Stock Exchange to watch trading open. Walsh said: “I’AG has a great future ahead of it. BA and Iberia are the first two airlines in IAG, but they won’t be the last. Today is the first step towards creating a multinational multi-brand airline group.’”

source: travelweekly.co.uk

The Oneworld alliance has launched a new iPad app, allowing flyers to view the schedules of all of its airlines on the device’s large display.

Using the free app, passengers can search for and view schedules for the nearly 10,000 flights operated daily by members of the Oneworld alliance, which includes American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Iberia and Japan Airlines.

source: independent.co.uk

Three days after Airbus announced the largest order ever for commercial jets ” a $16 billion deal with India’s IndiGo Airlines ” Delta Air Lines appears set to place its own large order soon.

Delta is seeking to place an order for between 100 and 200 aircraft, with an option on 200 more.

The biggest winners likely would be The Boeing Co. and Airbus, the worlds largest commercial aircraft-makers.

source: bizjournals.com

German flag-carrier Lufthansa has joined Virgin Atlantic in pressing BAA to compensate airlines hit by disruption at London Heathrow Airport over the festive season.

Planes were grounded for up to four days before Christmas, as facilities at Europe’s busiest airport ground to a halt.

Last week Virgin Atlantic confirmed it would withhold payments due to BAA – believed to total approximately £10 million – until the airport operator completes an internal review into the incident.

source: breakingtravelnews.com