Continental Airlines Inc. would make the best merger partner for United Airlines, creating the world’s largest carrier, an analyst said Friday.
Together, Houston-based Continental and UAL Corp.’s United would surpass Delta Air Lines Inc. for the top spot in global passenger traffic.
source: thenewstribune.com
A British law professor is slamming Air Canada after the airline left him asleep on a plane for 90 minutes after it landed – and he woke up in a hangar at Vancouver International Airport.
Kris Lines says he’s not satisfied with the airline’s claim that the flight attendant was preoccupied with several wheelchair passengers and didn’t check the rest of the cabin.
Air Canada offered Lines a “one-time saving” of 20 per cent on up to four tickets “‘as a gesture of goodwill.'”
source: The Gazzette
A regulatory hitch saw British Airways and Iberia miss the deadline they had set to sign a definitive merger agreement yesterday on their plan to create Europe’s third-largest airline group.
While the boards of both airlines remain committed to the merger – first announced in November, their plans to list a new holding company in both London and Madrid have run into trouble, according to people with knowledge of the process.
One of the major hurdles to the completion of the deal is BA’s £3.7bn pension scheme deficit.
source: FT.com
US Airways launched Gogo in-flight Wi-Fi service on five aircraft yesterday, joining eight other airlines working with wireless service provider Aircell.
US Airways plans to expand the Wi-Fi service from the initial five Airbus A321 aircraft to all 51 A321s by June 1.
Initially, US Airways will put a Wi-Fi symbol on the outside of a Gogo-equipped plane to alert passengers, along with displaying the symbol throughout the cabin. By late June, passengers will be able to tell whether Wi-Fi is available on a specific flight when booking travel online.
source: Computer World
BMI is offering perks to executive travellers switching to its flights from strike-hit British Airways. It is hoping to tempt lucrative business class travellers away from its rival by offering to match any frequent flyer membership.
Travellers displaying BA silver or gold cards will be offered the BMI equivalents. These offer benefits such as free upgrades and access to exclusive airport lounges.
source: BBC News
British Airways said Tuesday it is canceling fewer flights through an upcoming four-day cabin crew strike because more employees want to cross the picket line.
The airline is still recovering from a three-day strike that ended Monday, in which the Unite union — locked in a long-standing dispute with airline management over pay and working conditions — went ahead with a walkout after talks collapsed at the end of last week.
The airline said that during the cabin crew’s next strike from Saturday to March 30 its schedule at London’s Heathrow airport will include up to 55 percent of short-haul flights and 70 percent of long-haul flights.
source: Business Week
Continental Airlines, the last U.S. carrier serving free meals in the coach cabin, will start charging for food for economy-class passengers on most domestic and Canadian flights as well as certain Latin American routes.
Complimentary meals will still be offered to passengers on economy fares on all intercontinental trips, certain other international routes and domestic flights longer than six hours, Houston-based Continental said today in a statement.
Now, with shorter flights and pressure from low-fare rivals such as Southwest Airlines Co., Continental and the rest of the large U.S. airlines are turning to fees including bag-check charges to raise revenue from sources other than tickets.
source: Business Week
European airport authorities subsidise Ryanair to the tune of at least €11 (£10) per passenger, Air France-KLM claimed this week as it filed a lawsuit in Brussels against the low-cost carrier.
In the latest in a series of legal attacks on Ryanair’s business model, the Franco-Dutch airline accused the Irish company of receiving illegal state aid and distorting competition.
Air France-KLM said that Ryanair obtained at least €660 million a year in financial incentives from regional authorities in Europe, notably in the form of reduced ground-handling fees and other airport charges.
source: Times Online
British Airways’ cabin crew have voted for strike action over two consecutive weekends in March: a three-day walkout March 20-22 and a four-day walkout March 27-30.
The strikes will involve 12,000 flight attendants and will affect more than half a million BA passengers. As promised, there will be no strikes over the Easter period, but further strike action will take place after April 14 if no deal has been reached by then.
source: OnTheShow.com
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has announced it will install new technology on its long haul aircraft that will monitor in detail the condition of ill passengers.
The system, called ‘Tempus IC’, will allow cabin crew to gather vital information about a passenger’s health quickly. Information gathered by the system will be transmitted to a medical team of experts around the world who specialise in assisting in-flight medical situations.
The technology, designed and manufactured by UK-based company RDT, will be installed on Etihad’s A340 and Boeing 777 aircraft, and then across the remaining long and extra long haul fleet.
source: theaustralian.com.au
