Three new nonstop flights from European airports to Boston are starting from this March with Air Lingus opening Dublin-Boston route from March 25, Iberia flying from Madrid to Boston from May 6 and flyglobespan operating the Glasgow-Boston from May 25, 2007.
source: Traveldailynews
British Airways has lowered the cost of tickets on all Middle East routes and as Paul Starrs British Airways’ Commercial Manager, Middle East mentions “‘The tickets represent a substantial saving for customers when comparing the prices with other airlines operating regionally. This sale will allow new customers to experience our renowned, industry-leading services at an appealingly low price.’â€
The fares – which represent the lowest priced tickets the airline has put on the market since for five years – are available on all tickets bought before February 23rd 2007.
source: Traveldailynews
Iran’s national airline will begin direct flights to Venezuela next month in another sign of the two nations’ increasingly close ties.
Iran Air will operate a weekly, commercial flight linking Tehran and Caracas in March, the Venezuelan government said in a statement.
Flights leaving Tehran will stop in Syria’s capital of Damascus on their way to Caracas, it said.
Iran Air opened a new office at the headquarters of Venezuela’s state airline Conviasa in Caracas on Friday, and Convias will soon open a commercial office in Iran, the statement said.
Reversing a decision made three weeks ago, American Airlines said Friday it would resume selling international and domestic first- and business-class tickets on Expedia.com.
The companies announced the decision in a news release but gave no explanation for the about-face.
American, the nation’s biggest airline, said Jan. 12 that it was halting the sale of the high-end seats on Expedia, although it continued to sell domestic coach tickets through the website. The companies sparred over which side had pulled out of the arrangement first.
source: USA Today
Delta Air Lines Inc. raised domestic air fares by $5 each way late Thursday, and American Airlines, the nation’s largest carrier, matched the increase on Friday.
United Airlines, the No. 2 carrier, was studying the increases, said spokesman Jeff Kovick. Two smaller carriers, Alaska Air Group Inc. and Midwest Airlines, matched the Delta increase.
Northwest Airlines Corp., Continental Airlines Inc. and US Airways Group Inc. remained on the sidelines at midday Friday. A spokesman for Southwest Airlines Co. said the Dallas-based carrier had no plans to raise fares immediately.
Scandinavian Airlines announced yesterday it has chosen Beijing as a hub for its future expansion in China and that it will further strengthen ties with Air China Ltd.
Meanwhile, Scandinavian Airlines’ nonstop flights from Copenhagen to Shanghai will stop in April as part of the carrier’s new China strategy, SAS said.
The northern European carrier will have 10 direct flights to China after it opens a Beijing-Stockholm direct service four times a week starting on March 26, SAS said.
source: China Daily
After two years of preparation, Hungarian national airline Malev said on Thursday it would become a full member of the Oneworld alliance of carriers, starting from April 1 this year, the official news agency MTI reported.
Malev is in the process of privatization now. Russian airline AirBridge,the company’s sole suitor at present, is expected to take over Malev’s stakes as part of its privatization scheme, according to MTI.
source: People’s Daily Online
US Airways Group Inc.’s decision Wednesday to drop its hostile bid for Delta Air Lines Inc. has damped speculation that a wave of consolidation is about to sweep the industry.
Airline deals may still be in the offing this year, analysts said. But the failure of US Airway’s high-profile effort sends a strong signal that the number of big domestic carriers is unlikely to shrink in the near future.
“‘I would say it’s now much less likely that we’ll see significant consolidation in 2007,'” said Jim Corridore, airline analyst for Standard & Poor’s in New York. “‘I had thought it was imminent. Now, I think it’s still possible but not really in the cards.'”
source: Los Angeles Times
A planned strike by thousands of British Airways cabin crew has been called off following a deal to end a bitter dispute over sickness absence, pay and staffing.
More than 120 hours of negotiations between the airline and the Transport and General Workers Union led to an agreement. A planned 48-hour walkout by thousands of stewards and stewardesses from Tuesday will not now go ahead.
source: icnetwork.co.uk
British Airways and its biggest union are due to resume talks on Monday in a last-ditch attempt to avert a 48-hour strike by cabin staff that could affect more than 140,000 passengers.
A spokesman for the Transport and General Workers’ Union (T&G) said discussions, held at a secret location over the weekend, would start again on Monday.
A comment was not immediately available from BA.
Europe’s third-largest airline has already cancelled around 1,300 flights this week in anticipation of the walkout planned for Tuesday and Wednesday.
source: CNN
