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No frills airline Ryanair yesterday withdrew its ambitious bid to take over Ireland’s national carrier Aer Lingus after the European Commission announced an “‘in-depth investigation'” into its plans.

Following the announcement Ryanair said the buyout automatically lapsed under takeover rules – but the company still intends to make a further offer for Aer Lingus if the EC review clears the way.

Dublin-based Ryanair launched its £1 billion bid in October – a takeover offer which Aer Lingus asked shareholders to reject.

source: The Birminghan Post

British Airways said on Wednesday it had been forced to cancel all domestic UK flights serving Heathrow Airport due to bad weather and said flights between Heathrow and Europe were also severely disrupted.

BA said it planned to operate its longhaul schedule as normal “‘albeit with some lengthy delays'”.

source: Reuters

Gabon Airlines, a new Gabonese private franchise, will make its maiden flight in January 2007, in a bid to succeed the defunct national carrier, Air Gabon, according to company officials.

The Gabonese transport minister on 8 November granted Gabon Airlines official permit to operate flights in the country.

source: Africa Interactive

An influential group of corporate travel managers has asked the U.S. Transportation Department to reopen its decision-making process for new services to China now that United and Continental are in preliminary merger talks, a group spokesman said on Thursday.

A decision is expected soon by the department on the competition among AMR Corp.’s American Airlines , Continental Airlines Inc., Northwest Airlines Corp. and UAL Corp.’s United Airlines for the new single route.

Each carrier has proposed a different U.S. departure city with service scheduled to begin in March.

source: Reuters

Greece’s ailing state carrier Olympic Airlines, posted a net loss of EUR123.7 million (USD$163.4 million) for 2005, based on financial statements published in Greek newspapers.

The European Commission is in a legal battle with Greece over subsidizing the loss-making carrier in the past. In October it asked the EU’s top court to impose daily fines of more than 10,000 euros on Athens until it recovers the cash.

The Commission’s move refers to about EUR160 million (USD$211.4 million) in state aid given to the airline from 1995 to 2002.

source: Airwise

SriLankan Airlines introduced an additional flight between Colombo, Doha and Bahrain from December 6, as part of an ongoing initiative to improve service in the Middle East region.

The circle flight operating on Fridays, adds to the two non-stop flights from Doha to Colombo and another two flights via Bahrain.

source: ameinfo.com

The national flag air carrier Vietnam Airlines has become an official member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the biggest aviation association in the world, with 270 members.

After a period of surveying and assessing the development process of Vietnam Airlines, the capability and prestige as well as the quality of Vietnam Airlines’ services, IATA has officially accepted Vietnam Airlines as a member of the organisation, putting the name of the Vietnamese air carrier on a level with other big airlines in the region and in the world.

source: Vietnamnet

Turkey’s flagship carrier, Turkish Airlines, is to join the Star Alliance in a move that would give the world’s biggest airline confederation new destinations in Turkey, Central Asia and the Middle East, the company said Saturday.

Turkish Airlines and Star Alliance officials signed a pre-accession deal in a ceremony in Istanbul on Saturday, formally launching the integration process.

source: Chron.com

After weeks of speculation the Italian Government yesterday began the privatisation of Alitalia, the troubled national airline, by announcing the sale of 30.1 per cent of its 49.9 per cent stake.

It attached conditions, however, including an insistence that whoever buys the stake must make a full takeover bid for the whole airline, undertake to keep its logo and national identity and come up with a convincing business “turnaround” plan to salvage the debt-ridden company.

source: Times Online

Another airline is circling the proposed takeover of Delta Air Lines by US Airways, hoping for a shot at some airport gates.

JetBlue chief executive David Neeleman, in a speech to investors, said his airline would be interested in buying flight slots at Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., and New York’s LaGuardia Airport. Both Delta and US Airways operate shuttle flights between Washington, New York and Boston.

source: Business Courier