Heathrow joins forces with noise campaign group on noise respite trial

Flight paths during the trial

2012-12-05 — /travelprnews.com/ — Heathrow, in partnership with HACAN, NATS and British Airways, has launched a new trial to test whether creating ‘noise relief zones’ for communities under the flight path could ease disturbance for residents. On average, around seventeen flights arrive at Heathrow each morning between 04.30 and 06.00. As air traffic controllers route these… Read the full press release

AIR FRANCE, KLM, DELTA AND ALITALIA LAUNCH AGENTCONNECT.BIZ, A WEBSITE DEDICATED TO TRAVEL AGENTS

2012-12-05 — /travelprnews.com/ — Air France, KLM, Alitalia and Delta are launching today “AgentConnect.biz”, the new joint website dedicated to travel agents. This website provides them with the necessary tools and information to meet customer requirements, 24/7. Originally launched in 8 countries in Northern Europe, (Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Denmark, Sweden), AgentConnect.biz replaces afkl.biz… Read the full press release

140% more seats on Bristol service

2012-12-05 — /travelprnews.com/ — Blue Islands are responding to the overwhelming passenger demand on the Bristol service and will be significantly increasing the capacity on the route. The remarkable success of the Bristol service, launched 18 months ago, means more seats are required to meet the increased demand. Capacity will increase by 140% in February 2013… Read the full press release

Southwest Airlines And AirTran Airways Increase Flight Schedule For Traveling College Sports Fans

Airlines Add Extra Flights from Chicago Midway and Birmingham to South Florida for Bowl Game DALLAS – 2012-12-05 — /travelprnews.com/ — Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) is making the right call for college sports fans planning to travel to Miami for the Bowl Game on Jan. 7, 2013. Today the airline introduced additional flights to accommodate Customers traveling… Read the full press release

IATA, FABs Need to Deliver Results

Brussels – 2012-12-05 — /travelprnews.com/ — The International Air Transport Association (IATA) called on the European Commission, EU member states and Europe’s Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) to ensure that Functional Airspace Blocks (FABs) are delivering real results. The call came on the deadline date for European states to set up agreements grouping Europe’s 27 ANSPs… Read the full press release

JAL Starts First Scheduled Nonstop Flight between San Diego and Asia Today

JAL Starts First Scheduled Nonstop Flight between San Diego and Asia Today

SAN DIEGO, 2012-12-05 — /travelprnews.com/ — Japan Airlines (JAL) celebrated the opening of its seventh gateway in North America with the first ever scheduled nonstop flight between San Diego and Asia today. Flight JL066 -departed Tokyo (Narita) today carrying a full load of passengers on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. It landed in San Diego International Airport… Read the full press release

Ryanair To Grow 400,000 Pax & 400 Jobs In Scotland In 2013

6 NEW ROUTES, 1.8M PASSENGERS (1,800 JOBS) AT EDINBURGH 2 NEW ROUTES, 1.4M PASSENGERS (1,400 JOBS) AT PRESTWICK 2012-12-05 — /travelprnews.com/ — Ryanair, Europe’s only ultra-low cost airline, today (4 Dec) announced significant summer 2013 growth in Scotland, with 38 routes (6 new) at Edinburgh and 27 routes (2 new) at Glasgow Prestwick, which will deliver… Read the full press release

QATAR AIRWAYS TO SERVE SIXTH GATEWAY IN CHINA

Qatar Airways Airbus A330 To Serve Chengdu

Airline Announces Thrice-Weekly Flights To Chengdu In Sichuan Province China Frequency Rises To 41 Services A Week With New Route From Doha Doha, QATAR – 2012-12-05 — /travelprnews.com/ — Qatar Airways today announced plans to launch scheduled flights to Chengdu – its sixth gateway in the People’s Republic of China, beginning March 19 next year. The… Read the full press release

AirTran Airways Launches Fare Sale To Kick Off The New Year

Airline Offers Sale Fares as Low as $69 One-Way to Destinations Nationwide DALLAS – 2012-12-05 — /travelprnews.com/ — AirTran Airways, a wholly owned subsidiary of Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV), today announced a fare sale offering Customers low air fares to kick off the New Year.  Customers can book fares to destinations nationwide (see Fare Rules below) with fares… Read the full press release

Cathay Pacific statement on union threat to disrupt public’s travel plans over Christmas and New Year

2012-12-05 — /travelprnews.com/ — Cathay Pacific Airways today stressed that the discussion with the Flight Attendants Union (FAU) on year-end arrangements has concluded. The company trusts that the 2% salary increment for 2013 and the discretionary 13th month payment for 2012 is a fair, reasonable and competitive offer in view of the extreme challenges the airline… Read the full press release

Iberia pone en marcha un nuevo servicio de información al cliente ante incidencias, “Iberia Conecta”

Iberia pone en marcha un nuevo servicio de información al cliente ante incidencias, "Iberia Conecta"

Los clientes podrán registrarse ante la compañía para recibir información de primera mano sobre su vuelo La aerolínea ha decidido adelantar el lanzamiento de este servicio debido a la convocatoria de huelga, y con el objetivo de poder informar mejor y de una forma más ágil y rápida a los clientes. Se trata de la… Read the full press release

Silicon Valley’s Airport Receives Partnership Award from Transportation Security Administration

Team Effort to Protect Nation’s Air Transportation System SAN JOSE – 2012-12-04 — /travelprnews.com/ — Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) was honored with the TSA Partnership Award 2012 at a ceremony in the Transportation Security Administration San Jose Field Office on November 28, 2012. On behalf of SJC staff, Director of Aviation Bill Sherry accepted the award… Read the full press release

Cityjet announce two new routes into Germany – Dresden and Paderborn

CityJet Fokker 50 Aircraft

2012-12-04 — /travelprnews.com/ — CityJet, the airline that flies from the heart of London, will launch two new routes this summer into Germany – Dresden and Paderborn from April 2013. Flights to Dresden will commence from 1 April 2013 and services to Paderborn will commence on 22 April 2013. Bookable from today at www.londoncityairport.com  fares include all taxes… Read the full press release

United Airlines Consolidating into KCI Airport Terminal A

2012-12-04 — /travelprnews.com/ — Effective December 5, all United Airlines flights will operate in Terminal A in a newly remodeled space once leased by Midwest Airlines. United will operate from gates 23-30 toward the far end of the terminal. The space and its in-line baggage screening system have enough capacity to accommodate the carrier which grew… Read the full press release

Oslo Airport, Temporary border control for international travel

Oslo Airport, Temporary border control for international travel

2012-12-04 — /travelprnews.com/ — In connection with the Nobel Peace Prize being awarded to the EU on 10 December 2012, the Norwegian authorities have decided to temporarily reinstate border control for travel within the Schengen area during the period 3 – 12 December 2012. The objective is to ensure public order and domestic security, including preventing… Read the full press release

Santa Claus arrives in Budapest with an Airbus

Santa Claus arrives in Budapest with an Airbus

2012-12-04 — /travelprnews.com/ — Joulupukki was the last passenger to disembark from the Finnair Airbus A 320, to be welcomed by an excited crowd of lucky children from a kindergarten in Vecsés. It was precisely 11:00 a.m. when Santa Claus, or Joulupukki to be more precise, arrived in Budapest on board a scheduled Finnair flight. The… Read the full press release

SAS Group refinances three Airbus A330-300 aircraft with a new USD 125 million secured credit facility

2012-12-04 — /travelprnews.com/ — Following on from recent announcements concerning steps taken to improve the SAS Group’s financial position, a new USD 125m secured loan facility covering three A330-300 aircraft has been entered into with an East Asia-based Global Insurance Company as sole facility provider-The tranches covering two aircraft have been drawn down as the initial ECA-backed… Read the full press release

ADAC To Demonstrate Its Pride to Visitors on National Day

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 2012-12-04 — /travelprnews.com/ — To honour the 41st annual National Day, as the operator of the main gateway to United Arab Emirates’ Capital, Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) is ensuring that passengers and visitors will be educated on the UAE’s rich history and reflect the company’s commitment to championing the UAE spirit…. Read the full press release

Passengers and airport users have their say by awarding top performers at Cape Town International Airport

2012-12-04 — /travelprnews.com/ — The 2012’s airport awards held recently saw British Airways scoop the Best Airline: full service award while Mango Airlines was awarded the Best Airline: low cost carrier.  Singapore was awarded Best International Airline and SA Express walked away with the Best Regional Airline Award. Swissport International was lauded as the Best Ground… Read the full press release

Cathay Pacific reiterates position on pay increments in light of Flight Attendant Union action

2012-12-04 — /travelprnews.com/ — Cathay Pacific Airways reiterated that the company has already taken into account a wide range of factors when considering the latest salary increments for its staff. These factors include the airline’s business performance, job market conditions in Hong Kong and the economic outlook in the various markets it serves. Cathay Pacific Chief… Read the full press release

Dragonair Aviation Certificate Programme enhancing the future of Hong Kong Aviation – 2013 Programme Opens for Application

Director General of Civil Aviation Norman Lo (eighth from right, middle row), Dragonair CEO Patrick Yeung (seventh from right, middle row), Hong Kong Air Cadet Corps Commanding Officer Group Captain Lee Kwok-wing (sixth from left, middle row), and Dragonair General Manager Operations Captain Peter Sanderson (sixth from right, middle row) with graduates of the 2012 Dragonair Aviation Certificate Programme.

HONG KONG, 2012-12-03 — /travelprnews.com/ — Twenty-four Dragonair Aviation Certificate Programme 2012 graduates were honoured at a special event organised by the airline as the programme concluded successfully last Friday. The programme, a major initiative under the Dragonair Youth Aviation Academy, aims to motivate and inspire young Hong Kong people aged 18 to 25 who aspire to… Read the full press release

Ryanair Calls On Minister Varadkar To Reverse Airport, Train And Bus Price Hikes To Stop “The Gathering” Becoming “The Grabbing”

2012-12-03 — /travelprnews.com/ — Ryanair today (3 Dec) called on Minister Leo Varadkar to reverse the recently announced 2013 price increases at the DAA airport monopoly and the Government-controlled CIE train and bus monopolies to prevent visitors coming to Ireland for “The Gathering” in 2013 being ripped-off by the Government-owned, high-priced transport providers. Speaking at an… Read the full press release

SWISS names Airbus A320 HB-IJL “Nyon”

2012-12-03 — /travelprnews.com/ — SWISS has named a further member of its aircraft fleet after a Swiss municipality. Airbus A320 HB-IJL now carries the name “Nyon”, in honour of the town in Canton Vaud. The naming, which was performed at an official ceremony in the town today, is part of SWISS’s broader endeavours to raise its… Read the full press release

Santa Lands at Heathrow

Santa Lands at Heathrow

Santa arrives on the roof of Heathrow Terminal 4 with watches, Ipads and teddy bears for lucky passengers ‘Twas the flight before Christmas… When all through Heathrow, Making every journey better, had a yuletide echo; The presents were hung by the gate room with care, In hope that Secret Santa soon would be there; The… Read the full press release

CHRISTCHURCH AIRPORT VOTED INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT OF THE YEAR

2012-12-03 — /travelprnews.com/ — Airport Chief Executive Jim Boult says he is delighted by the award. “Those of us close to the airport think it’s a very special place and it seems travellers agree,” he says. “To have readers of the widely respected magazine Travel Digest vote us the International Airport Of The Year is stunning. “We… Read the full press release

Brussels Airport invests heavily in logistics

2012-12-03 — /travelprnews.com/ — Since two years Brussels Airport is implementing a new strategy to play a key role as intercontinental air cargo hub. Compared to other transport sectors, air cargo provides an exceptional added value to our economy. Worldwide cargo development has a growth potential that is much higher than our domestic economic growth rate,… Read the full press release

Budapest Airport, Tenants move into state-of-the-art airport office building

Budapest Airport, Tenants move into state-of-the-art airport office building

Tenants have moved into their new offices in building 72A at Budapest Airport. The airport operator originally began to renovate the facility for Hungarian national carrier Malév, which planned to move its management and administrative staff here from the city during the summer. In spite of the difficult conditions on the office lease market, Budapest… Read the full press release

airberlin countdown: inaugural Berlin-Chicago flight takes off in 111 days

airberlin countdown: inaugural Berlin-Chicago flight takes off in 111 days

Mayor of Chicago Rahm Emanuel welcomes the first non-stop flight service to the German capital Flights to the Windy City now already available for booking 2012-12-03 — /travelprnews.com/ — On 23rd March 2013, the first airberlin flight from Berlin to Chicago will take place, making airberlin the only airline to connect the two major cities with… Read the full press release

Ryanair Critical Of OFT’s False Claims On Payment Fees

OFT INVITED TO PAY FEES ON BEHALF OF CONSUMERS AFTER CAUSING INCREASES 2012-12-03 — /travelprnews.com/ — Ryanair, Europe’s only ultra-low fares airline, today (29 Nov) said it was disappointed, but not surprised, by the OFT’s attempt to distance themselves from their anti-consumer rulings, as it invited to pay these increases on the passengers’ behalf. Before the… Read the full press release

Award-Winning Airline Celebrates Successful Start Of Flights To Capital Maputo 02 Dec 2012

Qatar Airways Chief Commercial Officer Marwan Koleilat, pictured left, speaks with Mozambique’s Minister of Trade and Industry Dr. Armando Inroga as Qatar Airways Senior Manager Africa Rashid Mordiffi looks on.

Maputo, MOZAMBIQUE – 2012-12-03 — /travelprnews.com/ — Within a month of starting operations to Mozambique, Qatar Airways celebrated the launch of its 19th African destination with a VIP dinner in Maputo. Guests from the diplomatic community, government quarters, businesses and corporates attended the event held at the Polana Serena hotel in Mozambique’s capital city. The dinner… Read the full press release