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Royal Air Maroc, one of the most profitable airlines in North Africa, has plans to beef up its Boeing-dominated fleet to 50 jets, RAM chief executive Driss Benhima said.

It is benefiting from the government's policy to increase tourism to 10 million visitors by 2010 from 8 million in 2008. The government is also encouraging the expansion of air transport, including low-cost flights.

Morocco signed an Open Skies agreement with the European Union in 2006 allowing new airline competitors, including low-budget carriers such as Ryanair and easyJet.

"We will put an order for six planes. We will sign the order deal by the end of this month," Benhima told a business conference in the North African country's commercial capital Casablanca.

He gave no more details on the order, but said RAM is looking beyond this year's economic crisis to develop its business and survive the competition from European airlines."

(Airwise)

An additional four flights a week will be added to and from Paris – departing Hong Kong every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday – meaning the airline will provide a double-daily service to the French capital.

In another change effective from the summer schedule, Cathay Pacific will add two more flights each day to Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport, with early- and late-afternoon departures from Hong Kong, taking the airline’s total to three flights daily.

Cathay Pacific Director Corporate Development Ian Shiu said: “We are pleased to be able to strengthen our services to these three cities and I’m sure passengers will appreciate the additional choice and increased convenience when planning their journeys. Overall, Cathay Pacific’s capacity will grow at less than 1% this year – a significant reduction on our original plan as a result of the current financial crisis – but we will take whatever opportunities we can to strengthen those routes where demand and revenue potential remain high.”

"VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Lithuania's troubled FlyLAL airline said Saturday it has suspended its operations after a buyout deal by Swiss investment firm SCH Swiss Capital Holdings failed.

Airline officials said it terminated a preliminary agreement with the Swiss company after it failed to pay $1 million (euro756,000) that would have cleared FlyLAL's debts and potentially saved it from bankruptcy.

Company Chief Executive Vytautas Kaikaris said the suspension was one of the few options left to try to save his company.

"We believe that the decision to suspend the operations is the most appropriate at this moment. We are doing this trying to stem further losses and prevent further deterioration in creditors' situation," Kaikaris said in a statement.

The Swiss company, which previously announced it would restructure and modernize the airline, was not immediately available for comment.

Since it was privatized in 2005, FlyLAL has struggled with large debts, primarily to Vilnius International Airport, where it is based. Carrier's debts now total some 90 million litas ($26 million).

The suspension left many passengers stranded and seeking either reimbursement or alternative routes.

Some 30,000 FlyLAL tickets had been sold and were still valid before Saturday's announcement."