Latest Airlines News

"Delta Air Lines has joined the airfare war that has been building on trans-Pacific routes, offering return fares on its Sydney-Los Angeles service from A$777, excluding taxes.

Delta intends to launch service on the route in July, and will face stiff competition from Qantas, United and V Australia.

Passengers on Delta will be offered the option of flying beyond Los Angles for an additional A$200, to destinations including Atlanta, Boise, Cincinnati, Detroit, Indianapolis, Memphis, New Orleans, New York, Orlando, Salt Lake City and Seattle.

Until 9 April, Direct Flights is offering fares, with the new Delta service, from A$1105 return, inclusive of taxes, from Sydney to Los Angeles, Atlanta, New York, Detroit, New Orleans, Seattle, Cincinnati, Salt Lake City, Memphis, Orlando, Indianapolis and Boise.

The special launch fare for Business Class travel starts from $7785 per person.

These Direct Flights US special fares are valid on departures from 3 July 3 to 31 October 2009, making it possible for Australians to enjoy the American summer at low season prices.

V Australia recently defended its decision to provide service on the hotly-contested trans-Pacific route as a way of challenging the domination by Qantas and United for many years."

(Delta Airlines)

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."

The Airbus A320 twin-engine jetliner -- enroute to Charlotte, N.C. -- landed at 3:31 p.m., a few minutes after leaving New York's LaGuardia Airport. The water landing of a large passenger aircraft without fatalities is a feat rarely seen in 50 years of commercial jet travel, according to air-safety experts.

Passenger and witnesses described a smooth landing on the Hudson and then a scramble for emergency exits. Within minutes, ferry boats surrounded the aircraft as it floated in 40-degree water and helped pull passengers from the wing. The U.S. Coast Guard dropped life vests and divers.

US Airways officials said Thursday it was too soon to determine the cause of the accident. The crew reported flying through a flock of geese, which were sucked into both engines, said a person at the Federal Aviation Administration familiar with conversations between the flight crew and air-traffic controllers. The damaged engines continued to run but weren't generating enough power, this person said."

• $69 roundtrip between Phoenix and Las Vegas.
• $149 roundtrip between Philadelphia and Las Vegas.
• $159 roundtrip between Dallas and Las Vegas.
• $169 roundtrip between Orlando and Las Vegas.

"New Delhi | Mumbai: Following the repeated pleas of civil aviation minister to slash air fares, the state-carrier Air India today responded by announcing a sharp cut in the basic fares on 20 domestic routes. The announcement was immediately followed up by the market leader, Jet Airways, which cut basic fares on economy class up to 40 per cent on the value carrier JetLite, with immediate effect. The quantum of rate cut on an Air India ticket varies between 35 to 82 per cent on all leading sectors, effective from Tuesday. Following the sharp decline in the price of Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF), which had reached August 2005 levels, Air India was the first airline to announce a Rs 400 reduction in fuel surcharge in December-beginning, that was followed by Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines.

With the latest cuts, a one-way Air India ticket on Delhi-Mumbai sector has been reduced by 49 per cent at Rs.1,675 from Rs.3,300. Similarly, one-way Mumbai-Bangalore basic fare now stands at Rs 1,200, down by 52 per cent from Rs.2,475. The highest reduction is on the Chennai-Bangalore sector, where the basic fare after the cut is Rs. 200, down by 82 per cent. These fares are exclusive of taxes and fuel surcharge. On a JetLite ticket, a Mumbai - Delhi economy class basic fare now stands at Rs 750 and a Mumbai – Chennai basic fare will be Rs 595.

On Sunday, Kingfisher had announced a rate cut from January 1, without specifying the quantum of cut. When contacted, a spokesperson from the airline said that a decision on the quantum of cut in their basic fares would be announced shortly. Till now, airlines have resisted from effecting a reduction in the basic fares. However, with oil marketing companies set to review ATF prices on December 31, another downward revision of jet fuel seems likely. The fuel is now sold at Rs 32,691.28 per kilolitre in Delhi after prices were slashed by Rs 4,208.37 in the first week of December.

"Airfares would get cheaper by over 25 per cent after most airlines announced major cuts in fares on many routes, including the busiest Delhi-Mumbai sector.

An all-inclusive economy-class ticket from Delhi to Mumbai in a full-service carrier could now cost less than Rs 5,000.

On Tuesday, state-run Air India announced reduction of up to 82 per cent in its basic fares on 20 of its busy domestic sectors. This would result in much lower final fares, which would include taxes and levies of about Rs 3,000 over and above the basic fare.

Falling fuel costs and decelerating demand for air travel have forced airlines to cut fares. Aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices have more than halved since the peak prices of Rs 70,000 per kilolitre in August.

“Following the gradual reduction in the price of ATF, we have decided to reduce the fares,” a spokesman for Air India said.

Jetlite, the low cost arm of Jet Airways, also announced up to 40 per cent reduction in its basic fares and a Delhi-Mumbai one-way economy ticket would cost about Rs 3,900 on the airline.

Kingfisher Airlines said it would cut fares in the coming month, but has not announced the quantum of reduction. Low-cost carrier SpiceJet has also announced fares that start with a basic fare of as low as Rs 99."

(HT News)

(Reuters)

Wynn, rooms and suites are designed to feel like stylish apartments with floor-to-ceiling windows that give you unbelievable views of Las Vegas, claims U.S. Airways.

With award-winning restaurants, designer shops, a tranquil spa and salon and exciting nightlife, Wynn is the Vegas you never knew existed."

(Cheap Flights)

"Australia's Qantas Airways and British Airways have called off talks for a USD$6.4 billion merger that analysts said could have helped transform an industry grappling with falling demand and volatile fuel prices.

Qantas and BA announced the end of talks in a three-paragraph statement issued to the Australian and London stock markets on Thursday, saying they could not agree on key terms for a deal.

"Despite the potential longer-term benefits for Qantas and BA, the airlines have not been able to come to an agreement over the key terms of the merger, at this time," Qantas said.

Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce had warned last week that the merger faced major hurdles and would only go ahead if Qantas could secure major revenue and cost benefits. He also lamented the fact the talks had been leaked and forced out into the open.

A marriage of Qantas and BA faced several big challenges, not least the ownership split of the combined business, which was proposed to be formed through a dual-listed merger whereby the two firms would have kept their existing listings but be managed as one."

(Airwise)

"Malaysia-based budget airline AirAsia announced on Tuesday that it would be offering 100,000 free tickets to Thailand as part of a special marketing effort to support the tourism in that country, which has suffered from recent anti-government demonstrations.

The popular low-cost airline said that it was collaborating with Thailand’s tourism authority to help bring tourists and business travellers back to the country by “reinstating the core message that it is now safe to travel back to the Land of Smiles.”

Under its marketing campaign called “Get Your Baht To Thailand,” which is a play on the unit of Thailand’s currency, AirAsia will be giving away 100,000 free tickets on flights to Bangkok from Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Myanmar, Singapore and Vietnam, as well as on flights within the country.

Passengers will be responsible for paying only taxes and administrative fees. In November, AirAsia removed all fuel surcharges from its flights"

(ASAP)