Airline News - Europe.

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Aer Lingus 

Aer Lingus is to charge its economy class passengers who wish to put luggage in the hold. The airline will continue to offer customers a 20 kg allowance for checked baggage on short haul and will offer long haul customers a new allowance of 36 kg. A fee of E4 per bag will apply if booked in advance on the web, while a fee of E8 per bag will apply if checked in at the airport. Changes in baggage allowance are effective for bookings made after 8 August for travel after 5 September. Those checking in baggage will be liable for baggage charges on short haul routes effective for bookings made after 8 August 2006 for travel after 17 January 2007. Passengers will be able to pay for this facility on-line from early December, and will also be able to make seat reservations from that time. There will be no changes to excess baggage rates which will remain at E8 per kilo. The new baggage policy does not apply to premier class passengers. For those without baggage you can now use the 'fast pass' check-in desks, but a remote computer system has yet to arrive. http://www.aerlingus.com Aug 5, 2006

Air France

Air France will place its code on Qantas's five-times-weekly Darwin-Cairns service. Aug 3, 2006

Air France

Air France said it has become the first carrier to be awarded ISO 22000 certification for food safety. Initial certification covers flights from Paris, with other cities to be included in the next year. Jul 31, 2006

Austrian Airlines

Austrian Airlines Group's Oetsch confirmed the closure of Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, which were served on its route to Australia that ends in March. Austrian is evaluating new long-haul destinations for the three 777s it used on the route. "We will focus on our strategy between East and West, but we will never fly to Johannesburg or to South America," he said. Chicago could be one of the cities added, a source close to the airline told this website. Aug 2, 2006

BA Connect

BA Connect has made some significant changes for the winter season starting at the end of October. Madrid is added from London City with a twice-daily service, the aircraft based at Barajas. The route complements British Airways' existing three daily flights to Madrid from Gatwick and five from Heathrow, and is the second European route the airline has launched from London City Airport this year, a daily flight to Milan starting at the beginning of the summer schedule. As with all BA Connect LCY services Milan offers a full two-class operation. BA Connect has suspended Belfast - Birmingham and Isle of Man - Luton. http://www.ba.com Aug 5, 2006

BMed

BMed, the independent franchise partner of British Airways, is to expand its network to West Africa this winter, with the introduction of new services to Freetown (Sierra Leone) and Dakar (Senegal). They will be the only all scheduled services providing direct links between the UK and the two countries and will bring BMed's overall network coverage to 18 destinations in the Middle East, Central Asia, Europe and Africa. Flights to Freetown and Dakar will begin from BMed's Heathrow hub on 30 October 2006. The route will be served initially by three flights a week using the airline's 149-seat Airbus A321, offering a choice of Club World and World Traveler cabins. BMED's latest expansion follows the launch of the airline's new service between London and Ankara (Turkey) in March this year. Services to Beirut are suspended, the airline offering Damascus or Amman as alternatives. BMED offer in Club World (show here) a fine, intermediate between the full long haul product and the uprated Economy the usual BA style in European Europe http://www.flybmed.com Aug 5, 2006

Bmi regional

Bmi regional will increase frequency on its Edinburgh-Manchester route to six daily weekday flights from Sept. 4. It also canceled its Leeds Bradford-Cork service. Aug 1, 2006

British Airways

British Airways Profits Up On Fuller Planes. British Airways reported a 20 percent rise in first-quarter profit on Friday helped by fuller planes, but it warned of a tougher second half and higher-than-expected staff costs. BA, Europe's third-largest airline, raised its guidance for sales this year after filling more first-and-business-class seats but said the second-half would be tough as airlines discount tickets amid stiff competition. "It is going to be a year of two halves. We don't expect to see the strong revenue performance we saw in the first quarter to continue through the year," Chief Executive Willie Walsh said, echoing comments made by rival Ryanair this week. Aug 4, 2006

FlyBE

Flybe will increase its Southampton-Glasgow service to six-times-daily from four and deploy Embraer 195s on the route, boosting capacity 75%. It also will add a seventh daily Birmingham-Belfast service and raise capacity on that route by 25%. Flybe said BA Connect is discontinuing the route on Aug. 21. Aug 2, 2006

Lufthansa

Lufthansa's UK customers will have a choice of six destinations in India from December 1 2006, with the start of a new service to Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) from the airline's Frankfurt hub. The German flag carrier will serve India's third-largest city three times a week with quick and easy connections to UK regional points. Bangalore, Chennai (formerly Madras), Delhi, Hyderabad and Mumbai (formerly Bombay) are the other points served. http://www.lufthansa.co.uk Aug 5, 2006

UK Zoom

UK Zoom a new airline for next summer by Hugh Boyle the British-born chairman of the Canadian long haul budget carrier. By establishing a London-based operation the airline will be able to benefit as a European Union operator under the Canadian open skies policy. The investment arm of the Bank of Scotland has acquired a minority stake in Zoom, privately owned as part of a US$12m investment package. http://www.flyzoom.com Aug 5, 2006

VLM 

VLM is to introduce three extra return flights from Monday September 4 between London City and Amsterdam giving a total of nine services each day, Monday to Friday. Saturday continues with a single rotation and two return flights on a Sunday. Passenger growth on the route this year has been 16%, the airline saying that its remarkable on time performance of 91% and the introduction of the DLR the major contributory factors. In its first eight months of the AMS service in 2005, VLM Airlines carried 31,100 passengers on the route, a figure that has already been surpassed in the first six months of 2006 during which time 36,100 passengers were carried. VLM offers complimentary yoghourts and fruits on breakfast flights, fruit during the day and a lighter snack-type meal on the midday and evening services. Coffee and tea is available in real china cups and nonalcoholic beverages on all flights. On afternoon and evening sectors beer, wine and a selection of something stronger is on hand. http://www.flyvlm.com Aug 5, 2006

Wight Airlines

Wight Airlines is a new commuter carrier based at Sandown Airport on the Isle of Wight which has introduced twice daily flights on Monday, Wednesday and Friday to London City Airport, and a single service to Guernsey on Monday and Friday. On Mondays and Fridays passengers can link in both directions through Sandown. Eight-passenger, two crew Piper Navajo Chieftain aircraft are used. The service is experimental and will initially run for three months. The operation is part of Specialist Flying School, which was established in 1998 at Sandown Airport. Flight time London City to Sandown is just 45 minutes, a considerable saving on surface travel via the ferries. http://www.wightairlines.co.uk Aug 5, 2006