Airline News - Europe.

For more global news, data, analysis and features, please go to: http://www.AirGuideOnline.com/order_formsubs.htm Sep 25, 2006

U.K. hopes to amend new security rules. The U.K. still hopes to change stricter security rules put in place after a foiled terror plot in August. Government, airline and airport officials met on Monday but did not reach an agreement. Sep 20, 2006

Bmi

bmi said it will invest [pounds sterling]2 million ($3.8 million) to introduce lie-flat seats in business class on all of its long-haul routes. Sep 20, 2006

Denim Air 

Denim Air intends to widen its geographical scope, including the startup of operations in the Middle East. "The Middle East market is developing rapidly and I am convinced this offers huge potential for Denim Air," CCO Eric Hespeel said at the Routes conference in Dubai. "We are able to tailor our aircraft to our customers' needs at very short notice due to our flexibility, worldwide experience and creativity." Denim Air has been specializing in ACMI charter activity for 10 years. The Netherlands-based airline currently operates a 20-strong fleet of F50 and Q300 aircraft and will be expanding to 24 aircraft in early 2007. Customers include Air Mauritania/Air Senegal, KLM CityHopper, VLM and Air Nostrum of Spain. Sep 19, 2006

Estonian Air 

Estonian Air announcend that flights from Tallinn to Milan will land at Malpensa instead of Bergamo beginning Oct. 29. Sep 21, 2006

Finnair

Finnair will launch daily Helsinki-Nuremberg service in April with Embraer 170s. Sep 22, 2006

Lufthansa Technik

Lufthansa broke ground yesterday on an A380 hangar in Frankfurt, initiating construction on a facility that it aims to build out completely by 2015. Lufthansa Technik Chairman Wilhelm Henningsen said the airline will invest [euro]150 million ($190.2 million) "in what will become Europe's largest aircraft maintenance hangar." LH signed a 65-year land utilization agreement with airport operator Fraport that will allow it to build and operate the hangar on a 17-hectare site southwest of the airport. Sep 22, 2006

Lufthansa Technik

Lufthansa Technik signed an agreement with Aeroflot-Don, a 51% subsidiary of Aeroflot, under which it will provide its Total Component Support MRO solution for the carrier's 737-500 fleet, two of which have been delivered with four more due for delivery next year. Sep 22, 2006

Luxair

Luxair is moving its operations at Nice Cote d'Azur from Terminal 2 to the smaller and partially renovated Terminal 1 on Oct. 1. Handling services will be provided by MAP Handling. Sep 19, 2006

SAS Scandinavian Airlines

Scandinavian Airlines will launch four-times-weekly Stockholm Arlanda-Beijing service in April using A340-300s. It currently serves China from Copenhagen. Sep 22, 2006

SAS Scandinavian Airlines

SAS will launch a four-times-weekly nonstop route between Stockholm and Beijing in April using A340-300s. With the direct route to China from Stockholm, SAS intends to counter the growing success of Finnair's Helsinki-Far East services as well as secure its position in the Swedish market. "Sweden accounts for about 60% of the Scandinavian long-haul market," Swedish airports operator LVF Group Director-Aviation Marketing Mats Sigurdson said at the Routes conference in Dubai. LVF, which operates 13 Swedish airports, offers a "very attractive" incentive scheme to carriers starting new routes from Stockholm, he added. The risk-sharing incentives for new intercontinental flights include a 96% discount on passenger charges and a 50% discount on takeoff charges for the first year. Sep 20, 2006

TAP Portugal 

TAP Portugal will add two daily flights between Lisbon and London Heathrow Thursdays through Sundays beginning Oct. 29, bringing its weekly frequencies to 43. Sep 22, 2006

Virgin Atlantic, Apple, Dell

Virgin Atlantic Airways banned Apple and Dell laptop computer batteries from international flights following last month's recall of 1.8 million batteries by Dell as possible fire hazards. Virgin passengers must remove the batteries from the computer, wrap them and place them in carry-on bags, reported BBC. Passengers can use the computers sans batteries in flight if seats are equipped with electrical sockets and can transport two of the batteries in a carry-on bag. Korean Air and Qantas also have placed restrictions on laptop batteries in response to the recall. Sep 19, 2006