Airline News - Europe.

Mar 12, 2007

Airlines object to paying for passenger-data scheme A senior EU official said Wednesday European airlines must pay for a plan for the U.S. and EU to share air passenger data used to prevent terrorism. "There is no doubt that these things cost money, but airlines have to invest in security, it is part of their business," Jonathan Faull said. Airlines oppose that argument, saying they should not have to pay for security deals decided by governments. Mar 8, 2007

Anantara Announces Two-Year Expansion Anantara Resorts says it will add at least six new properties to its roster during the next two years in such locales as Thailand, Vietnam and Dubai. In addition, the Anantara Resort Bentota in Sri Lanka and the Anantara Resort Seminyak are scheduled to open late this year. Its goal is to grow to at least 40 resorts in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe during the span of the next 10 years. Mar 8, 2007

Finnair

Finnair will launch daily Helsinki-Osaka service at the end of May on MD-11s and add a fourth weekly Airbus A340 flight to Nagoya from mid-June. Five-times-weekly HEL-Mumbai flights will start in June and thrice-weekly service to Delhi and four-times-weekly flights to Hong Kong will become daily in mid-May. A fourth weekly Guangzhou flight will be added next winter. Finnair said its Bangkok-Singapore service and planned flights to Kuala Lumpur will be operated by codeshare partners. Mar 8, 2007

First Choice Airways

First Choice Airways of the UK exercised options for four 787-8s yesterday, bringing its commitment to 12 and making it the type's largest European customer. "The success of our long-haul program with our upgraded Boeing 767s has given us the confidence to order 12 Boeing 787s," First Choice MD Dermot Blastland said. It selected GEnx engines for the order, which will double the size of its long-haul fleet by 2013. Mar 8, 2007

Iberia

Iberia today will launch twice-weekly Madrid-Bucharest service onboard 170-seat Airbus A320s, becoming thrice-weekly from March 28. Mar 5, 2007

VLM Airlines 

VLM is the largest operator at London City Airport, offering more than 100 flights each weekday representing 36% of all movements at the airport. RTM is its second-largest base. It operates 19 F50s and plans to add two more later this year. Mar 6, 2007 03/12/2007

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Mar 5, 2007