Airline News October 2005.

Inexpensive holiday airfares scarce, travel experts say. The cheapest fares for holiday travel are already gone, according to travel experts. The number of travelers booking tickets early has increased along with demand for travel. Higher fuel costs have caused prices to climb an average of $40 to $45 per round-trip ticket, compared to last year, travel analyst Terry Trippler said. Oct 30, 2005

Cancun operators will not resume holidays to the Hurricane Wilma-battered resort area until at least next week as hotels and infrastructure counts the cost of the devastation. Hoteliers, including Marriott, have announced closures while they rebuild resorts hit by the hurricane. More than 10,000 tourists were evacuated after enduring days of frustration as airports remained closed due to damage. Operators including Thomson, Thomas Cook and MyTravel laid on special flights to bring people home. Oct 30, 2005

Business travel demand to push airfares up in 2006. Strong demand for business travel will push prices for airline tickets and hotel rooms higher in 2006, according to the American Express Business Travel annual forecast. Globalization is fueling demand for long-haul international travel and hotel space, said Matthew Davis, director of global consulting at American Express. Oct 26, 2005

Travelers enjoy buyer's market for business fares. Fares for business travelers are still at relatively low levels. The average one-way business fare has dropped 36% over the last three years. Competition from low-cost carriers has kept prices low, but analysts say fares will probably increase next year. Oct 25, 2005

Cancellation policy could irritate travelers. Carriers that cancel flights on short notice to conserve fuel risk alienating loyal travelers, The Wall Street Journal's Scott McCartney writes. Delta Air Lines, for example, said it would cancel some flights if the level of bookings does not make them financially viable. Oct 7, 2005

Flight attendants grow less tolerant of surly travelers. Flight attendants are enduring higher stress levels since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and are less likely to tolerate travelers who don't follow in-flight rules, according to The Washington Post. Airlines side with their flight attendants in any dispute with customers. Some carriers keep lists of travelers who verbally abuse crew members and are escorted off departing planes. In some cases, passengers are barred from future flights for a period of time. Oct 5, 2005

Seats disappear, prices climb ahead of holiday season. Travelers will face higher fares and fewer available seats this holiday season, The Wall Street Journal's Scott McCartney writes. Several financially troubled airlines are cutting capacity to reduce their costs, and many carriers have limited the number of inexpensive fares available during the peak holiday season. Oct 4, 2005

Delays, cancellations climb in August. Delays and cancellations are on the rise according to Department of Transportation statistics. One in every four domestic flights was late in August, making the month the third-worst August on record. Airlines also canceled more flights as they dealt with smaller staffs. The number of flights increased, however, because carriers are flying smaller planes. Oct 4, 2005

Mexican officials have confirmed the sale of Aeromexico and Mexicana will go-ahead this year as planned. The move was made following Iberia pulling out of the bidding process due to poor market conditions. Spanish tourism group Globalia is understood to be the front runner for one of the carriers as Mexico looks to privatize the airlines to make them more competitive. http://www.mexicana.com Oct 24, 2005

Air France and KLM continue to integrate flights with the start of the winter season. KLM is to suspend services to Malabo on the island of Bioko, part of Equatorial Guinea, offering passengers alternative Air France flights through Paris. Likewise AF drops Paris - Kuwait, with passengers routed over AMS. The Dutch airline will take over Air France services on the Amsterdam - Bordeaux route, suspend operations on Rotterdam - London City and begin operating thrice-daily roundtrips between Eindhoven and Paris Charles de Gaulle. On 11 December Dutch Railways will begin operating high frequency direct rail services between Eindhoven and Schiphol, KLM dropping its services. Entebbe (Uganda) comes on line three times per week from Amsterdam and the new routes, Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) and Khartoum (Sudan), stay. Hyderabad will be added to the KLM route network this winter. http://www.klm.com http://www.airfrance.co.uk Oct 10, 2005

Air Scotland which first flew in March 2003 and has operated under the AOC of Athens registered Greece Airways (whose web site http:://www.greece-airways.com is published as Air Scotland). Last Friday a Boeing 757 Air Scotland flight to Malaga was severely delayed when fuel suppliers BP refused to supply the aircraft until outstanding debts were paid the aircraft, it eventually getting away only through the goodwill of BAA. Air Scotland chairman Dhia Al-Ani is reported to have sold the business to the Spanish hotel group H Top Hotels, the problem arising due to paperwork difficulties it is claimed. http://www.htophotels.com http://www.air-scotland.com Oct 17, 2005

AirTran to launch Minneapolis-Chicago flights. AirTran Airways said it will launch flights between Minneapolis and Chicago Midway Airport starting Dec. 6. ATA Airlines last week announced it was leaving the market. Oct 18, 2005

AlphaOneAirways, the Isle of Man startup, will offer three new routes by the end of next month. Southampton is to be launched on November 7, while Blackpool and Edinburgh will come on line later in November. The carrier, which is the brainchild of teenager Martin Halstead, will use two 18-seat Jetstream 31 aircraft and operate under the Air Operator's Certificate of established regional airline Love Air. Halstead had announced plans for flights between Oxford and Cambridge but switched to the Isle of Man for a more promising market. http://www.flyalpha1.com Oct 31, 2005

Entry into new international markets creates challenges for airlines. The global economy will force airlines and other companies to adapt to unfamiliar markets and unfamiliar cultures. For its new flight to Delhi, India, American Airlines had to negotiate with the Indian government, change its work rules, train its staff in cultural differences and plan the best route. Oct 31, 2005

American to end mainline service in Pittsburgh. American Airlines will stop operating mainline flights out of Pittsburgh in December. The airline cited weak demand and revenue. The airline will shift passengers from 136-seat planes to smaller 70-seat regional planes flown by American Eagle, its affiliate commuter carrier. Oct 19, 2005

American cuts 15 flights as it faces rising fuel costs: American Airlines will suspend 15 daily roundtrip flights at its hubs in Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. The temporary cuts go into effect Wednesday and will re-evaluated Oct. 29. The airline will also stop serving its Chicago-Nagoya, Japan, route at the end of October. Oct 3, 2005

Capacity cuts may not help big carriers, some analysts say. Airlines are cutting back capacity as fuel costs increase, but analysts disagree on whether the reductions will help the industry. Some observers say cuts by legacy airlines will create new opportunities for discount airlines, which could result in lower fares. American Airlines said it would cut 15 flights in response to higher fuel prices. Oct 2, 2005

Competition heats up on New York-Boston route. American Airlines and Delta Air Lines quickly lowered their prices for flights from New York to Boston after low-fare carrier JetBlue Airways entered the market. JetBlue this week launched the service with prices as low as $25 each way. American matched JetBlue's fares, while Delta cut its fares to $40 each way, one analyst said. Round-trip prices were close to $300 before JetBlue entered the market. Oct 13, 2005

Freetown, capital of Sierra Leone, is to gain a third weekly Astraeus flight from Gatwick starting Wednesday November 30 and increasing frequency over Christmas and New Year. Astraeus has been operating the route since June 2004 on a Monday and Friday, using a 189-seat Boeing 757, with a flight time of six hours 30 minutes. Essentially a charter airline, Astraeus operates from Gatwick to a number of other scheduled destinations, including Accra (Ghana), Malabo (Equatorial Guinea), and also to Sharm El Sheikh (Egypt) from both Gatwick and Manchester. Sierra National Airlines also operate from Freetown to Gatwick. http://www.flyastraeus.com Oct 24, 2005

Bangkok's new international airport has received its first flight but it is not now expected to be officially open until June of next year, at the earliest. Claimed to be Thailand's answer to Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, the futuristic Suvarnabhumi Airport is not without its difficulties. There are questions over finance (ie corruption), infrastructure and access. The airlines are having problems talking to the authorities and some think that the two-runway landmark operation will not even open in 2006. http://www.bangkok-bkk.com Oct 3, 2005

Bmi is to increase its services from Heathrow - Mumbai to daily, and to introduce a three-times-weekly Heathrow - Jeddah operation, following the successful launch of its Heathrow - Riyadh flights last month. All flights offer a three-class service and are operated on Airbus A330 aircraft, with a fourth likely to be added for next summer. Uniquely, for business class travelers, bmi carries an in-flight chef. From Manchester the carrier has a similar operation serving Chicago daily and various Caribbean points. From the end of this month it is dropping its Manchester - Washington operation. http://www.flybmi.com Oct 10, 2005

British Airways passengers who suffered deep vein thrombosis have taken their claim for compensation to Britain's highest court of appeal. The case will ask for a ruling on whether the potentially fatal blood clots linked to air travel can be considered accidents under the Warsaw Convention. A ruling for the claimants would lead to action against 18 airlines, including BA, Qantas, Airtours International Airways, Virgin Atlantic Airways and Continental Airlines. Three years ago the airlines successfully argued DVT was not caused by an ''unexpected or unusual event'' external to the passenger - the definition of an accident under the 1929 convention. http://www.ba.com Oct 24, 2005

Britain's high court to decide passengers' blood clot case. Some British Airways passengers are seeking compensation for blood clots and will take their claim to Britain's highest court of appeal. They are asking the House of Lords to rule on whether clots linked to air travel are accidents under the Warsaw Convention. A ruling for the passengers would lead to a class action lawsuit against several carriers, including Continental Airlines, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. Oct 20, 2005

British Airways is making some significant improvements to its twice-daily Heathrow - Tel Aviv flights. The Boeing 767s used on the service, lose their first class cabin, which is replaced by the very popular Club World 'flat bed' area and also gain Premium Economy, with its dedicated service and much more legroom. Clients who require kosher meals are advised to book in advance, which can easily be done via the BA website. In addition, and from the beginning of next summer's season at the end of March (and well in time for Passover), the Heathrow day flight, leaving London at 0835 and arriving Ben Gurion at 1535 in the afternoon (all times local), will be operated by a Boeing 777, probably the most comfortable aircraft flying. All services now use the new Ben Gurion terminal 3. http://www.iaa.gov.il http://www.ba.com Oct 17, 2005

British Airways passengers may be choking on their chicken wraps with the news that Gate Gourmet has been retained by the airline to supply its catering. The food suppliers, which sacked hundreds of staff in August leading to canceled flights and no food onboard aircraft, has signed a new contract with BA. The fate of the dismissed staff remains undecided and talks are ongoing over new contracts to possibly re-employ those who walked out over revised terms and conditions. BA said at the time it was an innocent victim of the dispute, but faced the consequences of selling off its catering arm. Oct 24, 2005

GB Airways, the British Airways franchise carrier, has launched flights from Gatwick to Sharm El Sheik and Hurghada in the Egyptian Red Sea. New flights from Manchester to Marrakech, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote will start this week, while skiers can take advantage of a new Gatwick-Innsbruck service in December. The flights will offer economy and Club Europe. The Austrian flight is the first time the airline has ventured into the winter sports market. http://www.ba.com Oct 31, 2005

Central Wings[cedilla] the budget airline spin-off from LOT which made its first flight on February 2005, is to add four more Boeing 737s, bringing its fleet to ten for the summer season 2006. By that time the airline is expected to have decided on its long-term aircraft requirement and is talking about a 24 'plane order before the end of this year. It looks like a straight run-off between Airbus and Boeing. Competitor Wizz is an Airbus operator. For the winter season the airline is introducing Warsaw to Shannon and Edinburgh, and from Dublin to both Katowice and Wroclaw. http://www.centralwings.com Oct 17, 2005

Continental launches traveler gift registries. Continental Airlines now offers a personal account that doubles as a gift registry for plane tickets. While setting up an account, users detail how much they're trying to save for a particular trip. They may also e-mail announcements to friends and family members. Oct 17, 2005

Continental Airlines is to launch daily nonstop flights between New York and Copenhagen from Tuesday 23 May (pending government approval). Continental Flight CO122 will depart New York/Newark daily at 1910 and arrive at Copenhagen at 0905 the next day. Flight CO123 will depart Copenhagen daily at 1025, arriving at New York/Newark at 1320 the same day. Flying time is approximately seven hours and 55 minutes traveling east, and one hour longer west. The frequency of the service will be reduced to five flights weekly during winter, to take into account the traditional seasonal reduction in demand. Copenhagen will become the 27th city in Continental's transatlantic route network, and its third destination in Scandinavia. The airline has served Oslo since 2004 and started service to Stockholm in June 2005. http://www.continental.com Oct 10, 2005

Delta Air Lines' fares increase in Cincinnati. Delta Air Lines is boosting its fares from Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport faster than it is in other cities in the region. The airline on Dec. 1 plans to cut at least 26% of its flights from the airport, which could push prices higher. Delta would not comment on fares to individual markets, but said it is committed to its SimpliFares program. SimpliFares caps prices and eliminates some requirements for less expensive fares. Oct 27, 2005

Delta Air Lines, Continental Airlines and United Airlines all have announced similar plans.. Island ticket prices expected to plummet. Ticket prices to the Caribbean are expected to drop this winter as airlines expand service and add more routes. Continental Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines are among the large carriers adding flights. Low-fare airlines including Spirit Airlines, JetBlue Airways and Delta's Song, will also expand in the region. Oct 24, 2005

Delta uses international strategy for second time. Delta Air Lines' recently announced plan to expand international flying is actually the second time it has embraced the strategy. In 1991, after posting record losses, Delta acquired most of Pan American World Airways' transatlantic routes. The company launched service to 24 international cities. A large share of the company's $1.5 billion in losses over the following three years was related to the new routes. Oct 21, 2005

Delta ends daily flight cancellation policy. Delta Air Lines said it will stop canceling daily flights to avoid jet fuel shortages and will resume a full schedule. Previously, Delta was canceling flights two or three days ahead of time, notifying passengers and offering to rebook them on another flight at a similar time. Delta said it put the policy in place to avoid jet fuel shortages after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Oct 11, 2005

Delta says it will cancel flights with light loads. Delta Air Lines said it will adopt a temporary fuel-saving measure and cancel flights if they are underbooked, affecting "a few dozen" trips per day. Delta says it will ensure passengers have advance notice if their flight will be dropped and will make arrangements for travelers on other flights. Oct 5, 2005

Delta to boost capacity to Latin America, Caribbean. Delta Air Lines will shift more capacity to profitable markets in Latin America and the Caribbean by the end of the year. The carrier said it will launch flights to nine new destinations in the region. Oct 3, 2005

Song, the low-cost Delta airline, will cease operations May 2006. The decision to shut down the airline after just three years was taken by parent Delta, currently in Chapter 11, as it attempts to focus on core operations and more profitable routes. Rival budget airline JetBlue will be the biggest beneficiary as it competed on several Song routes and was seen as a model for the Delta carrier. However, while JetBlue operates versatile Airbus A320s, Song struggled to make its Boeing 757 operation profitable. The news came in the same week that Song informed us of exciting new additions to its in-flight catering. Guess the cranberry nut bread (what?) smothered with cranberry relish and loaded with thinly sliced, smoked turkey breast, cheddar cheese and fresh lettuce will just have to stay in the fridge. http://www.delta.com Oct 31, 2005

EasyJet now has a 'fast' check-in for luggage-less travelers (used mainly by the business travel fraternity) at Luton airport. Following a two-month long trial evaluation, and more or less coinciding with the opening of the new departures hall, the airline has opened a new desk on the right hand side of the departures hall by the window. The service is very quick, perhaps the biggest complaint being at the time of writing it was not signposted very well. easyJet, unlike some of its competitors, does not now weigh hand luggage. Take on board what you like providing it is not more than 55 x 40 x 20cm (21 x 15 x 7.5 inches) and you can lift it into the overhead locker. They also provide a bin of this size near the check-in. If your bag fits it is OK. http://www.easyjet.com Oct 10, 2005

Emirates has opened its first-ever dedicated lounge for UK travelers. First and Business Class passengers traveling on the airline's thrice-daily services from Gatwick can use the lounge, along with Gold and Silver members of its Skywards frequent flyer program. The Emirates lounge has a range of passenger amenities, including seating for 255 people. http://www.emirates.com Oct 24, 2005

Trans-Atlantic competition heats up. Increasing competition on trans-Atlantic routes has lowered prices on some fares, The New York Times' Joe Sharkey writes. U.S. carriers are adding more overseas capacity, and start-ups Eos and MAXjet have launched daily flights between New York and London. British Airways recently announced a sale. Oct 26, 2005

FlyBaboo is the name of a small Swiss airline established at the back end of 2002 and now operating a pair of Bombardier DHC-8-Q300. It operates scheduled services from Geneva to Florence, Ibiza, Lugano, Nice, Prague, Valencia and Venice. According to its website it does not fly passengers. It takes "clients". It does and it is in Flight International's world airline directory too. http://www.flybaboo.com Oct 17, 2005

FlyBE has launched new UK regional winter routes to capture the ski and winter sun market. The services include Norwich to Alicante, Malaga, Chambery, Geneva, Aberdeen and Dublin; Exeter to Chambery, Geneva and Murcia; Birmingham and Southampton to Berne. Birmingham and Southampton to Chambery, Geneva and Salzburg are also being reintroduced for this year as the airline steps up its route network. http://www.flybe.com Oct 31, 2005

FlyGlobespan, the airline division of long established Scottish tour operator Edinburgh based Globespan, seems to be moving into Stansted in a big way. The carrier has purchased a further two Boeing 737-600s bringing its 737 fleet up to 12. Stansted - Tenerife will commence from November 1, initially with a 737-600, then moving up to the larger 737-800 from mid-December. Daily flights to Geneva start from December 22. The new routes follow hard on the heels of new domestic services between from the northeast London airport to Glasgow and Edinburgh, launched on 1 June, these having supported some 20,000 passengers in the first three months. The airline says it wants to further expand at Stansted but is having problems gaining slots. http://www.flyglobespan.com Oct 3, 2005

United, Frontier match Southwest's low Denver fares. United Airlines and Frontier Airlines have matched Southwest Airlines' discounted fares from Denver International Airport. Some fares dropped by more than 30%. Southwest will start flying from Denver to Phoenix, Las Vegas and Chicago in January. Oct 31, 2005

Hi Fly is to be the new brand name of Air Luxor, the Portuguese carrier. Initially the airline's charter operation will have the new image, but owner, the Mirpuri Group, expects to complete the project in 12 months' time. The Group is also preparing the re-branding of other companies linked to the aviation and tourism businesses. The current Hi Fly fleet comprises of two Airbus A330-300 and three Airbus A320-200. Additional aircraft are expected to be added to the fleet for summer 2007. http://www.airluxor.com Oct 17, 2005

Japan Airlines is set to apply for membership of OneWorld. On joining, within the next year to two years, JAL would extend Oneworld's network by 10% and add 68 destinations. In would also become the largest carrier in the alliance for group revenue. Formal discussions concerning technology compatibility and procedures will now take place before JAL is officially invited to join Oneworld. The only Asian carrier in Oneworld is Cathy Pacific. http://www.jal.co.jp/en Oct 31, 2005

Jet2 has become the first of the new breed of budget airlines to acquire the Boeing 757 although it has proved to be a popular choice with the charter carrier over the years. The Boeing is somewhat larger with 230 (nominal) seats as against 180 for a Boeing 737-800. Jet2 is to base two of the aircraft at its main base at Leeds Bradford airport. A spin-off from the successful charter airline Channel Express, part of the Dart Group plc, the airline already operates 24 Boeing 737s from five UK bases: Belfast International, Leeds Bradford, Manchester, Newcastle and most recently Blackpool. http://www.jet2.com Oct 17, 2005

JetBlue has announced a major expansion of service from Boston's Logan International Airport. There will be 10 new flights to New York JFK and daily service to Austin, Texas; Nassau, The Bahamas; Richmond, Virginia; and West Palm Beach in Florida. With service to JFK, passengers will be able to connect on to 27 cities, including 15 previously unserved destinations, including Phoenix, San Diego and San Juan in Puerto Rico, and Santiago, Dominican Republic. The new flights will launch by April 6, 2006, and be flown with Embraer 190 100-seat aircraft. http://www.jetblue.com Oct 24, 2005

Legacy vs. low-fare saga continues. Regardless of whether legacy, low-fare or second-tier airlines win the battle for the skies, McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas appears situated to be well-served. Mike Boyd, an industry analyst, believes airlines will find new ways to cut costs and expects emerging companies like JetBlue to continue challenging legacy carriers. Oct 20, 2005

JetBlue to launch low-priced New York-Boston service. JetBlue Airways next month will add inexpensive flights from New York to Boston to compete with shuttle service offered by three larger airlines. The airline will also launch an expansion from New York and Boston with its new 100-seat Embraer 190 aircraft. Some customers fear the plane is simply an oversized regional jet, but USA TODAY reports the plane's interior is relatively spacious and without the cramped feel of a regional jet. Airlines are expected to use the planes to serve small cities. Oct 12, 2005

New York's Newark airport (New Jersey), served from London by British Airways, Continental and Virgin Atlantic, is now also a base for JFK headquartered JetBlue Airways. The somewhat superior budget airline last week introduced services to Fort Lauderdale and Orlando and will start flights to Tampa, West Park Beach and Fort Myers. One month later it introduces it sixth destination, San Juan (Puerto Rico). By the time the Americans get around to Thanksgiving Day, JetBlue will offer 16 daily nonstop flights from Newark. http://www.jetblue.com Oct 10, 2005

JetBlue launches service from Newark Airport. JetBlue Airways started flying yesterday from Newark Liberty International Airport. The carrier flew to two Florida airports, and it plans to add service to three more Florida cities and Puerto Rico next month. The airline will compete in Newark against Continental Airlines, which operates a hub there. Oct 6, 2005

KLM is to join the small group of airlines operating a dedicated business class product. From the beginning of the winter season, the airline is to supplement the existing Amsterdam - Houston two-class Boeing 747 service, with six weekly roundtrips operated with a 44-seat Boeing 737-700 business jet. Once again Privatair is the aircraft and crew supplier. http://www.privatair.com Oct 10, 2005

MaxJet Airways, which is set to start service from New York to on November 1, has reduced its initial fares due to "demand". Prices now begin at $679 plus taxes and fees one-way. The airline will offer a daily flight transatlantic flight from Stansted as it attempts to offer an all business-class service at prices way below those charged by traditional transatlantic carriers. The London-New York link is expected to be the first of many city pairs offered by MaxJet. http://www.maxjet.com Oct 24, 2005

MaxJet boss Gary Rogliano has been doing the rounds in London prior to his airline introducing a daily business class only service, from Stansted - Kennedy New York, on Tuesday November 2. Mr Rogliano points out that the airline is a 'low cost' operation but only in terms of executive travel. Maxjet will be offering a 60" seat pitch, quality meals and service (eight cabin staff for 102 passengers on a wide-bodied Boeing 767 200ER), complimentary drinks and lounges at both ends. Prices, which start from around [pounds sterling]600 each way inclusive, are more akin to the upgraded economy offerings now gaining popularity, but offering a product not dissimilar to Continental's BusinessFirst and bmi's The Business. Mr Rogliano has dismissed the idea of an all economy operation, saying that price-wise it was impossible to compete with the Heathrow carriers, with Y class passengers effectively subsidized by those at the front end. He expects cooperation from budget carriers at both ends, taking his passengers and feeding his service. Washington is expected to come on line before the year's end. Not a listed company, Maxjet is backed by some $40m investment by private investors. Eos, who are introducing a 48-seat Boeing 757 on the same route, but this time with a proper bed/seat operation aimed at the full price business customer, have now brought their introduction date forward to Tuesday 18 October. http://www.maxjet.com Oct 3, 2005

Niue is where you may ask? In fact it is a Pacific island which will be linked by air to New Zealand when a weekly scheduled ANZ Boeing 737-300 service from Auckland begins on Friday 4 November 2005. Niue is the largest raised coral atoll in the world with a total land area of 261 km2. It is situated the other side of the international date line some 2,400km north east of Auckland (New Zealand) and 3900 km north east of Sydney (Australia). The island stands alone; its closest neighbor Tonga lies 480 km to the south. Niueans are New Zealand citizens resulting in just over 20,000 living there with barely 2,000 living on the island. It is hoped that the new flights will bring limited tourism to the island. http://www.airnewzealand.co.nz http://www.niueisland.com Oct 10, 2005

Northwest uses bar codes to lure Japanese consumers. Northwest Airlines' Japanese advertising campaign features giant bar codes that consumers can scan with their cell phone cameras. Consumers decode the information and gain access to coupons and games on the airline's Web site. The campaign is an opportunity for Northwest to increase its presence in Japan. Oct 11, 2005

Madrid is the latest destination for Qatar Airways. From December 2 the Spanish capital will become the airline's second new European service to start before the end of the year. The German capital, Berlin, will come online two weeks later on 15 December. The airline currently operates to 66 destinations from Doha, which will rise to 69 with the addition of Madrid, Berlin and, from 15 November, the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. http://www.qatarairways.com Oct 10, 2005

Royal Jordanian is to join OneWorld. It is the first carrier from the Middle East and Gulf region to be elected to a global alliance - and the first airline accepted to join Oneworld for more than five years. Work has begun on connecting its IT systems to those of its new partners and completing the other tasks needed before it can become a full-fledged member of the alliance. It should start offering all services and benefits, as a full-fledged member of the alliance, at around the turn of 2006/2007. http://www.oneworldalliance.com Oct 24, 2005

RyanAir has launched daily flights from Stansted to Bydgoszcz, Szczecin, Rzeszow, Lodz and Gdansk in Poland. These cities, when added to Ryanair's current Polish routes to Poznan, Wroclaw and Krakow, will bring the total number of Polish cities served by Ryanair to eight. The airline said it will carry one million passengers to Poland in the next 12 months. http://www.ryanair.com Oct 31, 2005

Southwest Airlines, the world's most successful low-cost airline, has dismissed escalating fuel prices as being the industry's biggest threat and turned its fire on too many seats in the market. The carrier's chief executive Gary Kelly made the comments as he prepared to take on United Airlines at its Denver hub with a series of new routes and lower fares. However, Kelly did admit that his fuel bill next year could top $500 million. http://www.southwest.com Oct 31, 2005

Southwest pilot flies Rosa Parks' body to memorial. Southwest Airlines pilot Lou Freeman volunteered to fly the body of Rosa Parks to memorial services in Washington D.C. Freeman is the first black man to become a chief pilot for a U.S. airline. "It's been real historic, a wondrous reflective part of history when you realize you're touching something that's going to last forever," he said. Oct 30, 2005

Southwest to operate 13 nonstop flights from Denver. Southwest Airlines will start flying from Denver International Airport Jan. 3. The discounter will operate 13 nonstop flights to Chicago, Las Vegas and Phoenix. Southwest decided to return to Denver because the airport's costs have declined in recent years. It will compete against United Airlines and Frontier Airlines. Meanwhile, beginning Nov. 12, Southwest will add two daily nonstop round-trips each between New Orleans and Dallas, Nashville, and Orlando and Tampa. Oct 28, 2005

Southwest service expected to stimulate Denver market. Southwest Airlines' new Denver service and its low fares could attract up to 1.5 million additional travelers to Denver International Airport in 2006, airport officials said. Southwest plans to announce today which cities it will serve from Denver. The airline is expected to launch flights in January. Oct 27, 2005

Southwest Airlines expands time frame in boarding system. Southwest Airlines is making its boarding process more customer-friendly. The discount airline will now allow travelers to check in and print boarding passes 24 hours before their flight, instead of its previous practice of midnight before the departure. Southwest boards travelers in the order in which they checked in and got their boarding passes. Oct 25, 2005

Southwest to launch Denver flights after 20 year absence. Southwest Airlines on Thursday announced it will start flying to Denver. Southwest stopped flying to Denver about 20 years ago. Airline executives said the airport is now "very efficient" and will fit well into the airline's Western network. The news came as a surprise to officials at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. They are trying to convince Southwest to fly from D/FW, but Southwest has said costs are too high. Oct 21, 2005

Southwest to allow Las Vegas Web site to sell travel packages. Southwest Airlines has agreed to allow lasvegas.com to sell its travel packages starting in November. Currently, the airline does not allow major Internet sites to sell its travel packages. Terms were not disclosed. Oct 13, 2005

Airline policies differ on lewd, obscene clothing. Some airlines forbid passengers from wearing clothing that is lewd or that features obscene messages. Policies vary among companies. Southwest Airlines recently asked a passenger wearing a T-shirt featuring pictures of the president, vice president and secretary of state and an expletive phrase to leave the plane. Airlines say they must balance protecting passengers' rights without compromising the comfort of others. Oct 11, 2005

Swiss European has been created, or as one wag put it, "a reincarnation of Crossair without the selling ability". Swiss International Airlines will take off towards the end of the year as "Swiss European Air Lines". It will be a separate unit of the Swiss Group, trading under the brand but not selling the product. It will be a "wet lease" operator only, commercial responsibility remaining with Swiss. Swiss European will start out with a fleet of seven Embraer 145s and 18 Avro RJ85/100s, but will subsequently operate with a uniform fleet of 24 Avro RJ85/100s, once the 2006 summer timetable comes into effect. Swiss International will initially provide the cabin crews. In the medium-term, Swiss European will recruit its own cabin staff and build up its own workforce. Swiss is part of the Lufthansa Group. http://www.Lufthansa.com http://www.swiss.com Oct 17, 2005

Thomas Cook Airlines is to allow blind and partially sighted passengers to take guide dogs on board their flights. New rules from DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) will allow the airline to test the scheme on short and mid-haul routes from Gatwick to Greece, Portugal, mainland Spain, the Balearics and the Canaries. Blind passengers will be seated in the aircraft bulkhead, where there is more space, and will have to purchase a seat for their guide dog. Owners will have to abide by the rules of DEFRA's pet passport scheme. Thomas Cook will need a month's notice of a guide dog traveling and will be able to accept only one per flight. http://www.thomascookairlines.co.uk. Oct 17, 2005

United Airlines reckons it has come up with a surefire way to board aircraft quicker and save valuable minutes. The Wilma procedure gets passengers sitting next to the window first and towards the aisle. The theory being that you will not have to step over fellow travelers before takeoff. It has been tried before, at United's Shuttle operation, but now it is set for a comeback as the airline aims for better on-time performance and cost-cutting. http://www.united.com Oct 24, 2005

United hopes new boarding system cuts delays. United Airlines thinks it has come up with a solution to boarding delays, The New York Times' Christopher Elliott writes. The process is called Wilma, and it stands for window-middle-aisle. Passengers fill the window seats first, then the middle, then the aisle. The airline thinks the process will be quicker and more efficient, but some industry analysts say the initiative will not improve on-time performance. Oct 18, 2005

New US Airways fares stay steady as it converts pricing system. US Airways' fares from Pittsburgh International Airport have not decreased since its merger with low-cost carrier America West Airlines. A spokesman said the combined airline is still evaluating its markets. The merged company is now converting US Airways' pricing system to America West's system. Oct 25, 2005

New US Airways management restores some perks for fliers. US Airways' new executive team has restored some perks for travelers, including snacks for coach passengers, The Washington Post's Keith L. Alexander writes. America West Airlines recently merged with US Airways. The airline has also reopened an airport lounge in Los Angeles and has simplified its policy on last-minute upgrades. Oct 18, 2005

America West and US Airways are now officially one solvent airline, US Airways. This will not affect passengers originating from the UK. US Airways operates daily transatlantic services from the UK to Philadelphia, from Gatwick, Manchester and Glasgow (summer only), and to Charlotte from Gatwick. US Airways has a strong presence on the East Coast and in the Caribbean. America West, based in Tempe, operates across the West from hubs in Phoenix and Las Vegas. In time, the airlines will merge their web sites and reservation systems, likewise the operation parts of the amalgamated company. The goal is to form a stronger airline that will compete better with lower cost rivals such as Southwest Airlines and JetBlue Airways. http://www.americawest.com http://www.usairways.com Oct 3, 2005

VLM Airlines is launching a daily flight from London City to the Isle of Man on November 1. The new route takes its number of UK destinations to four, with the Isle of Man joining Manchester, Liverpool and Jersey connected from London by VLM. The Monday-Friday schedule leaves the capital at 9am and departs the island at 5pm. http://www.flyvlm.com Oct 24, 2005