By December, 2010, Runway 18L/36R at the domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos re-commissioned by the former Minister of Aviation, Babatunde Omotoba would have been operating without airfield lightings for two years.
For now, aircraft can land on the runway up till 6pm. Any aircraft that comes to the domestic airport after the period lands at the international wing and taxies to the domestic wing.
During the re-commissioning, the former minister had promised that airfield lights would be installed in 10 months time. Later, the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Richard Aisuebeogun confirmed that contract for the project had been awarded and the job would be delivered soon.
"We are working assiduously to mobilise the contractor; the contractor is in the process of being paid; he is just about signing the agreement with the authority. Once he signs the agreement in the next few days, he should be mobilised to start work very soon. He has given us a (completion period of) 10 months. The contractor has met with the airport authority and we have planned the time that he should be able to work effectively,” Aisuegbeogun said in May 2009.
The runway at the domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos has been handling only day- time operations because of the absence of airfield lightings. Airline operators and stakeholders in the aviation industry complain about the cost implication of having to taxi from the international wing to domestic, as well as the dilapidated infrastructure at the entire Lagos airport. IME AKPAN examines the crisis.
Equally, the new minster, Fidelia Njeze, who has been high on promises, but zero on delivery, said last April, when she embarked on the traditional inspection of airport facilities that the lighting systems would be fixed soon.
"I am sure if you go there now you will notice that work has commenced there. So, within the next three months the air field lighting will be fixed and that will reduce the distress that pilots go through, trying to taxi from the domestic to the international wing to take off after 6pm," she stated.
As at the time of filing this report, no person was seen working on RWY18L. Even if the contractor were working in the night, there would be signs that work is afoot.
Airlines operators said when the runway is closed to traffic, they lose millions of naira monthly, as a result of taxiing the long distance from the domestic terminal to the international runway which often takes between 10 and15 minutes of fuel consumption time to accomplish.
Assistant Secretary-General, Airline Operators of Nigeria, (AON), Mohammed Tukur, said the calculation that airlines were losing about N200 million monthly on extra fuel expended by aircraft to taxi to the longer international runway could be more, depending on the aircraft type. He regarded such expenditure as unnecessary, contending that such money could be conserved to take care of some other overheads.
Tukur argued that the full benefit of the runway would be felt when the airfield lightings are fixed as more flights would land and take off in the night at the airport than any other time.
The director of operations, IRS Airlines, Kenneth Wemambu explained that despite that the airline have fuel-efficient aircraft, the cost fact of taxiing to the 18R in the international wing of the airport before take-off is much.
"I think it is double taxiing time because normally it is just here. Now, you have to travel to the international terminal at 18R and in as much as both the local and international airlines use the same runway, the traffic increases. It's not just IRS, but all other airlines because we are having what is called excess taxi time," he added.
An airline operating a Boeing 727 aircraft complained that it spends N40 million monthly on the Lagos-Abuja route on fuel for just taxing to the international runway before taking-off after the closure of the runway.
"We spend an average of 1000 litres of aviation fuel to taxi to the international runway before take-off and we operate six flights to Abuja in a day. A litre of Jet A1 is at least N150; if multiplied by 1000 litres and by 31 days then you calculate that for a year," said the operator.
It is not only the lightings for night operations at the domestic airport that Njeze has failed to fix.
Despite President Goodluck Jonathan's warning that "no minister will be allowed to go on a mission of endless search for solution," the minister's performance could be likened to a fellow who is asked to take lessons in rocket science.
On assumption of office, she said the problems in the aviation industry were yet to be addressed adequately.
"We are now going to the other area which is equally critical. That will make the services we render complete and adequate. And that is the area of comfort, enhancing and/or improving on the quality of services we render especially within the terminal section," she said.
She also added: "We are going to have our short, medium and long term measures. Yes, the problems have been there; definitely they are not going to be addressed within one week. So, we are going to set our priorities right bearing in mind that we will not compromise passengers' comfort. So, within a short while, we are going to rectify the air conditioning system to make sure that once passengers come in the temperature is actually maintained. Then, we are going to address the issue of the toilet facilities that have decayed. These are the basic comfort that passengers require from us. And I want to assure you that within the next few months you will notice a lot of changes in our airport."
There have been none. The conveyor belts, cooling system and toilet facilities at MMIA, for instance, do not function optimally.
The aviation ministry sees the airports as a milk cow. As soon as ministers are appointed, Nigerians get promises that very quickly turn out to be hot air.
Njeze's appointment came in the wake of the controversy generated by the highly controversial 4. 4 kilometre second Abuja runway which was awarded at the inflated cost of N64 billion before the presidency slashed it to N49.6 billion and finally terminated it.
Her appointment gladdened the hearts of many going by the fact that aviation industry needed an overhaul to continuously guarantee safety. However, her coming has been more of a disappointment than blessing.
To her credit, the beauty-conscious minister has so far been able to secure a moratorium for debtor airlines that owe aviation agencies more than N5 billion accruing from non-remittance of five per cent ticket sales charge factored into passenger tickets sold by the airlines and meant to be remitted to the aviation parastatals as soon as they are collected!
Under the agreement, the airlines are to clear their debts over a period of three years, while service to them would, henceforth, be rendered on cash-and-carry basis. Of course, she is aware that the airlines may never pay the backlog of debts.
As it is, the minister has taken from the parastatals the power to call any erring airline to order. Sometime in May when NCAA and NAMA tried it on Arik Air and IRS Airlines, they (agencies) incurred Njeze's reprimand.
The minister has not been able to find solution to the incessant power outage at MMIA. For instance, on May 9, 2010, the entire airport was thrown into darkness for about four hours.
The power failure became so embarrassing that recently, the Senate Committee on Aviation said it had concluded plans to probe three aviation agencies-the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) - and some concessionaires to unravel the root cause of the power outage.
Reacting to the dearth of facilities at Nigerian Airports, the chairman, Airline Operators of Nigeria, Steve Mahonwu said many of the facilities are geriatric
"Those at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport put this nation to shame. The Instrument Landing Systems (ILS) at some of the airports are old and need to be changed. Equipment for the prediction and monitoring of weather are also old and need to be changed. Government should wake up now and attend to these problems if we are going to have viable aviation industry in this country," he said.
Speaking in the same vein, deputy British High Commissioner Robin Green said the situation at MMIA "is in bad condition and has been a major concern for international communities."
Green demanded to know what the government was doing about the bad road and inadequate facilities in the airport, adding that the state of MMIA could be a disincentive and deterrent to the flow of foreign direct investments.
"I have just discussed with my colleague from United States Information Service (USIS) about the state of MMIA and wanted to know what the state government was doing even though the place is not within its control; the airport serves as a window to Lagos city," he said at a forum to mark Governor Babatunde Fashola's 1,100 days in office.
Edward Olarerin, Regional Manager, (South West), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), is disturbed by the decrepit facilities at the airport. He attributed the situation to corruption saying the airport has little or nothing to show for the huge revenue it has generated.
"It will be very wrong for me to say there is no corruption at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport. We generate so much but we don't get this money. It is frustrating for me when I cannot produce what I generate at MMIA. It is even more frustrating when you generate 100 per cent and you cannot collect 40 per cent due to some unseen forces. Corruption is also exhibited among the lower cadre of staff; it affects every hierarchy. Let us just join hands to move FAAN forward, there is no place where any management can eradicate corruption alone, so, let all workers and stakeholders and the media assist in this fight against corruption," he declared.
For the president of Aviation Round Table (ART) Capt. Dele Ore, the only way to make the airports profitable is through concession. He said they would remain in the present state as long as they continue to be under the management of government.
"There is no better option than to give the airports to concessionaires and make those who have money to come and invest in them. If there is going to be a future in these airports, there is no other way than to get people to come and invest so that they will plan how they intend to run the place for the future," Capt. Ore stated.
Even if the airports are parcelled out to concessionaires, critical facilities like navigational equipment, cannot be subsumed under any form of concession arrangement. Therefore, what is most important is the political will to do what is right.
Showing posts with label air travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label air travel. Show all posts
Monday, July 5, 2010
VIP abuses at airports
The Senate will today consider a motion seeking to stop abuse of Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) order by Nigerian airport commandants and security officials. Against the backdrop of frequent suspension of flights in the air.
The motion, already in order paper, is being sponsored by senator Osita izunaso and 29 others.
The planned motion, followed a recent incident in which an Arik Air, Boeing 737 700 series flights from Lagos to Abuja and six other flights were, suspended mild-air for a long time without prior warning because a Very Important Person (VIP) was allegedly using the airport.
According to Mr. Izunaso, the seven aircraft were “not given advance notice of any VIP movement in Abuja before take-off as is the procedure in other parts of the world.”
On that day, the Arik aircraft was said to have been turned back into the sky after the pilot had already pulled out its tyres to land. Shortly after, the pilot made back into the air, he was given clearance to land but for two more times, he was ordered back to the sky after he had pulled out tyres to touch down.
“In United States, before the September 11, 2001 attacks, most TFRs were in the interest of safety to flying aircraft with occasional small restrictions for Presidential movements. Since 9/11, TFRs have been routinely used to restrict airspace for 30 nautical miles around the President, with a 10-nautical-mile (20 km) radius no-fly zone for non-scheduled flights,” the lawmaker argued.
According to Mr. Izunaso, 30 nautical miles for planned VIP flights and 10 nautical miles for unscheduled flights restrictions was the global standard but in Nigeria, the airport commandants and security officials, including the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authorities, flagrantly abuse the process.
“VIP movement in Nigeria is indefinite, abrupt, erratic and unpredictable,” Mr. Izunaso argued saying the strict adherence to the engagement rules of the TFR would be in the interest of both the VIPs and the passengers in general.
He narrated a similar incident in India where three aircraft were turned away from the Delhi Airport with about 450 passengers on board and had a narrow shave with mishap when they all ran out of fuel above the Jaipur airport.
“The Indian aviation authorities urgently reacted to the incident and expeditiously rectified TFR abuses with the aim to permanently forestall a re-occurrence of these incidents,” Mr. Izunaso said.
When the motion is probably taken today, the senate will be asking that the airport commandants and Air Traffic controllers at the towers give sufficient notice of VIP movements and consequent TFR orders to airlines prior to take-off and landing to enable the pilots take necessary safety precautions. The senate is also expected to condemn the indiscriminate use of the TFR orders in the past and commission an investigation into the flagrant use and abuse of the TFR based on VIP movements.
The motion, already in order paper, is being sponsored by senator Osita izunaso and 29 others.
The planned motion, followed a recent incident in which an Arik Air, Boeing 737 700 series flights from Lagos to Abuja and six other flights were, suspended mild-air for a long time without prior warning because a Very Important Person (VIP) was allegedly using the airport.
According to Mr. Izunaso, the seven aircraft were “not given advance notice of any VIP movement in Abuja before take-off as is the procedure in other parts of the world.”
On that day, the Arik aircraft was said to have been turned back into the sky after the pilot had already pulled out its tyres to land. Shortly after, the pilot made back into the air, he was given clearance to land but for two more times, he was ordered back to the sky after he had pulled out tyres to touch down.
“In United States, before the September 11, 2001 attacks, most TFRs were in the interest of safety to flying aircraft with occasional small restrictions for Presidential movements. Since 9/11, TFRs have been routinely used to restrict airspace for 30 nautical miles around the President, with a 10-nautical-mile (20 km) radius no-fly zone for non-scheduled flights,” the lawmaker argued.
According to Mr. Izunaso, 30 nautical miles for planned VIP flights and 10 nautical miles for unscheduled flights restrictions was the global standard but in Nigeria, the airport commandants and security officials, including the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authorities, flagrantly abuse the process.
“VIP movement in Nigeria is indefinite, abrupt, erratic and unpredictable,” Mr. Izunaso argued saying the strict adherence to the engagement rules of the TFR would be in the interest of both the VIPs and the passengers in general.
He narrated a similar incident in India where three aircraft were turned away from the Delhi Airport with about 450 passengers on board and had a narrow shave with mishap when they all ran out of fuel above the Jaipur airport.
“The Indian aviation authorities urgently reacted to the incident and expeditiously rectified TFR abuses with the aim to permanently forestall a re-occurrence of these incidents,” Mr. Izunaso said.
When the motion is probably taken today, the senate will be asking that the airport commandants and Air Traffic controllers at the towers give sufficient notice of VIP movements and consequent TFR orders to airlines prior to take-off and landing to enable the pilots take necessary safety precautions. The senate is also expected to condemn the indiscriminate use of the TFR orders in the past and commission an investigation into the flagrant use and abuse of the TFR based on VIP movements.
Monday, March 22, 2010
BAs strike
British Airways was facing its third day of disruption, and its busiest, following the weekend walk-out by members of the Unite union in a bitter row over cost-cutting and jobs.
The UK's reputation is being hit by the British Airways strike, business leaders warned today, as both sides in the dispute continued to argue fiercely over the impact of the industrial action.
The union claimed today that more than 140 BA aircraft were standing idle at Heathrow, the airport worst affected by the dispute.
An official also maintained that fewer than 300 crew had volunteered to stand in for strikers and accused the airline of counting inbound crew to inflate the numbers of staff on duty.
BA said 97.6% of its Gatwick crew and 52% of Heathrow crew reported to work as normal over the weekend.
A spokesman said: "We will continue to offer the fullest support to our cabin crew who want to work as normal."
BA said it reinstated a number of cancelled flights this weekend after maintaining that more crew than expected had turned up for work.
Business group London First, whose members include many of London's internationally-based businesses, said the capital's reputation as a centre for global trade was being damaged by the strike.
Chief executive Baroness Valentine said: "Despite the best efforts of BA management and many staff to continue to put the interests of passengers first, the strike is reminiscent of a best-forgotten era.
"The message from BA's London-based business customers to both sides is: Get back to the negotiating table, and to union members: Get back to work in the meantime."
Tony Woodley, joint leader of Unite, who called yesterday on BA chairman Martin Broughton and "sensible" directors to intervene in the dispute, will address strikers at a meeting near Heathrow today.
He said he was certain that the vast majority of Unite members had joined the strike, which will end at midnight tonight.
The union has called a four-day strike from next Saturday and has warned of further action from mid-April unless the deadlocked row is resolved.
BA had to axe a number of incoming flights to Heathrow today, including services from Toronto, Philadelphia, Houston, Cairo and Dubai. Short-haul incoming flights to the west London airport that were cancelled included Amsterdam, Zurich and Paris.
BA flights leaving Heathrow that were cancelled included services to Lisbon, Nice and Malaga.
The UK's reputation is being hit by the British Airways strike, business leaders warned today, as both sides in the dispute continued to argue fiercely over the impact of the industrial action.
The union claimed today that more than 140 BA aircraft were standing idle at Heathrow, the airport worst affected by the dispute.
An official also maintained that fewer than 300 crew had volunteered to stand in for strikers and accused the airline of counting inbound crew to inflate the numbers of staff on duty.
BA said 97.6% of its Gatwick crew and 52% of Heathrow crew reported to work as normal over the weekend.
A spokesman said: "We will continue to offer the fullest support to our cabin crew who want to work as normal."
BA said it reinstated a number of cancelled flights this weekend after maintaining that more crew than expected had turned up for work.
Business group London First, whose members include many of London's internationally-based businesses, said the capital's reputation as a centre for global trade was being damaged by the strike.
Chief executive Baroness Valentine said: "Despite the best efforts of BA management and many staff to continue to put the interests of passengers first, the strike is reminiscent of a best-forgotten era.
"The message from BA's London-based business customers to both sides is: Get back to the negotiating table, and to union members: Get back to work in the meantime."
Tony Woodley, joint leader of Unite, who called yesterday on BA chairman Martin Broughton and "sensible" directors to intervene in the dispute, will address strikers at a meeting near Heathrow today.
He said he was certain that the vast majority of Unite members had joined the strike, which will end at midnight tonight.
The union has called a four-day strike from next Saturday and has warned of further action from mid-April unless the deadlocked row is resolved.
BA had to axe a number of incoming flights to Heathrow today, including services from Toronto, Philadelphia, Houston, Cairo and Dubai. Short-haul incoming flights to the west London airport that were cancelled included Amsterdam, Zurich and Paris.
BA flights leaving Heathrow that were cancelled included services to Lisbon, Nice and Malaga.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
BA Strike causing passengers to seek cheap flights
Millions of British Airways passengers face misery if the strike action goes ahead which according to sources within Unite Union, the strike will go ahead unless British Airways meets the unions demands. Although British Airways has arranged for 3,000 staff to take over from strikers to run a skeleton service, British Airways has admitted that the strike would damage confidence with British Airways passengers and would cause the company to have an even worse financial year than they are already having.
Passengers are turning to Cheap Flights airways over British Airways strike action. British Airways has had the threat of strike action since Christmas where British Airways staff was going to strike for 12 days but the strike was halted after a High Court ruling over ballot irregularities. It now seems that strike action is here once again where Unite Union has said strike action is likely unless British Airways comes to the table to sort out the dispute.
Unite Union are keeping the dates of the strikes a closely guarded secret until Thursday, leaving British Airways little time to put plans into place and leaving passengers wondering if they will be affected by the planned strike.
British Airways were hoping with the present financial climate that their staff would not vote for a strike, but millions of British Airways passengers now face disruption after cabin crew voted for the strike action to go ahead.
Passengers are turning to Cheap Flights airways over British Airways strike action. British Airways has had the threat of strike action since Christmas where British Airways staff was going to strike for 12 days but the strike was halted after a High Court ruling over ballot irregularities. It now seems that strike action is here once again where Unite Union has said strike action is likely unless British Airways comes to the table to sort out the dispute.
Unite Union are keeping the dates of the strikes a closely guarded secret until Thursday, leaving British Airways little time to put plans into place and leaving passengers wondering if they will be affected by the planned strike.
British Airways were hoping with the present financial climate that their staff would not vote for a strike, but millions of British Airways passengers now face disruption after cabin crew voted for the strike action to go ahead.
Strike hits flights from Paris
Half of the flights in and out of Orly airport have been cancelled, while one in four from Charles de Gaulle have also been pulled from the schedules as French air traffic controllers begin a five-day strike over job loss fears..
The strike is taking place during a school holiday in France.
Staff are protesting over a deal agreed by six nations to modernise air traffic control that they say will cut jobs.
Analysts said union leaders were also hoping to put pressure on President Nicolas Sarkozy's government ahead of regional elections next month.
The deal to modernise air traffic control was recently signed by France, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland.
Under the plans, the six nations will increasingly integrate their air traffic control services.
Air France says that none of its long-haul flights have been affected.
The strike is taking place during a school holiday in France.
Staff are protesting over a deal agreed by six nations to modernise air traffic control that they say will cut jobs.
Analysts said union leaders were also hoping to put pressure on President Nicolas Sarkozy's government ahead of regional elections next month.
The deal to modernise air traffic control was recently signed by France, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland.
Under the plans, the six nations will increasingly integrate their air traffic control services.
Air France says that none of its long-haul flights have been affected.
Malaga, Alicante and Tenerife flights are top Skyscanner
The Skyscanner results only show what flights people were searching for, not what they were actually booking, but nevertheless, with the top three spots and five of the top ten overall, Spain is clearly a hugely popular destination right now.
Skyscanner’s latest results as to the most searched for flight destinations has shown three Spanish destinations heading the list. Tenerife is third, Alicante second and Malaga flights first.
Spain is traditionally the most popular destination for British holidaymakers, but newer destinations such as Turkey have been gaining ground quickly in recent times, largely due to the strength of the Euro. However, these results show that Spain is still maintaining its position with these results reflecting searches made in January 2010.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
flights to Iraq started
Air Berlin PLC, said Thursday that it plans to start flying to Irbil and Sulaimaniyah in northern Iraq.
The first flight to Irbil will take off from Munich on Saturday, the company said. Flights initially are planned every two weeks, alternating between Sulaimaniyah and Irbil, both of them in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq.
Air Berlin said it plans to increase the frequency of flights from this summer, but didn't give further details.
The first flight to Irbil will take off from Munich on Saturday, the company said. Flights initially are planned every two weeks, alternating between Sulaimaniyah and Irbil, both of them in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq.
Air Berlin said it plans to increase the frequency of flights from this summer, but didn't give further details.
Ryanair going to cut Dublin flights
Chief Executive Michael O'Leary blamed government-regulated charges, rather than Ireland's recession, for a rapid fall over the past year in Irish traffic.
Ryanair, Ireland's major airline, announced Thursday it will slash its Dublin flights by 19 percent this summer and cut 150 jobs in protest at airport fees and an Irish government passenger tax.
O'Leary told a Dublin press conference his airline would boost Irish traffic this year if the airport and government would cut charges and taxes, but instead expected to carry 3 million fewer Irish passengers in 2010.
Europe's most profitable airline has railed for years against the Dublin Airport Authority and its slow development of a new terminal at the capital's overcrowded lone airport. Ryanair, the airport's major tenant, has insisted it needs only Spartan facilities and blames the project for a government-approved 40 percent rise in charges.
Ryanair said its flights in and out of Dublin would fall 19 percent to below 500 per week starting in April. The airline, headquartered in Dublin, estimated this cutback would mean 2,000 lost jobs in airline support services but declined to provide details.
On top of that, Ireland's cash-strapped government last year imposed a new euro10 ($14) fee per air passenger that O'Leary has branded a "tourist tax" designed to deter people from visiting Ireland.
The government and Dublin Airport Authority did not respond to O'Leary's latest criticisms.
Ryanair is increasingly redeploying its fleet of Boeing 787-400s away from higher-charge Ireland and Britain in favor of lower-charge regional airports in continental Europe. New Ryanair bases opening this year include Faro in Portugal, Malaga in Spain, and Bari and Brindisi in Italy.
But analysts agree that such moves chiefly represent Ryanair's efforts to put more aircraft into more attractive, developing markets in favor of the already crowded, highly competitive British-Irish arena, with lower fees a bonus.
Reflecting that opportunism, Ryanair announced Thursday that, despite its claim of high fees driving airline business out of Dublin, it would introduce 37 new flights per week this summer from Dublin to the most sought-after Mediterranean and Atlantic sun spots.
This move follows the collapse two months ago of Budget Travel, Ireland's largest package-holiday operator, which specialized in charter flights out of Ireland. Ryanair said it would more than double its Dublin flights to Barcelona, Spain, and open two new routes to the Canary Islands.
Ryanair said these new flights were included in the airline's claim of an overall cut of 19 percent of flights at Dublin in the April-September period.
Ryanair shares rose 1.5 percent to euro3.44 ($4.85) amid a flat market on the Irish Stock Exchange.
Ryanair, Ireland's major airline, announced Thursday it will slash its Dublin flights by 19 percent this summer and cut 150 jobs in protest at airport fees and an Irish government passenger tax.
O'Leary told a Dublin press conference his airline would boost Irish traffic this year if the airport and government would cut charges and taxes, but instead expected to carry 3 million fewer Irish passengers in 2010.
Europe's most profitable airline has railed for years against the Dublin Airport Authority and its slow development of a new terminal at the capital's overcrowded lone airport. Ryanair, the airport's major tenant, has insisted it needs only Spartan facilities and blames the project for a government-approved 40 percent rise in charges.
Ryanair said its flights in and out of Dublin would fall 19 percent to below 500 per week starting in April. The airline, headquartered in Dublin, estimated this cutback would mean 2,000 lost jobs in airline support services but declined to provide details.
On top of that, Ireland's cash-strapped government last year imposed a new euro10 ($14) fee per air passenger that O'Leary has branded a "tourist tax" designed to deter people from visiting Ireland.
The government and Dublin Airport Authority did not respond to O'Leary's latest criticisms.
Ryanair is increasingly redeploying its fleet of Boeing 787-400s away from higher-charge Ireland and Britain in favor of lower-charge regional airports in continental Europe. New Ryanair bases opening this year include Faro in Portugal, Malaga in Spain, and Bari and Brindisi in Italy.
But analysts agree that such moves chiefly represent Ryanair's efforts to put more aircraft into more attractive, developing markets in favor of the already crowded, highly competitive British-Irish arena, with lower fees a bonus.
Reflecting that opportunism, Ryanair announced Thursday that, despite its claim of high fees driving airline business out of Dublin, it would introduce 37 new flights per week this summer from Dublin to the most sought-after Mediterranean and Atlantic sun spots.
This move follows the collapse two months ago of Budget Travel, Ireland's largest package-holiday operator, which specialized in charter flights out of Ireland. Ryanair said it would more than double its Dublin flights to Barcelona, Spain, and open two new routes to the Canary Islands.
Ryanair said these new flights were included in the airline's claim of an overall cut of 19 percent of flights at Dublin in the April-September period.
Ryanair shares rose 1.5 percent to euro3.44 ($4.85) amid a flat market on the Irish Stock Exchange.
flights from Durham Tees Valley
Durham Tees Valley Airport: New cheap flight availability has been announced this week which is hoped will bring an extra 18,000 cheap flight seats per annum to Durham Tees Valley Airport. The airport previously known as Teeside has suffered a number of blows to capacity as airlines and tour operators have pulled out of the airport in the North East. These new flights are good news for our clients.
A major tour operator has plans to fly several new routes from November, this will include it is hoped, the first departure from Durham Tees Valley to Sharm el-Sheikh on the Red Sea Riviera of Egypt, a flight to Tenerife in the Canary Islands and cheap flights to Malaga Spain. These are prime winter sun destinations and we see them being a real success say airflights.
The news is heralded as a real boost to the airport located near Darlington, which has been savaged by cuts in services by some budget flight operators.
A major tour operator has plans to fly several new routes from November, this will include it is hoped, the first departure from Durham Tees Valley to Sharm el-Sheikh on the Red Sea Riviera of Egypt, a flight to Tenerife in the Canary Islands and cheap flights to Malaga Spain. These are prime winter sun destinations and we see them being a real success say airflights.
The news is heralded as a real boost to the airport located near Darlington, which has been savaged by cuts in services by some budget flight operators.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Air fares to Ireland will rise
The budget airline, renowned for its no-frills approach to flying, is hopeful about the year to come after cutting several loss-making routes and benefiting from a drop in fuel prices.
But the Irish airline has warned that its increasing financial stability will not prevent price hikes on flights to and from Ireland.
Ryanair has raised its profit forecast after reporting that the carrier performed better in the the third quarter of 2009 than predicted.
Blaming the Irish Government for imposing a 10 euro tourist tax on flights from Ireland, the airline has confirmed that after absorbing the cost in the past year, it will have to pass on the tax to customers.
Ryanair spokesperson Stephen McNamara told TravelMail: "Airlines like Ryanair and Aer Lingus have been absorbing the 10 euro tax on flights from Ireland but it is not sustainable so we will at some point have to pass it on to customers. We think increased prices will come in late this year or early 2011."
But in other areas, the airline has taken a bigger bite of the flights cherry compared to rivals British Airways, Air France and Lufthansa.
"We have already increased our market share significantly and will continue to do so as the customer becomes more price conscious," said Mr McNamara.
"We will make sure that we continue to be the lowest fare operator."
Ryanair's CEO, Michael O-Leary, reported that market conditions still remain difficult but said he expected further market share gains in Italy, Scandinavia, Spain, and the UK this year.
Despite the good financial news, the airline is still suffering from a bad reputation for its added costs and complicated website.
But the airline is dismissive of the claims, saying that the OFT representative made some glaring errors in his criticism and citing compliments about its website from other organisations.
Mr McNamara said: "The transparency of our website has been complimented by the EU. And I think if we are getting it right for the EU we don't need to worry about the OFT."
The Office of Fair Trading accused Ryanair of being "puerile and childish" over its online payment policy and criticised the company for the extras which are often added on to the basic flight price.
But the Irish airline has warned that its increasing financial stability will not prevent price hikes on flights to and from Ireland.
Ryanair has raised its profit forecast after reporting that the carrier performed better in the the third quarter of 2009 than predicted.
Blaming the Irish Government for imposing a 10 euro tourist tax on flights from Ireland, the airline has confirmed that after absorbing the cost in the past year, it will have to pass on the tax to customers.
Ryanair spokesperson Stephen McNamara told TravelMail: "Airlines like Ryanair and Aer Lingus have been absorbing the 10 euro tax on flights from Ireland but it is not sustainable so we will at some point have to pass it on to customers. We think increased prices will come in late this year or early 2011."
But in other areas, the airline has taken a bigger bite of the flights cherry compared to rivals British Airways, Air France and Lufthansa.
"We have already increased our market share significantly and will continue to do so as the customer becomes more price conscious," said Mr McNamara.
"We will make sure that we continue to be the lowest fare operator."
Ryanair's CEO, Michael O-Leary, reported that market conditions still remain difficult but said he expected further market share gains in Italy, Scandinavia, Spain, and the UK this year.
Despite the good financial news, the airline is still suffering from a bad reputation for its added costs and complicated website.
But the airline is dismissive of the claims, saying that the OFT representative made some glaring errors in his criticism and citing compliments about its website from other organisations.
Mr McNamara said: "The transparency of our website has been complimented by the EU. And I think if we are getting it right for the EU we don't need to worry about the OFT."
The Office of Fair Trading accused Ryanair of being "puerile and childish" over its online payment policy and criticised the company for the extras which are often added on to the basic flight price.
Newark to London flights
Continental Airlines will add a fourth daily flights service in March and a fifth in the fall to the United Kingdom's busiest airport.
"All our New York and London customers will benefit from more flight options," Jeff Smisek, chief executive officer, said in a statement in which he described New York and Heathrow as "a flagship route."
Continental Airlines is adding more flights from Newark Liberty International Airport to London's Heathrow Airport in March, and with new lie-flat seats in BusinessFirst class as it tries to bolster its competitive position on the well-traveled route.
As of March 27, Heathrow-bound flights will leave Newark at 9 a.m., 6:40 p.m., 7:20 p.m. and 8 p.m.
On Oct. 30, a 10:10 p.m. daily departure will be added.
Continental started flying between Newark and Heathrow in 2008 when U.S. airlines' were given more access to slots because of an open skies agreement between the United States and European Union.
Delta Air Lines, which is going head to head with Continental in the New York trans-Atlantic market, also began flying to Heathrow in 2008.
It flies there twice a day out of John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Asked if Delta plans to add more flights on that route, spokesman Paul Skrbec would say only: "We continue to look at what the market is doing."
Continental also announced that effective June 1, all of its aircraft scheduled for Heathrow flights will feature seats in BusinessFirst that recline to lie completely flat, like a bed. Lie-flat seats are fast becoming the standard for trans-Atlantic premium travel.
New York to Heathrow business class ticket prices vary greatly. Online searches, without corporate discounts, showed various airlines' fares, for midweek travel in mid-February, ranging from just under $2,000 to more than $5,000 round trip.
Delta announced last month that it is putting lie-flat beds in its BusinessElite cabins on 90 aircraft used on long international flights, part of a three-year, $1 billion plan to upgrade customer service and improve fuel efficiency.
"All our New York and London customers will benefit from more flight options," Jeff Smisek, chief executive officer, said in a statement in which he described New York and Heathrow as "a flagship route."
Continental Airlines is adding more flights from Newark Liberty International Airport to London's Heathrow Airport in March, and with new lie-flat seats in BusinessFirst class as it tries to bolster its competitive position on the well-traveled route.
As of March 27, Heathrow-bound flights will leave Newark at 9 a.m., 6:40 p.m., 7:20 p.m. and 8 p.m.
On Oct. 30, a 10:10 p.m. daily departure will be added.
Continental started flying between Newark and Heathrow in 2008 when U.S. airlines' were given more access to slots because of an open skies agreement between the United States and European Union.
Delta Air Lines, which is going head to head with Continental in the New York trans-Atlantic market, also began flying to Heathrow in 2008.
It flies there twice a day out of John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Asked if Delta plans to add more flights on that route, spokesman Paul Skrbec would say only: "We continue to look at what the market is doing."
Continental also announced that effective June 1, all of its aircraft scheduled for Heathrow flights will feature seats in BusinessFirst that recline to lie completely flat, like a bed. Lie-flat seats are fast becoming the standard for trans-Atlantic premium travel.
New York to Heathrow business class ticket prices vary greatly. Online searches, without corporate discounts, showed various airlines' fares, for midweek travel in mid-February, ranging from just under $2,000 to more than $5,000 round trip.
Delta announced last month that it is putting lie-flat beds in its BusinessElite cabins on 90 aircraft used on long international flights, part of a three-year, $1 billion plan to upgrade customer service and improve fuel efficiency.
Strong demand for World Cup flights
Ashley Cowan, BA regional manager for Africa, said fares over the World Cup month were at levels normally charged during the peak summer season.
He was replying to suggestions in some sections of the British press that many soccer fans would stay away from this country because of the high prices and air fares being charged.
BA has “very healthy bookings” on flights to South Africa during the World Cup 2010 period over June and July.
Cowan said that, in response to demand, BA would put on two extra flights to Johannesburg with its largest Boeing 747-400 aircraft on July 13 and 14, in time for the Cup Final.
They would be in addition to the and one flight to Cape Town daily and two a day to Johannesburg throughout our winter season.
He said bookings on flights out of South Africa were also high during the World Cup period.
In addition to local residents who normally visited the UK and Europe during the northern hemisphere summer, many were leaving South Africa to escape the crowds and hype of the World Cup or because they had let their houses to foreign visitors for the period.
BA is currently facing a renewed threat of a possible strike by cabin crew, depending on the results of a ballot among trade union members that closes on February 22.
A strike planned for the Christmas holiday period was declared illegal by the high court in London because former staff members who had accepted an offer of voluntary redundancy and had already left were among those voting for it.
Cowan said negotiations were continuing and it was “ disappointing we have got to this stage” after concessions had been made.
But even if the strike went ahead some services would continue because, it was not expected to have the support of all cabin crew.
There would also be volunteers from other departments of the airline – including some off-duty pilots – who were already being trained.
“We are hoping that, if the strike goes ahead, there will be a very minimal number of flights cancelled,” said Cowan.
The airline industry worldwide is beginning to recover from the effects of the recession and losses caused by the soaring oil price that preceded it.
BA was hit particularly hard by the fall in international passenger numbers because of its large share of trans Atlantic travel.
But Cowan said that although it had “not quite got to the point of recovery, we have seen the worst”.
Some markets, including those in Africa, were already recovering.
South Africa had always been a strong market for BA and passenger loads were good on both the Johannesburg and Cape Town routes at present.
He was replying to suggestions in some sections of the British press that many soccer fans would stay away from this country because of the high prices and air fares being charged.
BA has “very healthy bookings” on flights to South Africa during the World Cup 2010 period over June and July.
Cowan said that, in response to demand, BA would put on two extra flights to Johannesburg with its largest Boeing 747-400 aircraft on July 13 and 14, in time for the Cup Final.
They would be in addition to the and one flight to Cape Town daily and two a day to Johannesburg throughout our winter season.
He said bookings on flights out of South Africa were also high during the World Cup period.
In addition to local residents who normally visited the UK and Europe during the northern hemisphere summer, many were leaving South Africa to escape the crowds and hype of the World Cup or because they had let their houses to foreign visitors for the period.
BA is currently facing a renewed threat of a possible strike by cabin crew, depending on the results of a ballot among trade union members that closes on February 22.
A strike planned for the Christmas holiday period was declared illegal by the high court in London because former staff members who had accepted an offer of voluntary redundancy and had already left were among those voting for it.
Cowan said negotiations were continuing and it was “ disappointing we have got to this stage” after concessions had been made.
But even if the strike went ahead some services would continue because, it was not expected to have the support of all cabin crew.
There would also be volunteers from other departments of the airline – including some off-duty pilots – who were already being trained.
“We are hoping that, if the strike goes ahead, there will be a very minimal number of flights cancelled,” said Cowan.
The airline industry worldwide is beginning to recover from the effects of the recession and losses caused by the soaring oil price that preceded it.
BA was hit particularly hard by the fall in international passenger numbers because of its large share of trans Atlantic travel.
But Cowan said that although it had “not quite got to the point of recovery, we have seen the worst”.
Some markets, including those in Africa, were already recovering.
South Africa had always been a strong market for BA and passenger loads were good on both the Johannesburg and Cape Town routes at present.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Cheap flights to Bangkok
If you are planning a travel to Thailand, then your visit will be incomplete without visiting Bangkok. Bangkok is one of Asias most cosmopolitan cities, largest and capital city of Thailand. It is a lovely place and one of the most popular international tourist destinations. It is one of the cosmopolitan cities in Asia.
With such growing importance and rapid improvement of Bangkok, different airlines are offering you cheap flights to Bangkok from London.
For your travel to Bangkok book cheap flights to Bangkok. Experience the charm of this beautiful with cheap and low cost flights. Cheap flights dont mean any low cost airline with low quality services, but it is the same airlines with good services providing flights at low rates and cheap air-tickets. Air-tickets to Bangkok are available with maximum airlines at cheap and very low rates.
There is a wide variety of airfare options available to travelers to Bangkok. Flights to Bangkok are available from all corners of UK at budget prices. Planning an international travel is not easy and affordable every time. But now it can be possible and affordable every time due to availability of cheap and low cost flights. One of the best way after cheap flights to Bangkok is you can look for packages to Bangkok. Best deals cheap packages to Bangkok also helps to save you a lot.
Bangkok is a paradise for people who love shopping. Some of the main shopping hubs of the city are Gayson Plaza, Amulet market, Pak Khlong Market, Nandakwang, Mahboonkrong etc. Bangkok features live music, cool bars, exuberant dance venues and great restaurants. This wonderful city adopts modern development and in return, presents an initial picture of towering shopping malls, ambitious office towers and different entertainment spots.
It is a huge and modern city humming with nightlife and fervour. It is very hot in the month of April in Bangkok. So, avoid traveling to Bangkok in this month. This City of Angels is salt-and-peppered with a variety of places, from loud and noisy pubs, to classy jazz bars, hip hangouts and exuberant dance clubs.
Save your travel expenses by booking your flights in advance. Always book your flights some days ahead when you wish to travel. Cheap flights to Bangkok are easy to get in off season, so it is advisable to avoid peak season travel, as you wont be able to get cheap flights, packages and accommodations as well easily. The affordability depends on the number of passengers, length of stay, whether economy or business class, whether normal fare or excursion fare, and so on.
With such growing importance and rapid improvement of Bangkok, different airlines are offering you cheap flights to Bangkok from London.
For your travel to Bangkok book cheap flights to Bangkok. Experience the charm of this beautiful with cheap and low cost flights. Cheap flights dont mean any low cost airline with low quality services, but it is the same airlines with good services providing flights at low rates and cheap air-tickets. Air-tickets to Bangkok are available with maximum airlines at cheap and very low rates.
There is a wide variety of airfare options available to travelers to Bangkok. Flights to Bangkok are available from all corners of UK at budget prices. Planning an international travel is not easy and affordable every time. But now it can be possible and affordable every time due to availability of cheap and low cost flights. One of the best way after cheap flights to Bangkok is you can look for packages to Bangkok. Best deals cheap packages to Bangkok also helps to save you a lot.
Bangkok is a paradise for people who love shopping. Some of the main shopping hubs of the city are Gayson Plaza, Amulet market, Pak Khlong Market, Nandakwang, Mahboonkrong etc. Bangkok features live music, cool bars, exuberant dance venues and great restaurants. This wonderful city adopts modern development and in return, presents an initial picture of towering shopping malls, ambitious office towers and different entertainment spots.
It is a huge and modern city humming with nightlife and fervour. It is very hot in the month of April in Bangkok. So, avoid traveling to Bangkok in this month. This City of Angels is salt-and-peppered with a variety of places, from loud and noisy pubs, to classy jazz bars, hip hangouts and exuberant dance clubs.
Save your travel expenses by booking your flights in advance. Always book your flights some days ahead when you wish to travel. Cheap flights to Bangkok are easy to get in off season, so it is advisable to avoid peak season travel, as you wont be able to get cheap flights, packages and accommodations as well easily. The affordability depends on the number of passengers, length of stay, whether economy or business class, whether normal fare or excursion fare, and so on.
Lampang via Sukhothai Flights
Bangkok Airways will open the Bangkok to Lampang route with daily services via Sukhothai from 1st February 2010, .
Operated with 70-seater ATR 72, PG211 leaves Bangkok at 06:40 to arrive in Lampang at 09:20. PG212 leaves Lampang at 09:50 to land in Bangkok at 12:30.
Bangkok Airways is offering a special all inclusive fare of 2,000 baht per sector for Bangkok to Lampang flights, and 1,240 baht for Sukhothai – Lampang and 1,090 baht for Lampang – Sukhothai. The promotion is effective from 1 – 28 February 2010.
Presently, Bangkok Airways’ fleet consists of 17 aircraft - eight ATR 72s, three Airbus 320s, and six Airbus 319s.
Operated with 70-seater ATR 72, PG211 leaves Bangkok at 06:40 to arrive in Lampang at 09:20. PG212 leaves Lampang at 09:50 to land in Bangkok at 12:30.
Bangkok Airways is offering a special all inclusive fare of 2,000 baht per sector for Bangkok to Lampang flights, and 1,240 baht for Sukhothai – Lampang and 1,090 baht for Lampang – Sukhothai. The promotion is effective from 1 – 28 February 2010.
Presently, Bangkok Airways’ fleet consists of 17 aircraft - eight ATR 72s, three Airbus 320s, and six Airbus 319s.
Cheap flights to South Africa
Start your South Africa Holiday by touring the host cities of the FIFA World Cup Johannesburg, Nelspruit , Bloemfontein, Cape town, Durban, Rustenburg , Polokwane and Pretoria.
Your trip begins in your console region, from somewhere you can access internet and book cheap flights to South Africa. Not simply your airline tickets, but the hotel accommodations and itinerant are also taken good quality care of. These take a trip sites bring to you on one salver all likely discounts and offers that a choice of airlines have to offer. With all the options multiply in front of you, you can make a choice the one which suits your supplies the best.
As all know that the preliminary draw of the World Cup Finals was held on 4th December 2009 and received a roaring response, indicating that the FIFA World Cup in 2010 will be soccer’s biggest extravaganza. Johannesburg known as heart of South Africa, is a city where life sometimes moves too quickly. Being a crucible of people from diverse cultures, it offers a delightful experience for any visiting tourist. Gain interesting insights into South Africa’s dark history by visiting The Constitution Hill and the Apartheid Museum. The nerve centre of South African football, Johannesburg has hosted the CAF Africa Cup of Nations and it boasts of some of the oldest professional clubs like Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates, Jomo Cosmos and BidVest Wits to name a few.
To find cheap flights to South Africa you need to experiment with flights on different timings or days. Different days of the week will have different prices, and so do different times.Do your check for cheap airfares at different times of the day. This is because prices fluctuate throughout the day. Check one-way flights too. Experiment with different airlines and you may find a combination that is cheaper than your two-way return flights.If you’re flying on low cost carriers or budget airlines, you can usually get cheaper fares when you book really early. Or you can wait for their promotions. Just check back often on the airlines’ websites.
Your trip begins in your console region, from somewhere you can access internet and book cheap flights to South Africa. Not simply your airline tickets, but the hotel accommodations and itinerant are also taken good quality care of. These take a trip sites bring to you on one salver all likely discounts and offers that a choice of airlines have to offer. With all the options multiply in front of you, you can make a choice the one which suits your supplies the best.
As all know that the preliminary draw of the World Cup Finals was held on 4th December 2009 and received a roaring response, indicating that the FIFA World Cup in 2010 will be soccer’s biggest extravaganza. Johannesburg known as heart of South Africa, is a city where life sometimes moves too quickly. Being a crucible of people from diverse cultures, it offers a delightful experience for any visiting tourist. Gain interesting insights into South Africa’s dark history by visiting The Constitution Hill and the Apartheid Museum. The nerve centre of South African football, Johannesburg has hosted the CAF Africa Cup of Nations and it boasts of some of the oldest professional clubs like Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates, Jomo Cosmos and BidVest Wits to name a few.
To find cheap flights to South Africa you need to experiment with flights on different timings or days. Different days of the week will have different prices, and so do different times.Do your check for cheap airfares at different times of the day. This is because prices fluctuate throughout the day. Check one-way flights too. Experiment with different airlines and you may find a combination that is cheaper than your two-way return flights.If you’re flying on low cost carriers or budget airlines, you can usually get cheaper fares when you book really early. Or you can wait for their promotions. Just check back often on the airlines’ websites.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Emirates A380 flight to London from Bangkok
Emirates airline launched its first A380 flights from Bangkok in June.
To raise awareness of the offering, Emirates launched a viral campaign inviting members of the public to match movie scenes with titles.
Emirates has promoted its Airbus A380 services by presenting a pair of competition winners with tickets for flights to London from Bangkok via its hub in Dubai.
Winners of the competition were able to choose from a flight on the A380 to either London or Toronto.
The lucky pair - Khun Nattaporn Changkasiri and Khun Padhanaseth Changkasiri - chose to fly to the UK on the carrier's Airbus jet, which boasts facilities including shower spas, onboard lounges and an award-winning inflight entertainment system.
The carrier has been operating services out of Thailand for over 19 years and currently offers regular flights to Hong Kong, Christchurch and other destinations from the country.
Emirates also operates A380 flights from Dubai to Sydney, Auckland, Paris, Seoul and Jeddah.
To raise awareness of the offering, Emirates launched a viral campaign inviting members of the public to match movie scenes with titles.
Emirates has promoted its Airbus A380 services by presenting a pair of competition winners with tickets for flights to London from Bangkok via its hub in Dubai.
Winners of the competition were able to choose from a flight on the A380 to either London or Toronto.
The lucky pair - Khun Nattaporn Changkasiri and Khun Padhanaseth Changkasiri - chose to fly to the UK on the carrier's Airbus jet, which boasts facilities including shower spas, onboard lounges and an award-winning inflight entertainment system.
The carrier has been operating services out of Thailand for over 19 years and currently offers regular flights to Hong Kong, Christchurch and other destinations from the country.
Emirates also operates A380 flights from Dubai to Sydney, Auckland, Paris, Seoul and Jeddah.
New flights to Bangkok
A Thai delegation had a detailed discussion here in back-to-back meetings with chief minister Tarun Gogoi and industry minister Pradyut Bordoloi on the possibility of resumption of the Guwahati-Bangkok flight today.
Flights in the Guwahati-Bangkok sector, which had died a premature death after being introduced with much fanfare, may take off once again with Thailand evincing keen interest in resumption of the service.
The Thai team, led by the country’s ambassador to India, Krit Kraichitti, comprised commercial counsellor at the Thai embassy in New Delhi, Tharadol Thongruang, besides officials from Thai Airways, among others.
If the move fructifies, it would give a fillip to trade ties between the region and Thailand, which also forms the focus area of India’s Look East policy.
Gogoi, while welcoming the show of interest by Thailand, said all support would be provided to make the venture a success.
The chief minister even suggested a common tourism package given that there were similarities between the culture of Thailand and some parts of the Northeast.
He said tourism and other sectors would prosper if there was air connectivity between the Northeast and Thailand.
Sources said the chief minister even quipped that he would like to fly to Bangkok on the first flight of Thai Airways once operations resumed in the sector.
Prior to calling on Gogoi in the evening, the delegation had an interaction with Bordoloi and some senior industry department officials.
Sources said the Thai delegation would also meet officials of the Airports Authority of India to run a check on the facilities available at Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport and the economics of operations.
Today’s interaction between Thailand and the Assam government was a follow-up to a meeting between the Thai ambassador and a delegation of the Industries and Trade Fair Association of Assam (ITFAA) in New Delhi recently.
“The ambassador was convinced and therefore decided to make an on-the-field assessment of the prospects,” an ITFAA official said.
The ITFAA had pushed for resumption of the service for the mutual benefit of the Northeast and Thailand during the meet.
In April 4, 2002, Air India had commenced bi-weekly international operations from Guwahati with a 200-seater Airbus 310 aircraft. In February 2006, the flight frequency was reduced to once a week before being closed down in July 2008 because of mounting losses.
Flights in the Guwahati-Bangkok sector, which had died a premature death after being introduced with much fanfare, may take off once again with Thailand evincing keen interest in resumption of the service.
The Thai team, led by the country’s ambassador to India, Krit Kraichitti, comprised commercial counsellor at the Thai embassy in New Delhi, Tharadol Thongruang, besides officials from Thai Airways, among others.
If the move fructifies, it would give a fillip to trade ties between the region and Thailand, which also forms the focus area of India’s Look East policy.
Gogoi, while welcoming the show of interest by Thailand, said all support would be provided to make the venture a success.
The chief minister even suggested a common tourism package given that there were similarities between the culture of Thailand and some parts of the Northeast.
He said tourism and other sectors would prosper if there was air connectivity between the Northeast and Thailand.
Sources said the chief minister even quipped that he would like to fly to Bangkok on the first flight of Thai Airways once operations resumed in the sector.
Prior to calling on Gogoi in the evening, the delegation had an interaction with Bordoloi and some senior industry department officials.
Sources said the Thai delegation would also meet officials of the Airports Authority of India to run a check on the facilities available at Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport and the economics of operations.
Today’s interaction between Thailand and the Assam government was a follow-up to a meeting between the Thai ambassador and a delegation of the Industries and Trade Fair Association of Assam (ITFAA) in New Delhi recently.
“The ambassador was convinced and therefore decided to make an on-the-field assessment of the prospects,” an ITFAA official said.
The ITFAA had pushed for resumption of the service for the mutual benefit of the Northeast and Thailand during the meet.
In April 4, 2002, Air India had commenced bi-weekly international operations from Guwahati with a 200-seater Airbus 310 aircraft. In February 2006, the flight frequency was reduced to once a week before being closed down in July 2008 because of mounting losses.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
More flights to India
The budget carrier AirAsia’s other new routes are to Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Mumbai. All flights will take off from the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT).
AirAsia is expanding its “coverage” of India with flights to five more cities, including the capital, New Delhi, from April.
AirAsia will also commence flights to Chennai from Penang beginning April 28. Flights from LCCT to Chennai will commence on May 17 (daily); Bangalore on May 20 (daily); Hyderabad on July 20 (daily); Mumbai on May 6 (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday); and New Delhi flights on Aug 4 (daily).
“This tie with India will become increasingly more important, having enjoyed a long relationship with India and subsequent to the visit of our Prime Minister to India last week, it will gear us to further improve our political, trade and economic cooperation with India.
The airline already flies to Trichy, Kochi, Trivandrum and Kolkata. Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat said the new routes would further open up the Malaysian business and tourism market to India.
“I hope the increased accessibility into India coupled with low fares will stimulate the interest of SMEs in India and Malaysia to further invest and expand their business beyond their native shores, which will result in the growth of trade between Malaysia and India,” he said at a ceremony to mark the official announcement here.
Also present were AirAsia group CEO Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes, Malaysian Associated Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry vice-president Datuk Ramesh Kodammal and Tourism Malaysia deputy director-general Azizan Noordin.
Ong said India was Malaysia’s 12th largest global trading partner last year and Malaysia was India’s second-largest trading partner in the Association of South-East Asian Nations.
Besides business and economic ties with India, Ong said tourists from India offered significant potential to Malaysia.
“In the year 2009, the total number of tourists from India to Malaysia numbered 589,838,” he added.
The minister also said response to AirAsia’s destinations in India had been very encouraging, with the airline carrying 237,367 passengers to the four cities it currently flew to.
Fernandes said AirAsia’s additional flights to India was “a timely effort in response to the Prime Minister’s call to strengthen Malaysia-India bilateral relations.”
To mark the opening of sales for the new routes, AirAsia is offering fares as low as RM199 for the booking period from Wednes-day to Sunday.
AirAsia is expanding its “coverage” of India with flights to five more cities, including the capital, New Delhi, from April.
AirAsia will also commence flights to Chennai from Penang beginning April 28. Flights from LCCT to Chennai will commence on May 17 (daily); Bangalore on May 20 (daily); Hyderabad on July 20 (daily); Mumbai on May 6 (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday); and New Delhi flights on Aug 4 (daily).
“This tie with India will become increasingly more important, having enjoyed a long relationship with India and subsequent to the visit of our Prime Minister to India last week, it will gear us to further improve our political, trade and economic cooperation with India.
The airline already flies to Trichy, Kochi, Trivandrum and Kolkata. Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat said the new routes would further open up the Malaysian business and tourism market to India.
“I hope the increased accessibility into India coupled with low fares will stimulate the interest of SMEs in India and Malaysia to further invest and expand their business beyond their native shores, which will result in the growth of trade between Malaysia and India,” he said at a ceremony to mark the official announcement here.
Also present were AirAsia group CEO Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes, Malaysian Associated Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry vice-president Datuk Ramesh Kodammal and Tourism Malaysia deputy director-general Azizan Noordin.
Ong said India was Malaysia’s 12th largest global trading partner last year and Malaysia was India’s second-largest trading partner in the Association of South-East Asian Nations.
Besides business and economic ties with India, Ong said tourists from India offered significant potential to Malaysia.
“In the year 2009, the total number of tourists from India to Malaysia numbered 589,838,” he added.
The minister also said response to AirAsia’s destinations in India had been very encouraging, with the airline carrying 237,367 passengers to the four cities it currently flew to.
Fernandes said AirAsia’s additional flights to India was “a timely effort in response to the Prime Minister’s call to strengthen Malaysia-India bilateral relations.”
To mark the opening of sales for the new routes, AirAsia is offering fares as low as RM199 for the booking period from Wednes-day to Sunday.
Doncaster to New York flights
It follows an agreement with Irish national airline Aer Lingus which will also see daily flights from between Doncaster and Dublin.
BOSSES at Robin Hood Airport are predicting 40 per cent passenger growth next year after securing a deal to offer a Doncaster to New York flights.
The airline will operate what is known as a hub service from Doncaster to New York.
Passengers will change in Dublin, where they will go through US immigration so they can go straight from their plane into the city when the arrive in America. A service will also be available to Boston.
Bosses at the airport claim the combination of the deal with Aer Lingus and new flights due to arrive from easyjet will lead to a growth in passenger numbers next year of around 40 per cent, ending a period of falling numbers at Finningley.
Around 60,000 passengers had used the Doncaster to Dublin flights in the year before it was axed, making it the most popular route using
Finningley. It also brought inbound tourists, many using the racecourse.
The deal will see flights to Dublin available for the first time since Ryanair pulled its flights between the Irish capital and South Yorkshire in March 2009.
The flights are due to start on March 28.
Robin Hood Airport aviation sales director Nick Smillie said: "We had a Dublin service from Ryanair and we've working for several months to replace it with a regular service. This is with the Irish flag carrier.
"We have also been working hard to get a service that fed to a hub and provide onwards connections. You can buy the ticket in Doncaster, and then fly on to America on a single ticket.
"You will be able to buy a ticket from Doncaster to New York or Boston, and check you bags in all the way through. The other big benefit is that you can clear US immigration in Dublin."
The deal would potentially open up flights to other major long haul destinations on one ticket, but bosses at Robin Hood say some could involve long waits.
But the links to the New York and Boston could mean passengers could walk on to their plane in Doncaster and then on to the streets of New York within eight hours.
The new flights linking Doncaster to Dublin will be using small aircraft than before, known as ATR72s, carrying 72 people rather than the 160 seater jets Ryanair were operating.
The new services are part of a franchise agreement between Aer Lingus and Aer Arann and will be branded as Aer Lingus Regional.
Daniel Fell, Head of Chamber at Doncaster Chamber, said: "The announcement of new flights from Robin Hood Airport to Dublin is a great boost to the local economy, particularly those businesses operating in the tourism sector.
"Dublin is one of the top destinations for local business travellers and the new daily flights will be incredibly popular.
"Business confidence in Doncaster is currently significantly ahead of regional and national trends; Robin Hood Airport remains the most significant development in Doncaster and South Yorkshire for decades, its continued growth and status as a key economic asset for the borough will help Doncaster stay ahead of the curve for years to come.
Aer Lingus chief executive Christoph Mueller said: "This franchise agreement is good news for all stakeholders in Aer Lingus as it will allow us to serve key regional destinations, linking them with our Dublin transatlantic network as well as offering our business and leisure customers improved schedule and frequency options."
"It is now critical that the infrastructure necessary for the growth of the airport is delivered."
BOSSES at Robin Hood Airport are predicting 40 per cent passenger growth next year after securing a deal to offer a Doncaster to New York flights.
The airline will operate what is known as a hub service from Doncaster to New York.
Passengers will change in Dublin, where they will go through US immigration so they can go straight from their plane into the city when the arrive in America. A service will also be available to Boston.
Bosses at the airport claim the combination of the deal with Aer Lingus and new flights due to arrive from easyjet will lead to a growth in passenger numbers next year of around 40 per cent, ending a period of falling numbers at Finningley.
Around 60,000 passengers had used the Doncaster to Dublin flights in the year before it was axed, making it the most popular route using
Finningley. It also brought inbound tourists, many using the racecourse.
The deal will see flights to Dublin available for the first time since Ryanair pulled its flights between the Irish capital and South Yorkshire in March 2009.
The flights are due to start on March 28.
Robin Hood Airport aviation sales director Nick Smillie said: "We had a Dublin service from Ryanair and we've working for several months to replace it with a regular service. This is with the Irish flag carrier.
"We have also been working hard to get a service that fed to a hub and provide onwards connections. You can buy the ticket in Doncaster, and then fly on to America on a single ticket.
"You will be able to buy a ticket from Doncaster to New York or Boston, and check you bags in all the way through. The other big benefit is that you can clear US immigration in Dublin."
The deal would potentially open up flights to other major long haul destinations on one ticket, but bosses at Robin Hood say some could involve long waits.
But the links to the New York and Boston could mean passengers could walk on to their plane in Doncaster and then on to the streets of New York within eight hours.
The new flights linking Doncaster to Dublin will be using small aircraft than before, known as ATR72s, carrying 72 people rather than the 160 seater jets Ryanair were operating.
The new services are part of a franchise agreement between Aer Lingus and Aer Arann and will be branded as Aer Lingus Regional.
Daniel Fell, Head of Chamber at Doncaster Chamber, said: "The announcement of new flights from Robin Hood Airport to Dublin is a great boost to the local economy, particularly those businesses operating in the tourism sector.
"Dublin is one of the top destinations for local business travellers and the new daily flights will be incredibly popular.
"Business confidence in Doncaster is currently significantly ahead of regional and national trends; Robin Hood Airport remains the most significant development in Doncaster and South Yorkshire for decades, its continued growth and status as a key economic asset for the borough will help Doncaster stay ahead of the curve for years to come.
Aer Lingus chief executive Christoph Mueller said: "This franchise agreement is good news for all stakeholders in Aer Lingus as it will allow us to serve key regional destinations, linking them with our Dublin transatlantic network as well as offering our business and leisure customers improved schedule and frequency options."
"It is now critical that the infrastructure necessary for the growth of the airport is delivered."
Cheap flights to Malaga
It's no surprise that Marbella and Nerja feature so highly say the whole coast from Torremolinos down through Benalmadena, Fuengirola, and down to Marbella and the rich playground of Puerto Banus is a favourite with British holiday makers who access the Costa Del Sol on cheap flights to Malaga.
According to reports in the online news the beaches of Marbella and Nerja on Spains Costa Del Sol have earned themselves a place amongst the best twenty beaches in Europe, the study on a Spanish website was voted for by travellers who book their cheap flights and holidays on the internet. Palma de Mallorca is considered to have the best beach in Spain which includes the Balearic Islands, followed closely by Marbella and Nerja. There are sixteen Spanish destinations on the list in all.
The study also included Belek in Turkey, fly on cheap flights to Dalaman, Binz in Germany, Sorrento in Italy, fly on cheap flights to Naples and cheap flights to Funchal for Madeira , Dubrovnik in Croatia also featured.
Cheap flights to Malaga are available from Gatwick, Luton, Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, East midlands, Liverpool, London Stanstead and Glasgow.
You can find online specialising in cheap flights to Europe. Cheap flights to Paphos and Larnaca in Cyprus. Kos, Corfu, Samos, Rhodes, Prevesa, Kefalonia, Zante in Greece. Heraklion and Chania in Crete, Malaga, Alicante, Reus,in Spain, Gibralter, Dalaman, Izmir and Bodrum in Turkey. Faro on the Algarve and the Canary islands of Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura are also very popular cheap flight destinations holiday makers and sportman alike. Cheap flights and All Inclusive hotels in Egypts Red Sea resorts of Sharm El Sheikh, Masa alam, and Hurghada which are very popular for scuba diviers are also sold by airflights.
According to reports in the online news the beaches of Marbella and Nerja on Spains Costa Del Sol have earned themselves a place amongst the best twenty beaches in Europe, the study on a Spanish website was voted for by travellers who book their cheap flights and holidays on the internet. Palma de Mallorca is considered to have the best beach in Spain which includes the Balearic Islands, followed closely by Marbella and Nerja. There are sixteen Spanish destinations on the list in all.
The study also included Belek in Turkey, fly on cheap flights to Dalaman, Binz in Germany, Sorrento in Italy, fly on cheap flights to Naples and cheap flights to Funchal for Madeira , Dubrovnik in Croatia also featured.
Cheap flights to Malaga are available from Gatwick, Luton, Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, East midlands, Liverpool, London Stanstead and Glasgow.
You can find online specialising in cheap flights to Europe. Cheap flights to Paphos and Larnaca in Cyprus. Kos, Corfu, Samos, Rhodes, Prevesa, Kefalonia, Zante in Greece. Heraklion and Chania in Crete, Malaga, Alicante, Reus,in Spain, Gibralter, Dalaman, Izmir and Bodrum in Turkey. Faro on the Algarve and the Canary islands of Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura are also very popular cheap flight destinations holiday makers and sportman alike. Cheap flights and All Inclusive hotels in Egypts Red Sea resorts of Sharm El Sheikh, Masa alam, and Hurghada which are very popular for scuba diviers are also sold by airflights.
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