Engine stop working on Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong to Europe

Hong Kong aviation officials were examining an engine failure on a Cathay Pacific flight to Amsterdam carrying more than 300 people, a radio report said Tuesday.

One engine of the Boeing 747 aircraft's four engines had to be shut down on the flight Sunday as of overheating and vibration, according to government-run radio station RTHK.

The aircraft landed securely in Amsterdam, it said.

In April, a Cathay Pacific Airbus A330 carrying 322 passengers did a crisis landing at Hong Kong International Airport after one engine failed and the other developed problems.

Air Pacific restarts International Auckland to Suva Service This Week

Fiji's National carrier, Air Pacific, is making it probable for New Zealanders to fly directly from Auckland to Suva from this week, with a new service commencing on Friday (2 July).

Regional General Manager for Air Pacific in New Zealand, George Dyer, says the new jet-operated international service into Suva's Nausori Airport offers Kiwi travellers an essential alternative to Nadi.

"This service will be popular for business travel, as well as people wanting to visit friends and relatives near Suva, and for families seeking for an alternative entry point into Fiji for their holiday. We're excited to be able to offer this service once again after several years of flying into Nadi only," says Mr Dyer.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Fiji Islands (CAAFI) approved the new service following Airports Fiji Limited (AFL) completed essential work to upgrade the Suva airfield and airport to permit Air Pacific 737-700 aircraft to operate into the airport.

The Auckland-Suva service will primarily resume with a weekly Friday flight, and the airline will add a second weekly flight at the similar scheduled time on Mondays beginning on 2 August. The confirmed schedule will be as follows:

Fridays (and Mondays beginning on 2 August) FJ430 AKL-SUV Departs 8:00am Arrives 11:05am FJ431 SUV-AKL Departs 12:15pm Arrives 3:20pm

Air Pacific will operate by a Boeing 737-700 aircraft with eight seats in Tabua/Business Class and 110 in Pacific Voyager/Economy Class. The new Suva service will complement Air Pacific's existing Nadi-Auckland schedule of up to 13 weekly flights, in addition to the weekly Nadi-Christchurch flight.

Bookings are available through www.airpacific.com or by calling your travel agent.

American Airlines transporting Miami flights to Gainesville airport

American Airlines is coming to Gainesville. The carrier will present two round-trip flights a day to Miami starting Oct. 1, Gainesville Regional Airport spokeswoman Michelle Danisovszky said Monday.

That boosts the number of round trip flights to 13 a day out of Gainesville, on top of Delta's service to Atlanta and US Airways' service to Charlotte, N.C.

Daily departures from Gainesville to Miami are now scheduled for 7:45 a.m. and 1:20 p.m., with Miami to Gainesville flights at 11:15 a.m. and 8:20 p.m.

The airport has received a important number of letters from business people, consultants, lawyers, faculty and staff at the University of Florida, including people based in Miami, to show American the require for Gainesville-Miami service, Danisovszky said.

We've been talking with them for years and giving information, and annoying to be as helpful as probable in figuring out the amount of traffic that would be there, she said.

British Airways’ Premium Sale

If you plan on being across the pond, British Airways is presenting a premium sale from London to other parts of the world in its business class luxury cabins. The sale ends July 6, so act fast, since most of these fares take off from London.

Get advantage of fully flat beds, or the understated luxury of the flagship First brand, which British Airways invested $100 million on for its exclusive design and luxury.

The business class fares come at a time when the airline is struggling with Unite, the union group that symbolizes its flight attendants and is in charge of the periodic strikes this year that have plagued the carrier’s schedule.

British Airways CEO Willie Walsh identifies that there may be a few hesitations among travelers to fly with BA at a time like this, but that it is his target to keep flying 100% of our longhaul operation throughout the coming months.

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Air fares to increase from July

Domestic and international flights from India will become a little more costly from July 1.

From that day, airlines will inflict a 10 per cent service tax on the gross value of the domestic and international air tickets subject to a ceiling of Rs 100 for each domestic and Rs 500 for each international journey in economy class.

Airline officials said that the gross value comprises the base price and fuel surcharge. Passenger security fee and airport charges will not be covered for formative the gross value of the ticket.

A few airports exempted. The service tax will not be valid on passengers undertaking a journey originating or terminating in an airport in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura or Bagdogra airport in West Bengal.
At the moment, a service tax is levied just on first and business class international flights taken from India. Now, there is no service tax on domestic flights.

The decision to levy a service tax on domestic and every section of international flights was declared as part of the Union Budget 2010-11. Meanwhile, some international airlines plan to move toward the Government to seek an exemption from service tax on tickets issued before June 22.

The announcement was issued on June 22 and comes into effect from July 1. It will be complex for airlines to collect the service tax from those passengers who have bought their ticket prior to the notification was issued but will be travelling after its implementation comes into effect, a senior official with a global airline said.

The Government has exempt certain services from the levy of service tax given they are within a port or an airport as well as supply of water, electricity, services provided by fire service agencies, repair of ships or vessels or boats belonging to the Government including Navy, Coast Guards or Customs but not Government owned Public Sector Undertakings and pollution control services.

KLM commences scheduled service to Kigali

With effect from the initiate of the new winter schedule on 31 October 2010, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines will launch scheduled service between Amsterdam and Kigali International Airport in Rwanda. Kigali will then happen to KLM’s 64th intercontinental destination.

Five flights a week will be presented to Kigali with an intermediate stopover in Entebbe. The flights will be functioned using Airbus A330-200 equipment. This aircraft type proposes seats for 243 passengers; 30 in World Business Class and 213 in Economy Class.

KLM President & CEO Peter Hartman: Adding Kigali as a latest destination strengthens KLM’s position in East Africa. This region is of key importance to the wide Air France-KLM network.

Together with partner airline Kenya Airways, KLM will offer Kigali as the 5th destination served straight in East Africa, along with Nairobi, Entebbe, Kilimanjaro and Dar Es Salaam. KLM-Kenya Airways operates entirety of 41 weekly flights between East Africa and Europe.

With effect from 31 October 2010, flight KL563 will leave from Schiphol on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays at 10:15 hours, arriving the same day in Kigali at 21:25 hours. The return flights (KL564) will quit from Kigali on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays at 22:30 hours, arriving a day afterward in Amsterdam at 08:15 hours. Flights to this new destination can be booked from Thursday, 24 June by the reservations systems or online via www.klm.com.

Qatar Airways to append new flights to Thailand

Qatar Airways has revealed that it will add six new routes to its network, with offering more flights to Thailand. Travelers will be able to get advantage of daily flights to Phuket from the carrier from October 11th.

Phuket is the first of the new destinations to be added to the network, with the other five services to be rolled out over the next four months. In addition to Phuket, Qatar Airways will also propose new flights to Hanoi, Nice, Bucharest, Budapest and Brussels.

Akbar Al Baker, the company's chief executive officer, explained that these destinations symbolize markets underserved so these are excellent opportunities for us to tap into.

Last month, the Skytrax World Airline Awards 2010 saw Qatar Airways positioned amongst the top three carriers in the world.

The organization also picked up the prize for the world's most excellent business class service and the staff service excellence award for the Middle East.

Five Reasons You must Fly TAM Airlines

TAM Airlines, Brazil's largest airline and the Southern Hemisphere's busiest airline, currently offers both a comprehensive domestic network and is rapidly expanding its intercontinental reach. Here are five causes to fly this Sao Paulo carrier:

1. TAM is currently a Star alliance member.
2. Did you know that you can obtain complimentary car service as a First Class and Business Class passenger on TAM flights from any US gateway? Transfer service is offered from the hotel, home or office and to these locations from the airport.
3. TAM presents VIP Lounges in New York, Miami, Orlando and several airports throughout Brazil.
4. Within South America, TAM offers 10 destinations with more than 140 weekly schedules departing from numerous locations in Brazil to Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Venezuela, Peru and Bolivia.
5. Need extra legroom? For just an extra $50 you can extend out in your economy class seat.

Spirit Airlines resumes flights offers deals

Flights are getting back to normal for Spirit Airlines, and the company needs to win back its customers.

Spirit Air's pilots went on strike last Saturday over a pay dispute, but they reached a deal on Thursday, and flights entirely resumed on Friday.

Now, to acquire customers back in the air, Spirit Airlines is offering $50 off your next flight, and 5,000 bonus miles.

Introducing WannaJet: Offering Travel on Private Jets at the cost of Business Class Flights

The first private jet service offering seats on private flights at a fixed price, equivalent to Business Class fares -- WannaJet -- launched in the U.S. June 9th 2010 with over 60 domestic routes available. For the first time in history, private jets will be existing to an entirely new demographic. Frequent flyers accustomed to Business Class flights on commercial airlines will never again have to deal with exhausting security lines, long waits at baggage claim and redundant delays at the airport.

WannaJet permits passengers to book seats on private jets, thus allowing 4-6 passengers to share the cost of the private jet charter. By sharing private flights, WannaJet will be able to cut the overhead costs concerned with private jets, thus decreasing the price by 80% per person, and building it comparable to commercial airline Business Class fares.

With no membership fee, WannaJet has the most competitive pricing for private jet charter as well as the most suitable and efficient booking process. The booking process is fully automated via the WannaJet website; in just 1 minute a traveler can book a seat on the jet. The website also shows accurate routes available, the number of passengers booked and their final price. Therefore, WannaJet is able to offer each traveler with a ticket to his/her destination at a price and process that is comparable to that of Business Class flights, with all the luxury of private jet service.

British Airways to fly to Cancun from Gatwick Airport

British Airways (BA) has announced that it is to start operating services between Gatwick Airport and Cancun this winter.

From November 3rd, two direct flights every week will run between the London travel hub and the popular Mexican tourist destination.

Passengers will cross the Atlantic on a Boeing-777, which comprises three separate cabins and flat beds in Club World business class.

Richard Tams, head of UK and Ireland sales and marketing, said that BA is the only scheduled airline to present direct services from the UK to Cancun.

As well as offering upmarket internationally familiar luxury hotels, unspoilt beaches and award winning golf courses and spas, [Cancun] is also the gateway to the Yucatan Peninsula with its Mayan ruins and ancient history, he added.

Seats on the latest service went on sale on Tuesday June 15th.

easyJet also declared the creation of a new route from Gatwick Airport recently. From September 8th, the airline will start running services between the London travel hub and the Swedish city of Gothenburg.

First Class Service to Regional Flights adds by Delta Airlines

Delta Air Lines is adding first class service to its regional Delta Connection flights and starting this fall, all domestic routes that are 750 miles or longer will have two-class service and comprise between nine and 12 first class seats.

First class passengers will obtain meal, china and linen service; pre-departure beverages and complimentary cocktails, beer and wine.

With the new first class service, SkyMiles elite members will have more chances for upgrades on 50 additional routes, as well as flights between New York and Memphis, Tenn.; Detroit and San Antonio; Atlanta and Montreal and Cincinnati and Dallas/Fort Worth, to name a few.

To observation a list of routes operated by CRJ-700 aircraft that will be upgraded with a first class cabin, visit the link below.

Continental to open its foremost nonstop route to Africa

Despite its name, Continental Airlines Inc. had forever omitted one continent from its destinations -- Africa. But that's going to possibility in November 2011 when the airline will start flying nonstop from its Houston hub to Nigeria.

Pending government approval, Continental will fly once daily each way among Lagos, Nigeria, and George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston. Travelers on this way will fly in Boeing 787 Dreamliners.

According to Continental, this would create Houston the only city in the western hemisphere -- and one of only four in the world -- with nonstop service to each inhabited continent.

Singapore Airlines to raise Flights to Munich and Manchester

Daily flights between Manchester Airport and Munich will be offered from Singapore Airlines from September. The airline has been operating five services per week between the two cities as the route was created in late March.

From September 1st two extra flights per week will be initiated on a Monday and Wednesday creating a daily service from Manchester Airport.

Mr Goh Choon Phong, Singapore Airlines' executive vice president marketing and the regions, said that the accompaniments to the schedule are a testament to the popularity of the route.

The aircraft will be prepared with flat-bed seats and 30 inch wide business class seats for the comfort of passengers travelling on the aircraft from Singapore. Singapore Airlines now offers services to 64 cities in 34 countries around the world.

Aero Republica commences business class flights

Colombian carrier Aero Republica commences business class seats on international routes in and out of Colombia.

Clients will be able to like the luxuries of business class in flights between Panama and the Colombian cities of Bogota, Cali, Medellin and Barranquilla, as well as the newly inaugurated Bogota-Quito-Bogota route.

The business class facilities comprise VIP waiting rooms, preferential service and boarding, baggage priority, more comfortable and spacious seating, moist towelettes, more meal options and a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, reports Terra.

OnePass members will also receive more frequent flyer miles and will be eligible to obtain automatic upgrades to business class up to five days before they fly.

At Aero Republica we feel proud to be able to proclaim to travelers our new business class on more than 120 international flights per week, said airline President Roberto Junguito Pombo.

Leaving on a Jet Plane?

WannaJet bets someone else is too… and they’ll vend you a seat for the cost of a business class ticket.

The first private jet service targeting first and business class clientele commenced yesterday. Like to the way Expedia searches commercial flights for empty seats, WannaJet drives down the costs of chartered jets by linking up passengers traveling to the same destination. Once four or extra travelers confirm a flight, WannaJet charters their jet.

Membership is free, and the service permits passengers to bypass security lines, baggage claim, delays and crappy airplane food. WannaJet partners with TastingsNYC to offer delicious custom fare like daurade sushi rolls, avocado mousse and beef crostini.

The company books flights out of small airports like New York’s Teterboro and White Plains and now has over 60 popular domestic routes. Expect costs like to a 1st or business class ticket: NYC to Boston is $560 and NYC to DC is $620 (one way).

Jetstar announces latest services

Low-cost carrier Jetstar Airways has chosen Melbourne and Auckland as its initial two long-haul destinations from Singapore.

The Qantas Airways Ltd-owned Jetstar will start Melbourne-Singapore services from December 16 this year, while Auckland-Singapore flights will start from March 17, 2011, the airline said a report on Wednesday.

It will base two wide-body Airbus A330-200 aircraft in Singapore. They are configured to hold 303 passengers in a two-class cabin.

The first will arrive from Qantas mainline in November, with the second A330 to come from the Airbus factory in premature 2011.

Jetstar chief executive Bruce Buchanan said the new flights presented travelers an array of new affordable travel options.

Air France to offers A380 service to Tokyo

From September 1 passengers flying Air France between Paris CDG and Tokyo Narita will be proficient to sample the A380 superjumbo.

Mind you, Air France will not be the initial European carrier to serve Tokyo with the A380. That honor goes to Germany’s Lufthansa which will inaugurate A380 flights between Europe and Japan next Friday when it commences a rival service out of Frankfurt into Tokyo Narita.

But Air France’s new service will be an admirable competitor especially, as with Lufthansa, its flights are timed to offer a large number of connecting possibilities through its Paris CDG hub.

The A380 will run Air France’s flight AF276 each Wednesday, Friday and Sunday from Paris CDG which arrives into Tokyo the next morning at 0810.

The carrier’s A380 accommodates utmost of 538 passengers. There are nine first class seats on the inferior deck and 80 business class seats upstairs.

Airline industry returns to profit, but Europe struggles behind ash cloud

The airline industry with earn $2.5bn in profits worldwide in 2010, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said on Monday, scrapping an estimate for a $2.8bn deficit as the economy rebounds.

The global economy is improving from the depths of the financial crisis much more quickly than could have been anticipated, IATA Chief Executive Officer Giovanni Bisignani said today in a statement to the organization’s annual conference in Berlin. Airlines are promoting from a strong traffic rebound that is pushing the industry into the black.

Collective revenue is predict to total $545bn this year, up 13pc from $483bn in 2009, when the industry lost about $10bn. IATA says it will take two years instead of three for sales to recover to peak levels, given predictable growth in 2010 of 7pc in Asia and 3.3pc in the U.S.

In spite of the general recovery, European airlines will lose about $2.8bn in 2010, IATA says, $600m more than the March estimate.

Emirates to operate second daily Heathrow-Dubai A380 service begins from June 15

Emirates will begin flying its second daily A380 service from Heathrow to Dubai two weeks ahead of schedule after taking an early delivery from Airbus.

The flights will commence operating on June 15 on Emirates' 20 40hrs (EK004) service from Heathrow. The airline by now operates the A380 on its 14 15hrs departure (Flight EK002) from the airport.

Conrad Clifford, Vice President, Emirates said our passengers are giving the A380 rave reviews and we are delighted to be able to bring in a second super jumbo service from London earlier than planned.

On September 1, 2010 Emirates will also launch a daily A380 service from Manchester to Dubai – the first time an airline has operated the ‘super jumbo’ from a regional airport.

The 517-seat aircraft proposes 14 flat-bed First Class Private Suites, with electrically operated doors, and 76 fully-flat seats in Business Class - all with mini bars and aisle access.

BA cabin crew strike assists boost Ryanair

Cabin crew last night completed a second tranche of three five-day strikes in a argument over the airline's cost-cutting drive and reduced staffing levels on long-haul flights from Heathrow.

Another five-day walkout is due to begin tomorrow, less than a week before the football World Cup in South Africa.

Ryanair appears to be taking complete advantage of the cabin crew strike at British Airways.

Yesterday it appeared the Irish carrier flew 17 per cent more passengers in May while BA carried 11.5 per cent fewer flyers in the month compared with a year ago.

BA said the passenger fall was mostly because of the disruption caused by seven days of walkouts by cabin crew.

Emirates begins daily A380 service to Jeddah

Emirates Airline said on Tuesday that it is starting to fly its A380 to Jeddah daily, following the superjumbo’s victorious entrance into the market in February.

Ahmed Khoory, Emirates’ senior vice president Commercial Operations Gulf, Middle East and Iran said: The popularity of the A380 into Jeddah has surpassed our initial expectations. Passenger loads across all three classes are performing tremendously well.

The A380 is the merely three class configuration aircraft to fly into Saudi Arabia, bringing Emirates’ Business Class to the country for the first time.

Khoory added that the arrival of the A380 had improved the airline's overall capacity on the route by 17 percent.

From June 22, Emirates will also enhance its services to Riyadh, the airline said in a statement.

It will operate one additional flight per week on a Tuesday, having already added a further three weekly flights for summer, getting its total weekly services to 11.

Cathay Pacific commences signature dishes on flights

Cathay Pacific Airways proclaimed today that it is featuring a range of Cathay Pacific Signature Dishes on its services this year.

The dishes are from the airline's home city of Hong Kong and aim to bring in authentic flavors to passengers from around the world as well as giving Hong Kong passengers a taste of home.

The Hong Kong enthused foods being served in First and Business Class includes congee, hot pot rice, noodle soups and Chinese deserts. The dishes are served in rotation throughout the year.