Xtraordinay Adventures proposes budget space flights for rich folk

I would not believe that someone who had $100k to drop on a suborbital space flight would quibble much about an extra few grand or even an extra hundred grand. The folks with the disposable income to take a joy ride into space possibly don’t think twice about that kind of money.

A company called Xtraordinary Adventures has stated that it is pre-booking suborbital space flights on its reusable Lynx spacecraft for $95,000. The company points out that its cost is $7000 less than Space Adventures and $100,000 less than Virgin Galactic’s price.

To book your trips, which begin to launch in 2012, you require coughing up a $20,000 deposit. The flight will strike speeds up to mach 3.5 and your $95k gets you a four-day training session and a two-day brief before the flight.

Lufthansa Sees increase in 2010 Profit after Strong Quarter

German flagship airline Lufthansa said it predicts to post 2010 operating profit in line with market expectations as demand for air travel and cargo services picked up in the first half of the year.

The company had previously said it sees its 2010 operating profit beyond last year's 130 million euros (USD 169 million) as global economic recovery assists offset the negative impact of a volcanic ash cloud that swept across Europe in April.

On average, analysts anticipate Lufthansa to post 2010 operating profit of 399 million euros, according to a Reuters poll.

Lufthansa said late on Wednesday is still expects its full-year revenues to boost from 2009's 22.28 billion euros.

The carrier's optimism echoes European peers' latest statements.

Rival Air France-KLM on Tuesday revealed a narrower-than-expected quarterly loss as the fallout from April's ash crisis dropped into second place behind renewed evidence of an upswing in the economy.

Lufthansa's operating profit in the April-June period tripled to 159 million euros, exceeding the 123 million euro average approximation in a Reuters poll.

Etihad succeeds security approval for US flights from T3

Etihad Airways has been handed security approval to begin US flights from the new terminal 3 at Abu Dhabi International Airport.

Passengers flying to Chicago and New York will currently check-in and board from Terminal 3 after the airline won the green light to operate flights to US destinations from the new terminal.

Premium customers flying to the US can at present access Etihad's First and Business class check-in and lounges in Terminal 3, news agency WAM reported. It is predictable that passenger numbers will reach this level in 2011.

Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways' chief commercial officer, said: "We are delighted to now be able to offer our US-bound customers the convenience and luxury of Terminal 3."

British Airways seems to Add Air France, 31 Others to U.K. Cartel Case

British Airways PLC asked a U.K. court to add Air France-KLM Group, Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. and 30 other carriers as defendants in a court case over a price- fixing cartel for air-freight services.

British Airways made the request in the High Court in London to defend itself against payments it may be ordered to make in the case, according to a statement today from Hausfeld & Co. LLP, the law firm for two flower importers who sued the airline. The importers are looking for a class-action status.

“We expect that this will be a positive move in that it will encourage airlines to recognize their European liability to shippers and to begin the process of making sensible commercial settlements,” Anthony Maton of Hausfeld said in the statement.

British Airways in 2007 pleaded guilty to plotting to set extra charges on passenger and cargo flights and was fined $300 million in the U.S. Dozens of carriers have been investigated by antitrust regulators worldwide since 2006, when the U.S. and the European Union started probing the industry.

Singapore Airlines to raise Service to Los Angeles and Houston

Singapore Airlines has adjusted its schedule to offer higher service frequencies on a variety of routes throughout its northern-winter schedule period from October 31 to March 26.

The adjustments are in response to further development in demand for travel, Singapore Airlines says.

Singapore Airlines’ capacity to and from Russia and the United States will boost, with flights on the Singapore-Los Angeles and Singapore-Moscow-Houston sectors operating daily. SIA’s SQ38/SQ37, the all Business Class round-trip plying the Singapore-Los Angeles route, and SQ62/SQ61, the airline’s round-trip service to Moscow and Houston, now operates five times per week.

Besides operating daily will be flights SQ328/SQ327, Singapore-Munich-Manchester, up from five times a week.

Round-trip SQ608/SQ609 on the Singapore-Seoul route will function seven times a week, up from four. This will increase Singapore Airlines’ total frequency to and from the South Korean capital to 21 times a week, up from 18 times.

Kingfisher to close check-in counters untimely to curb delay

Kingfisher airlines will shut its domestic check-in counters 40 minutes before the departure time to curb flight delays, the airline said Tuesday.

The decision by the country’s second leading private sector airline follows a circular issued by the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to curb flight delays and pile-ups at the airports.

This modify has been essential to ensuring compliance with the directions and procedures specified in air transport circular 10 of 2009 mattered by the DGCA and which is being implemented by DGCA now, said Prakash Mirpuri, vice president, corporate communications.

This in fact means that our check—in counters will shut 10 minutes before than they used to, he added.

Air France hostess stole thousands from passengers

An Air France stewardess stole tens of thousands of pounds in cash and jewellery from business class passengers on 142 separate long haul flights.

The 47-year old hostess, referred to only as Lucie R. plundered credulous passengers as she "conscientiously" tucked them up while they slept on international flights from Paris to the Far East.

French border police launched a hunt for the "mile-high" thief after dozens of well-heeled passengers reported the vanishing of wads of euros, yen and Swiss Francs, as well as luxury watches, jewels, chequebooks and credit cards.

The Paris-Tokyo line was her particular favorite, police said, as Japanese customers tend to travel with big amounts of cash. They wholly dropped their guard as the woman was a true professional, tending to their every need.

The woman is now in custody awaiting trial and faces a maximum ten year prison sentence if convicted, police said.

Air France said it was only guilty for belongings checked in and stored in the grasp, anything stolen on board was a travel insurance matter.

Lufthansa receives delivery of 2nd Airbus A380

Just two months since delivery of its first Airbus A380, Lufthansa has obtained the second of the type in Hamburg. The new A380 will be ferried from Hamburg to Frankfurt on 21 July prior to being named Munchen at a cheerful ceremony at Munich Airport by the wife of Munich’s governing mayor on 28 July. Its inclusion in the Lufthansa fleet will increase frequencies ex Frankfurt to Tokyo from three times weekly to daily services from 2 August.

In the Lufthansa configuration, the A380 seats a total of 526 passengers. An exclusively new First Class with eight deluxe seats on the upper deck reflects individuality, superior comfort and technical innovation, making air travel an even more relaxing and pleasant experience.

The upper deck moreover accommodates the prize-winning Business Class with 98 seats. Comfort is improved additionally in the 420 seats in an impressive and generously dimensioned Economy Class. Numerous airports around the world are at present preparing for the arrival of A380 flights. In Frankfurt, the home base of the Lufthansa A380 fleet, passengers are before now boarding and disembarking from the new flagship on two levels.

Too Good For Canned Beer? ANA provides Draft Beer In-Flight

At home, canned or bottled beer does alright, but when I am out I forever obtain draft. Sometimes when I fly, I might have a beer and will compose do it coming out of a can or bottle. However, All Nippon Airways (ANA) is taking it up a notch by offering draft beer on some of their flights.

Draft beer you would find at your local pub comes out of a keg, using extremely pressurized carbon dioxide gas, which can't be bringing on board a plane. Though, ANA worked with Hoshizaki Electric and effectively developed a beer dispenser made especially for in-flight use. Dry ice is used to stay the beer cold (and refreshing) during the flight.

Starting July 20th, passengers on domestic ANA flights will have the chance to try some draft beer. Let's hope this catches on and more airlines will soon pursue suit.

Delta declares Tokyo-Haneda Flight Schedules

Delta Air Lines today announced flight schedules for fresh daily, year-round flights between Tokyo's Haneda Airport and Detroit and Los Angeles.

The new flights, which begin Jan. 29, 2011, will be offered for sale to customers beginning Saturday, July 17 at delta.com and through other ticketing channels. Flights are listed as follows, subject to government approval:

Flight	Departs	Arrives	Effective	Aircraft
627	Detroit at 7:30 p.m.	Tokyo-Haneda at 11 p.m.*	Jan. 29, 2011	Boeing 747-400
628	Tokyo-Haneda at 6:55 a.m.	Detroit at 4:50 a.m.	Jan. 30, 2011	Boeing 747-400
635	Los Angeles at 12:10 a.m.	Tokyo-Haneda at 5 a.m.*	Jan. 29, 2011	Boeing 747-400
636	Tokyo-Haneda at 1 a.m.	Los Angeles at 6:40 p.m.**	Jan. 31, 2011	Boeing 747-400

*Arrives next day
**Arrives previous day

The new service becomes offered for sale following a new U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) decision giving Delta's global alliance – SkyTeam – its first opportunity to battle across the Pacific from Haneda.

Air Canada Jazz to start Toronto-New Orleans Service in October

Air Canada is commencement daily, non-stop service between Toronto and New Orleans on October 30 using 75-seat, Bombardier CRJ705 regional jets operated by partner regional airline Jazz Air.

Jazz Air is a stand-alone, listed company which functions for Air Canada under the name Air Canada Jazz. Its CRJ705s character 10 Executive-class seats and 65 Economy-class seats and present seatback, personal audio-visual entertainment throughout the aircraft.

“Air Canada is very delighted to offer customers service between Toronto and New Orleans, the eighth new route from Toronto to the U.S. we will launch this year,” says said Ben Smith, Air Canada’s executive vice president and chief commercial officer. “New Orleans was just voted one of the top ten cities to visit in the U.S. and Canada by the well-respected Travel + Leisure magazine and there are also imperative business connections between New Orleans and Canada.”

American seeks endorsement to fly to Rio from Dallas/Fort Worth

American Airlines has pertained with the U.S. Department of Transportation for the rights to fly to Rio de Janeiro from its hub at Dallas/Fort Worth. If the demand is approved by regulators, AA would begin flying three weekly round-trip flights on Nov. 18.

The carrier plans to fly the route by Boeing 767-300 jets configured with 28 business-class seats and 191 in coach.

"We are delighted to offer flights from American's largest hub at DFW to the second largest city in South America," Peter Dolara, AA's Senior Vice President – Mexico Caribbean and Latin America, says in a press release.

"Most existing service to Rio flies from gateways along the East Coast, and flights from DFW to Rio will give substantial benefits to passengers and shippers, particularly because of the ability to make easy and suitable connections to and from dozens of cities via Dallas/Fort Worth," Dolara adds.

New nonstops from South America arrive at SFO

Last week LAN Airlines launched nonstop flights between San Francisco International Airport and Lima, Peru-- the only nonstops between the Bay Area and South America.

It takes just over nine hours to fly between SFO and Lima and the nonstop flight means no extra stopovers in LAX, DFW or MIA on your way down or back. Nice! Flights fly overnight from Lima, arriving at SFO at 7 a.m. and depart SFO at 1:15 p.m. arriving in Lima at the adverse hour of 12:20 a.m.

LAN Peru flies the route by long-haul Boeing 767-300s with room for 221 passengers. These aircraft offer a Premium Business Class cabin that comprises full flat, 180-degree reclining seats in addition to what LAN is calling a "renovated" Economy class. Both cabins feature a state of the art on demand entertainment system with personal elevated definition screens for each seat. LAN's fleet is young-- planes are just 5.1 years old on average.

Business class passengers will pay a premium for those non-stops...LAN fares over the next only some months are in the $5000 range while one-stop roundtrip flights on other airlines are more like $2300. Coach fares are in the $1200-$1500 round trip range.

LAN Peru will present four flights per week to Lima on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday with ongoing service to Sao Paulo, Brazil and plus connections to over 50 destinations in South America.

Etihad Flights to Alexandria on auction

Flights to Etihad Airways’ newest destination, Alexandria in Egypt, are now on sale, following endorsement by the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority and the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority for Etihad to run four flights a week between Etihad’s home base in Abu Dhabi and Alexandria’s El Nouzha Airport, commencing July 12 2010.

Return Coral Economy class fares are priced from AED 1,405, with taxes and charges and return Pearl Business class fares are priced from AED 5,415.

Etihad Holidays is also present a new range of holidays to Alexandria in conjunction with the new services, with three-night packages, breakfast and return airport transfers opening from AED 2,730.

James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ Chief Executive Officer, said: We anticipate the quality of Etihad’s award-winning services to be very well received by business and leisure travelers flying in both directions.

“We are pleased to be beginning this new destination in time for the busy holiday period and are expecting our fares and new Etihad Holiday packages to sell quickly over the summer.”

Continental Airlines to begin Newark-Cairo nonstop flights on May 18, 2011

Continental Airlines (Houston) announced plans to begin nonstop flights between the Newark Liberty hub and Cairo, Egypt, beginning on May 18, 2011, subject to government approval.

Cairo, the major city in Africa and the Middle East, will be the 72nd international destination that Continental serves from its New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport and the 30th city in Continental's trans-Atlantic route network.

Continental will functions the approximately 5,600-mile flight with a Boeing 777-200 ER aircraft, seating 50 customers in Business First with flat-bed seats and 226 customers in economy class. Flying time eastbound will be roughly 10 hours, 25 minutes, and westbound will be approximately 12 hours, 10 minutes.

Air China elevates first class fares

Air China will hike the ticket fares for its first and business class flights on 43 domestic routes from July 15, the first airline to construct such a move since the government eased restrictions on pricing June 1, according to Xinhua News Agency.

Its first class ticket will cost as much as 230 percent of an economy class ticket, compared with 150 percent before.

Delta seems to add 2 Japan flights

Delta Air Lines Inc. said on Friday that it will seek to include flights between Honolulu and Nagoya, Japan, and between Tokyo and the island of Palau.

Both flights will connect Japan with admired leisure destinations in the Pacific.

Delta said it would begin daily service between Nagoya and Honolulu on Dec. 22 if it obtains government approval. It said it would exploit Boeing 767-300ER aircraft with 216 seats for the flights.

Delta said it had applied with the U.S. Transportation Department to start four-times-a-week flights between Narita airport in Tokyo, where Delta has a hub, and Palau.

Delta Air Lines shares fell 85 cents, or 7.3 percent, to $10.87 in afternoon trading.

Flying car almost prepared for take-off

An aeroplane that can drive on roads is one step closer to being commercially existing after clearing a major hurdle with US aviation authorities.

The Transition, which is being described as the world's first flying car, transforms from a vehicle to a winged aircraft in 30 seconds.

US authorities have bent their rules for the aircraft, which could make it much more available for people without a pilot's licence.

Anna Dietrich, who works for the company building the Transition, clarifies how it works.

"Once you've landed at the airport you can fold up the wings devoid of having to get out of the cockpit," she said.

It takes about the similar amount of time as putting down your convertible top.

"Once you've done that the power from the engine is directed to the wheels and you now have a street legal vehicle that you can drive to where you really wanted to go."