2007 Articles

EasyJet launches from Birmingham

Birmingham Airport hosted its first ever flight from low-fares airline easyJet on December 14th as the carrier commenced services to Geneva, Switzerland.

The daily connection is expected to prove popular with travellers in the Midlands owing to the access it provides to ski resorts.

Customers on the inaugural flight were greeted by Joe Kelly, acting managing director of Birmingham Airport, and David Osborne, easyJet's UK general manager.
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Long-haul markets fuel BAA airport growth

The British Airports Authority (BAA) recorded a small rise in the number of passengers travelling through its airports during November.

Among the key markets contributing to the 1.5 per cent year-on-year rise was the long-haul sector, with many of the 10.8 million passengers passing through BAA airports seeking a reprieve from plummeting winter temperatures.

The weaker dollar was also partly responsible for the spike in North Atlantic traffic, up 5.9 per cent, while UK domestic traffic fell by 4.3 per cent and demand for European flights was up a modest 0.9 per cent.
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Virgin opens 'Heathrow Terminal 6'

Virgin Atlantic has opened a new passenger facility at Heathrow Airport, which it dubbed 'Terminal Six' and claimed will offer a "fast and efficient" service.

The airline said the terminal, which was opened by the Spice Girls, is open for business immediately and boasted that the launch took place months before British Airways' transfer of its flights to Terminal Five.

According to Virgin Atlantic, the new facility will benefit people planning to use airport parking services, as it will be quicker to reach from central London by car than Terminal Five.
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Passenger numbers up as EMA prepares for holiday rush

Nottingham/East Midlands Airport (EMA) handled more passengers in November as holidaymakers embarked on winter getaways.

A total of 373,479 people passed through the hub last month, representing a 15.4 per cent increase on November 2006.

Low-cost airlines including Ryanair, easyJet and bmibaby launched new services from Nottingham in November, fuelling growth of 18.1 per cent in scheduled routes available from the airport.
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More Swiss flights to Manchester

Manchester Airport is to host more flights from Swiss Air Lines over the Christmas period, the carrier has announced.

The operator said that it has made seasonal adjustments to its European network in response to "customer needs".

As of December 22nd, five services a week will be available from EuroAirport – the hub that crosses the borders of France, Germany and Switzerland – to Manchester Airport.
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Edinburgh targets more winter visitors

It is hoped that Edinburgh Airport will welcome more winter visitors than usual in 2007-08 following the launch of a campaign to attract more tourists during the period.

Tourism agency VisitScotland said it hopes to give the city a 'winter makeover' by publicising the range of activities available over the winter period.

Among the options that will be promoted are a visit to Edinburgh's Winter Wonderland, Hogmanay celebrations in the city and shopping trips that take in the capital's top stores and boutiques.
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Gordon Ramsay to open Heathrow restaurant

Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay reportedly has plans to open a top restaurant at Terminal Five, the new passenger facility due to open at Heathrow Airport next year.

The famously foul-mouthed cook and businessman is aiming for the new establishment, to be called Plane Food, to be the first Michelin-starred airport restaurant.

Some £2 million has been invested in the project, which is expected to boost the prestige of the new Terminal Five by acting as an attraction to first and business-class travellers.
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EastEnders star plans a stay in Rent

Jessie Wallace, who played Kat Slater in EastEnders, is to star in West End musical Rent from December 24th this year.

The actress will take over the role of Maureen from another well known television personality, Denise Van Outen.

Wallace shot to fame playing the role of feisty ladette Kat in the BBC soap opera and has since appeared in television productions including A Class Apart and The Dinner Party.
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Travellers 'looking further afield than ever'

Modern holidaymakers are becoming increasingly ambitious and are set to jet off to more distant and disparate locations than ever before in 2008, according to lastminute.com.

A spokesperson for the company said that less mainstream, more exotic destinations such as Malaysia are expected to be in demand in 2008, as well as traditionally popular locations such as America.

"People are looking at going further away than ever before and we are predicting destinations such as Malaysia and the Maldives, but also the States," she said.
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Bristol braced for hectic holiday

Bristol Airport is set for a particularly busy holiday period this year as holidaymakers jet off to Christmas destinations, according to reports.

A rising number of travellers are expected to fly from the west country hub this December to popular Christmas shopping locations such as New York and German market towns like Bremen and Hamburg.

Demand is also anticipated for flights to Lapland, the mythical home of Father Christmas himself, the Western Daily Press reports.
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More passengers through Birmingham in November

Birmingham Airport saw a 2.2 per cent year-on-year increase in passengers in November, with 610,216 people travelling through the hub.

This comprised 511,481 scheduled passengers and 98,735 people boarding charter flights across Birmingham's two terminals, the latest figures from the airport reveal.

Routes to the Channel Islands saw passenger growth of 30.9 per cent in November, while 11.7 per cent more people used long-haul services to Asia and transatlantic flights saw an increase of 10.2 per cent.
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