2007 Articles

EMA celebrates 'fantastic five'

Nottingham/East Midlands Airport (EMA) has celebrated the fact that a recent award win completes a 'fantastic five' accomplishments for the hub this year.

At the recent British Travel Awards, EMA was handed the 'airport of the year' accolade which, among other things, recognised the efficiency with which it moves passengers through its terminal.

In January this year Nottingham was named the best regional airport at the Travel Weekly Globe Awards and took the World Travel Award for the leading eco-friendly airport.
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Stansted 'embracing innovation'

Stansted Airport has claimed that its commitment to innovation and advancement through technology has been displayed at the latest transport forum.

The airport held its latest annual conference last week, which brought together more than 100 experts in their fields to focus on how technology can be used to provide solutions for potential transport problems in the future.

Issues were discussed by a number of speakers, from organisations including the Institute of Highways and Transportation, the Department for Transport and One Railway.
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Upgraded lounge at Gatwick Airport

A newly refurbished airport lounge has been opened at Gatwick, offering passengers a number of new features and amenities.

The new executive lounge is located at the north terminal of Gatwick Airport and covers an area of 4,000 square feet, making it twice the size of the previous facility.

BAA Gatwick said the lounge could be used as an "alternative relaxation area" or somewhere to get some work done before boarding a flight.
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Long-haul flights 'cheaper than ever'

Long-haul air travel is cheaper than it has ever been before, as increasing numbers of people become willing to pay for flights to far-flung destinations, according to Virgin Atlantic.

A spokesperson for the airline said that the growing audience for long-haul travel is making the industry more competitive, which consequently drives down prices.

"A competitive market means competitive ticket prices," Anna Knowles of Virgin Atlantic explained.
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Far East 'popular for honeymooners'

Jetting off to the Far East is a popular option among honeymooners owing to the romance and luxury on offer in many Oriental and Asian destinations, according to a wedding support company.

Francesca Moore, a spokesperson for Hitched.co.uk, said that luxury is "a big thing in the Far East".

She described the five-star hotels in the region as "out of this world" but said that, despite the luxurious nature of the holiday market in parts of the Far East, UK travellers' budgets can stretch a long way.
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Full cast confirmed for The Sea

The full cast has been confirmed for the upcoming production of Edward Bond's play The Sea.

Multi award-winning actress Eileen Atkins, who is currently on TV screens in BBC drama Cranford, will be one of the leading players in the show.

She will be joined by David Haig, who many audience members will recognise from his role in Four Weddings and a Funeral and sitcom The Thin Blue Line.
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London congestion 'sending passengers to regional hubs'

Regional hubs such as Birmingham Airport and Manchester Airport are seeing substantial growth, partly as a result of rising congestion in London, according to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Recent research by the group found that 42 per cent of all UK passengers travelled through airports outside London in 2006.

The study also discovered that annual passenger numbers at Britain's regional airports have exceeded 100 million for the first time.
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Birmingham consults with locals on expansion

The managers of Birmingham Airport have been holding consultations with local people to gauge opinion regarding plans for expansion at the hub.

Representatives from the West Midlands base began holding talks with local residents on November 19th and will continue to do so at various locations throughout the region until December 1st.

A statement from the airport said that the exercise is intended to "engage with the local community" about the forthcoming application for permission to expand, which will be submitted to Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council before the end of the year.
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New Philadelphia service for Heathrow next year

Heathrow Airport will be boosted by further access to North America next year, with US Airways set to launch a direct service between the London hub and Philadelphia.

The carrier announced that it will commence the service on March 29th and offer 29 envoy and 259 economy seats per flight.

Made possible by the Open Skies agreement reached by the EU and the US earlier this year, the new Philadelphia-Heathrow route will be US Airways' seventh new transatlantic service since 2006.
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Higher charges proposed to improve airports

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has proposed increases in the charges that airlines are required to pay for the use of Heathrow and Gatwick airports, with the aim of improving the level of service offered to passengers.

Airports operator BAA will be expected to use the revenue gained from the higher charges to upgrade the facilities at the London hubs and improve security.

Under the CAA proposals, which could come into effect next year, carriers will have to pay £11.97 per passenger to use Heathrow Airport and £6.07 to land at Gatwick Airport, which represent increases of 15.6 per cent and 8.2 per cent respectively from current levels.
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Aer Arann winter schedule links UK, Ireland

Aer Arann has unveiled its full winter schedule, which includes 18 routes that will operate between the UK and Ireland.

The carrier's seasonal network will be in effect until March 29th next year and will feature added capacity on flights between Manchester Airport and Kerry in the Republic of Ireland and more potential to carry customers between Edinburgh Airport and Galway.

A number of regional hubs will host Aer Arann flights this winter, including Bristol Airport, Leeds Bradford, Newcastle Airport, Birmingham and Cardiff Airport.
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