2008 Articles

Gatwick improves punctuality in first quarter

The Association of European Airlines (AEA) has released figures covering its members' punctuality in the first quarter of 2008, showing improving performance at Gatwick Airport.

Some 19.5 per cent of departures from Gatwick suffered delays of 15 minutes or more, according to the figures, meaning that the London airport was not far behind the best performer, Munich airport, which saw 17.6 per cent of its flights delayed.

Gatwick was one of the top ten airports of 28 surveyed by the AEA.
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Belfast connected to Jersey, Menorca

Travellers in Northern Ireland have been offered more holiday options from today with the announcement of new flights from Belfast International Airport.

Low-cost airline Jet2.com has confirmed that new services will launch next year from Belfast to the Channel Island of Jersey and the Balearic island of Menorca.

The carrier said that the new flights represent its "continued commitment" to its northern airports.
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Plans unveiled for more flights from Leeds/Bradford

Plans have been unveiled for new and ambitious flights from Leeds/Bradford Airport, according to reports.

Major new connections to America and destinations in the Middle East are in the pipeline and could form an important part of plans to boost passenger numbers.

The Yorkshire airport hopes to increase its number of destinations from 75 to 100 over the next five years, the Bradford Telegraph and Argus reports.
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UK's most punctual airlines revealed

The most punctual scheduled and low-cost airlines operating at the UK's major airports have been revealed by flightontime.info, using information from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

In the scheduled airlines section, Eastern Airways was named the best performer in the first quarter of 2008, followed by Air Berlin and bmi regional.

The most punctual low-cost airline in the first three months of the year was bmibaby, according to the statistics, followed by Ryanair and Flybe, all of which had average delays of between ten and 11 minutes.
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Stansted opens first phase of terminal extension

The first phase of the new terminal extension at Stansted Airport was opened this week, a development that was described as "an important statement" of BAA's confidence in the airport's future growth.

Unveiled on July 1st, the extension is part of a £50 million investment in new passenger facilities at Stansted.

It provides a number of new features designed to improve the airport experience, including nearly 6,000 square metres of additional space for arriving passengers, a sixth baggage reclaim belt and extra desk space for immigration control.
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New route linking Gatwick to Spain

A new route has been set up between Gatwick Airport and the Spanish town of Vigo, according to reports.

The budget airline, Clickair, is now running the flights three times per week between the two destinations.

The inaugural flight to the destination, which is the biggest city in the Spanish region of Gallicia, took place on June 21st using an Airbus A320, TravelMole reports.
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New A380 to operate more London routes

More flights will be jetting off from London Heathrow Airport following the arrival of an additional A380 to the fleet of planes operated by Singapore Airlines, it has been announced.

The addition of a fifth A380 to the airline's range of aircraft is set to facilitate several additional flights every week.

There will be an extra daily service which is set to be run by the airline. There will also be a lunchtime departure and late evening departure which is to leave on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. This route is to commence from July 16th.
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Sunday Times travel award winners announced

The Sunday Times Travel Magazine has revealed the winners of its latest reader awards, with Australia taking the top accolade of best worldwide country.

Readers of the magazine said that Australia was a worthy winner on the basis of its "sport, sunsets and super-happy people".

The country won the award ahead of the USA, New Zealand, Thailand and the Maldives, which completed the top five.
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Virgin promotes online check-in at UK hubs

Virgin Atlantic has launched a promotion to encourage people to check in online for their flights from the airline's UK bases.

Passengers who check in online for their flights from Heathrow Airport, Gatwick Airport and Manchester Airport between July 1st and August 31st will be offered discounts on fragrances from the airline's onboard retail selection.

People flying from Heathrow and Gatwick will also receive vouchers and discounts that can be used in shops at the airline's London terminals.
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New stars to appear in The 39 Steps

People on the lookout for West End theatre tickets who choose to see The 39 Steps will soon be entertained by some new cast members.

As of July 28th, Martyn Ellis and Simon Gregor will be replaced by Alan Perrin and Nigel Betts, according to the London Theatre Guide.

The central characters of Richard Hannay and Annabella Schmidt will continue to be played by Jo Stone-Fewings and Josefina Gabrielle.
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Waterfalls create new tourist attraction in New York

Holidaymakers planning to jet off to New York this summer will be greeted by a brand new tourist attraction in the city – a set of four man-made waterfalls.

The outdoor installations, which measure an impressive 30 metres in height and between ten and 20 metres in width, are the work of Danish artist Olafur Eliasson.

They are situated on Governor's Island, under the Brooklyn bridge and at two piers on the East River. These locations mean that visitors can see the waterfalls from both the Brooklyn and Manhattan sides of the river.
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