2008 Articles

Humberside Airport may change hands

The majority shareholder of Humberside Airport has announced it is to review the scale of its holding.

Manchester Airports Group (MAG), which has an 87.2 per cent stake in the regional hub, is to consider its position in relation to the airport's long-term future.

Chief executive Geoff Muirhead said: "Humberside Airport is a solid business but the attention needed to maximise its full potential may not fit easily with the group's emerging strategy.

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APD increase criticised

The increase in air passenger duty (APD) announced in yesterdays pre-Budget report has been widely criticised in the British travel industry.

According to the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta), APD is considered to be inefficient with regards to the environment and penalises airlines that operate full planes.

Travellers who will be hardest hit by the increase in tax are those flying from British airports to long-haul destinations.

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US airports open runways

The Airports Council International (ACI) North America has welcomed the opening of three new airport runways in the country and praised government efforts to boost aviation capacity.

New runways were opened on November 20th at the major US hubs of Seattle Tacoma, Washington Dulles and Chicago O'Hare International Airport.

Greg Principato, president of the ACI North America, said these runways will benefit passengers but stressed there is more that can be done to improve capacity in the US.

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Ryanair expands services from Brussels

Low-cost carrier Ryanair has announced an expansion of its services from Brussels starting in spring next year.

The airline will station one of its new Boeing 737-800 aircraft at Charleroi Airport from March 31st 2009.

Ryanair, which flies to a number of UK destinations including Birmingham Airport, confirmed that the aircraft will serve three new routes: three weekly return flights to Barcelona and Bratislava, as well as twice-weekly returns to Trieste.

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Gatwick Airport price rises challenged by Easyjet

Easyjet has announced that is has an application for a judicial review into recent fee rises at Gatwick Airport approved by the High Court.

The airline has said that, under the terms of the review, the Civil Aviation Authority will be investigated over a regulatory price review for the first time.

According to the carrier, fees charged for flights landing at the London airport have risen by 21 per cent from £5.61 to £6.79 in 2008.

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XL gap filled at Bristol Airport

The gap left by the collapse of tour operator XL earlier this year has been filled at Bristol Airport, thanks to a new deal between the facility and Teleticket.

Flight-only specialist Teleticket will provide services to a range of popular destinations, such as Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and Paphos from the UK gateway.

Bristol Airport has had to operate 90 fewer flights per month since XL's collapse in September due to the current economic climate.

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New musical hits London stage

People looking to buy theatre tickets for a new show to see in London may be interested in Imagine This.

The musical, which opened at the New London Theatre earlier this month, is set in Poland in 1942 when the country was occupied by German forces during the Second World War.

It follows a group of actors in the Warsaw ghetto, who set up a play to help raise morale and inspire optimism in their community.

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Twelfth Night comes to London stage

The Donmar Warehouse will continue its Donmar West End season at the Wyndham's Theatre next month with a production of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.

A Tom Stoppard version of Anton Chekhov's Ivanov got the season underway in September and is due to come to an end on November 29th.

People who buy theatre tickets will be able to see Twelfth Night at the Wyndham's Theatre from December 5th to March 7th 2009, with Derek Jacobi playing the role of Malvolio.

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US to open airspace for holiday season

More airspace is to be opened up in the United States over the Thanksgiving and Christmas period in an attempt to reduce delays and congestion, it has been announced.

President George Bush confirmed in a speech to the Department of Transportation that airspace usually reserved for military use will be opened up in the country's mid-west, south-west and west coast regions.

The president said that a lot of people are 'nervous' about travelling in the US over the holiday period owing to the higher likelihood of delays, lost bags and overbooking of flights.

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BA boss wants government support for Heathrow Airport

British Airways (BA) chief executive Willie Walsh has urged the government to back Heathrow Airport by allowing the construction of a third runway, warning that failure to do so could be disastrous for the UK.

Mr Walsh claimed that the country would be burdened by inadequate air links for 30 years if the government turns down plans to expand Heathrow.

He pointed out that development of London's biggest airport is the only way that the UK can hope to compete with its aviation rivals in Europe and the Middle East.

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United Airlines resumes flights from Heathrow Airport

United Airlines has announced that it will reinstate its schedule of flights to Denver from Heathrow Airport next year.

The carrier will offer the daily service between March 29th and October 24th, providing "non-stop" passenger service to the US mountain region.

United Airlines will further boost the transatlantic flight network next year when it launches new flights from Washington DC to Geneva in Switzerland.

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