13-May-2008 GERMANY :
Lufthansa signed an MoU with SEA, operator of Milan airports, ahead of the airline's planned expansion at Malpensa Airport (Times of Malta, 12-May-08).
13-May-2008 FINLAND :
Finnair confirmed plans to add one weekly frequency to Mumbai in Jun-08, for a total of 13 frequencies per week to India (IANS, 09-May-08). The carrier also plans to launch services to Bangalore and Chennai.
13-May-2008 UNITED KINGDOM :
Flybe announced it has ceased operations from Galway Airport, leaving Aer Arann as the only carrier operating from the airport (BizWorld, 12-May-08).
13-May-2008
Eastern Airways, a UK regional carrier, announced it entered an agreement with specialist tour operator, Holiday Options, to provide Summer charter services from Norwich International Airport to Croatia (New Europe, 12-May-08).
13-May-2008 UNITED KINGDOM :
Virgin Atlantic has called on EU and US negotiators to unshackle the aviation industry, ahead of Phase II open skies talks this week that focus on ownership issues (telegraph.co.uk, 11-May-08).
13-May-2008 AUSTRIA :
Austrian Airlines confirmed talks have collapsed with Saudi Arabian investor, Sheikh Mohamed Bin Issa Al Jaber (AFP, 13-May-08). Al Jaber was planning to take a 20% stake in the airline via a capital increase at EUR7.10/share, equating to an investment of EUR150 million.
13-May-2008
The EU’s recent communication indicating that secondary slot trading is permissible under the existing regulation will be welcome news for airlines. Even the airport sector is making mildly supportive noises. Removing uncertainly about the status of slots, at a time when the airline industry is undergoing metamorphosis, is a must. This appears to remove once and for all any arguments between airlines and airports about proprietary rights in these “assets”.
13-May-2008
UK regional airline, Eastern Airways launched its first direct international service from Newcastle International Airport with non-stop flights to Stavanger on 12-May-08. Newcastle’s most punctual scheduled airline* provides a daily weekday service from the north east of England to Norway’s fourth largest city, which was named European Capital of Culture 2008.
13-May-2008
Starting from 13-May-08, Estonian Air introduces fuel surcharge in the amount of 10EUR (155 EEK) on the scheduled Helsinki, Vilnius and Kuressaare-Stockholm routes and 15EUR (235 EEK) on the rest of the scheduled services.
.jpg&new_w=100&new_h=100&imageaction=gd)
