News: British Airways Union Threatens Summer of Disruptive Strikes

As British Airways (BA) entered the third day of a second five-day work stoppage by cabin flight attendants, Tony Woodley, joint general secretary for Unite, the union representing cabin crew, said that BA CEO Willie Walsh’s “hard-man stance on cabin crew travel will plunge the airline into a prolonged and totally needless summer of disruption.”

The current strike is scheduled to end Thursday, June 3, but cabin crew may vote to continue the strike next week.

Unite, the union representing cabin crew, said the strike thus far has cost BA 98 million euros, or about $142 million. BA is seeking to hire new cabin crew at lower pay than the current crew. Walsh and Woodley were scheduled to resume their talks Tuesday, June 1. BA has said that a large number of its cabin crew are reporting for work despite the strike. Because of that, BA said it has increased its flying schedule during Unite’s five-day strike (June 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9) due to the growing numbers of cabin crew who want to work as normal.

BA said it will increase its Heathrow long-haul schedule to more than 80 percent of flights (up from more than 70 percent this week and 60 percent in the first strike period). It will increase its Heathrow short-haul schedule to 60 percent of flights (up from more than 55 percent this week and more than 50 percent in the first strike period).

BA also said its flights from or to Gatwick, the U.K.’s second busiest airport, will remain unaffected by industrial action due to the levels of cabin crew ignoring Unite’s strike calls. Flights at London City airport also will operate as normal. During the World Cup, the airline said it will fly its full schedule (26 departures a week) to South Africa with thousands of fans due to fly out to Johannesburg and Cape Town from Heathrow Terminal 5 ahead of the World Cup kick off.

The airline also will continue to fly its entire Heathrow to New York JFK schedule and serve in excess of 85 percent of its long-haul destinations and 100 per cent of its short-haul network. BA said it was contacting customers throughout Tuesday to give them as much notice as possible about specific travel plans between June 5 and June 9.

                                                                           Source: travelpulse

News: British Airways cabin crew to be balloted over more strikes

British Airways cabin crew are set to be balloted for fresh industrial action in their bitter row with the airline which could cause disruption to flights throughout the summer.

Tony Woodley, joint leader of Unite, said a new ballot for strikes could be only a week or so away, as union members continued with the current five-day walkout.

Mr Woodley told Unite's annual conference in Manchester that the ''hard man'' stance of BA chief executive Willie Walsh will plunge the airline into a prolonged and ''totally needless'' summer of disruption.

A fresh ballot will be needed because the 12-week protective legal period for taking industrial action ends in early June.

Mr Woodley said if crew were forced to seek a new mandate for industrial action the blame for this will lie ''firmly'' with Mr Walsh and his ''persistent refusal'' to permit a peaceful settlement.

Unite said it believed a deal on cabin crew costs had already been agreed between both parties, adding that the airline could be restored to full operation in time for the peak summer season if the outstanding row over travel concessions was resolved.

The cabin crew launched their 14th day of action today in a dispute which Unite said had now cost BA over £90 million, with each day of action adding £7 million.

Mr Woodley told the 700 delegates that the dispute could be summed up in one word - bullying, continuing: ''Bullying that imposes radical changes on our members without agreement, that has seen other BA employees incited against cabin crew with, to their lasting shame, the collusion of scab pilots, that has meant more than 50 of our brothers and sisters suspended or sacked for the crime of sending a text or posting a remark on Facebook, that forbids them from talking about their own dispute in public and that victimises trade unionists by branding them second-class employees for life.

''Well, there is only one thing to do with bullies - that is stand up to them until they learn some manners.

''We all know there is a deal to be struck, one that recognises the real commercial needs and problems of the company as well as our members' legitimate interests.

''But we are not and never will be prepared to see our members and our union humiliated, victimised and reduced to ruins, as Willie Walsh seems to say.''

Striking cabin crew were at the conference and will attend a fringe meeting on the BA dispute later today.

BA said it had operated more services than planned yesterday, including the reintroduction of all of its services from Heathrow to New York's JFK airport, adding that it would continue to add to its schedule where possible.

''Our global operations went very well throughout the first week of Unite's strike action and got off to another good start today at the beginning of the second series of strikes.

''We have announced a larger schedule at Heathrow for this round of strikes, because of the numbers of crew reporting for work.

''We will continue to operate 100% of our schedule at Gatwick and London City airports. At Heathrow, we will operate more than 70% of long-haul flights (up from more than 60% last week) and more than 55% of short-haul flights (up from more than 50% this week),'' the airline said in a statement.

Unite is planning a further five-day strike next week unless the deadlock is broken.

Any further strikes are likely to be in July as it will take Unite four to five weeks to organise a new ballot.

                                                                                    Source telegraph

News: Lufthansa Group Releases Annual Sustainability Report

The 2010 edition of Balance, the Lufthansa Group’s sustainability report, is now available. It contains a wealth of information about the company’s commitment to ecological, economic, community and social issues alongside its business activities.

In 2009, 50 new fuel-efficient aircraft joined the Lufthansa Group’s fleet, some as replacements for older models. Lufthansa is thus consistently pursuing its policy of fleet renewal. The company has 146 new aircraft on order with a list price of 13 billion euros, which are scheduled for delivery over the next six years. At 55 mpg per 100 passenger- kilometers, the specific fuel consumption of the Group’s fleet has reached a historic low. And this trend is set to continue, given that Lufthansa has set itself the ambitious goal of reducing its specific fuel consumption by 25 percent until 2020, compared with levels in 2006.

In addition, the group’s new Fuel Efficiency Leadership project will systematically examine all possible ways of reducing fuel consumption, while the Aviation Biofuel project will analyze further potential for reducing future emissions. Lufthansa has also joined the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group, in which airlines, aircraft manufacturers and companies involved in the field of refining technology work together to develop sustainable fuels.

One of the airline’s key priorities is to raise awareness among its executives of the importance of sustainable thinking and acting. In 2009, more than 1,200 young people across Germany were taken on as apprentices at Lufthansa and thus offered future prospects in the company. Lufthansa has a total workforce of almost 118,000. Frankfurt is the largest base, with about 35,000 employees. Employees represent some 149 different nationalities. In the U. S. alone, more than 10,000 Lufthansa Group employees are active members of their local communities and support the U.S. economy. For more information, visit www.lufthansa.com/responsibility.

                                                                                                        Source travelpulse

News: Royal Caribbean Adds Summer 2011 Europe Cruises

Royal Caribbean International announced 47 additional Europe cruises in 2011-12 aboard Splendour of the Seas and Mariner of the Seas. Sailing roundtrip from Venice, Splendour of the Seas will offer a new series of 10- and 11-night Greek Isles and Turkey itineraries. 

Mariner of the Seas will homeport in Civitavecchia, the port for Rome, and offer a variety of Western Mediterranean, Egypt and Holy Land itineraries ranging from six to 13 nights. Royal Caribbean also offers Europe cruise-tours, which combine a voyage aboard either ship with an escorted land tour.

Bookings for these 2011 Europe cruises and cruise-tours are now open. An Italian Lakes and Venice option combines a sailing aboard Splendour of the Seas with a three-night itinerary that explores Italy’s Stresa, on the west shore of Lake Maggiore in Northern Italy. The cruise-tour includes a private boat tour of Lake Como, a walking tour of Piazza San Marco and the Doge’s Palace, and an overnight in Venice. The Venice, Florence and Rome cruise-tour combines a Mariner of the Seas cruise with a five-night land tour. Cruise-tours are escorted by a tour director and include ground transfers, hotel reservations, city tours and some meals.

In Venice, Splendour of the Seas will join Voyager of the Seas from April through November 2011. Splendour will offer alternating 10-night Greek Isles and 11-night Greek Isles and Turkey itineraries, the latter featuring an overnight in Venice at the start of the cruise. Splendour will kick off the season with an eight-night Western Europe itinerary from Lisbon to Venice, departing on April 14, 2011. A seven-night Mediterranean cruise from Venice to Barcelona, departing Nov. 18, 2011, will conclude the ship’s Europe season, followed by a 15-night trans-Atlantic voyage to Sao Paulo, Brazil.

From Civitavecchia, Mariner of the Seas will alternate 11- to 13-night Mediterranean Egypt and Holy Land itineraries, calling at several Greek and Italian ports. The Egypt cruises feature two full-day calls at Alexandria, and the Holy Land cruises offers a full-day each at both Ashdod and Haifa, Israel. Mariner of the Seas also will offer six seven-night Western Mediterranean cruises beginning July 22, followed by a one-time six-night Western Mediterranean cruise, departing Sept. 2, 2011.

Liberty of the Seas and Grandeur of the Seas will sail their maiden Europe seasons from Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca, Spain, respectively. Independence of the Seas will continue its year-round service from Southampton, U.K. Navigator of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas and Brilliance of the Seas will sail a variety of Mediterranean itineraries, while Jewel of the Seas and Vision of the Seas will ply the Baltic and North seas. For more information, call 800-327-2056 or visit www.cruisingpower.com.

                                                                                                    Source travelpulse

News: IATA Reports Volcano Eruption Cuts Into Air Travel Recovery

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said that, not surprisingly, the Iceland volcano eruption that shut down European skies for six days hurt passenger traffic in April. IATA announced international scheduled air traffic results for April, saying that passenger demand slumped by 2.4 percent as a result of massive flight cancellations centered in Europe during the six days in April following the eruptions of an Icelandic volcano. 

The fall in traffic interrupted the industry’s recovery from the global financial crisis.

“The ash crisis knocked back the global recovery -- impacting carriers in all regions. Last month, we were within 1 percent of pre-crisis traffic levels in 2008. In April, that was pushed back to 7 percent,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s director general and CEO. “European carriers bore the worst of the volcano’s impact. Their 11.7 percent drop in passenger traffic could not have come at a worse time."

The April drop in demand in Europe can be attributed to both the flight cancellations (two-thirds of the total decline) and follow-on cancellations due to uncertainty of the availability of air travel (one-third). Early indications for May show a rebound in travel from the disrupted levels in April. The scale of the ash crisis saw global load factors drop to 76.9 percent from the 78.0 percent recorded in March. Freight load factors also dipped to 55.3 percent from the 57.1 percent recorded in the previous month. While March traffic was within 1 percent of pre-crisis levels for both passenger and cargo, this slipped to 7 percent for passenger and 3 percent for cargo in April.

European carriers posted an 11.7 percent demand drop in April (compared to a 6.2 percent increase in March). Uncertainty of service reliability in the aftermath of the ash cancellations and major unrest in Greece as a result of the currency crisis added to the weaker European demand during the month. Limited GDP growth expectations of 0.9 percent continue to dampen demand across the continent.

North American carriers posted a 1.9 percent decline in demand, primarily as a result of the impact of the ash crisis on North Atlantic routes. This is a major step backwards from the 7.8 percent growth recorded in March. This fall in demand was less than half the 4.5 percent cut in capacity, pushing load factors to 80.2 percent. Asia-Pacific carriers saw their strong growth slow to 3.5 percent (from the 12.9 percent growth recorded in March). Robust GDP growth of 7 percent (Asia excluding Japan) is supporting the strong recovery.

Middle Eastern airlines recorded the strongest traffic growth at 13.0 percent, which is about half the 25.9 percent increase of the previous month. African carriers also saw their recovery slow to 8.6 percent growth in April, down from the 16.9 percent growth recorded during the previous month. Latin American carriers posted a 1.2 percent increase for the month, a quarter of the 4.6 percent growth recorded in March, which was already a weak month as a result of the Chilean earthquake. For more information, visit www.iata.org. 

                                                                                              Source travelpulse.com

Icelandic volcano has ''stopped erupting''

The Icelandic volcano that caused havoc for air travellers across Europe for more than a month has stopped erupting, according to a leading geophysicist...












Magnus Gudmundsson from the University of Iceland said for the moment it was only emitting smoke. But he added that it was too early to say whether the eruption had ceased for good or just temporarily.

European air traffic was brought virtually to a standstill for a week after the volcano erupted in mid-April, spewing huge volumes of ash across the continent. A hundred thousand flights were cancelled, stranding millions of passengers and costing airlines an estimated 1.3 billion euros in lost revenue.

Earlier this month there were fresh disruptions as a volcanic ash cloud started drifting back to Europe from the Atlantic. It led to criticism of the way air traffic authorities handled the situation.

                                                                                               Source Euronews

Cruise and ferry sales up

Cruise and ferry companies have seen a surge in interest from passengers deterred from air travel uncertainty. Passenger Shipping Association (PSA) reported more than 300,000 additional travellers were carried in April this year compared to the same month in 2009...

Routes between the UK and Continental Europe increased by 13% and voyages between the UK and Ireland rose by 16%. “Members are reporting unprecedented demand on call centres with one company reporting a 30% increase in car traffic over the last few days,” said PSA Director William Gibbons. Cruise118.com’s Sailfromuk.com site has seen a rise in last-minute requests and bookings are up by 145%. “We saw a surge in people looking for SailfromUK holidays when the ash cloud hit and this latest rise in bookings shows that Brits are opting for a much simpler break which departs from the UK without going near the airport,” explained Sailfromuk.com Director Mal Barritt. “Feedback from our customers is that they just want to relax and get away from it all, and airports just aren’t the place to do that at the moment”. Demand at Stena Line has increased so much it is to reintroduce its daily Holyhead-Dun Laoghaire service a month early. The two-hour service will return on 26 May.

British Airways posts record £531m loss

British Airways has posted a record £531 million loss, after revenue in the year to 31 March slumped £1 billion. 

 

Revenue at £8 billion was down 11.1% and yields were down 8% (including exchange). “Despite a £1 billion drop in revenue during the year, our efforts on cost control mean that costs have reduced at a comparable level and our operating loss is virtually the same as in the previous year,” explained BA Chief Executive Willie Walsh. “This is our second consecutive year of record losses but we take heart from the fact that, while our revenue has fallen by £1 billion, so have our costs,” added BA Chairman Martin Broughton. Full year fuel costs were down £597 million and there was a £390 million reduction in non-fuel costs. Walsh thanked staff and customers for their “continued support” as the airline goes through a series of struggles including Unite strikes and the economic downturn. “Returning the business to profitability requires permanent change across the company and it’s disappointing that our cabin crew union fails to recognise that,” he added. Walsh also confirmed the BA Iberia merger will be completed by the end of this year and will create the International Airlines Group. Confirmation from the US Department of Transportation and the EU to form a joint business with American Airlines and Iberia is pending approval. Passenger revenue for BA dropped by 10.9% to £7 billion and it has reported an operating loss of £231 million. "Compared to the Euro 1.5billion loss posted yesterday by Air France/KLM, BA is performing well, especially considering the impacts of snow chaos and strikes in the last two quarters of the financial year,” said Travel Expert at travelsupermarket.com Bob Atkinson. “If BA can make its mergers work there is strong potential for the alliance to deliver a more streamlined product for fares, schedules, connections and frequent flier benefits”.

Standed by volcano?No problem.

So you’re stuck in a remote Breton village under an ominously grey sky. Or you’re wandering about a transit airport, tearing your hair out in frustration. Or you’re weeping, wedding dress in tow, as you’re missing the biggest day of your life...

Don’t panic.

The chaos caused by the eruption of Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull volcano, which has covered much of northern and western Europe in a plane-threatening cloud of ash, has affected millions of travellers. If you or your loved ones are among them, you might be gnashing your teeth at the prospect of delayed or cancelled flights for months ahead (if the volcano manages to blow its top again).

However, if you take a moment to breathe and drink in the situation, you might find the travel opportunity of a lifetime.

All bets are off, as the entire aviation industry across Europe has ground to a halt. This can be exhilarating: no matter what you do, you’ll have to get creative. Have to be in London tomorrow for that conference? Forget it. There’s nothing you can do about it – unless you embrace the freedom and start thinking about how to make the most of your time.

If you’re affected by the volcano, you’re probably in one of three situations: stuck in Europe, stuck at home waiting to go to (or through) Europe or (worst of all) stuck in an airport/transit hub. Let’s deal with the last situation first.

Stuck in an airport

Airports are no fun during the best of times. When populated by tired, overwhelmed folks who can’t find a hotel room and don’t know when they might possibly escape, they can become nightmarish vortices.

Stay cool. First of all, if you’re lucky, you might find yourself in one of the world’s best airports. If this is the case, you’re home free: these airports are virtual villages unto themselves, and you’ll be able to spend hours (or days) exploring the shops, relaxing in the bars and indulging in free city tours.

On the flip side, you may be experiencing the horror of the world’s worst airports. These temples to drudgery, bureaucracy and life-sapping apathy may drive you to the brink – especially if you have children in tow.

Luckily, you have options. If leaving the airport is an option, you can use the destination information on this website (or download PDF chapters from our online Shop) to explore the surrounding area. It could be the secret vacation you always dreamed of, especially if you use the time to get to know a place.

If you must stick around, you might as well make the most of your time. Check out US travel editor Robert Reid’s guide to making friends at airports. There’s even a video of him in action at Phoenix’s Sky Harbor – a notorious nonfriendly zone.

Getting desperate? You can always recreate the plot of the 1963 film The VIPs, in which Liz Taylor and her friends engage in romantic scandal and machinations while fogged in at ‘London Airport’. And you can always console yourself with a reminder that you’re not experiencing the horror of blogger A Lady in London, who was trapped in Bamako, Mali, for several days.

And if all else fails, you might declare a passenger strike.

Stuck at home

If home is outside Europe, then you have a ton of options. If you’re travelling for business, you can probably breathe a sigh of relief: a teleconference will have to do.

But if you’re missing your vacation, you need to act quickly in order not to lose precious holiday time.

First, call your insurance company and get a refund on any expenses you’ve already paid. Most insurance companies are paying up.

Next, figure out an alternative destination. If you’re in the USA, it’s springtime – a fantastic time of year to head to the beach or the cities. International hubs such as San Francisco and New York may be overflowing with transit traffic, but top tourist destinations like Las Vegas are a sweet deal. You can still have all the fun of your European holiday, and save some cash while you’re at it. If you’re travelling with the family, don’t forget that it’s prime national-park season too! Grab one of our national park or wildlife guides and plan yourself another kind of adventure.

If you’re in Asia, Africa or South America, it’s low season across a lot of countries – which means cheap airfares. Stop lining up for those European flights, which may never eventuate, and start looking for alternative deals.

The cruisy cultures of the Southern Hemisphere might be a boon for you if you’re stuck in Australia or New Zealand, where hospitality is the norm. Take, for example, Stranded in New Zealand, a Facebook group set up for NZ locals to help tourists out with accommodation. 

Stuck in Europe

If you’re in Europe and your home is nearby, you have a variety of options. Although trains and buses are filling up, you can still travel over land to almost any destination on the continent.

The Thorn Tree forum also has information on getting the best train deals if you’re in the UK.

If you have a bit more time, you can even make it over to Istanbul, Turkey, where you’ll be able to catch a flight out without trouble. (As of now, even airports in Spain are unaffected, making for a much shorter commute in the West.)

However, those who are far from home and need to wait it out might consider an extended European stay. Europe’s small size and cheek-by-jowl country lineup makes for a fascinating experience – if you can spare a few days.

You may also consider just waiting for the dust to settle by travelling by bus, car or rail through the classic Grand Tour route (France, Germany, Italy and Austria).

News: Fankfurt Airport-Strategic Hub for the A380 Suber Jumbo

Frankfurt Airport (FRA) will once again welcome the A380 super jumbo. 

Fraport, owner and manager of FRA, expects the A380 to land at approximately 16:00 hours. Upon arrival, this first A380 to join the Lufthansa fleet will be officially named “Frankfurt am Main” by Frankfurt’s lord mayor Petra Roth in a ceremony at the A380 maintenance base on the southern side of the airport. Lufthansa has ordered 15 A380s and taken options on another 10 for its superjumbo fleet to be based at the FRA intercontinental hub. The inaugural flight of Lufthansa’s first A380 is scheduled for June 6 at about 20:30, when the German national soccer team takes to the skies on the Frankfurt am Main to Johannesburg for the World Cup 2010 hosted by South Africa.

To celebrate the start of A380 service at FRA and the World Cup, Fraport is offering a special program of family-oriented events on May 19, May 27 and June 6. Along with airport tours, there will be activities at the outdoor Visitors’ Terrace and in the terminals, including a shopping festival with music (June 6). Fans wishing to send off the German national team in style can do so on June 6 from the Terminal 2 Visitors’ Terrace using hand wavers painted in Germany’s national colors, provided by Fraport free of charge. Happy landings for the A380 and good luck Germany at World Cup 2010!

FRA – Ready for Super Jumbo from the Outset

The A380 has been a frequent guest at Frankfurt. The FRA international air transportation hub was considered the first airport worldwide to have an

A380-compatible infrastructure. As early as 2004, Fraport started detailed planning for introducing the new super jumbo, a passenger aircraft of unparalleled dimensions. Only a few years later, Fraport modified the first docking position at Terminal 2 to accommodate super jumbos. Finally, on October 29, 2005, a prototype of the new generation aircraft landed for the first time ever at a commercial airport; Airbus had chosen FRA for this test operation. FRA was the only airport able to provide all prerequisites for conducting reliable and promising test operations under realistic conditions.

At FRA comprehensive handling tests were carried out for the A380. These included the first time ever rehearsal of docking a passenger bridge to the upper level of the double-decker A380. At nighttime, important tow tests measured the effects of the A380 on the airport’s instrument landing system. Following successful completion of these airport compatibility tests, Fraport modified five more docking positions for the A380 at both of FRA’s passenger terminal.

In March 2007, Frankfurt served as the international hub for so-called A380 maturity flights (route provings) with passengers flown from FRA to New York, Washington and Hong Kong and Munich. In renewed boarding tests with the A380 Frankfurt Airport successfully achieved turn-around times of 90 minutes. Also in 2007, construction started on the A380 maintenance base as well as on the CD connector building that links FRA’s two passenger terminals. The architecture of the connector building is geared to the special handling requirements of the mega liner. Meanwhile, FRA’s Pier B has also been modified to serve the A380.

Frankfurt Airport currently boasts a total of 10 terminal docking positions for the A380. In addition, there are five A380-compatible remote parking positions. With the new Pier A-Plus (now under construction), Terminal 1 will soon feature another four A380 docking positions.

In 2010 the authorities officially approved regular A380 operations for Runway South, Runway West and large parts of the movement areas (ramp and taxiways) at FRA. From the outset, Runway North already conformed to the regulatory requirements for super jumbo operations. In April 2010, Fraport put its infrastructure and equipment to the final test, after enhancements following the previous 2007 A380 visit. With some six years of planning and implementation, Frankfurt Airport is optimally prepared to welcome the first A380 jet to be home-based at FRA.

Φeaturing a strategic geographic location in the heart of Germany and the EU, Europe’s largest airport catchment area (38 million inhabitants within a 200 kilometer radius), unsurpassed ground-based feeder networks (high-speed rail and autobahn networks), and outstanding A380 infrastructure, equipment and handling expertise, FRA is ready to serve as a super hub for the A380 in 2010 and beyond.

Catch the A380 Excitement at FRA:

Along with the arrival of the A380 on May 19, airport visitors will get another chance to see the super jumbo from the Visitors’ Terrace on May 27, when the mega liner will be docked at the terminal from 14:00 to 19:30 for handling checks; airport tours will be available for those wanting a close-up view of the A380. Access to the Visitors’ Terrace will be free of charge for children up to and including age 15.

On June 6, the Airport Tours counter in the Airport City Mall Frankfurt (Level 0, Terminal 1) will raffle tickets for rides in Fraport’s follow-me trucks and the giant A380 tow tractor. Shopping deals, live music, activities for the kids and much more will make this a day of super jumbo fun.
                                                                 Source http://www.prnewswire.com

The future of air travel has arrived

The Emirates AirbusA380 promises customers in all classes a whole new travel experience*. 

Designed to transport passengers on long-haul journeys in unmatched comfort, the Emirates A380 boasts First Class Shower Spas, a spacious onboard Lounge, and our award-winning ice inflight entertainment system offering over 1,200 channels of movies, music and games on-demand in all classes.

News: Ryanair To Appeal "Biased" Italy ash fine

Irish airline Ryanair said on Tuesday it would appeal a "biased" decision by Italy's civil aviation authority to fine it EUR€3 million euros (USD$3.7 million) for failing to help passengers stranded by the volcanic ash cloud.

Italy's ENAC civil aviation authority said at the weekend that in 178 cases Ryanair had failed to adequately assist passengers between April 17 and 22, when the ash cloud grounded thousands of flights across Europe.

By contrast, almost all the other airlines provided proper assistance to ticket holders, ENAC said.

Ryanair, which said it had not received official notification of any fine, said in a statement that ENAC had not informed it of any violations or given it the opportunity to defend itself during an investigation, making any fine unlawful.

"At a time when all airlines across Europe were cancelling thousands of flights and disrupting millions of passengers, it is extraordinary that ENAC could investigate and then impose a EUR€3 million fine only upon Ryanair," said the airline's spokesman Stephen McNamara.

Ryanair said that many disrupted passengers in Italy were offered hotel accommodation at Ryanair's expense and those who were not, because of the high numbers involved, were advised to submit a reimbursement claim to Ryanair, in compliance with EU rules.

"This would appear to be the latest in a long series of biased, anti-Ryanair rulings by ENAC, an organisation which has repeatedly shown its bias and lack of impartiality when it comes to cases relating to Ryanair," he said.

Ryanair said it and its handling agents had complied with EU regulation EU261, under which EU airlines are required to reimburse the reasonable receipted expenses of disrupted passengers. It has said passengers were not entitled to compensation as the disruption was beyond airlines' control.

McNamara said Ryanair had won a court injunction against ENAC last week allowing its planes to continue landing at Rome Fiumicino airport in late evening, rather than diverting to land at Rome's Ciampino airport.

In December, Ryanair had threatened to halt domestic flights at 10 Italian airports because of reduced check-in measures, prompting ENAC to threaten to sue the airline for its comments on Italian airport security. The row was resolved in January with a deal specifying passengers would have to produce either a passport or a European Economic Area national identity card. ENAC said Ryanair had apologised for a "misunderstanding" over its comments on security.

Some 1,000 flights were grounded on Monday in parts of northern Europe because prevailing winds again pushed the volcanic ash cloud from Iceland across parts of the region.

The return of the cloud prompted British and Irish authorities and aircraft manufacturers to create a new flying zone, allowing airlines to fly through areas of medium ash density that were previously off limits.

                                                                            Source http://news.airwise.com

News: Non-crew in cockpit in Polish president's plane crash

Non-crew members were in the cockpit of a plane that crashed killing the Polish president and more than 90 others, an investigation has found.

Tragedy...

The question of whether the crew were pressured to land remains unanswered, an official said.

One of those in the cockpit has been identified, but the BBC has learned it was not the president.

The plane crashed as it tried to land at Smolensk in western Russia on 10 April, killing dozens of senior Poles.

The investigation, which was releasing its preliminary findings of the investigation, confirmed crew were repeatedly warned about poor weather.

Alexei Morozov, head of the technical commission examining the crash, said air traffic controllers had warned twice that visibility was 400m (1,312ft) and that "there were no conditions for landing".

                                                                                                       Source BBC News

News: European skies open but airline schedules scrambled

Europe's skies were open for business on Wednesday but, with so many planes having been grounded by the volcanic ash from Iceland, it could take days or even weeks to clear the backlog...

About 75 percent of flights in Europe will operate on Wednesday, some 21,000 of the 28,000 flights normally scheduled each day, European air traffic agency Eurocontrol said.

Flights resumed after scientists and manufacturers downgraded the risk of flying in areas of relatively low ash concentrations, Britain's Civil Aviation Authority said.

"The major barrier to resuming flight has been understanding tolerance levels of aircraft to ash. Manufacturers have now agreed increased tolerance levels in low ash density areas," CAA head Deidre Hutton said.

"A return to normal will take another 48 hours," French junior Transport Minister Dominique Bussereau predicted. "I think the situation will be normal before the weekend."

Britain had lagged behind its European neighbors in downgrading the threat to airplanes from the ash, which can potentially scour and even paralyze jet engines.

                                                                                          Source www.newsdaily.com

News: United union seeks fresh British Airways strike talks

The British Airways cabin crew union, Unite, has urged the airline to hold fresh talks to avert strikes which could disrupt thousands of travellers.

Members plan to walk out for four separate five-day strikes as part of a bitter dispute over cost-cutting plans.

The first strike will begin on 18 May, ending on 22 May, with further strikes planned on 24 May, 30 May and 5 June.

But the union said BA could still prevent the walk-outs if it opened what it called
"meaningful negotiations".

The dates were announced on Monday.

News: England's airport stay open ash cloud clears the UK

All airports in England will remain open until at least 0100 BST on Tuesday as the

volcanic ash cloud clears, air traffic control body Nats said.

Restrictions put in place over most of the country's airports were all lifted by 1300 BST on Monday.

But air passengers across England still faced disruption and delays as airports tried to clear

passenger backlogs.

From midday on Tuesday new measures will allow flights for a limited time at higher ash densities.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said a Time Limited Zone (TLZ) had been agreed.

To operate in the new zone airlines need to present the CAA with a safety case that includes the agreement of their aircraft and engine manufacturers.

New zone

UK airline Flybe is the first to achieve this and will be able to use the new zone from midday on Tuesday.

On Monday services were cancelled at a number of airports, despite the flight ban being lifted.

A spokesman for Nats said: "According to the latest information from the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) and the Met Office, the volcanic ash cloud clears the UK for the period 1900 BST until 0100 BST tomorrow and all airports in Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales will be available during this period."

A no-fly zone remains in force over parts of the North Sea which could restrict helicopter flights, Nats added.

Airspace above Bristol and Farnborough in Hampshire was the last to reopen at 1300 BST.

Restrictions put in place at London's Gatwick and Heathrow airports, due to their proximity to Bristol and Hampshire, were also lifted.

Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds-Bradford airports had reopened earlier on Monday but passengers continued to experience disruption throughout the day.

Passengers at Liverpool's John Lennon Airport found their flights were still cancelled.

Margaret Palombella, 55, from Liverpool, said: "It's been terrible. There's just nothing going."

Robin Tudor, a spokesman for the airport, said many morning flights had already been cancelled by the airlines.

He said: "The restriction was lifted for this morning, but there is a difference between that and flights resuming as normal.

"Just because the restriction is lifted doesn't mean the flights are back on."

At Heathrow, Andrew and Bernadette Clarke, from Hatfield, Hertfordshire, had their British Airways flight to New York cancelled.

The couple, who are going on a four-day break to the city before travelling back on the Queen Mary 2 cruise liner, were transferred to a later flight.

Mr Clarke, 57, said: "We've just had to keep an eye on the news, because the cruise leaves on Friday so if we had to wait much longer there wouldn't be any point going."

Birmingham, Norwich and East Midlands airports suspended flights on Sunday but were open again on Monday.

Ash from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano has led to thousands of flights being delayed or cancelled across Europe since April.