Economy Class & Beyond

UA: Follows the other half, and AA, and free booze is now on offer.

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Well the results of the merger are showing with United now trusting you to be adults in it's bars with alcoholic beverages in it's Red Carpet Clubs. Of course, it's the same model as the AA/CO Lounges with "Premium" beverages available for purchase too. Oh - in addition RCC Onetime passes are now usable at CO Presidents Clubs - and for those who wish to be connected - Free WiFi … [Read more...]

USA Today Publishes list of where you’ll get stung when flying in the USA

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Talk about a naughty and nice list.  USA Today has published a full list of the fees you can expect to pay if you don't fly that muchAnd it's confusing. Airlines turning into Confuseopolies?Darn straight.Get your calculator ready and head to http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2010-09-26-airline-fees-breakdown_N.htm?csp=tf and good luck working out what you'll pay to … [Read more...]

CO: The last day

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Well a little piece of aviation history will pass today with the end of Continental Airlines as it currently stands, and the merger of United and Continental takes effect tomorrow. The mega-merger will take on Delta in the US Market and all comers to elsewhere.Of course, the individual operating certificates will stand, and things will operate "as usual" for now until, but … [Read more...]

ET: Another day, another alliance membership – Ethiopan Airlines to join Star Alliance

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Well things don't stand still in the aviation industry. With SkyTeam concentrating work in Africa, OneWorld in Europe, Star Alliance is working with African/Middle Eastern Carriers with the announcement that Ethiopian Airlines will be joining Star. Timetabled for full membership in the next 12 months, Ethiopian will be mentored by Lufthansa as they migrate systems towards being … [Read more...]

DJ: What’s that Skippy? Virgin Blue got reservation system problems?

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A little technology fight is breaking out in Australia as Virgin Blue suffered a catastrophic reservation systems failure. On Sunday and Monday a 21-hour outage of the New Skies Reservation system, hosted at Navitaire's Sydney data centre, caused mass delays Virgin Blue's customers and services as the airline reverted to a manual system. In addition, the airline has had to … [Read more...]

BA/AA: Joint Venture Confirmed – Virgin on it’s tod.

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News today has been released that say that the Joint Venture between British Airways and American Airlines has been given full approval, and has been signed off at a value of  £.4.4 Billion a year.The terms of the Joint Venture allow the airlines to share costs and revenue on passengers from the European Union Area, Norway and Switzerland to the United States of … [Read more...]

VS: Increasing Ghana, but lacking slots….

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Virgin Atlantic have confirmed the success of it's London Heathrow to Accra, Ghana route with the addition an extra rotation, taking it to 4 services week for the peak Christmas Period (11/12/10 to 09/01/11). However, it seems a lack of slots is preventing the growth of the route further as Virgin wishes to increase the frequency permanently - but with capacity stretched at … [Read more...]

WN/FL: Another day, another takeover – Southwest to take over Air Tran

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Well it seems the market is picking up for consolidation - this time with Southwest Airlines agreeing to buy AirTran for $1.4 billion, with the merger to be concluded in early 2011, and a full operations merger in 2012.So why? It's not as if Southwest needs more aircraft - it's about access to airports and slots - namely the access to Eastern USA as AirTran has a concentration … [Read more...]