BA Chairman says "No more kow-towing to U.S. on security"

October 27, 2010


The chairman of British Airways has criticized airport checks as "completely redundant" and said Britain should stop "kow-towing" to US demands for increased security, the Financial Times reported today.
The newspaper quoted Martin Broughton as saying at the annual conference of the UK Airport Operators Association in London on Tuesday that no one wanted weak security.
Broughton said, however, the practice of forcing people to take off their shoes and have their laptops checked separately should be ditched.
"We all know there's quite a number of elements in the security program which are completely redundant," he said.
Broughton said there was no need to "kow-tow to the Americans every time they wanted something done" to beef up security on US-bound flights.

Who's the whistle blower?

October 26, 2010


British Airways could be fined up to EUR€80 million (USD$112 million) next month for fixing cargo prices with other carriers, a source with direct knowledge of the case said on Tuesday.
The European Commission charged BA, Air France-KLM, SAS and several other airlines in December 2007 with taking part in an air freight cartel.
The EU watchdog is expected to announce penalties for the carriers on November 9, several sources have said.
The charges followed raids on both sides of the Atlantic a year earlier that also involved the US Department of Justice.
"The Commission is considering a fine of between EUR€60 million to EUR€80 million," the source said, adding that no final decision has been taken and discussions are continuing.
A European Commission spokeswoman described the figure as speculation.
BA, which declined to comment, lost a record GBP£531 million in the year to March 2010 but expects to break even in the full year to March 2011 despite bigger-than-expected first quarter losses due to the impact of volcanic ash and strikes.
LUFTHANSA BLEW WHISTLE The Commission has not identified the targets of its probe, but BA, Lufthansa, SAS, Air France-KLM, Japan Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Air Canada and Alitalia all confirmed they had been investigated.
Lufthansa previously said it had immunity as it alerted the Commission to the cartel.
The probe initially targeted more than 20 carriers, including Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Korean Air, Cargolux, Malaysia Airlines and Alitalia, but not all are expected to be found guilty.
The Commission can fine companies up to 10 percent of their global sales for breaching EU rules, but fines rarely reach that level.
BA and Korean Air each paid USD$300 million in criminal fines in the US price probe in 2007; Air France-KLM agreed to a USD$87 million US civil antitrust claims settlement in July.
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Finnair strike ends

October 26, 2010


The Finnish Aviation Union (IAU) said late on Tuesday that it had reached agreement on a new wage deal, ending a two-day strike by air transport technical staff, which had halted aircraft maintenance.
Finnish national carrier Finnair, which cancelled 35 flights on Monday and Tuesday, said its traffic is expected to return to normal on Wednesday.
"The strike has ended, industrial actions will be ramped down and employees will return to work," IAU said in a statement, adding that the new deal is for three years.
Finnair spokeswoman Paivi Huuhtanen said some 1,500 passengers were affected by the strike, but noted the costs had not been estimated.
Scandinavian airline SAS's Blue1 also had to cancel some 14 flights due to the strike.

Finnair cancels flights

October 25, 2010


Finnish national carrier Finnair has cancelled 19 flights on Monday and 15 on Tuesday, because of a strike by air transport technical staff halting maintenance of aircraft.
Finnair spokeswoman Inka Ikonen said about 900 passengers on Monday and about 500 on Tuesday were being impacted by the strike.
"It is very difficult to estimate the costs," Ikonen added.
Around 900 Finnish Aviation Union's (IAU) members begun a strike on Monday at 5 am local time after a new wage deal was not reached on Sunday.
Both the IAU and employer's representative on Sunday evening turned down the state mediator Esa Lonka's proposal for a new deal and the parties are now waiting for the talks to reconvene.
"We have not yet received an invitation for talks from Lonka," IAU's deputy chairman Reijo Hautamaki said.
So far Scandinavian airline SAS’s Blue1 and Finncomm airlines have not cancelled any flights.
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SAS Traffic Up In September

Scandinavian airline SAS said passenger traffic rose 8.5 percent in September from a year earlier while its yield in the month was seen coming in negative, in line with the previous month.
SAS said its passenger load factor rose 3.6 percentage points year-on-year to 74.3 percent.
Planning a trip to or around Europe check with EuropeByAir for cheap insider fares.

More Strikes..Yikes...Here we go agian...Tel Aviv Airport Strike Grounds Flights

September 13, 2010


Reuters reports...ground staff began an indefinite strike at Tel Aviv's Ben-Gurion airport on Monday, initially halting all outgoing flights, an airport spokeswoman said. Will these strikes never stop at a time when airlines and the economy in gerneral is trying to recover?
The stoppage by Israel Airports Authority workers in support of pension demands occurred during one of the busiest holiday periods of the year in Israel, she said.
Flights already en route to Ben-Gurion, Israel's main international airport, were being allowed to land but all ground services such as offloading of baggage were suspended.
"The airport is currently closed to all outgoing flights and the strike is currently open-ended," the spokeswoman said.

Air Berlin Reaches Agreement with Cockpit Staff

Management at Air Berlin and LTU announced they have reached a successful framework agreement with VC, the pilots’ union, with regard to the working conditions for cockpit personnel. The collective bargaining process that has been ongoing since the beginning of the year has therefore been brought to an amicable conclusion.
British Airways union expected to meet for discussions Monday 6 September.
Keep updated on news and cheap fares to Europe and beyond by going to EuropebyAir.com Your one stop shop.....

Not another BA strike ballot

September 1, 2010


Will it never stop?????

The union representing British Airways' cabin crew is considering balloting members over a fresh wave of strike action if no progress on a peace deal is made soon.
A spokeswoman for the Unite union said a new strike ballot was "always an option" and that there would be a mass meeting of its members on Monday, September 6.
Keep updated at Europebyair and find the cheapest fares to and beyond Europe.
The union representing British Airways' cabin crew is considering balloting members over a fresh wave of strike action if no progress on a peace deal is made soon.
A spokeswoman for the Unite union said a new strike ballot was "always an option" and that there would be a mass meeting of its members on Monday, September 6.
Keep updated at Europebyair and find the cheapest fares to and beyond Europe.

Ryanair call Union Members "selfish and under worked."

TTG live . com reports Ryanair has branded Unite members as “selfish and under worked” following their announcement to strike in the wake of a continued dispute with airport operator BAA.

The airline said a late August strike could disrupt travel for up to 50,000 of its passengers, with an estimated 300 flights per day being cancelled at three airports across the UK.
Ryanair also urged all customers affected by the strike to seek compensation directly from Unite’s General Secretary, Derek Simpson, after labelling the union’s tactics as blackmail targeted at ordinary passengers.
Ryanair’s Daniel de Carvalho said: “There is no justification for any strikes by these selfish and underworked Unite members at a time when traffic at BAA’s airports is falling and they are even less busy than they were last year.
“Unite members should be getting a pay freeze to reflect their reduced productivity at the BAA airports this year.”
British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and BMI all said they were monitoring the situation and hoped the BAA and Unite could reach an agreement that would prevent further disruption.
Ryanair said it would contact passengers whose flights were affected by the action and those not contacted should report to airports as normal.

To keep updated on happenings to Europe and beyond check with Europebyair.

Strike updates

AIR BERLIN pilots (Vereinigung Cockpit) voted to strike by end of August if they cannot reach new deal with the airline.

AIR TRANSAT pilots (ALPA) overwhelmingly voted to strike if they cannot reach new deal with the airline.

EVERGREEN INTL AIRLINES pilots (ALPA) rejected tentative collective bargaining agreement with the airline.
Stay tuned

BAA averts strike

Ground staff offered 2 pct rise plus one-off payment



LONDON, Aug 17 (Reuters) - British airport operator BAA offered ground staff a 2 percent pay rise plus a one-off payment of at least 500 pounds ($781), averting strikes which had threatened to close major UK airports, the Unite union said.
Unite said on Tuesday it would recommend its members at BAA -- which include security staff, firemen and engineers -- accept the pay settlement reached on Monday following nine hours of talks. [ID:nLDE67F1RQ]
The deal is an increase on BAA's previous offer of a 1 percent rise plus an extra 0.5 percent conditional on changes to sickness agreements.
"The negotiations were tough but Unite has delivered a fair offer for BAA staff," Unite national officers Brian Boyd and Brendan Gold said in a statement.
The threatened walkout by ground staff would likely have shut BAA's six British airports, which include Heathrow and Stansted in London, disrupting the plans of thousands of travellers at the height of the holiday season.
BAA apologised to passengers for uncertainty caused by the dispute, which followed strikes by airline cabin crew and disruption from the spread of ash from an erupting volcano in Iceland this year.
"We believe this is a fair offer for staff in what remains a difficult economic environment for the aviation industry," a spokeswoman for BAA said.
"All parties brought a constructive approach to negotiations and we are sorry for the uncertainty ahead of yesterday's discussions."
Unite said that under the deal staff would get a 2 percent pay rise effective from the start of 2010, and arrangements to sick pay would remain unchanged.
BAA, owned by Spanish group Ferrovial (FER1.MC), had angered union members by withdrawing a 450 pound payment conditional on BAA's hitting earnings targets -- which it missed by 3 percent.
But the union said BAA had now agreed to lump-sum payments of between 500 and 900 pounds, linked to the earnings performance of each airport, to be paid in two installments.
For up to date information on what's happening in Europe and insider fares go to Europebyair.com.

British airport operator BAA and the Unite union agree to talks

August 13, 2010


British airport operator BAA and the Unite union are to hold talks on Monday aimed at averting planned strikes by ground staff, conciliation service Acas said.
Unite said on Thursday its members at BAA, owned by Spanish group Ferrovial, had voted three-to-one in favor of industrial action in a dispute over pay.
The threatened walk-out by essential staff including security guards, firemen and engineers would probably close BAA's six British airports, which include London's Heathrow and Stansted, disrupting the travel plans of thousands of people.
"Talks between BAA and Unite will take place under the auspices of Acas at midday on Monday 16 August," Acas chief conciliator Peter Harwood said, adding that the talks would take place at an undisclosed location.
Unite's officials are also due to meet on August 16 to decide the dates of any walk-outs. The union has to give seven days' notice of planned industrial action.

Spanish air strike on hold

I have not posted additional information on the status of strikes effecting Europe. The past few days I have been monitoring the situation. But, now Spain’s air traffic controllers have called off a strike planned for later this month, saying they don’t want to further dent the country’s troubled tourism industry.

According to MailOnline, around 300,000 British tourists could have had their holidays ruined following the breakdown of negotiations over pay and working conditions on Friday.
But after an outcry from Spain’s tourist industry and a damning response from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the UNSCA union has vowed to postpone the action.
Spain’s tourism industry was hit particularly hard by the recession and, although many Britons will holiday there this summer, its overall visitor numbers have dropped dramatically the third year in a row.
UNSCA spokesman Cesar Cabo said: ‘The union understands the concerns of the tourism sector and passengers.’
Uncertainty over the possibility of strikes had already hurt last-minute bookings, which are lower than predicted. But tourism and airline officials feared visitor numbers could fall even further after talks with Spain’s airport authority AENA broke down last week.
Many tourists had already looked at cancelling or postponing their trips.
‘We would have liked the decision to be definitive and not just for the month of August,’ said Juan Ignacio Lema, chairman of AENA, in a statement.
If you are holding reservations for a European destination it is always wise to check with the airline. When you are thinking of making reservations to Europe and Beyond look for the best deals at EuropebyAir.com

BA Ready for Strike Action

05 AUG 2010:

Talks between British Airways and the cabin crew union Unite, shows no sign of reaching an accord anytime soon. Instead, Unite is threatening to have cabin crew members vote again for further strikes starting in September. Meanwhile BA continues to train volunteer cabin crew and insists it will still be able to operate all its long-haul flights from Heathrow, regardless of the outcome of a strike vote.

The carrier issued a brief statement saying there had been a short a short meeting at ACAS on Tuesday and there were plans to meet again next week, but it provided no date for any future meeting.

BA chief executive Willie Walsh said, "I want to reach a resolution, but we are preparing for further industrial action."

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Spain's Air Traffic Controllers Vote to Strike

August 4, 2010


Spain's air traffic controllers have voted to strike in mid-August to protest against pay cuts and changes to their job conditions, their union USCA said.
An exact date for the start or duration of the industrial action, likely to cause chaos in the nation's airports at the height of the busy tourist season, is still to be decided.
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Are Good Times Back Or Just a Great Summer

It appears good times are finally back for the nation's airlines. For you the traveler, it could mean fare bargins may be harder to find .Although today many of the carriers were offering reduced August rates to a number of destinations
This summer's travel season got off to a great start, fares were up, and fees from baggage and other items formerly free brought in large amounts of incremental revenue...
The six biggest U.S. airlines earned about $1.3 billion in the second quarter, and more profits are expected for the rest of the year. .
Here's a look at what travelers can expect in the months ahead:
FEES
A recent study shows that worldwide, carriers took in $13.5 billion from fees in 2009, a 43 percent jump in just one year.
"Fees are going to be around for awhile. Spirit Airlines' announced a fee of $45 for some carry-on bags beginning on some flights starting Aug. 1.
Summer fares are up an average of 18 percent, However, travel demand will taper off as fall approaches —
LOAD FACTORS
Leisure travel demand has been strong and although we are seeing some over the board sales for August. Seats are full like never before. Including regional flights, Delta filled 88 percent of its seats in June, Continental sold 87 percent, and American 86 percent — that's about 2 percentage points higher than last summer
Although the summer has been strong, advance bookings for the month of August are running behind last year's numbers..So, are we  out of the recession or just having a good summer?
EuropebyAir has some of the best bargins to and within Europe...Check out Flight Pass for hop scotching around Europe and beyond.

Flybe Expands Maintaining Profitability

British airline Flybe has ordered 35 aircraft worth USD$1.3 billion from Brazilian planemaker Embraer, as it drives expansion in continental Europe.

The order, which comprises 35 firm initial orders of the Embraer E series aircraft for USD$1.3 billion with options for 65 more and purchase rights for a further 40, has a potential total value of USD$5 billion.
Flybe chief executive Jim French said he was confident of growth, despite challenges earlier year from the ash cloud and nervous consumer sentiment.
"We have grown by about 20 percent compound, we see anything up to 10 percent going forward," he said.
He said the group was confident of its business model which focuses on domestic flights from smaller regional airports, after maintaining a profit through the recession. Flybe currently operates a fleet of 72 planes.
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Airbus Says Recession Over

Airbus pronounced the recession over from its point of view on Thursday, as it wrapped up the Farnborough Airshow with a total of USD$13 billion in firm orders.

The European planemaker confirmed it would exceed its order target for 2010 and said it was considering a fresh increase in production to meet an upswing in demand.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the recession is definitely over," sales chief John Leahy told a news conference after a string of deals mainly with leasing companies betting on an upturn.
"Liquidity is back in the market, traffic is back in the market and GDP growth is back," Leahy said. "It looks as though we have turned the corner and that is why we are seeing strong growth."
He said airline figures showed that premium traffic was rebounding after a slump during the financial crisis.
It went down when investment bankers and lawyers got fired, but they got hired back and planes are flying full again."
Chief executive Tom Enders said Airbus would sell "north of 400" planes in 2010 compared with a previous target up to 300.
He and Leahy said Airbus was considering further increases in its single-aisle production rate and may also increase wide-body production.
Several companies at the air show reported positive signs from the market but said economic signals also looked mixed.
Planning a trip to Europe or beyond? Check with EuropebyAir.com for our insider fares..

Passenger Travel in Europe Increases

Two years after the financial crisis that affected countries across the globe, it seems that there are some improvements in business particularly air travel.

According to the AEA, or the Association of European Airlines, data shows that for the month of June this year, the passenger traffic in Europe has returned to its normal rate before the strike of the recession. This means that the number of air travellers in Europe has reached figures similar to that before the financial crisis.
More and more passengers are booking themselves on longer flights this year, thereby increasing passenger kilometres to eight per cent compared to data from June 2009. When making your plans to Europe and beyond ck with EuropebyAir for our insider fares.

Boeing 787 Makes First Overseas Landing at Farnborough

July 18, 2010

Boeing's new 787 Dreamliner touched down in Britain on Sunday on its first trip outside the United States, thrilling hordes of eager plane spotters who came out to see the breakthrough carbon-composite plane.
A media circus ensued as Boeing executives, including chief executive Jim McNerney, emerged smiling from the plane, though McNerney did not actually fly to the UK on the plane, instead getting on board after landing.
Social media was active with blow-by-blow coverage of the arrival, pointing to the intense interest in the plane not only within the business but also in the flight-enthusiast community.
The 787 is expected to take the spotlight at this week's Farnborough Airshow. Last-minute technical issues had raised fears in recent weeks that the plane might not make its long-anticipated trip to the show, but the plane arrived doing a flyover with a "tilt and wave" before landing.

Don't Get Triped Up Labor Strikes can cause delays and cancelations

Don’t Get Tripped Up

 Know the ground rules: There are no federal requirements when it comes to airline delays, so each carrier has its own guidelines. They’re listed in its “contract of carriage” agreement, available on its website (use the search function) or at ticket counters. Print out the relevant sections on delays and cancellations and take them with you, as well as your trip-insurance policy, if you’ve purchased one.
Consider using a travel agent: If you’re booking an international trip or a complicated itinerary, it can really pay off. When widespread cancellations occur, good agents have the know-how to rebook you through other cities or on other carriers.
Charge your trip: Use a credit card for payment in case your airline delay is because the carrier—or any of your other travel providers—has gone belly up.
Call ahead: To avoid getting stranded at the airport in the case of a problem, check your flight status online or by phone.
 Ask for help: If your plane is delayed, find out how long the disruption is likely to be and whether it’s a force majeure situation. That way, you can find out whether you might be entitled to any meals or a hotel room. Either way, it can’t hurt to ask for assistance.
 If your flight is cancelled, skip airport lines: Call reservations or your travel agent instead—it may be quicker than waiting at a customer-service counter. If you qualify, go to the airline lounge for help. Ask whether you can get rebooked on another airline. Using another carrier probably won’t speed things up if the delay is due to weather, but if could help if the delay is due to airline-specific issues like mechanical problems.
 Use you status but be nice: If you’re an elite frequent flyer or traveling in premium class, or if you booked a full-fare tickets, be sure you let the airline rep know that because it may help you get freebies like phone cards or meal or hotel vouchers. Just keep in mind that airlines are not required to offer compensation “damages” in the case of delays, so demanding them can be a waste of energy. But you might have luck asking for credit toward a future flight.

Ryan Air Complaining Again. Give us your opinion

Ryanair is to cut its overall UK winter capacity by 16% from November. The airline said this is due to the UK government's GBP 11 tourist tax, which it claims is continuing to damage British traffic, tourism and jobs, Rte Ireland reported on June 29. Winter capacity at London Stansted will also be cut by 17% from November. Ryanair said it will base 22 planes in Stansted this winter, down from last year's 24. The airline said it will switch those London based aircraft to other European bases where tourist taxes have been scrapped and which offer reduced passenger charges. Ryanair said it will cut winter flights at most of its other UK bases, except Edinburgh and Leeds Bradford. 'Ryanair's 16% UK capacity cutback shows just how much the UK tourist tax and the BAA's high airport charges are damaging UK tourism and the British economy generally,' commented Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary. Wonder what happen to pay toilets and stand up discount...Let us know what you think about this article

UPS offers 'luggage boxes' as alternative to checking bags

Only days after federal officials announced that the nation's airlines had collected 33% more revenue this year from checked luggage fees, UPS offered its alternative to the hassle and expense of lugging a suitcase through an airport.

The world's largest package delivery service announced last week that it was selling specially designed boxes that resemble suitcases. Passengers can ship the "luggage boxes" to their final destination to avoid the airlines' check-in lines and luggage fees.
The new UPS boxes include carrying handles and come in two sizes.The UPS announcement came a few days after the U.S. Department of Transportation reported that the nation's 10 largest airlines collected nearly $770 million in checked baggage fees in the first three months of the year, a 33% increase over the same period last year.

The new luggage boxes are also hitting the market as demand for airline seats begins to rebound from a two-year slump.
The International Air Transport Assn. announced that international airline traffic jumped nearly 12% in May from a year earlier, raising airline traffic numbers 1% above pre-recession levels.
UPS officials say they created the new boxes simply to make life easier for frustrated travelers.
"It's meant to be a convenience," said UPS spokeswoman Susan Rosenberg.
She conceded that airlines can usually deliver luggage faster than UPS but said luggage shipped by UPS can cost $30 to $80 less per package, depending on the route and the weight of the box.
Rosenberg noted another advantage to the UPS luggage box: A tracking number lets passengers know its exact location.
EuropebyAir would like to hear your input or comments on this LA Times article and of course when planning your next trip to and within Europe  contact us for great insider fares EuropebyAir.com 

Want an Airline Seat for 6 bucks

Budget airline Ryanair is planning to sell tickets for as little as $6 — if you're willing to stand.

Michael O'Leary, the airline's chief exec, will outline a series of new proposals today including charging customers to use the loo (bathroom).
A new standing area with "vertical seats" will also be introduced at the back each of its 250 planes.
He said he hoped charging $1.50 to use the toilets in flight would encourage travellers on short haul flights to use the loo at the airport instead of on the aircraft.
Mr O'Leary said he wanted to install the coin operated loos and said: "The other change we've been looking at is taking out the last ten rows of seats so we will have 15 rows of seats and the equivalent of ten rows of standing area."
A Ryanair spokesman said Boeing had been consulted about fitting the "vertical seats" — which would cost between $6 and $12 per person.
When planning your next trip check with EuropebyAir for the best European fare options.

British Airways Offer To Cabin Staff Could Postphone Strike Ballot

June 28, 2010


The Unite union said on Sunday that it would look to postpone balloting British Airways cabin crew on further strikes to allow union members to consider the latest offer from the airline's management.
BA made a new offer to cabin crew on Friday in a bid to end a long-running dispute over pay and conditions before the employees are formally asked to consider taking further industrial action.
The ballot over future walkouts was scheduled to begin on Tuesday but Unite boss Tony Woodley said in a statement on Sunday that he expected cabin crew representatives to confirm the vote would be delayed to give members the chance to consult on the offer.
"The company has made it clear that the offer on the table will be removed if the strike ballot starts on Tuesday," said Woodley, whose Unite union represents 90 percent of BA's 12,000 cabin crew.
"It would therefore be inexplicable if we did not put this offer to our members and I expect this course of action will be confirmed by our cabin crew representatives when they meet tomorrow."
The new offer from BA includes two years of guaranteed rises in basic salary from February 2011 in addition to annual incremental pay increases.
"We welcome this statement from the Unite leadership. We believe our offer is fair and reasonable and provides a genuine opportunity to end this dispute," BA said in a statement on Sunday.
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British Airways To Hire Lower Paid Cabin Crew

June 24, 2010


British Airways said it planned to recruit over one thousand new cabin crew on lower wages than current staff as it faces possible further strikes by existing flight attendants in August.
The Unite union, which represents 90 percent of BA's 12,000 cabin staff, criticised the move which would do nothing to end a bitter dispute which has resulted in a series of walkouts.
BA will recruit 1,250 new crew members this year and forecast that in 10 years, staff on the new terms will make up 40 percent of cabin staff.
The airline said it was making the move in light of the losses it has posted over the past two years.
"We have suffered back-to-back record financial losses and need to continue making permanent changes to our cost base to ensure our long-term survival," BA said today.
Existing cabin crew on short-haul flights from Heathrow earn an annual salary of GBP£25,700 (USD$38,490) while crew on long-haul flights from Heathrow earn GBP£35,000 on average. Those on short-haul routes out of Gatwick earn GBP£18,300.
A BA spokesman said the new recruits would work on both short- and long-haul flights and earn a salary "similar to current Gatwick crew."
"Our Heathrow cabin crew costs are way out of line with our competitors and much more than our cabin crew costs at Gatwick. We can no longer afford this cost difference," he said.

THIRD WAVE OF STRIKES
The British airline faces a third wave of industrial action, disrupting the peak summer travel season, after Unite said on Tuesday it would hold a fresh ballot of its cabin crew members.
Crews have walked out for 22 days so far this year, costing the airline around GBP£150 million (USD$220 million).
Unite said the ballot would run from June 29 to July 27, so walkouts could begin on August 3 if voted for.
"This will do nothing to persuade cabin crew that BA management is looking to resolve the dispute, and nothing to dissuade our members from voting for further industrial action," said Unite Joint General Secretary Tony Woodley.
Check with EuropebyAir for cheap fares to Europe and beyond.

Europe The Dream Destination

Europe is one of the seven conventional continents of Earth. The western most peninsula of Eurasia, it is surrounded to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the west by the Atlantic Ocean, to the south by the Mediterranean Sea, to the southeast by the Caucasus Mountains, the Black Sea and the waterways connecting the Black Sea to the Mediterranean
Europe is a dream destination for travelers worldwide. Travel to Europe wins hands down on several accounts over other popular international travel destinations. The selection for the traveler in a short duration of time and distance is amazing and exclusive to Europe alone. Every province has countries with a rich cultural and political history. You could be attracted to Europe for reasons like the wide-ranging cultural opportunities. It could be the prosperous cultural ancient times and the art scene – with museums, art, literature, theater, cinema or music of countries like France, Germany and England. It could basically be wide-ranging natural beauty that travel in Europe ensures – like the mountains of Switzerland and the Tuscan sun surroundings the beaches of Italy. Be it the lifestyle, architecture, food or languages, Europe enthralls the travelers with its multiculturalism and diversity. A European river cruise brings maritime luxuries to the traveler. Europe is a continent filled with magnificent sights and views. There is a world prominent ice-skating rink for everybody to enjoy in London. There are traditional music concerts preformed in London. In Amsterdam, there is a tram that departs every 20 minutes that can let you move around the city with simplicity. Also, in Amsterdam there is an international casino with a variety of games that may not be accessible in other countries. There is a broad collection of things to do on this enormous continent. Be sure to acquaint yourself with the civilization and laws of the areas that you will be visiting so you know what is predictable. Leave a copy of your passport with your family or friends for emergencies. And most of all check with EuropebyAir for the best fares....

Osama Bin Laden gets a boarding pass from British Airways

The name of international terrorist and fugitive Al Qaeda boss Osama Bin Laden has surfaced in an unlikely spot, and apparently he's flying British Airways first class to Washington.

It seems that somebody in London with a bad sense of humor is causing the U.K. airline a bit of a headache after inserting a graphic of a boarding pass bearing bin Laden's name into a company-run magazine.
A cover story in LHR News -- a British Airways staff magazine covering London's Heathrow Airport -- about a new service allowing passengers to download paperless boarding passes to their iPhones includes close-up cover photo a white boarding pass emblazoned with the name "Bin Laden/Osama."
Apparently bin Laden likes to fly -- or at least knows the value of loyalty -- because the boarding pass features a frequent flier number. And don't worry about his leg room. The world's most-wanted man is apparently flying pretty up in first class, seat 7C.
It is unclear how the name of the leader of al Qaeda, the organization responsible for enlisting the Sept. 11 hijackers to steal commercial planes, got on the faux British Airways boarding pass. The company acknowledged that the magazine graphic was a mistake and said it is investigating the its source.
Article by SCOTT MAYEROWITZ

BA Cabin Staff begin a second five day strike

Updated 31 May 2010
Members of a British Airways cabin crew union began a second five-day strike after talks held last week aimed at resolving the long-running dispute ended without agreement.

The new wave of industrial action by the airline's cabin staff started officially at midnight (2300 GMT) with little sign on the horizon of a breakthrough in the increasingly bitter row.
Thousands of passengers face more disruption at the start of a week of school holidays in Britain. Cabin staff are due to begin a third wave of strikes on June 5, days before the start of the World Cup football tournament in South Africa.
The two sides are locked in disagreement over pay, reduced staffing levels and cuts to benefits.
Talks between BA and the airline's largest cabin crew union, Unite, broke off without a deal on Friday. Conciliation service ACAS said it was seeking to arrange further talks.
The stoppages come at a difficult time for BA, which last week reported a second straight year of record losses and is battling a global economic downturn and industry-wide recession.
BA chief executive Willie Walsh and union leaders continually blame each other for breakdowns in the often acrimonious negotiations.
When booking your European flights check with EuropebyAir.com for lowest cheap flights.

No agreement reached today for BA cabin crew strike

May 29, 2010


Talks between British Airways and the Unite union which represents striking cabin crew were adjourned without the parties reaching an agreement, the mediator ACAS said today.
Both parties would be contacted to arrange more talks in an attempt to avert a further 10 days of industrial action planned during the coming weeks, it added.
Cabin crew are in the final day of a five-day strike, protesting over reduced staffing levels and cuts to benefits.
The stoppages come at a difficult time for BA, which last week reported a second straight year of record losses and is battling a global economic downturn and industry-wide recession.
Ongoing industrial action, coupled with further disruption to flights in April caused by ash from an Icelandic volcano, could scupper BA'shopes of avoiding a third year of losses.
The loss-making carrier said that in the event of another 5-day strike next week, its long-haul schedule at London's Heathrow airport would be increased to more than 70 percent of flights, from 60 percent this week.
It aims to increase the short-haul schedule at Heathrow to 55 percent of flights from 50 percent and operate a full schedule from London's Gatwick and City airports.
BA, which flies around 90,000 passengers a day, said about a quarter of its passengers would be affected by the strikes, but that they could claim a full refund, rebook or reroute their journey.
Previous negotiations in the long-running dispute have been acrimonious.
BA chief executive Willie Walsh and leaders of Unite blame each other for a breakdown in communication.
The issue of travel allowances for cabin crew has become a major sticking point in the conflict. Unite had offered to postpone the strikes if travel allowances for cabin crew were reinstated.

BA And Unite Strike Talks To Resume Today

May 28, 2010


British Airways said it would resume talks later today with the union representing striking cabin crew in an attempt to avert a further 10 days of industrial action planned by staff over the coming weeks.
"We expect talks will resume today and hope that a peaceful resolution can be found," a BA spokesman said.
Flight attendants are  protesting over reduced staffing levels and cuts to benefits

BA strike continues to 09 June

British Airways cabin attendant stike will continue until 09 June.. In the latest statement BA is trying to operate as many flights without interuption...Please click here for the latest updates BA STRIKE
For your next trip to Europe and Beyond to get the latest cheapest fares EuropebyAir.Com

BA strike update 24 May 2010

Last updated 11:35 - 24 May 2010

Statemant from BA..We are very disappointed that Unite have gone ahead with strike action from 24 May to 29 May.
We will continue to keep as many of you flying as possible.
We would like to apologise if you are affected by the strike. We will do all we can to minimise the disruption to you.
We will update ba.com with further changes as soon as possible and would recommend that you regularly check the status of your flight.

Please do not come to the airport unless you have a confirmed booking.
All flights into and out of London Gatwick and London City airports will operate normally.

BA cabin crew union wins appeal

The British Airways cabin crew union, Unite, won an appeal on Today against a High Court ruling this week that had blocked a new wave of walkouts by the airline's staff.

The union said it would not strike before Monday, and that it was seeking a settlement with BA, which is in a dispute with its cabin crew over pay as the airline tries to cut costs.
Two out of three of Britain's senior judges ruled in favour of Unite in a knife-edge decision.
BA said in a statement it was "very disappointed", adding that it would implement a contingency plan to keep planes flying. It intends to fly more than 70 percent of the customers booked.
Originally the union had planned to stage strikes from May 18-22 , May 24-28 , May 30-June 3, and June 5-9.
BA on Monday won a court injunction to stop a threatened five-day strike by cabin crew members, the first of four such planned disruptions
Upset by the ruling Unite immediately challenged the decision, calling it a "disgrace" and an affront to democracy.
BA's lawyers had previously successfully argued that Unite had breached the 1992 labour law which stipulates that unions must communicate a full breakdown of votes cast, including figures on spoiled ballot papers.
The judge ruled against the union on the grounds that it had failed to provide all the necessary information in an easily accessible place.
Earlier this week Unite said it had reached agreement in principle with BA over its plans to save GBP£62.5 million (USD$90 million) a year to counter falling demand, volatile fuel prices and greater competition.
However, Unite said the restoration of staff travel perks had not been agreed and this row was holding up settlement of the wider dispute.

BA Cabin crew strike - latest information

Last updated 11:00 - 19 May 2010 by British Airways
We are delighted that Unite's plans for extreme and unjustified strike action has been called off.
We are sorry the court judgment cannot undo the disruption already suffered by some of you who were due to travel during the early days of the union's industrial action.
Whilst we await the outcome of Unite’s appeal to overturn the High Court injunction against the strike we are unable to return to a full schedule. We will update ba.com on Thursday 20 May with the latest details.
We have started to reinstate some of the previously cancelled flights over the next few days into and out of Heathrow.
If you do not have a confirmed booking, please do not come to the airport.
Flights to and from London City and London Gatwick
All flights into and out of London Gatwick and London City airports will operate normally.
Flights to and from London Heathrow
Today (Wednesday) we plan to operate a full longhaul schedule at Heathrow and, where possible, we will continue to reinstate further shorthaul flights into and out of Heathrow.
Remember when planning your travel to Europe and beyond check with Europebyair.com  for easy to use flight maps and great fares...

BA strike outlawed as rules over flying in ash cloud change

The High Court outlawed the back-to-back strikes by cabin crew while the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) altered its criteria for permitting aircraft to fly.

However, the court ruling came too late for BA to reinstate its full flying schedule at Heathrow, which had been disrupted earlier in the day by the ash cloud


This is the latest statement from BA. updated 5:10 PM - 17 May 2010

We are delighted that Unite’s plans for extreme and unjustified strike action cannot go ahead.
We are sorry the court judgment cannot undo the disruption already suffered by some of you who were due to travel during the early days of the union’s industrial action.
We have now started to reinstate some of our previously cancelled longhaul flights on 18 May into and out of Heathrow.
If you do not have a confirmed booking, please do not come to the airport.
Ash disruption permitting, we will aim to restore a full flying programme at Heathrow by the weekend.
We will also offer a full programme at Gatwick and London City, as planned
Travelling between 18 and 23 May
If your flight has been cancelled please don’t come to the airport.
We have started to reinstate some of the previously cancelled longhaul flights on 18 May to and from London Heathrow.
For more information click on this link BA STRIKE UPDATE
Always check with your European Travel Experts EuropebyAir.com when planning your trip to Europe and Beyond...

Another Bristish Airways Strike to Begin May 18

British Airways expects to carry more than 70 percent of its customers, or over 60,000 passengers a day, during five days of strike action due to start next week, the airline said on Thursday.

The Unite union announced earlier this week that cabin crew would stage a further 20 days of strikes in May and June, threatening renewed misery for travellers already hit by walkouts and disruption caused by volcanic ash.
BA said in a statement that it had leased eight aircraft with pilots and crew provided by five different airlines to supplement those of its own staff who choose to work.
The latest bout of industrial action will see the first strikes begin on May 18 and run until May 22. Then there will be further walkouts on May 24-28, May 30-June 3 and June 5-9.

Unite has also said it will hold a further ballot of BA cabin crew for industrial action over issues arising from the company's conduct during the dispute.
BA said all flights at Gatwick and London City airports would operate as normal while at Heathrow BA it will operate more than 60 percent of long haul flights and 50 percent of short haul flights.
For updates on the proposed strike you can click on EuropebyAir  or BA STRIKE

Volcanic ash may return to Europe

European air traffic agency Eurocontrol said on Monday areas of higher ash concentration could move from over the Atlantic Ocean back toward the Iberian peninsula, threatening fresh airspace closures in Portugal and Spain.
Europe has been dogged for weeks by repeated shutdowns of air traffic since an erupting volcano under the Eyjafjallajokull glacier in Iceland started spewing ash in April.
Hundreds of flights were canceled over the weekend after the shifting cloud sparked fresh fears of engine-clogging ash.
Italy and Germany reopened their airspace on Sunday, but restrictions were left in place in parts of Portugal, Spain, Austria and the United Kingdom.
The biggest closure so far lasted for almost a week from April 15, causing about 100,000 flight cancellations, stranding millions of passengers and costing airlines more than $1.7 billion in lost revenue.
Volcanic ash is abrasive and can strip off aerodynamic surfaces and paralyze aircraft engines. It can also damage aircraft electronics and windshields.
The most recent closures led to fresh criticism of how air traffic authorities are handling the situation. Germany's Lufthansa and Air Berlin called for authorities to gather data on ash particles rather than just relying on computer models.
Europe's airlines are now starting to tally up the ash cloud's damage to their business in terms of passenger numbers.
Air France-KLM said it lost nearly a quarter of its European passenger traffic in April due to airspace closures from the volcanic ash cloud, driving total traffic down 16 percent.
Irish airline Aer Lingus said it carried over a quarter fewer passengers. UK airports handled 23 percent fewer passengers in April, owners Ferrovial said.
Fraport, operator of Frankfurt airport in Germany, is due to publish its April traffic figures as well as first-quarter results on Tuesday.
The hit to April passenger traffic comes just as airlines around the world start to recover from a severe drop in traffic that reached its severest point in March 2009.
According to industry body International Air Transport Association, the world's airlines lost about $9.4 billion last year as customers curbed spending during the recession.
They stand to lose another $2.8 billion this year, excluding any impact of the volcanic ash cloud.
Air France-KLM reiterated that every day on which it has to completely suspend its flights lowers its net operating result by 35 million euros.
Lufthansa, which is due to publish traffic figures on Tuesday, has said it lost almost 200 million euros due to volcanic ash in April.
The snafu over the weekend will likely cost Lufthansa a few more million euros and be visible when traffic figures for May are released," LBBW analyst Per-Ola Hellgren said.
Shares of Lufthansa were up 2.5 percent by 1318 GMT, Air France was 5.8 percent higher and Aer Lingus had gained 3.8 percent as a rescue package to tackle the euro zone debt crisis lifted markets across Europe.
For updates you can go to EuropebyAir.com and also ck on our latest low cost flights to Europe and beyond.

Volcanic Ash Scientifically Speaking

What to know a bit more of what scientists are saying about Volcanic Ash CLICK HERE

Volcanic Ash over..What happens now?

Airline operators across vast areas of Europe were brought to a complete halt for six days by a volcanic ash cloud, and the knock-on effect of the disruption was felt around the world with hundreds of thousands of passengers stranded and aircraft and flight crew displaced (Photo Credit: Aeroports de Paris)

The flying in Europe has resumed and the recriminations over the six-day closure of vast swathes of the continent’s airspace by a volcanic ash cloud have just begun. According to the International Air Transport Association, the crisis has cost carriers more than $1.7 billion in lost revenue. Some of the most seriously affected airlines, such as British Airways, have demanded compensation from governments, arguing that authorities overreacted to the safety threat posed by the ash and closed airspace too comprehensively and for too long. Governments argue that they had little choice but to opt for a complete closure, given the initial lack of conclusive technical data on the effect of ash on engines in a fast-changing situation.
But the unprecedented emergency has established, surely beyond doubt, the lack of viability of European Union rules on passenger compensation for cancelled or long-delayed flights. EU carriers face completely open-ended costs covering hotel accommodation and meals for stranded passengers who might each have paid just $10 for their tickets. The circumstance prompted bombastic Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary to declare that he will not pay passenger compensation, urging the Irish government to prosecute him for breach of EU law. For those readers who haven’t had the benefit of O’Leary’s previous contributions to enlightened discussion of air transport business models, he is the airline chief executive who plans to charge passengers to use lavatories during flights.

So are airlines and the aerospace industry completely blameless victims in this situation? Volcanologists have claimed that they have repeatedly tried to work with the industry to develop a clear understanding of the safety implications of volcanic ash, to no avail. Following the 1982 incident in which a BA Boeing 747 lost power from all four engines after flying into a volcanic ash cloud over Indonesia, the International Civil Aviation Organization established a network to inform the industry and authorities about volcanic eruptions. But, on its own admission, the United Nations-backed body still has yet to issue clear and comprehensive guidelines on the precise safety parameters and recommended procedures for air transport operations in such conditions.
CLICK HERE for airlines phone numbers.

Volcanic Ash! - Does my Trip Insurance Cover Me?

The Travel Guard Group, USA reports it has seen call volumes increase up to 300% because of the volcanic ash issues. Hold times were kept to a minimum as cross trained employees were shifted from other areas of the company to assist callers to their 24/7 Service Center. Tom Zavadsky, Exec. V.P. of Sales and Marketing offers some interesting questions regarding coverage... worth sharing.
The below questions and answers apply to policies purchased through Travel Guard Group, Inc. USA (Travel Guard).

Question One: "I am scheduled for future travel and purchased my insurance policy prior to this volcanic event. If this volcano subsides and then erupts again, causing my future travel plans to be disrupted, will this be considered unforeseen and could coverage apply?"
Answer: Under most of our US products, you would be covered based on your purchase date being prior to April 14, 2010, subject to policy terms and conditions. We encourage you to contact our 24/7 Service Center or your Travel Guard sales representatives with additional questions as coverage and benefits vary by product.
*****
Question Two: "I am scheduled to travel this summer and have not yet purchased a policy. If I purchase a policy today and a future eruption of the Iceland volcano occurs would I be covered?"
Answer: If the current Iceland Volcano situation subsides and commercial airlines resume normal schedules prior to your trip, any new eruption would be considered a new event under our US policies. Coverage would be administered according to the product purchased (based on limits) and 24/7 Service Center or your Travel Guard sales representatives with additional questions as coverage and benefits vary by product.

*****
Question Three: "I have insurance and am scheduled to fly out later this week. What should I do if my flight is cancelled?"
Answer:The first call you should make is to your air carrier as all airlines have made rebooking passengers impacted by this event a priority. That said, please contact Travel Guard for additional assistance, both for flight rebooking and to initiate a claim if applicable.
*****
Question Four: "What is the coverage cut-off date for the current Iceland volcano event?"
Answer: Eligible US plans would need to have been purchased before April 14, 2010.
*****
Question Five: "My customers are stranded away from home. What can you do to help them?"
Answer: Our 24/7 assistance centers stand ready to help you and your customers. Our services include flight rebooking, hotel rebooking, cash wire transfers, translation services, message relay and more. Our worldwide reach has also helped our insureds avoid spending nights in airports, as we have helped get them accommodated in hotels during their delays.
For airlines telephone numbers CLICK HERE.

Ash Cloud Update for Wednesday April 21 and contact numbers

Europe's skies reopened for business on Wednesday but it could take days or weeks to clear the six-day backlog. Here is a list of countries as of 1500 GMT on Wednesday and their airspace status: CLICK HERE for airline telephone numbers.

AUSTRIA - Airspace open as of 0300 GMT Monday.
BELGIUM - Belgium began allowing planes to land on Tuesday. Some flight departures were allowed from 1200 GMT Tuesday.
BOSNIA - Airports open (see Serbia entry).
BRITAIN - Britain reopened its airspace on Tuesday night. British Airways say it will operate all its long-haul flights departing from Heathrow and Gatwick airports on Wednesday, but there would be short-haul cancellations to and from London airports until 1200 GMT.
BULGARIA - All airspace and airports open.
CZECH REPUBLIC - Airspace and airports open as of 1000 GMT on Monday. Prague Airport plans to handle 322 flights on Wednesday, around 83 percent of normal operations.
DENMARK - All airspace and airports remain open until at least 0600 GMT on Thursday.
ESTONIA - Airspace open.
FINLAND - Finavia closed the main Helsinki-Vantaa airport on Wednesday afternoon after opening it for a few hours earlier. Finnair said it would cancel all domestic and European traffic, along with departing long-haul flights. Besides Helsinki, the airports in Turku, Malmi, Lappeenranta and Mariehamn are also closed. The situation would be reviewed at 2100 GMT, but expected restrictions on southern Finland's airspace would continue.
FRANCE - All French long-haul flights should be departing as normal, but flights to some northern European airports could still be suspended. Air France-KLM said in a statement its network was almost back to normal.
GERMANY - Air traffic control said German airspace would be open by 0900 GMT. Airports in the cities of Hamburg, Berlin, Bremen, and Hanover were open. About 700 flights, or about half of the usual number, were expected to take off and land in Frankfurt on Wednesday, airport operator Fraport say. It will take at least 24 hours or even several days until flight operations have returned to normal.
HUNGARY - Hungarian airspace is fully open, the air traffic authority said around 0800 GMT on Tuesday.
IRELAND - Flights in Northern Europe (except flights between Ireland and the UK) to operate as scheduled from 0400 GMT Thursday. Flights between Ireland and UK will resume normal schedules from 0400 GMT on Friday.
ITALY - Airspace has completely reopened.
LATVIA - Airspace open.
LUXEMBOURG - Luxembourg Airport reopened at 0800 GMT Tuesday.
MOLDOVA - Resumed international flights from 0730 GMT Tuesday.
MONTENEGRO - Airports open (see Serbia).
NETHERLANDS - Passenger flights began on Monday. Night flights resumed on Tuesday.
NORWAY - All Norway's airspace, including over offshore oil installations, is open until 1200 GMT. Airport authority Avinor anticipates that the airspace will remain open until tonight.
POLAND - Poland was reopening its airspace from 0500 GMT.
PORTUGAL - All airports have been open throughout the crisis -- its airspace has not been affected.
ROMANIA - Airspace fully reopened.
RUSSIA - All airports open. Aeroflot is flying to the United States via the North Pole.
SERBIA - Air traffic control said most of the air space in its area of responsibility (Serbia, Montenegro, parts of Bosnia and Southern Adriatic) is again affected by the volcanic ash cloud. It will decide every six hours whether to close airspace partially or completely. Airports in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia are currently open for traffic.
SLOVAKIA - Airspace and airports open as of 1240 GMT on Monday. Bratislava airport has resumed operation of flights, but no heavy traffic as Ryanair, operating most of the flights to and from Slovakia, has suspended all flights until Thursday 1100 GMT.
SLOVENIA - Slovenian airspace was opened at 1000 GMT on Tuesday. It had been partly closed since 0200 GMT Tuesday.
SPAIN - 17 airports open.
SWEDEN - Stockholm Arlanda airport will reopen at 1400 GMT. Aviation authority say bans on flying through most of Swedish airspace would be gradually lifted throughout the day.
SWITZERLAND - Geneva and Zurich airports reopened on Tuesday morning though some flights were cancelled at both.
TURKEY - All airports open. Flight restrictions at certain altitudes in three Black Sea cities have been lifted.
UKRAINE - Major airline MAU say it plans to conduct all regular flights, including flights to Europe.
(Reuters)

Ash Cloud update. Flights Pick Up In Europe As Ash Risk Lowered

European airports started to return to life on Today after five days cut off from the rest of the world by a volcanic ash cloud, as authorities downgraded the risk the ash posed to aircraft.

Britain, a major global air hub as well as a busy destination in its own right that has been squarely under the ash plume, said it would reopen all its airspace within hours, giving a huge boost to travellers and air freight.
The progressive reopening offered stranded passengers relief after days of frustration since no-fly zones were imposed on Thursday.
European aviation control agency Eurocontrol said on Tuesday about half of scheduled air traffic in Europe was expected to operate: about 14,000 flights, up from a third on Monday.

Britain had lagged its European neighbours in downgrading the threat to planes from the ash, which can potentially scour and even paralyse jet engines. Maybe I will finally receive my FedEx envelope missing for a week?
CLICK HERE for airline phone numbers...

Ash Cloud Update. Some Flights Resume

"The volcano eruption in Iceland has strengthened and a new ash cloud is spreading south and east towards the UK", -- Britain's National Air Traffic Services.

Flights from large parts of Europe were set to resume on Tuesday under a deal to free up airspace closed by a huge ash cloud, but further eruptions from an Icelandic volcano threatened to unravel the plans.
British air traffic controllers warned a new ash cloud was headed for major air routes, prompting British Airways to cancel its short-haul flights, while several countries either closed airports anew or curtailed use of their airspace.
Poland, which had reopened four airports on Monday, closed them again on Tuesday, as well as shutting the northern part of its airspace to transit flights, citing the ash cloud.
Hungary closed part of its western airspace below 6,000 metres (20,000 feet) due to higher amounts of volcanic ash, its air traffic authority said, and Ireland said the renewed eruption of the Icelandic volcano on Monday, and prevailing weather conditions, forced it to extend its airspace closure.
"The density of volcanic ash over Irish airspace is such that restrictions will have to continue until 1200 GMT today at least," the Irish Aviation Authority said in a statement.
Britain's biggest airports remained closed, and even where flights resumed, at Edinburgh and Glasgow airports in Scotland, the service was limited.
Britain was deploying three navy ships, including an aircraft carrier, to bring its citizens home from continental Europe. The British travel agents' association ABTA estimated 150,000 Britons were stranded abroad. Washington said it was trying to help 40,000 Americans stuck in Britain.
CLICK HERE for airline phone numbers.

Ash Cloud Update Airports And Airspace as of 0600GMT Monday 19 April

Large parts of Europe enforced no-fly rulings for a fourth day on Sunday because of a huge ash cloud from an Icelandic volcano/  Here is a list of countries as of 1100 GMT on Monday and their airspace status: CLICK HERE  for airlines phone numbers

AUSTRIA - Airports open as of 0400 GMT Monday. ..
BELGIUM - Air space closed until Monday 1800 GMT. Airlines have been allowed to bring planes back to Belgium without passengers or freight.
BOSNIA - Airports open.
BRITAIN - Airspace closed all Monday. British Airways cancels all Monday flights.
BULGARIA - Sofia, Plovdiv and Burgas airports open, airports in northern Bulgaria closed. Transit flights permitted at 8,000 metres (26,250 feet) altitude.
CZECH REPUBLIC - Airspace and airports open as of 1000 GMT Monday.
DENMARK - Airspace open for flights above 10,800 metres (35,500 feet). Airspace below this height closed all Monday.
ESTONIA - Airspace closed until 1200 GMT Monday.
FINLAND - The main Helsinki-Vantaa airport will open at 1200 GMT for at least eight hours until 2000 GMT. Regional Turku and Tampere-Pirkkala airports open until 2100 GMT
FRANCE - Bordeaux, Marseille, Nice, Toulouse and several other southwest airports will remain open until at least 1300 GMT Monday. Airports north of Nice-Bordeaux line remain closed at least until Tuesday morning. Air France said a test flight from Paris to Toulouse on Sunday had ended without problems; tests continuing.
GERMANY - Airports shut until 1200 GMT Monday.
HUNGARY - Airspace fully open as of 1000 GMT Monday.
IRELAND - Airspace closed until at least 1200 GMT on Monday. Ryanair cancelled all flights to and from northern Europe until at least mid-Wednesday. Aer Lingus cancelled all flights on Monday.
ITALY - Northern airspace up to 6,700 metres (22,000 feet) re-closed until at least 0600 GMT Tuesday, after briefly opening airspace for two hours on Monday.
LATVIA - Airspace above 6,000 metres (19,700 feet) now open for transit flights, but flights to and from Riga airport not expected to resume on Monday.
LITHUANIA - Airspace open.
LUXEMBOURG - Air space closed until Monday 1800 GMT.
MONTENEGRO - Airports open.
NETHERLANDS - Airspace shut until at least 1200 GMT Monday.
NORWAY - Oslo Gardermoen Airport open for some air traffic. Other parts of the country, such as parts of northern Norway, closed to traffic.
POLAND - Airports closed on Monday. Transit flights in airspace permitted, but not landings and take-offs.
ROMANIA - Main Bucharest airport open from 1200 GMT Monday after two-day closure. May fully reopen airspace on Tuesday.
RUSSIA - All airports open. Aeroflot is flying to the United States via the North Pole.
SERBIA - Airports open.
SLOVAKIA - Eastern airspace open, as is the rest of its airspace for flights above 7,500 metres. Bratislava airport closed.
SLOVENIA - Slovenia expects another cloud of ash to reach its airspace around 1200 GMT Monday following which it will probably close its airspace again after opening it last night.
SPAIN - 17 airports open.
SWEDEN - Airspace open for flights north of a line stretching from the southern city of Gothenburg to Stockholm. SAS resuming domestic flights in the unrestricted airspace as well as flights between Stockholm and Oslo.
SWITZERLAND - Flight ban until at least 0600 GMT Tuesday. No instrument-guided flights will be allowed to land at or take off from Swiss airports. Transit permitted at an altitude above 6,400 metres (21,000 feet).
TURKEY - All airports open. Planes flying out of the Black Sea cities of Samsun, Sinop and Zonguldak have been advised not to fly higher than 6,000 metres.
UKRAINE - Kiev's Borispol airport open

Ash Cloud List of countries airspace status as of Sunday April 18

Large parts of Europe enforced no-fly rulings today for a fourth day because of a huge ash cloud from an Icelandic volcano that has caused the worst air travel chaos since the Sept. 11 attacks. For airline phone numbers click here. Below is a list of countries as of 2030 GMT on Sunday and their airspace status:

AUSTRIA - Airports expected to reopen 0400 GMT Monday.
BELGIUM - Airspace closed until at least 1800 GMT Sunday. Main airline, Brussels Airlines, has cancelled all flights until Monday.
BRITAIN - Airspace closed until at least 1800 GMT Monday. British Airways cancels all Monday flights.
BULGARIA - Sofia and Plovdiv airports open as of 1100 GMT Sunday. Other airports closed. Transit flights permitted at 8,000 metres altitude.
CZECH REPUBLIC - Airspace closed until at least 1000 GMT Monday.
DENMARK - Airspace closed until 1200 GMT Monday.
ESTONIA - Airspace closed until 1200 GMT Monday.
FINLAND - Airspace closed until at least 1500 GMT Monday.
FRANCE - Bordeaux, Marseille, Nice, Toulouse and several other southwest airports will remain open until at least 1300 GMT Monday. Airports north of Nice-Bordeaux line remain closed at least until Tuesday morning. Air France said a test flight from Paris to Toulouse on Sunday had ended without problems; tests continuing.
GERMANY - International airports shut until 1200 GMT Monday. Temporary opening permission to Berlin's Tegel and Schoenefeld airports to end at 2200 GMT.
HUNGARY - Airspace to remain closed until at least 1000 GMT Monday, although some flights at the discretion of traffic control may be allowed to take off or land.
IRELAND - Airspace closed until at least 1200 GMT on Monday. Ryanair cancelled all flights to and from northern Europe until at least mid-Wednesday. Aer Lingus cancelled all flights Monday.
ITALY - Northern airspace to reopen from 0500 GMT Monday.
LATVIA - Airspace closed until 0600 GMT Monday.
LITHUANIA - Lithuania airspace is now open, Vilnius Airport said on its website on Sunday.
LUXEMBOURG - Luxembourg airport closed until at least 1600 GMT Sunday.
NETHERLANDS - Airspace shut until at least 0600 GMT Monday.
NORWAY - Main airport, Oslo Gardermoen, opened for take-offs, but so far no landings, aviation authority Avinor told news channel TV 2. Airspace opened for some traffic north of Bergen, with some northern areas still closed
POLAND - Six Polish airports, including Warsaw, reopened for commercial flights.
ROMANIA - Airspace closed until at least 0900 GMT Monday.
RUSSIA - All airports open. Aeroflot is flying to the United States via the North Pole.
SLOVAKIA - Airspace closed as of 1300 GMT on Friday.
SLOVENIA - Airspace was opened around 1800 GMT Sunday and will stay open until at least 0400 GMT Monday, national news agency STA cited Traffic Ministry as saying. However, the ministry expects it to be closed again because of more ash reaching Slovenia around 0600 GMT, STA said.
SPAIN - The 17 airports closed on Sunday morning by the Spanish airport authorities now open.
SWEDEN - Airport authority has opened airspace north of 62 degrees latitude, about 250 km north of Stockholm. The rest remains closed into Monday. SAS said most of its flights on April 18 and 19 had been cancelled.
SWITZERLAND - Main carrier Swiss says cancelled all European flights from and to Switzerland until Monday, 1800 GMT. Swiss also says cancelled all intercontinental flights from Switzerland for all of Monday.
TURKEY - All airports open. Planes flying out of the Black Sea cities of Samsun, Sinop and Zonguldak have been advised not to fly higher than 20,000 feet (6 km).
UKRAINE - Kiev's Borispol airport open
(Reuters)


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Why is Volcanic Ash bad for aircraft?

Aircraft avoid airspace that has volcanic ash because it can damage the flight ability of both propeller and jet aircraft. Ash is so fine that it can invade spaces between rotating machinery and possibly jam them, Silica in ash melts at about 1,100 degrees and fuses to turbine blades and nozzle guide vanes (another part of the turbine assembly), which in modern aircraft operate at 1,400 degrees.
Other possible problems is ash can pit the windscreens of the pilots cabin, damage the fuselage and light covers, and in some cases coat a plane so much that it could become tail-heavy. At runways ash creates an extra problem during takeoffs and landings will throw it into the air again – where the engines can suck it in and it may cause major damage to moving parts. The Icelandic ash plume has been thrown into the atmosphere to between 6km and 11km – exactly the height that aircraft would be flying at.
If you have plans to fly to or within Europe worldwide airlines numbers are provided for you convience, click here.

Most German Airports closed indefinitely. Other European Airports effected by ash.

Flights at Frankfurt and other German airports were halted indefinitely today as a high-altitude cloud of volcanic ash from Iceland spread further over Europe.
No flights were landing or departing from the Frankfurt airport - the biggest in Germany and the hub for Lufthansa's worldwide operations - from 8 am, an airport spokesman said.
The airport was not formally closed, however, and operations could quickly resume once meteorological conditions improve, he added.
Elsewhere in Germany, flights were grounded at Berlin, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Bremen, Hannover, and other smaller airports.
The ash floating thousands of kilometres from Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull volcano has also forced the unprecedented closure of airports across Europe.
The European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation (Eurocontrol) said in a statement it expected around 11,000 flights on Friday in European airspace, down from the normal 28,000.
Besides the airports closed in Germany, airspace is not open to civilian aircraft travel in Ireland, the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Estonia, the north of France including all Paris airports, and parts of Poland including Warsaw airport, Eurocontrol said.
“Planning to fly to or within northern Europe in the next few days? Best check with your airline for flight cancelations caused by the Volcanic Ash – For Airline Contact Numbers, Click here

Ash cloud from Iceland grounds UK flights

NEWS ALERT
All flights in and out of the UK have been suspended as ash from a volcanic eruption in Iceland moves south.

Safety body Eurocontrol said up to 4,000 flights across northern Europe would be cancelled on Thursday.
The Air Traffic Control Service (Nats) said no flights would be allowed in or out of UK airspace until 1800BST amid fears of engine damage. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8621407.stm

Positive Results For Air Traffic at Düsseldorf Airport

Some 810,000 passengers arrived and departed Düsseldorf Airport during the two-week Easter holidays. The good news...that is a plus of 9.1 percent compared with last year’s Easter holidays. The airlines carried out about 8,800 take-offs and landings in the period of the holidays – as many as in the Easter holidays of 2009. The day with the heaviest traffic was the last day of school: On Friday, March 26, some 63,000 passengers were counted at the airport and about 700 take-offs and landings. By comparison: Düsseldorf International usual count is 49,000 passengers and 590 take-offs and landings on an average day.

Altogether 3.7 million air passengers were counted at Düsseldorf Airport in the first quarter of this year. Consequently, the volume of passengers has grown by 7.8 percent compared with the same period last year. These figures lift the airport into the top group of comparable German airports. After the fall in traffic caused by the decline in 2009 the recovery of air traffic in Düsseldorf, is on the rise....
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BA cabin crew highest paid in industry

Intersting to discover from previously unpublished figures that the BA cabin crew were the only UK cabin crews last year to get pay raises – on top of their industry leading salaries. Despite the fact the company reported record losses, and other carriers cut or froze crew salaries, BA cabin crew salaries rose by 5%.

Previously unpublished figures from the Civil Aviation Authority shows BA’s 12,000 striking cabin crew were paid an average of £31,400 ($45,570) in 2009. Five per cent higher than the £29,900 ($46,250) they received the previous year.
Virgin Atlantic’s crew had their pay frozen at £14,400 ($22,270).
Crew at bmi took a 6.5% average reduction to £17,200 ($26,600).
Charter carriers Monarch and Thomas Cook, cut crew pay by approximately 13%.
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Lufthansa pilots call off strike. But German air traffic controllers may walkout

German air traffic controllers may go on strike over working hours, just as Lufthansa pilots called off a planned walkout.
Cabin crew at British Airway recently staged two strikes over pay and jobs. The carrier and union officials have now resumed talks.

Is it really going to cost a buck and a half to use the toilet

Word is speading that Irish low cost carrier, Ryanair is working with aircraft manufacturer Boeing to develop a coin-operated toilet so it can charge customers one British Pound (1.50 U.S.) to use the toilets on short-haul flights lasting less than an hour. Hmmm...one may have to cut back on the beer drinking..or hope flight attendants have lots of change...
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BA and Iberia finally put the pen to a merger agreement

Today British Airways and Spain's Iberia signed an USD$8 billion merger to create the world's third-largest airline by revenue.
The merger, which they hope to complete by December, is designed to help BA and Iberia stem over USD$1 billion of combined annual losses following the worst industry downturn in decades.
The majority of the combined group will be owned by BA shareholders. This consolidation ends the British company's long pursuit of Iberia and positions the companies for further consolidation.
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Düsseldorf’s International Cartwheel Championship

According to a recent press release. The city of Düsseldorf has been in love with cartwheels since 1288, legend has it. Now part of the cityscape, every visitor will come across the image of a cartwheel sooner or later, or even have children offer to perform them for money (a nickel or a dime a piece), as they do to passersby on the street all year long. The city founded an annual cartwheel championship in 1937, and now up to 700 boys and girls from up to 15 countries compete every year. The next event will take place June 20, 2010.
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