Qantas Airways Offers Free Flights for Stranded Tourists

Qantas Airways offers free flights to passengers who were left stranded by the fleet grounding in a desperate bid to win them back. The Australian carrier and union workers meet today for talks.

Qantas Airways, one of the world’s biggest carriers, is giving away free air tickets to apologize to travellers who were left high and dry when airline’s entire fleet was grounded for two days in October.

Australia-based airline says that passengers whose travels were disrupted by the grounding are entitled to a free return economy flight within Australia or to New Zealand over a two-year period from Dec. 14.

The offer of free flights will reportedly cost the carrier which is not exactly known for its cheap flights somewhere around A $20 million.

“This ticket offer is one of a range of initiatives we will be launching as a way of saying sorry as we move forward into this period of stability,” said Alan Joyce, Qantas Chief Executive Officer in a statement.

“Throughout the long period of industrial activity we have been acutely aware of the impact on our customers,” Alan Joyce added. He also said that this was the airline’s way of winning back customer loyalty.

It has been reported that approximately 80,000 passengers were impacted when Australia’s flag carrier grounded all of its aircraft all over the world on Oct. 29 for about 48 hours. The move was made by the airline to counter long continuing industrial action.

Fair Work Australia intervened and ordered an end to the halt. The airline and the unions, representing engineers, long-haul pilots and baggage handlers, were given 21 days to reach a new contract or face obligatory arbitration.

As per the airline, the disruption cost Qantas A$68 million ($71 million).

Customers to be Compensated

Qantas says that passengers will be compensated for all reasonable losses ensuing from the fleet grounding. Alan Joyce said that the airline regrets the inconvenience caused by the long-standing dispute and by the grounding specifically.

“Now that no more industrial action can take place and the cloud of further strike action has lifted, we are 100 percent focused on what matters to customers, getting them to their destinations, safely, on time and in comfort, and in rewarding their loyalty to Qantas,” Alan Joyce was quoted in several news sources.

The airline also said that announcements in regards to overseas customers and frequent fliers will be made soon. Cheap flights tickets and other incentives can be expected.

Qantas Resumes Talks With Union

Qantas Airways and union members met for negotiations. This was the first meeting of the parties after the Australian airline halted its entire operations late last month over the labour dispute.

Secretary of the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association, Steve Purvinas said another negotiating session was scheduled for Thursday.

“By today (Monday), we’ll know whether Qantas are interested in negotiating an outcome or whether they’ll continue to stonewall – which has been the case up until now,” Purvinas was quoted as saying in news reports.

On condition of anonymity, a Qantas spokesman said, “We are committed to the negotiations … and believe that we should be able to reach an agreement within the 21-day period.”

Virgin Atlantic Airways Start New Flights Route Between Vancouver to London Heathrow

Virgin Atlantic has announced a new route between Vancouver to London Heathrow. It will start in May 2012 and will continue till the end of October. It will be four-times-a-week service. The airline also added second flight to San Francisco.

Virgin Atlantic Airways yesterday announced the launch of a new seasonal route between Vancouver and London Heathrow Airport.

The new route that is expected to serve up to 40,000 travellers will be operational from May 2012 until the end of October. Virgin Atlantic will offer the flight service four times a week throughout the summer.

With London hosting the Olympic Games 2012 as well as commemorating the diamond jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the throne, the airline hopes that many Canadians would want to travel to the UK capital.

Reacting to the announcement, the Honourable Christy Clark, Premier of British Columbia was quoted as stating, “Today’s announcement by Virgin Atlantic, of four new weekly flights between London and Vancouver, is positive news for British Columbia’s tourism industry.”

The Premier continued, “The United Kingdom is one of our key markets and also serves as a hub for other international travellers heading to our province. Virgin Atlantic is recognized around the world as a progressive airline and we look forward to welcoming their passengers to British Columbia when their service begins next summer.”

Virgin Atlantic plans to ply Airbus A340-300s on the new London-Vancouver route. The aircraft will have a configuration of 34 Upper Class suites, 35 Premium Economy seats and 171 Economy seats. The high number of economy class seats will ensure that travellers who seek cheap flights tickets will have better chances of netting them.

Flight VS95 will depart from London Heathrow (LHR) at 1:00 p.m. and will land at the Vancouver International Airport () at 3:10 p.m. Flight VS96 will take off from YVR at 7:50 p.m. and touch down at LHR the next day at 1:45 p.m. local time.

Additionally, Virgin Atlantic announced the launch of a second service between London and San Francisco. This service will be initiated from March 2012 and will run until October 2012. It will be a three times a week service (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays).

Virgin Atlantic’s Flight VS41 will leave LHR at 1:00 p.m. and arrive at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) at 4:50 p.m. local time. Flight VS42 will take off SFO at 6:50 p.m. and land at LHR the subsequent day at 1:45 p.m.

Steve Ridgway, Virgin Atlantic’s Chief Executive said, “The North American market has always been at the core of our business. Our success here has been due to our investment in product innovation and our willingness to respond to customer demand.”

“With almost 20,000 people flying from the UK to Canada each month in the peak season, the UK is the largest overseas market for passengers to British Columbia,” adds Ridgway.”

He hoped that more competition will mean better services and perhaps cheap flight tickets for the passengers.

“Greater competition to both Vancouver and San Francisco will benefit passengers through improved choice and better value for money,” he was further quoted in news reports.

As per the airline estimates, the increased flight frequency to San Francisco and Vancouver will create up to 430 jobs in aviation and tourism sectors in both cities.

Most U.S. Airlines Raised Airfares to $10 per round trip

Most U.S. airlines raise airfares to $10 per round trip, as the airline attempts to increase revenue in the current year. These efforts have been made by the airline two weeks ago, but this attempt failed and eventually canceled.

United and Continental raised the minimum prices they’ll charge on sales and certain other fares, a spokesman said Thursday. The US Airways increase appeared to target business travelers.

The moves are the latest attempt by airlines to boost revenue during a normally slow time of year for travel. They succeeded in raising prices two weeks ago, but another fare hike last week fizzled and was eventually canceled.

US Airways Group Inc. confirmed Thursday that overnight it had raised fares by $4 to $10 per round trip. American said it was considering whether to match the increase. Southwest and JetBlue said they had not matched the increases.

Jamie Baker, an analyst for J.P. Morgan, said the US Airways price increases were on tickets favored by business travelers, including first-class and economy fares eligible for instant upgrade.

Airline officials have said that demand among corporate travelers has been holding up better than leisure travel because vacationers are more sensitive to small increases in price.

Airlines have been able to boost prices partly by limiting the number of flights and available seats. U.S. airlines have tried about 20 fare hikes this year, with half of them sticking. The others were rolled back, usually because some airlines – typically a low-cost carrier such as Southwest or JetBlue – declined to go along.

Efforts made by some airlines raise airline ticket can help increase revenue in the third quarter. Delta and United Continental Holdings Inc. earned more than $ 500 million respectively in the third quarter, while American Airlines parent AMR Corp. and Southwest Airlines Co. lost money.

Lufthansa Airlines Expand Non-stop Flight to Tokyo

Lufthansa continues to expand successfully and will soon also start offering long-haul flights to Asia from Dusseldorf. As of summer 2012, Lufthansa will be offering its passengers the first non-stop flight from North Rhine-Westphalia to the Japanese capital of Tokyo. The new route will be launched on 1 June 2012 and shall be offered six times per week with an Airbus A 340-300. The launch represents the next step as the airline continues to consistently expand the offer at its Dusseldorf hub.

“Following the introduction of intercontinental routes to the major North American cities of New York, Chicago, Miami and Toronto, we are now expanding our offer towards Asia with a direct flight to Tokyo,” commented Oliver Wagner, Senior Vice President Direct Services at Deutsche Lufthansa. “As one of the most important economic nations, Japan is of major significance to Lufthansa and at the same time, Dusseldorf’s central location in Europe’s most important conurbation makes its “Japan’s capital on the Rhine”. In addition, the integration of Tokyo will help to develop and strengthen our route network at Lufthansa’s Dusseldorf hub and will offer passengers attractive connecting flights to over 50 direct destinations in Germany and Europe.”

“A direct connection between Dusseldorf and Tokyo is the culmination of the many years of hard work that we have invested in consolidating and expanding Dusseldorf as a hub of Japanese trade and industry. It has been a long-standing wish of the Japanese community and the city itself to have a direct flight to Japan. The economic power of our region, our business relations with Japan and the many Japanese companies here, make such a connection more than worthwhile. Lufthansa has now brought Dusseldorf and Japan even closer together,” commented Dirk Elbers, Lord Mayor of Dusseldorf, the State capital of North-Rhine Westphalia.

“The new Tokyo route again shows what an important role Dusseldorf Airport plays in making North-Rhine Westphalia internationally accessible,” said Christoph Blume, Spokesperson of the Airport Management. Blume went on to add: “We are very pleased to be able to offer yet another attractive long-haul route from the Dusseldorf hub in cooperation with our partner Lufthansa. The launch of this route represents a further milestone within the framework of our strategy to establish interesting intercontinental offers, and one from which the economy and tourism shall also greatly benefit.” Dusseldorf Airport is already offering about 90 weekly departures for long-haul routes this winter.

The new connection between Dusseldorf and Tokyo will see Lufthansa open yet another chapter of its 50-year partnership with the Asian country. The first scheduled Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt to Tokyo already took off in 1961. From 1968 until the 1980s, with a few interruptions, Lufthansa flew from Dusseldorf to Tokyo with a technical stop in Anchorage/USA. Together with SWISS and Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa now offers 80 connections per week between Japan and Europe, making Lufthansa one of the leading European airlines in Japan.

The Dusseldorf region is the number one Japanese hub in Germany — with over 500 Japanese companies located in the region. A quarter of all Japanese citizens in living in Germany live in the North Rhine-Westphalian capital, making it the third largest Japanese community in Europe, behind London and Paris. In May 2011, the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and its capital Dusseldorf celebrated the 150-year anniversary of their trade relations with Japan. The highlight of the ‘Japanese Year’ will be the 10th edition of the ‘Japan Day’ in Dusseldorf on 15 October 2011. The ‘Japan Day’ is a German-Japanese cultural festival of encounter and one of the most popular events in North Rhine-Westphalia’s capital.

The return flight from Dusseldorf to Tokyo and back will be available from 849 euros. The price applies for Economy Class tickets booked online at www.lufthansa.com and includes all taxes, fees and the Lufthansa Ticket Service Charge. Miles & More passengers can collect up to 37.600 miles on these flights — depending on booking class and status. Information on the new direct connection and bookings are available online, through the Lufthansa Call Center at 01805 805 805 (EUR0.14 per minute), at Lufthansa travel agency partners and at the Lufthansa ticket desks in the airports.

Get You Flight Destination with Offer Big Sale Airline Ticket from Several Major Airlines

Travelzoo is offering up deals from several major airlines that will get you to destinations across the country without breaking the bank.

AirTran Airways is one of the companies joining in on the discounts, helping travelers save as much as $200 roundtrip on competing fares.

The best part? No matter where you want to visit, there’s likely a deal to get you there. The “aggressive nationwide fare sale” is available for travel from 60 departure cities with rates starting as low as $54 each way!

Looking for an escape to France? Travelzoo can help there too.

A sale from Air France is cutting up to 35 percent off peak season fares , offering up non-stop flights through October for as little as $303 each way.

Las Vegas lovers will also score big with this week’s deals, which provide major discounts on travel through December.

Flights from across the U.S. are starting at just $24 each way, offering the perfect excuse to press your luck in Sin City. New fare sales and unadvertised price reductions will help travelers save as much as $150 off regularly priced tickets.

Saudi Arabia Consider Allow Gulf Airlines to Operate Domestic Flight Service

Move by kingdom’s aviation authority will help improve the country’s domestic air transport services. Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) unveiled plans to open the kingdom’s skies to Gulf airlines.

Khalid Al Khaibary, spokesman for the GACA, has said that the authority is seriously considering allowing the GCC-based airlines to operate domestic services in the kingdom.

The GACA’s move came at a time when there were rumours that the authority would not allow Gulf airlines to operate domestic flights here.

There are several factors attributed to this move. Most important among them is that the kingdom’s airlines are not in a position to compete with other Gulf airlines as the latter enjoy the full support of their respective governments.

Article continues below

Improving transport

Al Khaibary said in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency that the opening of Saudi skies would help improve domestic air transport services and boost the kingdom’s social and economic development.

“The top officials of the authority are seriously considering various aspects of the matter. The new move would be helpful to both citizens and expatriates,” he added.

Meanwhile, Prince Fahd Bin Abdullah, Assistant Minister of Defence and Aviation at the Civil Aviation Affairs and deputy chairman of the GACA board of directors, said that the authority has not received applications from any Gulf airline seeking a licence to operate domestic services in the kingdom.

He noted that the domestic airline sector here was more attractive compared to that of some other countries in the region. The charges are stable and cheaper than in countries such as Sudan and Yemen, he said.

It is also noteworthy that the Shoura Council earlier approved a study proposing to grant licences to Gulf airlines to operate domestic services in the kingdom.

The Council had also directed Saudi Arabian Airlines, the national flag carrier, to re-start services to some local airports following the travel crisis as a result of discontinuation of services stopped by budget airlines Sama and Nas Air.

Sama withdrew from the market last year.

The Saudi aviation market makes up about 29 per cent of the aviation sector in the Middle East.

Budget offer

Saudi Arabia’s budget airline Nas Air has introduced new offers of reduced ticket prices starting at 279 Saudi riyals (Dh273), including taxes. Turki Al Juaiwani, deputy chairman of the airline for the commercial sector, said that the offers are available until August 20.

There are 50,000 tickets at discounted rates that can be used between September 15 and October 20, he said, adding that the tickets can be bought from the airline’s retail sales outlets or through their online purchase.

Qantas and British Airways Increase Flight Services on Joint Services Agreement

Australia’s Qantas announced on Tuesday plans of enhancing Joint Services Agreement (JSA) with British Airways. Enhancements will strengthen their Singapore hub and offer better services on flights between London Heathrow and Australia.

Qantas and British Airways are set to develop their long-running Joint Services Agreement (JSA). The two airlines aim to strengthen their Singapore hub and offer better products and services to passengers booking flights between London Heathrow and Australia. The move is seen as a part of the Qantas Group’s plan to create a competitive global airline business.

Qantas will maintain its Airbus A380 operations from Melbourne and Sydney to London via Singapore. The carrier also proposes to construct a new premium lounge at Singapore’s Changi International Airport. On the other hand, UK’s flag carrier, British Airways will upgrade its London to Sydney (via Singapore) operations from a Boeing 777 to Boeing 747.

These developments will consolidate Singapore’s standing as the principal hub in the relationship, reinforcing the two airlines’ competitive position in the Asia-Pacific region. Both airlines are known to be premier carriers. Cheap flight tickets may not be their forte, but the carriers still enjoy popularity among travellers for offering quality on-board services.

Under the updated Joint Services Agreement, Qantas will offer flights on Australia – Bangkok and Australia – Hong Kong routes, while British Airways will provide services on Bangkok – London and Hong Kong – London routes. This move is aimed at maximising the carrier’s respective operational strengths and will come into effect from 2012 beginning. BA also plans to augment the frequency of London – Hong Kong flights from 14 per week to 17 per week.

Australia’s Qantas will discontinue its Bangkok – London and Hong Kong – London routes and BA will terminate Bangkok-Sydney operations in favour of Qantas operating flights on the route. This will ease early retirement of Qantas’ four Boeing 747 aircrafts.

Qantas CEO Alan Joyce remarked that the time was right to restructure the JSA between British and Qantas Airways.

“Strengthening our relationship with British Airways is an important element of our new strategy for Qantas International,” Mr Joyce said in the company’s press release that was posted on the website on Tuesday.

“Singapore will become the focal point of the JSA relationship, with daily Qantas A380 services from Melbourne and Sydney and onward to London, increased British Airways capacity and a new premium lounge.

“The new approach is a smarter use of both airlines’ resources that will enhance our competitive position in Asia and in the Australia – Europe market.

“Regardless of which airline is operating flights between Australia and the United Kingdom, we are focused on delivering a smooth and enjoyable flying experience for passengers. Restructuring the JSA will put us on the front foot in the fiercely competitive Australia – UK air travel market,” Mr Joyce further elaborated.

Qantas Announces New Lounges and Fleet Upgrades

Qantas also announced that it is going to invest almost $400 million in new international lounges, in-flight entertainment and aircraft refurbishment to enhance travellers’ experience.

“Qantas will construct a new First Lounge and Business Lounge in Los Angeles, three times the size of the current space, as well as new First Lounges in Singapore and Hong Kong,” Mr Alan Joyce was quoted in the company’s press release.

Mr Joyce stated that the introduction of the A380 in 2008 brought new levels of customer satisfaction and now the airline aims to make sure that consistent superiority is maintained across the fleet and lounge network.

“In February last year, Qantas announced a $250 million upgrade for nine Boeing 747-400s to meet the changing demands of the airline’s international customers. The first reconfigured B747 will commence services between Brisbane and Los Angeles in October, operating three return services per week,” he said.

The Qantas Group additionally launched a new low-cost airline, Jetstar Japan, in partnership with Japan Airlines and Mitsubishi. The airline is aimed at Japanese market and will serve travellers who seek cheap flight tickets.

India Airlines Plans Increase Flights to Gulf, as Dubai’s Biggest Tourism Source Market

During the first quarter of 2011, the United Kingdom lost its crown as Dubai’s biggest tourism source market, after a staggering 186,478 travellers from India stayed in hotels across the emirate between January and March this year, more than any other nationality and approximately 10 percent higher than the same period in 2010. The figures, released by Dubai’s Department of Tourism, coincide with previous statistics that revealed 1.8 million expatriates from India are now based in the United Arab Emirates, while annual trade between the two countries has snowballed from US$180 million in the 1970s to $43.4 billion last year.

It’s little wonder, therefore, that passenger demand on routes that link the UAE and India is booming – a situation that has arguably benefited UAE carriers more than their Indian counterparts. In recent years, for example, the growth of Emirates and Etihad has reduced Air India’s market share on these routes, while low-cost carriers Air Arabia and flydubai have also enhanced their networks to include Hyderabad, Mumbai, Lucknow, Delhi and Chennai, amongst others. This situation has publically been acknowledged as a growing concern by Indian airlines. During an interview with The Hindu newspaper last month, for example, a senior official from Air India Express (AIE) vented his frustration at competition from Gulf carriers, especially when the no-frills subsidiary of national carrier Air India is hoping to breakeven in the next year or two. “There is no dearth of demand, but the market is so competitive that I cannot afford to re-price tickets. In the past 18 months, I could not touch my fares at all,” stated the anonymous source. “Beating carriers from the Gulf when it comes to pricing is a difficult problem, as their operational cost is much lower due to cheaper fuel, allowing them to sell tickets at much lower rates.”

AIE, which currently flies to Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai and Sharjah, has undertaken a number of developments to better compete with Gulf carriers, including the relocation of its headquarters from Mumbai to Kochi for improved operational efficiency, together with a new regional base in Dubai, opened earlier this year to reduce flight disruptions and delays.

This determination to fight back on India-UAE routes has been matched by the airline’s homegrown rival, Jet Airways, which has also been impacted by the rise of Gulf carriers, with vice president of commercial strategy KG Vishwanath recently admitting that lower-than-expected second quarter results for 2011 could be attributed to intense competition and high fuel prices. Even then, more routes have been earmarked to Gulf markets over the coming months, starting with daily flights from Sharjah to Thiruvananthapuram from the end of October this year. The service, its tenth daily route from the UAE to India and the twenty-second Jet Airways flight from the Gulf to India, will end a previous monopoly on the Sharjah- Thiruvananthapuram route by Air Arabia.

But perhaps the largest blow to UAE carriers will be the forthcoming launch of international flights by India’s fastest growing airline, IndiGo, which will initially connect Dubai to New Delhi and Mumbai, with plans to eventually link 14 destinations across India to the emirate, according to president Aditya Ghosh. “It’s no coincidence that we selected Dubai as our first international destination,” the young executive told Aviation Business. IndiGo was named the best low-cost airline in India and Central Asia at the World Airline Awards 2011 and with one of the youngest fleets in the world and return flights to Dubai starting at US$222, there could be a viable challenge ahead for UAE rivals Air Arabia and flydubai, and to a lesser degree even full service airlines Emirates and Etihad – the extent to which will probably be determined over the next couple of years.

All Nippon Airways Adds New Flight Route to European

With the airline set to receive the first Boeing 787 in September, All Nippon Airways may augment its operations by adding as many as three European routes. In an interview conducted in Tokyo on August 1st, President and CEO of ANA, Shinichiro Ito remarked, “The 787 presents us with a big opportunity.” He hinted at the possibility of the carrier starting Boeing 787 Dreamliner flights to Europe from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport in February. However, Mr. Shinichiro Ito refused to elaborate on the likely destinations.

Boeing 787 indeed offers ANA an opportunity to expand its operations in Europe and North America as 787 Dreamliners are approximately 20 percent more fuel efficient than planes of a similar size and can cover a longer journey. International travellers who look for cheap flight tickets will surely have better alternatives if and when ANA begins its new European services.

Tokyo-based All Nippon Airways started its operations to Munich last year, which was its fourth destination in Europe after London, Paris and Frankfurt. The carrier is also due to initiate a venture on the European routes with Deutsche Lufthansa AG in October.

All Nippon Airways First Airline to Use Boeing 787 Dreamliner

All Nippon Airways is all set to become the first airline with Boeing 787 Dreamliner in its fleet. After developmental delays of almost three years, the first 787 is due for delivery to the Japanese flag carrier next month.

On Monday, the first Boeing 787 Dreamliner for All Nippon Airways rolled out of the paint hangar at Boeing’s facility in Everett, close to Seattle in the United States.

To celebrate the event, the aircraft was painted in bespoke white and blue colours, signifying Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner brand and ANA’s service goals. UK carriers, Thomson Airways and British Airways are among other international airlines that have placed orders for the 787 Dreamliner.

Boeing 787 Dreamliner will be configured by All Nippon Airways for use on short-haul international flights. However, to smooth the progress of staff training the aircraft will be deployed on domestic routes in the beginning.

On domestic routes, the aircraft will feature 12 Premium Class seats and 252 standard class seats. On long-haul international flights, Boeing 787 Dreamliner will have a total of 158 seats, including 46 Business Class seats and 112 Economy Class seats. On short-haul international flights, the Dreamliner will have 222 seats that will include 42 Business Class seats and 180 Economy Class seats. Travellers who seek cheap air tickets on flights will have more options once the Boeing 787 spreads its wings.

All Nippon Airways will fly the commemorative first commercial flight as a charter service from the Narita International Airport, Tokyo to Hong Kong. The 787 Dreamliner will then operate scheduled air travel services on the Haneda-Okayama and Haneda-Hiroshima routes.

Mitsuo Morimoto, Senior Executive Vice President of ANA was present at the aircraft roll out in Seattle. Mitsuo Morimoto is also handling the airline’s Operations & Airport Services, Corporate Safety and Audit.

Mr. Morimoto was quoted in the company’s press release as stating: “We intend to use the Dreamliner to expand our business, particularly our international routes. We are aiming to increase our revenues from international operations significantly and the 787 will play an instrumental role in this.” Mr. Morimoto also emphasised on the airline’s focus on customer satisfaction. He remarked, “We want to be number one in Asia, not just in passengers and revenues, but also in terms of quality, customer satisfaction and value creation. Becoming the 787’s launch customer was a strategic management decision designed to help us reach that goal.”