Irish low-cost carrier (LCC) Ryanair will open a new base at Brussels Zaventem in February 2014 as the airline incorporates more major airports into its network.
News from Travel Technology Update: Air New Zealand introduced Skycouch, an unusual product that allows passengers to purchase a row of three seats in the economy cabin and turn it into a bed or play area on long-haul flights, more than two years ago, but the only place the carrier has been able to sell it is on its website.
Airbus and Thales have signed a long-term service agreement to support Airbus’s Flight Hour Services (FHS) and Tailored Support Package (TSP) for A320s, A330s, A340s, A380s and A350XWBs.
Indigo Partners completed the acquisition of Frontier Airlines from Republic Airways Holdings Tuesday. Final terms of the transaction, which was first announced Oct. 1, are not being disclosed.
Lithuanian start-up carrier Air Lituanica and Estonian Air have severed their cooperation following bitter allegations of unpaid debts from both sides.
Spanish infrastructure company Abertis has completed the sale of its interest in the management of London Luton Airport to a consortium consisting of Spain’s airport management and air navigation services provider Aena and independent investment company Ardian (formerly AXA Private Equity).
Scandinavian low-cost carrier (LCC) Norwegian Air Shuttle will open a base at Barcelona El Prat Airport in spring 2014, and plans to use it as a new hub for long-haul flights.
Irish low-cost carrier (LCC) Ryanair will base six aircraft at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport and will launch services to three new domestic destinations in Southern Italy—Catania, Palermo (Sicily) and Lamezia (Calabria)—from the capital’s gateway airport Dec. 18.
China Southern Airlines is expected to establish codeshare alliance with Qantas in early 2014 to strengthen its position between Europe and Australia and New Zealand on the so-called “Canton routes.”
FAA is proposing a $325,000 civil penalty against Dallas-based Southwest Airlines for allegedly operating an aircraft that had been improperly modified, violating federal aviation regulations.
Mobile satellite communications specialist Inmarsat has confirmed it will launch the first of its Global Xpress satellites—designated Inmarsat-5 F1—from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan aboard an International Launch Services (ILS) Proton Breeze M on Dec. 8.
African low-cost carrier Fastjet will begin flying to Lusaka, Zambia from its home base of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Feb. 1, 2014, inaugurating its second international route.
IATA has called on airports to be more responsive to the needs of passengers and airline customers, pointing out that “effective competition between airports remains the exception rather than the rule.”
