p32 air mar20 17/3/09 10:53 Page 30
Air
Chris Gray
020 7921 8003
cgray@ttglive.com
For the latest news about flights, airlines and airports, visit ttglive.com/air
Qatar Airways to
In brief
■ EC riles no-frills by backing protection of slots
fly to Australia
The European Commission has backed a plan to
suspend a “use it or lose it” clause for airport
slots despite strong objections from easyJet and
Ryanair. The Association of European Airlines
Chris Gray.
A Qatar spokeswoman said scheduling for the welcomed the decision, which it said would allow
QATAR Airways is launching flights to Australia Doha-Sydney flight had not been decided but it members to trim capacity without losing slots.
and expanding its Indian destinations for the would offer good connections for the UK market, EasyJet and Ryanair condemned the move.
winter 2009 season. which was key to the success of the route. EasyJet chief executive Andy Harrison called on
It will fly to Sydney, Melbourne, Goa and Chief executive Akbar Al Baker revealed at ITB the UK government and European Parliament to
Amritsar from Qatar from next autumn, subject in Berlin that the two Australian destinations reject the EC plan, which he said would lead to
to regulatory approval, once more Boeing had been on the airline’s “radar” for years and fewer flights and more expensive tickets.
777-200 long-range aircraft join its fleet. it would enter the market “with vigour”.
The Doha-based airline is entering the Qatar is boosting its range of Indian destina- ■ Cathay Pacific posts $1.1bn loss for 2008
Australia market at a time when the UK-Sydney tions from nine to 11, targeting leisure travellers Cathay Pacific has reported a $1.1 billion loss for
route is becoming increasingly competitive. to Goa and leisure and VFR traffic to Amritsar. 2008, compared with a $900 million profit in
Singapore Airlines, Qantas and Emirates are It also increasing capacity from March 29 to 2007. The results were worse than expected and
offering services on the A380 superjumbo, and eight cities, including Kuala Lumpur, Manila, the airline’s first loss since 1998. The Hong Kong-
Air Asia X is offering a no-frills option via Kuala which will get three extra weekly flights to give based carrier blamed the results on fuel costs and
Lumpur, with fares from £250 one way. a double daily service, Muscat, which will rise falling demand caused by the economic crisis.
Etihad also flies to Sydney, Melbourne and from 15 to 21 flights a week, and Mashad in Iran.
Brisbane, and last week announced a code-share Baker said it would also add two European ■ Air Southwest links City and West Country
with Qantas on domestic flights and connections destinations over the next nine months as it Air Southwest is launching twice-weekday flights
from Melbourne to New Zealand. continued its expansion plans regardless of the between London City airport and Plymouth and
Qatar has four flights a day from Heathrow to economic crisis. Newquay airports from April 20. Fares aim to
Doha, along with one from Gatwick and one from Qatar has more than 200 Airbus and Boeing make the service better value than rail or road,
Manchester that will link with the Sydney flights. aircraft on order. and start at £29 each way including taxes, fees
and baggage. The service will have a Business Plus
option, and will also fly once a day on weekends.
AirAsia X touts
■ Liverpool gains Wizz Air flights to Prague
Wizz Air is expanding its Liverpool operation with
good demand
a new thrice-weekly service to Prague starting on
July 11. The airline said one-way fares would
start from £12.99. Flights will leave on Tuesday,
AIRASIA X founder Tony Fernandes claimed the Thursday and Saturday at 12.50.
airline’s passengers had already demonstrated
an appetite for long-haul no-frills air travel. The pilot of AirAsia X’s inaugural flight from Kuala Lumpur ■ Southampton staff most helpful in Europe
Fernandes said five passengers on the airline’s waves the Malaysian flag on arrival at Stansted Staff at Southampton airport have been named
inaugural flight from Kuala Lumpur to Stansted as the most helpful in Europe. The award was
last week had flown on sister short-haul no-frills it, and they were wrong then,” said Fernandes. given by Airports Council International, based on
airline AirAsia from Melbourne. “Other carriers have pulled back capacity and a survey of 200,000 passengers worldwide.
He said customers from south-east Asia had we intend to grow the market.”
also used AirAsia to get to Kuala Lumpur, flown AirAsia X intends to expand its five times a ■ North-east company opens in Durham Tees
AirAsia X to Stansted, and then transferred to week service to a daily flight by July once it has Tour operator Fair Lloyds Travel and sister
Ryanair for onward connections in Europe. negotiated the lease of another Airbus A340. agency Cleveland Holidays have moved from
He hit back at suggestions from rival Asian The airline has been buoyed by the Malaysia Middlesbrough to Durham Tees Valley airport to
carriers that the failure of Oasis Hong Kong Air- government’s decision to cut airport landing fees target customers already in the holiday mood.
lines showed long-haul no-frills was not viable. by 50% from April and press on with building a
“They were convinced that the short-haul $540 million dedicated no-frills air terminal by
ttglive.com
For the very latest flights, airline and
model would not work in Asia when I first started 2011, easing congestion at Kuala Lumpur. airport news, go to ttglive.com/air
32 20.03.2009
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