British Airways is considering ditching its OpenSkies subsidiary, which operates flights from Paris and Amsterdam to the US, as a direct result of the ongoing severe slump in the global economy and resultant slowdown in air travel. The BA subsidiary was named after the 2008 treaty, signed by the US and EU after years of negotiations, and was launched last summer. … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: BA may ditch OpenSkies as transatlantic suffers
Carriers
EUROPE & CIS: Virgin Atlantic orders 10 new A330-300s
British based Virgin Atlantic Airways, has signed a firm contract to buy six Airbus A330-300 long-range aircraft, and is leasing a further four from AerCap. To date, Virgin operates six A340-300s and 19 A340-600 aircraft. Virgin is also a customer for six A380s. … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: Virgin Atlantic orders 10 new A330-300s
EUROPE & CIS: Blue Wings restarts Leipzig-Moscow service
Düsseldorf-based carrier, Blue Wings has relaunched its Leipzig/Halle-Moscow (Sheremetyevo airport) route, two times a week, using a leased A320 aircraft after the company’s operating license was revoked on 31 March this year and subsequently reinstated on 5 May. … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: Blue Wings restarts Leipzig-Moscow service
EUROPE & CIS: Lufthansa proceeds with Belgian, BMI purchases
Lufthansa, Europe’s second biggest airline, has said it will proceed with takeovers of Belgian and UK carriers by early next month after settling antitrust issue and transaction terms. Lufthansa aims to complete the purchase of 45 per cent of Brussels Airlines in June, and is sticking to plans for complete control by 2011, following European Union approval after the carriers agreed to scale back services on three German routes serving Brussels as well as Brussels-Zurich flights to … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: Lufthansa proceeds with Belgian, BMI purchases
EUROPE & CIS: Air France, KLM admit to price fixing in Canada
Air France and KLM again face potential multimillion-dollar fines after admitting they both participated in a conspiracy to set surcharges on cargo flown out of Canada. In documents filed in the Federal Court of Canada recently, the airlines admitted they breached competition rules by conspiring with other airlines to apply fuel and other surcharges on cargo shipments between 2002 and 2006. Also filed in court was a third statement by KLM subsidiary Martinair Holland N.V., containing similar … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: Air France, KLM admit to price fixing in Canada
EUROPE & CIS: GSA welcomes AirAsia X flight increase
AirAsia X – the low-cost long haul arm of Malaysian carrier AirAsia – is increasing its flights to seven per week on its recently-launched London Stansted- Kuala Lumpur service. The increase from five departures per week was prompted by the strength of early demand, and is part of the carrier’s overall expansion strategy for Europe, the carrier said. Dublin-based IAM, which was appointed to market the airline’s cargo capacity in Ireland when it … [Read more...] about EUROPE & CIS: GSA welcomes AirAsia X flight increase