Low Cost Airline News

For more airline news, data and analysis, please go to: http://www.airguideonline.com/professional.htm Jul 3, 2006

Bmi

BMI chairman Sir Michael Bishop was in hard-hitting form in Amsterdam last week when he hosted a series of events to mark the 20th anniversary of the airline's services to and from Heathrow. He emphasized that it was the fist time an independent airline was allowed to compete with two national flag-carriers on a major European route. Things have changed somewhat since British Midland, as was, led the way. "Recent events in the UK and the US highlight the importance of transparency in competition in air travel," Bishop said. He continues to fight for Transatlantic traffic rights from LHR noting that bmi were not involved with the OFT investigations. He also welcomed the study into BAA (see above). http://www.flybmi.com Jun 30, 2006

Bmi

Bmi Chairman Michael Bishop celebrated bmi's role in European aviation liberalization and 20 years of scheduled services to Europe yesterday with a call for continued deregulation, particularly between the US and London Heathrow. On June 29, 1986, bmi Flight BD101 left LHR for Amsterdam, marking "the first scheduled flight between Heathrow and a major European city by any independent airline. Until that date, only the respective national airlines, or so-called flag carriers, were able to operate cross-border scheduled services on major routes," Bishop noted. "Bmi does not claim to have led the process of deregulation over the last two decades; however, we were one of the main protagonists of a drive for deregulation that led to an increase in choice, value and service for air travelers during the 1980s and 1990s." Jun 30, 2006

Bmibaby

Bmibaby signed Air Fayre as its new inflight catering supplier. Air Fayre will manage a diverse range of buy-on-board products including refreshments, fragrances, gifts and bmibaby-branded merchandise. Jun 27, 2006

FlyBE

FlyBE will launch service to 13 new destinations in Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland and the UK for its winter schedule. New routes include Amsterdam, Hannover and Dusseldorf from Southampton as well Amsterdam, Aberdeen and Salzburg from Exeter. The Regional-turned-LCC also will commence daily Norwich-Amsterdam and Leeds Bradford-Aberdeen service Oct. 29. From Birmingham it will offer a daily to Hannover, a thrice-weekly to Aberdeen and flights to Galway, while from Doncaster it will start service to Belfast. It also will connect Belfast with Galway on a daily basis. Jun 27, 2006

Frontier Airlines

Frontier Airlines yesterday launched five-times-daily service between Los Angeles and San Francisco aboard A319s. Jun 30, 2006

Frontier Airlines

Frontier Airlines is now operating twice daily between Denver International and Calgary International. Low-cost service will be operated by JetExpress using the 70-passenger CR7. Departures from DEN are at 8:15 a.m. and 9:25 p.m. Jun 30, 2006

Germanwings

Germanwings will start a thrice-weekly Hamburg-Moscow Vnukovo service from Oct 31. The LCC now flies to Moscow from Cologne/Bonn, Berlin Schoenefeld and Stuttgart. Jun 30, 2006

JetBlue Airways

JetBlue Airways has been experimenting with "silent boarding" for about two months in Ft. Lauderdale; allowing passengers to board randomly while gate agents seek out and bring aboard those who might need or want assistance or extra time has cut 3-5 min. off the 45-min. turn time, allowing the airline to "build integrity" into a schedule that has suffered recently from relatively poor ontime performance. He also wants the carrier to use the rear door of the aircraft more frequently. Jun 29, 2006

JetBlue Airways

JetBlue Airways is joining Northwest Airlines in opposing the deal struck by Southwest Airlines, American Airlines and the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth that repeals the Wright Amendment by 2014 and effectively reduces the number of gates at Love Field from 32 to 20. The 20 gates would be used by Southwest (16), American (2) and Continental Airlines (2). The deal is subject to congressional approval. Jun 29, 2006

JetBlue Airways

JetBlue Airways will launch a daily New York JFK-Tucson service from Sept. 28 and a daily JFK-Sarasota/Bradenton flight starting Sept. 21, both aboard A320s. Tucson and Sarasota/Bradenton are new destinations for the carrier, which earlier this week announced plans to serve Houston Hobby. Jun 29, 2006

JetBlue Airways

JetBlue Airways will launch thrice-daily New York JFK-Houston Hobby flights from Sept. 6 aboard A320s. Houston becomes the New York LCC's 43rd city. Jun 28, 2006

Norwegian

Norwegian, which will open its first non-Scandinavian base July 13 in Warsaw, announced it will expand its Polish operation with the addition of eight new routes. From Warsaw the LCC will operate a four-times-weekly service to Rome Ciampino from Aug. 10 and four-times-weekly flights to Milan Malpensa, thrice-weekly flights to Athens and Dublin and a daily flight to Stockholm Arlanda, all from Sept. 14. There also will be new four-times-weekly services to Stockholm from Wroclaw and Krakow and a twice-weekly to Oslo from Wroclaw, all from Oct. 28. "We are very satisfied with the response in the Polish market so far...We believe that the new routes from Warsaw and other Polish cities will be very well received," CEO Bjorn Kjos said in a statement. Jun 26, 2006