Shanghai Airlines, a Chinese regional carrier, predicted on Tuesday that it would post a loss for 2007, deteriorating from a net profit of 8.2 million yuan ($1.1 million) in 2006.
The airline posted a loss of 134.5 million yuan in the first half of last year, but said at the time that earnings were improving and a full-year profit was very likely. Read More…
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U.S., U.K. regulators impose nearly $550 million in penalties for collusion.
British Airways was fined almost $550 million on Wednesday by U.S. and British regulators after the airline acknowledged colluding with rival Virgin Atlantic over fuel surcharges.
Full Story here.
Very recently we saw a change in the rules, which made passport necessary for the people traveling to Canada and Caribbean. Well, it turns out that the backlog of passport applications is so great that the US will relax those rules and permit Americans to travel to these countries without a passport.
This change again puts a question mark on the security issues for which the earlier rule was made. Now the question is – Is the US officials are putting the security on stake to generate more revenues?
Probably yes.
According to The Transportation Security Administration, the new technology is in development that will screens bottles for liquid explosives at the USA’s busiest airports this summer.
The agency plans to deploy 200 machines at airports to detect a certain explosive in the containers passengers are allowed to bring through security checkpoints.
“It’s designed to detect a very specific type of liquid threat that is found in common household liquids,” company marketing director Bruce Cumming tells USA TODAY. The TSA says the machines address some of the concerns raised in August after a thwarted terrorist plot to bomb U.S.-bound jets with liquid explosives.
USA TODAY says “the hand-held machines will not ease restrictions that limit passengers to carrying small containers of liquids and gels on board aircraft, TSA spokeswoman Ellen Howe said. They will primarily check bottles holding medicines, baby formula and other items that passengers can carry on board in unlimited quantities.” Howe tells the paper: “It may not necessarily mean any specific benefit to the traveling public other than enhanced security.” The TSA already has tested the devices in Miami and Newark.
Some exclusive pictures of “The first flight with Passenger of the new airbus A380″
American Airlines this week is rolling out on a limited basis new entertainment gadgets in a move that could shape the future in-flight options on the world’s largest carrier.
Portable in-flight entertainment devices have been around for years. American’s move is significant because devices have been mostly limited to international routes. Unlike American’s digital download device, most have been simple DVD players.
American’s is the first portable device with newly released movies and daily updated news programming, says Michael Childers, managing director of programming firm IMS, which updates the content for American Airlines. Passenger reaction will help the airline decide whether to expand the program.
Since Tuesday, American has been providing first- and business class customers on some transcontinental flights a device featuring a seven-inch touch-screen monitor. Developed by France-based Archos, American is offering it on New York-Los Angeles and New York-San Francisco flights on Boeing 767-200s and some 767-300s. Next month, American will offer the devices on Miami-San Francisco flights.
The device contains 12 movies, some of which aren’t yet released on DVDs. Examples of available movies: Music and Lyrics, The Painted Veil and Catch and Release. It carries 15 hours of news, TV shows, music videos and the equivalent of 50 CDs of music.
Airlines find the portable devices attractive because they are cheaper than installing seatback entertainment systems. Childers says Alaska started the in-flight portable devices trend several years ago, and the Seattle-based carrier now has rents a similar system called Digeplayer. — with nine movies, music and TV shows — on long haul flights. United also offers a portable DVD player with 10 movies for premium class passengers on transcontinental flights.
Source: USA Today
“Soon you’ll be able to rent a chic, mini-hotel room at Gatwick and Heathrow airports. The new concept, called Yotel, is a mix between the tiny cubicles popular in high-rent Japanese cities and British Airways’ stylish first-class cabin. (Customers are called ‘passengers.’)”
“The ultra-modern, windowless Yotel rooms cost about $50 for a four-hour block, with hourly extensions available. Overnight stays start at about $110. Price includes free Internet access, workstation, on-demand movies and mood lighting. The first Yotel at Gatwick opens in May; the second opens at Heathrow in July. In the future, you could see Yotels pop up in other airports and central-city locations.”
Source: USA Today
In-flight cellphone use remains a no-go on U.S. airlines for now, but efforts to let fliers use them onboard are moving ahead in other countries.
In Australia, The Sydney Morning Herald warns: “Do not be surprised if, on your next domestic Qantas flight, an attendant announces it is safe to switch on your mobile phone. In a three month public trial beginning soon, Qantas is using a single plane from its Boeing 767 fleet to evaluate whether or not in-flight mobile phone use is a good idea.” The paper says Qantas’ in-flight trial will be one of the first in the world.
For now, Qantas’ test will permit only text messages and e-mail to be sent and received on cellphones. But “if the trial is successful, it is likely Qantas will enable mobile phone use on all of its flights, and it has not ruled out allowing voice calls,” the Morning Herald writes.
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