19 AUGUST 2019
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- COMMENT: Virgin out! First Trenitalia in!
- Ryanair injunction decision today
- 'New era' for East Midlands Railway
- A350 momentum builds at Virgin
- Air Canada unveils A220 plans
- Airport walk-out put on hold
- Busiest day for UK airspace
- Cathay’s top two resign amid Hong Kong unrest
- Drop-off charges under attack
- EasyJet grows presence at Glasgow
- Finnair biofuel breakthrough
- Goodbye Virgin Trains?
- High-tech pushback for ANA
- King's Cross disruption alert
- Labotessa arrives in Cape Town
- Loganair signs up with Widerøe
- Milan debut for Hotel Indigo
- More flights for Delta and Virgin
- Norwegian axes Ireland – US flights
- Premium Economy coup for American
- Shapps and Heathrow expansion
- TAP pulls out of London City
- ON TOUR: The other Florida
- AND FINALLY: Snooze at the Sheraton
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Loganair signs up with Widerøe
A further boost to its international connectivity was hailed by Loganair on Friday after the Scottish carrier signed a new interline agreement with the Norwegian regional airline Widerøe.
COMMENT: Virgin out! First Trenitalia in!
Last week, the Department for Transport announced that First Trenitalia had been successful in its bid to operate the West Coast Partnership, providing train services on the West Coast Main Line. This connects London with Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow, writes Andrew Sharp.
Ryanair injunction decision today
In a last-minute twist to the industrial troubles at Ryanair, an application by the airline for an injunction to stop some of its Irish-based pilots going on strike from Thursday is due to be heard this morning, Monday.
'New era' for East Midlands Railway
What is promised to be a “new era” for rail services between London St Pancras International, East Midlands and Luton Airport begins today, Monday, as the Netherlands-based transport specialist Abellio starts operating the East Midlands Railway (EMR) for the next eight years.
A350 momentum builds at Virgin
The third and fourth Airbus A350-1000 of the 12 ordered by Virgin Atlantic have been added to the airline’s schedules over the next few weeks following arrival of the first aircraft, named Red Velvet, at Gatwick just over a week ago.
Air Canada unveils A220 plans
The only non-stop flights between Montreal – Seattle and Toronto – San Jose, California, were unveiled by Air Canada last week as the first two new services to be operated with its new Airbus A220-300 from 4 May next year.
Drop-off charges under attack
Manchester, Luton and Stansted airports were singled out for criticism in a new report last week for the amount they charge people for dropping off or picking up passengers.
EasyJet grows presence at Glasgow
Expansion plans at Glasgow Airport including welcoming a fifth Airbus A320 family aircraft to the Scottish base and announcing a new domestic route between Glasgow and Birmingham from next spring were unveiled (below) by easyJet last week.
Finnair biofuel breakthrough
The first two flights using biofuel produced from used cooking oil in a new carbon-cutting initiative from Finnair called Push for Change have been operated over the San Francisco – Helsinki route.
Goodbye Virgin Trains?
The West Coast Main Line rail route connecting London Euston with Glasgow Central and formerly run by Virgin Trains is being awarded to FirstGroup in partnership with the Italian firm Trenitalia from December.
More flights for Delta and Virgin
Gatwick will become Delta’s seventh transatlantic destination served nonstop from Boston when flights begin on 22 May 2020. One day before, Virgin Atlantic will launch a daily flight to New York-JFK from Gatwick. Together the airlines will offer up to four daily flights from the south London airport to three US cities next summer.
Shapps and Heathrow expansion
The future of the plan to expand Heathrow was called into question last week after newly-appointed transport secretary Grant Shapps questioned in a TV interview whether the project "stacks up" financially.
TAP pulls out of London City
Uncertainty over what will happen when the UK leaves the European Union was blamed by TAP Air Portugal last week for its decision to cease operations into London City Airport (LCY) at the end of October.
ON TOUR: The other Florida
Seeking escape from the theme parks, BTN editor Richard Cawthorne chills out in some lesser-known areas of America’s Sunshine State.
AND FINALLY: Snooze at the Sheraton
If like many travellers you have trouble sleeping in a strange bed, consider a stay at the Sheraton Grand in London’s Park Lane.
Airport walk-out put on hold
A 48hr strike by operations staff at Heathrow called for next Friday and Saturday, 23-24 August, was called off last week so a new ballot can be held on an improved pay deal from the airport. The ballot closes on 2 September.
Busiest day for UK airspace
The record for the busiest ever day in UK airspace fell last month and could be about to be surpassed again, according to the NATS air traffic control service last week, with the number of flights across the country continuing to increase.
Cathay’s top two resign amid Hong Kong unrest
Hong Kong’s political upheavals engulfed the national carrier last week when CEO Rupert Hogg and his deputy, chief customer and commercial officer Paul Loo, both resigned from their posts at Cathay Pacific.
High-tech pushback for ANA
A new-generation remote-control aircraft pushback tug is being brought into full operation at Kyushu Saga International Airport in Japan by All Nippon Airways (ANA) after a trial period which began last September at Haneda International Airport.
King's Cross disruption alert
Rail passengers at London King’s Cross are being advised by LNER to stagger their journeys next weekend, 24-26 August, as the next stage of the station’s remodelling programme begins.
Labotessa arrives in Cape Town
One of the oldest buildings in South Africa and a national heritage monument began a new life in Cape Town last week when it opened as a lifestyle boutique hotel called Labotessa.
Milan debut for Hotel Indigo
A third property in Italy for the boutique Hotel Indigo brand is now open for business with the arrival in the country’s fashion capital of the 75-room Hotel Indigo Milan – Corso Monforte.
Norwegian axes Ireland – US flights
The high cost of leasing aircraft to replace the grounded Boeing B737 MAX is forcing Norwegian Air to halt flights between Ireland and the US and Canada from mid-September as the routes have become unviable.
Premium Economy coup for American
A new crown as the first US carrier to finish installing Premium Economy seats on its entire widebody fleet was claimed last week by American Airlines. The company noted it was the first to introduce the class three years ago.