News articles in Air, Fares & Fees

Renewed Questions about Indonesia Airline Safety after Budget Airline Crash.

(Dive Travel Business News - April 15, 2013) -- BALI, Indonesia - Investigators are working to determine what caused a newly-built plane Lion Air passenger jet to miss the main airport runway and crash into the sea off the Indonesian resort island of Bali on April 13, 2013.

The Lion Air Boeing 737 overshot the runway at Denpasar and belly-flopped in water on Saturday. The plane snapped in half as it crashed and came to rest in shallow water near the airport. All 108 people on board survived Saturday’s crash.

An expanding budget airline, this is Lion Air’s seventh accident in 11 years. The crash has renewed questions about how safe it is to fly in Indonesia. The country has struggled to clean up its poor air safety record while improving oversight.

However, initial debriefings, witness comments and weather reports have focused attention on the possibility of "wind shear" or a downdraft from storm clouds known as a "microburst". read more »

United Airlines' New ‘Visit Micronesia’ Airfare makes Kosrae Island More Accessible to Dive Travelers.

(Dive Travel Business News - January 23, 2013) -- United Airlines’ Visit Micronesia fare provides a discount fare with multiple stops (two to five islands, depending on the ticket purchased) for travel to the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, CNMI and Palau. The Visit Micronesia reduced airfare package is making the Micronesian eco-destination of Kosrae Island accessible to more dive travelers.

Located halfway between Hawaii and Australia, Kosrae Island’s Kosrae Village, an eco-lodge and dive resort, offers guests an authentic pristine island experience and a peaceful escape from overcrowded tourist spots, along with excellent value for those that take advantage of United Airlines new special airfare package. read more »

TSA Relaxes Some Security Restrictions at U.S. Airports

(Dive Travel Business News - Thursday January 10, 2013) -- The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has relaxed airport security screening procedures for children and the elderly following widespread criticism. read more »

Dreamliners Grounded Worldwide after another Battery Fire in Boeing's new 787's.

Dreamliner Groundings after another Battery Fire in Boeing's new 787's.

(Dive Travel Business News - January 16, 2012) -- Regulators and airlines today grounded nearly all of the world’s 787 Dreamliner fleet until a fire risk linked to the plane’s batteries is fixed, deepening a crisis for Chicago-based Boeing Co.. With its new plane ordered to stay on the ground, Boeing confronts a full-fledged crisis as it struggles to regain the confidence of passengers and the airline customers who stood by the 787 Dreamliner during years of cost overruns and delivery delays. read more »

What's Next for Airline Ancillary Fees?

(Dive Travel Business News - October 30, 2012) -- According to an air travel study released last week, the world’s biggest airlines are expected to collect $36.1 billion in ancillary fees in 2012. The latest total represents an 11.3% increase, compared with the $32.5-billion estimate for 2011.

The report, by Wisconsin-based IdeaWorksCompany, a consultant on airline ancillary revenues, and Amadeus, a travel technology firm based in Madrid, included extra passenger fees for checked baggage, food, drinks, seat selection, and access to onboard Wi-Fi.

Earlier this year, Amadeus and IdeaWorksCompany reported the ancillary revenue disclosed by 50 airlines for 2011. These statistics were applied to a larger list of 176 airlines to provide a truly global projection of ancillary revenue activity by the world’s airlines in 2012. The Amadeus Worldwide Estimate of Ancillary Revenue marks the third year Amadeus and IdeaWorksCompany have offered a projection of global ancillary revenue activity. read more »

British Airways and Qantas to Terminate Joint business in 2013.

Qantas and British Airways to Part Ways.

(Dive Travel Business News - September 7, 2012) -- British Airways and Qantas will terminate their joint business from March 31 2013. This follows Qantas' announcement that it is entering a global partnership with Emirates. The airlines will continue to work together as part of the oneworld alliance and through bilateral codeshares. Qantas will transfer its hub for European flights from Singapore to Dubai as part of a 10-year commercial agreement with Emirates.

The joint business was established in 1995 to enable close commercial cooperation on Qantas and BA services between the Australia and the UK. Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said: "Over the past 17 years the joint business with British Airways has been central to the Qantas network. However, global operating conditions have changed and partnership with Emirates is the right strategy for Qantas." read more »

Air Pacific to Become Fiji Airways

(Dive Travel Business News - August 24, 2012) -- Fiji’s international airline Air Pacific has revealed the new brandmark that will be used to represent the carrier when it relaunches as ‘Fiji Airways’ in 2013.

The unveiling of the airline’s new brandmark is the latest milestone in a series of initiatives that are part of Air Pacific’s restructuring and rebranding, which will start its final phase in early 2013 when the airline returns to its 1951 name of ‘Fiji Airways’ and welcomes the first of three brand-new A330s.

At the heart of the new ‘Fiji Airways’ brandmark is a striking new Masi symbol that epitomises Fiji and enhances the new name of Fiji’s national carrier – Fiji’s flying ambassador to the world. Designed by a renowned local Fijian Masi artist, the new symbol in the brandmark brings Fiji’s culture and heritage to life by linking the name ‘Fiji Airways’ with this highly respected and traditional art form that has been a part of Fijian culture for several centuries. read more »

Air Pacific Turnaround Strategies Revealed.

(Dive Travel Business News - May 28, 2012) -- The latest initiatives in the turnaround strategy of Air Pacific, Fiji’s National Carrier, have been revealed, including a rebranding of the airline and a return to its 1958 name of ‘Fiji Airways.

The move is the latest in a series of initiatives that are part of a 360 degree review and restructure of the airline, which has seen the flag carrier reverse losses, improve its schedules and network, and make significant investments in new aircraft and its onboard product. read more »

New Air Service from Dallas to Grand Cayman

(Dive Travel Business News - June 7, 2012) -- CAYMAN ISLANDS -- Cayman Airways has announced the launch of weekly non-stop service from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport to Grand Cayman to commence this month. Effective June 23, 2012 – September 2, 2012, Cayman Airways will operate weekly service from Dallas to Grand Cayman on Sunday and from Grand Cayman to Dallas on Saturday, starting at $399.

Flight KX 321 departs on Sundays from Dallas, TX at 9:00am arriving in Grand Cayman at 1:00pm. Flight KX 320 departs on Saturdays from Grand Cayman at 3:30pm arriving in Dallas at 7:30pm with airfares starting at US$399. read more »

Sites Help Travelers Win the Long-Haul Lottery.

(Dive Travel Business News - April 10, 2012) -- Booking an airline seat can be a bit of a gamble. Seat-review websites take some of the guesswork out of choosing a seat for a trip by airplane, allowing users to review seats and also offer detailed maps. Sites like Skytrax and SeatGuru arm travelers with information - through user reviews and aircraft seat maps - to help travelers make smarter booking decisions, and get the best travel experience for their money.

Choosing the short straw seat on a long-haul flight can see passengers trapped for hours in a seat with cramped leg room, or surrounded by queues to the bathroom. "As prices become more competitive, sites like SeatGuru become more important," said Andrew Wong of SeatGuru. read more »