Long-haul air

Gatwick second runway approved in principle but final decision deferred to autumn

Transport secretary Heidi Alexander has granted provisional permission for Gatwick airport to bring its standby runway into daily use, but a final decision will now be made in the autumn

Norse Atlantic to offer fewer destinations after another year of losses

The low-cost long-haul outfit, formed out of the ashes of Norwegian Air’s long-haul operation, plans to lease out four aircraft to an Indian carrier resulting in it being able to serve fewer destinations from the UK

Norse Atlantic to launch budget Gatwick-Bangkok route this winter

Up to four-times-weekly flights will get under way from 26 October 2025, with return fares leading in from £295pp including taxes.

Bangkok will become Norse’s first UK route to Asia; it currently flies transatlantic from Gatwick, and also to South Africa. "The introduction of this service marks a significant expansion of the airline’s operations in the UK market," it said.

Oslo-headquartered Norse has operated to Bangkok from the Norwegian capital since 2023, and will also serve the Thai capital from Stockholm this winter for the first time.

Air Canada increases Dublin schedules to Vancouver and Montreal this summer

Air Canada has used a relaxation of Dublin airport’s capacity restrictions to increase frequencies to key destinations this summer

Virgin Atlantic seals WestJet codeshare ahead of Toronto launch

Virgin Atlantic will offer codeshare connections to 13 Canadian destinations via Toronto under a deal with WestJet that starts next month

Air India ramps up summer schedule but suspends Kochi-Gatwick route

Air India will put on extra services from Heathrow, Gatwick and Birmingham this summer, but its non-stop Kochi-Gatwick flight will cease operating from 30 March

Aviation minister hints government won't pay for Heathrow third runway groundwork

Aviation minister Mike Kane has indicated funding for the enormous cost of moving the M25 for Heathrow’s third runway won’t come from the public purse

Increase in January customers offset by fall in spend with agents – Barclays

Barclays Consumer Spend report finds transactions through agents in January grew but at reduced value, with airlines not faring so well

Heathrow begins finalising third runway plan following govt support

Heathrow will submit a plan for its third runway in the summer, its chief executive has confirmed after the chancellor indicated support for the project

Tui chief pins slow start to peaks on change in UK strategy

Tui’s boss has said a change in direction towards more dynamic packaging meant its January sales were slower than normal, with fixed capacity remaining tight and sold at higher margins

Pakistan International Airlines prepares to resume London flights

Pakistan’s flag carrier is preparing to relaunch UK services after it was banned by the UK and EU on safety grounds in 2020

Stansted airport seeks to raise passenger limit, targeting 51 million

Stansted airport wants to add another 21 million passengers in the next 20 years, claiming no additional flights will be needed

Heathrow expansion 'must be within carbon budget', says top minister

Net zero secretary Ed Miliband has told MPs any expansion of Heathrow and other airports must fall within the government’s carbon budget or not go ahead

Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton airport expansions 'poised for govt go-ahead'

Government signals expansion of Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton airports will be approved in the next few weeks, according to national media reports

TTG Visit Florida Showcase (December 2024): Delta Airlines training

Delta Airlines deliver a 20-minute training presentation showcasing all the essential selling information and destination developments.

Ryanair seeks €15,000 damages from disruptive passenger

Ryanair is pursuing a €15,000 claim against a passenger whose behaviour caused a flight to Lanzarote to divert to Portugal overnight, causing 160 passengers to lose a day of their holiday

Govt insists it is keen to avoid 'unnecessary' air fare hikes amid carbon clampdown

Ministers open consultation on how to marry Europe’s emissions trading scheme with global systems to avoid duplication and fare increases

Tui targeting 50% app sales as it puts Ryanair packages on sale

Tui has set itself a target to achieve 50% of its sales via its app, and has pledged to develop technology that already accounts for double-digit figures in the UK

Edinburgh to gain second daily JetBlue service next summer with Boston launch

Edinburgh airport has gained another US route with the launch next summer of a JetBlue service to Boston

JetBlue axes Gatwick-New York flights after three years

JetBlue will not reinstate its Gatwick-JFK service next summer, it has confirmed

Norse Atlantic to lease out six aircraft in bid to raise $462m after poor summer

Norse Atlantic Airways has confirmed plans to lease out nearly half its fleet in an effort to raise more than $450 million ahead of the winter season

New BBC documentary predicts fare rises and disputes flying's green claims

A prime-time BBC documentary, Cheap Flights, has put aviation’s green efforts under scrutiny and warned of fare increases

Lufthansa Group extends green levy fare despite sluggish take-up

Lufthansa Group’s Green Fares option has been extended across its worldwide network covering all its brands except Eurowings

Flying from Manchester to Beijing and beyond – why book now?

If your clients want an autumn getaway to Asia, Hainan Airlines offers a great option from Manchester that boasts speed, keen pricing and a quality onboard experience