Manchester Bound Pakistan Flight Escorted in to Stansted by Typhoon Jets: BBC News

[BBC News] RAF Typhoon jets have been launched to investigate an incident involving a civilian aircraft within UK airspace, the Ministry of Defence has said.

A reported on board incident created an alert and diverted the aircraft: Picture Wikipedia

A Pakistan International Airlines plane has been diverted from Manchester to Stansted Airport, a Manchester Airport spokesman said.

An Essex Police spokeswoman added: “An incident has occurred on an aircraft. Police and partners are responding.”

The BBC understands that the plane has now landed in Stansted.

The plane reportedly left Lahore at 09:35 local time. It was due in at Manchester at 1400 BST.

 

UPDATE at 14:55

The BBC understands that the plane has now landed in Stansted.

BBC defence correspondent Jonathan Beale said that police were expected to meet the plane at the airport. The plane, flight number PK709, reportedly left Lahore at 09:35 local time. It was due in at Manchester at 14:00 BST.

The MoD said responsibility for the incident had now passed to Essex Police and the Home Office. The MoD was not able to say how serious a threat there was on board.

An MoD spokesman said the incident was now a police matter and that “our involvement is over”.

He said Typhoon jets could be scrambled after the pilot or crew of a passenger aircraft sends out an emergency signal.

“The purpose of going up is to investigate what the situation is,” he said.

“Often when a Quick Reaction Alert aircraft is launched the details are not known, but it is known that a signal has been sent.

“Part of the purpose of sending a Typhoon up is to have a look and see what they can see.”

A Pakistan International Airlines spokesman Zufiqar Bijarani told CNN: “We have been told there may have been a bomb threat.” But he did not say if he had anything to confirm or deny this.

Stansted Airport said on Twitter that it was operating normally.

Pakistan International Airlines said there were 308 passengers on board, as well as 14 crew including pilots, with a mixture of Pakistani and British passport holders.

Read the original story at BBC News…..

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BBC NEWS
24th May, 2013

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Heathrow’s Runways Closed as Smoke Seen Coming From Plane: Sky & BBC News

[Sky News & BBC News] Both runways at Heathrow airport are reportedly closed as smoke is seen coming from the rear of a plane on the Northern runway.

Heathrow’s Twitter feed reporting the incident just after 9:00: Inmage Airport Informer

Heathrow Airport‘s Twitter feed has reported the following message as recently at 9:09 this morning…..

“Both runways are currently closed. All passengers & crew have been safely evacuated from an aircraft which is on the northern runway.”

Sky News reports that both runways have been closed because of this incident.

UPDATE: 09:38

BBC News are reporting that a British Airways plane is involved. The Southern runway has now re-opened but the Northern Runway is still closed due to the stricken aircraft  having deployed its emergency chutes to quickly evacuate the passengers.

Chute deployed after the passenger evacuation: Picture BBC News

Fire tenders in attendance at the side of the stricken airways: Picture BBC News

There is further speculation that the aircraft may have hit a flock of birds on take-off leading to plume of smoke coming out of at least one of the engines.

Plumes of smoke coming out of the engine of the stricken BA aircraft. Picture: BBC News / Dan Bailey

Eyewitnesses report flames coming from a plane as it flew over London to land at Heathrow Airport. Image: Sky News

 

Read more at Sky News…..

Read more at BBC News….

 

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Sky News & BBC News
24th May, 2013

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Flybe To Quit London Gatwick As Part Of Turnaround: Reuters

[Reuters] Struggling British airline Flybe will quit its main London hub at Gatwick airport and has pushed back the delivery of 16 new aircraft to help it return to profitability.

Europe’s largest regional airline also said it had axed 590 jobs, or 22 percent of its UK workforce, despite saying in January it would cut only 300 jobs when it unveiled a cost-cutting plan designed to end a two-year run of losses at the pre-tax level.

Flybe floated its shares on the London Stock Exchange at the end of 2010 and has since suffered from high fuel costs, falling passenger numbers and higher airport charges, especially in London.

The company, which counts British Airways parent IAG and billionaire investor George Soros among its largest shareholders, said on Thursday the measures would save it GBP£30 million (USD$45 million) in costs in 2013/14, GBP£5 million ahead of its previous target, with more than half coming from the job cuts.

Flybe will exit Gatwick in March 2014, after agreeing a deal to sell its 25 take-off and landing slots at London’s second-largest airport to easyJet for GBP£20 million. “No business can swallow cost increases of more than 100 percent over five years and Flybe simply cannot bear such punitive rises,” Flybe chief executive and chairman Jim French said.

Read the full story at Reuters….

Reuters
May 23, 2013

Flybe quits Gatwick as part of turnaround plan: Reuters

[Reuters] Struggling British airline Flybe will quit its main London hub at Gatwick airport and has pushed back the delivery of 16 new aircraft to help it return to profitability.

In April the carrier forecast an underlying loss for the year to the end of March. Photo: Wikipedia

Europe’s largest regional airline also said it had axed 590 jobs, or 22 percent of its UK workforce, despite saying in January it would cut only 300 jobs when it unveiled a cost-cutting plan designed to end a two-year run of losses at the pre-tax level.

Flybe floated its shares on the London Stock Exchange at the end of 2010 and has since suffered from high fuel costs, falling passenger numbers and higher airport charges, especially in London.

The company, which counts British Airways parent IAG and billionaire investor George Soros among its largest shareholders, said on Thursday the measures would save it GBP£30 million (USD$45 million) in costs in 2013/14, GBP£5 million ahead of its previous target, with more than half coming from the job cuts.

Flybe will exit Gatwick in March 2014, after agreeing a deal to sell its 25 take-off and landing slots at London’s second-largest airport to easyJet for GBP£20 million. “No business can swallow cost increases of more than 100 percent over five years and Flybe simply cannot bear such punitive rises,” Flybe chief executive and chairman Jim French said.

Flybe said it had also pushed back the delivery of 16 Embraer E175 aircraft to between 2017 and 2019, which would reduce pre-delivery payment charges due this year by 20 million pounds.

The aircraft were previously due to arrive in 2014 and 2015.

Since Flybe’s 295 pence-per-share float, its shares have fallen 80 percent, cutting the company’s market value to 43 million pounds from 215 million at launch.

“Flybe is exposed to the regional UK market which is not seeing the same growth as London is,” said analyst Alexia Dogani at brokerage Liberium. “London airports have become more expensive for small regional airlines to operate (from) … and therefore Flybe has not been able to attract as many passengers for its routes.”

It is not the only smaller airline to have suffered. Last year, loss-making Spanair and Hungarian flag-carrier Malev ceased operations, leaving gaps in the market that larger low-cost carriers like easyJet have been quick to exploit.

European carriers including Germany’s Lufthansa AG, Franco-Dutch Air France-KLM and Spain’s Iberia have also cut thousands of jobs over the last year and reined in capacity growth.

Flybe flies to Belfast, Glasgow, Edinburgh and the Isle of Man from Gatwick. Selling its Gatwick slots would substantially reduce its London operations to just the few flights it runs out of Luton airport, some 50 kilometres north of the capital.

Read the full story at Reuters….

 

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Reuters
23rd May, 2013

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Gatwick Express ‘veers towards Third World conditions’: BBT

[BBT} The new chairman of Gatwick airport, Sir Roy McNulty, has criticised the Gatwick Express train service, saying that it “at times veers towards Third World conditions”.

Sir Roy McNulty, has criticised the Gatwick Express train service, saying that it “at times veers towards Third World conditions”. Photo: Wikipedia

McNulty, speaking to London Evening Standard, aired his concerns that the Gatwick Express service gives incoming passengers a bad first impression due to overcrowding and old rolling stock.

“In the short to medium term, our main priority is improvement in the road and rail infrastructure that serves the airport – and above all improvement in the Gatwick Express,” said McNulty.

A spokesperson for Southern, which operates the Gatwick Express, said: “In addition to providing a direct airport link, Gatwick Express services now provide around 20,000 extra peak seats between Brighton and London every week to help meet the capacity challenge on that route.

“Balancing the needs of the airport and the needs of Brighton line commuters is always going to be challenging particularly when operating over some of the most congested tracks in the country.”

Gatwick last week submitted its response to the Airports Commission, headed by Sir Howard Davies, which is looking at how to expand airport capacity in the south-east.

The airport argues in its submission that there needs to be better rail services to London’s airports, in order to attract more airlines.

“Although it already has excellent rail links, the airport – as well as some of its airlines – believe more dedicated, high quality and value for money services into London are fundamental to encouraging greater use of its capacity,” said Gatwick in a statement.

 

Read the full story at “Buying Business Travel” [BBT]…….

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Scott Carey
20th May, 2013

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Ryanair profits at record high despite fuel cost rise: BBC News

[BBC News] Discount airline Ryanair has reported record full-year profits and rising revenues, despite soaring fuel costs.

Profits after tax rose 13% to 569m euros (£481m) on revenues of 4.88bn euros for the year to 31 March.

“Ultra-low cost carrier” Ryanair has big expansion plans and has ordered 175 new planes. Photo: Wikipedia

Passenger traffic grew 5% to 79.3 million as the airline added 217 new routes to its roster, bringing the total to 1,600.

But fuel costs rose by more than 290m euros, the company statement said, and now account for 45% of total costs.

Chief executive Michael O’Leary said: “Delivering a 13% increase in profits and 5% traffic growth despite high oil prices during a European recession is testimony to the strength of Ryanair’s ultra-low cost model.”

But he warned that growth would be slower in the 2013-14 financial year at Europe’s largest budget airline, thanks to rising oil prices and “unjustified higher Eurocontrol and Spanish airport charges”.

The company is forecasting net profits in the range of 570m to 600m euros for the coming year.

In March, Ryanair placed an order with Boeing for 175 planes worth £10.3bn ($15.6bn) to be delivered between 2014 and 2018.

The deal will increase its fleet by a third to 400 planes.

Read the full story at BBC News…..

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BBC News
20th May, 2013

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Gatwick Airport: Controlled explosions carried out

[BCC News] Controlled explosions have been carried out on a van in Gatwick Airport‘s North Terminal car park.

Suspicions were raised about the Renault van as it entered one of Gatwick Airport’s car parks. Picture: Wikipedia.com

Sussex Police said a bomb disposal unit was called after suspicions were raised about a Renault van as it entered the car park at 14:40 BST.

Officers were unable to locate the driver or see inside the van. Police said the bomb disposal unit carried out the controlled explosions and there was no suggestion of “any other threats to the airport”.

Eyewitnesses reported an increase in armed police at the airport and the presence of a bomb disposal robot.

Insp Gary Medland, from Gatwick Police, said: “We are aware that this is likely to cause significant disruption to people arriving or departing North Terminal by car, especially at this time of day.

“However, it is important that we establish whether this vehicle poses any threat and the cordon has been put in place for the safety of everyone visiting and working at the airport.

“There is no suggestion that there are any other threats to the airport and both police and security staff are actively checking all areas.”

They are now looking for two men who entered the car park in the untaxed, uninsured and unregistered van. The men were seen to push up a barrier to gain access to the car park before leaving the van on the ground floor.

Gatwick Airport said the incident has not affected any incoming or outgoing flights.

Read the original story at BBC News…..

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BBC News
1st May, 2013

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Vortex from plane landing at Heathrow rips off roof: BBC News

[BBC News] Holes were ripped into the roof of a woman’s house after an aircraft landing at Heathrow created a vortex.

BAA has repaired the damage to the house. Photo: Wikipedia

The sudden current of air was powerful enough to blow tiles and masonry from the home of Patricia Hills in Old Windsor, Berkshire.

BAA, which operates Heathrow Airport, says only one in 10,000 flights results in a vortex. A repair team was sent out to fix the damage at Mrs Hills’ property following the incident on Wednesday evening.

Old Windsor is under the Heathrow flight path.

Mrs Hills first knew of the damage when she heard “a large explosion”. The grandmother said: “I was in the kitchen preparing dinner at the time when I heard the noise.

“I was alarmed to step out the front door and see a large hole in the roof. ”Moments later, a neighbour came out and alerted me to another hole round the back of the house.

“It was quite a mess, it looked like a warzone and was quite upsetting.”

Firefighters arrived within moments, sealing off the area and evacuating the house in case any further debris fell from the roof. BAA Heathrow spokesperson Lizzie Bysshe said the airport funds a £15m Vortex Protection Scheme for homes under the airport’s flight path.

A team of its engineers has completed remedial repairs, reinforcing the damaged parts of the roof. Mrs Hills added: “The airport have been fantastic and came to fix the damage almost immediately.”

Read the original story at BBC News

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BBC News
22 Mar, 2013

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UK Border Force strike may cause airport delays: BBTN

[BBTN] Airports have warned of potential delays through immigration control on Wednesday (March 20) due to a strike by Border Force staff.

“Action will start with a 24-hour strike on budget day,” said the PCS. Photo: Wikipedia

Employees, who are members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union, are due to go on a 24-hour strike designed to coincide with tomorrow’s budget from chancellor George Osborne.

UK Border Agency said in a statement: “Our top priority is minimising disruption to our public-facing services and our public offices will remain open for business. We apologise for any disruption to services which result from this industrial action.”

Heathrow warned that arriving passengers “may experience some delays at immigration” but said it was not changing any flight schedules.

“The Home Office has assured us it has contingency plans in place to minimise any disruption caused by the strike,” said the airport. “We are operating a normal flight schedule and we are not advising passengers to change their plans.”

PCS workers around the UK are taking industrial action in protest at proposed cuts to pay, pensions and working conditions. The union said the timing of the strike was designed “to put maximum pressure on ministers who are refusing to talk to us”.

“Action will start with a 24-hour strike on budget day,” said the PCS. “When the chancellor stands up to deliver his budget we’ll be protesting across the UK.”

Stansted said its flights would be operating as normal but added they may be some delays at passport control.

“UK Border Force has contingency plans in place and we will work with them to ensure any disruption to our passengers is kept to a minimum,” said the airport.

It was a similar message from Luton which advised incoming passengers to take a series of steps to ease any potential delays including the use of automatic e-Passport gates, having landing cards fully completed and staying in family groups.

For the latest updates on the strike from UKBA, CLICK HERE…..

Read the original story at Buying Business travel…..

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Buying Business Travel
19th Mar, 2013

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British Airways to fly Airbus A380 on Heathrow to LA route from the autumn: Mirror

[Mirror] British Airways has announced its first superjumbo Airbus A380 will fly on the celebs’ favourite Heathrow to Los Angeles service from October 15.

Tickets for the 469-passenger double decker jet are now on sale at earlybird rates. Photo: CA Aviation

Tickets for the 469-passenger double decker jet – due to be delivered in July – are now on sale at earlybird rates starting at £499 return in economy with business returns at £3,800 for two people.

Keith Williams, British Airways’ chief executive, said: “This will be a very special premiere. The A380 is a great aircraft that has been developed with huge amounts of British engineering ingenuity. London and Los Angeles are two world-leading cities, and we are proud to be the first airline to connect them with the A380.”

The second A380 route will be to Hong Kong from November 15, 2013.

Prices start from £559 return in economy.

London-based actress Gemma Arterton said: “Working in film means that I spend a lot of time travelling around the world, often to…..

Read the full story at The Mirror…..

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Mirror
5th Mar, 2013

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