Aberdeen Airport is preparing for one of the busiest days of the year so far, as the summer get-away officially starts.

As schools across the North-east break for the holidays, more than 11,000 passengers are expected to pass through the Dyce terminal on Friday alone.

Top destinations include Mallorca, as well as including Dublin, Paris and London. The airport has also been boosted with the start of new services to Oslo, Cardiff airport and Liverpool airport which begin next week.

Numbers are expected to be slightly down on last year, however, predicted numbers for the weekend are still expected to be in the region of 35,000, making this the busiest periods of the year for the airport so far.

Kevin Brown, Managing Director of Aberdeen Airport said “We are looking forward to the start of the busy summer season. With thousands of people passing through this weekend alone, we expect this will be our busiest of the year so far.

“Passengers who have not travelled through the terminal since last year’s holiday are in for a big surprise, with major improvements having taken place over the last 12 months, and further investment still going on. “

Passengers can also help speed up their journey by paying attention to the current security restrictions, as Security Manager at Aberdeen Airport George Cowie explained. “At a time of recession, when money is tight, it is even more important to follow the Government’s security restrictions so passengers can avoid throwing away perfectly good products” he said. “If people pay attention to the security measures, it will make their journey through the airport quicker and easier. Our staff are not there to inconvenience passengers, but to help keep them safe and by following the instructions, passengers can help reduce queues and waiting times.

“The restrictions do not just apply to bottles of water either, everything from toothpaste to sun cream and from perfume to deodorant are included and need to be packed into hold luggage and not taken in hand luggage”.

To book Aberdeen airport parking using an instant online parking price checker and Aberdeen airport hotels click on the links.

Oxford Airport’s smart Oxfordjet business aviation terminal was transformed into a wedding showcase as Living moved in last week to film its new series ‘Four Weddings’.

Each episode of Four Weddings is an entertaining romp through four extremely different weddings.  Four fun-loving couples, each planning a wedding or a civil partnership, take part in each episode of the show, attending the other weddings and judging them according to a set of criteria including venue, food, dress and overall presentation.  All the participants are out to impress, as the couple who scores the most points wins a luxury dream honeymoon.

“oxfordjet’s facilities provide the perfect backdrop for the reveal sequences of Four Weddings,” said David Surley, Oxford Airport’s Head of Customer Services.  “The filming took place over two days with the brides first being filmed on the airport’s apron with glamorous executive jets in the background.  Then the reveal interviews and winner sequences were filmed in the lounge, where the groom of the winning couple hops out of a limo and runs in to scoop up his partner!”

The state-of-the-art oxfordjet facility is fast becoming known for its ‘Hollywood’ appeal.  This is the second time ITV has filmed at the airport – part of the Girls Aloud Christmas Special was also filmed in the new terminal.

Four Weddings (ten part series) is on Living from Monday 6th July at 9pm.

Wind Jet is due to commence flying from Luton Airport on Thursday 2 July 2009.

The Italian low cost airline will begin flights to Forli in Italy offering onward connections to Catania and Palermo.

This is the third new airline to offer flights from Luton Airport in three months – EL AL launched a six-times-per-week service to Tel Aviv on 3 May and Blue Air launched twice-weekly flights to Bacau, Romania, on 1 June.

To book Luton airport parking and Luton airport hotels click on the links.

Travelling to Gatwick Airport from North Kent has just got easier thanks to a new luxury coach service from Excel coaches.

The service, which operates every two hours from Chatham Docks to Gatwick Airport, stopping at Hempstead, Maidstone, Sevenoaks and Godstone, is a jointly funded initiative by Gatwick Airport and supported by Kent County Council and Medway Council.

The coach service operates throughout the day and night offering reclining seats, air-conditioning, toilets and on-board Wi-fi service.

Kent to Gatwick coach tickets are available from www.airportbycoach.com Alternatively, to book Gatwick meet and greet parking or Gatwick taxi transfers click on the links.

The London City Airport fun day takes place this weekend, Saturday 4 July 2009, and promises to offer an action-packed afternoon.

On offer will be tours of two British Airways aircraft – the chance to explore the cockpit and cabin of an Avro RJ100 or RJ85 – rides in a de-icer, and the opportunity to pilot an aircraft in the state-of-the-art aircraft simulator. There’s dressing-up for the children with loads of mini pilot and cabin crew uniforms and also drumming and dance workshops.

This year’s theme is the 2012 Olympics and visitors will be able try out a host of different sporting activities including basketball, football, taekwondo and rowing. There’s also a 50 metre sports track which will host several traditional sports day races.

Oh, and don’t forget, there’s London’s only air show which will take to the skies in the afternoon.

For more information check out the London City Airport Fun Day website.

For more London City Airport information and to book London City airport parking and London City airport hotels click on the links.

The High Court has dismissed easyJet’s claim that the Gatwick price controls set in March 2008 by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) were legally flawed.

In March 2008 the CAA announced price controls for both Gatwick and Heathrow allowing a 21% increase for 2008/09 at Gatwick and a 23.5% increase at Heathrow.

The announcement led to easyJet stating that it would challenge the increase through a judicial review. This judicial review was approved by the High Court in November 2008.

Responding to the findings CAA’s Group Director Economic Regulation, Harry Bush, said, “The CAA is pleased with the outcome of this Judicial Review. This provides an opportunity to draw a line under the most recent price control reviews of Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted and to focus on future regulation of airports.”

For up-to-date Gatwick airport information and to book Gatwick valet parking and Gatwick taxi transfers click on the links.

British Airways is to revive the airline’s most prestigious flight number, BA001 – the number previously used by Concorde – when it starts its first ever long haul service from London City Airport.

The new London City flights will operate to New York’s JFK airport and will commence on 29 September using Airbus A318s, which are the largest aircraft that can operate out of the airport. The service will make a fuel stop at Shannon airport before continuing to New York. Return flights will be non-stop.

The plane versus train war is hotting up as Flybe and Leeds Bradford Airport launch a campaign to encourage business travellers to fly between Leeds and London rather than take the train.

Flybe is slashing prices on its daily service from LBIA to London Gatwick to targets cost conscious business travellers who commute to the Capital regularly – fares start at just £24.99 one way, including taxes and charges – and highlighting the time savings too.

Flybe’s new service, which launches on 29 June, will now provide the only scheduled flights from Yorkshire and the Humber to London.

Plane versus train Comparison:

* Price comparison made via Flybe and National Express internet sites on Sunday 21 June 09.
** including taxes, charges and credit card booking fee. Based on a passenger with hand luggage
***service every 15 minutes

Tony Hallwood, Commercial Director at LBIA, said: “Our ‘Get Business Moving’ campaign aims to assist companies in the region who commute regularly to London by offering cost effective and speedy access to the Capital. We want to make it easier for businesses to develop a strong economic and financial infrastructure with the City to attract further inward investment.

Flybe passengers who have checked in on line for Gatwick are able to arrive just 20 minutes before departure. LBIA will also be offering free Fast Track though airport security during June, July and August to make the commute even easier.

To book Leeds airport parking and Leeds airport hotels click on the links.

Another airline celebrating its 25th birthday this year is Skybus, Cornwall’s longest serving airline.

To help celebrate the anniversary, Skybus has launched an appeal for anyone with photos and memories of the airline’s history to come forward. It also wants current and former members of staff, first passengers and those people who can recollect the early days to make contact and share their stories for a commemorative brochure to be published.

Skybus’ first ever paid-for-passenger flight to St Mary’s was on Wednesday, 22 August 1984. The airlines now flies to and from Land’s End, Newquay, Exeter, Bristol airport and Southampton airport and has successfully branched out to extend its routes to include St Brieuc in Brittany.

Anyone with specific memories, photographs and footage that might help with this campaign should contact Skybus by calling Amy Hiron on 01720 424220 or visiting www.skybus25.co.uk

Virgin Atlantic yesterday celebrated its 25th birthday in style by recreating the very first flight to New York that departed on 22 June 1984.

Sir Richard Branson, President of Virgin Atlantic, was joined onboard by frequent travellers, travel trade VIPs and a host of special guests including leading fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, international cricketer Kevin Pietersen and his wife, former Liberty X singer Jessica, as well as Ian Botham and Christopher Biggins, who was a passenger on the very first Virgin Atlantic flight 25 years ago.

Speaking at Heathrow Airport, Sir Richard Branson, President of Virgin Atlantic said: “I am so proud of what we have achieved in the last 25 years. It is a tribute to the staff of Virgin Atlantic that we are in the leading position we are in today. It seems a long time ago that we took that first flight in 1984, and so much has been achieved since then. We would like to thank the millions of travellers that have put their faith in us and the thousands of staff who have created such a great airline.”Steve Ridgway, Chief Executive of Virgin Atlantic said: “Today’s milestone is a huge accomplishment for Virgin Atlantic. In the last 25 years, our 8500 staff worldwide have helped us build a fantastic airline against all the odds, whether battling with our competitors or enduring the ups and downs of the aviation industry. Since 1984 Virgin Atlantic has grown up a lot but thanks to the creativity, enthusiasm and hard work of our staff, we are definitely still red hot!”

Over 65 million passengers have chosen to travel with Virgin Atlantic since its launch in 1984. The airline now flies to 30 destinations around the world, from its main bases at London Heathrow and London Gatwick, using a modern, young fleet of Airbus A340 and Boeing 747 aircraft.