Ryanair has announced it is withdrawing from Belfast City Airport at the end of its summer season, 31 October 2010.

The airline is blaming the delays in the promised runway extension for its decision – the runway extension was due in 2008, however, a public enquiry means that the extension will not be completed until 2012 at the earliest.

Ryanair currently operates five routes from Belfast City Airport: Bristol, East Midland, Glasgow Prestwick, Liverpool and London Stansted.

In an attempt to stop the Government from further increasing the Air Passenger Duty (APD) this November, ABTA is calling on travellers to write to their MPs.

APD, which currently raises £2 billion for the Government, was introduced in 1994 and has seen several increases since.

Prior to 1 November 2009, 

fees were set at Reduced Rates (economy seats)
£10 for European destinations and £40 for all other destinations. Standard Rates (premium seats, including business class only airlines)
 were £20 for European destinations and
 £80 for all other destinations. On 1 November 2009, four geographical bands were introduced based on the distance from London.

The 2009 APD duty applicable for a single flight was levied at:

• Band A – flights to Europe £11
• Band B – flights of up to 4,000 miles £45
• Band C – flights to the Caribbean £50
• Band D – flights to Australia and New Zealand £60
• For Premium seats the charges are double.

A further increase is set to be introduced this November with the fees increasing to:

• Band A – flights to Europe £12
• Band B – flights of up to 4,000 miles £60
• Band C – flights to the Caribbean £75
• Band D – flights to Australia and New Zealand £85

For Premium seats the charges are double at:

• Band A – flights to Europe £24
• Band B – flights of up to 4,000 miles £120
• Band C – flights to the Caribbean £150
• Band D – flights to Australia and New Zealand £170

In 2009 the Telegraph launched a campaign to get the APD scrapped. To find out more, and to add your name to their petition click here.

This bank holiday, thousands of people will be packing their suitcases ready to head off on their summer holidays from East Midlands Airport.

The August bank holiday is expected to be the busiest weekend of the summer, with more than 86,500 people travelling through the airport between Friday 27 August and Tuesday 31 August, an increase of 0.8% on last year’s figures.

Barry Thompson, Deputy Managing Director, East Midlands Airport said, “The predicted figures for the bank holiday weekend suggest that even more people are looking to travel abroad this year – this is a positive indication of the overall performance for August.”

The busiest day is expected to be Friday 27th August with passenger numbers predicted to reach 18,000. With a mixed weather forecast for most of the UK over the coming weekend, passengers are making the most of the bank holiday weekend by escaping to sunnier climates, with Palma, Malaga and Alicante thought to be the most popular destinations, closely followed by Dalaman and Faro.

To book East Midlands airport parking and East Midlands airport hotels click on the links.

Fly to the Hajj from Leeds Bradford, Manchester and East Midlands with Jet2.com’s specialist pilgrimage service

Following overwhelming demand, Jet2.com has increased its dedicated service for pilgrims taking part in this year’s annual Hajj, with the announcement of specialist departures from Leeds Bradford, Manchester and East Midlands airports from 1st November 2010.

The flights represent a significant increase in dedicated departures from the Midlands and North of England to the Hajj, and are the only direct services available from Leeds Bradford and East Midlands.

Working in partnership with travel agents Sky-Fly Connections Ltd in Bradford and PAK Travels Ltd in Birmingham, the specialist Jet2.com programme is set to carry over 2,000 passengers to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia to take part in the annual Hajj, the world’s largest annual pilgrimage.

Jet2.com will be operating a total of 10 return trips – four from Leeds Bradford, four from Manchester and two from East Midlands, representing a 300% increase on last year’s hugely successful service, which saw three flights leave from Leeds.

Furthermore, Jet2.com will respect Muslim tradition by ensuring that all catering adheres to Halal methods, there is no alcohol served and aircraft crew are sensitive to the practice of prayer whilst in flight. Prayer facilities will also be available in the airport terminal prior to departure. Jet2.com will also be increasing its baggage allowance of 22kg for pilgrims to bring back the important Zam Zam holy water.

To book Leeds airport parking using an instant, online price checker or to book accommodation at  Leeds airport hotels click on the links.

Ryanair has announced its peak-season baggage charges are to return to €15 per bag and €25 for heavy bags for travel from 1 September, however, passengers travelling on international routes to and from the Canary Islands will still have to pay the peak-season charges – €20 per bag and €30 heavy bag – these higher charges will apply all year round.

The airline introduced higher baggage charges for flights during July and August this year with the ’sweetner’ of allowing passengers to check in two bags, subject to charges, of course.

Thomas Cook Airlines has added three new routes to its summer 2011 schedule from East Midlands Airport.

Those looking for sun, sea and sand will be able to fly to Hurghada in Egypt every Tuesday from 3 May to 25 October 2011, to Funchal in Madeira every Monday from 2 May to 31 October 2011 and to Izmir in Turkey every Wednesday from 4 May to 26 October 2011.

If summer is too long to wait for flights to Hurghada, don’t worry, as flights are also available on their winter timetable – every Tuesday from 15 February until 26 April 2011.

Ian Derbyshire, Chief Executive Officer of Thomas Cook UK & Ireland, said: “Egypt, Madeira and Turkey are fantastic holiday destinations for families, couples and groups. We’re committed to our flying programme from the region, so with these extra options, we’re really pleased to be able to offer even more choice to travellers from East Midlands Airport.”

Next summer, as well as Hurghada, Izmir and Funchal, flights will also be operated to the Canary Islands, Turkey, Spain, Bulgaria, Greece, Portugal, Madeira, Egypt, Malta, Italy, Balearic Islands and Cyprus from East Midlands Airport.

To book East Midlands airport parking and Nottingham hotels click on the links.

East Midlands Airport has today revealed that it is on track to achieve its carbon neutral operations target by 2012, as its parent company, Manchester Airports Group (MAG), launches its first annual sustainability report.

The report, entitled connecting today and tomorrow, details the Group’s commitment to responsible and sustainable growth by outlining the progress it has made in mitigating its impact on the environment and its neighbours, as well as clearly demonstrating the social and economic benefits that the airport brings to the regions it serves.

The Manchester Airports Group contributes £3.5 billion to the UK economy annually and provides direct employment for around 26,000 people with a further 50,000 jobs created to support the business. Available on the Group’s website magworld.co.uk, the report demonstrates the importance MAG places on growing a sustainable business for the future.

East Midlands Airport’s reduction in emissions also contributes to the wider aviation industry’s own stringent targets. The aviation industry, as a whole, contributes 2-3% to global emissions and 6% towards UK emissions and is the only sector to have set its own targets to reduce climate change, with a commitment to carbon neutral growth from 2020.

The airport, along with the other airports in the Group, was the first airport to commit to all its operations being carbon neutral by 2012 and has led the way for many years by implementing innovative projects.

Penny Coates, Group Board Director responsible for Sustainability said: “We are proud to be launching our first sustainability report and to be setting out some of our achievements to date. We have a strong track record in innovative environmental performance and in supporting the local communities around our airports. We know how critical our airports are to the economic and social development of the regions and the people that they serve, but we must balance the benefits against the need to minimise the effects that our operations have.”

Highlights from the report include:

• UK firsts for East Midlands Airport including; receiving planning permission to install wind turbines on site, planting of a willow farm to provide bio-fuel and in a world first, launched a trial to run an airport passenger transfer bus powered by Liquid Biomethane fuel (LBM), a carbon neutral fuel.
• The airport has incorporated environmentally friendly and carbon reducing techniques into all new buildings, since 2006; including an energy efficient pier, which obtains heat from boreholes, uses rain water in toilets and natural and low energy lighting, in addition, the newly launched on site hotel will deliver a 87% reduction in CO2 and supply up to 90% of the consumed energy from a renewable source.
• The airport achieved the highest of any UK airport for waste recycling. 84% of all waste collected was recycled, which well exceeding the original 50% target.
• East Midlands Airport contributes heavily to the local communities and has awarded £63,323 in grants to local community groups, supporting over 101 projects.
• The airport has maintained its ISO14001 Environmental Management accreditation for the seventh consecutive year
• East Midlands Airport has a specially designed envirozones, where passengers, the community and staff can read more about what the airport is doing to protect the environment and a newly opened education centre, which encourages schools to visit and learn about the airport, alongside their normal curriculum.
• The airport promotes environmentally sound choices amongst customers, by encouraging passengers to offset their journey on the airport’s website and by ensuring good transport links to and from the surrounding areas.

The full MAG Sustainability Report is available to download from www.magworld.co.uk/sr2009

The CAA is once again highlighting the need for passengers to be aware of items that are banned from being carried on a plane after a man was convicted of attempting to take dangerous chemicals on to an aircraft at Manchester Airport last year.

The man was found guilty of ‘recklessly acting in a manner likely to endanger an aircraft’ after he pleaded guilty to attempting to take corrosive and flammable chemicals on to a plane.

Geoff Leach, Manager of the CAA’s Dangerous Goods Office, said: “Unlike items restricted for reasons of security (eg knives and scissors) which may be carried safely in checked (hold) baggage, “dangerous goods” such as the chemicals involved in this instance can pose the same danger to the aircraft and its occupants wherever they are carried and consequently must not be carried by passengers at all.

“It is vital that passengers check the list of permitted items well in advance of travel to determine whether any unusual items they wish to carry are allowed. Unfortunately, incidents like this cause delays and disruption to the travelling public as well as endangering the safety of passengers and staff at UK airports throughout the year. “

Dangerous goods that must NOT be taken on board an aircraft are:

• explosives, such as fireworks, flares, toy gun caps;
• gases, such as culinary blowtorches, camping or compressed gas cylinders, tear gas, mace or CS gas devices;
• flammable materials such as petrol, lighter fuel, paint, thinners, non-safety matches, firelighters;
• poisons, such as weed killers, insecticides; and · corrosives, such as filled car batteries.

Passengers requiring further information about what they can and can’t transport on aircraft can contact the CAA’s Dangerous Goods Office on 01293 573900.

Ryanair has announced it is to offer passengers the option of increased baggage allowances this summer.

The new allowances mean passengers can each check in up to two bags per trip and also have the option of paying for an increased weight allowance on their first checked-in bag – from 15kg to 20kg.

As with any Ryanair ‘extra’ you’ll have to pay for the privilege, and prices depend on time of travel – see below for online prices:

1st bag
standard 15kg allowance: €15/£15, or €20/£20 during peak season of July and August
increased 20kg allowance: €25/£25, or €30/£30 during July and August

2nd bag
15kg maximum allowance for the second bag: €35/£35, or €40/£40 during July and August

Manx2.com has announced it is to withdraw services from East Midlands Airport.

Flights to East Midlands Airport will cease from Sunday 4th July due to the current mismatch between capacity and demand on Isle of Man routes.

All passengers booked to travel after this date will be offered re-booking onto Manx2.com’s Gloucester, Leeds Bradford or Blackpool services or a full refund.

Chairman Noel Hayes said: “Our East Midlands route started in March 2008. Manx2.com staff worked hard and put a great deal of effort into route and saw passenger numbers increase from 5,641 that year to 6,593. However, this year despite us reducing fares on the route and a strong local marketing campaign with our partners at East Midlands Airport, our passenger numbers are down by 25 per cent year on year, with April down over 30 per cent.

“This decline has been partly caused by reduced transfer traffic following easyJet’s complete withdrawal from East Midlands Airport; also bad weather and ash disruptions, and significantly now, the impact of more seats flooding on to Isle of Man market at a time when passenger numbers are already down.

“Isle of Man Airport figures show total April year to date passenger numbers down 8 per cent with April down 23 per cent. Despite this downturn, FlyBe have added over 30,000 seats a year to the Isle of Man market and now easyJet have added a further 90,000 seats. Simple equation is that 17,000 less people have travelled to the Isle of Man in the first four months of 2010, but the market has been flooded with 120,000 extra seats on an annual basis so load factors are sharply down.

“At Manx2 we need to ensure we maintain a strong and healthy route network, so whereas we would normally preserve a loss making route through a bad patch, the amount of overcapacity coming into the Island means we have had to cut the route to ensure the rest of our network remains healthy.

“As I have said before, the Isle of Man’s route network is being largely determined by FlyBe and easyJet and what they want to do. This produces short term consumer benefit in lower prices, but long term instability and pain as capacity is inevitably cut back again. With significant cuts expected to impact on the UK economy this year, the current mismatch between capacity and demand on Isle of Man routes is not sustainable. Hence, Manx2.com’s decision to expand into Wales and Ireland, thereby reducing its dependence on an oversupplied market.”

To book East Midlands airport parking and Nottingham hotels click on the links.