A 48-hour strike by UK Border Agency staff could result in some disruption at UK airport border control today and tomorrow, 13 and 14 October.

Lin Homer, chief executive, UK Border Agency said: ‘This strike action is fundamentally about the agency’s efforts to modernise its working practices to deliver a more efficient and effective service.

‘As always, our priority is to keep the UK border secure while speeding the travel of legitimate travellers and goods. We expect the vast majority of our facilities and services to remain open for business.

‘We will work hard to keep any possible delays to a minimum and welcome the commitment of those staff working despite the strike action to ensure we check passengers through the controls as quickly as possible.’

There’s more industrial action planned in France today, with strikes set to start at 17:00 today, 6 September, continuing until 05:00 on Wednesday 8 September.

Delays and disruption to flights into and out of France are expected with British Airways advising passengers to check the status of their flights before leaving for the airport.

BA passengers can check their flights either online at ba2go.com, or calling in the UK on 0844 493 0787 (0600-2000 local time).

Renovation works to the Runway at Warsaw Airport means that the airport will be closed on Saturdays and Sundays between 3 and 19 September.

During these times, flights to and from Warsaw will be diverted to Lodz Airport.

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.

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.

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

Ryanair has announced it now has a dedicated Volcanic Ash Disruption team set up to handle refunds and claims from passengers in connection with the disruption caused by the ash cloud.

For more information go to www.ryanair.com/en/notices/gops/100518-ASH_REIMBURSE_INFO-GB

Flybe has confirmed it is the first airline in the UK to be able to fly within the new Time Limited Zone.

Under the new regulations the airline will be able to fly through denser volcanic ash than previously approved – 0.004 grams per cubic metre compared with 0.002 grams per cubic metre.

Commenting on the news Flybe’s Chief Executive, Jim French said: “The CAA called upon the industry to bring forward thoroughly researched proposals to safely improve the ability to fly in the vicinity of low level volcanic ash concentrations.

Flybe worked closely with the Met Office, Bombardier and Pratt & Whitney Canada to develop the proposals which have today been endorsed by the CAA. Flybe’s overriding concern is always safety, and these new rules arise from a proven process of safety management within the company and the industry which helps make air travel the safest form of public transport.

The application of these new rules in the last 48 hours would have reduced our levels of cancellation from 380 flights to 21, or put another way, only 3% of our programme would have been affected. This level of cancellation would be more akin to a weather event and therefore much more bearable for customers and the industry.”

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