It’s been a bright start to the year for Southampton Airport with the introduction of three new airlines and six new routes for 2012.

The new Southampton flights will operate to:

• Barcelona – Vueling – flights will operate three times per week (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays) from 23 June 2012
• Ibiza – Thomas Cook – flights will commence in May 2012
• Lyon – Air France – a weekly service will operate on Saturdays
• Nantes – Air France – flights will operate weekly
• Norwich – Loganair – flights will operate weekly from May to October
• Tours – Flybe – two flights will operate per week from 16 May 2012

Flybe is to cease direct flights between the Isle of Man and Southampton.

The direct service will end on 29 February 2012, however, it will still be possible to fly between the two destinations via Manchester.

Ann Reynolds, Director of Isle of Man Airport, told Manx Radio that she was disappointed for the Island but it was no surprise given the passenger numbers over the last 12 months.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has launched a new price comparison tool to enable travellers to see a summary of optional charges levied by the top airlines in the UK.

The tool details information of costs of hold luggage, in flight meal charges, seat reservation and other optional airline fees.

Andrew Haines, Chief Executive of the CAA said: “The diversity of UK aviation offers excellent choice and value to UK consumers with airlines adopting various business models. To really benefit from that choice consumers want to know the full price picture. For some passengers and airlines the headline ticket price will be the most expensive part of the booking, whilst for others the impact of optional fees and charges can change their view of the best overall price.

“Our table allows passengers to easily compare the optional fees that airlines charge and it’s important to consider those charges alongside the ticket price and the extra charges that could be applied before making their booking.”

To view the fees and charges comparison table click here: http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/2200/Comparing_airline_charges_1st_Feb_2012_.pdf

The CAA plans to update the charges table on a quarterly basis.

A Southampton Airport passenger has until the end of January to claim a bundle of cash lost at the airport or the money will be donated to charity.

The cash, a bundle of several thousand Euros, was found by airport staff last year and placed in lost property. Airport procedures mean that if the money isn’t claimed by the end of the month it will be donated to charity.

Neil Garwood, Head of Customer Service for Southampton Airport, said: “We will always do everything we can to reunite passengers with lost items and we were sure that we would get a call about this money, but no one has made contact yet.

“Ideally we would like to return it to its owner, but if they do not come forward by the end of the month we will donate it to a local charity.”

Following the recent introduction of Loganair’s Norwich flights to Exeter and Newquay, the airline has announced it is to launch two more new routes from Norwich Airport.

The new services will operate to Southampton and the Isle of Man.

Both services will be introduced for the summer season, with the Norwich to Southampton service operating from 19 May until 27 October 2012, and flights to the Isle of Man operating from 26 May until 8 September 2012.

Southampton flights will operate on Saturdays.

Direct flights to the Isle of Man flights will operate weekly, on Saturdays, however, passengers will be able to fly to the Isle of Man via Manchester throughout the week.

Flybe has announced the introduction of an additional six brand new routes from the start of the 2012 summer season.

The news adds up to an extra 34 flights a week from 25 March, further expanding the airline’s schedule to a total choice of 208 routes across its extensive network.

There are two brand new routes from Newcastle to Newquay and Bergen (Norway); and new routes from Belfast City to Newquay; to Knock and Waterford (Republic of Ireland) from Leeds Bradford and Birmingham respectively and from Southampton to Tours in France.

The six additional new routes have been chosen so that both leisure and business travellers have a wide variety of travel options available to them and, in the case of the Newcastle- Bergen route, re-instates a much-awaited link between the two twinned cities.

The six new services, which commence on 25 March 2012:

• Birmingham to Waterford – Daily flights
• Newcastle to Bergen – Flights operate three times a week Tues/ Thurs/Sat
• Newcastle to Newquay – Flights operate Saturdays starting 5 May
• Belfast City to Newquay – Flights operate Saturdays starting 5 May
• Leeds Bradford to Knock – Flights operate three times a week on Tues/Thurs/Sun
• Southampton – Tours – Flights operate Wed/Sat from 16 May 16th

Flybe’s Managing Director, Andrew Strong, comments: “Flybe is committed to developing our route network throughout the regions and to keeping business and leisure travellers moving during these continued economically challenging times. The introduction of these six attractive destinations to our already extensive schedule for summer gives our passengers a large choice of affordable travel options and we look forward to operating our first flights to these new destinations.”

Southampton Airport is looking to recruit a number of female security officers.

Both full- and part-time positions are on offer and applicants do not require prior experience.

Closing date is Friday, 13 January 2012.

For more information and to apply click here.

Flybe, Europe’s largest regional airline and the UK’s number one domestic airline, has welcomed the Department for Transport’s draft Civil Aviation Bill and, in particular, the requirement that airlines publish information about the environmental impact of their operations.

Flybe has long-since blazed a trail on transparency in this area, most notably in the form of its groundbreaking Ecolabel Scheme. Launched in June 2007, the ‘ecolabel’ provides Flybe passengers, at the time of booking, with a detailed but user-friendly breakdown of fuel consumption, carbon and NOx emissions as well as noise levels for the aircraft to be used on their journey. Modelled on the EU white good labelling scheme and therefore more readily recognised by the consumer, the ecolabel is not only emblazoned on the side of every single Flybe aircraft by the passenger door but also clearly displayed online and also published in the Flybe in-flight magazine.

The ecolabel was subject to an assurance process by the international consultancy firm Deloitte and Touche and was welcomed by the Treasury Select Committee in February 2008. Its report into the economics of climate change suggested that IATA “… might get involved in promoting the kind of ‘eco-competition’ made possible by the Flybe scheme” and that “… airlines should adopt a system of eco-labelling, so that consumers can compare the environmental footprint of each airline when purchasing their tickets.”

Commenting on the draft bill, Jim French CBE, Flybe’s Chairman and Chief Executive said: “Flybe welcomes the government’s move to insist that all airlines publish their environmental data. It will not only give passengers a very clear choice but will incentivise airlines to invest in newer, lower emitting fleet; something Flybe has done over the last 10 years to the tune of $2.5billion, giving us one of the youngest fleets in global aviation.

“Flybe’s ecolabel is an off-the-shelf solution to the challenge of environmental transparency and we stand ready to work with the Civil Aviation Authority and the DfT to share our expertise and knowledge in making transparent reporting a reality.”

The war of words over border control strike action continues in the press and it is unknown how badly affected airport passengers are going to be by the action – reports vary from minor disruption to significant.

Border control will be affected from the evening of Tuesday 29 November until midnight on Wednesday 30 November – strike action start times will depend on shift patterns.

Any delays will affect passengers arriving into the UK that need to pass through passport control – outgoing flights should not be affected.

Tips to help avoid delays:

• Use e-Passport gates where available
• Have travel documents, including passports, ready
• Fully complete landing cards
• Stay in family groups.

The UK Border Agency (UKBA) has said that it has robust arrangements in place to maintain the security of the border and that it has

• trained managers, staff and contractors to carry out border checks
• requested overseas staff to provide cover
• asked airlines and ports to identify potential pressure points.

Rob Whiteman, chief executive of the UK Border Agency, said: ‘Securing the border is our priority and over the last weeks and months we have considered all options to ensure we are prepared for union action.

‘We always aim to minimise any disruption caused by the decision of unions to strike, but travellers could see longer waiting times at some ports and airports.’

For up-to-date UKBA information visit  http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/

Gama Aviation is preparing for the forthcoming 2012 Olympics and the anticipated increase in business aviation traffic with the recruitment of its own dedicated air traffic specialist.

Consultant Martin Hill brings 30 years’ experience as an air traffic controller and supervisor at the London Air Traffic Control centre to Gama. He is now in situ at the company’s Farnborough Airport HQ and is advising Gama’s operations and charter teams as they communicate to clients about their air travel to London coinciding with next year’s big event.

Gama’s Director of Client Relations Trevor Jones was participating as a panellist at BGAD 2011’s Practicalities of the Olympics Panel at Cambridge Airport on Tuesday, 20th September. “We are advising our customers and charter brokers to book their slots early in order to avoid disappointment. For international clients coming to London between 21 July and 15 August we urge them to contact us as soon as possible so we can make the slot applications accordingly. This is because there will be capacity constraints in the airspace over the London area, affecting a total of 40 airports in the South of the UK.”

Slots will be required for all flights arriving or departing the London area during the period from 21st July to 15th August 2012, inclusive – this covers the Olympic Games only, there are no extra slot restrictions for the Paralympic Games. Flights will also be subjected to security screening, even at small airports/airfields.

Martin Hill explains: “Slots will be issued on a first come, first served basis and where the requested slot time is not available, the closest match will be offered as an alternative. Airports will be charging a non-refundable fee for the booking of the slots, which will be added to the cost of the flight, and in some cases, requiring payment of landing and handling fees in advance.”

Gama is advising its clients and charter brokers that once a slot is issued, changing the time of the flight will invalidate that original slot. There will be no guarantee that a slot will be available for the revised time, on the day concerned. If the slot is not adhered to the flight will not be able to depart until a new slot time is granted, which could be many hours away.

The slot system is now operational to take bookings at Farnborough Airport, and will become active at other London area airports over the coming months.

The following airports, all subject to slot co-ordination, have confirmed their available capacity and effective September 5th it is possible to make a reservation at those highlighted in bold:

Slot co-ordinated airports during the period of the Olympics

• Biggin Hill
• Blackbushe
• Bournemouth*
• Cambridge
• Chalgrove
• Cranfield
• Damyns Hall
• Denham
• Dunsfold
• Elstree
• Fairoaks
• Farnborough
• Goodwood
• Lee-on-Solent
• Leicester
• Lydd
• Manston
• Northolt
• North Weald
• Old Sarum
• Oxford
• Peterborough
• Redhill
• Rochester
• Shoreham
• Southampton**
• Southend
• Stapleford
• Sywell
• Thruxton
• White Waltham
• Wycombe Air Park

The following airports are yet to confirm their capacity so slot bookings are not yet available:

• Birmingham*
• Coventry ***
• Duxford***
• London City**
• London Gatwick
• London Heathrow**
• London Luton*
• London Stansted*

* slot reservations available 30th November 2011

** slot reservations available 1st February 2012

*** slot reservations available as soon as capacity determined