RAK Airways to begin flights to Lahore

RAK Airways, the national airline of Ras Al Khaimah, one of the seven states in the UAE, is going to launch its flight operation from Lahore-Ras Al Khaimah Lahore from November 11.The flight carrying airline officials as well as passengers will land at Lahore Airport on November 11. To mark the formal operation of the airline from Lahore, a special function will be held at a local hotel, the same day. From November 15, flight operation from Peshawar-Ras Al Khaimah-Peshawar will be kicked off.

Sources said RAK Airways was founded in 2006 and launched operations early in 2007 with two Boeing 757-200 aircraft. The carrier was hard hit during the financial crisis of 2007-2010, and so they closed operations in 2009. In 2010, the airline announced that it will be resuming operations with a value-for-money business model, aiming to position itself between full-service and low-cost carriers. RAK Airways is the first Middle Eastern airline to actively use social media to engage with its passengers, via mediums such as Twitter and Face book

Air Arabia launch flights to Yanbu in KSA

Air Arabia, the first and largest low-cost carrier in the Middle East and North Africa, announced today the introduction of a new flight destination in Saudi Arabia, from the carrier’s primary hub in Sharjah, UAE. Beginning November 1, 2011, Air Arabia will offer 3-weekly flights to Yanbu, making it easier and more convenient for passengers to travel between the two Countries. On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays flights will depart Sharjah International Airport at 13:00 arriving at Yanbu Airport at 15:45. Return flights will depart Yanbu at 16:25 arriving Sharjah at 20:30.

“In July this year, Air Arabia started its flights to the City of Gassim in KSA and today, we are extremely pleased to introduce our new service between Sharjah and Yanbu, which marks the sixth destination in Saudi Arabia reachable via Air Arabia,said AK Nizar, Head of Commercial Department at Air Arabia. Air Arabia customers now enjoy an ideal choice for air travel between the UAE and Saudi benefiting from value for money fares and wide spread of destinations with-in the Kingdom and beyond. In addition to providing non-stop service to six cities in Saudi Arabia, Air Arabia also offers a range of value-for-money land arrangements, including hotel accommodation and car assistance.

Gulf Air resume flights to Nairobi

Gulf Air has officially re-launched its flights to Nairobi operating on an air bus A320 in a two-class configuration in its quest to expand to diverse locations beyond the Middle East.The flights will operate from Nairobi via Bahrain to Dubai, Dammam, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Muscat and Kuwait.Speaking during the stake holder's briefing in a Nairobi hotel, Gulf Air's Chief Service Officer Mr. Marcus Bernhardt said that the partnership was a wise investment strategy since Kenya is perceived as Eastern and Central Africa's hub for financial, communication and transportation services.

Bernhardt added that Kenya's economic growth and stability were the key factors in making Nairobi the fourth Gulf Air's African destination.By reconnecting Nairobi with Bahrain we are re-opening the huge commercial and tourism opportunity for entrepreneurs and business people from both markets,said Bernhardt.He added that there will be four flights daily from Bahrain to Nairobi on Tuesday, Friday Thursday and Sunday and four flights weekly from Nairobi to Bahrain on Monday,Tuesday and two flights on Friday.

In addition to Nairobi, Gulf Air is also operating eight other new destinations among them Copenhagen, Geneva, Milan, Addis Ababa and Kabul in Afghanistan.The initiative is in corporation with the Ministry of Tourism, Kenya Airport Authority, the Civil Aviation Authority and other stakeholders in the aviation industry.Gulf Air is a private airline and national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain serving over 40 destinations in the Middle East and around the world.

Allegiant not making money on flights from Pueblo to Las Vegas

AllegiantAir's twice-a-week flights from Pueblo to Las Vegas are nearly full each trip, but those customers aren't ordering the rental cars, hotel rooms and entertainment packages that are the airline's real source of profit, City Council was warned Monday night.Dave Cardinal, from the city's Airport Advisory Committee, briefed council that he'd met with Allegiant senior executives and was told that the Pueblo to Las Vegas flights are not producing the money the airline wants especially if Allegiant is expected to expand its Pueblo air flights to Phoenix as well.Cardinal said Allegiant actually loses money on its per passenger costs on each flight, but expects to make money on the commissions it gets for linking passengers to hotel rooms, car rentals and Las Vegas shows. A visit to the airline's website illustrates all of the other services it sells.

Allegiant isn't really an airline, it's a travel company,Cardinal explained.Councilman Larry Atencio, who is a member of the airport committee, put it a different way to his colleagues.The problem is we have a lot of savvy customers in Pueblo who like the cheap air fares to Vegas but they're not using Allegiant for the other services,he said.Whether those cost-savvy customers might drive off Allegiant wasn't discussed, but Cardinal and Mark Lovin, the city's airport manager, said the city needs to do a more focused job in marketing to make it profitable for Allegiant to serve Pueblo.I think you're going to see Allegiant start selling tickets in a more traditional way, where the discount will come by purchasing well in advance,Lovin said, adding that Allegiant plans to add a third Las Vegas flight to the two flights it provides on Thursdays and Sundays.

Allegiant began offering the Las Vegas flights back in October and Cardinal reported that every flight is 80-90 percent full. Many of the customers are from Pueblo, but Allegiant reported that riders are coming from regional cities as well, including Colorado Springs and Fort Collins, and even some from Kansas.Council took the news with some concern. Allegiant flights are a key component in council's hopes that Pueblo Memorial Airport will generate more than 10,000 riders this year a threshold that would allow the city to qualify for additional Federal Aviation Administration support.Councilman Chris Kaufman asked when Allegiant's agreement with Pueblo expires and was told in October.But we were told that Phoenix is still in the cards, Cardinal added hopefully. And if faltering airline flights weren't enough, council also heard from Pueblo Animal Services about the city's growing feral cat problem. Feral cats are wild cats that usually shun human contact, live in "colonies" around some central food source, which is often a person willing to feed them.

Julie Justman, from the animal services, asked council to authorize an ordinance that would let designated volunteers trap feral cats, bring them to the shelter to be neutered, and then take them back for release in the home neighborhood or colony. Justman said that trap and release is the only strategy for dealing with feral cats that appears to be successful because many animal caretakers object to having strays or feral cats impounded or euthanized.Justman assured council that Pueblo Animal Services would operate the program with private grants and volunteer caretakers for the cat colonies, so council welcomed her proposal. They advised City Manager Jerry Pacheco to bring the requested ordinance to council's meeting next Monday for first reading consideration.

Cheap flights to London

It's hard to get away from the daily grind of life, but everyone needs a vacation. Luckily for time-pressed travelers, low-cost carriers and the major airlines, too offer airfare sales that make even a quick trip well worth it. For an exhilarating city getaway, whether it's a long weekend or a full week, work a search for cheap flights to London into your to-do list.

England's long history is on display everywhere in London, from the Tower to the Globe Theatre, but the city is so vibrant and forward thinking that you'd be missing out on its character by spending the entire time dwelling on the past. Be sure to pick up a magazine like TimeOut, which lists all the happenings for the week it's a great catalogue of options for making last-minute plans.While you can fill in the blanks however you please, there are some essential elements for a quick trip to London.

A great place to stay. London hotels are proof that the city's stylish verve shows up everywhere. Whether you want to stay in sleek, ultra-modern digs or an elegant hotel with plenty of history, your options are virtually endless. When it comes to location, keep in mind that the Underground makes it possible to move across the city with relative ease it's more important to have good access to a station than it is to be smack-dab next to a sight you want to see.

Dining out. London is a world class city by almost any measure, and it certainly stands tall as a culinary destination. The diversity of food available is almost astounding; thanks to a bevy of creative chefs and vibrant immigrant communities from every corner of the globe, you can find something to please every palate. From the high-end nose-to-tail options at renowned foodie destination St. John to the workaday, classic options at neighborhood pubs, you can also find plenty of characteristically English dishes.

Shopping. You've got the big guys and you've got the little guys put them together and it's shopping paradise. While the big name stores naturally draw big crowds, searching out a boutique that caters perfectly to your tastes can be a fun way to spend the day in London. Online shopping guides even offer street-by-street breakdowns of interesting shopping areas to give you a head start.

The arts. Theater, film, applied arts, visual arts - you've got the pick of the litter in London. For live performances, it's best to check current listings, but for some theater performances, you might have to book tickets well ahead of time. For some uniquely local perspectives, consider opting for a small-scale theater performance rather than a musical that's staged in multiple locations around the world. Modern art enthusiasts should make a pilgrimage to the Tate Modern, while those with more traditional taste can delve into the cozy Cortauld Gallery, which features art from the Renaissance to the early 20th century.Since so many London flights go through New York, if you've got an extra day or two to spare, add some time in the Big Apple. Finding affordable New York hotels is a lot easier.

AirAsia launch flights to Bali

Indonesia AirAsia will add a fourth daily service to the Perth to Bali route as government figures reveal that traffic on the route has doubled.Last year, 339,000 holiday-makers flocked to Bali as five airlines offered up to eight flights a day with bargain fares.AirAsia general manager Australia Darren Wright said yesterday the demand for the airline's three daily services from WA had been incredible.

We have excellent loads and a fourth service will further grow the route,Mr Wright said.
AirAsia's low-fare impact is not confined to the Bali route with its twice-daily services to Kuala Lumpur doubling traffic to more than 200,000 passengers a year.Once on the ground AirAsia has more than 80,000 hotels most with special deals across Asia available through its website.
However the AirAsia deals have impacted tourism in WA with a 6.8 per cent decline in travellers seeing their own state last year.According to Tourism Western Australia figures for the year ending December 2010 the number of trips declined from 4.17 million to 3.89 million although room nights only declined 1 per cent and spend stayed about the same.However as a three year trend the figures were troubling with almost double digit declines in the three key measures visits, room nights and spend.

Flights to Seville launched by EasyJet

EasyJet is poised to boost access to southern Spain with the introduction of its first route to Seville.The first of four weekly flights to the city will depart from London Gatwick tomorrow 16 April.Seville is the capital of the Spanish region of Andalucia and is famous for its cultural and historical landmarks, including one of the world's largest medieval cathedrals.

Paul Simmons, easyJet's UK general manager, said the new route will make this 'beautiful' city more 'accessible and affordable' for travellers.EasyJet is the largest airline to flight from London Gatwick and the Seville route means we will now offer 92 destinations,' he added.This includes three more new routes which will be launching shortly to Izmir, Verona and Aberdeen, providing even more choice to leisure and business travellers.Using a fleet of 46 aircraft based at Gatwick, the carrier flies more than 11m passengers per year to destinations such as Barcelona, Dusseldorf, Milan and Amsterdam.Opodo cheap flights, hotels and car hire - let the journey begin!

Chicago flights to Dublin re-launched by American Airlines

American Airlines is re-launching Chicago flights to Dublin, returning nonstop competition to the 3,656-mile run.American will start flying Boeing 767-300s on the route beginning April 5. Right now, Aer Lingus offers the only nonstop service between the megahub that is Chicago O’Hare and the Irish capital. It connects the two cities with an A330.American will ply the longish route daily. Chicago flights to Dublin depart O’Hare at 6:45 p.m., arriving Dublin at 8:00 a.m. the following morning. Assuming you got a decent night’s sleep on board, that leaves plenty of time to check into your hotel, wash up and see the sights.

A Cheapflights’ suggestion: fight the urge to immediately sleep when you arrive. Try to make it through the day and get to bed about 8 p.m. That will help re-set your clock faster. Avoid caffeine. That will keep you awake.The return Dublin flight to Chicago departs Dublin at 10:00 a.m. and arrives O’Hare at 12:05 p.m., allowing ample time to make most onward connections.
The great thing about American’s new flight is that you deplane in Chicago as a domestic, not an international flyer.That’s because you will already have cleared customs and immigration in Dublin, in Terminal 2. Instead of queuing up with all the other international arrivals at O’Hare, just get off the plane, go to your next gate to catch your connection or head home.

Etihad to start flights to Maldives

Travellers considering a luxury holiday in the Maldives will soon be able to catch flights to the destination with Etihad Airways.The airline is set to launch a daily flight from its home base of Abu Dhabi to Male, the capital of the island nation, on 1 November.Subject to government approval, the route will be operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, offering 1,904 seats and a choice of two cabins.

James Hogan, Etihad's chief executive officer, said the airline decided to introduce the flights in response to strong visitor numbers in the Maldives.The launch date has been chosen to coincide with the beginning of the winter travel period in the northern hemisphere.We expect the services will appeal to UAE leisure travellers, as well as customers from our major European markets, particularly with the strong connectivity options on offer and following the additional frequencies that will come online on a number of our key European routes this summer,' added Mr Hogan. Cheap flights, hotels and car hire - let the journey begin!

Flights to Orlando launched by Allegiant

Discount airline Allegiant is a singular sort of carrier. It flies large jets into places otherwise populated by regional jets or turbo-props, linking smaller cities nonstop with entertainment meccas like Los Angeles, Arizona, and Florida. The concept works, for Allegiant and consumers alike.Now comes word Allegiant is set to launch non-stop Laredo flights to Orlando May 20. This is twice-weekly seasonal service, and it operates through mid-August.

The schedule is perfect for a family that wants to make a week of it in the Magic Kingdom, Universal Studios and Sea World. East-bound Laredo to Orlando flights depart Mondays and Fridays at 7:00 p.m., arriving at 10:55 p.m. in time to get the kids to bed for the day to come. The return Orlando to Laredo flights leave at 4:20 p.m. and arrive at 6:20 p.m.Allegiant’s Laredo run flies into smaller, somewhat more remote Orlando Sanford Airport, not Orlando International. Sanford is 32 miles from Walt Disney World, Orlando International 23 miles. Still there’s plenty of ground connectivity to get you to your hotel from Sanford.Absent Allegiant, southwest Texas flyers have to motor 143 miles to catch a San Antonio to Orlando flight on discount airline Southwest. Alternately they could fly American Eagle from Laredo to Dallas/Fort Worth for connections on American Airlines, or fly Continental Express to Houston and connect on Continental down to Orlando. All told, Allegiant’s non-stop Laredo flights to Orlando should save a ton of time.

Qatar Airways confirms flights to Manchester

Qatar Airways will boost access to the Middle East for travellers based in northern England this year with the introduction of an additional daily flight from Manchester to Doha.Double-daily services will be available on the route from 1 June.The airline pointed out that the increase in frequency will provide more opportunities for passengers to connect to its network of international flights to Africa, the Far East, Australia and other regions via Doha.

Chief executive officer Akbar Al Baker revealed that the decision to introduce a second daily connection from Manchester was made following the strong performance of the service.Manchester has long proved to be one of our successful routes so it was only a matter of time before we could deploy additional capacity into this market,' he added.I am pleased to say that from 1 June, the extra flights will be introduced offering passengers from northern England and the Midlands the opportunity to fly to Qatar and beyond.'Qatar Airways operates the flights using Airbus A330 aircraft offering a choice of economy or business class seats.Cheap flights, hotels and car hire - let the journey begin!

Flights to Beijing and Shanghai and hotel, $777

Beijing and Shanghai are both stars in China, but for different reasons. Cloaked in its reputation for hosting the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, Beijing is an old-world city catapulted into the modern day. Temples, tea houses and Tiananmen Square make this ancient Peking metropolis simultaneously epic and quaint.

Shanghai, on the other hand, is unabashedly contemporary, with streaming lights and towering architecture that makes most travelers think of the west.With a package deal, you can get round-trip flights and all accommodations in both cities for $777, which is less than typical round-trip flights to China alone. This deal is like getting your hotel for free.Once you arrive in Beijing, you’ll stay four nights at the Huabin International Hotel. While there is an English-speaking tour guide to bring you through the city, you’re still able to tour on your own freely. In Shanghai, you’ll spend two nights at the Crowne Plaza and depart from there.

Also included in this deal are:
Daily breakfast
English speaking tour guides
Hotel taxes and fuel surcharges

Summer flights from London City airport

Summer travellers will have a wider range of routes to choose from at London City airport next year.The airport revealed that British Airways will be offering direct flights to the popular beach holiday destinations of Malaga in Spain and Faro in Portugal from June.Frequency on the airline's London City to Amsterdam route will be increased to six daily services, while Glasgow and Edinburgh will be served by five and eight daily connections respectively.

Popular summer routes to Mallorca and Ibiza will resume at the end of March, meaning BA's total route network from the Docklands airport will comprise 40% more seats next summer than it did this year.Luke Hayhoe, commercial manager of the airline's wholly owned subsidiary BA CityFlyer, said: 'We recently announced that we had taken up options on two additional aircraft for our brand new Embraer fleet and this is giving us more opportunity to add destinations, frequency and capacity to our network.'

He added: 'There is clearly a large demand for leisure travel from London City and it's a growing market.'The airline will add brand new routes from the airport to Chambery in December and Stockholm in January.cheap flights, hotels and car hire - let the journey begin.

Flights to Cancun in Mexico few weeks after the route was launched by BA

British Airways has confirmed an increase in the number of scheduled flights to Cancun in Mexico just a few weeks after the route was launched.Following the popularity of the service, the number of weekly connections will increase from two to three starting from March 2011.
The inaugural flight from London Gatwick to Cancun departed on 3 November and was sent off by a Mariachi band and welcomed in Mexico by a water-cannon salute from the local fire service.

Prior to the launch of the route, BA UK and Ireland head of sales and marketing Richard Tams said: 'We're delighted to be the only UK scheduled airline offering direct flights to Cancun.With sweeping beaches, innovative parks, relaxing spas, sports on land and sea, fabulous hotels and unique opportunities to explore the ancient Mayan culture, the Yucatan peninsula truly offers something for everyone.'Passengers are offered a choice of three cabins on the Boeing 777 aircraft, including BA's Club World business class option with fully flat beds.cheap flights, hotels and car hire - let the journey begin!

Flights to Milan launched by Oman Air

Oman Air’s CEO, Peter Hill said:We are delighted to be launching our new flight to Milan; our 41st destination and the ninth we have unveiled this year. As Italy’s capital of culture, design and fashion, and one of the world’s great business and financial centres, Milan is sure to be a popular destination for travellers from Oman and from many other destinations within our rapidly-expanding network. The new flight also offers travellers from Italy a great opportunity to discover the beauty and hospitality of Oman.

He added:Our new service offers the people of Oman the chance to visit this remarkable city and to make the most of the cultural and business opportunities it offers.Equally, as the only airline to offer a direct service from Italy to Oman, we are inviting the Italian people to visit Oman and to experience the Sultanate’s legendary hospitality, dramatic landscapes and unspoiled coastline. With world-class hotels, an incredible range of leisure activities and year-round sunshine, Oman looks forward to offering visitors the warmest of welcomes.

Bmibaby launch flights to Manchester, Birmingham

Bmibaby, the low-cost subsidiary of bmi, is set to move its operations to Belfast City airport from Belfast International in order to boost convenience for people travelling to the destination.
The carrier will provide flights from Belfast City to Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff and East Midlands airports from 10 January 2011.With a route already operating from the base in Northern Ireland's capital to London Heathrow, the bmi group is set to become one of the largest operators at Belfast City.

Wolfgang Prock Schauer, bmi's chief executive officer, said that the group has a 'long and proud connection' with Northern Ireland and has been serving its capital city for more than 26 years.He added: 'It makes obvious business sense to have the bmi group airlines serving the same Belfast airport.The group's physical presence at the airport is also increased and customers now have an excellent range of bmi group UK destinations available from Belfast City airport the best choice for business and leisure travellers alike.'Julian Carr, managing director of bmibaby, said that travellers can look forward to 'great low fares and frequent flights'.cheap flights, hotels and car hire let the journey begin!

BA begin flights to Cancun

British Airways yesterday launched flights to Cancun, which it describes as 'Mexico's most important tourist destination'.Passengers checking in at London Gatwick were entertained by a Mariachi band before boarding the Boeing 777 long-haul aircraft.BA will provide two weekly services to the destination, which serves as the gateway to the Yucatan peninsula on Mexico's east coast.

Frequency will increase to three flights per week next summer.Richard Tams, BA's head of sales and marketing in the UK and Ireland, said: 'We're delighted to be the only UK scheduled airline offering direct flights to Cancun.With sweeping beaches, innovative parks, relaxing spas, sports on land and sea, fabulous hotels and unique opportunities to explore the ancient Mayan culture, the Yucatan peninsula truly offers something for everyone.'Travellers have a choice of three cabins on the carrier's Boeing 777, including the Club World business class area with fully flat beds.BA serves a range of destinations in the Americas, including Mexico City, Vancouver and Rio de Janeiro.cheap flights, hotels and car hire - let the journey begin!

Flights to Ghana increases by Virgin

Flights on Virgin Atlantic's London to Ghana service will be increased during this winter's peak travel period, it has been announced.The airline said an extra service will be added from 11th December to 9th January, taking Virgin Atlantic's number of flights between London and Accra to four per week.Edmond Rose, director of commercial and revenue planning for Virgin Atlantic, said the airline hopes to make the increased frequency a permanent fixture as soon as possible.
Our presence on this route has been key in bringing increased competition, providing real choice in schedule and product for the 200,000 passengers flying between London and Accra each year, he said.

Virgin Atlantic launched its services to Ghana in May 2010, flying between London Heathrow and Ghana on an Airbus A340-300 aircraft with 240 seats onboard - 34 upper class, 35 premium economy and 171 economy.Since the launch, Ghana has proved to be among the most successful of the airline's new flight paths. flights, hotels and car hire - let the journey begin!

Monarch Airlines launch flights from London Gatwick to Lemezia next summer

Monarch Airlines has announced that it will launch new flights from London Gatwick to Lemezia next summer.The service will operate every Saturday between 30 April and 22 October.Holidaymakers can use the route to reach the Calabria region in south-west Italy, which is home to woodland, lakes and other areas for outdoor exploration, as well as historic villages and towns.The area also boasts some 780km of coastline on the Tyrrhenian and Ionian seas, which provides countless white-sand beaches where visitors can relax and soak up some sun.

Commenting on the new route, Monarch managing director Tim Jeans said: 'We have seen increasing demand from a number of tour operators this year to offer flights to Calabria and we are delighted that we are now able to do so.The service will operate from Gatwick for summer 2011, but if demand continues to grow as expected, services will expand to operate from other bases in the future.'Monarch was recently voted one of the top ten short-haul leisure airlines in the Conde Nast Traveller Readers' Travel Awards 2010, along with Lufthansa, bmi, British Airways, Aer Lingus and others.Opodo cheap flights, hotels and car hire - let the journey begin!

SAA resume Flights to Maputo

Flights between South Africa and Mozambique resumed on a tentative basis yesterday, as Mozambican security forces kept a tight rein over the capital of Maputo.South African Airways resumed flights at about 7am following an assessment of the situation on the ground by an SAA team based in Maputo, said spokesman Fanie Zulu.SAA runs two flights to Maputo and back every day (four flights in total), and was not increasing the number of flights but it was using larger airplanes to accommodate passengers stranded in Wednesday’s riots.

Word from Maputo was that it was finally safe for passengers to travel between the airport and the city centre, and that there was a heavy police and military presence on the streets throughout the day.On Wednesday the South African embassy in Mozambique was forced to close and nervous South Africans barricaded inside hotel rooms spoke of gunfire moving into the CBD.We have been advised not to go out, and the police are unable to give us an escort to the airport because they have their hands full, SA businessman Grant Reid said.They (the protestors) were burning tyres and blocking roads, and a BP service station was burnt down”
There have been conflicting casualty reports, some putting the death toll at 13, but according to Mozambican television station S-TV at least seven people have definitely died in the clashes with police, including one 12-year-old. Scores of others had been admitted to hospital with injuries, and Mozambican authorities say two police officers died after they were assaulted by the crowds.The violence was sparked by dramatic increases in the price of basic essentials like bread, water and electricity. The increases will see an escalation of over 25% in the price of bread and a 30% electricity tariff rate hike.