Ryanair Reported Profits of Check-in Baggage Reaches €23m

Ryanair report profit from check-in baggageRyanair could rake in €23 million with its€5 hike on checked-in luggage during the peak summer months.

This news comes as the airline reported that the number of passengers it carried in March increased to 5.3 million from 4.7m in the same month a year earlier. The company’s load factor or percentage of seats filled rose to 79% from 77%.

It is increasing the charge on checked-in baggage from €15 to €20 during July and August, its two busiest months.

Goodbody analyst Eamonn Hughes said assuming a 30% penetration rate on checked-in baggage the move could see the airline generate €23m. Bloxham’s Joe Gill agrees and said it equates to about 7% of net profits produced in the year to March 2010. The shares closed down less than 1% at €3.95.
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United Airlines Launches Summer Fares For Hong Kong, America

United Airlines is providing promotional summer fares for flights between Vietnam and the US, as well as to Hong Kong.

The discounted fares for Los Angeles and San Francisco start at US$770, with travel until June 14.

The American carrier is selling a round trip between Ho Chi Minh City and Hong Kong starting at US$138, with travel from April 1 till June 10 this year.

The summer promotion is applied for max stay of four days, and the booking class is L.

United’s regular fares for a round trip between HCM City and Hong Kong are also available, starting at US$188.

The airline operates daily direct flights between Vietnam and the US via Hong Kong. The service was launched in December 2004, making United the first American carrier to fly to Vietnam since 1975.
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Delta Air Lines Adds Shuttle Service Daily Flights New York-Chicago

delta airlines adds daily flight new york to chicago airportsDelta Air Lines Inc., the world’s largest carrier, is adding shuttle service with 11 daily round-trip flights between New York’s LaGuardia and Chicago’s O’Hare airports to attract business customers.

The service to O’Hare, the world’s fourth-busiest airport, will begin June 10 and replace less-frequent flights to Chicago Midway, Delta Air Lines said today in a statement. The carrier also is adding flights from Los Angeles to four U.S. cities including Hartford, Connecticut.

The Chicago shuttle steps up competition with AMR Corp.’s American Airlines and UAL Corp.’s United Airlines for business travelers, who typically pay the highest fares. Those rivals both have hubs at O’Hare. The flights will use 76-seat Embraer 175 jets, and attendants will serve meals or bagels and complimentary wine and beer, as on other Delta Shuttle routes. Read more

FAA Reminded American Airlines Aircraft Maintenance Violations

federal aviation reminded American Airlines aircraft maintenance violationsFor the second time in a week, the Federal Aviation Administration has announced that it has proposed fining American Airlines for aircraft maintenance violations.

The FAA revealed Thursday that it sent a letter to American last week proposing a $300,000 civil penalty for the maintenance lapses, which could have endangered the aircraft, flight crew and passengers.

American Airlines maintenance workers, the FAA said, failed to properly document a malfunctioning speed indicator on an MD-82 jet in February 2009.

Not knowing about the defective indicator, crews flew the plane five times, including at night and in inclement winter weather. Such flights are allowed under American’s FAA-approved procedures, but only in daylight and clear weather.
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