British Airways passengers are threatened yet again with the misery of an impending strike. Meanwhile, Ryanair have launched another cheap flight sale whilst boasting of their number 1 position in the “on-time” performance ratings for over 1,000 routes.

Passenger bookings are down with BA as customers increasingly opt to book with budget airlines as they can be fairly certain that the flight will actually go ahead and also they will save money into the bargain! Of course the budget airlines are welcoming the disillusioned BA customers with open arms, and some enticing offers.

Ryanair has launched the sale of 1 million cut price air fares this Spring. Cheap flights are on sale for €5 if you travel on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays in late March and April (excluding Easter week). These €5 cheap air fares will be available on over 500 of Ryanair’s European routes but must be booked on www.ryanair.com before midnight on Friday 26th Feb.

The €5 Seat Sale includes all taxes and charges. So remember to avoid Ryanair’s discretionary (additional) fees by paying with MasterCard prepaid card, only travel with carry on luggage, forego priority boarding and check in online (do not forget to print your Boarding Pass and take it with you to the airport!).

If you are travelling with carry on luggage only, remember that all of your travel size toiletries must be less than 100ml to comply with current airport security regulations for restrictions on hand luggage – if its more than 100ml it will end up in the bin!

Discount flights and air fare sale applies to all seats, all routes, every day in late February and March.

Ryanair have announced that it will slash up to 30% off all seats on all routes, for travel every day in late February and March. These discounted flights are only available up until midnight on Thursday 4th Feb.

The discount fares with the full 30% off include all taxes and charges. So remember to avoid Ryanair’s discretionary (additional) fees by paying with MasterCard prepaid card, only travel with carry on luggage and forego priority boarding.

That way you can book, check in online and get the full 30% discount air fare. The final reminder is to not forget to print your Boarding Pass and take it with you to the airport!

Remember that when you are travelling with hand luggage only, all of your carry on items and travel size toiletries must comply with current airport security regulations for restrictions on hand luggage – if its more than 100ml it will end up in the bin!

Holiday makers and travellers boarding flights to USA from UK now face delays, body searches and being confined to their seats for the last hour of their flight under new air travel restrictions introduced after the failed attempt to blow up a plane destined for Detroit on Christmas Day.

Aviation security experts an both sides of the Atlantic are now questioning both the relevance, and use, of advance passenger information that must be provided before any passengers are allowed to board flights to the USA. As in this, seemingly obvious, case there was no suspicion aroused. Hence the new airport luggage regulations and security screening processes have been quickly introduced.

The new airport security checks and restrictions are as follows:

• All passengers on flights to the US will be subjected to a body search by UK airport security.

• The new carry on luggage restrictions mean that passengers are only allowed one piece of airline hand luggage on any flights to the USA. Carry-on hand luggage will be restricted to one item, no heavier than 6kg. This will be inspected as part of the airport screening and security searches but there will also be an additional hand baggage inspection at the boarding gate.

• All passengers will be confined to their seats for one hour before landing, meaning that they are unable to use toilets or access their hand luggage in the overhead lockers. They are also banned from covering themselves with blankets for the hour before landing.

• In-flight displays are to be censored by removing the “flight map”. However, some airlines cannot do this and have had to ban all in-flight entertainment during flights across the Atlantic.

These airport luggage regulations and additional security screening checks only apply to US flights, non-US flights remain unaffected for the moment.

BAA, which operates Heathrow and other airports around the country, have advised passengers flying to the US to leave more time to check in and to limit the contents of their hand luggage.

Ryanair has launched a £99/€99 one way rescue fare (including taxes and charges) for Eurostar passengers stranded in London and Paris.

Although Eurostar are struggling to try and transport the thousands of passengers stranded by the recent breakdowns, Ryanair will operate special flights between London and Paris on 23rd December to help passengers return home for Christmas.

The Eurostar rescue flights will operate between London (Stansted) and Paris (Beauvais) airports and can be booked via www.ryanair.com.

Ryanair’s Stephen McNamara said “Seats are limited so passengers should book as soon as possible as these seats are likely to be snapped up”.

Always remember that in order to avoid additional charges on Ryanair you should check in online and print your boarding pass to take with you to the airport. To avoid paying additional charges for  putting baggage in the hold ensure that all of your travel size toiletries are less than 100ml so that your hand luggage will pass through the airport security checks for carry on luggage.

The High Court have just ruled that the 12 days of strikes called by the Unite union cannot go ahead.

The decision comes as a welcome relief for the million or so people who were set to have their Christmas travel plans ruined by such a lengthy strike.

Unite have condemned the ruling and say that they will hold a fresh ballot and seek support for a further strike. However, given the timescales involved it is unlikely that they will be able to disrupt the Christmas period.

British Airways have announced that they are to take legal action and try to prevent the cabin crew strikes set to begin on 22nd December.

BA chief executive Willie Walsh said “We do not want to see a million Christmases ruined”.

“Irregularities” had been highlighted by BA in the strike ballot which it believes makes the outcome of the vote invalid, including sending ballot papers to staff who had already left or were in the process of leaving the airline’s employment, and therefore should not have been balloted.

BA said it hoped the legal action would “protect customers from the massive stress and disruption” threatened by the 12-day stoppage.

British Airways staff have voted for a series of strikes over the next 2 weeks hitting thousands of Christmas flights and New Year flights. This will affect hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers and people flying home to be with their families and loved ones for Christmas and the New Year.

BA have expressed their “urgent need to reduce costs” as the airline industry continues to perform badly. The company reported a pre tax loss of £292m for the six months to the end of September and the trustees of its two pension schemes have just announced that there is a combined deficit of £3.7bn.

Last month, BA announced plans to cut a further 1,700 jobs, in addition to cutting the numbers of cabin crew on long-haul flights and freezing staff pay for two years. BA cabin crew are still said to be the best paid in Britain, with an average salary of £29,000 compared with £14,000 at Virgin Atlantic.

However, the Unite union has condemned the move and balloted its 12,500 cabin crew members in support of industrial action as part of the dispute over job losses and changes to working practices. The strikes will run from 22nd December until 2nd January.

The industrial action and disruption will be hugely damaging for British Airways in terms of both reputation and finances as it continues to struggle and lose money.

Ultimately the action could drive more and more customers into the arms of the budget airlines such as easyJet and Ryanair who will no doubt capitalise on the malaise suffered by BA.

However, when flying with the budget airlines be aware of the additional charges for placing baggage in the hold. In order to avoid these charges ensure that your travel size toiletries are all under 100ml so that they will pass through the airport security checks.

British Airways and Spain’s Iberia have announced an agreement for a £4 billion merger to create the world’s third-largest airline.

The deal is expected to be formalised in the first quarter of next year and closed towards the end of 2010. The merger will see BA shareholders holding 55 percent of the new company while Iberia will hold 45 percent.

The newly created holding company, which will own the two airlines, will continue to let the airlines keep their own licences, codes and brands for the first five years of the merger. So the British Airways brand will not disappear just yet!

The new company will combine British Airways’ strong position in transatlantic traffic with Iberia’s Latin American business, with 419 aircraft flying to 205 destinations.

The firms said the planned merger will lead to about 400m euros (£350m) of cost savings – a welcome relief to shareholders after both companies have recently posted major losses.

Ahead of the announcement of a deal, BA shares closed 7.5 percent higher at 206.8 pence, while Iberia shares ended up 11.8 percent at 2.22 euros.

Ryanair announces 4 new routes to Bordeaux Airport and 1 million €15 airfares for travel in November and December.

Ryanair has announced that it will open four new routes to and from Bordeaux starting on 17th December 2009.

The four new routes are from Bologna, Brussels (Charleroi), Edinburgh and Porto to Bordeaux Airport and will deliver an estimated 200,000 passengers and tourists per year into Bordeaux.

Ryanair celebrated the announcement of their four new Bordeaux routes by releasing 1 million seats at €15 each for travel across its European network in November and December which are available for booking now on www.ryanair.com.

Remember that in order to get your €15 cheap flight and ONLY pay €15 you will have to avoid Ryanair’s additional charges. However, this is quite simple and all you have to do is remember that they are a low cost airline and avoid any administrative charges or overheads that they would incur:

How to avoid Ryanair’s extra charges?

• Pay with Visa Electron – avoid credit card charges
• Print your boarding pass and bring it with you – there are no more check ins so avoid the charge of having one printed
• Travel with carry on luggage only – avoid paying for baggage to go in the hold
• Take your seat as it comes – avoid paying for priority boarding

Remember that when you are travelling with hand luggage only, all of your carry on items and travel size toiletries must comply with current airport security regulations for restrictions on hand luggage – if its more than 100ml it will end up in the bin!

From 24th November 2009 Air France will join the other SkyTeam Partners in Terminal 4 at London Heathrow Airport.

The new location at Terminal 4 will see Air France join KLM, Delta and other Skyteam partners using a new SkyTeam dedicated check-in area.

The new SkyTeam lounge is around 1600 square meters over 2 levels  boasting 300 seats, two VIP rooms, a quiet room, a separate children’s area and an extended Wellness Centre.

As well as having 30 self-service kiosks in the Economy check in area there is also a fast track access available for Business Class customers. There is a new Premium check in area dedicated to SkyTeam First, Business, and Premium Economy customers, as well as Sky Team Elite and Elite Plus card holders. The dedicated 300 square meter facility will include 14 check in desks and 10 self-service kiosks, together with a comfortable seating area

As always with air travel ensure that you conform to the current airport security regulations for hand luggage and make sure that all travel size toiletries are less than 100ml.