Wednesday 31 January 2007

Flights slashed by more than half price

British Airways have slashed many flight prices by as much as 68% to try and lure back customers. Last week’s strike crisis left many flights with empty seats and now BA want to appeal to customers to take advantage of many unforeseen empty flights and grab extra cheap seats.

This may seem generous yet Senior Executives of the company are being offered FREE first class tickets to any destination of their choice. Slashed ticket prices don’t seem as good now.

Monday 29 January 2007

BA Breakthrough

The Transport and General Workers Union have called off its planned two-day strike by thousands of British Airways cabin crew.

Last minute talks this morning have prevented the action that would’ve caused disruption and lengthy delays to BA air passengers.

Speaking to the media BA executives have announced that an agreement has been reached on the key issue of pay and the management of sickness absence.

Plans to reinstate as many flights as possible are underway, but the agreement comes too late to prevent many cancellations.

Two 72-hour strikes due to take place during February have also been called off.

For more information visit: BBC Website

Sunday 28 January 2007

Hope as Talks Resume

UK air passengers are keeping their fingers crossed that BA and the Transport and General Workers Union can today broker a deal to avoid a scheduled two day walkout by British Airways cabin crew later this week.

Talks went well last night and it is hoped further progress can be made today to avoid the planned strike.

Meanwhile, thousands of passengers are hoping to get an early getaway on holidays and business trips to avoid the impending confusion that will occur if the union action goes ahead.

Long queues of people gathered at Gatwick airport yesterday trying to book available seats.

We all hope a speedy and fair agreement can be reached over pay and sick leave for all BA cabin crew.

Saturday 27 January 2007

747 Mania!

Mas 747
My passion for aircraft began when I went on my first holiday in 1984. My very first plane experience was on a Malaysia Airlines Jumbo 747. Since then I never saw air travel in the same way again, I was well and truly hooked.

Twenty-three years on I still get excited when travelling on an airplane, that feeling you experience when you feel the pilot put on the full throttle is unbeatable. The power in the engines must be phenomenal, how does something the size of a 747 with 500 people on board manage to stay in the air let alone get into the air? All that luggage not to mention extra cargo and food etc. It's amazing.

Of course with the new Airbus A380 technology has yet again gone one step beyond but it doesn't match the aesthetic appearance of a Jumbo 747. The majestic 'hump' of the Boeing gives it an unmistakable shape and look that you can't help but gaze when it passes by. I think I'll wait until the Airbus has been flying in the skies a while before I climb the steps and enter it!.

So long as the 747 stays around I will always travel on it when the opportunity arises and it will always remain number one in my eyes.

Talks on BA strikes continue

Talks over the pending BA cabin crew strikes were resumed today to try and prevent such a predictable outcome. Whatever the result, passengers will still suffer as flights have already been cancelled leaving and arriving at London airports.

Andrew Dodgson Union spokesman for General Workers said
“The carrier has cancelled all flights to and from London's Heathrow airport -- Europe's busiest -- and several more from its Gatwick terminal on Tuesday and Wednesday next week because of the planned strike.”

Further strikes are in the pipeline for 5-7 February if issues are still undecided. Talks between the airline and the Union (representing 11,000 cabin crew) are centred on pay and policies for sick leave.

Strikes that do go ahead will end up costing the airline at least 10-15 million pounds a day. The quicker these issues are resolved the better for everyone.

Friday 26 January 2007

BA strikes set to take place

Today British Airways have confirmed to customers that cabin crew will be holding strikes for two days next Tuesday and Wednesday.

To add to this disruption the airline has said that following these strikes will be further disruption to flights as aircraft and crew in other parts of the world need to be repositioned.

A list is available for viewing of flights that have definitely been cancelled on the day after the strike some of which are not due to fly until February 8th. Anybody booked on these flights will be offered refunds, destination changes or rebook another flight.

Kuala Lumpur route cancelled by Finnair

Finnair, the national carrier of Finland has revealed that it has cancelled its intentions of providing direct flights, 3 times a week to Kuala Lumpur from Helsinki.

The Malaysian Minister of Transport has been informed that the airline is now planning to operate its flights to an alternative destination and has stated “That [it] is their business and commercial decision.”

He has however said, that if Finnair were to plan more flights to Kuala Lumpur in the future they would be given full support to do so.

It was also recommended that Malaysia’s national carrier MAS should consider providing flights to Scandinavian countries.

Thursday 25 January 2007

Golf Crazy at Port Elizabeth Airport

Good news for all keen golfers who find themselves waiting for a plane at the Port Elizabeth airport, South Africa.

You'll now be able to practise your swings and putting skills at a new indoor driving range which has been opened by an enterprising businessman.

Passengers will also be able to work on reducing their handicap by playing a computer simulated round.

And what do the rest of us do? Well, we'll just have to sit it out in departures.

Cabin Crew Strike Action Goes Ahead

Talks have broken down between BA and the T and G Union and the two-day strike by thousands of British Airways cabin crew is to go ahead as planned on January 30 and 31.

BA claim union officials rejected its plans to end the dispute over sickness, pay and staff issues.

The airline will now advise passengers to make alternative arrangements when hundreds of flights are cancelled.

BA had hoped the union would completely cancel the strike, saying that enough progress had been made in the talks.

Chief executive Willie Walsh said: "We are bitterly disappointed that the T and G has refused to respond positively to the serious proposals we have made."

Of the 14,000 cabin crew working for BA about 11,000 are members of the T and G.

The union had postponed the strike action for 24 hours to allow more time for talks.

Disappointed T and G union deputy general secretary Jack Dromey said BA had squandered a "sincere gesture of goodwill" as the move was designed to open up a "new relationship between BA and the cabin crew".

He said BA "has failed to hear the voice of common sense" by rejecting its proposals.

T and G claim a new regime on sickness pay, introduced 18 months ago, means BA staff are forced to work when they are ill.

BA insists the measures were needed to cut high levels of sickness absence.

Staff now take an average of 12 days' off sick each year - down from 22 days before the new rules were brought in, the airline says.

Starter pay rates for crew members is also subject to dispute.

Just a shame Clarkson wasn't in the 2CV!

Saturday 20 January 2007

Crazy4Planes Desktop Wallpaper

I shall, from time to time post a Desktop Wallpaper for use on your PC, Mac or Laptop, please feel free to download, enjoy and share.

PC users: Right-click the image for your monitors resolution and choose 'Set as Background'.

Mac users: Click and hold down on mouse, select 'copy' then go to the Apple Menu, select Control Panels - Appearance - Desktop, paste and select.


Crazy4Planes1024 x 768

Crazy4Planes800 x 600

Enjoy!


Pressure Drop Downs Plane

Norwegian passengers on a chartered aircraft sat startled as oxygen masks were released as the plane was forced into a controlled emergency landing at Copenhagen’s Kastrup airport.

The reason given for the landing was a drop in cabin pressure. A spokesman for airline Sterling told media “The drop was noted shortly after the plane took off from Oslo en route to Alicante”.

The pilot quickly dropped the plane to a lower altitude while oxygen masks were released for all passengers. The situation "was under control at all times," the spokesman said.

Calm was maintained at all times and credit was payed to all passengers during the dramatic incident.

Tuesday 16 January 2007

Welcome

Welcome to my Crazy4Planes Blog where anything however small to do with aircraft can be and will be discussed!