Low-cost airline Flybe is finding more passengers June 24, 2014 The low-cost airline sector is currently in the spotlight. While much of the focus has been about Ryanair’s charm offensive to reposition itself, fellow carrier Flybe has also made waves in recent months. A few weeks ago, Flybe announced a return to profits and a record number of passengers. After a few turbulent years when [...]
Accelerating competition: How to level the playing field for challenger banks June 24, 2014 THERE is something that politicians and bankers both agree upon – we believe that greater competition improves the service and the products that customers get. We’ve heard ideas about increasing competition in banking from across the political spectrum. Today, the BBA is adding to that debate with some new ideas on promoting competition by levelling [...]
Europe’s airlines cancel flights ahead of French air traffic control strikes June 23, 2014 European air passengers will be hit with widespread delays and cancellations today and during the rest of the week as the French air traffic controllers hold their fourth strike in the space of a year. France’s aviation authority has asked airlines to cancel a fifth of flights passing through most major French airports. The body [...]
Wizz Air grounds London float June 16, 2014 HUNGARIAN low cost airline Wizz Air yesterday ditched plans to float in London due to turbulence in the airline industry, the second company to this year to shelve a market listing. The firm blamed “market volatility” in the airline sector for pulling the initial public offering of shares, which would have raised €200m (£160m) to [...]
Wizz Air abandons London IPO June 16, 2014 Low-cost Hungarian carrier Wizz Air has decided not to go-ahead with plans to for an initial public offering on the London Stock Exchange. The company had estimated the IPO would raise €200m. In a statement issued on Monday, Wizz Air said: Despite the positive response to our business story and the Company's growth opportunities and [...]
Aer Lingus warns strikes could wipe a fifth from its earnings June 12, 2014 Aer Lingus yesterday blamed looming strike action for its surprise profit warning, in which it said profits could be up to a fifth lower than last year. The Irish carrier said Impact union’s strikes, expected next week, had caused “significant damage” to bookings over the crucial summer months. The firm said yesterday that, providing there [...]
Brand Index: BA’s heritage helps it bounce back June 10, 2014 TODAY I’m returning to an issue that comes around like a baggage carousel every summer: the ongoing battle for the hearts and minds of British air travellers. I never tire of looking at this as it has so many angles – crisis recovery and the strength of a loved brand such as British Airways, the [...]
Ryanair makes its bond debut by raising €850m for planes June 10, 2014 BUDGET airline Ryanair issued its first ever bonds yesterday, raising €850m (£687m) to help finance its order for 180 new Boeing planes. Ryanair said the seven-year, euro-denominated bonds were eight times oversubscribed and attracted investors from across Europe. The firm, whose shares are listed in London and Ireland, claims its BBB+ debt rating makes it [...]
EasyJet is the latest airline to report rising traffic during May June 5, 2014 EASYJET carried 7.9 per cent more passengers in May, the low-cost airline announced yesterday. The carrier follows budget rival Ryanair and British Airways parent firm IAG in posting strong growth for the last month, which contained two bank holiday weekends. EasyJet said its load factor, a measure of how full each plane is, rose 1.3 [...]
Airlines say more go away in May June 4, 2014 Ryanair and IAG, British Airways’ parent firm, have both posted rising traffic for May as the airlines head into the peak summer months. IAG said group traffic rose 7.3 per cent compared to last year, helped by big growth at Vueling, its recently-acquired budget carrier. Meanwhile low-cost carrier Ryanair said it carried 8.2m passengers last [...]