Airlines India, Indian Airlines

BAA, which operates London’s Heathrow, Gatwick, and Stansted airports as well as Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Southampton airports, Wednesday said it is planning to run a full flight schedule from all its airports over the U.K. Bank Holiday weekend.
“We are confident that with the help and co-operation of the traveling public we will deliver, as we did last weekend, a full flight schedule with minimal flight cancellations and delays, notwithstanding the additional security precautions,” BAA Chief Executive Stephen Nelson said. “All those responsible for keeping our airports running - BAA, airlines, baggage handlers, police, immigration and others - are determined to keep the airports safe and secure and operating to a full schedule this weekend so that passengers can enjoy their holidays.”
BAA is being acquired By Spain’s Grupo Ferrovial SA (FER.MC).
The company said passengers are urged to abide by the following advice:
-Arrive at the airport no more than three hours before your flight is due to depart, arriving earlier will not speed up your journey and can add to delays.
-Encourage family and friends not to enter the terminals to see off departing passengers - this can cause congestion. -Pack one item of hand luggage only. This must measure no more than 16×35x45cm. Do not pack any liquid or gels as these will not be allowed through security except for prescription medicines and baby food, both of which will have to be tasted by passengers to verify they are genuine. -All laptops and large electrical items (e.g. a large hairdryer) must be removed from your hand luggage at security.
-Pushchairs and walking aids are permitted but must be x-ray screened. Wheelchairs are permitted but must be thoroughly searched.
-Before security: All shops and catering outlets are open to all passengers, but any liquids and gels purchased must be packed into your luggage for check-in. Any other purchases must fit into your hand luggage.
-Once through security: All shops and catering outlets are open to all passengers. If you are travelling to any destination except the U.S. then you can take all items purchased in the departures lounge into the aircraft cabin. -If you are traveling to the U.S.: Extra restrictions are in place. Passengers will be searched a second time at the gate. No toiletries or cosmetics purchased in the departure lounge will be allowed into the aircraft cabin and any drinks or liquid items must be consumed before boarding. Food is allowed.

BRITISH AIRWAYS is to consider seeking compensation from airports operator BAA after security measures forced it to cancel hundreds of flights from Heathrow.

BA boss Willie Walsh attacked BAA’s management, saying it had ‘no adequate plan’ to deal with the emergency.

All UK airports have now relaxed the restrictions on hand luggage introduced following last Thursday’s terror alert.

BA says that since the alert began some 10,000 bags have gone missing and that 5,000 bags still need to be returned.

Airport operator BAA has said searches mean flight delays are likely to continue.

BA has cancelled 700 Heathrow flights since police uncovered the plot, after requirements to check in hand luggage caused delays.

Analysts have speculated that lost revenues from flight cancellations could cost BA more than £40m, the amount it lost as a result of last summer’s strike by baggage handlers. The carrier has been forced to use trucks to ferry baggage left behind at Heathrow to destinations such as Manchester, Edinburgh and Frankfurt as well as using space in its own cargo aircraft.

BA said: “We fully apologise that customers have not been able to travel with their baggage on certain flights throughout the past five days of unprecedented circumstances at Heathrow.

“This is due to a combination of issues with BAA’s baggage systems which have all contributed to the situation.

“We are working as hard as we can to re-unite bags with customers as soon as possible.” BAA said the easing of restrictions - allowing passengers to take one small item of hand luggage - did not constitute a ‘return to normal’ and passengers should still expect delays.

It admitted there were delays at its security checkpoints but said it believed enough staff were now in place.

BA said the company should have been better prepared and hired extra staff.

Frustrated passengers in various airports in England now have another reason to get angry. An estimated 10,000 pieces of luggage from airline British Airways (BA) have been misplaced since U.K. authorities enforced very strict security measures last week.

The airline said half of the bags are still piled up at airports and were waiting to be returned to their owners. At the same time, the airline said it is planning to seek compensation from airports operator BAA Plc, because of lost income opportunities when they were forced to cancel hundreds of flights since the tight security was implemented.

Willie Walsh a top official of BA accused BAA’s management of not having an adequate plan in place to deal with such an emergency.

All airports in England have now relaxed the restriction on hand baggage following the discovery of a plan to blow up U.S.-bound planes in mid-flight last Thursday.

In Heathrow alone, BA canceled some 700 flights as the required stringent check on hand luggage caused huge delays.

Walsh said the airline was forced to use trucks to transport baggage left behind at Heathrow to places such as Manchester, Edinburgh and Frankfurt as well as using space in its cargo aircraft.

He said, “We fully apologize that customers have not been able to travel with their baggage on certain flights throughout the past five days of unprecedented circumstances at Heathrow. This is due to a combination of issues with the BAA’s baggage systems which have all contributed to the situation.”

British Airways will start its flights to Sierra Leone and Senegal on October 30 this year, a release from the British High Commission states Monday.

BMED’s Chief Executive, David Richardson said the introduction of the services to West Africa forms the latest phases in their current programme of progressive business.

“We have identified a clear need for direct air links with Freetown and Dakar,” he said, adding that the destinations are ideally suited to their fleet and the style of service that BMED offers.

David Richardson disclosed that they are envisaging good prospects for sustainable growth in these emerging markets, as BMED delivery services are in conformity with British Airways standards and specifications.

The new routes would bring British Airways branded service to this part of Africa for the first time after its operations were discontinued in the early 1990s.

A spokesperson of the British High Commission states that the arrival of the airline will strengthen the link between Sierra Leone and the United Kingdom.

” The link is good for Sierra Leone’s economy, in that it will benefit from the expected increase in visitors and business travelers to the country,” he said.

Higher passenger numbers have helped British Airways get over the rising cost of aviation fuel and make a 57% increase in first quarter profits.

Their pre-tax profit for the three months to the end of June hit £195m, compared with that of £124m in the same period for 2005.

Profits went up in spite of a 44% rise in fuel costs and a 7% increase in staff costs because of BA’s pension scheme deficit.

BA said new low fares had made more short-haul traffic and it had still been able increase its profit margin, which rose to 9.1%, compared with the 8.5% margin earned in the first quarter of 2005.

“On short-haul, our new low fares have been a big success,” said BA chief executive Willie Walsh.

“While competition in this market is brutal, I am delighted to see we are winning customers with record seat factors,” Mr Walsh added.

However, he warned that market conditions were set to get worse in the second half of the year as airlines became more competitive with their prices.