Air traffic control strike In Portugal – 24 & 25 MAY 2012

NEWS RELEASE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL STRIKE IN PORTUGAL – 24 & 25 MAY 2012

TAP Portugal’s services will be disrupted due to an Air Traffic Control strike in Portugal on the 24th & 25th May 2012. As a result, TAP Portugal and all other carriers flying to and from Portugal expect some irregularities to their services and possible cancellations. We apologise for any inconvenience caused and thank you in advance for your cooperation and understanding. Should customers wish to contact the airline directly for changes or cancellations they may do so by contacting the call centre on 0845 601 0932. ==END== New information from TAP: NAV strike affects air traffic control in Portugal, on May 24th and 25th The NAV strike, which affects air traffic control in Portugal, is now called for this Thursday and Friday, the 24th and 25th of May, the two last days of the five announced over this period. As before, it will be spread over three time slots: 7:00 am to 9:00 am; 02:00 pm to 04:00 pm and 09:00 pm to 11:00 pm, and will cause major air traffic restrictions in Portugal. TAP is once again making every effort to mitigate the effects of the strike, advancing or delaying as many flights as possible, but will also be forced to cancel others. Passengers with reservations for flights affected are being contacted to find the best alternative flight. TAP continues to authorize date changes at no additional cost, within the same reservation class as initially booked. If you have a booking for these days, TAP advises you to please verify your email. More information can be obtained here, through TAP's Call Center (see here your country's contact number) or your Travel Agent. Sere here list of affected flights. Information on permanent update Last update: 23 May, 10:35am (Lisbon time)

Skyways files for bankruptcy

The Swedish's airline Skyways has filed for bankruptcy. According to the official statement, the closure of Cimber Sterling has affected them obliging them to stop operations.

Skyways Express AB with its daughter company City Airline AB have today been forced to stop all payments.
As a consequence all flights have also been cancelled with immediate effect. Both companies will apply for Bankruptcy in the morning.
Therefore there will be no use for passengers to go to the Airport.
The owners of the company have decided not to fund the company any longer and therefore the Board of Directors was forced to decide to stop all payments and to stop all flights.
“It feels very sad for the Company and for our passengers that will be immediately affected. It is also very sad for the personnel also at risk to lose their jobs. We have come far in turning the company around to turn the company around but after the Bankruptcy of Cimber it became almost impossible to continue” says Mikael Wångdahl CEO for Skyways and City Airline.
Contact information will be updated soon. 

It's not looking good for the low cost carriers and the passengers that fly with them!

Seoul maps- South Korea

Bukchon

Ryanair's website is down

Ryanair's website is under maintenance this weekend. That means customers won't be able to check-in on-line for several hours. 

So now you know... just wait ;)

Ryanair customers should be aware that the carrier’s website will be down for “upgrade maintenance” this weekend.

It will not be possible to check-in online between 1600 on Friday May 18 and 1200 on Sunday May 20, and bookings and flight changes will not be allowed for 48 hours between 2200 on Friday and 2200 on Sunday.

As Ryanair charges customers who fail to check in and arrive at the airport with their boarding passes, passengers should ensure they visit the website before Friday afternoon to print out any necessary documents.

A statement on the carrier’s website said:

“Ryanair wishes to apologise to all passengers who may be affected by our website closure which is unavoidable in order to upgrade the www.ryanair.com website."

Don't get lost at Madrid's T4

If  you have a connecting flight in Madrid's T4, here is a video to help you:

Mumbai maps- India

railway lines

BMI Baby on ground

Another low cost stopping its operations. In this case is BMI Baby. After being bought from Lufthansa by IAG, owner of British Airways, will stop operating from September. Some of its flights will stop from June leaving around 500 people unemployed.

More information on their website. This is good news for BA that will hold the monopoly :( 

Cimber Sterling Files for bankruptcy

Danish Airline Cimber Sterling Files For Bankruptcy

Danish airline Cimber Sterling has declared bankruptcy after its owners decided not to continue their financial support of the company.

“Because of this the board of directors has decided to declare the company bankrupt,” the company said in a statement.

In August last year, Mansvell Enterprises, an investment vehicle of Ukrainian businessman Igor Kolomoisky, offered to buy out minority shareholders in the airline for DKK1.50 kroner per share.

The offer for minority shares followed Mansvell’s acquisition of a 70.8 percent stake in Cimber through a directed share issue on August 1

via BBC News

80 years of Egyptair

The first airline that operated in the Middle East and Africa is celebrating its 80th birthday. ¡They started in 1932! Seems such a long time ago...