Low cost airlines are a huge business with the increase in travelers looking for budget air fare deals. Some low cost airlines make a fortune with their inclusion to the airline industry in their country or region. However, not all airline markets are thriving as seen in the latest analysis from Germany.

DLR’s Analysis of Germany’s Low Cost Airline Market

On Wednesday, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) released its latest analysis about the country’s low cost airline market. They said that while low-cost flights increased across the region by 4% during last year’s summer season, Germany did not share this same trend. They saw that there is a 1% drop in the number of low-cost services this year or 6,683 weekly departures.

The DLR says that this decline is due to the decrease in flights to Italy, Spain and the UK, as well as domestic flights within Germany. Only Wizz Air expanded their operations in the country since Ryanair and Eurowings reduced their flights in the region.

According to Peter Berster of the DLR’s Institute of Air Transport and Airport Research, Eurowings reduced its flights by 3.5%. The result is that they only have 3,100 departures per week as compared to last year. Meanwhile, Ryanair and its Austrian counterpart Lauda dropped flights by 2% or more than 1,500 weekly departures.

When it comes to the share of German airports in the low-cost segment is around 33% as compared to last year’s 32% share. The slight increase is because of the overall decline in the number of domestic flights. Other German-based airlines – either full-service or charter – reported a reduction of 3.5%.

Meanwhile, low-cost flights from Dusseldorf Airport are increasing as compared to the rest of the country. Eurowings and the airport’s status as a major low-cost carrier hub are the reason for this positive growth. It currently hosts 1,100 departures of low-cost airlines in the country. It is followed by Berlin-Tegel airport.

In the European market, the low-cost carrier market grew by 4% to more than 67,000 departures per week. Ryanair and EasyJet are expanding their operations in Europe. Ryanair has 17,000 departures around Europe per week, while EasyJet has 13,100. This summer, Ryanair added 500 routes to its current route network, while EasyJet added 150 routes.

When it comes to competition, there’s not much competition between budget airlines in the region. Out of all the 10,414 routes operated by these airlines, 8,763 routes get service from one airline.

What is the DLR?

The German Aerospace Center is Germany’s research center for aerospace, energy and transportation. It is located in Cologne and they are engaged in various projects to improve national and international projects for these three industries. DLR is also Germany’s space agency thanks to its research for the industry.

The post German Low Cost Airline Market Cooling Down appeared first on Check in Price.

With the increasing number of tourists worldwide, airline companies are looking for ways to expand their network. Most of them are purchasing other airlines to get their network and reach more clients. The latest company to make this purchase is IAG with Air Europa.

IAG Purchase

On Monday morning, IAG announced that they have reached a deal to purchase Air Europa. The deal purchase will enable the company to increase its presence in Madrid and transform its airport, Madrid Barajas International Airport, as its next European hub.

According to the press release published, IAG’s subsidiary Iberia acquired Air Europa and put the airline in IAG’s banner. The whole deal is worth 1 billion euros and was agreed between the company and Globalia Corp. They also listed down that the deal will enable the company to boost its Latin America and Caribbean routes for its European clients.

“Acquiring Air Europa would add a new competitive, cost effective airline to IAG, consolidating Madrid as a leading European hub and resulting in IAG achieving South Atlantic leadership,” CEO Willie Walsh said in a statement after the deal was revealed.

The deal may be complete by the second half of 2020 after it gets all the government approvals it needs.

Currently, IAG is having problems boosting its growth plans in London Heathrow because of the airport’s schedules and other fees attached to the hub. However, with Spain and Air Europa, the company can utilize its Latin American and the Caribbean routes to expand further.

Last year, Air Europa recorded 2.1 billion euro in revenue and 100 million euro of operating profit. It also brought around 11.8 million passengers on its fleet in its routes for the year. They also have a good fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners and Airbus A330s for its long-haul flights.

Walsh also said that they will continue expanding its operations in Europe. The Air Europa deal is just the first step to this target.

Who is IAG

IAG (International Consolidated Airlines Group) is the sixth largest airline company in the world. It started its operations in 2011 with British Airways its largest shareholder. In 2018, it produced 24 billion euros in revenue and it currently has bases in Madrid and London.

Once the Air Europa deal is complete, the company will own six commercial airlines that has flights around Europe: Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia, LEVEL, Vueling and Air Europa.

The post IAG Acquires Air Europa for $1.1 bn appeared first on Check in Price.

The Balkan region is a very exotic location for many travelers heading on to Europe. The region has a very rich history and culture, as well as destinations you can’t find anywhere else. Flights to the region are growing and one of Europe’s top airlines, Ryanair, is also working on its mark in the region.

Ryanair in the Balkan Region

On Tuesday, the low-cost airline announced that they will be expanding their operations in the region in the coming months. They will be working with their subsidiaries, as well as establishing a route for the airline itself.

One of their latest routes is a service from Vienna to Banja Luka that will start next year. They will handle it on behalf of its subsidiary Lauda and there might be more than one route for this partnership.

According to Milan Racic, head of operations for the the Republic of Srpska, “The service from Vienna won’t be seasonal but it won’t operate on a year-round basis either. Within the next seven to ten days, we expect for an additional new route to be announced.”

Ryanair added that they will be boosting their operations at Banja Luka and looking forward to help with passenger growth Aside from Banja Luka, Ryanair is under negotiations with Mostar Airport.

Meanwhile, their flights in Croatia through Zadar Airport are also growing and they aim to extend it further. Ryanair will also be continuing seven new routes they announced last summer out of Zadar airport next year. They will also be holding one weekly flight from Hahn to Rijeka starting April 4.

Montenegro also gained a lot of support from Ryanair. The airline is now the third largest airline offering flights in and out of the country. It even overtook Turkish Airlines and it plans to increase its routes further.

Exceptions to Ryanair’s Expansion

However, there are areas which are still far from Ryanair’s control. In Slovenia, for example, the airline no longer has a flight there after they criticized the Slovenian government for selling Ljubljana Airport. Fraport from Germany currently runs the airport, which the airline says is wrong since they see it as a way for the company to create a monopoly in Europe.

Serbia also blocked Ryanair’s intended operations to Nis Constantine that was due to launch on January 13, 2020. The Serbian Civil Aviation Directorate ruled against the low-cost airline’s route in favor of Air Serbia.

The post Ryanair to Expand Operations in Balkans appeared first on Check in Price.

Europe is not an easy place to visit because of its very expensive flights. Several airlines know how important it is to have affordable flights in the region. With JetBlue and Norwegian, their newest partnership may change the game for affordable flights from the Americas to Europe.

Europe Flights

On Thursday, JetBlue and Norwegian Air announced that they will be partnering to make transfers easy for both airlines. When passengers book flights, they can easily find a flight that will bring them to their next destination.

The partnership has a launch date of summer 2020, but travelers who wish to book these flights can start booking for early next year.

For travelers located in US cities not covered by Norwegian, they can connect to the Norwegian network by using JetBlue. Meanwhile, those from Europe can use Norwegian to access JetBlue’s 60 US and 40 Caribbean and Latin American destinations easily.

Norwegian said that they will be increasing their European flights as part of the summer 2020 program.

When talking about the new partnerhsip, Norwegian’s Acting CEO and Chief Financial Officer Geir Karlsen said:

“We are very excited to partner with JetBlue as this will make international travel even smoother and more available for our customers. JetBlue is the largest airline at several of our key gateways in the United States, specifically New York JFK, Boston and Fort Lauderdale, and this partnership will create a plethora of new route connections for customers on both sides of the Atlantic.”

Meanwhile, JetBlue’s CEO Robin Hayes said: “This new agreement with Norwegian seamlessly connects JetBlue’s robust network throughout the U.S., Caribbean and Latin America with the exciting European destinations on our new partner’s route map.” 

“Norwegian shares our belief that customers benefit when we can bring competition and low fares to the transatlantic market currently dominated by joint ventures, legacy alliances and sky-high ticket prices,” he adds.

What Else is Happening with JetBlue and Norwegian?

Aside from the partnership with Norwegian, the US airline is also working on a low-cost transatlantic service to London. They plan to open the route by 2021. The airline said they are adding new planes to support its new route which has a new cabin and pricing.

Meanwhile, Norwegian launched their latest nonstop service between New York and Athens, Chicago and Barcelona, Boston to Madrid or Rome and Miami or San Francisco to London. There are also changes when it comes to the Barcelona and Paris flights from the US. The flights will now be available from San Francisco International Airport instead of Oakland International Airport.

The post JetBlue and Norwegian to Increase Cheap Flight Offers to Europe appeared first on Check in Price.

Many major airlines and those who wish to enter the air travel industry launch low-cost carriers. These carriers cater to tourists with a budget and reach domestic airports easily. The newest major airline to attempt their own low-cost airline is Etihad.

Etihad’s Low Cost Airline

In a new report on Thursday, Etihad Airways and Air Arabia announced that they will be starting their very own budget airline. According to both companies, they are aiming to address the growing demand for low-cost airlines from Abu Dhabi.

The new airline will be called “Air Arabia Abu Dhabi”. Once it is active, it will be flying out of Abu Dhabi International Airport. Most of its routes will be to nearby locations. It will also be the first budget airline that will fly out of Abu Dhabi.

Air Arabia Abu Dhabi is the first venture Etihad will be doing with another airline. It previously had partnerships with other airlines like Jet Airways and Air Berlin. Both had failed because they declared bankruptcy.

However, Etihad has been working on making its services cheaper for passengers. It had removed personal televisions from their small airplanes for a start. They also introduced food and drinks for sale, “basic” fares and others.

Meanwhile, official details about the new airline are not yet available. It is possible that it will be using A320s to support the routes and they will have routes across the Middle East.

If Air Arabia Abu Dhabi begins its operations, it will be joining Emirates and FlyDubai’s unique partnership. FlyDubai tackles the areas Emirates cannot fly to, serving as Emirates’ low-cost carrier. FlyDubai also uses smaller planes like the 737s, allowing it to charge lesser fees than Emirates. Emirates does fly small planes, but it is a 777. Both companies didn’t have a strong partnership back in the past, but with the increase in budget travelers, they started talks.

United Arab Emirates Travel Tips

Interested in getting to the capital of the United Arab Emirates? There are a lot of articles online to help you out in organizing your travel plans. You can check out the Dubai Tourism Board or the Abu Dhabi Tourism Board to find out more about the two cities. You can also check out our article about the Best Places to Stay in Dubai for some extra ideas.

The post Etihad to Start New Low Cost Airlines appeared first on Check in Price.

Madrid has a lot to offer to tourists no matter what kind of sites they wish to see. The city has historical and cultural attractions, as well as events that will educate people about Spain. However, not many stay long in Madrid because they favor visiting areas like Barcelona or Majorca. But, this may change with Iberia’s newest promotion.

Hola Madrid!

On Tuesday, the country’s national airline announced that they will be offering long stopovers in Madrid to any interested tourists. The new Hola Madrid promotion will allow any Iberia passenger to prolong their stopover in Madrid with no extra cost to their tickets. The airline has teamed up with the city’s top attractions to give big discounts for Iberia passengers.

For example, accommodations in any of Madrid’s 20 Melia hotels will have a 40% off for each room if they availed the Hola Madrid! promotion. Iberia will also provide a free two-day pass so tourists can go around Madrid for free.

To get the promotion, passengers with stopover flights simply need to log into Iberia’s website, book your ticket and indicate how long you wish to stay in Madrid. They can stay up to six nights long in Madrid.

The promotion is also available for flights from Europe and other countries. However, these flights must have a stopover in Madrid for them to qualify for the promotion.

Spain Travel Tips

Want to maximize Iberia’s Hola Madrid! promotion when you book with them? You can check out the website of Visit Madrid to learn more about the city.

We also have several guides here in our website that we know can help you out during your stay. First, the site has a guide on how you can travel from Madrid Barajas Airport to Chamartin Station and to Atocha Station. We also have a transportation guide on how you can travel to Barcelona, to Toledo and to Valencia from Madrid.

If you are wondering if Madrid is the best, we have a comparison guide between the capital and Lisbon. You can also check out our recommendation as to where you can stay in the city.

If you will be working in the city, we have a guide on how much the cost of living is and how much is the average salary. You may check with your local Spanish embassy for the requirements you will need to get a work visa.

The post Iberia Offers Long Stopover at Madrid appeared first on Check in Price.

The bankruptcy of Britain’s oldest travel company and airline Thomas Cook is not just causing problems for its employees and customers. In Spain, the airline’s closure is a threat to their tourist sector.

Impact of the Bankruptcy

On Sunday, the Spanish Confederation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodation said that tourist numbers dropped after the announcement. Around 1.3 million will be unable to fly to Spanish destinations because there are no more flights flying to them. As a result, 500 hotels are affected and cause the tourist sector to lose hundreds of millions of euros.

The government already announced that they will be providing a financial aid plan worth $330 million. They will also reduce airport fees and introduce emergency credit lines. Tourist infrastructure will also get aid to improve its services.

In the Canary Islands, the government says around 400,000 travelers won’t be making their trip. All of them booked their flights with Thomas Cook and it is uncertain if they got another flight. A hotel has also closed its doors because of the issue and it is Fuerteventura Princess. The hotel has an exclusive deal with Thomas Cook with 95% of its 688 rooms reserved for the airline’s passengers up to 2023. Staff are also laid off and many others will follow.

For the workers of the airline in Majorca, around 700 staff members said they are the biggest victims of the crash. They have not been paid since summer and they do not know what will happen next. Travel agency In Destination Incoming also liquidated days after the airline stopped operations. They reported debts up to 57 million euros.

Some workers said that they have no guests at any resorts because of the airline’s closure. However, they have no choice but to go to work even without pay because it is required by law. If they did not go, it will be seen as a resignation and they won’t get any benefits.

Thomas Cook Bankruptcy Summary

Thomas Cook announced its bankruptcy last month after failing to secure a £200 million emergency fund as part of its lenders’ demand before a rescue deal can be sorted out. It had already filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy in the US, but they did not declare bankruptcy. The British government started several programs to help those who got stranded because of the airline’s closure. Partners for the airline have also taken over some of the flights of the airline, but nothing concrete is in place for the future.

The post Thomas Cook Bankruptcy to Affect Tourism in Spain appeared first on Check in Price.

American carrier Delta Airlines is one of the country’s top carriers and many fly it for its perks and fare prices. Because of its offers to passengers, they report that it has led to a high turn out this past summer.

Passenger Traffic Data for Summer 2019

On Thursday, the airline reported that they had a third-quarter profit increase to 13% or $1.5 billion. This increase is thanks to the high number of passengers over the summer and the low prices thanks to cheaper airplane fuel. However, Delta is not yet relaxing because they released their fourth-quarter forecast that is lower than Wall Street’s expectations.

According to CEO Ed Bastian, travel demand remains strong, especially now that the holiday season is fast approaching.

The company did find itself short on pilots during the summer run, leading to a lot of overtime flying according to its pilots’ union. The airline is working on this problem by adding 6,000 people a year and replace 4,000 employees who are leaving or retiring.

Investors find these hiring trends dangerous because it may affect the costs of the airline. Excluding the fuel prices, spending per seat is 2.4% higher in the third quarter. Delta expects these numbers to increase in the fourth quarter between 4% and 5%.

The airline also reported during the end of the quarter that they earned $173 million more than last year’s record. Revenue had also increased to 5% to $12.56 billion. It mostly earned its profits in domestic travel.

What is next for Delta

Bastian did add that Delta still has three major issues to contend to until the end of 2019.

The first issue deals with the rising costs because the airline needs more people to keep operations running. During the summer, the airline had to spend for overtime payments. They also gave a 4% raise to ground workers and flight attendants for their hard work.

The second issue is the investment they are making overseas. Last month, they agreed to pay the $1.9 billion 20% stake in Latam Airlines to get access to South America. Bastian said that the premium they paid is reasonable since it has a long-term benefit for the airline’s expansion to the region.

Finally, the return of the Boeing MAX can also make an impact with Delta’s plans. Analysts believe that the airplanes will return early next year and give airlines a reason to slash ticket prices. It may affect Delta’s prices since it does not have a MAX in its roster. Bastian said that the predictions are too unrealistic and the new plane will only provide other airlines the chance to replace their old fleets.

The post Delta Records High Summer Passenger Traffic appeared first on Check in Price.