LAPA, the Argentinean domestic airline went belly up a
while back but the name LAPA is to be revived by new owners
who rescued it from receivership. It has been operating as
AIRG since the Aeroandina group raised capital in both
Argentina and Bolivia to put it back in business. Plans are
afoot to start regional services to Sao Paulo, Brazil, the
Chilean cities of Santiago and Puerto Montt and to Santa Cruz
de la Sierra, Bolivia, by the end of this year.
Due to the dreadful and unpredictable event in Bali, the new
Bali based airline Air Paradise, which was due to
start flying in October 2002, said it was delaying its launch
indefinitely and refunding tickets it has already sold. The
airline was due to make its first flights to the Australian
cities of Perth and Melbourne.
According to union sources, a one-day strike planned by
Air France unions for October 24 has been switched to
November 5.
Workers are protesting over French government plans to
privatise the French flag carrier and reduce the state's
controlling stake.
Expanding Australian budget airline Virgin Blue plans
to add flights to New Zealand to its schedules and will cause
a few ruffled feathers in the Australian flight market,
largely operated by Air New Zealand and Qantas. Virgin Blue
was launched in August 2000 with a single route between
Brisbane and Sydney. It now serves thirteen Australian
destinations. Now, Virgin Blue plans a code share arrangement
with United Airlines so that it will be faster and easier for
booking flights from Brisbane to San Francisco and Los
Angeles and beyond.
Meanwhile, back in the US, Boston Logan Airport is to
introduce security scanners that can make immediate checks on
driving licenses and passports against government databases
or “watch lists.” Despite concerns expressed by
civil liberties groups, the airport said it will go ahead
with the system. Initially, it will only be used to check
around 10,000 people who work at Logan. However, the
airport's operators, Massachusetts Port Authority, say
they would like to see the system extended and in tests
carried out during the Summer discovered a number of
passengers flying out of the international departures on
forged passports.
Passengers due to fly into or out of Stansted (the
Beetle's most HATED airport, ever) near London may want
to alter their travel plans if this involves early morning or
late evening flights.
Due to alleged rail improvements, from Sunday 29th September
2002 through to Spring 2004, all Sunday train services to and
from Stansted Airport will be replaced by a slow coach
service.
Incidentally, the last coach leaves Stansted at midnight on
Sunday for Liverpool St station and 11pm from Liverpool St.
First coach to Stansted from Liverpool St is allegedly at
4.30am and 5am from Stansted to Liverpool St. You have been
warned, and allow plenty of time – preferably around 2
hours journey time! Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport
is closing down international services from Terminal 2 at the
end of October week due to reduced numbers of passengers. The
decision, by the Israel Airports Authority, is part of a
series of cost-cutting measures, according to daily newspaper
Haaretz. If international passengers start to increase the
Terminal 2 facility may reopen.
